Automated operatorless vehicles
First Claim
1. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a selected path through an arrangement of corridors comprising a first corridor and a second corridor intersecting said first corridor, said second corridor extending on either side of said first corridor, the vehicle disposed within one of said first and second corridors, said vehicle guidance system comprising:
- (a) first and second sensors disposed respectively at a leading position and a trailing position with respect to the movement of the vehicle along said selected path and on a single side of the vehicle, said first and second sensors providing respectively first and second signals, each indicative of the distance from the said single side of the vehicle to a corridor surface disposed adjacent to said single side; and
(b) comparison means for comparing said first and second signals and if said first signal is greater by a predetermined amount than said second signal, for providing a signal indicative of the presence of the other of said first and second corridors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle guidance control system is described for an operatorless vehicle comprising a sensor for determining the presence of defined points along a selected path that the vehicle is to travel, a memory having a plurality of locations, each location for receiving one of a set of commands whereby the vehicle may be commanded to turn, pause, or to continue its movement. An address circuit is responsive to the detection of a point for addressing the corresponding location within the memory means, whereby command stored therein is executed to effect vehicle control. The vehicle guidance control system is adapted to guide the vehicle along a selected path within a set of corridors as would be found in a mine, wherein the corridors are disposed respectively along X and Y directions to form thereby a series of intersection points. The sensor means is disposed upon at least one side of the vehicle to sense the presence of an intersecting corridor, the address circuit accesses the location of the memory circuit corresponding to the detected point of intersection of the mine corridors to access the vehicle command stored at that location. The control guidance system includes a second location within the memory circuit for retaining the location of the vehicle in terms of its X,Y coordinate position within the grid of corridors, the output of the sensor serving to update the stored current vehicle position. Upon reaching an intersection of corridors, the second memory location is also updated as to the current location of the vehicle.
117 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a selected path through an arrangement of corridors comprising a first corridor and a second corridor intersecting said first corridor, said second corridor extending on either side of said first corridor, the vehicle disposed within one of said first and second corridors, said vehicle guidance system comprising:
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(a) first and second sensors disposed respectively at a leading position and a trailing position with respect to the movement of the vehicle along said selected path and on a single side of the vehicle, said first and second sensors providing respectively first and second signals, each indicative of the distance from the said single side of the vehicle to a corridor surface disposed adjacent to said single side; and (b) comparison means for comparing said first and second signals and if said first signal is greater by a predetermined amount than said second signal, for providing a signal indicative of the presence of the other of said first and second corridors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17)
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7. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a path having potentially therein obstacles of a first type requiring vehicle avoidance and obstacles of a second type not requiring vehicle avoidance, said vehicle guidance system comprising:
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(a) first and second sensors disposed on a leading end of the vehicle for transmitting energy signals and for receiving reflected energy signals from the obstacles to provided corresponding first and second output signals indicative of the reflected energy signals, the obstacles of said second type presenting similar reflective surface to said energy signals as transmitted from each of said first and second sensors; (b) means for comparing said first and second output signals to determine whether the wave forms of said first and second output signals are symmetric with respect to each other indicating a like scattering of the reflected energy signals as sensed by said first and second sensors, to provide a first vehicle avoidance signal indicating the presence of the obstacle of said first type; and (c) control means responsive to said first vehicle avoidance control signal for controlling the movement of the vehicle to avoid contact with the obstacle of the first type. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a selected path to a variable destination point, said vehicle guidance control system comprising:
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(a) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance along said path; (b) updateable memory means for storing in an addressable area a manifestation indicative of the location of said variable destination point; (c) first communication means associated with said variable destination point for transmitting a signal indicative of a current position of the destination point; (d) second communication means associated with the vehicle for receiving the transmitted destination point signal; (e) said first communication means transmits repetitively a data ready signal, said second communication means for receiving said data ready signal and, upon reception, for transmitting in response thereto an initiate data transmission signal, said first communication means responsive to the receipt of said initiate data transmission signal for terminating the transmission of its data ready signal and for transmitting its signal indicative of the current position of said variable destination point; and (f) control means for updating said addressable area with said received destination point signal and for providing said control signals in accordance with said received and stored destination point signal, whereby the vehicle is guided to said variable destination point. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a variable, selected path defined by a sequence of points selected from an array of points, each point of said array being defined by first and second coordinates, said vehicle guidance system comprising:
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(a) sensing means for determining the presence of one of said points as the vehicle passes thereby and for providing a point manifestation indicative thereof; (b) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance; and (c) control means for generating and applying said control signals to said vehicle steering means, said control means comprising; (1) means for storing a manifestation of the current vehicle position in terms of said first and second coordinates as it moves along and responsive to the occurrence of a point manifestation for updating said first and second coordinates of said current vehicle manifestation; (2) memory means having a plurality of storage locations corresponding to said array of points, selected of said storage locations storing a command for directing vehicle operation, each storage location of said memory means being addressable in terms of its first and second coordinates; and (3) addressing means responsive to said first and second coordinates of said current vehicle position for addressing one of said plurality of storage locations, whereby the vehicle directing command stored in said addressed storage location is applied to said vehicle steering means to effect vehicle guidance. - View Dependent Claims (16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a selected path defined by a vehicle direction and a sequence of points selected from an array of points, each point being defined by first and second coordinates, said vehicle guidance control system comprising:
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(a) sensing means for determining the presence of a point as the vehicle passes thereby and for providing a point manifestation indicative thereof; (b) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance; and (c) control means for generating and applying said control signals to said vehicle steering means, said control means comprising; (1) first and second means for storing respectively the first and second coordinates defining the current vehicle position; (2) means responsive to the occurrence of a point manifestation and to the current vehicle direction for updating one of said first and second coordinates dependent upon the current vehicle direction; (3) memory means having a plurality of storage locations corresponding to said array of points, each of said storage locations storing selected ones of a plurality of commands for directing vehicle operation, each storage location of said memory means being addressable in terms of its first and second coordinates, said commands comprising a turn command and a new vehicle direction to be assumed by the vehicle after said turn command has been executed; and (4) addressing means responsive to said first and second coordinates of said current vehicle position for addressing one of said plurality of storage locations, whereby the vehicle directing commands stored in said one addressed storage location is applied to said vehicle steering means to effect vehicle guidance. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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- 32. The vehicle guidance control system as claimed in claiim 31, wherein there is further included detection means responsive to an input signal transmitted from a remote location for providing a vehicle control manifestation, and said addressing means is responsive to the current vehicle position for addressing one of said plurality of storage locations and to said vehicle control manifestation for selecting one of said addressed plurality of vehicle directing commands dependent thereon.
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35. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a path having potentially therein obstacles of a first type requiring vehicle avoidance and obstacles of a second type not requiring vehicle avoidance, said vehicle guidance system comprising:
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(a) first and second sensors disposed on a leading end of the vehicle for transmitting first and second energy signals and for receiving reflected energy signals from the obstacles to provide corresponding first and second output signals indicative of the reflected energy signals, each of said first and second energy signals having substantially similar phase components, the first type of obstacle reflecting said first and second energy signals with substantially similar phase transformations, the second type of obstacle reflecting said first and second energy signals with substantially different phase transformations; (b) means for comparing the phase components of said first and second output signals to determine whether the phase components of said first and second signals are substantially different, and if so, indicating the detection of an obstacle of the first type for providing a vehicle avoidance signal; and (c) control means responsive to said vehicle avoidance control signal for controlling the movement of the vehicle to avoid contact with the obstacle of the first type.
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36. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a selected path to a variable destination point, said vehicle guidance control system comprising:
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(a) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance along said path; (b) memory means for storing in an addressable area a manifestation indicative of the current location of the current destination point; (c) first communication means associated with said variable destination point for transmitting a signal indicative of a new position of the destination point; (d) second communication means associated with the vehicle for receiving the transmitted destination point signal; and (e) control means comprising means for updating said addressable area with said received new destination point signal and means for determining a new path to said new destination point in accordance with the received and stored new destination point signal.
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37. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a selected path, said path directed in part through a first corridor and in part through an intersection of said first corridor with a second corridor, said first corridor haing first and second side surfaces disposed substantially parallel to and spaced relatively close to the respective lateral sides of the vehicle, said second corridor extending on either side of said corridor, said vehicle guidance control system comprising:
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(a) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for guiding the vehicle along said selected path; (b) first and second sensors disposed respectively at a leading position and a trailing position with respect to the movement of the vehicle along said path and on a single side of the vehicle, said first and second sensors providing respectively first and second signals, each indicative of the distance from said single side of the vehicle to a corridor surface disposed adjacent to its sensor; (c) gyro means disposed on the vehicle for providing a vector manifestation indicative of the direction in which the vehicle is moving; and (d) control means responsive to said first and second signals and operative in a first mode when said first and second signals are substantially equal for providing control signals to said vehicle steering means to maintain the vehicle moving along a median of said first corridor, and in a second mode when one of said first and second signals exceeds the other by a predetermined amount, for utilizing said vector manifestation of said gyro means to provide control signals to said vehicle steering means whereby the vehicle is guided through said intersection. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a selected path through an arrangement of corridors comprising a first corridor and a second corridor intersecting said first corridor, said second corridor intersects said first corridor to form a T-shaped intersection therewith, the vehicle initially disposed within said first corridor, said vehicle guidance control system comprising:
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(a) first and second sensors disposed respectively on first and second sides of the vehicle, said first and second sensors providing respectively first and second signals, each indicative of the distance from its side of the vehicle to a corridor surface disposed adjacent to the vehicle; and (b) comparison means for comparing said first and second signals and, if said first signal is greater by a predetermined amount than said second signal;
for providing a signal indicative of the vehicle'"'"'s entering said second corridor. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a variable selected path defined by a sequence of points selected from an array of points, each point of said array being defined by first and second coordinates, said sequence of points defining said path including at least one destination point, a first flag indicating that said vehicle is approaching said destination point and a second flag indicating that said vehicle is going away from said destination point, said vehicle guidance system comprising:
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(a) sensing means for determining the presence of one of said points as the vehicle passes thereby and for providing a point manifestation indicative thereof; (b) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance; and (c) control means for generating and applying said control signals to said vehicle steering means, said control means comprising; (1) means for storing a manifestation of the current vehicle position in terms of said first and second coordinates as it moves along said path and responsive to the occurrence of a point manifestation for updating said first and second coordinates of said current vehicle manifestation; (2) means for storing one of said first and second flags; (3) means responsive to the vehicle'"'"'s passage of said destination point for setting and storing said second flag in said storing means; (4) memory means having a plurality of storage locations corresponding to said array of points, selected of said storage locations storing a plurality of commands for directing vehicle operation, each storage location of said memory being addressable in terms of said first and second coordinates; and (5) addressing means responsive to said first and second coordinates of said current vehicle position for addressing one of said plurality of storage locations, and responsive to one of said first and second flags as stored in said flag storing means for selecting which of said addressed plurality of commands to be applied to said vehicle steering means to effect vehicle guidance. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A guidance control system for controlling the movements of first and second vehicles along selected first and second paths respectively, each of said first and second vehicles having a vehicle guidance control system comprising:
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(a) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance along its path; (b) updateable memory means for storing in an addressable area a manifestation indicative of whether said vehicle is a slave vehicle or a master vehicle; (c) communication means operative in a transmitting mode for transmitting vehicle guidance signals and in a reception mode for receiving vehicle guidance signals; and (d) control means responsive to said master car manifestation for directing the master vehicle to a first point along its selected path and, after the master vehicle has reached said point, for disposing its communication means in its transmitting mode to transmit vehicle control signals to the slave vehicle, and responsive to said slave car manifestation for directing the slave car vehicle to a second location along its selected path distinct from said first location and for disposing its communication means to a reception mode to receive the vehicle guidance signals transmitted by said communication means of the master vehicle.
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48. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of the vehicle along a variable selected path defined by a sequence of points selected from an array of points, said vehicle guidance system comprising:
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(a) sensing means for determining the presence of one of said points as the vehicle passes thereby and providing a point manifestation indicative thereof; (b) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance; and (c) control means for generating and applying said control signals to said vehicle steering means, said control means comprising; (1) means for storing a manifestation indicative of the current vehicle position and responsive to the occurrence of a point manifestation for updating the current vehicle manifestation; (2) memory means having a plurality of storage locations corresponding to said array of points, selected of said storage locations storing a turn command for effecting a vehicle turn so that the vehicle proceeds along a completed turn vector indicative of the direction in which the vehicle is heading after the turn has been completed; (3) gyro means disposed on the vehicle for providing a current vector indicative of the direction in which the vehicle is presently moving; (4) addressing means responsive to the current vehicle position for addressing one of said plurality of storage locations to read out and execute a turn command; and (5) comparing means responsive to said turn command for accessing said gyro means to obtain and compare said current vector with said completed turn vector to determine whether said turn is complete. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A vehicle guidance control system for controlling the movement of a vehicle along a median path through a corridor, said corridor having first and second side surfaces disposed substantially parallel respectively to opposing first and second lateral sides of the vehicle, said vehicle guidance control system comprising:
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(a) vehicle steering means responsive to control signals for effecting vehicle guidance along said median path; (b) first and second sensors disposed respectively on said first and second lateral sides of the vehicle, said first and second sensors providing respectively first and second signals, each of said first and second signals being indicative of the respective distance from its lateral side to its corridor side surface; (c) third and fourth sensors disposed at a trailing position from said first and second sensors with respect to the movement of the vehicle along said median path and on said first and second lateral sides of the vehicle respectively, said third and fourth sensors providing respectively third and fourth signals, each of said third and fourth signals being indicative of the respective distance from its lateral side to its corridor side surface; (d) control means for providing said control signals in accordance with the differences respectively between said first and second signals and said third and fourth signals and for applying said control signals to said vehicle steering means to maintain the vehicle disposed on the median path, said control means provides said control signals to direct said vehicle steering means such that the differences respectively between said first and second signals, and third and fourth signals is minimized, said control means being responsive to said first, second, third and fourth signal for periodically providing said control signals calculated in a least-squares nature to maintain the vehicle disposed on said median path, said control means comprises means for determining any one of the following conditions;
said first signal is in excess of said second signal by a predetermined amount, said second signal is in excess of said first signal by a predetermined amount, said third signal is in excess of said fourth signal by a predetermined amount, and said fourth signal is in excess of said third signal by a predetermined amount, to provide a corridor entrance signal indicating that the vehicle is proceeding along one of first and second corridors and has entered an intersection with the other of said first and second corridors.
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Specification