US3819932A — Multi-computer automatic vehicle control system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 364 words

An automatic vehicle control system for a plurality of vehicles traveling along path rails in a route plan and controlled from a central control station, a plurality of signalling markers spaced along the rails in the route plan, a marker receiver included on each vehicle to receive a marker signal when the vehicle''s position travelling along a path rail is concurrent with the location of a signalling marker, a data communication link between said vehicles and said central control station for transferring vehicle performance reports from each of said vehicles to the cEntral control station and transferring vehicle command messages from the central control station to each of said vehicles, an on-line control system in each of said vehicles for decoding vehicle command messages and assembling performence report messages, and a speed control unit in each of said vehicles acting in response to the vehicle command message decoded by the on-line vehicle control system for controlling acceleration and braking of the vehicle, wherein the improvement comprises: a computer set in said central control station providing means for computing speed control commands for said vehicles; a data transfer buffer connecting to said computer set providing means for assembling the vehicle command message for transfer to said vehicles; an identity word for addressing a selected one of said vehicles and a computed speed control command for the addressed vehicle included in said vehicle command message; an input register in said on-line control system for receiving the vehicle command messages transferred from the central control station to the vehicles; an address recognition means connecting to said input register for testing said identity word, said address recognition means recognizing vehicle command messages intended for the receiving selected vehicle among said plurality of vehicles, a word storage means connecting to said speed control unit for storing portions of said vehicle command messages; a sync control circuit in said on-line control system providing means for synchronizing the transfer of the vehicle command message from said data communication link to said input register with the testing of said identity word by said address recognition means and with the transfer of portions of said vehicle command message into said word storage means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 364 words

An automatic vehicle control system for a plurality of vehicles traveling along path rails in a route plan and controlled from a central control station, a plurality of signalling markers spaced along the rails in the route plan, a marker receiver included on each vehicle to receive a marker signal when the vehicle''s position travelling along a path rail is concurrent with the location of a signalling marker, a data communication link between said vehicles and said central control station for transferring vehicle performance reports from each of said vehicles to the cEntral control station and transferring vehicle command messages from the central control station to each of said vehicles, an on-line control system in each of said vehicles for decoding vehicle command messages and assembling performence report messages, and a speed control unit in each of said vehicles acting in response to the vehicle command message decoded by the on-line vehicle control system for controlling acceleration and braking of the vehicle, wherein the improvement comprises: a computer set in said central control station providing means for computing speed control commands for said vehicles; a data transfer buffer connecting to said computer set providing means for assembling the vehicle command message for transfer to said vehicles; an identity word for addressing a selected one of said vehicles and a computed speed control command for the addressed vehicle included in said vehicle command message; an input register in said on-line control system for receiving the vehicle command messages transferred from the central control station to the vehicles; an address recognition means connecting to said input register for testing said identity word, said address recognition means recognizing vehicle command messages intended for the receiving selected vehicle among said plurality of vehicles, a word storage means connecting to said speed control unit for storing portions of said vehicle command messages; a sync control circuit in said on-line control system providing means for synchronizing the transfer of the vehicle command message from said data communication link to said input register with the testing of said identity word by said address recognition means and with the transfer of portions of said vehicle command message into said word storage means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 75 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 1 wherein said on-line control system includes: an assembly register for assembling a vehicle performance report for transfer of said assembled vehicle performance report from the vehicle to said central control station; and said sync control circuit including further means for gating the identity word recognized by said address recognition means to said assembly register for transfer in said assembled vehicle performance report to said central control station.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 2 wherein said central control station provides means for verifying that the identity word received from the vehicle is the same identity word previously transferred to the vehicle in said vehicle command message.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 52 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 2 wherein said sync control circuit assembles said vehicle performance report in said assembly register for transfer to said central control station in response to the receipt of a vehicle command message recognized by said address recognition means and intended for the receiving selected vehicle.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 88 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 2 wherein said on-line control system includes: a vehicle telemetry device producing telemetry pulse outputs corresponding to movement of the vehicle along said path rails; a distance counter to maintain a distance count by recording the number of telemetry pulse outputs generated by said vehicle telemetry device; and said sync control circuit including further means for gating the stored contents of said distance counter into said assembly register for transfer in said assembled vehicle performance report to said central control station.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 79 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 5 wherein said on-line control system includes: a marker register connected to said distance counter and responsive to a marker signal from said marker receiver to strobe a marker count from said distance counter into said marker register; and said sync control circuit including further means for gating the stored contents of said marker register into said assembly register for transfer In said assembled vehicle performance report to said central control station.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 6 wherein said on-line control system includes: a marker gate interposed between said marker receiver and said marker register to delay the marker signal when it occurs concurrently with a telemetry pulse from said telemetry device.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 6 wherein said computer set provides means for computing the vehicle''s position beyond said marker location by subtracting said marker count from said distance count in said assembled vehicle performance report.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 77 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 1 wherein: said computer set provides means for computing the position of said vehicles along said path rails in said route plan, said computer set providing further means for storing the position of said signalling marker along said path rails in said route plan, and said computer set providing additional means to compute the distance from said vehicles to said signalling marker along said path rails in said route plan.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 9 wherein said computer set provides further means for computing the distance between each of said vehicles along said path rails in said route plan.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 61 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 1 wherein: a supervisor computer included in said computer set provides means for computing a position for each of said vehicles along said path rails in said route plan, and said supervisor computer provides means for setting limit flag signals for each of said vehicles in accordance with the computed positions of said vehicles.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 104 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 11 wherein: a first safety computer and a second safety computer are included in said computer set, said first and second safety computers programmed to independently compute speed control commands for each of said vehicles in accordance with limit flag signals set by said supervisor computer; a register in said data transfer buffer for storing said vehicle command messages for transfer to said vehicles; and said first safety computer and said second safety computer outputting speed control commands for each of said vehicles into said register to form a vehicle control message for transfer to said vehicles.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 351 words

An automatic vehicle control system for a plurality of vehicles travelling along path rails in a route plan and controlled from a central control station, a plurality of signalling markers spaced along the rails in the route plan, a marker receiver included on each vehicle to receive a marker signal when the vehicle''s position travelling along a path rail is concurrent with the location of signalling marker, a data communication link between said vehicles and said central control station for transferring vehicle performance reports from each of said vehicles to the central control station and transferring vehicle command messages from the central control station to each of said vehicles, an on-line control system in each of said vehicles for decoding vehicle command messages and assembling performance report messages, and a speed control unit in each of said vehicles acting in response to the vehicle command message decoded by the on-line vehicle control system for controlling acceleration and braking of the vehicle, wherein the improvement comprises: a computer set in said central control station providing means for computing speed control commands for said vehicles; a data transfer buffer connecting to said computer set providing means for assembling the vehicle command messages for transfer to said vehicles; a supervisor computer included in said computer set providing means for computing a position for each of said vehicles along said path rails in said route plan; said supervisor computer providing further means for setting limit flag signals for each of said veHicles in accordance with the computed positions of said vehicles; a first safety computer and a second safety computer included in said computer set, said first and second safety computers programmed to independently compute speed control commands for each of said vehicles in accordance with limit flag signals set by said supervisor computer; a register in said data transfer buffer for storing said vehicle command messages for transfer to said vehicles; and said first safety computer and said second safety computer outputting speed control commands for each of said vehicles into said register to form a vehicle control message for transfer to said vehicles.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 351 words

An automatic vehicle control system for a plurality of vehicles travelling along path rails in a route plan and controlled from a central control station, a plurality of signalling markers spaced along the rails in the route plan, a marker receiver included on each vehicle to receive a marker signal when the vehicle''s position travelling along a path rail is concurrent with the location of signalling marker, a data communication link between said vehicles and said central control station for transferring vehicle performance reports from each of said vehicles to the central control station and transferring vehicle command messages from the central control station to each of said vehicles, an on-line control system in each of said vehicles for decoding vehicle command messages and assembling performance report messages, and a speed control unit in each of said vehicles acting in response to the vehicle command message decoded by the on-line vehicle control system for controlling acceleration and braking of the vehicle, wherein the improvement comprises: a computer set in said central control station providing means for computing speed control commands for said vehicles; a data transfer buffer connecting to said computer set providing means for assembling the vehicle command messages for transfer to said vehicles; a supervisor computer included in said computer set providing means for computing a position for each of said vehicles along said path rails in said route plan; said supervisor computer providing further means for setting limit flag signals for each of said veHicles in accordance with the computed positions of said vehicles; a first safety computer and a second safety computer included in said computer set, said first and second safety computers programmed to independently compute speed control commands for each of said vehicles in accordance with limit flag signals set by said supervisor computer; a register in said data transfer buffer for storing said vehicle command messages for transfer to said vehicles; and said first safety computer and said second safety computer outputting speed control commands for each of said vehicles into said register to form a vehicle control message for transfer to said vehicles.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 49 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 13 wherein: said supervisor computer provides means for storing the position of said signalling marker along said path rails in said route plan and provides further means for computing the distance from said vehicles to said signalling marker along said path rails.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 13 wherein said supervisor computer provides means for computing the distance between each of said vehicles along said path rails in said route plan.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 89 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 15 wherein: said supervisor computer provides programmed means for computing the velocity of said vehicles by periodically computing the position of said vehicles, and said first and second safety computers provide additional programmed means for computing a maximum safe vehicle velocity for one of said vehicles that is preceded by a second of said vehicles where said maximum safe vehicle velocity is limited by the distance between said first and second vehicles and the relative velocities of said first and second vehicles.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 46 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 13 wherein said data transfer buffer connects to said first and second safety computer and said vehicle command message is assembled in said data transfer buffer by merging output signals from each of said first and second safety computers.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 326 words

An automatic vehicle control system for a plurality of vehicles travelling along a path rail in a route plan and controlled from a central control station, a speed-limiting restriction located along said route plan, a data communication link between said vehicles and said central control station for transferring vehicle performance reports from each vehicle to the central control station and vehicle command messages from the central control station to the vehicles, a distance count indicating increments of distance travelled by said vehicles along the path rail included in each of said vehicle performance reports, an on-line control system in each of said vehicles for decoding said vehicle command messages and assembling said performance report messages, a speed control unit acting in response to the vehicle command messages decoded by said on-line vehicle control system for controlling acceleration and braking of each of said vehicles, wherein the improvement comprises: a computer set in said central control station providing means for calculating the position of each of said vehicles on the route plan and means for computing a command velocity for each vehicle; said computer set receiving vehicle performance reports from said vehicles and preparing vehicle command messages for transfer to said vehicles; a supervisor computer and a safety computer operatively connected to each other in said computer set, said supervisor computer providing programmed means for utilizing said distance count included in said vehicle performance report for computing the position of said vehicles in said route plan, said supervisor computer providing further programmed means for computing a command velocity for each of said vehicles on said route plan; said supervisor computer providing further programmed means for setting a limit flag signal when a first of said vehicles is within a limIting proximity of said speed-limiting restriction along the route plan, and said safety computer providing programmed means for limiting the command velcoity for said first vehicle in response to said limit flag signal set by said supervisor computer.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 326 words

An automatic vehicle control system for a plurality of vehicles travelling along a path rail in a route plan and controlled from a central control station, a speed-limiting restriction located along said route plan, a data communication link between said vehicles and said central control station for transferring vehicle performance reports from each vehicle to the central control station and vehicle command messages from the central control station to the vehicles, a distance count indicating increments of distance travelled by said vehicles along the path rail included in each of said vehicle performance reports, an on-line control system in each of said vehicles for decoding said vehicle command messages and assembling said performance report messages, a speed control unit acting in response to the vehicle command messages decoded by said on-line vehicle control system for controlling acceleration and braking of each of said vehicles, wherein the improvement comprises: a computer set in said central control station providing means for calculating the position of each of said vehicles on the route plan and means for computing a command velocity for each vehicle; said computer set receiving vehicle performance reports from said vehicles and preparing vehicle command messages for transfer to said vehicles; a supervisor computer and a safety computer operatively connected to each other in said computer set, said supervisor computer providing programmed means for utilizing said distance count included in said vehicle performance report for computing the position of said vehicles in said route plan, said supervisor computer providing further programmed means for computing a command velocity for each of said vehicles on said route plan; said supervisor computer providing further programmed means for setting a limit flag signal when a first of said vehicles is within a limIting proximity of said speed-limiting restriction along the route plan, and said safety computer providing programmed means for limiting the command velcoity for said first vehicle in response to said limit flag signal set by said supervisor computer.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 55 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 18 wherein: said speed-limiting restriction located along said route plan is a second of said vehicles preceding said one vehicle along said route plan, and said limit flag signal is set by said supervisor computer when said first vehicle is within the limiting proximity of said second vehicle.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 63 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 18 wherein: said supervisor computer provides further programmed means for computing the velocity of each of said vehicles by periodically computing the position of each of said vehicles, and said safety computer provides programmed means utilizing said computed vehicle velocities computed by said supervisor computer for computing a forward safety zone preceding each of said vehicles.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 65 words

The automatic vehicle control system of claim 20 wherein said forward safety zones computed for each of the said vehicles by said safety computer is extended when the velocity of said preceding vehicle is greater than the velocity of said reporting vehicle, and said forward safety zone is contracted when the velocity of said preceding vehicle is less than the velocity of said reporting vehicle.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-06-24	1977-12-24	1978-06-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-06-24	1981-12-24	1982-06-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-06-24	1985-12-24	1986-06-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Multi-computer automatic vehicle control system

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