Intelligent transportation system and method
AssigneeSWIFT Rails LLC
InventorsKevin Neumaier, James Enright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Presented are a transportation system apparatus and method of operation. An exemplary transportation system includes an elevated track and a vehicle coupled with and operable to traverse the elevated track. Additionally, the transportation system includes a first elevated track loop wherein the vehicle is operable at a first speed, a second elevated track loop operable to receive the vehicle merging from the first elevated track loop, wherein the vehicle is operable at a second speed, and an elevated track section operable to receive the vehicle merging from the second elevated track loop, wherein the vehicle is operable at a third speed.
Claims22
A transportation system, comprising:
- an elevated track comprising:
- a plurality of posts,
- at least two track members disposed in parallel,
- a plurality of cross members transversely disposed and coupled between said at least two track members,
- a plurality of reinforcing cross members transversely disposed and coupled between said at least two track members operative to support said at least two track members on said plurality of posts, and
- a support member disposed between said plurality of posts and said plurality of reinforcing cross members, wherein said support member comprises a beam disposed parallel with said at least two track members;
- a driverless vehicle operatively coupled to said at least two track members and operable to traverse said elevated track;
- a first elevated track loop wherein said driverless vehicle is operable at a first speed;
- a second elevated track loop operable to receive said driverless vehicle merging from said first elevated track loop, wherein said driverless vehicle is operable at a second speed;
- and
- an elevated track section operable to receive said driverless vehicle merging from said second elevated track loop, wherein said driverless vehicle is operable at a third speed.
A method of operating a transportation system, comprising:
- providing a first driverless vehicle operatively coupled to an elevated track having two track members disposed in parallel and operable to traverse said elevated track, wherein said first vehicle includes an on-board contactless speed sensor and said elevated track includes a plurality of contactless speed sensors;
- providing a second driverless vehicle operatively coupled with to said parallel track members and operable to traverse said elevated track, wherein said second driverless vehicle includes an on-board contactless speed sensor;
- providing a first elevated track loop wherein said first and second driverless vehicles are operable at a first speed;
- providing a second elevated track loop operable to receive said first and second driverless vehicles merging from said first elevated track loop, wherein said first and second driverless vehicles are operable at a second speed;
- providing an elevated track section operable to receive said first and second driverless vehicles merging from said second elevated track loop, wherein said first and second driverless vehicles are operable at a third speed;
- comparing a speed signal from said first driverless vehicle contactless on-board speed sensor with a speed signal from one or more of said plurality of contactless speed sensors;
- comparing a speed signal from said second driverless vehicle contactless on-board speed sensor with a speed signal from one or more of said plurality of contactless speed sensors;
- and
- reducing a speed of said second driverless vehicle where said first driverless vehicle speed has decelerated beneath a predetermined speed to maintain a predetermined distance between said first and second driverless vehicles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.