초록 ▼

A ground vehicle guidance system for following a current-carrying guidewire provides improved steering stability over a wide range of speeds and improved immunity to inductive field anomalies by computing vehicle heading and lateral displacement using sensor signals themselves substantially insensit

A ground vehicle guidance system for following a current-carrying guidewire provides improved steering stability over a wide range of speeds and improved immunity to inductive field anomalies by computing vehicle heading and lateral displacement using sensor signals themselves substantially insensitive to heading variations, with the sensor signals being processed to provide steering command signals having specified relationships to vehicle steering geometry, so that desired damping factors can be obtained for both forward and reverse travel. Improved vehicle speed-limiting and stopping circuits control truck operation in accordance with computed heading and lateral displacement deviations independently from each other. Steering systems are illustrated both for vehicles using steerable wheels and vehicles steered by differential drive wheel speed control.

대표청구항 ▼

Automatic guidance apparatus for a ground vehicle operable in forward and reverse directions along a reference path defined by a current-carrying guidewire, comprising, in combination: a sensor assembly operative during both forward and reverse directions of travel to provide a first signal which va

Automatic guidance apparatus for a ground vehicle operable in forward and reverse directions along a reference path defined by a current-carrying guidewire, comprising, in combination: a sensor assembly operative during both forward and reverse directions of travel to provide a first signal which varies in proportion to the lateral displacement of a first point on said vehicle from said reference path and to provide a second signal which varies in proportion to the heading deviation of a first axis of said vehicle from said reference path; means for combining said first and second signals using predetermined scale factors to provide a command signal during both forward and reverse directions of travel including means for reversing the sense of said second signal between forward and reverse directions of travel, said vehicle including steering means responsive to said command signal for steering said vehicle.