Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Automatic route guidance vehicle
Patent
1998-06-02
2000-10-24
Chin, Gary
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Automatic route guidance vehicle
318587, G08G 100
Patent
active
061380644
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.371 of prior PCT International Application No. PCT/JP97/03496 which has an International filing date of Oct. 1, 1997 which designated the United States of America, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by references.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method for automatically controlling the running of vehicles.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, the method for automatically controlling the running of vehicles on a road is generally classified into a "moving target" method (hereinafter, referred to as an MT method) and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance method.
The MT method comprises controlling the running of a real vehicle on a real road so as to follow an imaginary target (moving target) running on an imaginary road in a computer. That is, the MT method, as shown in FIG. 1, assumes a road 1, in the computer, equivalent to a real road and comprises setting points MTS 2 for enabling an ideal running to be achieved at a given interval on the running road 1, and running them and making control for enabling a real vehicle on the real road to follow the MT 2.
As a practical application of the MT method, there is a vehicle for sight-seeing around an exposition place. By taking it as an example, the conventional MT method will be explained below. As shown in FIG. 2, a main lane 5 is created as a loop-like lane and branch lanes 7 are created at proper intervals, each leading to a platform 6 where passengers can get on or get off the vehicle. Here, the platform 6 is typically for a station. The branch lane 7 again merges past the platform 6 onto the main lane 5. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the platform 6 and branch lane 7. In FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 8 represents a branching point, and 9 a merging point, 8a a decelerating lane constituting a lane from the branching point 8 to the platform 6, and 9a an accelerating lane from the platform 6 to the merging point 9.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, position information equipments 10 and communications equipments are provided along the main lane 5 over a full length to communicate with the vehicles and the vehicle is operated in accordance with a target signal issued from the position information equipment 10.
In order to enable the vehicle, which leaves the platform 6 to join the main lane 5, control is made to enable the vehicle to depart from the platform 6 just in a timing to acquire the target MT 2 at the merging point 9 or all the MTs 2, which are allocated to respective vehicles to be delayed.
That is, in the conventional MT method, irrespective of whether the vehicle approaches to the running road (main lane), the target MT 2 is generated at a given interval and the vehicle is controlled enable the vehicle to follow the target M2. The MT control method above constitutes a positive control method, but it is necessary to provide the position information equipment and communications equipment over the full length of the running road. Therefore, a larger-sized computer system is required to control this.
There is an increasing demand for a long-distance non-attendant transportation system in view of a recent increase in transportation quantity and a man-power shortage. If the MT method is adopted over the full length of the long-distance running road, the equipment cost becomes vast.
On the other hand, a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control method comprises mounting a vehicle-to-vehicle distance measuring device on each vehicle and operating the vehicle, while maintaining a proper distance between the vehicles, so that any collision may be prevented from occurring. This system has been extremely high in performance in a recent advance in the laser technique and in electronic technique. The system above has only to be equipped with a measuring device for each vehicle and any equipments, as in the MT method, need not be provided over the full length of the road, so that an economic advantage can be gained in view of a long distance to be covered.
The system, however, still
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Matsumoto Shin-ichi
Mochidome Hiroyuki
Saeki Hiroshi
Tagaki Akira
Chin Gary
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
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