INDIVIDUAL TRANSPORT CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080015745A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benedikt Gaegauf, P Ammond
• Original Assignee: Benedikt Gaegauf, P Ammond
• Inventors: Gaegauf, Benedikt, Ammond, P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 3/02 with self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations

Abstract

An automated transportation system includes a plurality of vehicles adapted to travel along a pathway, and a monitoring system located within each vehicle and adapted to monitor a location and a speed between an associated vehicle and the pathway. The automated transportation system also includes a transmitter located within each vehicle and adapted to transmit a signal that includes data on the location and the speed monitored, and a receiver located within each vehicle and adapted to receive the signal from each of the other vehicles. The automated transportation system further includes a controller located within each vehicle and adapted to interpret the signal received by the receiver and control the associated vehicle to provide proper spacing between the remaining vehicles to avoid collisions therebetween and maximize throughput of the vehicles along the pathway.

Claims

1. An automated transportation system, comprising:

a track system that includes at least two track members;

a plurality of vehicles that may be alternatively supported by the two track members, each vehicle including a switching system adapted to switch the vehicle between the track members;

a monitoring system located within each vehicle and adapted to monitor a switching state of an associated vehicle;

a transmitter located within each vehicle and adapted to transmit a primary signal that includes data on the switching state of the associated vehicle;

a receiver adapted to receive the primary signal from each of the transmitters;

a vehicle control system located within each vehicle and adapted to interpret the primary signal received by the receiver and control the associated vehicle to provide proper spacing between the remaining vehicles to avoid collisions therebetween and maximize throughput of the vehicles along the pathway.

2. The automated transportation system of claim 1, wherein the receiver includes on on-board receiver located with each vehicle.

3. The automated transportation system of claim 2, further including:

a central controller adapted to receive the signal from the transmitter, interpret the primary signal received from the transmitter from each of the plurality of vehicles to provide proper spacing between the remaining vehicles to avoid collisions therebetween and maximize throughput of the vehicles along the pathway, and to transmit a secondary signal to the receiver within each vehicle.

4. The automated transportation system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle control system utilizes the secondary signal from the central controller only if the primary signal is compromised.

5. The automated transportation system of claim 1, further including:

a central controller adapted to receive the signal from the transmitter, interpret the primary signal received from the transmitter from each of the plurality of vehicles to provide proper spacing between the remaining vehicles to avoid collisions therebetween and maximize throughput of the vehicles along the pathway, and to transmit a secondary signal to the receiver within each vehicle.

6. The automated transportation system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle control system utilizes the secondary signal from the central controller only if the primary signal is compromised.

7. A method for controlling a plurality of vehicles along a track system, comprising:

providing a track system that includes at least two track members;

providing a plurality of vehicles that may be alternatively supported from the track members, each vehicle including a switching system adapted to switch the vehicle between tracks;

monitoring a switching state of each of a plurality of vehicles with respect to the track members via a monitoring system located within each vehicle;

transmitting a primary signal that includes a switching state of the vehicle to at least one controller;

receiving the primary signal at the controller;

controlling each of the vehicles via a vehicle control system located within each vehicle based on the primary signal received by the controller to provide proper spacing between the vehicles to avoid collisions therebetween and maximize throughput of the vehicles along the track as the vehicles switch between track members.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of receiving the receiving the signal includes receiving the signal at each vehicle directly from the vehicle transmitting the signal.

9. The method of claim 7, further including:

transmitting a secondary signal from the controller located at a fixed position to the vehicle control system of each vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step controlling each of the vehicles includes controlling each of the vehicles based on the secondary signal only if the primary signal is compromised.

11. A wheel slippage monitoring system, comprising:

a first monitoring device adapted to measure the rotational velocity of a wheel of a vehicle;

a second monitoring device adapted to measure the linear velocity of the vehicle along a pathway; and

a comparator for comparing the rotational velocity of the wheel with the linear velocity of the vehicle and determining the amount of slippage of the wheel with respect to the pathway.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the second monitoring device includes a radar system.

13. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the second monitoring device utilizes a global positioning system.

14. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the comparator includes a digital circuit.

15. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the pathway includes a vehicle supporting track system including at least one track member.

16. The monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle is an under-slung vehicle supported below the track member.

17. A wheel wear monitoring system, comprising:

a first monitoring device adapted to measure a current rotational velocity of a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel having an outer diameter;

a second monitoring device adapted to measure a current linear velocity of the vehicle along a pathway corresponding to the current rotational velocity of the wheel; and

a comparator for comparing the current rotational velocity and linear velocity to a set value for the rotational velocity of the wheel calculated from a prime wheel diameter corresponding to the current linear velocity, thereby determining the reduction in the diameter of the wheel from the prime wheel diameter.

18. The monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the second monitoring device includes a radar system.

19. The monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the second monitoring device utilizes a global positioning system.

20. The monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the pathway includes a vehicle supporting track system including at least one track member.

21. The monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the vehicle is an under-slung vehicle supported below the track member.

22. The monitoring system of claim 17, further including:

a data storage unit adapted to receive the measurement form the first and second monitoring devices creating a series of readings over an elapsed period of time, and wherein the comparator compares the series of readings to determine a rate of wheel wear over a finite period of time.