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Apparatus for guiding a trackless vehicle

  • US 4,577,140 A
  • Filed: 09/24/1984
  • Issued: 03/18/1986
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1983
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for guiding a trackless vehicle along a conductor, defining a vehicle path, carrying an A.C. current, the apparatus comprising:

  • at least two sensors for detecting the magnetic field emanting from the conductor and producing output signals in response thereto, andelectronic circuitry for providing deviation signals, used to guide the vehicle, said circuitry including a phase-locked loop (PLL), the PLL including a phase-sensitive detector (PSD), a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a control unit for receiving the output of the PSD and transforming it into a control voltage, the control voltage being applied to the VCO,the VCO generating a rectangular output signal equal to 2n times the frequency of the PLL, the PLL including a divider circuit for dividing the VCO output signal by 2n, and a frequency divider for simultaneously generating a demodulation signal shifted through 90°

    ,means for applying the output signal of one of the sensors to the input of the PLL,means for demodulating the output signals of the sensors, andmeans for applying the output of the PLL to the demodulating means.

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