Vehicle control apparatus for a closed transporting system

Claim 2

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising: a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle; a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements.

Claim 3

Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more vehicles is provided with a steering device and said control means is operative on the steering device of the associated vehicle to cause such vehicle to take the selected direction.

Claim 4

Control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each control means is operative on means associated with an approaching junction such that the junction either remains in one position or switches to another position, according to the direction to be taken.

Claim 5

Control apparatus according to claim 1 for use with a transport system which is sub-divided into a plurality of interconnected networks, wherein each transmitter is arranged to send an additional series of signal elements corresponding at least to the number of said networks, and the code entered in the or each store is also indicative of a destination network.

Claim 6

An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said comparator means responds to agreement between the destination signal of the receiver and the store by causing said control means to steer the vehicle, said transmitter and said store assigning the destination signal at each signal step whenever a destination can be reached immediately beyond the junction of the transmitter.

Claim 7

An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein each transmitter is adapted to repetitively send out said series of coded signal elements as a continuous succession of signal elements with beginning or end markings between each said series, and said comparator has a synchronizing means arranged to detect such markings.

Claim 8

An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein each transmitter is adapted to send an interval between each series of pulses to indicate the beginning and end of a series.

Claim 9

A system as in claim 4, wherein the destination marking is provided by an additional signal within a signal step in a region left out by the signal pulses.

Claim 10

Control apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each transmitter is adapted to transmit a destination marking together with any of said additional series of signal elements associated with a network which will be reached on leaving the associated junction.

Claim 11

Control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the comparator associated with each of the one or more vehicles includes first means operative to cause comparison of said additional series of received network signal elements with the network part of the destination coding to detect conformity therebetween, and second means connected to said first means and responsive to detection of conformity by said first means to cause comparison of the received series of route segment signal elements with the route segment part of the destination coding to detect conformity therebetween, said control means being responsive to detection of conformity with both the network and route segment parts of the coding by said first and second means respectively, indicating that the desired destination route segment is approaching, to cause operation of other functions of the vehicle.

Claim 12

Control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the one or more vehicles is provided with a counter having an input connected to receive pulses indicative of the extent of travel of the vehicle and an output connected to control the vehicle drive means, and said control means is operative to enable said counter once the destination route segment has been arrived at to measure the extent of travel of the vehicle along the destination route segment.

Claim 13

Control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said counter on each of the one or more vehicles is adapted to generate a signal once a desired count has been reached, and means is provided responsive to said signal to cause stopping of the vehicle.

Claim 14

Control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a signal device having a transmitter is provided on a route between two junctions, such transmitter being adapted to send a signal consisting of a series of network and zone signal elements with a destination marking accompanying one of the zone signal elements in order to mark a certain point on the route.

Claim 15

Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each transmitter is adapted to send said coded signal such that said signal elements are time-spaced and assigned respective successive time slots, said markings each being provided by an additional signal within a free space in the time slot of the associated signal element.

Claim 16

Control apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each transmitter is adapted to send said coded signal such that said signal elements are of two different lengths, each length indicating a respective direction to be taken from the associated junction to proceed towards the associated route segment.

Claim 17

Control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each transmitter is adapted to repetitively send out said series of coded signal elements as a continuous succession of signal elements with beginning or end markings between each said series, and said comparator has synchronising means arranged to detect such markings.

Claim 18

Control apparatus according to claim 16 wherein each transmitter is adapted to send an interval between each series of pulses to indicate the beginning and end of a series.

Claim 19

Control apparatus according to claim 1 including means for varying the coding of each transmitter in order to give new route directions to a destination and to add or remove route segments.

Claim 20

Control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein means is provided at at least one stopping point on the system for altering the destination coding of a vehicle thereat.

Claim 21

An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said comparator means responds to agreement between the destination signal of the receiver and the store by causing said control means to steer the vehicle, said transmitter and said store assigning the destination signal at each signal step whenever a destination can be reached immediately beyond the junction of the transmitter.

Claim 22

An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein each store includes a destination code and each vehicle has its own starting code, said comparator comparing the starting code with the code of the desired destination and said junctions being coded so that the vehicle reaches its destination.

Claim 23

An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the sending means in each transmitter forms each signal element so as to produce a mark and a space with the length of the mark indicating one or another signal, and forms the destination marking in any one signal element as an additional mark within the space.

Claim 24

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising: a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle; a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements each of said control means being operative on means associated with an approaching junction such that the junction either remains in one position or switches to another position, according to the direction to be taken; each control means including a timing circuit, which, after said control means has caused switching of a junction, is operative to cause said means associated with the junction to return the junction to its original position.

Claim 25

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising: a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle; a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements each of said control means being operative on means associated with an approaching junction such that the junction either remains in one position or switches to another position, according to the direction to be taken; each control means including a timing circuit, which, after said control means has caused switching of a junction, is operative to cause said means associated with the junction to return the junction to its original position.

Claim 28

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apapratus comprising; a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising; a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle, a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements, means for varying the coding of each transmitter in order to give new route directions to a destination and to add or remove route segments; a central control unit, said transmitters being connected to said central control unit for alteration of selected transmitter codings therefrom to modify vehicle paths to avoid obstructions or blockages of the transport system.

Claim 29

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apapratus comprising; a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising; a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle, a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements, means for varying the coding of each transmitter in order to give new route directions to a destination and to add or remove route segments; a central control unit, said transmitters being connected to said central control unit for alteration of selected transmitter codings therefrom to modify vehicle paths to avoid obstructions or blockages of the transport system.

Claim 32

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising: a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle; a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements; a central control unit, each of the one or more vehicles being in communication with said central control unit so that the destination coding in said store can be altered at any point in the system.

Claim 33

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising: a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle; a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements; a central control unit, each of the one or more vehicles being in communication with said central control unit so that the destination coding in said store can be altered at any point in the system.

Claim 34

Control apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said one or more vehicles in communication with said central control unit include a second store and means for transferring the code in the first-mentioned store into said second store for retaining the replaced code until a priority code entered into the first-mentioned store from said central control unit is executed.

Claim 35

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising: a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle, a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements each of the one or more vehicles being in communication with a central control unit and is provided with means for storing a respective, individual code and a fixed destination code and means responsive to receipt of a desired destination code from said control unit to replace said fixed destination code with such received code, whereby after the vehicle has started with the aid of said fixed destination code, said fixed destination code can be replaced from said central control unit with the code of the desired destination.

Claim 36

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising: a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle, a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction; a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements each of the one or more vehicles being in communication with a central control unit and is provided with means for storing a respective, individual code and a fixed destination code and means responsive to receipt of a desired destination code from said control unit to replace said fixed destination code with such received code, whereby after the vehicle has started with the aid of said fixed destination code, said fixed destination code can be replaced from said central control unit with the code of the desired destination.

Claim 37

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising; a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle; a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction, a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements, each of the one or more vehicles being in communication with a central control unit and is provided with means for storing a respective, individual code and a fixed destination code and means responsive to receipt of a desired destination code from said control unit to replace said fixed destination code with such received code, whereby after the vehicle has started with the aid of said fixed destination code, said fixed destination code can be replaced from said central control unit with the code of the desired destination; and comparator means responding to agreement between the destination signal of the receiver and the store by causing said control means to steer the vehicle, said transmitter and said store assigning the destination signal at each signal step whenever a destination can be reached immediately beyond the junction of the transmitter; the comparator associated with each of the one or more vehicles including first means operative to cause comparison of said additional series of received network signal elements with the network part of the destination coding to detect conformity therebetween, and second means connected to said first means and responsive to detection of conformity of said first means to cause comparison of the received series of route segment signal elements with the route segment part of the destination coding to detect conformity therebetween, said control means being responsive to detection of conformity with both the network and route segment parts of the coding by said first and second means respectively, indicating that the desired destination route segment is approaching, to cause operation of other functions of the vehicle.

Claim 38

For a closed transport system comprising a plurality of routes, a plurality of route junctions which each allow a choice of two directions, and at least one vehicle arranged to travel along said routes, a control apparatus comprising: a transmitter associated with each said junction, each transmitter being adapted to transmit a particular coded signal indicating the direction to be taken at the associated junction to proceed towards various route segments; drive means on each of the one or more vehicles for moving each of the one or more vehicles; and a respective destination selection device on each of the one or more vehicles connected to control the drive means of such vehicle, each said device comprising; a store in which may be entered a code indicative of a destination route segment for the vehicle; a receiver for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the transmitter associated with an approaching junction, a comparator connected to the associated store and receiver for comparing said stored destination signal and said received signal; and control means responsive to the output of the associated comparator to select the direction to be taken by the associated vehicle at the junction each transmitter including sending means to send said coded signal in the form of a fixed series of signal elements each associated with a particular segment and destination marking together with any said signal element associated with a route segment which will be reached on leaving the associated junction, and on the vehicle said receiver and comparator including operating means to function with the same number of signal elements, each of the one or more vehicles being in communication with a central control unit and is provided with means for storing a respective, individual code and a fixed destination code and means responsive to receipt of a desired destination code from said control unit to replace said fixed destination code with such received code, whereby after the vehicle has started with the aid of said fixed destination code, said fixed destination code can be replaced from said central control unit with the code of the desired destination; and comparator means responding to agreement between the destination signal of the receiver and the store by causing said control means to steer the vehicle, said transmitter and said store assigning the destination signal at each signal step whenever a destination can be reached immediately beyond the junction of the transmitter; the comparator associated with each of the one or more vehicles including first means operative to cause comparison of said additional series of received network signal elements with the network part of the destination coding to detect conformity therebetween, and second means connected to said first means and responsive to detection of conformity of said first means to cause comparison of the received series of route segment signal elements with the route segment part of the destination coding to detect conformity therebetween, said control means being responsive to detection of conformity with both the network and route segment parts of the coding by said first and second means respectively, indicating that the desired destination route segment is approaching, to cause operation of other functions of the vehicle.