Steering control system for an unmanned vehicle
First Claim
1. A steering control system for an unmanned vehicle wherein an unmanned vehicle is switched at an intersection of two guide cables from a guided travel by means of one of said two guide cables to a programmed turning along a preset path independent from said guide cables and subsequently switched to a guided travel by means of the other guide cable, said steering control system comprising:
- programmed turning control means for sequentially reading a steering angle instruction value from a memory storing a preset path represented by a function of a travel distance and a steering angle during turning thereby to control a steering unit of the vehicle in response to the steering angle instruction value;
means for moving the vehicle straight ahead with a steering angle 0 until the vehicle reaches the other guide cable after completion of the programmed turning;
guided travelling control means including a vehicle posture angle detection means capable of detecting a posture angle of the vehicle in accordance with a magnetic field of the guide cables and controlling the steering unit of the vehicle in response to the detected posture angle;
detection means for detecting reaching of the vehicle to the other guide cable regardless of completion of the programmed turning; and
control means responsive to the output of said detection means for smoothly shifting the vehicle from the preceding travelling mode to the guided travel by means of said other guide cable.
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Abstract
A steering control system of a type wherein an unmanned vehicle is transferred from one cable to another of two crossing cables by a programmed turning operation. According to the invention, a smooth transferring of the vehicle from the programmed turning to a guided travel along the other cable can be achieved. Conditions for the transferring of the vehicle are: (a) an output of a posture angle detection coil is within a predetermined low range, (b) the vehicle has moved by a predetermined distance after starting of the programmed turning and (c) the vehicle is not out of course, i.e. an output of a reference phase detection coil is greater than a preset value.
26 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A steering control system for an unmanned vehicle wherein an unmanned vehicle is switched at an intersection of two guide cables from a guided travel by means of one of said two guide cables to a programmed turning along a preset path independent from said guide cables and subsequently switched to a guided travel by means of the other guide cable, said steering control system comprising:
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programmed turning control means for sequentially reading a steering angle instruction value from a memory storing a preset path represented by a function of a travel distance and a steering angle during turning thereby to control a steering unit of the vehicle in response to the steering angle instruction value; means for moving the vehicle straight ahead with a steering angle 0 until the vehicle reaches the other guide cable after completion of the programmed turning; guided travelling control means including a vehicle posture angle detection means capable of detecting a posture angle of the vehicle in accordance with a magnetic field of the guide cables and controlling the steering unit of the vehicle in response to the detected posture angle; detection means for detecting reaching of the vehicle to the other guide cable regardless of completion of the programmed turning; and control means responsive to the output of said detection means for smoothly shifting the vehicle from the preceding travelling mode to the guided travel by means of said other guide cable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. For use in an unmanned vehicle of the type having a steering mechanism operative in response to a steering instruction signal supplied thereto and further having guide travelling means for guiding the travel of the vehicle along a guide cable which emanates an electromagnetic field, said guide travelling means providing to said steering mechanism a first steering instruction signal responsive to detection of that field, a system for guiding the vehicle through a turn at an intersection between two such guide cables comprising:
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programmed turning function generator means, enabled when the turn is initiated, for monitoring the distance traveled by said vehicle during the turn and producing a second steering instruction signal that is a programmed function of said distance, said signal being supplied to and used by said steering mechanism during the turn in place of said first steering instruction signal, and turn completion control means for transferring control of said steering mechanism back to said guide travelling means when said vehicle has come within a preestablished distance and posture angle with respect to said second cable. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification