System, apparatus, and method for ground transportation

An apparatus for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels that moves along a track, comprising:

• a networked active transmitter-receiver marker configured to be disposed at a location of a track pathway of the track, the transmitter-receiver marker including one or more sensors configured to sense an ambient condition at the location of the track pathway;
• an active electronic reader configured to be disposed at the vehicle, the active electronic reader configured to receive a marker data or a marker signal from the transmitter-receiver marker as the vehicle is about to pass or is passing the location of the track pathway, the marker data or the marker signal being based at least on the sensed ambient condition;
• and
• a controller configured to be disposed on the vehicle, the controller configured to control turning of the vehicle, without a mechanical switch, based on:
• controlling a first rotational speed of a first wheel of the plurality of wheels at the location of the track pathway based on the marker data or the marker signal based at least on the sensed ambient condition;
• and
• controlling a second rotational speed of a second wheel of the plurality of wheels at the location of the track pathway, independently of the first rotational speed, based on the marker data or the marker signal based at least on the sensed ambient condition;
• wherein the first rotational speed is different from the second rotational speed;
• and
• wherein the ambient condition sensed by the one or more sensors includes at least one of wind velocity, humidity, or temperature at the location of the track pathway of the transmitter-receiver marker when the vehicle is about to pass or is passing the location;
• controlling the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed based on a radius of curvature and a length of the track at the location of the track pathway, data of the radius of curvature and the length of the track being stored in an onboard database of the vehicle;
• and
• looking up the data of the radius of curvature and the length from the onboard database using a controller of the vehicle based on the marker data or the marker signal that is a unique identifier of the transmitter-receiver marker that identifies the transmitter-receiver marker out of a plurality of transmitter-receiver markers disposed along the track;
• wherein at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle are supported in a U-shaped portion of the track, the U-shaped portion countering centrifugal forces of the plurality of wheels based on the at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels riding up a slope of the U-shaped portion when the vehicle makes turns by varying rotational speeds between the plurality of wheels.

A method, comprising:

• moving a plurality of vehicles along a plurality of tracks, each of the plurality of vehicles including an active electronic reader and a plurality of wheels;
• receiving a marker data or a marker signal from a networked active transmitter-receiver marker at a location of a track pathway of the plurality of tracks as at least one vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is about to pass or is passing the location using the active electronic reader of the at least one vehicle, the transmitter-receiver marker including one or more sensors;
• sensing an ambient condition at the location of the track pathway using the one or more sensors, the marker data or the marker signal being based at least on the sensed ambient condition;
• controlling a first rotational speed of a first wheel of the plurality of wheels of the at least one vehicle at the location of the track pathway based on the marker data or the marker signal based at least on the sensed ambient condition;
• controlling a second rotational speed of a second wheel of the plurality of wheels of the at least one vehicle at the location of the track pathway, independently of the first rotational speed, based on the marker data or the marker signal based at least on the sensed ambient condition;
• wherein the first rotational speed is different from the second rotational speed;
• wherein the ambient condition sensed by the one or more sensors includes at least one of wind velocity, humidity, or temperature at the location of the track pathway of the transmitter-receiver marker when the at least one vehicle is about to pass or is passing the location;
• wherein controlling the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed of the at least one vehicle is based on a radius of curvature and a length of the track at the location of the track pathway, data of the radius of curvature and the length of the track being stored in an onboard database of the at least one vehicle;
• looking up the data of the radius of curvature and the length from the onboard database using a controller of the at least one vehicle based on the marker data or the marker signal that is a unique identifier of the transmitter-receiver marker that identifies the transmitter-receiver marker out of a plurality of transmitter-receiver markers disposed along the track;
• and
• supporting at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels of the at least one vehicle of the plurality of vehicles in a U-shaped portion of the plurality of tracks, the U-shaped portion countering centrifugal forces of the plurality of wheels of the at least one vehicle based on the at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels riding up a slope of the U-shaped portion when the at least one vehicle makes turns by varying rotational speeds between the plurality of wheels.