초록 ▼

An unmanned vehicle capable of being automatously guided towards a predetermined destination by the geometrical computation of light signals received by at least two on-board detectors which relate the direction of each signal received to the axis of the vehicle. Useful in restricted areas such as a

An unmanned vehicle capable of being automatously guided towards a predetermined destination by the geometrical computation of light signals received by at least two on-board detectors which relate the direction of each signal received to the axis of the vehicle. Useful in restricted areas such as automatic warehouses and loading bays.

대표청구항 ▼

A vehicle moveable within a predetermined area and having navigational means for determining its position and orientation, in combination with a plurality of beacons which are located at stations fixed with respect to the area such that the vehicle, when in any position within the area, can receive

A vehicle moveable within a predetermined area and having navigational means for determining its position and orientation, in combination with a plurality of beacons which are located at stations fixed with respect to the area such that the vehicle, when in any position within the area, can receive light from beacons of at least two fixed stations; the navigational means comprising: at least two direction-sensitive light detectors mounted on the vehicle, each detector comprising means for detecting light which it receives from the beacons, and means responsive to the detection of that light for indicating the direction from which the light is received so that the bearings of each fixed station with respect to the orientation of the vehicle are obtained, and means for correlating the bearings obtained by the light detection-responsive means with the positions of the fixed stations with respect to the area, and the positions of the detectors with respect to the vehicle.