US 5,315,517 A · Machine with an active sensor

Abstract

A mobile machine having active sensors for allowing similar energy waves to coexist close to each other. A mobile machine enters an exclusive transmission mode with respect to energy wave transmission when interference can occur between its own active sensor and the sensors of mother mobile machines. Prior to the transmission of energy waves, the mobile machine determines whether or not any competing mobile machine has acquired the energy wave transmission right. If not, it broadcasts a declaration of its acquisition of the right to transmit energy waves and transmits energy waves. If the transmission right has already been acquired by a competing mobile machine, it adds its own identification to a transmission queue, and increments the transmission queue each time it receives a declaration of renunciation of the right to transmit energy waves from a competing mobile machine.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A mobile machine with an active sensor that transmits energy waves and receives reflections from objects, comprising:

(a) means for generating data on its own position,
(b) means for transmitting and receiving positional data to and from other mobile machines,
(c) means for determining whether there is a possibility of interference between its own active sensor and the active sensor of another mobile machine by using said positional data,
(d) means for switching its own mode of energy wave transmission in accordance with the result of said determination,
said mobile machine determining whether it is allowed to transmit energy waves by referring to the status of energy wave transmissions from other mobile machines, if it is determined that there is a possibility of interference between its own active sensor and the active sensor of another machine.

2 more elements

A mobile machine with an active sensor that transmits energy waves and receives reflections from objects, comprising:

(a) means for generating data on its own position,
(b) means for transmitting and receiving data on the positions of other mobile machines,
(c) means for recognizing other mobile machines that can cause interference with its own active sensor, according to the data on its own position and on the positions of the other mobile machines,
(d) means for broadcasting a message on the status of its own energy wave transmission,
(e) means for storing the status of the energy wave transmission of a mobile machine recognized by said means (c),
(f) means for receiving a message on the status of the energy wave transmission broadcasted by said recognized mobile machine in order to update the stored status of the energy wave transmission of said recognized mobile machine, and
(g) means for referring to the stored status of the energy wave transmission of said recognized mobile machine in order to determine whether the recognizing machine itself has permission for energy wave transmission.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Machine with an active sensor

Life of this patent

Machine with an active sensor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10