Communication systems between a trackway and vehicles

Claim 2

A communication system between a trackway and a vehicle running along the trackway and in which information is transmitted between the trackway and the vehicle through an energy coupling, the trackway being divided into sections for each of which respective geographical information is valid for use by a vehicle in that section, comprising information transmitting means on the trackway for transmitting to a vehicle while it is in a section, geographical information relevant to a section of the trackway ahead, said geographical information being transmitted through an inductive coupling between a conductor system extending along the trackway and pick-up means on the vehicle, said conductor system comprising a series of individual conductor loops each laid in a respective section of the trackway and extending adjacent the end of the section containing it, each of said loops being energized from a respective transmitting means, information storage means on the vehicle for storing the geographical information, information processing means on the vehicle for processing at least said geographical information to produce a vehicle control signal, and signalling means on the trackway for causing the stored information to be transferred from said storage means to said information processing means when the stored information becomes valid for use.

Claim 3

A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means is operable to transmit geographical information relevant to the next section ahead of the vehicle.

Claim 4

A communication system between a trackway and a vehicle running along the trackway and in which information is transmitted between the trackway and the vehicle through an energy coupling, the trackWay being divided into sections for each of which respective geographical information is valid for use by a vehicle in that section, comprising information transmitting means on the trackway for transmitting to a vehicle, while it is in a section, geographical information relevant to a section of the trackway ahead, said geographical information being transmitted through an inductive coupling between a conductor system extending along the trackway and pick-up means on the vehicle, said conductor system extending along the trackway and being divided into sections each of which corresponds in length to a respective section of the trackway, said information transmitting means being coupled to said conductor system for energizing each section thereof, information storage means on the vehicle for storing the geographical information, information processing means on the vehicle for processing at least said geographical information to produce a vehicle control signal, and signalling means on the trackway for causing the stored information to be transferred from said storage means to said information processing means when the stored information becomes valid for use.

Claim 5

A communication system between a trackway and a vehicle running along the trackway and in which information is transmitted between the trackway and the vehicle through an energy coupling, the trackWay being divided into sections for each of which respective geographical information is valid for use by a vehicle in that section, comprising information transmitting means on the trackway for transmitting to a vehicle, while it is in a section, geographical information relevant to a section of the trackway ahead, said geographical information being transmitted through an inductive coupling between a conductor system extending along the trackway and pick-up means on the vehicle, said conductor system extending along the trackway and being divided into sections each of which corresponds in length to a respective section of the trackway, said information transmitting means being coupled to said conductor system for energizing each section thereof, information storage means on the vehicle for storing the geographical information, information processing means on the vehicle for processing at least said geographical information to produce a vehicle control signal, and signalling means on the trackway for causing the stored information to be transferred from said storage means to said information processing means when the stored information becomes valid for use.

Claim 6

A communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said information processing means includes a computer on the vehicle, said information storage means comprising a buffer store of said computer, said signalling means being operative to cause the information stored in said buffer store to be transferred to the main computer store.

Claim 7

A communication system between a trackway and a vehicle running along the trackway and in which information is transmitted between the trackway and the vehicle, through an energy coupling therebetween, as said vehicle travels along said trackway, the trackway being divided into sections for each of which respective geographic information is valid for use for a vehicle in that section, comprising information transmitting means associated respectively with said trackway sections and operable to transmit to a vehicle, while it travels in each section, geographical information relevant to a section of the trackway ahead and further information relevant to the section in which the vehicle is then travelling, receiving means on the vehicle for receiving the geographical and further information transmitted thereto, information storage means on the vehicle for temporarily storing geographical information fed thereto from said receiving means, information processing means on said vehicle coupled to said receiving means and to said storage means, signalling means on the trackway for causing the stored geographical information to be transferred out of said information storage means to said information processing means when the stored information becomes valid for use, said information processing means being jointly responsive to at least the geographical information transferred thereto from said information storage means and to said further information fed thereto from said receiving means for producing a vehicle control signal.

Claim 8

A communication system between a trackway and a vehicle running along the trackway and in which information is transmitted between the trackway and the vehicle, through an energy coupling therebetween, as said vehicle travels along said trackway, the trackway being divided into sections for each of which respective geographic information is valid for use for a vehicle in that section, comprising information transmitting means associated respectively with said trackway sections and operable to transmit to a vehicle, while it travels in each section, geographical information relevant to a section of the trackway ahead and further information relevant to the section in which the vehicle is then travelling, receiving means on the vehicle for receiving the geographical and further information transmitted thereto, information storage means on the vehicle for temporarily storing geographical information fed thereto from said receiving means, information processing means on said vehicle coupled to said receiving means and to said storage means, signalling means on the trackway for causing the stored geographical information to be transferred out of said information storage means to said information processing means when the stored information becomes valid for use, said information processing means being jointly responsive to at least the geographical information transferred thereto from said information storage means and to said further information fed thereto from said receiving means for producing a vehicle control signal.