US3796864A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Vehicle separation measuring system
Assignee: NU-METRICS Inc LONGDALE INDUSTRIAL PARK 947 LONGDALE AVENUE LONGWOOD FL 32750 A CORP OF
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Filing: 1972-04-19
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Granted: 1974-03-12
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Expires: 1992-04-19
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for monitoring the separation distance between a lead vehicle and a following or tracking vehicle. Besides merely monitoring such separation distance, provisions are made which greatly facilitate the maintenance of a predetermined value of distance separation. Furthermore, the predetermined value of distance separation may be adjustably preset to any desired value. First and second pulse trains are generated representing distance increments travelled by the lead and tracking vehicles respectively. The first and second pulse trains are coupled to the up and to the down counting inputs respectively of an up-down counter such that the instantaneous contents of the up-down counter represents the distance separation between the lead and tracking vehicle. The contents of the up-down counter is compared with a preset number representing a desired separation between the two vehicles and an audio oscillator or other indicator is controlled as a result of this comparison process. In the exemplary embodiment, a steady tone is emitted when the desired separation exists while burst tones of different frequencies are produced when the separation distance is either above or below the preset desired value. The repetition rate of the tone bursts is approximately proportional to the speed of vehicle separation or closure as the case may be. In the preferred embodiment, distance pulses from a moving lead vehicle are transmitted via a radio communications circuit to the up-down counter and comparison apparatus which is located in the tracking vehicle to facilitate the marking of highways for passing and nopassing zones, etc.
Inventors
- 👤 H Sampey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:51
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/22; G08G1/16; G08G1/161; G08G1/162
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A system for monitoring the distance of separation between a lead vehicle and a tracking vehicle, said system comprising: first data generating means disposed in said lead vehicle for providing a first pulse train representing predetermined increments of distance travelled from a starting location by said lead vehicle, second data generating means disposed in said tracking vehicle for providing a second pulse train representing similar predetermined increments of distance travelled from said starting location by said tracking vehicle, radio transmitting means connected to at least one of said first and second data generating means for transmitting its respectively corresponding pulse train to a common site, up-down counter means disposed at said common site having a first input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a first sense or direction and a second input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a second sense or direction opposite to said first sense, and means for applying said first pulse train to said first input and said second pulse train to said second input whereby the contents of said counter means represents the difference between said first and second pulse trains and hence the distance of separation between said lead and tracking vehicles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
212 words
A system for monitoring the distance of separation between a lead vehicle and a tracking vehicle, said system comprising: first data generating means disposed in said lead vehicle for providing a first pulse train representing predetermined increments of distance travelled from a starting location by said lead vehicle, second data generating means disposed in said tracking vehicle for providing a second pulse train representing similar predetermined increments of distance travelled from said starting location by said tracking vehicle, radio transmitting means connected to at least one of said first and second data generating means for transmitting its respectively corresponding pulse train to a common site, up-down counter means disposed at said common site having a first input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a first sense or direction and a second input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a second sense or direction opposite to said first sense, and means for applying said first pulse train to said first input and said second pulse train to said second input whereby the contents of said counter means represents the difference between said first and second pulse trains and hence the distance of separation between said lead and tracking vehicles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system as in claim 1 wherein: said first data generating means comprises pulse generator means installed in said lead vehicle for generating distance pulses representing said predetermined increments of distance travelled by said lead vehicle, and said radio transmitting means comprises data transmitter means installed in said lead vehicle for transmitting representations of said distance pulses to a remote location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as in claim 2 further comprising: data receiving means installed in said trackinG vehicle for receiving the transmitted representations of said distance pulses and producing said first pulse train therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as in claim 3 wherein said data receiving means further comprises: a monostable multivibrator means connected for triggering by said transmitted representations to produce substantially uniform pulse widths in said first pulse train.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
119 words
A system as in claim 1 further comprising: first monostable multivibrator means having an input connected for triggering by said first pulse train and an output connected to said first input for providing thereto a corresponding pulse train of pulses having predetermined durations, second monostable multivibrator means having an input connected for triggering by said second pulse train and an output connected to said second input for providing thereto a coresponding pulse train of pulses having predetermined durations, said predetermined durations of pulses output from said first and second monostable multivibrator means being substantially smaller than normal pulse durations in said first and second pulse trains respectively thereby reducing the probability of simultaneously pulsing said first and second inputs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as in claim 1 wherein said second data generating means comprises: pulse generator means installed in said tracking vehicle for generating distance pulses representing said predetermined increments of distance travelled by said tracking vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A system as in claim 1 further comprising: program means disposed at said common site for generating program signals representing an adjustable predetermined value of distance separation, and comparator means disposed at said common site and connected to said program switch means and to said up-down counter means for comparing the contents of said up-down counter means with said predetermined value and for providing an output representative of this comparison.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as in claim 7 wherein said program means comprises: a plurality of manually actuatable switches connected to a first set of inputs to said comparator means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as in claim 7 wherein: said comparator means has a first set of inputs connected to said program means and a second set of inputs connected to interstage outputs of said up-down counter means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as in claim 7 wherein said comparator means includes: means for effectively bypassing a comparison of at least one low order digit whereby the comparator means output remains unaffected by changes in said at least one low order digit of comparison.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as in claim 7 further comprising: visual diaplay means connected to said updown counter means for providing a visual display of the contents of the up-down counter means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
288 words
A system for monitoring the distance of separation between a lead vehicle and a tracking vehicle, said system comprising: first data generating means for providing a first pulse train representing predetermined increments of distance travelled by said lead vehicle, second data generating means for providing a second pulse train representing similar predetermined increments of distance travelled by said tracking vehicle, up-down counter means having a first input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a first sense or direction and a second input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a second sense or direction opposite to said first sense, means for applying said first pulse train to said first input and said second pulse train to said second input whereby the contents of said counter means represents the difference between said first and second pulse trains and hence the distance of separation between said lead and tracking vehicles, program means for generating program signals representing a predetermined value of distance separation, and comparator means connected to saiD program switch means and to said up-down counter means for comparing the contents of said up-down counter means with said predetermined value and for providing an output representative of this comparison, said comparator means including means for providing: a first output when the compared contents of said counter means is less than said predetermined value, a second output when the compared contents of said counter means is equal to said predetermined value, a third output when the compared contents of said counter means is greater than said predetermined value, and indicator means connected to receive said first, second and third outputs and to produce indications respectively indicative thereof.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
288 words
A system for monitoring the distance of separation between a lead vehicle and a tracking vehicle, said system comprising: first data generating means for providing a first pulse train representing predetermined increments of distance travelled by said lead vehicle, second data generating means for providing a second pulse train representing similar predetermined increments of distance travelled by said tracking vehicle, up-down counter means having a first input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a first sense or direction and a second input to which applied pulses cause the counter means contents to successively increment in a second sense or direction opposite to said first sense, means for applying said first pulse train to said first input and said second pulse train to said second input whereby the contents of said counter means represents the difference between said first and second pulse trains and hence the distance of separation between said lead and tracking vehicles, program means for generating program signals representing a predetermined value of distance separation, and comparator means connected to saiD program switch means and to said up-down counter means for comparing the contents of said up-down counter means with said predetermined value and for providing an output representative of this comparison, said comparator means including means for providing: a first output when the compared contents of said counter means is less than said predetermined value, a second output when the compared contents of said counter means is equal to said predetermined value, a third output when the compared contents of said counter means is greater than said predetermined value, and indicator means connected to receive said first, second and third outputs and to produce indications respectively indicative thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as in claim 12 wherein said indicator means comprises: an audio signal generator means for producing at least three different audio outputs respectively representative of said first, second and third outputs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as in claim 13 wherein said audio signal generator means comprises: oscillator means fr producing first, second, and third frequency signals in response to said first, second and third outputs respectively.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as in claim 14 wherein said first frequency is less than said second frequency and said second frequency is less than said third frequency.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as in claim 14 wherein said audio signal generator means further comprises: means for producing bursts of said first and third frequencies and a steady tone of said second frequency.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as in claim 16 wherein said last-mentioned means includes control means for causing the repetition rate of said bursts to be approximately proportional to the rate of relative movement between said lead and tracking vehicles.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as in claim 17 wherein said control means is connected to an output of a low order stage of said up-down counter means and controlled thereby.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for monitoring the distance of separation between a lead vehicle and a subsequent tracking vehicle, said method comprising: generating in said lead vehicle first signals representing predetermined increments of distance travelled by said lead vehicle from a given starting location, generating in said tracking vehicle second signals representing predetermined increments of distance travelled by said tracking vehicle from said given starting location, transmitting at least one of said first and second signals via radio frequency energy to a common site, processing at said common site, and said first and second signals to obtain a different value between distances travelled by said lead and tracking vehicles whereby said difference value represents the distance of separation between said lead vehicle and said tracking vehicle.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for monitoring the distance of separation between a lead vehicle and a subsequent tracking vehicle, said method comprising: generating in said lead vehicle first signals representing predetermined increments of distance travelled by said lead vehicle from a given starting location, generating in said tracking vehicle second signals representing predetermined increments of distance travelled by said tracking vehicle from said given starting location, transmitting at least one of said first and second signals via radio frequency energy to a common site, processing at said common site, and said first and second signals to obtain a different value between distances travelled by said lead and tracking vehicles whereby said difference value represents the distance of separation between said lead vehicle and said tracking vehicle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as in claim 19 further comprising the steps of: generating at said common site signals representing a predetermined distance separation value, automatically comparing said predetermined distance separation value with said difference value, and providing a humanly sensible output representing the result of such a comparison.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method as in claim 20 wherein the step of providing a humanly sensible output comprises: generating audio tone bursts when said difference value differs from said predetermined distance separation value by more than a predetermined margin of allowable error, the repetition rate of said tone bursts being proportional to the rate of relative movement between said lead and tracking vehicles, and generating a steady audio tone when said difference value and said predetermined distance separation value are within said predetermined margin of allowable error.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 19 wherein said step of transmitting comprises: transmitting said first signals from said lead vehicle, and receiving said first signals at said tracking vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-11 | 1977-09-10 | 1978-03-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-11 | 1981-09-10 | 1982-03-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-11 | 1985-09-10 | 1986-03-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |