Communications-based vehicle control system and method
US6666411B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 31, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 23, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 19, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB61L2027/204
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle control system and method in which a plurality of beacon tags are disposed along a length of a track for a predetermine number of blocks. The beacon tags each provide information pertaining its location. Each vehicle that passes along the track has a tag reader that solicits information from the beacon tags and a transmitter that transmits the solicited information, as well as vehicle identification information for the transmitting vehicle, to a wayside control unit. The wayside control unit receives the transmitted position information and vehicle identification information and in turn transmits a single broadcast of information pertaining to each of the blocks of the predetermined number of blocks. This signal is received by all of the vehicles, which use only the information about immediately approaching blocks. In addition, dynamic tags located at positions along the length of the predetermine number of blocks can be used as a backup system for providing the same information that is provided by the wayside control unit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.