US 6,484,077 B1 · Mobile vehicle travel control system

Abstract

An assembly carrying vehicle running control system, includes a plurality of assembly carrying vehicles, a control apparatus, and a plurality of access points connected with said control apparatus and provided for said plurality of assembly carrying vehicles. Each of the plurality of access points has a communication area. When each of the plurality of assembly carrying vehicles is individually in the communication area of a currently communicating access point of the plurality of access points, the assembly carrying vehicle transmits an operation status data indicative of an operation status to the control apparatus through the currently communicating access point. The control apparatus determines an operation control instruction based on the operation status data to transmit to the assembly carrying vehicle. The assembly carrying vehicle receives the operation control instruction from the control apparatus through the currently communicating access point such that an operation of the assembly carrying vehicle is controlled based on the operation control instruction.

Claims58

Dependent claims

An assembly carrying vehicle travel control system, comprising:

a plurality of assembly carrying vehicles;
a control apparatus;
and
a plurality of access points connected with said control apparatus and provided for said plurality of assembly carrying vehicles;
each of said plurality of access points has a communication area;
when each of said plurality of assembly carrying vehicles is individually in the communication area of a currently communicating one of said access points, said assembly carrying vehicle transmits an operation status data indicative of an operation status thereof to said control apparatus through said currently communicating access point,
said control apparatus determines an operation control instruction based on said operation status data and transmits said instruction to said assembly carrying vehicle, and
said assembly carrying vehicle receives said operation control instruction from said control apparatus through said currently communicating access point such that an operation of said assembly carrying vehicle is controlled based on said operation control instruction.

5 more elements

A control method of an assembly carrying vehicle in an assembly carrying vehicle travel control system, comprising the steps of:

arranging a plurality of position indication members along an orbit, each of a plurality of assembly carrying vehicles running on said orbit;
providing a plurality of access points connected to a control apparatus, each of said plurality of access points has a communication area, and each said assembly carrying vehicle being communicatable with one of said plurality of access points as a currently communicating access point when said assembly carrying vehicle is in the communication area of said one access point;
transmitting from said assembly carrying vehicle an operation status data indicative of an operation status thereof to said control apparatus through said currently communicating access point;
determining by said control apparatus an operation control instruction based on said operation status data, and transmitting said operation control instruction to said assembly carrying vehicle;
receiving said operation control instruction by said assembly carrying vehicle from said control apparatus through said currently communicating access point;
and
controlling operation of said assembly carrying vehicle based on said operation control instruction received from said control apparatus via said currently communicating access point.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobile vehicle travel control system

Life of this patent

Mobile vehicle travel control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims58