Resiliency
MineTrax network experiences no downtime if at least one backhaul link to surface survives because the routing tables will self-heal automatically:
If no backhaul links are available in the isolated section of the mine, then the Post-Accident Probe Node can be dropped down a ventilation shaft or 2" bore hole with an RS422 + mechanical steel cable to re-establish backhaul communications to surface:
In a linear daisy chain, if each node is installed in RF range of two other nodes on each side, if ever a node fails, all other nodes will remain online:
In a linear daisy chain, if each node can reach a gateway in at least two different directions, if ever a node or gateway fails, all other nodes will remain online:
The coverage areas of network infrastructure nodes often overlap for wireless multihop backhaul communications. Mobile terminals are therefore often in range of at least two nodes and this protects them from RF shadowing by large vehicles or other obstructions:
Other resiliency features of the MineTrax network include:
- No wires for communications or power
- Only one component required to fix the network: a node
- Everybody underground can fix the network
- Frequency diversity: frequency hopping on 50+ frequencies on both access and backhaul RF links
- Backbone diversity: fiber, leaky feeder and RS422 can be used for redundancy
- Monitoring of tag reader antenna integrity: same antenna used for tracking, mobile access and backhaul
- Intrinsic battery "backup“
