Sequential railcar loading and alignment by autonomous vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sequential vehicle loading and alignment of autonomous vehicles is disclosed. A vehicle includes a wireless communication module and a processor. The processor determines whether the vehicle fits within a train of railcars based on capacity and size data received from the railcars. When the vehicle fits, the processor autonomously navigates the vehicle to the furthest available space on the train of railcars and positions the vehicle within the space to meet spacing requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to autonomous vehicles, and more particularly to sequential vehicle loading and alignment of autonomous vehicles. Background Art

[0002] Typically, vehicles are transported from the factory by railcars. Typically, five to eight automatic railcars are loaded in a row. The doors of the railcars are opened and bridge plates are laid between the railcars. The staff drives the vehicle into the railcar and goes all the way to the next available point of one of the automatic railcars until the automatic railcar is fully loaded. Automatic railcars usually have two versions: (a) two-layer railcars (sometimes called "double-layer railcars") for loading taller vehicles (such as trucks, SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles), etc.), and (b) three-layer railcars (sometimes called "triple-layer railcars") for loading shorter vehicles (such as sedans, compact vehicles, etc.). Portable ramps (sometimes called "buck ramps") are used to facilitate vehicles to be loaded on different layers. When loading five railcars, the staff loads the same layer for all five railcars and then moves to the next layer. Summary of the invention

[0003] The appended claims define the application. This disclosure summarizes aspects of the embodiments and should not be used to limit the claims. Other embodiments are conceived based on the techniques described herein, which will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon studying the following drawings and detailed description, and which are intended to fall within the scope of the present application.

[0004] An example embodiment for sequential vehicle loading and alignment of autonomous vehicles is disclosed. The vehicle includes a wireless communication module and a processor. The processor determines whether the vehicle fits within a train of rail cars based on capacity and size data received from the rail cars. When the vehicle fits, the processor autonomously navigates the vehicle to the farthest available space in the train of rail cars and positions the vehicle within the space to meet spacing requirements.

[0005] An example system includes a railcar and a de-escalation ramp. The railcar broadcasts dimensional data including the height of a level within the railcar, transmits capacity data to an approaching autonomous vehicle, and when one of the levels of the railcar is full, broadcasts a message indicating that one of the levels is full. When one of the levels of the railcar is full, the de-escalation ramp autonomously adjusts the height of the de-escalation ramp to a different level.

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a system comprising:

[0007] A rail vehicle having a first wireless communication module, the rail vehicle being used for:

[0008] broadcasting dimensional data including heights of the railcar's tiers;

[0009] sending capacity data to approaching autonomous vehicles; and

[0010] When the first layer is full, broadcasting a message indicating that the first layer is full; and

[0011] A de-escalation ramp having a second wireless communication module is used to automatically adjust the de-escalation ramp height to the second layer when the first layer is full.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the railcar includes motion detection sensors at each entrance and exit of the railcar to track the capacity of the railcar, the motion detection sensors being used to detect when autonomous vehicles enter and exit the railcar.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a rail vehicle is used to:

[0014] Determining when the rail car is full based on motion detection sensors; and

[0015] When the rail car is full, a second message is broadcast indicating that capacity is full.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the degradation ramp includes a gate and is configured to prevent the autonomous vehicle from entering the rail car using the gate based on the size data of the rail car and the height of the autonomous vehicle.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the railcar comprises a level sensor for measuring the height of an adjustable platform defining a level of the railcar.

[0018] According to the present invention, there is provided a method comprising:

[0019] broadcasting, via the first wireless communication module of the railcar, dimensional data including a floor height of the railcar;

[0020] Sending capacity data to approaching autonomous vehicles via railcars;

[0021] When the first level is full, broadcasting a message via the railcar indicating that the first level is full; and

[0022] When the message is received by the second wireless communication module of the step-down ramp, the height of the step-down ramp is autonomously adjusted to the second level.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the invention, the method further includes tracking the capacity of the railcar by detecting when autonomous vehicles enter and exit the railcar via motion detection sensors at each entrance and exit of the railcar.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the invention, the method further includes determining when the rail car is full based on the motion detection sensor and broadcasting a second message indicating that the capacity is full when the rail car is full.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes preventing the autonomous vehicle from entering the rail car using a gate of the rail car based on the size data of the rail car and the height of the autonomous vehicle.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises measuring, by means of a level sensor of the railcar, a height of an adjustable platform defining a level of the railcar. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the embodiments shown in the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and related elements may be omitted, or in some cases the proportions may be exaggerated in order to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features described herein. In addition, the system components may be arranged differently as is known in the art. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same components in these views.

[0028] Figure 1 An autonomous vehicle loaded into an automated railcar is shown in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 2 A train of rail cars loaded with autonomous vehicles is shown;

[0030] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the vehicle's electronic components, the railcar's electronic components, and the step-down ramp's electronic components;

[0031] Figure 4 It can be done by Figure 3 Flow chart of a method for loading an autonomous vehicle onto an automated railcar using electronic components implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Although the present invention may be embodied in various forms, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments are shown in the drawings and described below, it should be understood that this disclosure is considered as an example of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown.

[0033] The autonomous vehicle will be transported by an automatic railcar after manufacturing. The autonomous vehicle includes electronic devices and software for controlling the power functions of the vehicle without direct driver control. Therefore, the autonomous vehicle will need to be able to load itself into the automatic railcar without a staff member while meeting the standards for transporting vehicles by rail. The height of each layer of the automatic railcar is adjusted to accommodate vehicles of various sizes (such as sedans, trucks, SUVs, compact vehicles, etc.). For example, depending on the type of railcar (such as a double-decker railcar or a triple-decker railcar), the height of each layer can vary between 62 inches and 94 inches. The standards for transporting vehicles require a gap of at least 3 inches from the roof of the vehicle to the top of the track / layer. For example, if the vehicle height is 58.4 inches, the minimum height of the layer that can be loaded with the vehicle in the railcar can be 61.4 inches. In addition, the vehicles in the railcar have spacing requirements. For example, the vehicle may need to be parked five inches from the front door or the rear door and have a three-inch space between the vehicles.

[0034] As described below, the autonomous vehicle includes a wireless module for coordinating with a wireless module of a railcar and a wireless module of a step-down ramp to autonomously load into the railcar. The wireless module of the railcar announces the height of its level and its status (e.g., the number of vehicles loaded on each level). In addition, in some examples, the wireless module of the railcar obtains identification information (e.g., vehicle identification number, manufacturer serial number, etc.) from the vehicle loaded onto a particular railcar to forward to the inventory management system. The vehicle determines whether it can be loaded onto the railcar based on the railcar announcement. For example, the vehicle determines whether each level is high enough to load the vehicle and whether there is space for loading the vehicle. In addition, when there is space on the railcar, the vehicle uses a range sensor and / or a camera to observe the spacing requirements and then parks itself in the next available space on the railcar. In some examples, the wireless module of the step-down ramp determines whether the vehicle will fit into the level of the railcar. In such an example, when the vehicle does not fit, the step-down ramp prevents the vehicle from being loaded (e.g., by raising the lift gate, etc.). In some examples, when a railcar signals that a sequential level (eg, all corresponding levels of connected sequential railcars) is full, the de-ramp changes its altitude to the next available level.

[0035] Figure 1 and Figure 2An autonomous vehicle 100 is shown being loaded into a rail car 102 via a step-down ramp 104 in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure. The vehicle 100 may be a standard gasoline-powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and / or any other type of vehicle for mobility. The vehicle 100 includes components related to mobility, such as a powertrain having an engine, a transmission, a suspension, a drive shaft, and / or wheels, etc. The vehicle 100 is an autonomous vehicle (e.g., the vehicle 100 controls power functions without direct driver input). In the example shown, the vehicle 100 includes a camera 106, a range sensor 108, a vehicle wireless module 110, and an autonomous unit 112.

[0036] The camera 106 is positioned on the vehicle 100 to capture images of the area surrounding the vehicle 100. In some examples, the vehicle 100 includes multiple cameras 106 (e.g., a front camera, a rear camera, etc.) and / or an omnidirectional camera. The camera(s) 106 are used to detect markings 114 in the railcar 102 indicating a space between the vehicle 100 and an edge 116 of the railcar 102, so as to leave an edge distance (D) between the vehicle 100 and the edge 116 of the railcar 102. E ). Sensors 108 (e.g., radar, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, etc.) of vehicle 102 use electromagnetic radiation to detect objects around vehicle 100. In the example shown, sensors 108 are used to detect other vehicles so that vehicle 100 can maintain a vehicle separation distance (D S ).

[0037] The vehicle wireless module 110 includes a wireless network interface that enables communication with the railcar 102, the de-ramp 104, and / or an external network. The vehicle wireless module 110 includes hardware (e.g., a processor, memory, storage, antenna, etc.) and software for controlling the wireless network interface. The vehicle wireless module 110 includes one or more communication controllers for standards-based networks (local area wireless networks (including IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac or others), dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), personal area networks (e.g., Bluetooth ( )、Z wave( ), Zifeng (ZIGBEE), etc.)).

[0038] The autonomous unit 112 communicates with an electronic control unit (ECU) that controls the power functions of the vehicle 100 (e.g., steering, brakes, throttle, etc.). The autonomous unit 112 includes hardware and firmware that facilitates navigating the vehicle 100 in various traffic scenarios using the camera 106 and / or sensors 108 and navigation data / vehicle position data (e.g., coordinates from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, horizon data, vehicle state data from an inertial measurement unit (IMU), etc.) without driver intervention. The autonomous unit 112 uses the sensor data and the navigation data / vehicle position data to determine the pose of the vehicle 100 and plan the movement of the vehicle 100. In the illustrated example, the autonomous unit 112 includes a railcar loader 118.

[0039] The railcar loader 118 autonomously loads the vehicle 100 onto the railcar 102. The railcar loader 118 receives information from the railcar 102 via the vehicle wireless module 110. The information includes the height (H) of the space defined by the platform 120 of the railcar 102 and the roof 122 and / or upper platform 120 of the railcar 102. C The railcar loader 118 is configured to have a height (H C ) and required headroom (H H ) to determine whether it will fit in railcar 102. For example, if the height of the layer (H C ) is set to 65 inches and the height of the vehicle is 70 inches, the rail car loader 118 may determine that it does not fit within the rail car 102. When the vehicle 100 fits, the rail car loader 118 proceeds to navigate the vehicle 100 to the stepdown ramp 104 and into the rail car 102.

[0040] The railcar loader 118 navigates the vehicle 100 to the next available space in one of the farthest railcars 102 (which may be, for example, a different railcar 102 than the railcar 102 that the vehicle initially entered) until the railcar loader 118 receives a message from the next railcar 102 that it is full. The railcar loader 118 uses the cameras 106 and / or sensors 108 to determine when the next available spot is (i) in front of one of the railcars 102, (ii) behind another vehicle, and / or (iii) behind one of the railcars 102. When the vehicle 100 is in front of one of the railcars 102, the railcar loader 118 determines its parking spot based on the markings 114 on the platform 120 of the railcar 102. When the vehicle 100 is behind another vehicle, the railcar loader 118 uses the sensors 108 to maintain a vehicle separation distance (D) between the vehicle 100 and the other vehicle. SWhen the vehicle 100 is positioned behind one of the railcars 102, the railcar loader 118 uses the camera(s) 106 to maintain a separation distance (D) between the edge 116 of the railcar 102 and the rear of the vehicle 100 based on the markings 114 on the platform 120. E When the railcar loader 118 cannot maintain the vehicle separation distance (D S ) and edge separation distance (D E ), the railcar loader 118 (a) broadcasts a message requesting other vehicles to reposition to provide more space, (b) reverses the vehicle 100 to park in a different one of the railcars 102, and / or (c) sends a warning message to the railcar 102 for forwarding to the remote server.

[0041] In the illustrated example, the railcar 102 includes a platform 120 having a marker 114, a detection sensor 124, a level sensor 126, and a railcar wireless module 128. The detection sensor 124 (e.g., a camera, an ultrasonic sensor, etc.) is used to determine the current capacity of the railcar 102 by detecting vehicles 100 entering and leaving the railcar 102 and comparing the number of vehicles 100 entering with the number of vehicles 100 leaving. The level sensor 126 is a linear position sensor connected to the platform 120 to adjust the platform 120 to determine the height (H) of the space defined by the platform 120 of the railcar 102 and the roof 122 and / or upper platform 120 of the railcar 102. C ) while tracking the height of platform 120.

[0042] The railcar wireless module 128 includes a communication module 130 and a railcar manager 132. The communication module 130 includes a wireless network interface to enable communication with the vehicle 100, the de-ramp 104, and / or an external network. The communication module 130 includes hardware (e.g., a processor, memory, storage, antenna, etc.) and software for controlling the wireless network interface. The communication module 130 includes one or more communication controllers for standards-based networks (local area wireless networks (including IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac or others), dedicated short range communications (DSRC), personal area networks (e.g., Bluetooth ( )、Z wave( ), Zifeng (ZIGBEE), etc.)).

[0043] The railcar manager 132 broadcasts the height (H ) of the space defined by the platform 120 of the railcar 102 and the roof 122 and / or upper platform 120 of the railcar 102 via the communication module 130. C). In some examples, if the level height of the railcar is compatible with the vehicle height and the required clearance, the railcar manager 132 shakes hands with each vehicle 100 to allow loading. Additionally, in some examples, the railcar manager 132 uses the detection sensors 124 to track the number of vehicles 100 loaded on each level of the railcar 102. In some examples, the railcar manager 132 receives identification information (e.g., vehicle identification number (VIN), manufacturer serial number, etc.) from the vehicle 100 and tracks the vehicles 100 loaded onto the railcar 102. In some such examples, the railcar manager 132 forwards the identification information along with the identifier of the railcar 102 to an external server (e.g., an inventory management system).

[0044] As railcar 102 is loaded (e.g., each layer of railcar 102 is loaded), railcar manager 132 broadcasts a message via communication module 130 indicating that it is full, indicating that it is ready for the tie-down process (e.g., a stopper is attached to the track on each side of the wheels of vehicle 100, and a strap with two stops attached is positioned on top of the tire and tightened). In some examples, the message signals the operator to perform a manual tie-down process. Alternatively, in some examples, the message signals an autonomous tie-down procedure in which autonomous stops travel along the track, stop on each side of the wheels of target vehicle 100, place straps on top of the wheels using an armature, and tighten the straps.

[0045] The destaging ramp 104 includes a destaging ramp wireless module 134. The destaging ramp wireless module 134 includes a communication module 136 and a destaging ramp manager 138. The destaging ramp 104 facilitates loading vehicles 100 into different levels of the railcar 102. In some examples, the destaging ramp 104 includes a ramp height adjustment system 140 (e.g., a hydraulic system, etc.) so that the destaging ramp 104 can autonomously change the level to which the vehicle 100 is loaded.

[0046] The communication module 136 includes a wireless network interface to enable communication with the vehicle 100, the rail car 102 and / or an external network. The communication module 130 includes hardware (e.g., a processor, memory, storage, antenna, etc.) and software for controlling the wireless network interface. The communication module 130 includes one or more communication controllers for standard-based networks (local wireless networks (including IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ac or others), dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), personal area networks (e.g., Bluetooth ( )、Z wave( ), Zifeng (ZIGBEE), etc.)).

[0047] The degradation ramp manager 138 manages the height of the degradation ramp 104. In addition, in some examples, the degradation ramp manager 138 controls a gate 142 that allows vehicles 100 to enter the degradation ramp 104 in one position and blocks vehicles 100 from entering the degradation ramp 104 in another position. The ramp manager 138 receives a height (H) of a space defined by the platform 120 of the railcar 102 and the roof 122 of the railcar 102 and the height of the approaching vehicle 100. C ). When the height of the approaching vehicle 100 is greater than the height (H C ) and required headroom (H H ), the demotion ramp manager 138 positions the gate 142 to prevent vehicles 100 from entering the demotion ramp 104. If the railcars 102 indicate that a level in the last railcar 102 is full, the demotion ramp manager 138 positions the demotion ramp 104 to a different level through the ramp height adjustment system.

[0048] Figure 2 A train of rail cars 102 is shown loaded with autonomous vehicles 100. The rail cars 102 are connected by bridges 202 that extend across gaps between the rail cars 102. In the example shown, each rail car 102 includes a rail car wireless module 128. When a vehicle 100 is loaded onto a train of rail cars 102, the vehicle 100 navigates to the next available space 204 where the vehicle 100 meets the spacing requirement (e.g., vehicle separation distance (D S ) and edge separation distance (D E ) etc.). In some examples, railcar 102 autonomously raises or retracts bridge 202 when railcar 102 previously broadcasts a message that a particular level (eg, upper level, middle level, lower level, etc.) is full.

[0049] Figure 3 is a block diagram of electronic components 300 of vehicle 100, electronic components 302 of railcar 102, and electronic components 304 of de-escalation ramp 104. In the example shown, electronic components 300 include camera 106, ranging sensor 108, vehicle wireless module 110, autonomous unit 112, and vehicle data bus 308.

[0050] In the example shown, the autonomous unit 112 includes a controller or processor 310 and a memory 312. In the example shown, the autonomous unit 112 is configured to include a railcar loader 118. The processor or controller 310 can be any suitable processing device or collection of processing devices, such as, but not limited to: a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit, one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and / or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory 312 can be a volatile memory (such as can include non-volatile RAM (Random Access Memory, random access memory), magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM and any other suitable form of RAM); non-volatile memory (such as disk memory, flash memory (FLASH memory), EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), immutable memory (such as EPROM), read-only memory and / or mass storage device (such as hard disk drive, solid-state drive, etc.). In some examples, memory 312 includes multiple types of memory, particularly volatile memory and non-volatile memory.

[0051] The memory 312 is a computer-readable medium on which one or more sets of instructions may be embedded, such as software for operating the methods of the present disclosure. The instructions may embody one or more methods or logic described herein. In certain embodiments, the instructions may reside completely or at least partially in any one or more of the memory 312, the computer-readable medium, and / or the processor 310 during execution of the instructions.

[0052] The terms "non-volatile computer-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" should be understood to include a single medium or multiple media, such as centralized or distributed databases, and / or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The terms "non-volatile computer-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" also include any tangible medium that can store, encode, or carry a set of instructions for execution by a processor or cause a system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein. As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" is expressly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, and excludes propagating signals.

[0053] In the example shown, the vehicle data bus 308 communicatively connects the camera 106, the ranging sensor 108, the vehicle wireless module 110, and the autonomous unit 112. In some examples, the vehicle data bus 308 includes one or more data buses. The vehicle data bus 308 can be implemented according to the controller area network (CAN) bus protocol defined by the International Standards Organization (ISO) 11898-1, the media oriented system transport (MOST) bus protocol, the CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol (ISO 11898-7) and / or the K-line bus protocol (ISO 9141 and ISO 14230-1), and / or the Ethernet bus protocol IEEE802.3 (since 2002), etc.

[0054] The example electronic components 302 of the railcar 102 include the communication module 130, a processor or controller 314, and a memory 316. In the example shown, the processor 314 is configured to include the railcar manager 132. The processor or controller 314 can be any suitable processing device or collection of processing devices, such as, but not limited to: a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit, one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory 316 can be a volatile memory (such as RAM that can include non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, and any other suitable form of RAM); a non-volatile memory (such as disk memory, flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), an immutable memory (such as EPROM), a read-only memory, and / or a mass storage device (such as a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, etc.). In some examples, the memory 316 includes a variety of memories, particularly volatile memories and non-volatile memories.

[0055] The memory 316 is a computer-readable medium on which one or more sets of instructions may be embedded, such as software for operating the methods of the present disclosure. The instructions may embody one or more methods or logic described herein. In certain embodiments, the instructions may reside completely or at least partially in any one or more of the memory 316, the computer-readable medium, and / or the processor 314 during execution of the instructions.

[0056] The example electronic components 304 of the de-staging ramp 104 include the communication module 136, a processor or controller 318, and a memory 320. In the example shown, the processor 318 is configured to include the de-staging ramp manager 138. The processor or controller 318 can be any suitable processing device or collection of processing devices, such as, but not limited to: a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit, one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory 320 can be a volatile memory (such as RAM that can include non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, and any other suitable form); a non-volatile memory (such as disk memory, flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), an immutable memory (such as EPROM), a read-only memory, and / or a mass storage device (such as a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, etc.). In some examples, the memory 320 includes a variety of memories, particularly volatile memories and non-volatile memories.

[0057] The memory 320 is a computer-readable medium on which one or more sets of instructions may be embedded, such as software for operating the methods of the present disclosure. The instructions may embody one or more methods or logic described herein. In certain embodiments, the instructions may reside completely or at least partially in any one or more of the memory 320, the computer-readable medium, and / or the processor 318 during execution of the instructions.

[0058] Figure 4 It can be done by Figure 3 Flowchart of a method for loading autonomous vehicle 100 onto railcar 102 implemented by electronic components 300, 302, and 304 of FIG. Initially, at block 402, railcar wireless module 128 broadcasts railcar information. The railcar information includes the height (H) of the floor of railcar 102. C ) and / or the current capacity of each level of the railcar 102. At block 404, the railcar loader 118 of the vehicle 100 broadcasts the vehicle information via the vehicle wireless module 110. The vehicle information includes the height of the vehicle 100 and / or the identifier(s) of the vehicle 100. At block 406, the demotion ramp manager 138 determines whether the vehicle 100 will fit on the railcar 102 based on the railcar information and the vehicle information. For example, the demotion ramp manager 138 may determine the height (H) of the level of the railcar 102. C ) is compared with the height of the vehicle 100. When the vehicle 100 is not suitable, the method continues to box 408. Otherwise, when the vehicle 100 is suitable, the method continues at box 412.

[0059] At box 408, the demotion ramp manager 138 blocks the vehicle 100 from entering the demotion ramp 104. In some examples, the demotion ramp manager 138 raises or closes the gate 142 and / or broadcasts a message indicating to the vehicle 100 that it is not suitable. At box 410, the railcar loader 118 returns the vehicle 100 to the staging area.

[0060] At block 412, the degrading ramp manager 138 broadcasts a message indicating that the vehicle 100 will fit. At block 414, the railcar loader 118 navigates the vehicle 100 to the next available position on the train of railcars 102. At block 416, the railcar loader 118 uses the camera 106 and / or the ranging sensor 108 to determine whether it meets the space requirements (e.g., vehicle separation distance (D S ) and edge separation distance (D E ) etc.). When the vehicle 100 does not meet the space requirement, at block 418, the railcar loader 118 adjusts the position of the vehicle 100. When the vehicle 100 meets the space requirement, at block 420, the railcar manager 132 updates its cargo information to indicate that the vehicle is stored within the particular railcar 102.

[0061] At block 422, the destaging ramp manager 138 determines whether the current level set by the height of the destaging ramp 104 is full based on information from the railcar 102. If the current level is full, at block 424, the destaging ramp manager 138 adjusts the destaging ramp 104 to a different level.

[0062] Figure 4 The flowchart represents a flow chart stored in a memory (eg Figure 3 312, 316 and 320) in the memory, the machine-readable instructions comprising when the processor (such as Figure 3 The processors 310, 314 and 318 of the embodiment of the present invention are executed to enable the vehicle 100, the rail car 102 and / or the degrading ramp 104 to achieve Figure 1 , 2 and 3 of the exemplary railcar loader 118, the exemplary railcar manager 132 and / or the exemplary downgrade ramp manager 138. In addition, although reference is made to Figure 4 The flowcharts shown describe example procedures, but many other methods of implementing the example railcar loader 118, the example railcar manager 132, and / or the example downgrade ramp manager 138 may alternatively be used. For example, the order of execution of the blocks may be changed, and / or some of the described blocks may be changed, eliminated, or combined.

[0063] In the present application, the use of transitional conjunctions is intended to include conjunctions. The use of definite or indefinite articles is not intended to indicate cardinality. Specifically, mentioning "the" object or "an" object and "an" object is also intended to indicate one of a possible plurality of such objects. In addition, the conjunction "or" can be used to convey simultaneous features rather than mutually exclusive substitutes. In other words, the conjunction "or" should be understood to include "and / or". As used herein, the terms "module" and "unit" refer to hardware having circuits that are generally combined with sensors to provide communication, control and / or monitoring capabilities. "Module" and "unit" may also include firmware executed on the circuit. The terms "include", "include" and "include" are inclusive and have the same scope as "include", "include" and "include", respectively.

[0064] The above-described embodiments, particularly any "preferred" embodiments, are possible examples of implementations and are presented merely for a clear understanding of the principles of the present invention. Many changes and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit and principles of the technology described herein. All modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure and protected by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rail vehicle system, comprising: A rail vehicle having a first wireless communication module, the rail vehicle being configured to perform the following steps: broadcasting dimensional data, the dimensional data including a height of a layer within the rail car; sending capacity data to approaching autonomous vehicles; When one of the levels of the railcar is full, broadcasting a message indicating that the one of the levels is full; and A de-escalation ramp having a second wireless communication module is used to automatically adjust the height of the de-escalation ramp to a different level when one of the levels of the rail car is full.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the railcar includes motion detection sensors at each entrance and exit of the railcar, and wherein the railcar tracks its capacity by detecting when the autonomous vehicles enter and exit the railcar.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the railcar determines when one of the autonomous vehicles is parked in the railcar based on the motion detection sensor, and updates cargo information using identification information received from the parked one of the autonomous vehicles.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the rail vehicle is configured to perform the following steps: determining when full based on the motion detection sensor; and when the railcar is full, broadcasting a message indicating that it has reached full capacity.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the de-escalation ramp comprises a gate, and wherein the de-escalation ramp is used to prevent the autonomous vehicle from entering the railcar using the gate based on the dimensional data of the railcar and the height of the autonomous vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said railcar includes markings on each of said levels identifying railcar edge space requirements.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the railcar includes a level sensor that measures the height of an adjustable platform defining the level of the railcar.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the railcar determines the dimensional data based on an interior height of the railcar and a position of the platform measured by the level sensor.

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