Method and apparatus for determining direction of operation in a vehicle control system

Claim 2

In a vehicle control system for controlling at least one vehicle traveling over a vehicle travel path which is divided into a plurality of signal conductive vehicle control blocks, the combination comprising: means for introducing a first vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into one end of a given vehicle control block; means for introducing a second vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the other end of said given vehicle control block; and means responsive to one of said one vehicle sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value and said second vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given vehicle control block, and said one vehicle sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value and said second vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said other end of said given vehicle control block.

Claim 3

In a vehicle control system for controlling at least one vehicle, said system having a conductive track including a pair of conductive rails, with said track being divided into a plurality of signal conductive track circuit blocks, the combination comprising: means for introducing a first vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at one end of a given track circuit block; means for introducing a second vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at the other end of said given track circuit block; and means responsive to one of said one vehicle sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value and said second vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given track circuit block, and said one vehicle sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value and said second vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said other end of said given track circuit block.

Claim 4

In a vehicle control system for controlling at least one vehicle, said system having a conductive track including a pair of conductive rails, with said track being divided into a plurality of signal conductive track circuit blocks, the combination comprising: means for introducing a first vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at one end of a given track circuit block; means for introducing a second vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at the other end of said given track circuit block; and means responsive to one of said one vehicle sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value and said second vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given track circuit block, and said one vehicle sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value and said second vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said other end of said given track circuit block.

Claim 5

In a vehicle control system for controlling at least one vehicle, said system having a conductive track including a pair of conductive rails, with said track being divided into a plurality of signal conductive track circuit blocks, the combination comprising: means for introducing a first vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at one end of a given track circuit block; means for introducing a second vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at the other end of said given end of saiD given track circuit block; a first signal responsive means for sensing said first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in a first direction, and for sensing said second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in a second direction; a second signal responsive means for sensing said second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in said first direction, and for sensing said first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in said second direction; and means responsive to one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value and the remaining one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said second vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given track circuit block, and also being responsive to one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value and the remaining one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said second vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said other end of said given track circuit block.

Claim 6

In a vehicle control system for controlling at least one vehicle, said system having a conductive track including a pair of conductive rails, with said track being divided into a plurality of signal conductive track circuit blocks, the combination comprising: means for introducing a first vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at one end of a given track circuit block; means for introducing a second vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or non-zero speed value, into the rails at the other end of said given end of saiD given track circuit block; a first signal responsive means for sensing said first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in a first direction, and for sensing said second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in a second direction; a second signal responsive means for sensing said second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in said first direction, and for sensing said first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in said second direction; and means responsive to one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value and the remaining one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said second vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given track circuit block, and also being responsive to one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said first vehicle speed command signal having a zero speed value and the remaining one of said first and second signal responsive means sensing said second vehicle speed command signal having a non-zero speed value for automatically permitting said one vehicle to travel toward said other end of said given track circuit block.

Claim 7

In a vehicle control system for controlling at least one vehicle, said system having a conductive track including a pair of conductive rails, with a plurality of conductors connected between said rails at predetermined locations for providing respective signal conduction paths between said rails, with the track section between and including two such conductors defining a signal conductive track circuit block, the combination comprising: means for introducing a coded first vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or a non-zero value, into the rails at one end of a given track circuit block; means for introducing a coded second vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or a non-zero speed value, into the rails at the other end of said given track circuit block; a first signal responsive means mounted on one end of said one vehicle for sensing said coded first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in one direction on said tracks, and for sensing said coded second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in the opposite direction on said tracks; a second signal responsive means mounted on the other end of said one vehicle for sensing said coded second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in one direction on said tracks, and for sensing said coded first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in the opposite direction on said tracks; a first decoder for decoding the coded vehicle speed command signal sensed by said first signal responsive means; a second decoder for decoding the coded vehicle speed command signal sensed by said second signal responsive means; and a comparator responsive to the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from said first decoder having a non-zero speed value and the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from the second decoder having a zero speed value for providing a first control signal which permits said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given track circuit block, and also being responsive to the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from said first decoder having a zero speed value and the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from the second decoder having a non-zero speed value for providing a second control signal which permits said one vehicle to travel toward the opposite end of said given track circuit block.

Claim 8

In a vehicle control system for controlling at least one vehicle, said system having a conductive track including a pair of conductive rails, with a plurality of conductors connected between said rails at predetermined locations for providing respective signal conduction paths between said rails, with the track section between and including two such conductors defining a signal conductive track circuit block, the combination comprising: means for introducing a coded first vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or a non-zero value, into the rails at one end of a given track circuit block; means for introducing a coded second vehicle speed command signal, which may have a zero speed or a non-zero speed value, into the rails at the other end of said given track circuit block; a first signal responsive means mounted on one end of said one vehicle for sensing said coded first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in one direction on said tracks, and for sensing said coded second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in the opposite direction on said tracks; a second signal responsive means mounted on the other end of said one vehicle for sensing said coded second vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in one direction on said tracks, and for sensing said coded first vehicle speed command signal when said one vehicle is oriented in the opposite direction on said tracks; a first decoder for decoding the coded vehicle speed command signal sensed by said first signal responsive means; a second decoder for decoding the coded vehicle speed command signal sensed by said second signal responsive means; and a comparator responsive to the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from said first decoder having a non-zero speed value and the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from the second decoder having a zero speed value for providing a first control signal which permits said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given track circuit block, and also being responsive to the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from said first decoder having a zero speed value and the decoded vehicle speed command signal output from the second decoder having a non-zero speed value for providing a second control signal which permits said one vehicle to travel toward the opposite end of said given track circuit block.

Claim 9

The combination claimed in claim 4, including: first and second tachometers which provide respective signal outputs, which are indicative of the actual speed Of said one vehicle; a first speed regulator responsive to the signal output from said first tachometer, and the first decoded vehicle speed command signal for providing a first direction signal; a second speed regulator responsive to the signal output from said second tachometer, and the second decoded vehicle speed command signal for providing a second direction signal; a bistable device which is set to a first bistable state in response to the provision of said first control signal, and which is set to a second bistable state in response to the provision of said second control signal; and means responsive to one of said bistable device being in the first bistable state and the provision of said first control signal for causing said one vehicle to travel toward said one end of said given track circuit block, and said bistable device being in the second bistable state and the provision of said second control signal for causing said one vehicle to travel toward said other end of said given track circuit block.