System for managing safe mobile run by scanning lane

• US 6,036,209 A
• Filed: 01/22/1997
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshihiro Tsumura
• Original Assignee: Toshihiro Tsumura
• Inventors: Shimizu, Osamu, Tsumura, Toshihiro, Tenmoku, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US08/787,482
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 701/26, 701/28, 701/41, 701/70
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A mobile run management system includes a detector provided along a course for movement of mobiles for detecting the positions of mobiles running in a prescribed range of the course, a determiner for determining the distance between the mobiles in the prescribed range, and a transmitter for detecting that the determined distance between the mobiles is smaller than a prescribed value and selectively transmitting a signal for a warning to the second mobile following the first mobile. The second mobile can perform a prescribed operation for keeping a proper distance between the same and the first mobile in response to the signal for a warning. Preferably, the system further includes a device for changing the prescribed value compared with the determined distance between the mobiles in the transmitter. Proper run management can be made in response to the speeds of the mobiles by changing the prescribed value.

Claims

1. A mobile run management system including:

a detector being provided along a course for movement of mobiles for detecting the positions of mobiles running in a prescribed range of said course;

determination means for determining the distance between said mobiles in said prescribed range on the basis of an output of said detector; and

light transmission means for detecting that determined said distance between said mobiles is smaller than a prescribed value and selectively transmitting a light signal for a warning to a second said mobile following first said mobile to maintain a prescribed distance between said mobiles, the light signal being implemented for selectively instructing passive loading of a steering system of the first mobile or the second mobile;

wherein said detector includes;

light emitting means being provided above said course for emitting a light beam for scanning said course in a prescribed direction, and

reflected light detection means being provided in relation to said light emitting means for detecting light being emitted from said light emitting means and reflected by said mobiles thereby detecting the positions of said mobiles.

2. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 1, further including means for changing said prescribed value in response to said output of said detector.

3. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said prescribed direction is forward with respect to the direction of movement of said mobiles.

4. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said prescribed direction is reverse with respect to the direction of movement of said mobiles.

5. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said transmission means includes modulation means for modulating said light beam being emitted from said light emitting means with a prescribed signal.

6. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said light emitting means includes:

a polygon mirror,

means for rotating said polygon mirror about its axis, and

means being provided to be opposed to a peripheral surface to said polygon mirror at a prescribed angle for emitting said light beam toward said polygon mirror to be reflected by said peripheral surface to rotated said polygon mirror.

7. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 2, wherein each said mobile is provided with a retroreflector, and

said reflected light detection means includes means for detecting reflected light from said retroreflector oppositely advancing along the path of said light beam being emitted from said light emitting means.

8. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said retroreflector has a function of modulating incident light with specific information.

9. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said detector includes:

an image camera being provided above said course for picking up an image of said prescribed range of said course, and

an image processor for detecting the positions of said mobiles on the basis of said image of said prescribed range of said course in response to an output of said image camera.

10. A mobile run management system including:

a detector being provided along a course for movement of mobiles for detecting the positions of mobiles running in a prescribed range of said course;

determination means for determining whether or not a second mobile is present in a predetermined range around a certain mobile in said prescribed range; and

light transmission means for selectively transmitting a light signal for a warning to said second mobile in response to a determination on the presence of said second mobile in said predetermined range, the light signal being implemented for selectively instructing passive loading of a steering system of the first mobile or the second mobile;

wherein said detector includes;

light emitting means being provided above said course for emitting a light beam for scanning said course in a prescribed direction, and

reflected light detection means being provided in relation to said light emitting means for detecting light being emitted from said light emitting means and reflected by said mobiles thereby detecting the positions of said mobiles.

11. A mobile run management system including:

a detector being provided along at least two adjacent courses among a plurality of courses for allowing mobiles to move thereon in a prescribed direction while making said mobiles movable therebetween for detecting the position of a mobile running in a prescribed range of at least a first one of said at least two courses;

a table for determining a value of a signal as a function of the distance from said mobile whose position is detected on the basis of an output from said detector; and

optical scanning means for rotating/scanning a light beam being modulated with said signal along a boundary portion between said two adjacent courses in response to said signal,

thereby enabling a second mobile running on second said course to perform an operation for properly controlling the direction of its movement in response to said signal being carried by said light beam when entering said boundary portion.

12. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 11, further including means being provided on each said mobile for performing a predetermined operation for properly controlling the direction of its movement in response to said signal being carried by said light beam.

13. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said predetermined operation includes an operation for issuing a warning against a driver'"'"'s operation for changing the direction of movement of any said mobile across said boundary portion.

14. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said predetermined operation includes an operation for controlling an operation of a steering system so that a load of a certain value is applied to a driver'"'"'s steering operation for changing the direction of movement of any said mobile across said boundary portion while a smaller load is applied to a steering operation for a change in an opposite direction respectively.

15. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said value of said signal as said function of said distance from said mobile whose position is detected is set to take a value monotonously changed toward a direction increasing said distance from said mobile whose position is detected, and

said predetermined operation is an operation making a course change difficult in response to said signal when detected said distance from said mobile is small.

16. The mobile run management system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said function is set to be changed following a change of a predetermined condition.

17. A mobile run management system including:

confirming means being provided along a course for movement of mobiles for confirming whether or not a mobile running in a prescribed range of said course is present; and

optical scanning means for generating a signal indicating whether or not said prescribed range with a light beam being modulated with said signal, the signal being implemented for selectively instructing passive loading of a steering system of one of the mobiles.

18. A mobile run management system including:

a detector being provided along a course for movement of mobiles for detecting the positions of mobiles running in a prescribed range of said course;

determination means for determining the distance between said mobiles in said prescribed range on the basis of an output of said detector; and

light transmission means for detecting that determined said distance between said mobiles is smaller than a prescribed value and selectively transmitting a light signal for a warning to a second said mobile following first said mobile to maintain a prescribed distance between said mobiles, the light signal being implement for selectively instructing loading of a steering system of the first mobile or the second mobile;

wherein said detector includes;

light emitting means being provided above said course for emitting a light beam for scanning said course in a prescribed direction, and

reflected light detection means being provided in relation to said light emitting means for detecting light being emitted from said light emitting means and reflected by said mobiles thereby detecting the position of said mobile,

wherein the light signal is implemented to instruct directional loading of the steering system such that a load of a certain value is applied to a driver'"'"'s steering operation for changing direction of movement of any mobile across said boundary portion while a smaller load is applied to a steering operation for a change in an opposite direction respectively.