Automatic guidance system for moving objects
First Claim
1. A system for the automatic guidance of a movable object traveling over a supporting surface along a predetermined path, comprising:
- transmitting means on said object for directing radiant energy forwardly and sideways toward said surface in the form of at least one pair of beams intersecting said surface in two substantially rectangular zones of illumination with substantially coextensive major dimensions in the direction of motion of said object, said zones being relatively offset transversely to said direction of motion and lying alongside a centerline of said path;
a series of spaced-apart responders disposed in at least one row parallel to said centerline and close to said surface for reflecting radiant energy of substantially equal intensity from both said beams toward said object as long as said object occupies a normal position athwart said centerline, said zones having a width exceeding that of said row and a length extending over a plurality of responders of said row;
receiving means on said object for separately detecting the reflections of said beams from said responders; and
steering-control means on said object connected to said receiving means for correcting deviations from said centerline, said receiving means including comparison means for ascertaining differences indicative of said deviations between the intensities of said reflections.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic system for guiding moving objects is described which cooperates with passive responders situated on or along the road on which the system operates. The part of the system which is located aboard a vehicle comprises one or two optical transmitter/receiver units. The transmitter, comprising an emitter diode or two such diodes energized either continuously or alternately, emits a light signal in the form of a beam of radiation of limited dimensions covering a certain number of responders, which reflect a fraction of the light reaching them. The received signals make it possible to form an electrical signal whose amplitude and sign are a function of the position of the transmitter along an axis transverse to a longitudinal reference axis. This system is applicable to the automatic guidance of moving objects such as road vehicles along routes marked by responders.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for the automatic guidance of a movable object traveling over a supporting surface along a predetermined path, comprising:
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transmitting means on said object for directing radiant energy forwardly and sideways toward said surface in the form of at least one pair of beams intersecting said surface in two substantially rectangular zones of illumination with substantially coextensive major dimensions in the direction of motion of said object, said zones being relatively offset transversely to said direction of motion and lying alongside a centerline of said path; a series of spaced-apart responders disposed in at least one row parallel to said centerline and close to said surface for reflecting radiant energy of substantially equal intensity from both said beams toward said object as long as said object occupies a normal position athwart said centerline, said zones having a width exceeding that of said row and a length extending over a plurality of responders of said row; receiving means on said object for separately detecting the reflections of said beams from said responders; and steering-control means on said object connected to said receiving means for correcting deviations from said centerline, said receiving means including comparison means for ascertaining differences indicative of said deviations between the intensities of said reflections. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification