Vehicle control system
First Claim
1. A control system for a guided transport system comprising:
- a guideway;
a plurality of vehicles each traveling along said guideway;
a predetermined number of stations disposed along said guideway;
an input device disposed at each of said stations to enable each passenger desiring to use said transport system to enter his destination;
a command and control center in communication with each of said plurality of vehicles and each of said input devices, said center receiving from each of said input devices simultaneously destination information and the identity of that one of said input device providing said destination information to provide start information;
memory means disposed in said center containing control information for standard and diversion routes for all possible start-destination relationships;
computer means disposed in said center which determines from all input information from said input devices to said center whether said transport system should operate in a demand service mode or a scheduled service mode at that moment in view of given operating criteria; and
first means coupled to said memory means, said computer means and said plurality of vehicles to communicate operating commands to each of said plurality of vehicles, said operating commands being a sequence of stored control information for said standard routes, said sequence of control information corresponding to the mode of operation determined by said computer means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control system is proposed which is capable of controlling driverless vehicles running on a fixed guideway according to schedule or demand. An input device is disposed at each station along the guideway to enable each passenger to enter his destination. A command and control center is in communication with the vehicles on the guideway and all the input devices. The center receives from each of the input devices simultaneously destination information and the identity of that one of the input devices providing the destination information to provide start information. A memory arrangement in the center contains control information for standard and diversion routes for all possible start-destination relationships. A computer arrangement in the center determines from all input information from the input devices whether the transport system should operate in a demand or scheduled mode at that moment in view of given operating criteria. An arrangement in the center communicates operating commands to each of the vehicles. The operating commands are a sequence of stored control information for standard or diverse routes and correspond to the mode of operation as determined by the computer arrangement.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A control system for a guided transport system comprising:
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a guideway; a plurality of vehicles each traveling along said guideway; a predetermined number of stations disposed along said guideway; an input device disposed at each of said stations to enable each passenger desiring to use said transport system to enter his destination; a command and control center in communication with each of said plurality of vehicles and each of said input devices, said center receiving from each of said input devices simultaneously destination information and the identity of that one of said input device providing said destination information to provide start information; memory means disposed in said center containing control information for standard and diversion routes for all possible start-destination relationships; computer means disposed in said center which determines from all input information from said input devices to said center whether said transport system should operate in a demand service mode or a scheduled service mode at that moment in view of given operating criteria; and first means coupled to said memory means, said computer means and said plurality of vehicles to communicate operating commands to each of said plurality of vehicles, said operating commands being a sequence of stored control information for said standard routes, said sequence of control information corresponding to the mode of operation determined by said computer means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a control system for a guided transport system including a guideway for a plurality of vehicles to travel therealong, a predetermined number of stations disposed along said guideway, and a command and control center in communication with each of said plurality of vehicles and each of said stations, the improvement comprising
first means disposed at each of said stations to enable each passenger desiring to use said transport system to communicate his destination to said center; - and
second means disposed in said center for receiving from each of said first means simultaneously destination information and identity information of that one of said first means providing said destination information, for determining from all said destination and identity information from each of said first means whether said transport system should operate in a demand service mode or a scheduled service mode at that moment in view of given operating criteria, and for communicating operating commands to each of said plurality of vehicles, said operating commands being a sequence of control information determined by said determined mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for controlling a guided transport system including a guideway for a plurality of vehicles to travel therealong, a predetermined number of stations disposed along said guideway, and a command and control center in communication with each of said plurality of vehicles and each of said stations comprising the steps of
generating destination signals at each of said stations by passengers desiring to use said transport system; -
determining in said center from all of said destination signals and identity information of said stations providing said destination signals whether said transport system should operate in a demand sevice mode or a scheduled service mode at that moment in view of give operating criteria; and communicating operating commands to each of said plurality of vehicles, said operating commands being a sequence of control information determined by said determined mode of operation.
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Specification