US4066877A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Procedure and system for driving a vehicle
Assignee: Jeumont Schneider SA
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Filing: 1976-04-20
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Granted: 1978-01-03
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Expires: 1996-04-20
Abstract
Abstract Procedure and system for driving a vehicle required to travel repeatedly over the same path, in which procedure at least some elements of the vehicle are operated in accordance with prerecorded information. According to the invention, the information relates to the operations to be performed on or by such elements in relation to the position of the vehicle on its path; and the elements are operated on the basis of such information in the light of the vehicle's instantaneous position with a correction for instantaneous vehicle speed and the response time of the elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Alain D. Virnot
- 👤 Simon A. Cynober
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:31
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61L; B61L25/00; B61L25/02; B61L25/021; B61L15/00; B61L15/0092; B61L15/0094; B61L99/00; B61L99/002; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A driverless method for operating a vehicle along a path comprising the steps of: a. storing information pertaining to operation of several elements of the vehicle in relation to the vehicle's position on the path; b. sensing data related to the vehicle's position along the path, c. automatically operating one of said elements responsive to the sensed data and to the stored information, and d. correcting said operating step in accordance with vehicle speed and response time of said elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
A driverless method for operating a vehicle along a path comprising the steps of: a. storing information pertaining to operation of several elements of the vehicle in relation to the vehicle's position on the path; b. sensing data related to the vehicle's position along the path, c. automatically operating one of said elements responsive to the sensed data and to the stored information, and d. correcting said operating step in accordance with vehicle speed and response time of said elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of sensing data pertaining to the vehicle's velocity along the path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: a. computing a leading position of the vehicle, and b. operating an element of the vehicle responsive to the computed lead position, thereby compensating for the response time of the element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method recited in claim 3 wherein said computing step comprises calculating the leading position using velocity data and the sensed position data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method recited in claim 4 wherein said velocity data is obtained by the step of differentiating the sensed position data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method recited in claim 4 further comprising the step of regulating the operating step of the elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method recited in claim 6 wherein said regulating step is responsive to an exponential computation of the velocity data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method recited in claim 7 wherein said sensing step further comprises the step of sensing data pertaining to the vehicles's velocity along the path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method recited in claim 3 wherein said storing step further includes the step of storing information pertaining to results to be achieved by the operation of the vehicle elements in relation to the vehicle's position along the path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein said storing step comprises a recording step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein said recording step occurs during a previous travel along the path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein said recording step occurs in a laboratory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
An automated, driverless system for operating elements of a vehicle comprising: a. position sensing means providing a signal representing the vehicle's position along a path; b. computing means receiving said position signal for calculating an anticipated vehicle position; c. storage means receiving said anticipated vehicle position from said computing means, said storage means containing information pertaining to actions to be taken by an element related to the anticipated position of a vehicle; and d. means for regulating such an element responsive to information obtained from said storage means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
An automated, driverless system for operating elements of a vehicle comprising: a. position sensing means providing a signal representing the vehicle's position along a path; b. computing means receiving said position signal for calculating an anticipated vehicle position; c. storage means receiving said anticipated vehicle position from said computing means, said storage means containing information pertaining to actions to be taken by an element related to the anticipated position of a vehicle; and d. means for regulating such an element responsive to information obtained from said storage means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A driving system as recited in claim 13 further comprising means for providing said computing means with a signal representative of reaction time of an element being regulated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
111 words
An automated system for operating elements of a vehicle comprising: a. position sensing means providing a signal representing the vehicle's position along a path; b. computing means for calculating an anticipated vehicle position; c. storage means receiving said anticipated vehicle position from said computing means, said storage means containing information pertaining to actions to be taken by an element related to the anticipated position of the vehicle; d. means for providing a signal representative of reaction time of an element being regulated; e. said computing means receiving said position signal and said reaction time signal; and f. means for regulating such an element responsive to information obtained from said storage means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
111 words
An automated system for operating elements of a vehicle comprising: a. position sensing means providing a signal representing the vehicle's position along a path; b. computing means for calculating an anticipated vehicle position; c. storage means receiving said anticipated vehicle position from said computing means, said storage means containing information pertaining to actions to be taken by an element related to the anticipated position of the vehicle; d. means for providing a signal representative of reaction time of an element being regulated; e. said computing means receiving said position signal and said reaction time signal; and f. means for regulating such an element responsive to information obtained from said storage means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A driving system as recited in claim 15 wherein said computing means includes receiving means for receiving velocity data for calculating said anticipated vehicle position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A driving system as recited in claim 16 further comprising velocity sensing means providing velocity data to said computing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A driving system as recited in claim 16 further comprising differentiating means for differentiating said position signal and for providing velocity data to said computing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A driving system as recited in claim 16 further comprising velocity sensing means providing velocity data to said computing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A driving system as recited in claim 19 further comprising second computing means receiving said velocity data from said velocity sensing means and providing a reference signal to said regulating means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
94 words
A driving system as recited in claim 20 further comprising: a. summing means interposed between said regulating means and the element regulated thereby, said summing means having two inputs and an output; b. controlling means for operating the element controlled by said regulator, said controlling means comprising a loop including therein: comparing means, second regulating means, said summing means and the element regulated thereby; c. said summing means receiving on its inputs signals generated by said regulating means and by said second regulating means and connected at its output to the element controlled thereby.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A driving system as recited in claim 21 further comprising second storing means receiving an input from said velocity sensing means for providing a signal representing values of results of operation of the element being controlled to said comparing means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A driving system as recited in claim 22 further comprising a fixed reference system providing a reference signal to said comparing means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2990902A
Cited
US3845289A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-01-02 | 1981-07-04 | 1982-01-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-01-02 | 1985-07-04 | 1986-01-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-01-02 | 1989-07-04 | 1990-01-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |