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The present invention aims to provide an
automated road-vehicle transport system which optimizes travel, in
terms of speed, safety and economy, thereby significantly reducing
problems associated with and caused by non-automated road-vehicle
transport systems.
The present invention further seeks to
provide an automated road-vehicle transport system which provides a
comprehensive solution to known traffic problems, in contrast to
prior art automated systems which address certain aspects of
traffic problems only.
There is thus provided, in accordance with
a preferred embodiment of the invention, a transport system which
includes a network of intersecting travel routes having
associated therewith a corresponding network of road-based
communications units therealong; a plurality of vehicles
for travel along the network of intersecting routes; and a control
and communications system for controlling travel of the
vehicles along the network.
The network is subdivided into a plurality
of contiguous segments; the control and communications system is a
decentralized, hierarchical modular system providing real-time
individualized control of each vehicle within the network and
guidance thereof to a selected travel destination while taking into
account the operational status and guidance of others of the
vehicles traveling within the network.
The control and communications system
employed in the transport system of the invention is made up of at
least first, second and third hierarchical intercommunicating
levels of control and communications, of which
the first level includes vehicle
mounted on-board control and data exchange apparatus ; and
the second level includes a plurality of
the road-based units arranged in series along each segment such
that each road-based unit located along a selected travel route is
operative, in turn, to establish two-way communications with the
on-board control and data exchange apparatus of each vehicle
traveling therepast.
The on-board control and data exchange
apparatus is further operative to utilize the two-way
communications for providing lateral and longitudinal positioning
of the vehicle relative to a travel route.
The third level includes a plurality of
intercommunicating network segment control units for data
processing and two-way communications with each of the road-based
communications units in a corresponding plurality of predetermined
network segments.
Each on-board control and data exchange
apparatus is operative to selectably sense and control
operational functions of each vehicle so as to permit automated
guidance thereof to a selected travel destination. The two-way
communications between each on-board control and data exchange
apparatus and the road-based units in proximity therewith
includes at least transmission therebetween of mutual
identification data and transmission of vehicle operating data from
the on-board apparatus to the road-based units.
The on-board control and data exchange
apparatus of each vehicle is operative to maintain two-way
communications with at least one of the road-based units at all
times during vehicle operation. Data received from the on-board
units is processed by the road units, and is selectably
communicated to the segment controller unit, in accordance with the
operating mode of the road units and, further, in accordance with
predetermined parameters.
Furthermore, each of the segment control
units includes interface apparatus for exchanging with each
of the plurality of the road-based units located in each network
segment at least identification and operation data of each vehicle
traveling in a selected network segment in proximity to the
plurality of road-based units therein; and apparatus for
evaluating optimal travel parameters for each vehicle.
The interface apparatus of the segment
control unit is operative to transmit to the road-based units
vehicle operation commands for each vehicle proximate thereto, in
accordance with the optimal travel parameters; the road-based units
are operative to transmit the vehicle operation commands to the
vehicle traveling in proximity thereto; and, in response to
reception of vehicle operation data, the apparatus for
evaluating optimal travel parameters is operative to re-evaluate
the travel parameters and to update the vehicle operation commands
in accordance therewith.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the transport system has at least a
fourth hierarchical level of control and communications.
This fourth level includes at least one
super control unit for data processing and two-way
communications with a plurality of segment control units which
together control operation of vehicles in an area containing a
predetermined contiguous plurality of the network segments.
Each segment control apparatus further has
additional interface apparatus for exchange, via parallel bus
apparatus, between each segment control unit and the super
control unit, of additional vehicle-related data which, in
accordance with predetermined criteria, may influence the
evaluation of the travel parameters of other vehicles traveling in
any part of the area containing the predetermined contiguous
plurality of the network segments.
Preferably, each super control unit
has interface apparatus for exchanging with the plurality of
segment control units vehicle the additional vehicle-related
data; and apparatus for processing the additional
vehicle-related data so as to provide further travel data.
The interface apparatus of the super
control unit is operative to transmit to the interface apparatus
of each segment control unit the further travel data relevant to
the evaluation of the optimal travel parameters of vehicles
traveling in the network segment associated therewith.
The present system has a modular
construction, and may thus be formed so as to have yet a further
plurality of hierarchical control levels, each having a plurality
of the super control units for controlling vehicles in a
predetermined region containing a plurality of contiguous areas. It
will be appreciated that, in the described construction, each of
the different hierarchical levels controls a level immediately
therebeneath in the hierarchy.
Typically, each hierarchical control level
has at least one communication apparatus for selectably
communicating with a control level immediately therebeneath in
response to reception of input signals therefrom; and at least one
data processing apparatus, connected to each communication
apparatus of the hierarchical control level, for processing input
data corresponding to the input signals, and for providing output
data for transmission by the communication apparatus to the control
level immediately therebeneath in the form of output signals.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the apparatus for evaluating optimal
travel parameters is operative to provide vehicle operating data
for a plurality of vehicles to a plurality of the road units
located along respective travel paths of the plurality of vehicles.
Each road unit is operative to store the data, and is further
operative, in response to receiving the identity of each the
vehicle from the on-board apparatus thereof, to provide thereto the
operating data for the vehicle associated therewith.
Further in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, each road-based unit is
connected, via parallel communications apparatus and a parallel
bus, to a predetermined one of the segment control units and
includes the following:
a transceiver, antenna apparatus for
facilitating communications between the on-board units and
the transceiver apparatus, and data processing apparatus. The data
processing apparatus is associated with the transceiver apparatus,
and is operative to receive data from and to send data to the
on-board units, for exchanging data with an associated segment
control unit via the parallel communications apparatus. The
data processing apparatus is further operative to process data
received from the on-board units and from the associated
segment control unit.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, each road-based unit is further
connected, via a serial bus, to at least one adjacent road-based
unit, wherein each road-based unit also includes additional
transceiver apparatus for exchanging data between the
adjacent road-based units.
Most preferably, there is provided a cable
construction which contains at least a plurality of the
road-based units, the serial buses therebetween, and the parallel
buses.
Further in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, there may also be provided
a serial bus connecting between preselected
road-based units of adjacent segments, wherein a first road-based
unit of a first segment is operative to exchange with a second
road-based unit of a second segment, via the serial bus, data
relating to vehicles traveling from the first segment to the second
segment, thereby to facilitate continuous control of the vehicles
by the system.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the on-board control and data exchange
apparatus and each road-based unit are selectably operable in
either a first, fully automatic mode or in a second, non-fully
automatic man-in-the loop mode.
Further in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, each on-board control and data
exchange apparatus includes
a transceiver for communicating with each
of the plurality of road-based units in series while
traveling therepast;
data processing apparatus
connected to the transceiver apparatus ; and
control apparatus, connected to the data
processing apparatus for selectably controlling and sensing any of
a predetermined plurality of vehicle operating functions in
response to signals received by the transceiver apparatus
from the road-based units.
The road-based units are arranged along a
predetermined path along the travel route and are operative, in
conjunction with the on-board apparatus, to enable a predetermined
positioning of the vehicle relative to the predetermined path.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the interface apparatus of
the segment control unit is operative to transmit to the data
processing apparatus of each road-based unit located
along the travel paths of a plurality of vehicles, travel data
relating to each of these vehicles, so that each of these
road-based units is operative to anticipate the arrival of vehicles
of known identities.
Further in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the on-board control and data exchange
apparatus also includes antenna apparatus mounted in a
predetermined position on the vehicle and associated with the data
processing apparatus.
One of the antenna apparatus of the
on-board unit and of the road-based unit is a pair of
antennae arranged in a predetermined orientation and having
receiver apparatus and comparator apparatus associated
therewith, for providing an output indication of the position of
the vehicle relative to the predetermined path.
Preferably, the pair of antennae, the
receiver apparatus and the comparator apparatus form
part of the on-board control and data exchange apparatus on
the vehicle, and are connected to the data processing apparatus
thereof.
Additionally in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the invention, the longitudinal spacing
between adjacent road-based units is of smaller magnitude than the
longitudinal reception range of the on-board control and data
exchange apparatus, such that the on-board apparatus is
always in communications range of at least one road-based unit
along its travel route.
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