Automatic car identification system
First Claim
1. A system for identifying objects moving along a path past a stationary location comprising:
- means adapted to be placed at said location for defining a source of a radiation beam, said defining means being operable to direct a radiation beam in the form in a generally vertical column across the path of travel of the moving object when the source is at said location;
a label adapted to be mounted on an object moveable along said path for identifying the same, the label having at least a pair of side-by-side radiation receiving and transmitting columns alignable across the path of the radiation beam when the label is on the object and when the source is at said location, each column having means selectively located thereon for blocking at least a portion of the light beam to thereby define a radiation entrance port and a radiation exit port for the column, each column further having radiation transmitting means therein for connecting the entrance and exit ports thereof so that a radiation beam entering the entrance port can pass into the column and exit therefrom at the exit ports; and
radiation receiving means adapted to be placed at said location adjacent to said radiation source for receiving the radiation beam leaving each column through the exit port thereof, said radiation receiving means being operable to generate electronic signals in response to the radiation transmitted from each column, whereby the locations of the entrance and exit ports relative to a specific reference point on the corresponding column, provide a coded identification for each object to distinguish it from other objects moving past the location.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for identifying a moving railway vehicle or any other object upon which is fastened an identification label having a number of vertical columns of light retransmitting medium, each column representing a digit number obtained by coding the column by insertion of a metal plate in front of the column. A wayside light transmitter/receiver unit provides a source of light beam directd toward the path of travel of the vehicle and also provides a light beam receiver responsive to retransmitted light signals from the label. The receiver decodes these signals using a control means such as a microprocessor and transmits all pertinent information in digital form to other data processing equipment employed by the user.
25 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for identifying objects moving along a path past a stationary location comprising:
- means adapted to be placed at said location for defining a source of a radiation beam, said defining means being operable to direct a radiation beam in the form in a generally vertical column across the path of travel of the moving object when the source is at said location;
a label adapted to be mounted on an object moveable along said path for identifying the same, the label having at least a pair of side-by-side radiation receiving and transmitting columns alignable across the path of the radiation beam when the label is on the object and when the source is at said location, each column having means selectively located thereon for blocking at least a portion of the light beam to thereby define a radiation entrance port and a radiation exit port for the column, each column further having radiation transmitting means therein for connecting the entrance and exit ports thereof so that a radiation beam entering the entrance port can pass into the column and exit therefrom at the exit ports; and
radiation receiving means adapted to be placed at said location adjacent to said radiation source for receiving the radiation beam leaving each column through the exit port thereof, said radiation receiving means being operable to generate electronic signals in response to the radiation transmitted from each column, whereby the locations of the entrance and exit ports relative to a specific reference point on the corresponding column, provide a coded identification for each object to distinguish it from other objects moving past the location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- means adapted to be placed at said location for defining a source of a radiation beam, said defining means being operable to direct a radiation beam in the form in a generally vertical column across the path of travel of the moving object when the source is at said location;
-
10. In a system for identifying objects moving along a path past a stationary location having a radiation source operable to direct a radiation beam across the path and radiation receiving means for receiving radiation transmitted from the object and converting the transmitted radiation to electronic signals, the improvement comprising:
- a lable adapted to be mounted on an object moveable along said path for identifying the same, the label having at least a pair of side-by-side radiation receiving and transmitting columns alignable across the path of the radiation beam when the label is on the object, each column having means for blocking at least a portion of the light beam to thereby define a radiation entrance port and a radiation exit port for the column, each column further having radiation transmitting means therein for connecting the entrance and exit ports so that a radiation beam entering the entrance port can pass into the column and exit therefrom at the exit ports to said receiving means at said location, whereby the electronic signals will be generated by said receiving means and the location of the entrance and exit ports relative to a specific reference point on the corresponding column will provide a coded identification for each object to distinguish it from other objects moving past the location.
- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
Specification