US 2002/0165645 A1 · Vehicle interference prevention device

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle interference prevention device that, by computing a range of possible locations of a vehicle taking into consideration the time at which the location of the vehicle is measured, can safely predict the location of the vehicle, even with minimal frequency of radio contact, and prevent interference among unmanned vehicles or manned vehicles over the entirety of large work site. An unmanned vehicle uses the latest position data for a manned vehicle acquired (received) via an intervehicle communication device to determine a position (position at a certain point in time) as the basis for computing a circle having this position as its center and having a radius equal to the distance traveled at maximum speed from this point to a predetermined future point in time, and designates the area within this circle on a prearranged travel route as a range of possible locations for the manned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle then decides whether its own vehicle position interferes with this circle.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A vehicle interference prevention device for preventing interference among vehicles where a plurality of vehicles are travelling over a travel route, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles comprises:

measuring means for measuring a position of its own vehicle;
communication means for exchanging with other vehicles, in a wireless communications format, position information indicating the position of its own vehicle, as measured by the measuring means;
estimating means for estimating a likelihood of interference between its own vehicle and other vehicle on the basis of position information for the other vehicle received via the communication means, time information indicating a reception time at which the position information is received, and the position information for its own vehicle;
and
control means for performing a preset control routine in the event that interference is predicted by the estimating means, so as to avoid interference with the other vehicle.

2 more elements

A vehicle interference prevention device having an unmanned vehicle comprising vehicle position-measuring means for measuring a position of its own vehicle and traveling over a travel route based on predetermined instruction data, a first manned vehicle having position-measuring means for measuring a position of its own vehicle, and a second manned vehicle traveling over the travel route guided by the first manned vehicle;

wherein the unmanned vehicle and the first manned vehicle each comprises communication means for transmitting and receiving predetermined information among themselves;
the first manned vehicle transmits to the unmanned vehicle via the communication means a mode which is either a guiding mode wherein the second manned vehicle is guided, or a non-guiding mode wherein the second manned vehicle is not guided;
and transmits to the unmanned vehicle via the communication means position information indicating the vehicle position determined by the position-measuring means;
and
the unmanned vehicle, in the event that the mode received via the communication means is the non-guiding mode, is controlled, on the basis of the position information from the first manned vehicle, in such a way as to avoid entering an area of a given range that includes a current position of the first manned vehicle;
whereas in the case of the guiding mode, it is controlled, on the basis of the position information from the first manned vehicle, in such a way as to avoid entering the current position of the first manned vehicle and an area of a given range lying to a rear of the first manned vehicle.

3 more elements

A vehicle interference prevention device for preventing interference among a plurality of vehicles, including at least one manned vehicle, as they travel along a travel route, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles comprises:

measuring means for measuring a position of its own vehicle;
and
communication means for exchanging with other vehicles position information indicating the vehicle position measured by the measuring means;
and the manned vehicle comprises:
processing means for calculating relative positional relationship of its own vehicle and other vehicle on the basis of position information for the other vehicle received via the communication means, and position information for its own vehicle;
and
notifying means for notifying predetermined information depending on the relative positional relationship calculated by the processing means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle interference prevention device

Life of this patent

Vehicle interference prevention device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12