초록 ▼

An optical guidance system for remotely controlled, self-propelled vehicles in which a single light source is used as an aiming point by the vehicle. The light source is detected by a camera lens and the vehicle is maneuvered according to the position of the light within the field of view of the len

An optical guidance system for remotely controlled, self-propelled vehicles in which a single light source is used as an aiming point by the vehicle. The light source is detected by a camera lens and the vehicle is maneuvered according to the position of the light within the field of view of the lens. A computer is provided to determine the cartesian coordinates of the light source and calculate the position of the vehicle relative to the light source. The light source also transmits optically coded information for controlling the vehicle relative to the position of other vehicles, the condition of the vehicle path or other related information.

대표청구항 ▼

In a guided vehicle system which includes a vehicle freely maneuverable along a variable, pre-determined path by navigation means and computing the position of said vehicle relative to a plurality of fixed points collectively defining a path, said navigation means comprising: (a) an off-board comput

In a guided vehicle system which includes a vehicle freely maneuverable along a variable, pre-determined path by navigation means and computing the position of said vehicle relative to a plurality of fixed points collectively defining a path, said navigation means comprising: (a) an off-board computer having: (i) a vehicle controller containing predetermined vehicle and traffic protocol information regarding vehicle speed, direction, priority, routing or scheduling and means for generating an information containing signal; (ii) a light source positioned respectively at each of said plurality of fixed points defining said path for receiving the information containing signal from the vehicle controller and emitting a light signal containing such information; (b) a computer on-board said vehicle having: (i) a light receiving lens for receiving said optical signal from one of said light sources said lens defining a field of view wherein any particular point within the field of view is represented by a X,Y coordinate wherein X,Y represents the displacement of the light source in respect to the axis of the light receiving lens; (ii) a central processing unit for receiving and processing all vehicle information and outputting vehicle control instruction signals; (iii) a power amplifier for outputting a vehicle control signal to vehicle maneuvering apparatus; and, (iv) a detector for segregating X-data and Y-data, outputting Y-data to said central processing unit for azimuth computation and outputting X-data to said central processing unit for vehicle direction computation and to said power amplifier.