Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Automatic route guidance vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-13
2001-04-03
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Automatic route guidance vehicle
C701S200000, C701S022000, C701S025000, C180S168000, C056S01020A, C056S01020R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212448
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Technical Field
The subject invention relates to a utility vehicle which is self propelled and is controlled by a central processing unit to follow a predetermined route.
2) Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes various systems for locating a mobile transceiver using various types of audio and radio frequency (RF) waves. Some of these are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. to 5,652,593 to Rench, U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,737 to Heldwein, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,444 to Storms. U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,593 utilizes audio and RF waves for keeping a vacuum cleaner on a straight path. U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,737 to Heldwein, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,444 to Storms utilize RF waives for establishing a location of a mobile transponder.
However, none of the above mentioned prior art provides a method for programming a utility vehicle with a predetermined route utilizing utility RF waves for programming and subsequently guiding the utility vehicle around the predetermined route.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
A programmable utility vehicle assembly comprises a carriage for moving over a plot, and a mobile transceiver attached to the carriage for transmitting a signal. The assembly includes a power unit for driving the carriage over the plot, and a steering unit for steering the carriage over the plot. The assembly further includes a plurality of locating stations each having a stationary transceiver for receiving a signal from the mobile transceiver and transmitting a return signal to the mobile transceiver. The assembly is characterized by a central processing unit (CPU) on the carriage for preprogramming a desired vehicle path having a counter for counting two way propagation time between the mobile transceiver and the remote locating stations to determine the vehicle location and guide the vehicle along the programmed path.
The invention incorporates a method for programming a vehicle central processing unit (CPU) on a utility vehicle for driving and directing the vehicle over a plot in response to instructions from the CPU. The method comprises the steps of placing a plurality of remote locating stations in spaced positions about a plot, placing a mobile transceiver on a carriage, transmitting a first signal from the mobile transceiver to the locating stations, returning a return signal to the mobile transceiver from the locating stations, and counting the two way propagation time of the first and return signals between the mobile transceiver and the locating stations for determining the utility vehicle location.
Accordingly, the invention provides a utility vehicle with a CPU and a method for easily programming the CPU for repeatedly guiding the utility vehicle to travel along a predetermined path.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4133404 (1979-01-01), Griffin
patent: 4229737 (1980-10-01), Heldwein et al.
patent: 5666792 (1997-09-01), Mullins
patent: 5911670 (1999-06-01), Angott et al.
patent: 5974347 (1999-10-01), Nelson
patent: 6009358 (1999-12-01), Angott et al.
patent: 6049745 (2000-04-01), Douglas et al.
Angott Paul G.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Hernandez Olga
Howard & Howard
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