REMOTE DEVICE CONTROL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 3,815,091 A
• Filed: 02/21/1973
• Issued: 06/04/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert T. Kirk
• Original Assignee: Robert T. Kirk
• Inventors: Kirk, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US05/334,509
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 340/147P,163R,147R
• US Class Current: 340/12.55
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A communication system for controlling remote devices, such as a plurality of vehicles. The system comprises a central control area including a computer for normally controlling a plurality of vehicles, a plurality of manual control stations each operable to provide direct or remote manual control of a selected one of said vehicles, and a plurality of peripheral stations each operable to provide temporary automatic control of a selected one of said vehicles. Means are provided for selecting a vehicle to be controlled, and means selectably places control of the selected vehicle under either said central control area or a responsive one of said stations.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicular machine having related on-board signal-responsive control apparatus and status signal generating apparatus;

a central control area including a computer and related data processing equipment;

a manual control terminal located remotely from said central area;

a status display terminal associated with and disposed in proximity with said manual control terminal;

an on-board data transceiver disposed on said vehicular machine and connected in data communication relationship with said onboard signal responsive control apparatus, said on-board data transceiver receiving signals indicative of control commands for said vehicular machine and transmitting signals indicative of status reports for monitoring the controlled operation thereof;

a central data transceiver disposed at said central area and connected in data communication relationship with said central control area data processing equipment, said central data transceiver transmitting signals indicative of control commands for said vehicular machine generated by said central control area data processing equipment and receiving signals indicative of status reports for monitoring the controlled operation of said vehicular machine;

a data receiver for receiving signals indicative of status report for monitoring the controlled operation of said vehicular machine and connected to supply data signals to said status display terminal for visual display of said status reports;

a data transmitter connected to receive from said manual control terminal data signals indicative of control commands for said vehicular machine generated by said manual control terminal;

a data signal communication line interconnecting said on-board transceiver with said receiver; and

switch means selectively operable to connect said data signal communication line in data signal communication with said central data transceiver or with said data transmitter, alternatively such that said system remotely controls said vehicular machine in response to signals either from said central control area or from said manual control terminal while providing, in either case, visual status reports on said status display terminal.

2. A system according to claim 1 additionally comprising:

additional data processing equipment disposed remotely from said central aRea and remotely from said manual control terminal and including a remote data signal transceiver connected in data communication relationship therewith, and wherein said switch means is selectively operable to connect said data signal communication line in data signal communication with said central data transceiver, said remote data transceiver, or said data transmitter, alternatively.