METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE CONTROL AND GUIDANCE
First Claim
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1. A system for providing information concerning the movement of a vehicle with respect to a roadway path comprising:
- a plurality of path defining permanently magnetized elements disposed in spaced relation along the roadway, said magnetized elements comprising longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end, said pins being driven into the roadway in a vertical position with the driven end of the pins being at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway; and
, vehicle mounted means responsive to the magnetic fields of said magnetized elements for producing an electrical signal each time the vehicle passes one of said elements.
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Abstract
A vehicle guidance and control system for providing information concerning the speed and direction of movement of a vehicle along a predetermined path on a roadway. The path is defined by a plurality of spaced, permanently magnetized elements located along the roadway. Vehicle mounted sensors respond to the magnetic fields of the elements and produce electrical signals representing the speed and direction of movement of the vehicle with respect to the path. In one embodiment, the electrical signals are employed as control signals in a closed loop electromechanical guidance system for the vehicle. By varying the pattern of magnetic polarization of the elements, binary information can be transferred from the roadway to the vehicle. With suitable data processing equipment in the vehicle, traffic information, such as, speed limits, directions, accident information, exit directions and the like can be visually presented to the vehicle operator.
26 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system for providing information concerning the movement of a vehicle with respect to a roadway path comprising:
- a plurality of path defining permanently magnetized elements disposed in spaced relation along the roadway, said magnetized elements comprising longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end, said pins being driven into the roadway in a vertical position with the driven end of the pins being at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway; and
, vehicle mounted means responsive to the magnetic fields of said magnetized elements for producing an electrical signal each time the vehicle passes one of said elements.
- a plurality of path defining permanently magnetized elements disposed in spaced relation along the roadway, said magnetized elements comprising longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end, said pins being driven into the roadway in a vertical position with the driven end of the pins being at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway; and
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2. The system of claim 1 wherein said pins are explosively driven into the roadway.
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3. A method for defining a vehicular boundary in a roadway comprising the steps of:
- a. driving a plurality of permanently magnetizable longitudinal pins into the roadway at spaced intervals along the path of the desired vehicular boundary, said longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end and being driven into the roadway in a vertical position until the driven end is at least substantially flush with the surface of roadway; and
, b. permanently magnetizing said longitudinal pins.
- a. driving a plurality of permanently magnetizable longitudinal pins into the roadway at spaced intervals along the path of the desired vehicular boundary, said longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end and being driven into the roadway in a vertical position until the driven end is at least substantially flush with the surface of roadway; and
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4. A method for defining a vehicular boundary in a roadway comprising the steps of:
- a. permanently magnetizing a plurality of longitudinal pins, said pins each having a driving end and a driven end; and
, b. driving a plurality of said magnetized longitudinal pins into the roadway at spaced intervals along the path of the desired vehicular boundary in a vertical position until the driven end of each pin is at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway.
- a. permanently magnetizing a plurality of longitudinal pins, said pins each having a driving end and a driven end; and
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5. A system for providing information concerning movement of a vehicle with respect to a roadway vehicular lane comprising:
- a plurality of path vehicular lane defining permanently magnetized elements disposed in spaced relation along the roadway with said magnetized elements forming the left and right hand magnetic boundaries of said vehicular lane, and said magnetized elements comprising longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end, said pins being driven into the roadway in a vertical position with the driven end of the pins being at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway; and
, vehicle mounted means responsive to the magnetic fields of said magnetized elements for producing an electrical signal representing the direction of movement of the vehicle with respect to the vehicular lane defined by said elements.
- a plurality of path vehicular lane defining permanently magnetized elements disposed in spaced relation along the roadway with said magnetized elements forming the left and right hand magnetic boundaries of said vehicular lane, and said magnetized elements comprising longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end, said pins being driven into the roadway in a vertical position with the driven end of the pins being at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway; and
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6. The vehicle system of claim 5 further characterized by:
- the electrical signal produced by said vehicle mounted means having a signal characteristic which represents the position of said vehicle with respect to the left and right hand magnetic lane boundaries; and
, means responsive to said electrical signal for steering the vehicle between said lane boundaries.
- the electrical signal produced by said vehicle mounted means having a signal characteristic which represents the position of said vehicle with respect to the left and right hand magnetic lane boundaries; and
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7. A roadway lane boundary alarm system for moving vehicles comprising:
- a plurality of permanently magnetized elements disposed in linear, spaced relation along the roadway, said elements defining a vehicular lane boundary and comprising longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end, said pins being driven into the roadway in a vertical position with the driven end of the pins being at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway;
vehicle mounted means responsive to the magnetic fields of said magnetized elements for producing an electrical signal whenever the vehicle reaches a proximity threshold with respect to said lane boundary; and
, means responsive to said electrical signal for producing an alarm signal.
- a plurality of permanently magnetized elements disposed in linear, spaced relation along the roadway, said elements defining a vehicular lane boundary and comprising longitudinal pins each having a driving end and a driven end, said pins being driven into the roadway in a vertical position with the driven end of the pins being at least substantially flush with the surface of the roadway;
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8. The vehicle lane boundary alarM system of claim 7 further characterized by the proximity threshold of said vehicle mounted electrical signal producing means being adjustable.
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9. A system for providing information concerning the movement of a vehicle with respect to a roadway path comprising:
- a plurality of path defining permanently magnetized, substantially planar elements disposed in spaced relation along the roadway, said planar elements each having a central aperture and being secured to said roadway by means of a driven fastener extending through said aperture and into said roadway; and
, vehicle mounted means responsive to the magnetic fields of said magnetized elements for producing an electrical signal each time the vehicle passes one of said elements.
- a plurality of path defining permanently magnetized, substantially planar elements disposed in spaced relation along the roadway, said planar elements each having a central aperture and being secured to said roadway by means of a driven fastener extending through said aperture and into said roadway; and
Specification
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Current AssigneeDavid B. Spaulding
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Original AssigneeDavid B. Spaulding
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InventorsSpaulding, David B.
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Primary Examiner(s)Claffy, Kathleen H.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Myers, Randall P.
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Application NumberUS04/878,407Time in Patent Office929 DaysField of Search340/32,34,38R,38L 180/98 94/1R,1.5 85/1R 24/21BUS Class Current340/905CPC Class CodesG05D 1/0261 using magnetic plotsG08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for...G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acqui...G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monit...
