Vehicle movement control and detection method and apparatus

Claim 2

In a vehicle control system wherein a vehicle travels along a vehicle travel path divided into a plurality of vehicle control blocks, and said vehicle''s movement through a given vehicle control block in controlled by a provided vehicle control signal, the combination comprising: first means for continuously sensing the presence of said vehicle within said given vehicle control block; second means for storing a vehicle presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said vehicle; third means for providing said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said given vehicle control block in response to the sensing of the absence of another vehicle in at least the vehicle control block succeeding said given vehicle control block; and means responsive to either one of said first means no longer sensing the presence of said vehicle within said given vehicle control block or said second means no longer storing said vehicle presence signal, during the time said vehicle is within said given vehicle control block, for inhibiting the provision of said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said given vehicle control block.

Claim 3

In a vehicle control system wherein a vehicle includes at least first and second vehicle cars, and said vehicle travels along a vehicle travel path divided into a plurality of vehicle control blocks, and said vehicles movement through a given vehicle control block is controlled by a provided vehicle control signal, the combination comprising: first means for continuously sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within said given vehicle control block; second means for storing a first vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said first vehicle car within said gIven vehicle control block; third means for storing a second vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said second vehicle car within said given vehicle control block; fourth means for providing said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said given vehicle control block in response to the sensing of the absence of another vehicle in at least the vehicle control block succeeding said given vehicle control block; and means responsive to any one of said first means no longer (a) sensing the presence of said first vehicle car or (b) said second vehicle car within said given vehicle control block, or (c) said second means no longer storing said first vehicle car presence signal or (d) said third means no longer storing said second vehicle car presence signal, during the time said vehicle is within said given vehicle control block, for inhibiting the provision of said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said given vehicle control block.

Claim 4

In a vehicle control system wherein a vehicle includes at least first and second vehicle cars, and said vehicle travels along a vehicle travel path divided into a plurality of vehicle control blocks, and said vehicles movement through a given vehicle control block is controlled by a provided vehicle control signal, the combination comprising: first means for continuously sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within said given vehicle control block; second means for storing a first vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said first vehicle car within said gIven vehicle control block; third means for storing a second vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said second vehicle car within said given vehicle control block; fourth means for providing said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said given vehicle control block in response to the sensing of the absence of another vehicle in at least the vehicle control block succeeding said given vehicle control block; and means responsive to any one of said first means no longer (a) sensing the presence of said first vehicle car or (b) said second vehicle car within said given vehicle control block, or (c) said second means no longer storing said first vehicle car presence signal or (d) said third means no longer storing said second vehicle car presence signal, during the time said vehicle is within said given vehicle control block, for inhibiting the provision of said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said given vehicle control block.

Claim 5

The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein said first vehicle car transmits a signal at a frequency f1 and said second vehicle car transmits a signal at a frequency f2, which is different than said frequency f1; and said second means stores said first vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the transmission of said signal at said frequency f1, and said third means stores said second vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the transmission of said signal at said frequency f2.

Claim 6

In a vehicle control system wherein a vehicle travels along a vehicle travel path divided into a plurality of vehicle control blocks, the combination comprising: first means for continuously sensing the presence of said vehicle within a first vehicle control block; second means for storing a first vehicle presence signal in response to said sensing by said first means; third means in a second vehicle control block for continuously sensing the presence of a vehicle within said second vehicle control block; fourth means located in said second vehicle control block and responsive to said sensing by said third means for providing a second vehicle presence signal, and said second means discontinuing the storage of said first vehicle presence signal in response to the provision of said second vehicle presence signal; fifth means for providing a vehicle control signal for another vehicle in a third vehicle control block in response to said second means no longer storing said first vehicle presence signal; sixth means for providing a vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said first vehicle control block in response to said fourth means no longer providing said second vehicle presence signal; and means for inhibiting the provision of said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said first vehicle control block in response to either one of said first means no longer sensing the presence of said vehicle within said first vehicle control block or said second means no longer storing said first vehicle presence signal during the time said vehicle is within said first vehicle control block.

Claim 7

In a vehicle control system wherein a vehicle travels along a vehicle travel path divided into a plurality of vehicle control blocks, the combination comprising: first means for continuously sensing the presence of said vehicle within a first vehicle control block; second means for storing a first vehicle presence signal in response to said sensing by said first means; third means in a second vehicle control block for continuously sensing the presence of a vehicle within said second vehicle control block; fourth means located in said second vehicle control block and responsive to said sensing by said third means for providing a second vehicle presence signal, and said second means discontinuing the storage of said first vehicle presence signal in response to the provision of said second vehicle presence signal; fifth means for providing a vehicle control signal for another vehicle in a third vehicle control block in response to said second means no longer storing said first vehicle presence signal; sixth means for providing a vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said first vehicle control block in response to said fourth means no longer providing said second vehicle presence signal; and means for inhibiting the provision of said vehicle control signal for said vehicle within said first vehicle control block in response to either one of said first means no longer sensing the presence of said vehicle within said first vehicle control block or said second means no longer storing said first vehicle presence signal during the time said vehicle is within said first vehicle control block.

Claim 8

The combination claimed in claim 4 wherein said second means comprises a first bistable element which is set to a first bistable state in response to said sensing by said first means, and which remains in said first bistable state until being set to a second bistable state in response to the sensing of the presence of said vehicle within a third vehicle control block.

Claim 9

The combination claimed in claim 5 wherein said fourth means includes a second bistable element which is set to a first bistable state in response to said sensing by said fourth means and which remains in said first bistable state until being set to a second bistable state in response to the sensing of the presence of said vehicle within a third vehicle control block.

Claim 10

In a vehicle control system wherein a vehIcle includes at least first and second vehicle cars, and said vehicle travels along a vehicle travel path divided into a plurality of vehicle control blocks, the combination comprising: first means for continuously sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within a first vehicle control block; second means for storing a first vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said first vehicle car within said first vehicle control block; third means for storing a second vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said second vehicle car within said first vehicle control block; fourth means in a second vehicle control block for sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within said second vehicle control block; fifth means located in said vehicle control block and responsive to said fourth means no longer sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars for providing a control signal for said first vehicle control block; sixth means located in said first vehicle control block for generating a vehicle control signal for a vehicle within said first vehicle control block in response to said fifth means providing said control signal for said first vehicle control block; and means for preventing the generation of said vehicle control signal for vehicles within said first vehicle control block in response to any one of (a) said first means no longer sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within said first vehicle control block or (b) said second means no longer storing said first vehicle car presence signal or (c) said third means no longer storing said second vehicle car presence signal, during the time said vehicle is within said first vehicle control block.

Claim 11

In a vehicle control system wherein a vehIcle includes at least first and second vehicle cars, and said vehicle travels along a vehicle travel path divided into a plurality of vehicle control blocks, the combination comprising: first means for continuously sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within a first vehicle control block; second means for storing a first vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said first vehicle car within said first vehicle control block; third means for storing a second vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the presence of said second vehicle car within said first vehicle control block; fourth means in a second vehicle control block for sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within said second vehicle control block; fifth means located in said vehicle control block and responsive to said fourth means no longer sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars for providing a control signal for said first vehicle control block; sixth means located in said first vehicle control block for generating a vehicle control signal for a vehicle within said first vehicle control block in response to said fifth means providing said control signal for said first vehicle control block; and means for preventing the generation of said vehicle control signal for vehicles within said first vehicle control block in response to any one of (a) said first means no longer sensing the presence of said first and second vehicle cars within said first vehicle control block or (b) said second means no longer storing said first vehicle car presence signal or (c) said third means no longer storing said second vehicle car presence signal, during the time said vehicle is within said first vehicle control block.

Claim 12

The combination claimed in claim 7 wherein said first vehicle car transmits a signal at a frequency f1 and said second vehicle car transmits a signal at a frequency f2 which is different than f1; and said second means stores said first vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the transmission of said signal at frequency f1 and said third means stores said second vehicle car presence signal in response to said first means sensing the transmission of said signal at frequency f2.