Control system and method for moving multiple automated vehicles along a monorail

• US 6,109,568 A
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Transportation Systems International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innovative Transportation Systems International Incorporated
• Inventors: Hillebrecht, Bernd, Gilbert, Chris Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US09/178,379
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 246/2 R, 246/3, 246/5, 246/167 R, 246/182 R, 340/933, 340/988, 340/989, 701/1, 701/2, 701/19, 701/20, 701/23, 701/24, 104/88.01, 104/88.02, 104/88.03, 104/88.04, 104/88.05, 104/295, 104/296, 104/300
• US Class Current: 246/3
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/005 Automatic control or safety means for points for operator-less railway, e.g. transportation systems

Abstract

The monorail system of the present invention contains a monorail and a system controller that has a first radio frequency ethernet communications device. Location markers are attached to the monorail. A vehicle is positioned to move on the monorail. The vehicle contains a motor drive system that moves the vehicle on the monorail. A remote controller is interconnected to the motor drive system, and the remote controller controls movement of the vehicle and receives information from the system controller. A reader connected to the remote controller senses the location markers attached to the monorail. A second radio frequency ethernet communications device is provided and is connected to the remote controller. The radio frequency ethernet communications device wirelessly communicates with the first radio frequency ethernet communications device on the system controller to create a wireless ethernet network containing at least the system controller and the remote controller. The information from the system controller is delivered over the wireless ethernet network to the vehicle, and the information is used to instruct the vehicle in the controlled movement on the monorail.

Claims

1. A monorail system comprising:

a monorail having a plurality of stations thereon;

a source of power on said monorail;

a system controller having a first radio frequency ethernet communications device; and

at least one vehicle moving on said monorail among said plurality of stations, said at least one vehicle comprising;

a drive motor connected to said power for moving said vehicle on said monorail;

a remote controller connected to said drive motor for controlling said movement of said vehicle, said remote controller further receiving information from said system controller; and

a second radio frequency ethernet communications device interconnected to said remote controller, said second radio frequency ethernet communications device and said first radio frequency ethernet communications device of said system controller forming a wireless ethernet network including at least said system controller and said remote controller in said at least one vehicle;

a remote device connected to said remote controller, said remote device configured to perform a predetermined task at one of said plurality of stations on said monorail before moving on said monorail to perform another predetermined task at another one of said plurality of stations,

said information from said system controller delivered over said wireless ethernet network to said at least one vehicle for instructing said at least one vehicle in said controlled movement on said monorail.

2. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one positioning marker attached to said monorail; and

a reader connected to said remote controller for sensing said at least one positioning marker as said at least one vehicle moves

on said monorail past said at least one positioning marker.

3. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one radio frequency marker attached to said monorail; and

a radio frequency receiver attached to said at least one vehicle for reading said radio frequency marker as said vehicle passes said radio frequency marker.

4. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a collision avoidance system having at least one sensor connected to said remote controller in said at east one vehicle.

5. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

6. A monorail system comprising:

a monorail having a plurality of stations thereon;

a source of power on said monorail;

a system controller having a first radio frequency ethernet communications device;

at least one location marker attached to said monorail; and

at least one vehicle moving on said monorail among said plurality of stations, said at least one vehicle comprising;

a motor drive system connected to said power for moving said vehicle on said monorail;

a remote controller interconnected to said motor drive system for controlling movement of said vehicle and for receiving information from said system controller;

a reader connected to said remote controller for sensing said at least one location marker attached to said monorail;

a remote device connected to said remote controller, said remote device configured to perform a predetermined task at one of said plurality of stations on said monorail when said at least one location marker is sensed before moving on said monorail to perform another predetermined task at another one of said plurality of stations; and

a second radio frequency ethernet communications device connected to said remote controller, said radio frequency ethernet communications device wirelessly communicating with said first radio frequency ethernet communications device on said system controller to create a wireless ethernet network including at least said system controller and said remote controller,

said information from said system controller delivered over said wireless ethernet network to said at least one vehicle for instructing said at least one vehicle in said controlled movement on said monorail.

7. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said location marker comprises a radio frequency transponder.

8. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said radio frequency transponder comprises a passive radio frequency transponder.

9. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said radio frequency transponder comprises an active radio frequency transponder.

10. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 6, wherein said location marker comprises:

a device containing information wherein said information includes an ASCII character string, wherein said ASCII character string translates into a number.

11. A monorail system comprising:

a monorail having a plurality of stations thereon;

a source of power on said monorail;

a system controller having a first radio frequency ethernet communications device;

at least one location marker attached to said monorail, said at least one location marker comprising a radio frequency transponder including a numeric data string; and

at least one vehicle moving on said monorail among said plurality of stations, said at least one vehicle comprising;

a motor drive system connected to said power for moving said vehicle on said monorail;

a remote controller interconnected to said motor drive system for controlling movement of said vehicle and for receiving information from said system controller;

a reader connected to said remote controller for sensing said at least one location marker attached to said monorail, said reader comprising a tuned antenna;

a remote device connected to said remote controller, said remote device configured to perform a predetermined task at one of said plurality of stations on said monorail when said at least one location marker is sensed before on said monorail to perform another predetermined task at another one of said plurality of stations; and

a second radio frequency ethernet communications device connected to said remote controller, said radio frequency ethernet communications device wirelessly communicating with said first radio frequency ethernet communications device on said system controller to create a wireless ethernet network including at least said system controller and said remote controller,

said information from said system controller delivered over said wireless ethernet network to said at least one vehicle for instructing said at least one vehicle in said controlled movement on said monorail.

12. A monorail system comprising:

means for defining a path of movement having a plurality of stations thereon;

a source of power on said means for defining a path of movement;

means for controlling said monorail system having a first means for wirelessly transmitting via an ethernet network;

at least one means for moving along said path of movement among said plurality of stations, said means for moving comprising;

means for propelling said means for moving on said path of movement, said means for propelling connected to said power;

means for remotely controlling connected to said means for propelling, said means for remotely controlling commanding movement of said means for moving and receiving information from said means for controlling;

a remote device connected to said means for remotely controlling, said remote device configured to perform a predetermined task at one of said plurality of stations before moving to another one of said plurality of stations to perform another predetermined task; and

second means for wirelessly communicating interconnected to said means for remotely controlling, said second means for wirelessly communicating and said first means for wirelessly communicating forming a wireless ethernet network including at least said means for controlling and said means for remotely controlling in said at least one means for moving,

said information from said means for controlling delivered over said wireless ethernet network to said means for moving for instructing said at least one means for moving in said controlled movement on said path of movement.

13. The monorail system, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

means for demarking zones along said path of movement connected to said means for remotely controlling.

14. The control system, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

means for sensing a location means connected to said means for remotely controlling, said location means attached to said monorail and identifying vehicle movement zones.

15. The control system, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

means for detecting obstacles connected to said means for remotely controlling; and

means for avoiding a collision with said obstacles connected to said means for remotely controlling.

16. A method for controlling at least one vehicle along a monorail having a system controller and having a plurality of stations thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique ethernet address to said at least one vehicle on said monorail;

selectively transmitting at least one instruction from said system controller to said at least one vehicle via a wireless ethernet network, said transmitted instruction containing said unique ethernet address;

receiving said selectively transmitted at least one instruction at said at least one vehicle having said unique ethernet address;

storing said at least one received instruction in memory on said vehicle having said unique ethernet address; and

performing a predetermined task based on said stored instruction before moving on said monorail to another of said plurality of stations to perform another predetermined task.

17. The method, as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a confirmation command from said at least one vehicle having said unique ethernet address to said system controller over said wireless ethernet network, said confirmation command containing said unique ethernet address.

18. The method, as claimed in claim 16, wherein performing said stored instruction further comprises the steps of:

sensing a location marker attached to said monorail, said location marker having a unique location string;

comparing said location string with said at least one instruction wherein said at least one instruction comprises an instruction set having a plurality of instructions each instruction having a unique identifier;

executing a specific instruction from said plurality of instructions in said instruction set wherein said executed specific instruction has an identifier correlated to said unique location string.

19. The method, as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

identifying an obstacle in a movement path of said vehicle; and

avoiding a collision with said obstacle.

20. The method, as claimed in claim 19, wherein avoiding a collision step further comprises the steps of:

first sensing said obstacle within at least about three meters of said vehicle;

first instructing said vehicle to move at a first predetermined velocity;

second sensing said obstacle within at least about one meter of said vehicle; and

second instructing said vehicle to stop moving.

21. A method for controlling at least one vehicle along a monorail having a system controller, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique ethernet address to said at least one vehicle on said monorail;

selectively transmitting at least one instruction from said system controller to said at least one vehicle via a wireless ethernet network, said transmitted instruction containing said unique ethernet address;

receiving said selectively transmitted at least one instruction at said at least one vehicle having said unique ethernet address;

storing said at least one received instruction in memory on said vehicle having said unique ethernet address;

performing said stored instruction, said performing step comprising;

sensing a location marker attached to said monorail, said location marker having a unique location string;

comparing said location string with said at least one instruction wherein said at least one instruction comprises an instruction set having a plurality of instructions each instruction having a unique identifier;

executing a specific instruction from said plurality of instructions in said instruction set wherein said executed specific instruction has an identifier correlated to said unique location string; and

transmitting a confirmation command from said at least one vehicle having said unique ethernet address to said system controller over said wireless ethernet network, said confirmation command containing said unique ethernet address;

identifying an obstacle in a movement path of said vehicle; and

avoiding a collision with said obstacle, said avoiding step comprising;

first sensing said obstacle within at least about three meters of said vehicle;

first instructing said vehicle to move at a first predetermined velocity;

second sensing said obstacle within at least about one meter of said vehicle; and

second instructing said vehicle to stop moving.