VEHICLE ROAD GUIDANCE SYSTEM

• US 3,556,244 A
• Filed: 03/15/1968
• Issued: 01/19/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George W. Gray
• Original Assignee: George W. Gray
• Inventors: Gray, George W.
• Application Number:
  US04/713,473
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• US Class Current: 180/168
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires

Abstract

A vehicle road guidance system in which two guide conductors are provided along a road and the distance between them is monitored by the vehicle to control the steering mechanism of the vehicle.

Claims

1. Apparatus for guiding a vehicle along a path, which comprises:

a first conductor extending along the path to be followed; and

a second conductor situated along the path alongside the first conductor, the distances between said conductors varying in accordance with the curvature of the path so that in the portion of the path preceding a curve in one direction the distance between the conductors decreases and in the portion of the path preceding a curve in the opposite direction the distAnce between the conductors increases, the conductors being symmetrically disposed about the center line of the path in straight portions thereof and being asymmetrically disposed about said center line in portions of the path preceding a curve.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for coupling a first signal having a given frequency to said first conductor and a second signal having another frequency to said second conductor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means electromagnetically coupled to said conductors and responsive to said signals for steering the vehicle, said means operating to steer the vehicle in one direction when the distance between the conductors decreases and to steer the vehicle in the opposite direction when the distance between the conductors increases.