System for controlling unmanned vehicles at intersections
First Claim
1. A method of operating unmanned vehicles comprising the steps of:
- conveying said vehicles along respective paths towards an intersection constituting part of a predetermined area;
warning said vehicles of said intersection at respective locations upstream of said area;
sensing by each of said vehicles, during at least one timed interval following arrival at the respective location, for another of said vehicles, said timed intervals differing from vehicle to vehicle;
passing through said intersection any of said vehicles which, while upstream of said area, fails to detect another of said vehicles; and
stopping a first one of said vehicles upstream of said area when the respective timed interval ends while said first vehicle is upstream of said area and detects a second one of said vehicles.
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Abstract
A transportation system has several guide strips for unmanned vehicles. The guide strips define an intersection, and a mark warning of the intersection is disposed adjacent each guide strip before the intersection. Each of the vehicles has a detector for the respective mark, a signal transmitter, a receiver for signals coming from the other vehicles, and a timer for measuring a timed interval shorter than the time required to travel from the respective mark to the intersection. The transmitters and timers begin to operate in response to detection of the respective marks. After a selected vehicle passes the respective mark, its receiver attempts to pick up signals from the other vehicles. If no other vehicles are detected before the selected vehicle reaches the intersection, the selected vehicle passes through the intersection without stopping. On the other hand, should the selected vehicle detect another vehicle before the respective timed interval ends, the selected vehicle comes to a halt upstream of the intersection, and stops transmitting, when the timed interval is up. The selected vehicle remains stationary for a predetermined stopping interval following which it begins to move and transmit again if it no longer detects another vehicle. To prevent collisions at the intersection, the timed intervals and stopping intervals differ from vehicle to vehicle.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of operating unmanned vehicles comprising the steps of:
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conveying said vehicles along respective paths towards an intersection constituting part of a predetermined area; warning said vehicles of said intersection at respective locations upstream of said area; sensing by each of said vehicles, during at least one timed interval following arrival at the respective location, for another of said vehicles, said timed intervals differing from vehicle to vehicle; passing through said intersection any of said vehicles which, while upstream of said area, fails to detect another of said vehicles; and stopping a first one of said vehicles upstream of said area when the respective timed interval ends while said first vehicle is upstream of said area and detects a second one of said vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A transportation system comprising:
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a plurality of guides defining respective paths, said paths defining an intersection which constitutes part of a predetermined area; a plurality of unmanned vehicles movable along respective ones of said guides; and warning means for warning said vehicles of said intersection when said vehicles are at respective locations spaced from said area, each of said vehicles including a sensor for said warning means, a signal transmitter, a receiver for signals coming from another of said vehicles, and a timer for measuring at least one timed interval following arrival at the respective location, said timed intervals differing from vehicle to vehicle, and said receivers being operative during the respective timed intervals, each of said vehicles being programmed to stop for a predetermined interval when the respective timed interval ends while the vehicle is upstream of said area and detects another of said vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification