US3764985A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and means for controlling the distance between two moving conveyances
Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
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Filing: 1971-11-29
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1991-11-29
Abstract
Abstract Each of a column of conveyances transmits a high frequency signal, modulated with a frequency corresponding to its actual speed, along a line, such as a power line, connecting the conveyances. A control circuit in the following conveyance receives and demodulates the signal and subtracts it from a signal corresponding to a desired or nominal speed. The control circuit also multiplies the result with a measure of departure from a predetermined distance between conveyances, namely with the attenuated amplitude of the received signal. The control circuit then regulates the speed of the following conveyance therewith. This allows large numbers of vehicles following each other to proceed at high speeds while remaining closely spaced.
Inventors
- 👤 J Hochreiter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 07:15
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61L; B61L3/00; B61L3/16; B61L3/18; B61L3/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of maintaining the distance between two conveyances moving at predetermined nominal speeds along an electric line having a given electrical characteristic along its length, which comprises sensing the actual speed of the first conveyance in the second conveyance, detecting the distance between the two conveyances as a function of the characteristic of the line along which the conveyances travel, deriving a control quantity from the sensed value of the speed of the first conveyance and the detected distance between the conveyances, deriving an additional quantity representing the nominal speed of the second conveyance, and controlling the speed of the second conveyance by superimposing the control quantity on the nominal speed of the second conveyance.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of maintaining the distance between two conveyances moving at predetermined nominal speeds along an electric line having a given electrical characteristic along its length, which comprises sensing the actual speed of the first conveyance in the second conveyance, detecting the distance between the two conveyances as a function of the characteristic of the line along which the conveyances travel, deriving a control quantity from the sensed value of the speed of the first conveyance and the detected distance between the conveyances, deriving an additional quantity representing the nominal speed of the second conveyance, and controlling the speed of the second conveyance by superimposing the control quantity on the nominal speed of the second conveyance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method as in claim 1, wherein the control quantity is determined according to the equation V2C e ax (V2N-V1A) where e equals the base of natural logarithms, xN is the nominal distance between the two conveyances, xd is the distance between the two conveyances exceeding the nominal value xN, a is a constant, v2C is the control quantity, v2N is the nominal value of the speed of the second conveyance, and v1A is the actual value of the speed of the first conveyance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method as in claim 2, wherein the step of sensing the actual speed includes the steps of coupling each of the conveyances to the line, propagating a high-frequency voltage in the first conveyance along the line, and receiving the propagated voltage in the second conveyance, and wherein the step of detecting the distance between the two conveyances includes deriving a factor e ax in response to the attenuation of the transmitted voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method as in claim 23, wherein the step of propagating the high frequency voltage includes forming a high impedance block along the line between a rear transmitter and a forward receiver of the same conveyance so as to permit propagation of the signals only in one direction along the line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as in claim 23, wherein the step of determining the speed of the first conveyance includes modulating the high frequency voltage transmitted along the line in the first conveyance and receiving and demodulating the frequency modulated high frequency voltage in the second conveyance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as in claim 4, wherein the step of determining the speed of the first conveyance includes modulating the high frequency voltage transmitted along the line in the first conveyance and receiving and demodulating the frequency modulated high frequency voltage in the second conveyance.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for controlling the speed of one of a plurality of conveyances travelling so as to follow one another along a line having a known electrical attenuation characteristic, comprising transmitter means on said one conveyance responsive to the speed of the one conveyance and coupled to the line for generating a high-frequency signal modulated according to the speed of the one conveyance and for applying the signal along the line in the direction of a following conveyance, receiver means on the one conveyance and coupled to the line for receiving high-frequency signals from a preceding conveyance, signal-producing means on the one conveyances and coupled to said receiver means for generating a control signal dependent upon the modulation of the signal received and the effect imposed upon the signal received by the characteristic of the line, and regulating means on the one conveyance and coupled to said signal-producing means for regulating the speed of the one conveyance.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for controlling the speed of one of a plurality of conveyances travelling so as to follow one another along a line having a known electrical attenuation characteristic, comprising transmitter means on said one conveyance responsive to the speed of the one conveyance and coupled to the line for generating a high-frequency signal modulated according to the speed of the one conveyance and for applying the signal along the line in the direction of a following conveyance, receiver means on the one conveyance and coupled to the line for receiving high-frequency signals from a preceding conveyance, signal-producing means on the one conveyances and coupled to said receiver means for generating a control signal dependent upon the modulation of the signal received and the effect imposed upon the signal received by the characteristic of the line, and regulating means on the one conveyance and coupled to said signal-producing means for regulating the speed of the one conveyance.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said transmitter means includes modulating means on the one conveyance responsive to the speed of the one conveyance, for modulating the signal transmitted by said transmitter means in response to the speed of the one conveyance.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said signal-producing means includes a demodulating portion for producing an indication dependent upon the modulation of the signal received and indicating the speed of the preceding conveyance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
94 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said one conveyance has a nominal speed, said signal-producing means including subtracting means for producing a subtract signal corresponding to the differences of the indications and the nominal speed of the one conveyance, signal generating means coupled to said receiver means for generating an exponential signal responsive to the effect imposed by the line on the characteristic of the line, and multiplying means connected to said signal generator means and said subtracting means for multiplying the subtract signal with the exponential signal to produce the control signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said transmitter means includes a transmitter and transmitter coupling means for coupling saId transmitter to the line, and wherein said receiver means includes a receiver and receiver coupling means for coupling the receiver to the line.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said transmitter means includes a transmitter and transmitter coupling means for coupling the transmitter to the line, and wherein said receiver means includes a receiver and receiver coupling means for coupling the receiver to the line.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said conveyance has a predetermined nominal speed, and wherein said signal-producing means includes nominal speed generating means for generating a value corresponding to the nominal speed of conveyance, said nominal speed generating means applying the value to said subtracting means to represent the nominal speed of the conveyance.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising capacitor means connected between said coupling means, the line having a distributed inductance, said coupling means being spaced from each other along the line, said capacitor means being tuned with the distributed inductance of the line to form a parallel resonant circuit tuned to the frequency of the signal generated by said transmitter means, whereby said capacitor means and the distributed inductance form a high impedance to signals transmitted by the transmitter means along the line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said conveyance has a predetermined nominal speed, and wherein said signal-producing means includes nominal speed generating means for generating a value corresponding to the nominal speed of the conveyance, said nominal speed generating means applying the value to said subtracting means to represent the nominal speed of the conveyance.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus as in claim 13, wherein said modulator means further includes a voltage-to-frequency converter connected to said speed sensing means and a modulator responsive to said voltage-to-frequency converter and connected to said transmitter means for modulating said transmitter means, said demodulating means including a demodulator connected to said receiver means and a frequency-to-voltage converter responsive to said demodulator and connected to said subtracting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising negative feedback means connecting said transmitter means to said receiver means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising power supply means for energizing the conveyance, said power supply means including a neutral conductor, said neutral conductor constituting a portion of said line, a high frequency bar forming a portion of the line.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein said bar is made essentially of iron having a conductance of about 10 and a permeability of about 1500.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said conveyance has a predetermined nominal speed, and wherein said signal-producing means includes nominal speed generating means for generating a value corresponding to the nominal speed of the conveyance, said nominal speed generating means being connected to said subtracting means for supplying the value as representative of the nominal speed of the conveyance.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
145 words
A transport system, comprising a path along which conveyances can travel, a plurality of conveyances aligned to travel serially along the path, a high-frequency line having a predetermined characteristic extending along the path; said conveyances each including transmitter means responsive to the speed of the conveyance and coupled to the line for generating high-frequency signals modulated according to the speed of the conveyance along the line in the direction of a following conveyance, receiver means coupled to the line for receiving the modulated high-frequency signal from a preceding conveyance, signal-producing means coupled to the receiver means for generating a control signal dependent upon the modulation of the signal received and the effect imposed upon the signal received by the characteristic of the line, And regulating means coupled to said signal-producing means for regulating the speed of the conveyance; said line being a homogeneous high-frequency line.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
145 words
A transport system, comprising a path along which conveyances can travel, a plurality of conveyances aligned to travel serially along the path, a high-frequency line having a predetermined characteristic extending along the path; said conveyances each including transmitter means responsive to the speed of the conveyance and coupled to the line for generating high-frequency signals modulated according to the speed of the conveyance along the line in the direction of a following conveyance, receiver means coupled to the line for receiving the modulated high-frequency signal from a preceding conveyance, signal-producing means coupled to the receiver means for generating a control signal dependent upon the modulation of the signal received and the effect imposed upon the signal received by the characteristic of the line, And regulating means coupled to said signal-producing means for regulating the speed of the conveyance; said line being a homogeneous high-frequency line.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as in claim 21, wherein said transmitter means in each of said conveyances includes modulating means responsive to the speed of the conveyance for modulating the transmitter means in accordance with the speed of the conveyance.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 22, wherein said modulating means includes a frequency modulator, and wherein said demodulating means includes a frequency demodulator.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as in claim 22, wherein respective capacitor means connect each of said transmitter means to the receiver means in each of said conveyances, said capacitor means forming with the distributed inductance of said line a parallel resonant circuit tuned to the carrier frequency transmitted by said transmitter means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 22, wherein said line includes a conductor and a high frequency bar.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as in claim 25, wherein said bar is composed of iron having a conductance of about 10 and a permeability of about 1500.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as in claim 21, wherein said signal-producing means includes demodulating means for producing an indication responsive to the modulation of the received signal and representing the speed of the previous conveyance.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
99 words
An apparatus as in claim 27, wherein each of said conveyances is assigned a nominal value of speed; and wherein said signal-producing means include subtracting means for producing a subtract signal corresponding to the differences of the indication and the nominal speed of the conveyance, signal generating means coupled to said receiver means for generating an exponential signal responsive to the effect imposed on the line by the characteristic of the line, and multiplying means connected to said signal generating means and said subtracting means for multiplying the subtract signal with the exponential signal to produce the control signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein each of said conveyances has a predetermined nominal speed, and wherein in each of said conveyances said signal producing means includes nominal speed generating means for generating a value corresponding to the nominal speed of the conveyance, said nominal speed generating means applying the value to said subtracting means to represent the nominal speed of the conveyance.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system as in claim 29, wherein in each of said conveyances said transmitter means includes modulator means and said modulator means includes sensing means for sensing the speed of the conveyance and producing a voltage therewith and voltage to frequency converter means for producing a frequency modulating signal corresponding to the speed of the conveyance.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system as in claim 21 wherein said transmitter means includes a transmitter portion and coupling means for coupling the transmitter to the line, said receiver means including a reciver portion and coupling means for coupling the receiver to the line, a capacitor connected between the coupling means and forming a resonator with the high-frequency line having a resonance frequency between the coupling means corresponding to the frequency being transmitted by said transmitter means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said modulator means includes speed-sensing means responsive to the speed of the conveyance for producing a voltage corresponding to the speed of the conveyance and voltage-frequency converter means for producing a signal having a frequency corresponding to the speed, said converter means being connected to modulate the signal from said transmitter means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as in claim 21, wherein the high-frequency line includes a neutral conductor and a high-frequency bus bar.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said high-frequency line includes a neutral conductor and a high-frequency bus bar.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 33, wherein the high-frequency bus bar is composed of iron with a conductance of about 10 Sm/mm2 and a relative permeability Mu of about 1500.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as in claim 31, wherein the high-frequency bus bar is composed of iron with a conductance of about 10Sm/mm2 and a relative permeability Mu of about 1500.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 21, further comprising feedback means in each of said conveyances between said transmitter means and said receiver means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as in claim 30, further comprising feedback means connecting said transmitter means and said receiver means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |