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Hexagon Mining
Baarerstrasse 133
6300 Zug, Switzerland
www.hexagonmining.com
The Personal Alert System (PA) consists of Vehicle Anchors and Pedestrian tags. The Vehicle Anchors
contain a UWB ranging radio, a powerful microcontroller for distance computations and a CAN interface
to transmit ranging information to the CAS. Pedestrian tags are wearable devices with high-capacity
Li-Ion batteries and integrated charging system, which also contain a UWB ranging radio and
microcontroller, as well as two RGB LEDs with dynamically adaptive brightness, powerful vibration
motor and buzzer for alerting. The devices communicate with each other using Time of Flight
Technology at UWB frequencies, and the Vehicle Anchors are connected to the Collision Avoidance
System (CAS) using a proprietary CAN protocol.
The distance and detection zone between each Pedestrian tag and each Vehicle Anchor on heavy
machinery is calculated by the Vehicle Anchors and transmitted to the CAS main unit. The information
is also transmitted back to each Pedestrian tags as a low power signal at frequent intervals (adaptive,
up to 4 times per second). The PA will provide visual awareness to both the heavy machinery operators
and the surrounding field personnel inside the configured detection zones.
When the PA determines a dangerous proximity to personnel, the CAS LED display gives the heavy
machinery operator a warning of the greatest danger at that moment, this is given by a visual
awareness with direction of the closest detected personnel and a buzzing sound, at the same time the
pedestrian tag also provides a visual alert, buzzing sound and a vibration alarm to the personnel
depending on the configuration.
3.2. Hardware components
Components
Product
Number
Description
Picture
CAS Set
QN55X
Collision Avoidance
System unit, acts also as
processing unit for PA
and to provide
information via the LEDs
display to the operator.
Reverse Gear
« input »
CAS unit does have to
be connected to the
reverse gear sensor, as
the information of
vehicle direction is
needed.
Vehicle
Anchors
QT370
The Vehicle Anchors
contains the UWB
ranging radio that
communicate and
performs the distance
measurements. It has an
LED to display status
and two CAN
connectors.
M12-4
Terminators
QT375
This terminator provides
a 120 Ohm load on both
ends of the CAN bus for
proper and reliable
communications
between the vehicle
AnchorVehicle Anchors
and the CAS unit.
