Abstract: An anti-collision control method and a rail vehicle control system are provided. The rail vehicle control system includes a control apparatus configured to implement the anti-collision control method to prevent a plurality of vehicles on a plurality of rails from colliding with each other. The anti-collision control method includes receiving a transfer requirement data to decide which one of the vehicles and which one of the rails are respectively an assigned vehicle and an assigned rail; planning a movement path and a movement space according to the transfer requirement data and a vehicle dimension data; determining whether any portion of the movement space is reserved; and in response to the movement space being reserved, the assigned vehicle is controlled to not move, or the movement space is reserved and the assigned vehicle is controlled to move according to the movement path along the assigned rail.

Abstract: A system includes a phase break input unit, one or more vehicle location detectors, and one or more processors. The phase break input unit is configured to obtain phase break location information indicating a location of a phase break along a route to be traversed by a vehicle. The one or more vehicle location detectors are configured to obtain vehicle location information indicating at least one of location of the vehicle or movement of the vehicle. The one or more processors are configured to determine an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the phase break using the phase brake location information and the vehicle location information, and send a phase break control signal to a control system of the vehicle responsive to the estimated arrival time satisfying a threshold.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide methods and systems for moving moveable stages relative to a stator. A stator is operationally divided into multiple stator tiles. The movement of the one or more moveable stages is controlled by a plurality of controllers (each assigned particular control responsibilities). A controller is provided for each stator sector, where each stator sector comprises a group of one or more stator tiles. Controllers from neighboring sectors share various information to facilitate controllable movement of one or more moveable stages relative to the stator.

Abstract: An on-vehicle device mounted on a train includes a second on-vehicle-side wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with the ground side, and an on-vehicle-side ground-to-vehicle communication security unit that encrypts or decrypts wireless communication data. The on-vehicle-side ground-to-vehicle communication security unit includes an on-vehicle-side secret-key holding unit that retains a plurality of secret keys that have secret key numbers for performing encryption or decryption; an on-vehicle-side secret-key selecting unit that selects one secret key from the on-vehicle-side secret-key holding unit using a secret key number calculated using train information unique to a train; and an on-vehicle-side encryption and decryption processing unit that performs encryption or decryption using the one secret key selected by the on-vehicle-side secret-key selecting unit.

Abstract: A mover is configured to be electromagnetically propelled along a track in a linear motor track system with a force that is calculated to include compensation for gravity. A multi-axis accelerometer arranged in each segment of the track can detect an orientation or angle of the track segment for determining gravity with respect to the particular section. As a result, if the track is at an incline, such as a ramp, a desired force for moving a mover along the track can be compensated to include gravity due to the incline for achieving a desired motion result. In addition, the detected orientation of the track can be compared to an expected orientation stored by a control program to avoid a loss of performance due to physical changes in the track not matching an expected/programmed configuration of the track.

Abstract: A device and a method for operating decentralized functional units in an industrial system include a) a higher-level control system which exchanges information with the decentralized functional units by data telegrams, b) a data transport network with network access points; c) communication units connected to a network access point and providing the decentralized functional units with access to the data transport network; d) an energy transport network to which the decentralized functional units are connected and which supplies electric energy to the decentralized functional units; e) intelligent energy storage devices connected to the energy transport network and consuming or outputting energy in accordance with the higher-level control system and/or with at least one of the remaining energy storage devices. The energy transport network has energy supply points distributed along a bus structure.

Abstract: An on-car-data recording apparatus mounted on a train to record image data, which is data of a video or an image photographed by an image pickup apparatus set in the train, including: a secret-key retaining unit that retains a secret key paired with a public key for electronic signature for which certification by a certification authority is completed, a train-specific-information managing unit that manages information specific to the own train capable of specifying a traveling position of the own train, an electronic-signature generating unit that integrates, the image data and the information managed by the train-specific-information managing unit, calculates a hash value of obtained integrated data, and generates an electronic signature on the basis of the calculated hash value and the secret key, and an image data managing unit that retains the generated electronic signature and the image data used in generating the electronic signature in association with each other.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a safety brake device and method for safety braking using a hydraulic brake system including hydraulic wheel brakes of an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle further having an electrical power supply and signaling system for enabling an autonomous drive mode. The method comprises pressurizing a pressure storage canister containing brake fluid, monitoring electrical power supplies and signaling of the autonomous vehicle, and releasing brake fluid into the hydraulic brake system of the autonomous vehicle to activate the wheel brakes thereof upon determining loss of at least one of electrical power and signaling of the autonomous vehicle. Disclosed herein is also an autonomous vehicle comprising a safety brake.

Abstract: A system and method provide the capability to dynamically measure the diameter of a train wheel. An onboard sensor signals detection and loss of detection of a proximity plate having a predetermined length and placed along a direction of travel of the train. A signal generator generates a signal indicating the number of revolutions of the wheel. Based on the sensor signals indicating detection and loss of detection of the proximity plate, the length of the proximity plate, and the corresponding number of wheel revolutions, a controller automatically calculates the wheel diameter.

Abstract: An article transport facility in which reduction in the transport capacity can be prevented while simplifying the structure and making the facility less expensive is provided. The facility includes, as travel paths, a first travel path and a second travel path which straddles the first travel path from one side to the other side in a lateral direction of the first travel path. In a straddling portion, which is a part of the second travel path that straddles the first travel path, the second travel path is provided at a different height from the first travel path in a vertical direction, and is configured such that travel of the article transport vehicle along the first travel path and travel of the article transport vehicle along the second travel path are mutually allowed.

Abstract: In an example implementation, an autonomous vehicle is configured to detect closures and lane shifts in a lane of travel. The vehicle is configured to operate in an autonomous mode and determine a presence of an obstacle substantially positioned in a lane of travel of the vehicle using a sensor. The lane of travel has a first side, a second side, and a center, and the obstacle is substantially positioned on the first side. The autonomous vehicle includes a computer system. The computer system determines a lateral distance between the obstacle and the center, compares the lateral distance to a pre-determined threshold, and provides instructions to control the autonomous vehicle based on the comparison.

Abstract: In a traveling vehicle system, traveling vehicles travel along a travel route under the control of at least one controller. Each of the traveling vehicles includes a first traveling vehicle position determining section arranged to determine a position of the respective traveling vehicle, and a second traveling vehicle position determining section arranged to determine a position of at least one other of the traveling vehicles by communication, and a distance sensor arranged to detect a distance between the respective traveling vehicle and the at least one other of the traveling vehicles.

Abstract: A trackside power distribution apparatus includes overlapping feeders. A first signal supply unit has an input adapted to receive power from a first electrical power source and an output for supply of power to a feeder. A first portion of feeder is connected to the output of the first signal supply unit and extends alongside a track to a unit requiring power. A second signal supply unit has an input adapted to receive power from a second electrical power source and an output for supply of power to a feeder. A second portion of feeder is connected to the output of the second signal supply unit and extends alongside the track to the unit requiring power. A selection apparatus is also provided which selects which feeder portion is used to supply power to the unit. The provision of the two feeder portions improves the reliability of the apparatus in the event that one power source fails.

Abstract: A trackside power distribution apparatus is disclosed which includes overlapping feeders A first signal supply unit (200) having an input adapted to receive power from a first electrical power source and an output for supply of power to a feeder, a first portions of feeder (6a, 6b, 6c) connected to the output of the fist signal supply unit and extending alongside the track to a unit (301, 302) requiring power, a second signal supply unit (201, 202, 203, 204) having an input adapted to receive power from a second electrical power source and an output for supply of power to a feeder and a second portion of feeder (7, 8, 9) connected to the output of the sand signal supply unit and extending alongside the track to the said unit requiring power A selection apparatus (403) is also provided which selects which feeders is used to supply power to a unit. The provision of the two feeder portions improves the reliability of the apparatus in the event that one power source fails.

Abstract: An adjacent vehicle approach prohibition region is set before and after a to-be-converged moving target (MT) on a main line with reference to the to-be-converged MT. The to-be-converged MT corresponds to a converging MT assigned to a converging vehicle which is about to enter and converge onto the main line from a branch line. When a preceding non-MT-controlled vehicle or a following non-MT-controlled vehicle, which is a to-be-converged vehicle running on the main line onto which the converging vehicle is to converge, and which preceding or following vehicle is not subjected to a control by a MT method, has entered the adjacent vehicle approach prohibition region, the to-be-converged MT is accelerated/decelerated, whereby the entering to-be-converged vehicle is excluded from the adjacent vehicle approach prohibition region.

Abstract: A transport system for passive vehicles which move by way of wheels on treadways of a track includes guide surfaces for guiding the vehicles along the track. Each vehicle includes at least one drive roller propelling the vehicle through contact with rotary tubes. An axis of the drive roller is steerable with respect to the axis of the tubes. The vehicle also includes guide rollers adapted to cooperate with guide surfaces of the track. The track includes a trench containing the rotary tubes and a cover disposed atop the trench and having a lengthwise slit.

Abstract: A system is provided that uses small carrier vehicles that operate along electrified guideways and use standardized connections to automatically carry passenger cabins, freight loads and automobile platforms to desired destinations. Front and rear bogies of the vehicles pivot about front and rear vertical turn axes and carry direction control wheels that cooperate with guide ribs along tracks for selective control of movement to either of two exits from a Y junction. Electric power can be supplied through upper and lower track structures which can be of laminated construction. The guideway provides a protected environment for error-free data transmissions made through closely spaced inductive couplings between monitoring and control circuits along the guideway and control circuits of the carrier vehicles. Control circuitry is provided to obtain highly reliable control of vehicle speed and of starting, stopping and merge operations.

Abstract: A model railroad car position indicator includes a sensor receptive to the presence of a model railroad car on a track. Control circuitry determines the location of the car relative to a predetermined position on the track and approves initiation of a model train process if the car is within a range of acceptable positions for initiating the process. A preferred embodiment includes circuitry for determining whether the car velocity is less than a predetermined threshold velocity. In this embodiment, approval of initiation of the model train process is conditioned on both the car position being acceptable and the car velocity being acceptable. An indicator provides feedback to the model train operator for manual initiation of the model train process. Alternatively, the control circuit may automatically initiate the process.

Abstract: A primary inductive track or path 450 for a resonant inductive power distribution system is made up from a number of modules 453, each supplied as a pre-built and substantially pre-tuned segment of the track. These modules have more than one capacitor 456, 457 and more than one inductance 458, 459 (generally, the inductance is the intrinsic inductance of the length of track) and each capacitor and adjacent inductor is capable of resonating at its own native frequency. A zero-inductance cable 452, carrying a small fraction of the circulating resonant current (comprising a mis-match or an error current), directly connects the capacitors at poles having equal polarity and tends to constrain the system limiting possible frequencies of resonance.

Abstract: A system is provided that uses small carrier vehicles that operate along electrified guideways and use standardized connections to automatically carry passenger cabins, freight loads and automobile platforms to desired destinations. The connections may include electrical connections for power and communication and they are made to upper ends of posts that extend from front and rear portions of each carrier vehicle and up through a narrow centrally located slot in the guideway. Transfer vehicles operate to transfer loads between the carrier vehicles and storage positions and may be controlled to move in either of two transverse directions or to rotate in a turntable operation. Control circuitry is provided to obtain highly reliable control of vehicle speed and of starting, stopping and merge operations.

Abstract: A system is provided that uses small carrier vehicles that operate along electrified guideways and use standardized connections to automatically carry passenger cabins, freight loads and automobile platforms to desired destinations. The connections are made to upper ends of posts that extend from front and rear portions of each carrier vehicle and up through a narrow centrally located slot in the guideway. The guideway provides a protected environment for error-free data transmissions made through closely spaced inductive couplings between monitoring and control circuits along the guideway and control circuits of the carrier vehicles. Control circuitry is provided to obtain highly reliable control of vehicle speed and of starting, stopping and merge operations.

Abstract: A system is provided that uses small carrier vehicles that operate along electrified guideways and use standardized connections to automatically carry passenger cabins, freight loads and automobile platforms to desired destinations. Front and rear bogies of the vehicles pivot about front and rear vertical turn axes and carry direction control wheels that cooperate with guide ribs along tracks for selective control of movement to either of two exits from a Y junction. The guideway provides a protected environment for error-free data transmissions made through closely spaced inductive couplings between monitoring and control circuits along the guideway and control circuits of the carrier vehicles. Control circuitry is provided to obtain highly reliable control of vehicle speed and of starting, stopping and merge operations.

Abstract: A power supply system for a linear motor type transportation system includes a series of driving coils disposed along a railroad track for producing a moving magnetic field to drive a train, a plurality of feeding blocks disposed along the railroad track for supplying electric power to the series of driving coils, a plurality of power converters each connected to the corresponding feeding blocks to supply electric power to each corresponding feeding section composed of the feeding blocks, and a plurality of block switches connected between neighboring two feeding blocks of the feeding blocks.

Abstract: A Land transportation system has an unmanned mobile box which rides in a tube from one place to another. Guides are affixed to the center of the tube to cooperate with guide rollers on the box to stabilize the running of the box. Wings are provided on the side of the mobile box to provide a buoyancy effect while the box is running, thereby reducing the friction between the box and tube. Additional rollers are placed on the bottom of the box, and come into contact with the bottom surface of the tube when the box is running at slow speeds. The mobile box is driven by linear motor, with the controller for the motor being located outside the tube, and the primary and secondary coils of the motor being located in the tube and on the box. The mobile box also has a signal generator which transmits a prememorized identification signal to a receiver outside the box, to identify destination and other information about the mobile box as it traverses the tube.

Abstract: An electric monorail conveyor wherein the vehicles are suspended from and advance along an elongated guide rail. The electric motor of each vehicle receives current from a third rail which is adjacent the guide rail and includes first sections alternating with second sections at locations where the vehicles are to be brought to a halt. The second sections are galvanically separated from the first sections and receive low-frequency current from a frequency converter which can reduce the frequency when the motor of a vehicle is electrically connected with a second section. This renders it possible to arrest the vehicles in predetermined positions with a tolerance of not more than .+-.2 mm.

Abstract: A vehicle transportation system which includes a self-propelled vehicle for propulsion along a track through a plurality of predefined sequential track zones. The vehicle receives power and control signals from a plurality of electrical buses which are positioned adjacent to the track and extend through the track zones. The buses for indicating presence of a vehicle within a zone and for arresting vehicle motion, as well as one of the velocity control buses, is segmented or discontinuous between adjacent zones, and bus segments are directly electrically connected or jumpered between adjacent zones for controlling vehicle motion and avoiding collision with a stalled vehicle.

Abstract: An electric power supplying system for a continuous transit system by magnet (CTM) in which magnets attached to under parts of a certain number of cars comprising the trains and energized regularly are attracted to magnetic belts of a plurality of magnetic belt conveyor units arranged at predetermined intervals along a running track thereby successively drawing and running the trains. There is provided a trolley wire which is divided at least into a certain number of insulated sections at intervals of a predetermined block section length and a predetermined no-load current is supplied to the insulated sections of the trolley wire. When the current flowing to each insulated section of the trolley wire is within a predetermined range, the magnetic belt conveyor unit group corresponding to a block section following the insulated section with respect to the direction of train movement is operated.

Abstract: A vehicle train tracking apparatus and method are provided for responding to detected occupancies and unoccupancies of each of a plurality of signal blocks of a roadway track system to establish a position or location record of the movement of each vehicle train operating with the roadway track system.

Abstract: A feeding system for a linear motor transportation system in which a number of discrete drive coil units or linear motor units are arranged along a track to generate a moving magnetic field for driving trains is disclosed. In the present feeding system, a number of feeding sections extend contiguously along the track and each of the feeding sections includes at least one power supply station. Each feeding section is divided into at least two linear motor blocks each having a feeder block. The linear motor units in each of the linear motor blocks are connected through associated ones of a first group of switches to the associated feeder means which are connected to the power converter of the associated feeding section through associated ones of a second group of switches. Preferably, those adjacent two feeder blocks which belong to adjacent different feeding sections respectively are coupled together through an associated one of a third group of switches.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aerial transport system which comprises an aerial track having therealong a pair of electric current-carrying cables in a parallel relationship with respect to one another and with respect to the track, and self-propelled carriages. Each carriage has an electric current collector to collect electric power from the current-carrying cables and to supply the power to an electrical driving mechanism mounted thereon for driving wheels engaging with the track. The current-carrying cables are separated at longitudinal given intervals so as to define respectively independent electric power supply zones. The transport system further includes a system for controlling electric power supply for the vehicle or carriage including a mechanism for detecting a vehicle or carriage position in the track provided in each power supply zone.

Abstract: A plurality of stationary markers (A, B, C, and D) are symmetrically placed at predetermined locations in the right of way of an electrically propelled traction vehicle on opposite sides of a transition point coinciding with a gap (14) between adjacent sections (13a, 13b) of a wayside conductor. Proximity sensing means (PSR, PSL) on the vehicle provide discrete output signals on a first line (43) upon passing the first and third markers (A and C) and on a second line (44) upon passing the second and fourth markers (B and D). Receiver logic means (42) includes means (108, 111-115, and 118-127), responsive to the output signals on the first and second lines, respectively, for producing a first control signal (on line 51) during the first-to-third marker interval and a second control signal (on line 50) during the second-to-third marker interval.

Abstract: A controllable distributing conveying system for transporting people or goods is provided with stations which are arranged on a passive rail network and which include container loading-on positions, container off-loading positions, and container depots. Self-propelled controllable conveying units are movable between the stations and are fitted with pairs of running wheels for normal travel and for travel when being switched in and out and also have container-carrying surfaces separate from the drive section which are coupled by a universal joint member. Containers are loadable onto and off-loaded from the conveying units by means of loading and off-loading arrangements which have active locking members and unlocking members. These containers are held secure in all directions during travel, and are conductable to their destination by the shortest path by means of passive switching-in and switching-out arrangements, and these latter arrangements comprise rails, which the conveying units hold onto.

Abstract: A control system for automatic operation of travelling objects through a power supply system without using any signal communication systems. Either a DC power source or three-phase AC power source is utilized as a power source. With the system employing a DC power source, three trolley wires are installed, one a negative and two positive. Each of the positive wires is divided and insulated into sections of a predetermined length; the positive feeding trolley wires in each section is always supplied with the DC power, and the power to the other positive feeding trolley wire is switched on and off depending on the movement of travelling objects. Each travelling object is supplied with power by the three trolley wires has a DC motor, and when one of the positive wires has no voltage, this is detected and the braking is effected. The travelling object entering a station is automatically decelerated and stopped.