US 6,259,979 B1 · Method and device for association of anonymous reflectors to detected angle positions

Abstract

A method for association of anonymous reflectors (R1-R11) to detected angle positions, whereby a) the anonymous reflectors are arranged in positions in a transport area; b) positions of the reflectors (R1-R11) are stored in first memory means (20); c) a beam (B) is emitted from an emission source (13) of a vehicle (10) over a search sector; d) reflected signals from reflecting objects are received on board the vehicle (10); e) an angle position towards reflecting objects in relation to a reference direction (D) of the vehicle (10) is continuously detected by detector means (18) during the sweep of the beam over the search sector, and corresponding angle values are determined; f) at least one angle value determined over the search sector is stored in a second memory means (21). The distances between reflectors (R1-R11) are a reference point on the vehicle (10) is determined continuously by a control means (19). A relation between the distance values and the corresponding distances between stored reflector positions and a position assumed for the vehicle is determined by control means (19), the association being allowed if the relation is within an expected interval.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for association of anonymous reflectors (R1-R11) to detected angle positions, whereby

a) the anonymous reflectors are arranged in positions in a transport area,
b) positions of the reflectors (R1-R11) are stored in memory,
c) a beam (B) is emitted from a vehicle (10) over a search sector,
d) reflected signals from reflecting objects are received on board the vehicle (10),
e) an angle position towards reflecting objects in relation to a reference direction (D) of the vehicle (10) is detected over the search sector and corresponding angle values are determined,
f) at least one angle value determined over the search sector is stored,
characterized by
continuously measuring a distance between a reflector (R1-R11) and a reference point on the vehicle (10) to obtain a distance value,
determining a relation between the distance value and corresponding distance between a stored reflector positions and a position assumed for the vehicle, and
allowing the association if the relation is within an expected interval.

7 more elements

A device for association of multiple anonymous reflectors (R1-R11) present in a transport area, to detected angle positions, comprising:

a) a vehicle (10) with a drive and steering unit (14),
b) a first memory (20) for storing the positions of the reflectors (R1-R11),
c) an emission source (13) for emitting a beam (B), and a controller (19) for moving the beam (B) from the vehicle (10) over a search sector,
d) a detector (18) for continuous angle position detection of a reflected signal in relation to a reference direction (D) of the vehicle (10) during the sweep of the beam over the search sector, and for determination of the corresponding angle value,
e) a second memory (21) for storing multiple angle values determined over the search sector,
characterized in
that the controller (19) is provided to continuously measure the distances between the reflectors (R1-R11) and a reference point on board vehicle (10) using the reflected signal and to store the corresponding distance values in memory (20), and
that the controller (19) is provided to continuously determine a relation between the distance values and the corresponding distances between stored reflector positions and a position assumed for the vehicle, the association being allowed if the relation is within an expected interval.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and device for association of anonymous reflectors to detected angle positions

Life of this patent

Method and device for association of anonymous reflectors to detected angle positions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17