Semi-autonomous guidance system for a vehicle
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a first receiver, for receiving a radio frequency guidance signal broadcast from a leading vehicle;
means for determining the direction to the leading vehicle and the distance to the leading vehicle based at least in part on the received guidance signal, including two spaced-apart antennas having a known separation, each for providing a respective direction to the leading vehicle, and calculating means for performing triangulation to determine the direction to the leading vehicle based on the known separation and respective direction to the leading vehicle from each of the two antennas; and
means for providing control signals for moving along a path defined by successive determinations of the distance and direction to the leading vehicle.
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Abstract
A system (and corresponding method) by which a number of trailing vehicles follows (more or less in line, one behind the other) a lead vehicle, and so forms a convoy, with each of the trailing vehicles receiving a guidance signal from the vehicle ahead of it in order to determine its course (although in case of emergency, the trailing vehicles can each receive commands from the lead vehicle to alter the path indicated by the guidance signal from the vehicle ahead of it).
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first receiver, for receiving a radio frequency guidance signal broadcast from a leading vehicle;
means for determining the direction to the leading vehicle and the distance to the leading vehicle based at least in part on the received guidance signal, including two spaced-apart antennas having a known separation, each for providing a respective direction to the leading vehicle, and calculating means for performing triangulation to determine the direction to the leading vehicle based on the known separation and respective direction to the leading vehicle from each of the two antennas; and
means for providing control signals for moving along a path defined by successive determinations of the distance and direction to the leading vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method by which a vehicle operates, comprising:
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a step of receiving a radio frequency guidance signal broadcast from a leading vehicle using a first receiver;
a step of determining the direction to the leading vehicle and the distance to the leading vehicle based at least in part on the received guidance signal, using two spaced-apart antennas having a known separation, each for providing a respective direction to the leading vehicle, and performing triangulation to determine the direction to the leading vehicle based on the known separation and the respective direction to the leading vehicle from each of the two antennas; and
a step of providing control signals for moving along a path defined by successive determinations of the distance and direction to the leading vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification