ImPact WLAN
We developed our ImPact technology suite to meet the communication infrastructure and application requirements of mines in the 21st century. Leaky feeder technology just cannot meet the data and flexibility requirements demanded by modern mining. For basic voice and data leaky feeder is still a good option (we still supply a lot of VDV Leaky Feeder), but for very high data applications (video, on-board vehicle diagnostics, remote control, etc) leaky feeder is limiting. Therefore, MST has decided to bring a truly advanced communication technology into the underground mining industry. ImPact provides an alternative to leaky feeder technology that offers a quantum leap in bandwidth, and hence data quality and capacity.
ImPact is a purpose designed network communications platform that extends a site's Ethernet topology into the underground workings. Our design architecture philosophy provides extended general TCI/IP functionality with the added benefit of utilizing productivity enhancing tools available through proprietary and off-the-shelf wireless networking technologies.
The ImPact LAN and Wireless LAN technologies utilize carrier quality wired and wireless components and include design criteria that ensure high reliability and maintainability through architectures such as redundant loop implementations and SNMP fault detection and network management tools. An illustration of a typical ImPact wired and wireless Ethernet communications network is depicted below.
ImPact 802.11 Wireless Access Point
Mine Site Technologies' ImPact 802.11 Wireless Access Point (WAP) provides the mining industry with a high throughput and robust communications infrastructure to support the deployment of general IP applications with a focus on mobile data solutions that are implemented over the ImPact Wireless LAN. The ImPact WLAN is standards based and Wi-Fi compliant. Some of the advanced applications supported by the ImPact WLAN in an underground mining environment include:
Mobile Vehicle data Solutions
- Production Monitoring
- Ore Flow Modeling
- Utilization Monitoring & Optimization
- Condition Monitoring
- Equipment Tracking
- Equipment Scheduling & Traffic Control
Voice over Internet Protocoal (VoIP) Wireless Phones
- Digital Functionality
- PTT (Press to Talk) Broadcast available
- SMS Text Messaging
- Voice Mail
Mobile Data Download (PDA and Pocket PC)
- Equipment Operators' Logs
- Shift Logs
- Surveying Input
- Geology Input
- Materials Management
Mobile & Fixed IP Video
- Real Time High Res Digital Video
- Remote Monitoring
- Security
Integrated Wired & Wireless LAN Connectivity Underground
- Mobile work groups
- Dispatch Applications
- Tracking via IP