TENDRIL™

An Introduction toTENDRIL™

A New Concept for EnablingIP Convergence in

Underground Mining &Vehicular Tunnel Environments

Kerry Nufer

TENDRIL™

THIS PRESENTATION FOR INTERNAL USE

ONLY

Slide 2TENDRIL™

TENDRIL™ Traditional Meaning

In botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape that is used by climbing plants for support and attachment, generally by twining around whatever it touches.

C.F. Wikipedia

Slide 3TENDRIL™

TENDRIL™ the Acronym

• Tunnel

• Environment

• Networking of

• Digital

• Remote

• Internet Protocol (IP)

• Links

Slide 4TENDRIL™

What is TENDRIL™

• Take the concept of Cable Internet• Add(+) some old ideas of:

– Leaky Feeder– Radio Frequency Branching Techniques– Conventional 2-Way Radio

• Add(+) some innovative ideas regards– Radio Data e.g. Wireless LAN, Zigbee– L2 ETHERNET Switching– Routers– Converged IP Devices– Process Control Systems (Everything Is Becoming IP Enabled)

• Equals(=) TENDRIL™ - a New Platform for:– Underground Mining Applications

• Communications• Process Control

– Vehicular Tunnel Communications

Slide 5TENDRIL™

TENDRIL™ Extends Surface IP Network

• To the Ore Body Itself

• To “Smart Dust” (Sweet ZigPEA);– Disposable Sensors

– Low-Cost Reusable Sensors

• With Video– Traditional Analogue

– IP Enabled Cameras

• With other Apps such as:– Voice over IP (VoIP) Telephony

– SCADA & Process Control

– Third Party Technologies of Any Kind

– Asset Tracking & Personnel Monitoring

Slide 6TENDRIL™

TENDRIL™ In a Nutshell

• Three Types of Box– Tendril Head End (THE)

– Tendril Intermediate Node (TIN)

– Tendril End Point (TEP)

• Box Interconnection– Leaky Coax

– Conventional Coax

– RF over Fibre (SMOF)

• Result– TCP/IP (over ETHERNET) In

– TCP/IP Interfaces Everywhere You Want

– Radio, Copper, Fibre, IP Everwhere, and/or

– Legacy Analogue

Slide 7TENDRIL™

TENDRIL™ Application Concept

TENDRILTM

HeadEnd

TENDRILTM Intermediate

Node

TENDRILTM End

Point

TENDRILTM

EndPoint

TENDRILTM

IntermediateNode

Non Radiating Area

Option of Multiple ‘Air’ Technologies to Loader at Ore Body including 802.11a & Microwave 10 GHz Using Horn or Patch Antennas for Video & Telemetry

Tunnel Navigation Guidance System

SMOFIndustrialETHERNETBackbone

ConventionalUnderground2-Way Radio

System

SpecialLimited

CoverageArea

SMOFIndustrialETHERNETBackbone

MonopoleAntenna

ETHERNETModbus & DNP3

etc Process Control

PLC(Programmable)

(Logic Controller)

Zigbee Programmable Environmental Agent S(ZigPEAS) = Smart Dust, used for:• Temperature;• Humidity;• Gas (CO2, Methane, Oxygen etc.);• Movement detection (Accelerometers);• Disposable video cameras;• Location Markers;• Active RFID Tags.

Slide 8TENDRIL™

What’s in the TENDRILTM Box Overview

• Pretty Well the Same for all 3 Boxes– Data-Air-Data Interfaces– Data Networking Systems (Switches, Routers)– RF Branching Systems– Power Supply– Terminal Codecs– Legacy Equipment (subject to…)– Antenna Terminations– Process Controllers (client dependent)

Slide 9TENDRIL™

What’s In the BoxTENDRILTM Head End

Power Supply

Bias T

48 Volts

3rd PartyApplication

2

TX RX

3rd PartyApplication

N

Cable MODEMTermination SystemGbit/Sec ETHERNETClient

Data CommsSystems

ClientApps 2

ClientApps N

ClientPowerSupply

240 V AC

Optional 3rd PartyLegacy & Other Applications Optional

TENDRILTM Head End Block Schematic

ETHERNETSwitch

ZigPEAApplication3rd Party

Application1

ClientApps 1

Slide 10TENDRIL™

What’s in the Box TENDRILTM Intermediate Node

Power Supply

Bias T

48 Volts (Nom)

TX RX

Cable MODEM

Optional 3rd PartyLegacy & Other Applications

Optional

TENDRILTM Intermediate Node Block Schematic

48 Volts (Nom)

RouterETHERNET Switch

WLANApps(Opt)

ZigPEAApps(Opt)

TINIPI/F

ExternalClient

TCP/IPApps

Bias T

3rd Party RFApplications

CCTVVideo

CODEC

TCP/IP Apps

VoIPCODEC

ModBusPLC

Hybr

idSp

litter

/ Com

bine

r

Bias T

OptionalNote alsoPossible to usenormal coupler,splitter/combinercomponents

Slide 11TENDRIL™

What’s in the Box TENDRILTM End Point

Power Supply

TX RX

Cable MODEM

Optional 3rd PartyLegacy & Other Applications

Optional

TENDRILTM End Point Block Schematic48 Volts (Nom)

RouterETHERNET Switch

WLANApps(Opt)

ZigPEAApps(Opt)

TINIPI/F

ExternalClient

TCP/IPApps

Bias T

3rd Party RFApplications

CCTVVideo

CODEC

TCP/IP Apps

VoIPCODEC

ModBusPLC

Hybr

idSp

litter

/ Com

bine

r

OptionalNote alsoPossible to usenormal coupler,splitter/combinercomponents

Spatial RFSpatial RFIllumination ofIllumination ofOre BodyOre BodyOperationalOperationalEnvironmentEnvironment Using UsingAntennasAntennas

Slide 12TENDRIL™

Manufacturing Benefits

• Most Active Modules Exist;– Cable MODEM Termination Systems;– Cable MODEMs;– Power Supplies;– Routers, Switches (Ruggedcom, Garretcom etc);

• Many Passive Modules Exist – Off-the-Shelf;– Filters;– Bias Tees;– Splitter Combiners;– Booster Amps;– Cable MODEM Systems – Well Proven Technology:

• Development Platform for New Mining Products,– Low-Cost,– Mass Produced,– Disposable/ Reusable,

• ZigPEAS;– Sensors,– RFID Tags etc.

Slide 13TENDRIL™

Service Benefits

• TENDRILTM Flagship for Add-on to Fibre Expertise in Mining Apps:

• Basis for Management of Underground Telecommunications Environment for Mining Customers;– RF Spectrum Management,– Data Communications Management:

• Addition of 3rd Party Communications Products;– Radio Systems (suggest to be a known problem),– Data Systems,– 3rd Party Peripheral Devices.