Traffic merging method and means

• US 3,941,201 A
• Filed: 07/25/1973
• Issued: 03/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Man GHH Schienenverkehrstechnik GmbH Nuernberg Federal Republic of Germany
• Original Assignee: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH
• Inventors: Hermann, Walter, Kraus, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siemens, Terrance L.
• Application Number:
  US05/382,553
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 246/167, 246/187 C, 340/36, 340/31 R, 340/33, 180/98, 104/149
• US Class Current: 180/168
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/075 Ramp control

Abstract

Two crowded single file traffic lanes of electronically speed-controlled vehicles are merged at a merge point by electronically establishing gaps sufficient to accept vehicles between the vehicles of each lane before they approach the merge point. The vehicles of one lane are then electronically guided into the gaps of the other as they pass the merge point. Lane-side transmitters and receivers along each lane cooperate with the vehicles to control the spacing between the vehicles in the approach toward the merge point. The gaps are established and the vehicles guided by signalling electronic images of each vehicle to the other lane and by guiding each vehicle as if the imaged vehicle were an actual vehicle in front of it.

Claims

1. The method of merging vehicles, travelling single file in each of two separate lanes, into a single lane, comprising electronically operating the vehicles in each lane to establish minimum gaps between each vehicle and the vehicle immediately ahead in the same lane, electronically changing the operation of the vehicles as the vehicles approach the merge point to form additional gaps, filling the additional gaps of one lane with the vehicles of the other lane at the merge point, the step of changing the operation including forming a signal representative of each vehicle of one lane in the other lane in a predetermined range approaching the merge point and varying the speed of each of the vehicles as if each signal formed by a vehicle just closer to the merge point or equidistant to the merge point, were a vehicle directly ahead, the step of electronically controlling the speed of the vehicle including maintaining the speed of the vehicles in one lane until it receives signals that it is too close behind another vehicle in its lane or to form an additional gap.

2. In the method of merging the vehicles travelling single file in each of two separate lanes into a single lane, wherein each vehicle is electronically operated in each lane partially in response to control signals indicating that the vehicle is getting too close to the vehicle immediately ahead in the same lane so as to establish gaps between the vehicles, and wherein the operation of the vehicles are changed as the vehicles approach the merge point to form additional gaps by forming within a predetermined range at the merge point additional control signals representative of vehicles in one lane and transmitting it to the vehicles in the other lane so that each vehicle speed is adjusted in response to the control signals as if each control signal formed by a vehicle just closer to the merge point were a vehicle directly ahead, and wherein the additional gaps of one lane are filled with vehicles of the other lane at the merge point, the improvement comprising maintaining the speed of the vehicles until a vehicle receives a control signal.

3. A system for merging vehicles travelling in single file in each of two separate lanes into a single lane, comprising control means in the vehicles for electronically controlling the speed of the vehicle in each lane to form gaps between each vehicle and the vehicle immediately ahead in the same lane, changing means in the vicinity of a merge point for changing the operation of the vehicles as the vehicles approach the merge point to form additional gaps, said changing means including signal forming means in each vehicle directed toward the lane other than the one in which the vehicle is travelling, said changing means further including stationary signal relaying means in each lane for receiving signals from vehicles in the opposite lane and transmitting them to vehicles in the same lane, receiver means in each vehicle responding to the signals from the relaying means in the same lane for establishing an indication as if each signal formed by a vehicle just closer to the merge point or equidistant to the merge point were a vehicle directly ahead so that said vehicle forms additional gaps, said control means including means for guiding each vehicle of one lane into the additional gaps formed by the vehicles in the other lane, said control means including means for electronically maintaining the speed of the vehicles in each lane until receipt of a signal indicating it is too close behind the vehicle ahead or a signal to form additional gaps.

4. In a system for merging vehicles travelling single file in each of two separate lanes into a single lane, comprising control means mounted in each of said vehicles for controlling the speed of each vehicle and spacing the vehicles, a plurality of sensing means along given ranges of said paths approaching the merge points for sensing the presence of each vehicle in the ranges, and a plurality of regulator means each responsive to one of said sensing means and communicating with said control means for constraining said control means in each of the paths to form gaps between the vehicles at locations corresponding to the vehicles in the other paths, said control means in each of said vehicles including electrical means which coact with the electrical means and the control means of an immediately preceding vehicle and an immediately following vehicle to control the speed of each vehicle on the basis of its speed as well as the speed of the immediately preceding vehicle, said control means including means otherwise maintaining the speed of each vehicle and spacing the vehicles in each lane independent of the speed of the vehicles and the spacing of the vehicles in the other lane.