System for inductive transfer of power, communication and position sensing to a guideway-operated vehicle
First Claim
1. A system for transfer of electrical signals with a movable vehicle, the system comprisingfirst and second pathway conductor sets disposed along a way upon which the vehicle travels, first and second vehicle conductor sets carried by the vehicle, said first pathway conductor set and said first vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a first signal, said second pathway conductor set and said second vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a second signal, at least one of said pathway conductor sets and said vehicle conductor sets being arranged with a spatial pattern that at least partially cancels coupling of the first signal with the second pathway conductor set, and coupling of the second signal with the first pathway conductor set.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Inductive transfer methods and structures combine, in a single system, at least two of the three functions of transferring power, communicating data, and sensing position with a vehicle on a guideway. A set of conductors is installed on the guideway to inductively couple a multiplicity of diverse signals with a corresponding set of conductors on the vehicle. The vehicle may be moving or stationary, and signals may be coupled in one or both directions. Coupling is effected without direct electrical contact, through a common region or gap, and the structures provide suitable and precise air gap control for the conductors effecting coupling of each signal. In addition, the windings are arranged with a topology and/or symmetry to cancel crosstalk between different signals.
124 Citations
76 Claims
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1. A system for transfer of electrical signals with a movable vehicle, the system comprising
first and second pathway conductor sets disposed along a way upon which the vehicle travels, first and second vehicle conductor sets carried by the vehicle, said first pathway conductor set and said first vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a first signal, said second pathway conductor set and said second vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a second signal, at least one of said pathway conductor sets and said vehicle conductor sets being arranged with a spatial pattern that at least partially cancels coupling of the first signal with the second pathway conductor set, and coupling of the second signal with the first pathway conductor set.
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41. A system for transfer of electrical signals with a movable vehicle, the system comprising
first, second and third pathway conductor sets disposed along a way upon which the vehicle travels, first, second and third vehicle conductor sets carried by the vehicle, said first pathway conductor set and said first vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a first signal, said second pathway conductor set and said second vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a second signal, said third pathway conductor set and said third vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a third signal, at least one of said pathway conductor sets and said vehicle conductor sets being arranged with a spatial pattern so as to substantially prevent coupling of the first signal with the second and third conductor sets.
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45. A vehicular signal transfer system for transferring signals between a pathway and a vehicle moving on the pathway, such system comprising
a pathway conductor sets having a pattern of conductors fixedly disposed and extending along the pathway, a vehicle transducer mountable on the vehicle to inductively couple with the pathway conductor sets to transfer electromagnetic energy therebetween, and at least a portion of said pathway conductor sets or said vehicle transducer being formed with a circuit board having a lead pattern of distinct windings arranged with a topology or symmetry effective to inductively couple plural distinct types of signals while avoiding crosstalk therebetween.
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57. A signal transfer system for a pathway vehicle, such vehicle being of the type powered by a linear motor for moving along a fixed pathway, and wherein the pathway carries a plurality of spatially offset current lines for driving the linear motor, said signal transfer system comprising a transducer carried on the vehicle and having a plurality of conductors for coupling at least two types of signals selected from among power, position and data communication signals, wherein the plurality of conductors form separate windings for coupling each type of signal and the separate windings are spatially disposed for inductively coupling said signals while canceling induced crosstalk signals therebetween.
- 58. A signal transfer system for coupling signals along a pathway with a vehicle, the vehicle being powered by a linear motor for moving along the pathway, and the pathway includes a current line for driving the linear motor, wherein the signal transfer system includes a circuit board positioned on the pathway or carried on the vehicle and having two or more distinct conductor patterns effective to inductively couple distinct signals between the vehicle and the pathway, the distinct patterns being disposed to generate and intercept mutually canceling fluxes so the distinct signals are non-interfering.
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61. A vehicular signal transfer system for transferring signals between a pathway and a vehicle moving on the pathway, such system comprising
a pathway conductor sets having a pattern of conductors fixedly disposed and extending along the pathway, a vehicle transducer mountable on the vehicle to inductively couple with the pathway conductor sets for communication of electrical signal energy therebetween, and said vehicle transducer and said pathway conductor sets each including plural distinct conductors configured to couple to corresponding plural distinct types of signals with said pathway conductor sets by inductive coupling across a common gap.
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74. A vehicular signal transfer system for transferring signals between a pathway and a vehicle moving on the pathway, such system comprising
a pathway conductor sets having a pattern of conductors fixedly disposed and extending along the pathway, a vehicle transducer mountable on the vehicle to inductively couple with the pathway conductor sets for communication of electrical signal energy therebetween, and said vehicle transducer and said pathway conductor sets each including plural distinct conductors configured to couple to corresponding plural distinct types of signals with said pathway conductor sets by inductive coupling across a common gap, and at least one of said assemblies being formed as a circuit board.
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76. A system for transfer of electrical signals with a movable vehicle, the system comprising
first, second and third pathway conductor sets disposed along a way upon which the vehicle travels, first, second and third vehicle conductor sets carried by the vehicle, said first pathway conductor set and said first vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a first signal, said second pathway conductor set and said second vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a second signal, said third pathway conductor set and said third vehicle conductor set being inductively coupled with respect to a third signal, at least one of said pathway conductor sets and said vehicle conductor sets being arranged with a spatial pattern so as to substantially prevent coupling of at least one of the first, second and third signals with the second and third conductor sets, the first and third conductor sets, and first and second conductor sets, respectively.
Specification