Patent ID: 7853402

Claim:
A method of monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine, the method comprising: determining data on the location of at least one mining vehicle in the mine by at least one measuring device provided in the mining vehicle; transmitting the location data to a mine control system; employing the obtained location data in the mine control system for monitoring the operation of the mining vehicle; providing at least one first section and at least one second section in the mine; providing at least one wireless data communication network for the first mine section which communicates with the mine control system and includes at least one signal transmitting base station for establishing a data communication connection between the mining vehicle and the wireless data communication network, the mining vehicle being in the coverage area of at least one base station in the first mine section; arranging at least one base station in the second mine section solely for establishing a data communication connection between the mining vehicle and the wireless data communication network in the first mine section, wherein the at least one base station in the second mine section does not determine the location of the mining vehicle; continuously determining the location of the mining vehicle as the mining vehicle moves in the first mine section by means of positioning performed in the wireless data communication network on the basis of the location of the at least one signal transmitting base station in the first mine section; and determining the location of the mining vehicle in the second mine section only by the at least one measuring device provided in the mining vehicle and transmitting the location data to the mine control system over the wireless data communication network of the first mine section.