Automated collective transport system
First Claim
1. Automated public and individual transport system, comprisingat least one vehicle without a driver, anda central computer separate from said vehicle,wherein said vehicle is able to automatically go from a starting point to a destination point along a route using command signals transmitted by said central computer and following a rail which is integrated in street pavement on which said vehicle moves,wherein said vehicle is an automobile vehicle mounted on tires and said rail is mounted on the pavement, said rail exhibiting continuous optical characteristics and including RFID contactless chip devices or regularly spaced transponders,wherein said vehicle comprises localization and detection means and an antenna suited for transmission of radiofrequency signals to said transponders, said localization and detection means designed to identify said optical characteristics in order to follow said rail during the motion of the vehicle and to detect localization signals received from said transponders that are reacting to radiofrequency signals so as to localize said vehicle,further comprising a train of several said vehicles, such that the front vehicle is a master vehicle which memorizes the destination point of each vehicle that is following said master vehicle and a full set of intersection points of the rails where each vehicle will have to change,wherein the vehicles composing said train of vehicles can communicate together via wireless links using a digital hyper frequency link, an analogue radio link and an infrared link,wherein the infrared link is adapted to receive instructions from the master vehicle for activation of a progressive braking mode or emergency braking when said master vehicle is facing an obstacle, andwherein a failing vehicle may leave the rail and the vehicle train using said failing vehicle'"'"'s emergency engine or starter, and park along a curb while using sensors of said failing vehicle, while the master vehicle controls a speed reduction of the vehicles of the train.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Automated transport system including at least one automotive vehicle (10) without a driver and one central computer (14), the vehicle being able to go automatically from a departure point to a destination point using signals transmitted by the central computer and following a rail (12) integrated in the pavement. The rail is a rubber strip or equivalent mounted on the pavement having continuous optical characteristics and having chip contactless devices or transponders (20) at regular spacing. Each vehicle is equipped with localization and detection means (18) adapted to identify the strip'"'"'s optical characteristics in order to follow the strip during its motion and to detect localization signals received from the transponders reacting to the radio frequency signals in order to localize the vehicle.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. Automated public and individual transport system, comprising
at least one vehicle without a driver, and a central computer separate from said vehicle, wherein said vehicle is able to automatically go from a starting point to a destination point along a route using command signals transmitted by said central computer and following a rail which is integrated in street pavement on which said vehicle moves, wherein said vehicle is an automobile vehicle mounted on tires and said rail is mounted on the pavement, said rail exhibiting continuous optical characteristics and including RFID contactless chip devices or regularly spaced transponders, wherein said vehicle comprises localization and detection means and an antenna suited for transmission of radiofrequency signals to said transponders, said localization and detection means designed to identify said optical characteristics in order to follow said rail during the motion of the vehicle and to detect localization signals received from said transponders that are reacting to radiofrequency signals so as to localize said vehicle, further comprising a train of several said vehicles, such that the front vehicle is a master vehicle which memorizes the destination point of each vehicle that is following said master vehicle and a full set of intersection points of the rails where each vehicle will have to change, wherein the vehicles composing said train of vehicles can communicate together via wireless links using a digital hyper frequency link, an analogue radio link and an infrared link, wherein the infrared link is adapted to receive instructions from the master vehicle for activation of a progressive braking mode or emergency braking when said master vehicle is facing an obstacle, and wherein a failing vehicle may leave the rail and the vehicle train using said failing vehicle'"'"'s emergency engine or starter, and park along a curb while using sensors of said failing vehicle, while the master vehicle controls a speed reduction of the vehicles of the train.
Specification