Guide wire communication system and method

A communication system for controlling an unmanned task-performing vehicle caused to traverse a path defined by guide wire means, comprising:

• a source of control data;
• vehicle receiver means;
• transmitter means to which the control data from said source is communicated;
• guide wire means to which the transmitter means sends control signals corresponding to the control data received from the source;
• at least one unmanned task-performing vehicle which carries the vehicle receiver means and travels along the guide wire means responsive to the control signals received by the vehicle receiver means from the guide wire means;
• the transmitter means comprising:
• means which receives the control data from the source;
• means comprising memory in which sets of information are respectively stored, each set of information representing a distinct waveform cycle;
• means which addresses the memory in response to the control data received from the source;
• means for timely outputting the addressed set of information representative of the distinct waveform cycle desired;
• means for converting said representative information into the desired waveform cycle;
• and
• means for outputting the waveform cycle to the guide wire means and along the guide wire means to the vehicle receiver means whereby the rate of data transmission is greatly increased.

A low frequency, low power communication system for controlling at least one unmanned, task-performing vehicle by at least one non-vehicle means, comprising:

• vehicle portion and non-vehicle portion, each comprising substantially the same electrical means, each of the electrical means transmits and receives substantially the same communicating data signals having low frequency and low power;
• said at least one unmanned, task-performing vehicle comprising signal detecting and tracking means;
• at least two sources of signals;
• at least one guide wire loop;
• means for outputting the signals from the source to and along the guide wire loop;
• the guide wire loop having characteristics such that said outputted signals are detected by the vehicle signal detecting and tracking means used to cause the vehicle to substantially follow the path defined by the guide wire loop;
• means for reducing the impedance of the guide wire loop whereby amplitude deterioration in the signals on the guide wire loop, which would otherwise occur, is alleviated.

A method for controlling an unmanned task-performing vehicle caused to transverse a path defined by guide wire means comprising the steps of:

• generating data at at least one source;
• communicating said data from said source to at least one control transmitter site;
• transforming said data at said control transmitting site into corresponding signals by:
• receiving the data from the source;
• addressing memory in response to the data received from the source in which sets of information are respectively stored, each set of information representing a distinct predetermined low frequency waveform;
• timely outputting the addressed set of information representative of the distinct waveform corresponding to the data received;
• converting said set of information into desired waveform;
• outputting the desired waveform to and along the guide wire means;
• and
• receiving said desired waveform at a vehicle receiver site whereby the rate of data transmission is greatly increased.

A method for controlling at least one unmanned, task-performing vehicle by at least one non-vehicle means, comprising the steps of:

• outputting data signals from a source to and along a guide wire;
• communicating substantially the same data signals bidirectionally between the vehicle and the non-vehicle means;
• reducing the impedance of the guide wire whereby amplitude deterioration in the data signals on the guide wire, which would otherwise occur, is alleviated;
• detecting the data signals by vehicle signal detecting and tracking means, causing the vehicle to substantially follow the path defined by the guide wire.

A communication system for controlling an unmanned task-performing vehicle caused to traverse a path at a control site defined by guide wire means, comprising:

• at least one source of data;
• at least one receiver means;
• at least one transmitter means to which the data from said source is communicated;
• guide wire means to which the transmitter means sends signal corresponding to the data received from the source;
• at least one vehicle which travels along the guide wire means;
• the transmitter means comprising:
• means which receives the data from the source;
• means comprising memory in which sets of information are respectively stored, each set of information representing a distinct waveform cycle;
• means which addresses the memory in response to the data received from the source;
• means for timely outputting the addressed set of information representative of the distinct waveform cycle desired;
• means for converting said representative information into the desired waveform cycle;
• and
• means for outputting the waveform cycle to the guide wire means and along the guide wire means to the receiver means.