Abstract: A system for detecting the position of a moving vehicle comprising a light beam receiver mounted on a moving vehicle and rotated in a horizontal plane for receiving light signals from at least four reference points secured at positions apart from the moving vehicle, detecting the differential azimuths between the respective reference points viewed from the moving vehicle on the basis of the received light output of the light beam receiver, calculating the sums of each pair of differential azimuths adjoining each other to select the particular combination of two differential adjoining azimuths whose sum is largest, and determining the position and the advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of the azimuths and the coordinates of the three reference points forming selected two differential azimuths.

Abstract: A steering control system for a moving vehicle wherein a light beam emitted from the moving vehicle is scanned along the circumferential direction thereof, and the light beam reflected by light-reflecting means disposed at at least three reference points is received to detect a position of the moving vehicle comprising, an azimuth detection means for detecting azimuths of the respective light-reflecting means, a position calculation means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle based on the azimuths detected, and a means for stopping travel of the moving vehicle when a following beam signal has not been detected over a predetermined period of time after detecting a preceding beam signal from a particular light reflecting means.

Abstract: A steering system for a moving vehicle wherein light signals are received from light beam source means provided at four reference points apart from the moving vehicle includes a position detector for determining a current position of the moving vehicle based on the received light signals and information on the reference points, the position detector comprising a beam receiver means for receiving the light signals which is mounted on the moving vehicle and rotatable in the horizontal plane, a means for detecting azimuths of the reference points with respect to the advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of the received light signals, a means for calculating two differential azimuths between two pairs of reference points disposed at diagonal positions viewed from the moving vehicle, and a calculating means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the azimuths, the differential azimuthes, and the positional information of the reference points.

Abstract: A position-detecting system for a moving vehicle whose working efficiency is increased through the reduction of the frequency of interruption during traveling due to missing of a reference point comprises a light-receiving means installed rotatably on the moving vehicle and receiving light beam signals from a plurality of reference points, a means for detecting the azimuths of the reference points with respect to the advance direction of the moving vehicle based on light-receiving intervals, a first operating means for operating the position and the advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of preset positional information as well as the azimuths of the four reference points, a second operating means for operating the position and the advance direction of the moving vehicle on the basis of preset positional information and the azimuths of any three reference points out of the four reference points, and a switching means to select either one of the outputs from the first and second operating means.

Abstract: A position detecting system for a moving vehicle wherein a position of the moving vehicle is detected on the basis of received beam signals from light-emitting means disposed at at least four reference points and positional informations of the respective reference points, comprising a means for detecting the azimuth of each light-emitting means with respect to the moving vehicle, a means for predicting the direction of the light-emitting means to be detected in the next scanning on the basis of the azimuths detected, a means for calculating the position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the detected azimuths if the detected position of the light-emitting means is in the predicted direction, and a means for calculating the azimuth of the undetected light-emitting means on the basis of the positions of the remaining light-emitting means if the detected position of the light-emitting means is out of the predicted direction, and for predicting the azimuth at which the undetected light-emitting means is to be

Abstract: A system for detecting reference points to calculate a position of a moving vehicle comprising a means for detecting the azimuth of each light-reflecting means in respect of the moving vehicle on the basis of the reflected light from the light-reflecting means, a means for calculating the current position of the moving vehicle on the basis of the azimuths, a means for calculating the available existence area in which the moving vehicle is predicted to exist at the next azimuth detection time, a means for comparing the position of the moving vehicle calculated on the basis of the detected azimuth at the next azimuth detection time with the available existence area, and a judging means for judging that the detected azimuth is that of the light-reflecting means disposed at the expected reference point if the calculated moving vehicle position is in the available existence area, while the detected azimuth is not that of the light-reflecting means disposed at the expected reference point if the calculated moving v

Abstract: A position control system for a moving vehicle comprising a light beam source for scanning a light beam in all the different azimuthal directions around the moving vehicle; a beam receiver mounted on the moving vehicle and receiving light reflected from a plurality of light-reflectors; a detector for detecting each distance between the moving vehicle and each of the light-reflectors; a detector for detecting differential azimuths between the adjoining two light-reflectors; and a calculator for calculating coordinates of the respective light-relectors on a coordinate system wherein a position of the moving vehicle is fixed as the origin.

Abstract: A position-detecting system for a moving vehicle wherein the position of the moving vehicle is detected by scanning the light beam emitted from a light beam-emitting means mounted on the moving vehicle in the circumferential direction centering around the moving body, and receiving the light beam reflected from light-reflecting means disposed at at least three positions by means of a light-receiving means mounted on the moving vehicle, comprising a means for detecting the distance between the source of the reflected light received at the light-receiving means and the moving vehicle, and a means for reducing the rotational speed of the light beam scanning means in response to the operation of the distance detecting means.

Abstract: A steering control system wherein a light beam emitted from the moving vehicle and reflected by plural reflecting means disposed apart from and around the moving vehicle, is received by a beam receiver means mounted on the vehicle. A current position of the vehicle is detected based on the output of the beam receiver means. The steering angle of the vehicle is fixed at a predetermined value when the moving vehicle is at a switching point where a straight traveling course is to be changed into a turning course, and is released when it is detected that any one of azimuthes of the light-reflecting means viewed from the moving vehicle substantially coincides with a predetermined azimuthal angle, or has exceeded the predetermined azimuthal angle.