Apparatus and method for optical guidance system for automatic guided vehicle

• US 4,626,995 A
• Filed: 03/26/1984
• Issued: 12/02/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NDC Automation, Inc. (JBS SA)
• Original Assignee: Ndc Technologies Inc. (Nordson Corporation)
• Inventors: Lofgren, Gunnar K., Netzler, Goran P. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US06/593,477
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424, 364/436, 364/514, 180/167-169, 180/449, 180/460, 356/4, 356/11, 356/28, 356/3, 356/1, 356/138, 356/143, 356/147, 356/148, 356/150, 356/155
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165

Abstract

An optical guidance system for remotely controlled, self-propelled vehicles in which a single light source is used as an aiming point by the vehicle. The light source is detected by a camera lens and the vehicle is maneuvered according to the position of the light within the field of view of the lens. A computer is provided to determine the cartesian coordinates of the light source and calculate the position of the vehicle relative to the light source. The light source also transmits optically coded information for controlling the vehicle relative to the position of other vehicles, the condition of the vehicle path or other related information.

Claims

1. In a guided vehicle system which includes a vehicle freely maneuverable along a variable, pre-determined path by navigation means and computing the position of said vehicle relative to a plurality of fixed points collectively defining a path, said navigation means comprising:

(a) an off-board computer having;

(i) a vehicle controller containing predetermined vehicle and traffic protocol information regarding vehicle speed, direction, priority, routing or scheduling and means for generating an information containing signal;

(ii) a light source positioned respectively at each of said plurality of fixed points defining said path for receiving the information containing signal from the vehicle controller and emitting a light signal containing such information;

(b) a computer on-board said vehicle having;

(i) a light receiving lens for receiving said optical signal from one of said light sources said lens defining a field of view wherein any particular point within the field of view is represented by a X,Y coordinate wherein X,Y represents the displacement of the light source in respect to the axis of the light receiving lens;

(ii) a central processing unit for receiving and processing all vehicle information and outputting vehicle control instruction signals;

(iii) a power amplifier for outputting a vehicle control signal to vehicle maneuvering apparatus; and

,

(iv) a detector for segregating X-data and Y-data, outputting Y-data to said central processing unit for azimuth computation and outputting X-data to said central processing unit for vehicle direction computation and to said power amplifier.

2. In a guided vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein said off-board computer comprises a modulator for converting said vehicle controller output signal into an optical, information containing code and sending said optical code serially to said light source.