Position-detecting and steering control system for moving vehicle
First Claim
1. A steering control system for a moving vehicle wherein a light beam emitted form the moving vehicle is scanned around an axis on the moving vehicle along the circumferential direction thereof, and the light beam is reflected by light-reflecting means disposed at at least three reference points around a working area in which said vehicle is moving, the reflected light being received at said axis on the vehicle to detect a position of the moving vehicle, said system comprising:
- azimuth detection means for detecting the azimuths of the respective light-reflecting means with respect to an advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of a beam receiving interval of the light reflected by the light-reflecting means;
azimuth prediction means for predicting an azimuth of each light-reflecting means to be detected in a next scanning cycle based on the azimuth detected by the azimuth detection means during a given scanning cycle;
position calculation means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle based on the detected azimuths;
said position calculation means being operative to calculate the position of the moving vehicle based on a detected azimuth only when the detected azimuth of a light-reflecting means is in the azimuth predicted in the azimuth prediction means;
azimuth presumption means for presuming the azimuth of a light-reflecting means which is not detected when the light-reflecting means is not detected in the predicted azimuth; and
means for stopping travel of the moving vehicle when a following beam signal has not been detected over a predetermined period of time after detecting a preceding beam signal from a particular light reflecting means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A steering control system for a moving vehicle wherein a light beam emitted from the moving vehicle is scanned along the circumferential direction thereof, and the light beam reflected by light-reflecting means disposed at at least three reference points is received to detect a position of the moving vehicle comprising, an azimuth detection means for detecting azimuths of the respective light-reflecting means, a position calculation means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle based on the azimuths detected, and a means for stopping travel of the moving vehicle when a following beam signal has not been detected over a predetermined period of time after detecting a preceding beam signal from a particular light reflecting means. It may comprise an azimuth prediction means for predicting an azimuth of the light-reflecting means to be detected in the next scanning cycle and an azimuth presumption means for presuming the azimuth of the light-reflecting means which is not detected when the light-reflecting means is not detected in the predicted azimuth.
48 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A steering control system for a moving vehicle wherein a light beam emitted form the moving vehicle is scanned around an axis on the moving vehicle along the circumferential direction thereof, and the light beam is reflected by light-reflecting means disposed at at least three reference points around a working area in which said vehicle is moving, the reflected light being received at said axis on the vehicle to detect a position of the moving vehicle, said system comprising:
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azimuth detection means for detecting the azimuths of the respective light-reflecting means with respect to an advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of a beam receiving interval of the light reflected by the light-reflecting means; azimuth prediction means for predicting an azimuth of each light-reflecting means to be detected in a next scanning cycle based on the azimuth detected by the azimuth detection means during a given scanning cycle; position calculation means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle based on the detected azimuths; said position calculation means being operative to calculate the position of the moving vehicle based on a detected azimuth only when the detected azimuth of a light-reflecting means is in the azimuth predicted in the azimuth prediction means; azimuth presumption means for presuming the azimuth of a light-reflecting means which is not detected when the light-reflecting means is not detected in the predicted azimuth; and means for stopping travel of the moving vehicle when a following beam signal has not been detected over a predetermined period of time after detecting a preceding beam signal from a particular light reflecting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A position-detecting system for a moving vehicle wherein a single light beam emitted from the moving vehicle is scanned around an axis on the moving vehicle along the circumferential direction thereof, and the light beam is reflected in a fixed order by light-reflecting means disposed at at least three spaced reference points around a working area in which said vehicle is moving, the reflected light being received at said axis on the vehicle to detect a position of the moving vehicle, said system comprising:
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azimuth detection means for detecting azimuths of the respective light-reflecting means with respect to an advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of a beam receiving interval of the light reflected by the light-reflecting means; azimuth prediction means for predicting an azimuth of the light-reflecting means to be detected in the next scanning cycle based on the azimuth detected by the azimuth detection means; position calculation means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle based on a detected azimuth when the detected azimuth of the light-reflecting means is in the azimuth predicted in the azimuth prediction means; and azimuth presumption means for presuming the azimuth of a light-reflecting means which is not detected when the light-reflecting means is not detected in the predicted azimuth. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A position-detecting system for a moving vehicle wherein a light beam emitted from the moving vehicle is scanned around the moving vehicle along the circumferential direction thereof, and the light beam reflected by light-reflecting means disposed at at least three reference points is received to detect a position of the moving vehicle comprising:
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azimuth detection means for detecting azimuths of the respective light-reflecting means with respect to an advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of a beam receiving interval of the light reflected by the light-reflecting means; azimuth prediction means for predicting an azimuth of the light-reflecting means to be detected in the next scanning cycle based on the azimuth having been detected by the azimuth detection means; and a means for stopping the moving vehicle when no detection of the light-reflecting means in the predicted azimuth continuously, occurs a prescribed number of times.
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Specification