Accurate position-sensing and communications for guideway operated vehicles
First Claim
1. A guideway-based system for determining position, comprisinga winding comprising two or more phased conductors, wherein each phased conductor comprises a conductive element configured in a periodically repeating pattern,a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying at least one position-sensing signal thereto, the position-sensing signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position relative to the winding, anda sensor, disposed in electromagnetic coupling to the winding at a second position relative thereto, for generating a distance signal indicative of a distance between the first and second positions relative to the winding, the distance signal being generated as a function of a superposition of the position-sensing signals at the second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides guideway-based methods, apparatus and systems for tracking, sensing and communicating with objects, such as track and roadway vehicles, as well as waystations therefore. Such a system comprises a winding, a transmitter and a receiver. The winding is made up of two or more phased conductors connected to form one or more closed current paths. The phased conductors are conductive elements (such as wires) shaped or configured in periodically repeating patterns, such as saw tooths, sinusoids or square waves. The transmitter applies to at least one of the phased conductors a position-sensing signal which has an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position along (or relative to) the winding. The sensor, which is disposed at a second position along the winding, detects the position-sensing signals on the winding and generates a signal indicating the distance between the first and second positions. That distance signal is a function and, specifically, a superposition, of the position-sensing signals carried by the multiple phased conductors at the second position. Related methods and apparatus permit communications between objects along the winding.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A guideway-based system for determining position, comprising
a winding comprising two or more phased conductors, wherein each phased conductor comprises a conductive element configured in a periodically repeating pattern, a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying at least one position-sensing signal thereto, the position-sensing signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position relative to the winding, and a sensor, disposed in electromagnetic coupling to the winding at a second position relative thereto, for generating a distance signal indicative of a distance between the first and second positions relative to the winding, the distance signal being generated as a function of a superposition of the position-sensing signals at the second position.
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13. A guideway-based system for determining position, comprising
a winding comprising two or more phased conductors forming at least one closed current path, wherein each phased conductor comprises a conductive element configured in a periodically repeating pattern, and wherein the periodically repeating patterns of the phased conductors are offset with respect to one another, a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying at least one position-sensing signal thereto, the position-sensing signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position relative to the winding, and a sensor, disposed in electromagnetic coupling to the winding at a second position relative thereto, for generating distance signal, indicative of a distance between the first and second positions relative to the winding, as a function of a superposition of the position-sensing signals at the second position.
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24. A guideway-based system for determining position, comprising
a winding comprising two or more phased conductors forming at least one closed current path, wherein each phased conductor comprises a conductive element configured in a periodically repeating pattern, the repeating patterns of all of the phased conductors repeating over a period substantially equal to a first period, and phases of the periodically repeating patterns being offset with respect to one another, a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying at least one position-sensing signal thereto, the position-sensing signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position relative to the winding, and a plurality of sensors disposed in electromagnetic coupling to the winding substantially at a second position relative thereto, each sensor generating a distance signal indicative of a distance between the first and second positions relative to the winding, the distance signal being generated as a function of a superposition of the position-sensing signals at the sensor, the sensors being offset with respect to one another.
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28. A system for the transmission of information over a guideway, comprising
a winding comprising two or more phased conductors forming at least one closed current path, a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying to the winding a transmitted information signal containing information being transmitted, the information signal coupled by the winding having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position relative to the winding, a sensor, coupled to the winding, for generating a received information signal containing the information being transmitted, the received information signal being generated as a function of a superposition of the transmitted information signals in the two or more phased conductors at a second position relative to the winding.
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36. A system for the transmission of information over a guideway, comprising
a winding comprising two or more phased conductors forming at least one closed current path, a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying to the winding (i) a transmitted information signal containing information being transmitted, the coupled information signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function indicative of a first position relative to the winding, (ii) at least one position-sensing signal, the position-sensing signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function indicative of a first position relative to the winding, and a receiver, coupled to the winding, for generating a received information signal containing the information being transmitted, the received information signal being generated as a function of a superposition of the transmitted information signals in the two or more phased conductors at a second position relative to the winding and as a function of a superposition of the position-sensing signals in the two or more phased conductors at the second position relative to the winding.
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40. A system for the transmission of information over a guideway, comprising
a winding comprising two or more phased conductors forming at least one closed current path, a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying thereto a transmitted information signal representing information being transmitted, a plurality of sensors, each comprising an inductive element disposed relative to the winding such that a magnetic flux resulting from the transmitted information signal induces in each sensor a channel signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a position of that sensor relative the transmitter, wherein the sensors are offset with respect to one another, and a receiver, coupled to the plurality of sensors, for generating a received information signal as a function of the channel signals induced in the sensors, which function reduces a dependence of the information signal on the position of sensors relative to the transmitter, wherein the received information represents the information being transmitted.
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47. A system for position-sensing and communication over a guideway, comprising
a winding comprising two or more phased conductors forming at least one closed current path, a transmitter, disposed in electromagnetic coupling with the winding, for applying to the winding (i) a transmitted information signal containing information being transmitted, the coupled information signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position relative to the winding, (ii) at least one position-sensing signal, the coupled position-sensing signal having an envelope that varies as a periodic function of a first position relative to the winding, and a sensor, disposed in electromagnetic coupling to the winding at a second position relative thereto, for generating a distance signal indicative of a distance between the first and second positions relative to the winding, the distance signal being generated as a function of a superposition of the position-sensing signals at the second position; a receiver, coupled to the winding and to the sensor, for generating a received information signal containing the information being transmitted, the received information signal being generated as a function of a superposition of the transmitted information signals in the two or more phased conductors at a second position relative to the winding and as a function of the distance signal. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
Specification