Position detector for moving vehicle

• US 5,019,990 A
• Filed: 12/22/1989
• Issued: 05/28/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kamimura, Kenji, Tsuzuki, Sadachika
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/454,824
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/449, 364/424.02, 180/167-169, 358/103, 318/387, 250/560, 250/561, 356/1, 356/152, 356/375
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0244 using reflecting strips
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00

Abstract

A position detecting system for a moving vehicle wherein a position of the moving vehicle is detected on the basis of received beam signals from light-emitting means disposed at at least four reference points and positional informations of the respective reference points, comprising a means for detecting the azimuth of each light-emitting means with respect to the moving vehicle, a means for predicting the direction of the light-emitting means to be detected in the next scanning on the basis of the azimuths detected, a means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the detected azimuths if the detected position of the light-emitting means is in the predicted direction, and a means for calculating the azimuth of the undetected light-emitting means on the basis of the positions of the remaining light-emitting means if the detected position of the light-emitting means is out of the predicted direction, and for predicting the azimuth at which the undetected light-emitting means is to be detected in the next scanning.

Claims

1. A position detecting system for a moving vehicle wherein a position of the moving vehicle is detected on the basis of received light beam signals from light-emitting means disposed at at least four reference points, the system comprising:

a light-receiving means carried on the moving vehicle for rotation in the horizontal direction for receiving the light beam signals,

a means for detecting the azimuth of each light-emitting means with respect to the moving vehicle on the basis of light receiving intervals in the light-receiving means,

a means for predicting the direction of the light-emitting means to be detected in the next scanning on the basis of the azimuths detected in the azimuth detecting means,

a means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the detected azimuths if the detected position of the light-emitting means is in the direction predicted in the predicting means, and

a means for calculating the azimuth of the undetected light-emitting means on the basis of the positions of the remaining light-emitting means other than the undetected light-emitting means if the detected position of the light-emitting means is out of the direction predicted in the predicting means, and for predicting the azimuth at which the undetected light-emitting means is to be detected in the next scanning.

2. A position detecting system for a moving vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a light radiation means installed rotatably together with the light-receiving means on the moving vehicle, the light-emitting means disposed at fixed reference points being replaced with light-reflecting means which reflect the light radiated from the light radiation means in the incident direction thereof.

3. A position detecting system for a moving vehicle wherein a position of the moving vehicle is detected on the basis of received light beam signals from light-emitting means disposed at at least four reference points, the system comprising:

a light-receiving means carried on the moving vehicle for rotation in the horizontal direction for receiving the light beam signals,

a means for detecting the azimuth of each light-emitting means with respect to the moving vehicle on the basis of light receiving intervals in the light-receiving means,

a means for predicting the direction of the light-emitting means to be detected in the next scanning on the basis of the azimuths detected in the azimuth detecting means,

a first operation means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the positional information and the azimuths of the light-emitting means disposed at at least four reference points,

a second operation means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the positional information and the azimuths of any three of the at least four light-emitting means,

a discrimination processing means for outputting a reference point-missing signal when the light beam signal from one of the light-emitting means is not detected,

a switching means responsive to the missing signal for selecting the position of the moving vehicle calculated in the second operation means, and

a means responsive to the missing signal for calculating the azimuth of the undetected light-emitting means on the basis of the positions of the remaining light-emitting means other than the undetected light-emitting means and for predicting, on the basis of the calculated azimuth value, the azimuth at which the undetected light-emitting means is to be detected in the next scanning.

4. A position detecting system for a moving vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first operating means operates the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the azimuths of the four light-emitting means, differential azimuths defined between two pairs of light-emitting means positioned diagonally with each other among the four light-emitting means, and the positional information of the four light-emitting means.

5. A position detecting system for a moving vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first operating means operates the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the azimuths of three light-emitting means positioned at the apexes of a triangle surrounding the moving vehicle among the four light-emitting means, the differential azimuths between the adjoining two light-emitting means viewed from the moving vehicle, and the positional information of the three light-emitting means.