Apparatus for testing a moving vehicle
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for testing a moving vehicle as it travels across a support surface to evaluate at least one performance characteristic of the moving vehicle, the moving vehicle including at least one sensor, the apparatus comprising:
- an enclosure having a controllable environment;
the enclosure including a first section for vehicle acceleration to a predetermined speed, a second section for gathering information from the sensor for evaluating at least one performance characteristic of the moving vehicle at the predetermined speed for a predetermined time, and a third section for vehicle deceleration to a stop; and
a controller for controlling at least one environmental condition of the enclosure to provide for subsequent testing of the moving vehicle at generally repeatable environmental conditions.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for testing at least one performance characteristic of a vehicle.
20 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for testing a moving vehicle as it travels across a support surface to evaluate at least one performance characteristic of the moving vehicle, the moving vehicle including at least one sensor, the apparatus comprising:
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an enclosure having a controllable environment; the enclosure including a first section for vehicle acceleration to a predetermined speed, a second section for gathering information from the sensor for evaluating at least one performance characteristic of the moving vehicle at the predetermined speed for a predetermined time, and a third section for vehicle deceleration to a stop; and a controller for controlling at least one environmental condition of the enclosure to provide for subsequent testing of the moving vehicle at generally repeatable environmental conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for testing a vehicle moving under its own power to evaluate at least one performance characteristic of the vehicle, the vehicle including at least one sensor, the apparatus comprising:
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an enclosure having a controllable environment; the enclosure including a first section for vehicle acceleration to a predetermined speed, a second section for gathering information from the sensor for evaluating at least one performance characteristic of the vehicle at the predetermined speed for a predetermined time, and a third section for vehicle deceleration to a stop;
a controller for controlling at least one environmental condition of the enclosure to provide for subsequent testing of the vehicle at generally repeatable environmental conditions;a support having an upper surface, the support being configured to support the vehicle and to permit the vehicle to travel across the upper surface of the support; an upper portion cooperating with the support to define the enclosure, the upper portion having an entrance, the entrance being positionable in an open position permitting the vehicle to ingress into and egress out of the enclosure and a closed position generally blocking the vehicle from ingress into and egress out of the enclosure; a first transmitter coupled to one of the support and the upper portion and located at a first position along a length of the support, the first transmitter configured to provide an indication to the controller of the vehicle that the vehicle has passed the first position, the first position being chosen to provide a sufficient length of the support to permit the acceleration of the vehicle to a predetermined speed prior to reaching the first position; and a second transmitter coupled to one of the support and the upper portion and located at a second position along the length of the support spaced apart from the first position, the second transmitter configured provide an indication to the vehicle that the controller of the vehicle has passed the second position, the second position being chosen to provide a sufficient length of support subsequent to the second position to permit the vehicle to decelerate to a stop. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for testing a vehicle moving under its own power to evaluate at least one performance characteristic of the vehicle, the vehicle including at least one sensor, the apparatus comprising:
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an enclosure having a controllable environment; the enclosure including a first section for vehicle acceleration to a predetermined speed, a second section for gathering information from the sensor for evaluating at least one performance characteristic of the vehicle at the predetermined speed for a predetermined time, and a third section for vehicle deceleration to a stop;
a controller for controlling at least one environmental condition of the enclosure to provide for subsequent testing of the vehicle at generally repeatable environmental conditions;a first indicator located at a first position within the enclosure and a second indicator located at a second position within the enclosure, the second position being spaced apart from the first position and the portion of the support located generally between the first position and the second position defining a test region of the apparatus, the first indicator being configured to provide a first indication corresponding to the vehicle being at the first position and the second indicator being configured to provide a second indication corresponding to the vehicle being at the second location; and wherein the controller is operably coupled to the sensor and configured to collect information related to the sensor data at least when the vehicle is in the test region, the test region being of a length sufficient to permit the collection of information related to sensor data for a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification