Applications/Requirements

• Vehicles(dump truck, automated rail system)

  • Wi-Fi facilitates wireless communication between vehicles(dump trucks, drilling machine, etc.) and Operations Center, enhancing operational efficiency in:
    • Task Assignment
    • Real-time tracking of trucks and asset locations
    • Monitoring personnel and control equipment remotely
    • Real-time communication
    • Workflow optimization and improved loading efficiency

• Video Transmission

  • Wi-Fi connects cameras to the Control Room for:
    • Security monitoring
    • Investigation and evidence collection

• IoT Sensors

  • Wi-Fi supports diverse IoT devices and sensors, allowing for seamless connectivity and data transmission to central system. This capability enables:
    • Monitoring of equipment status and environmental conditions
    • Collection of geological and operational data
    • Acquisition of valuable data for analytical and operational decision-making

• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

  • Wi-Fi facilitates communication among personnel via the wireless network, thereby improving coordination and overall workplace efficiency.

Challenges in Wi-Fi Implementation

• Large and Complex Locations

  • Mines can be 10 km or more in radius and feature multiple tunnels that measure in the 10s and even 100s of kilometers in length. The physical topography of the environment is also very challenging: not only do networks have to cover large areas, but very uneven ones, both above and below ground. Deep pits, underground tunnels and shafts, and isolated railways all create network coverage challenges.

• Limited sites for WiFi installation

  • Usually, mines are located in wide-spread areas with limited high points for WiFi installation. Typical available points for WiFi antenna installation are at the top of light tower, removable pole with solar energy.
  • Fiber/Wired backhaul connection is not available for the site.

• Seamless Coverage and Redundancy Necessary

  • AI and IoT devices offer substantial benefits, but they require seamless coverage as they operate and coordinate heavy machinery in an unpredictable and often dangerous environment. Redundancy is critical, as is ongoing planning and testing to ensure connectivity remains seamless.

• Roaming Issues

  • Mission-critical operations ( e.g. vehicles ) demand robust wireless connectivity and seamless roaming between access point coverage zones, necessitating effective roaming solutions.

• Hash Environment

  • There is high explosive risk for underground mining environment, anti-explosion is important part of WiFi implementation.
  • Crushed stone and dust can easily cause damage to equipment.

Altai Features & Solutions

• Smart Antenna

  • 8×8 MIMO array: Take advantage of multi-path signals to achieve high diversity gain in NLOS environment.
  • Patented smart antenna algorithm: Analyze all the Rx signal paths to achieve a higher uplink signal level, hence improving uplink performance for those low-powered devices.

  

• Large area coverage

  • 1 x A8-Ein(ac) can provide coverage for a distance of 1.7 km in LOS environment
  • 1 x A8n(ac) can provide large area coverage with beamwidth 70 to 360º

  

• AirFi Throughput Optimization

  • The Altai AirFi throughput optimization algorithm implemented at the Wi-Fi layer, increasing its average throughput capacity by a factor of 2 and more
    • Great improvement in response time from 3,000 to 50 ms was recorded
    • The optimization is most significant when the throughput degradation is due to slow-speed clients

  

• Smart Roaming

  • Fast Handover – Enhanced active background scanning and roaming threshold enable Altai CPE to have a handover time of 80 – 100 ms
  • Smart Roaming – Altai AP proactively monitors client connection status and uses standard (802.11k/v/r) or non-standard mechanisms (client RSSI/PER) for facilitating client roaming to mitigate the effects of poor handover decisions made by clients alone
  • Zero Packet Loss – The Altai APs involved in roaming communicates with each other to enable intelligent packet buffering and forwarding, reducing packet loss to zero

  

• Flexible Antenna Mounting for A8n(ac)

  • With four sector antennas, A8n(ac) can provide flexible coverage for different environment by using different down tilt settings.

  

• Explosion-Proof ATEX/IECEx Enclosure (A8n(ac), AX600-X, CX600)

  • Altai provides different ATEX/IECEx enclosures for different AP models to minimize explosion risks and ensure worker safety.