System and method for managing the movement of road barriers

Abstract

The road barrier transporter includes an improved capstan control system that reduces undesired movement of the road barrier span without requiring inaccurate visual observation and reliance on outdated scripts. The barrier transporter includes a movable chassis, an entrance snout, an exit snout, a conveyor system, a capstan system, and a capstan control system. The capstan control system automatically operates or commands a transporter operator to operate the capstan system to maintain tension and compression of the road barrier span within desired ranges to reduce undesired movement of the span.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] Movable road barrier systems are often placed on roadways to create a traffic barrier between oncoming traffic lanes. Unlike permanent barriers, movable road barrier systems may be repositioned to make more efficient use of space, increase vehicle capacity, and reduce traffic congestion. For example, such road barrier systems may be periodically moved back and forth to provide more lanes in the direction of peak traffic and / or to create work area space for construction crews.

[0002] A typical movable road barrier system includes multiple steel-reinforced concrete road barriers connected end-to-end with steel pins and / or tensioning hinge mechanisms to form a long, interlocking road barrier span. Variable-length barriers may be added to the span at selected intervals to support lateral movement of the road barrier span.

[0003] Once installed, these road barrier systems can be picked up and moved by a barrier transporter. A typical barrier transporter includes an entrance snout for picking up spans of interconnected road barriers, an exit snout for placing the road barriers back onto the road surface at a different location, and a curved conveyor system for transporting the road barriers from the entrance snout to the exit snout. A pin and / or hinge mechanism connecting the road barriers to the mechanism within the variable length barrier allows the entire span to expand and / or compress as it is picked up to assist in the lateral transfer of the span from one side of the road to the other.

[0004] However, because road barriers are so heavy, they often move downhill when transported over uneven roads or other sloping surfaces, resulting in excessive compression in the portions of the span near the bottom of the slope and excessive tension in the portions of the span near the top of the slope. These compressive or tensile forces can make it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to subsequently pick up and reposition the road barrier, requiring time-consuming corrective measures.

[0005] To mitigate these compression / tension problems, many barrier transporters include capstan systems that help keep road barrier spans near their original longitudinal position while they are lowered and repositioned. However, many capstan systems require visual observation and manual control and are therefore often difficult to operate accurately, especially for inexperienced operators. Therefore, such systems may not mitigate compression / tension problems and in some cases may exacerbate them. While some capstan systems are automatically controlled via pre-programmed scripts, such scripts generally only consider the roadway characteristics and the condition of the road barrier span when the span is initially installed and fail to consider the actual compression / tension problems the span experiences as it is repeatedly repositioned over time. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention solves the aforementioned and related problems and provides a distinct advancement in the art of road barrier transporters. More particularly, the present invention provides a road barrier transporter with an improved capstan control system that reduces undesired movement of road barrier spans without requiring inaccurate visual observation and reliance on stagnant scripts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A barrier transporter constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention generally comprises a movable chassis, an entrance snout, an exit snout, a conveyor system, a capstan system, and the capstan control system previously described.

[0008] The chassis has a front end and a rear end and rides on wheels, belts, or other ground-contact traction elements driven by a conventional engine, transmission, and associated mechanical and electrical components. In one embodiment, two operator cabs are supported on the chassis, one at each end of the chassis. The transport can be driven in either direction, but typically only one of the cabs can handle capstan system control at any one time. Other embodiments of the transport may have only one cab or no cab at all, and instead are remotely or autonomously controlled.

[0009] Both snouts of the barrier transporter are capable of picking up and dropping off road barriers because either end of the transporter can be forward. As used herein, an entry snout is defined as the snout at the end of the chassis that is currently forward and picks up the road barrier span from a first location on the road surface, and an exit snout is defined as the snout at the end of the chassis that is currently rearward and returns the span onto the road surface at a second location different from the first location.

[0010] A conveyor system extends below the chassis and transports roadway barrier spans from the entrance snout to the exit snout. In one embodiment, the conveyor system consists of an "S" shaped structural frame attached to the bottom of the chassis and an array of bogies supported by the frame that pick up and carry the barriers through the transfer machine during the transfer operation.

[0011] A capstan system may be mounted along the conveyor system and operated to adjust tension or compression in the road barrier span while the road barrier is suspended by the conveyor system. In one embodiment, the capstan system includes two large capstan wheels on either side of the conveyor system, hydraulic cylinders, linkages, and / or other mechanisms for urging the wheels against the road barrier as it passes through the capstan system, and motors and pumps for driving the wheels to apply varying forward or backward pressure to the road barrier.

[0012] In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, a control system automatically operates the capstan system or commands a transport operator to maintain tension and compression of the roadway barrier span within desired ranges to reduce undesired movement of the span. Importantly, the control system does not rely on completely manual control of the capstan system or pre-programmed scripts. One embodiment of the control system generally includes a data receiver for receiving data from at least one sensor and a processing system for receiving and analyzing the sensor data.

[0013] The data receiver can receive data from various sensors via either a wired or wireless connection. In one embodiment, one of the sensors senses tension or compression in the span and generates corresponding sensor data. The sensor may be a pressure transducer that senses pressure in an internal hydraulic cylinder of one of the variable-length barricades. In some embodiments, some or all of the variable-length barricades in the span can be equipped with a pressure transducer.

[0014] In other embodiments, at least one of the sensors may be a linear measurement sensor, an optical sensor, or other sensor configured to measure the length of one of the variable-length barriers.

[0015] In another embodiment, the sensor may be a camera mounted on the entrance snout of the transport vehicle to sense the position of at least some of the road barriers before they are picked up. In another embodiment, the sensor may be a GPS receiver mounted on at least one of the barriers to determine the position of the barrier before it is picked up.

[0016] The processing system receives and analyzes the sensor data along with the reference data to determine whether the tension or compression of the span is within an acceptable range. If not, the processing system automatically controls the operation of the capstan system or provides a control command to an operator to adjust the tension or compression in the span. For example, if the processing system determines that the road barrier span is under excessive tension, the processing system instructs the capstan system or provides a corresponding command to an operator to apply an appropriate amount of forward rotational pressure to the span to relieve some of the excess tension. Conversely, if the processing system determines that the road barrier span is under excessive compression, the processing system instructs the capstan system or provides a corresponding command to an operator to apply an appropriate amount of backward rotational pressure to the span to relieve some of the excess compression.

[0017] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following Detailed Description of the Embodiments and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a top perspective view of a barrier transporter constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front or rear view of a barrier transporter. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a side view of a barrier transporter. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a top view of a barrier transporter. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the barrier transporter. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a top view of a barrier transporter showing the movement of a road barrier span from one side of a road to the other. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a partial front perspective view of the barrier transporter showing the picking up of a span of road barrier. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view of a barrier transporter showing the picking up and repositioning of a span of road barrier. [Figure 9] 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the barrier transporter taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 to better illustrate the capstan system. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a right side perspective view of a fixed road barrier. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of a fixed road barrier. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a variable length road barrier shown in its retracted position. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a variable length road barrier shown in its mid-stroke or neutral position. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable length road barrier shown in a fully extended position. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical road barrier span. [Figure 16] 1 is a block diagram illustrating components of a capstan control system for a barrier transporter. The drawings are not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Referring now to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is shown a barrier transporter 10 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 6, the barrier transporter 10 is configured to pick up and reposition spans 12 of interconnected roadway barriers to provide more lanes in the direction of peak traffic, create work area space for construction crews, or otherwise make more efficient use of roadway space to increase vehicle capacity and / or reduce traffic congestion.

[0020] A typical span 12 of road barriers that can be picked up and repositioned by the barrier transporter 10 is shown in Figure 15. The span 12 may be of any length and may include any number of fixed-length road barriers 14 and variable-length barriers 16. In some embodiments, the barriers 14, 16 are connected end-to-end with steel pins and / or tensioning hinge mechanisms, which are described in more detail below.

[0021] Examples of fixed-length barriers 14 are shown in Figures 10 and 11. The barriers 14 may be of any type, shape, and size and may be formed from any suitable material, such as high-strength concrete or a high-strength steel frame filled with concrete. In one embodiment, the barriers 14 have a T-shaped upper end 18 so that they can be picked up and repositioned by the bogie wheels of a barrier transporter, as shown in Figure 9 and described below.

[0022] 10 and 11, one side of each barrier 14 includes fixed, spaced-apart connecting flanges 20, and the opposite side includes spaced-apart counter-tension elements 22. Steel rods 24 may be inserted through holes in the flanges 20 and tension elements 22 of adjacent barriers when the adjacent barriers are aligned to interconnect them. The counter-tension elements 22 allow adjacent barriers to move longitudinally relative to one another when the barriers are under tension or compression. In other embodiments, fixed-length barriers may not have counter-tension elements, but instead may have larger holes in the connecting flanges that form a "slow hinge" to accommodate some longitudinal movement between adjacent barriers.

[0023] Examples of variable-length barriers 16 are shown in Figures 12-14. The barriers may be of any shape and size, and each has an outer frame 26 and an inner telescoping structure 28 that can move in and out of the outer frame 26 when the barrier is subjected to tension or compression forces. The variable-length barriers also include connecting flanges 30 that can align with and interconnect to connecting flanges of adjacent barriers with steel rods 32. Movement of the telescoping inner structure 28 is resisted by an internal hydraulic cylinder or other hydraulic or spring mechanism.

[0024] Figure 12 shows the variable length barrier 16 in a fully retracted or compressed state when subjected to a compressive force sufficient to fully compress a hydraulic cylinder or other biasing mechanism. Figure 14 shows the barrier 16 in a fully extended state when subjected to a tensile force sufficient to fully extend a hydraulic cylinder or other biasing mechanism. Figure 13 shows the barrier in its neutral or steady state when not subjected to a compressive or tensile force. Further details of exemplary embodiments of variable length barriers are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,439,802, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0025] Aspects of the barrier transporter 10 will now be described in more detail. One embodiment of the barrier transporter generally comprises a movable chassis 34, an entrance snout 36, an exit snout 38, a conveyor system 40, a capstan system 42, and a control system 44 that controls the capstan system.

[0026] The chassis 34 has opposite ends disposed along a generally longitudinal axis that is essentially parallel to the roadway along which the transporter travels. Either end of the chassis may be the front end or the rear end depending on the direction of travel of the transporter. As used herein, the front end is defined as the end at which the roadway barrier is currently being picked up, and the rear end is defined as the end at which the roadway barrier is currently being placed back down. The chassis 34 rides on wheels 46, belts, or other ground-contact traction elements driven by a conventional engine, transmission, and associated mechanical and electrical components.

[0027] In one embodiment, the barrier transporter 10 includes two cabs 48, 50, one at each end of the chassis 34. While the transporter 10 can be driven in either direction, typically only one operator in one of the cabs can be responsible for the capstan controls at any given time. Typically, the cab in control is the cab at the end of the transport that points in the direction the transport is traveling. Other embodiments of the transporter may have only one cab or no cab at all. In some embodiments, the barrier transporter 10 may include various sensors and controls that provide for autonomous operation without direct operator control or semi-autonomous operation with some operator control.

[0028] An entrance snout 36 is mounted to the front end of the chassis and is configured to pick up a road barrier span from a first location on the road surface, and an exit snout 38 is mounted to the rear end of the chassis for returning the span to a second location on the road surface that is different from the first location. The snouts serve as guides for the road barrier as it is picked up and / or dropped off and can be moved and adjusted by the transport operator to align the snout with the incoming road barrier and the desired placement location. Each snout 36, 38 includes an array of bogie assemblies 52 supported on a conveyor frame, described below. Each bogie assembly 52 includes several carrier wheels 54 that pick up, carry, and / or lay down the barrier depending on the direction of travel of the transport.

[0029] A conveyor system 40 extends beneath the barrier transporter and is configured to transport spans of roadway barrier from the entrance snout 36 to the exit snout 38. The conveyor system 40 may be comprised of multiple assemblies and sections, including straight sections, turning sections, and pick-up / laying sections connected to the snouts 36, 38. As best shown in FIG. 5 , one embodiment of the conveyor system 40 comprises an S-shaped or otherwise curved structural frame 56 attached to the bottom of the transporter and an array of bogie assemblies 52 supported on the frame. Each bogie assembly 52 comprises several carrier wheels 54 that pick up and carry the barrier through the transporter during barrier transfer operations.

[0030] A capstan system 42 is mounted along the conveyor system 40 and adjusts tension or compression in the roadway barrier span 12 while it is being transported by the conveyor system in an effort to maintain the barrier span in its original longitudinal position relative to the roadway. The capstan system 42 is especially important on uneven terrain, slopes, and other situations where the road may slope. Without the capstan system, a heavy barrier would move downward when picked up and transported. The barrier movement would cause excessive tension at the top of the slope and compression toward the bottom, making the span difficult, and in some cases even impossible, to move.

[0031] 5 and 9, one embodiment of the capstan system 42 includes a pair of large capstan wheels 58 on either side of the conveyor system, a hydraulic cylinder, linkage, or other mechanism 60 for biasing the wheels against the road barrier as it passes, and a motor and pump for driving the wheels to apply varying forward and backward pressure to the road barrier. The capstan system 42 functions by clamping the barrier with the capstan wheels 58 and applying forward or reverse rotational pressure to the barrier as it passes over the conveyor system 42. This relieves excessive tension or compression in the span, reducing barrier movement and / or repositioning the barriers relative to one another.

[0032] In prior art road barrier transporters, the capstan system is controlled by an operator manually or via a pre-programmed script. Manual control requires visual observation of the road barrier as it is being picked up and on-the-fly adjustments to the forward or backward rotational pressure applied by the capstan wheel. Such manual operation is often inaccurate and inconsistent, especially for inexperienced operators, and therefore may not alleviate compression / tension problems and may sometimes exacerbate them. While control via a pre-programmed script may be more consistent and predictable, the script generally only considers the road characteristics and condition of the road barrier span when the span is initially installed and does not consider the actual compression / tension problems the span will experience as it is repeatedly repositioned over time.

[0033] The capstan control system 44 of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems by controlling the capstan system 42 to reduce undesired movement of the roadway barrier span 12 without inaccurate visual observation, manual control, and outdated scripts. As described in more detail below, the control system 44 monitors the actual tension and / or compression forces in the roadway barrier span 12 and automatically operates the capstan system 42 or commands the operator of the transporter 10 to relieve excessive tension or compression and reduce undesired movement of the span.

[0034] One embodiment of the control system 44 is shown in Figure 16 and generally comprises a data receiver 62 for receiving data from at least one sensor 64 and a processing system 66 for receiving and analyzing the sensor data and reference data and providing appropriate instructions to the capstan system 42 or user interface 70. The control system 44 may be a stand-alone control system or may be integrated into other control systems of the barrier transporter 10, including existing capstan control systems.

[0035] The data receiver 62 may be any device capable of receiving data via a wired or wireless connection. The data receiver may be or include a wired or wireless network adapter or wireless data transceiver for use with Bluetooth communications, radio frequency (RF) communications, near field communication (NFC), and / or a cellular network, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), 3G, or other mobile data network, and / or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), etc.

[0036] 16, the data receiver 62 receives data from one or more sensors 64 mounted on some of the road barriers and / or on the barrier transporter 10 itself. The sensors 64 sense parameters indicative of tension or compression of the road barrier span and generate corresponding sensor data.

[0037] In one embodiment, at least one of the sensors 64 is a pressure transducer mounted in or on one of the variable-length barriers 16. The sensor senses tension or compression in the barrier span by monitoring the pressure in the internal hydraulic cylinder of the variable-length barrier 16 and / or in a valve connected to the hydraulic cylinder. In some embodiments, a pressure transducer can be mounted on each of the variable-length barriers 16 in the span 12. In this embodiment, each sensor includes or is connected to a communication element, such as a wireless transmitter, for transmitting sensor data to a data receiver 62 for analysis by a processing system 66.

[0038] In other embodiments, at least one of the sensors 64 may be a linear measurement sensor, optical sensor, or other sensor configured to measure the length of one of the variable-length barriers 16. The length of the variable-length barrier 16 is related to the tension or compression in the barrier span. For example, a variable-length barrier in a fully retracted state (shortest length) as shown in FIG. 12 is compressed, indicating that the entire span is compressed; a variable-length barrier in a neutral state as shown in FIG. 13 is not under excessive compression or tension; and a variable-length barrier in a fully extended state (maximum length) as shown in FIG. 12 is under tension, indicating that the entire span is under tension. In some embodiments, a linear measurement sensor, optical sensor, or other sensor configured to measure length may be mounted on or each of the variable-length barricades 16 in the span 12. In these embodiments, each sensor includes or is connected to a communication element, such as a wireless transmitter, for transmitting sensor data to a data receiver 62 for analysis by a processing system 66.

[0039] In another embodiment, at least one of the sensors 64 may be a camera mounted in the entrance snout 36 of the barrier transporter 10 to sense the position of at least some of the road barriers before they are picked up and generate associated position data. A barrier that moves longitudinally indicates tension or compression in the span, and therefore the position of the barrier is related to the tension or compression in the barrier span.

[0040] In yet other embodiments, at least one of the sensors 64 may be a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, such as a GPS receiver, a Glonass receiver, a Galileo receiver, or a compass system receiver operable to receive navigation signals from satellites and calculate the location of the barriers responsive to the signals. The GNSS receiver may include one or more processors, controllers, or other computing devices and memory for storing information accessed and / or generated by the processors or other computing devices, and may include or be coupled to a patch antenna, a helical antenna, or any other type of antenna. The GNSS receiver may be mounted to at least one of the barriers to determine the location of the barrier before it is picked up and generate associated location data.

[0041] As previously mentioned, a longitudinally displaced barrier indicates tension or compression in the span, and therefore the position of the barrier is related to the tension or compression in the barrier span. In this embodiment, each sensor includes or is connected to a communication element, such as a wireless transmitter, for transmitting sensor data to a data receiver 62 for analysis by a processing system 66.

[0042] In some embodiments, the control system 44 may receive data from several different types of sensors. For example, the data receiver 62 may receive data from pressure transducers mounted on some or all of the variable length barricades, length measurement sensors mounted on some or all of the variable length barricades, cameras mounted on the entrance snouts of the barrier transporter, and one or more GPS or GNSS receivers mounted on portions of the road barriers.

[0043] The control system 44 may also receive reference and other data from other data sources 68, such as resident memory in another control system within the barrier transporter, an external computer, and / or computers, smartphones, and other electronic devices used by the transporter operator. Such data may include predicted or reference positions of the road barrier, predicted or reference lengths of variable-length road barriers, predicted or reference pressure readings of hydraulic components within the variable-length road barrier, and / or other data that is analyzed by the processing system 66 and compared to the sensor data to determine whether the road barrier span is experiencing excessive compressive or tensile forces.

[0044] The processing system 66 receives and analyzes the sensor data, and in some embodiments other data from the data sources 68, to determine whether the tension or compression of the road barrier span 12 is within an acceptable range. If not, the processing system automatically controls operation of the capstan system 42 or provides control instructions to an operator via the user interface 70 to adjust the tension or compression in the span. For example, if the processing system 66 determines that the road barrier span 12 is under excessive tension, the processing system 66 instructs the capstan system 42 to apply an appropriate amount of forward rotational pressure to the span to relieve some of the excess tension. Conversely, if the processing system determines that the road barrier span 12 is under excessive compression, the processing system instructs the capstan system 42 to apply an appropriate amount of backward rotational pressure to the span to relieve some of the excess compression.

[0045] The processing system 66 may be programmed or otherwise configured in a variety of different ways to perform the aforementioned analyses. For example, if the sensor data is from pressure transducers mounted on the variable-length barriers, the processing system 66 may monitor the pressure readings of the hydraulic cylinders, compare the readings to steady-state pressure readings taken when the variable-length barriers are in their neutral positions shown in FIG. 13, and determine whether the road barrier is under excessive tension or compression based on the magnitude of the difference between the current pressure reading and the steady-state reading. The processing system 66 then automatically controls the operation of the capstan system 42 to adjust the tension or compression in the span or provides control commands to an operator via the user interface 70.

[0046] If the sensor data is from a camera mounted on the entrance snout 36 of the barrier transporter 10, the processing system 66 receives and analyzes the sensor data and compares the current position of the road barrier to an expected or desired position to determine whether the span of the road barrier is under excessive tension or compression. If so, the processing system 66 automatically controls the operation of the capstan system 42 or provides control commands to an operator via the user interface 70 to adjust the tension or compression in the span.

[0047] Similarly, if the sensor data is from a GPS or other GNSS receiver mounted on at least one of the barriers, the processing system 66 receives and analyzes the sensor data and compares the current position of the road barrier with the expected or desired position to determine whether a span of the road barrier is under excessive tension or compression. If so, the processing system automatically controls the operation of the capstan system or provides control commands to an operator via the user interface 70 to adjust the tension or compression in the span. Additional Considerations

[0048] References herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an embodiment" mean that one or more referenced features are included in at least one embodiment of the present technology. Separate references herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an embodiment" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are they mutually exclusive, unless so stated and / or readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description. For example, features, structures, operations, etc. described in one embodiment may, but are not necessarily, included in other embodiments. Thus, the present technology may include various combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0049] While this application describes detailed descriptions of many different embodiments, the legal scope of the descriptions is defined by the language of the claims at the end of this patent and their equivalents. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment, as describing every possible embodiment would be impractical. Many alternative embodiments can be implemented using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent and still fall within the scope of the claims.

[0050] Throughout this specification, multiple instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed simultaneously, and there is no requirement that the operations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functions presented as separate components in example configurations may be implemented as combined structures or components. Similarly, structures and functions presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are within the scope of the subject matter of this specification.

[0051] Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or certain routines, subroutines, applications, or instructions. These may constitute either software (e.g., code embodied in a machine-readable medium or transmission signal) or hardware. In hardware, routines, etc., are tangible units capable of performing certain operations and may be configured or arranged in a particular way. In exemplary embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., standalone, client, or server computer systems) or one or more hardware modules (e.g., processors or groups of processors) of a computer system may be configured with software (e.g., applications or application portions) as computer hardware that operates to perform certain operations described herein.

[0052] In various embodiments, computer hardware such as processing system 66, other processing elements, etc., may be implemented as dedicated or general-purpose. For example, processing system 66 may comprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or indefinitely configured to perform specific operations, such as an FPGA. Processing system 66 also comprises programmable logic or circuitry (e.g., as included in a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor) that is temporarily configured by software to perform specific operations. It will be understood that the decision to implement a processing system as dedicated, dedicated, permanently configured circuitry, or general-purpose (e.g., configured by software) may be determined by cost and time considerations.

[0053] Thus, the term "processing system" or equivalents should be understood to encompass a tangible entity that is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a particular manner or perform particular operations described herein. Considering embodiments in which the processing system is temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each processing element need not be configured or instantiated at any one instance of time. For example, if the processing system includes a general-purpose processor configured using software, the general-purpose processor may be configured as different processing elements at different times. Thus, the software may configure the processing elements to configure a hardware configuration at one time and to configure different hardware configurations at different times.

[0054] Computer hardware components, such as the processing system 66, the data receiver 62, and associated memory and processing elements, can provide information to and receive information from other computer hardware components. For example, a portion of the processing system 66 may be part of a cloud computing network. Accordingly, the described computer hardware components may be considered communicatively coupled. When multiple such computer hardware components are present simultaneously, communication may be achieved by signal transmission (e.g., via appropriate circuits and buses) connecting the computer hardware components. In embodiments in which multiple computer hardware components are configured or instantiated at different times, communication between such computer hardware components may be achieved, for example, by storing and retrieving information in memory structures accessed by the multiple computer hardware components. For example, one computer hardware component may perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. Additional computer hardware components can then access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output. Computer hardware components may also initiate communication with input or output devices and operate on resources (e.g., collections of information).

[0055] Various operations of the example methods described herein may be performed, at least in part, by one or more processing elements configured temporarily (e.g., by software) or permanently to perform the associated operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processing elements may constitute processing element-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more operations or functions. Modules referred to herein may, in some example embodiments, include processing element-implemented modules.

[0056] Similarly, methods or routines described herein may be at least partially processing element-implemented. For example, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed by one or more processing elements or processing element-implemented hardware modules. Performance of certain operations may reside within a single machine, or may be distributed among one or more processing elements spread across several machines. In some exemplary embodiments, the processing elements may be located in a single location (e.g., in a home environment, an office environment, or as a server farm), while in other embodiments, the processing elements may be distributed across multiple locations.

[0057] Unless otherwise specified, descriptions herein using words such as "processing," "operating," "calculating," "determining," "presenting," "displaying," and the like may refer to operations or processes of a machine (e.g., a computer having processing elements and other computer hardware components) that manipulates or transforms data represented as physical (e.g., electronic, magnetic, or optical) quantities in one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or other machine components that receive, store, transmit, or display information.

[0058] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements and may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0059] The final claims of this patent application are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless conventional means-plus-function language, such as "means for" or "step for," is expressly recited in the claim.

[0060] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that equivalents may be used and substituted herein without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

[0061] Having thus described various embodiments of the present invention, what is new and desired to be protected by patent literature includes the following:

Claims

1. 1. A barrier transporter for picking up and relocating interconnected road barriers, comprising: an inlet snout mounted to a front end of the barrier transporter for picking up a portion of the interconnected roadway barrier from a first location on the road surface; an exit snout mounted to a rear end of the barrier transporter for returning a portion of the interconnected roadway barrier to the road surface at a second location different from the first location; a conveyor system disposed between the entrance snout and the exit snout for transporting a portion of the interconnected roadway barrier from the entrance snout to the exit snout; a capstan system for adjusting tension or compression between the interconnected road barriers while a portion of the interconnected road barriers is being transported by the conveyor system; a control system for operating the capstan system, a data receiver for receiving sensor data from a sensor that senses tension or compression between barriers of the interconnected road barriers; a processing system for receiving and analyzing the sensor data to determine whether the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers is outside of an acceptable range, and for controlling operation of the capstan system to adjust the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers if the tension or compression is outside of the acceptable range; a control system comprising: A barrier transporter comprising:

2. 2. The barrier transporter of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further operable to automatically control operation of the capstan system to adjust the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers if the tension or compression is outside of the tolerance range, or to provide instructions to an operator of the barrier transporter to control operation of the capstan system to adjust the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers if the tension or compression is outside of the tolerance range.

3. The barrier transporter of claim 1 , wherein the treatment system is located on or remote from the barrier transporter.

4. 2. The barrier transporter of claim 1, wherein some of the interconnected road barriers are variable length barriers, and the sensor senses tension or compression between the interconnected road barriers by sensing the length of the variable length barriers.

5. 2. The barrier transporter of claim 1, wherein some of the interconnected road barriers are variable length barriers having internal hydraulic cylinders, and the sensor senses tension or compression between the interconnected road barriers by sensing the pressure of the internal hydraulic cylinders.

6. 2. The barrier transporter of claim 1, wherein the sensor senses tension or compression between interconnected road barriers by sensing the position of a portion of the interconnected road barriers before the road barrier is picked up by the entrance snout.

7. 7. The barrier transporter of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a camera for sensing the position of the road barrier before it is picked up by the entrance snout.

8. 7. The barrier transporter of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a GNSS receiver on the road barrier for sensing the position of the road barrier before it is picked up by the entrance snout.

9. 10. The barrier transporter of claim 1, wherein the surface is a road, a shoulder of a road, a travel lane on a bridge surface, a shoulder of a bridge surface, a parking lot, an on-ramp, or an off-ramp.

10. 1. A barrier transporter for picking up and repositioning interconnected road barriers, the interconnected road barriers including at least one variable length barrier, the barrier transporter comprising: an elongated, movable chassis having a front end and a rear end; an entrance snout mounted to a front end of the chassis for picking up a portion of the interconnected road barrier from a first location on the road surface; an exit snout mounted to the rear end of the chassis for returning a portion of the interconnected roadway barrier to a road surface at a second position different from the first position; a conveyor system disposed beneath the chassis between the entrance snout and the exit snout for transporting a portion of an interconnected roadway barrier from the entrance snout to the exit snout; a capstan system for adjusting tension or compression between the interconnected road barriers while a portion of the interconnected road barriers is being transported by the conveyor system; a control system for operating the capstan system, a data receiver for receiving data from a sensor that senses tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers and generates sensor data indicative of said tension or compression, said sensor sensing a state of said variable length barriers to sense tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers; a processing system for receiving and analyzing the sensor data to determine whether the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers is outside of an acceptable range, and for controlling operation of the capstan system to adjust the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers if the tension or compression is outside of an acceptable range; a control system comprising: A barrier transporter comprising:

11. 11. The barrier transporter of claim 10, wherein the state of the variable length barrier is the length of the variable length barrier.

12. 11. The barrier transporter of claim 10, wherein the variable length barrier has an internal hydraulic cylinder.

13. 13. The barrier transporter of claim 12, wherein the state of the variable length barrier is the pressure experienced by the internal hydraulic cylinder.

14. 11. The barrier transporter of claim 10, wherein the state of the variable length barrier is the position of the variable length barrier before it is picked up by the inlet snout.

15. 15. The barrier transporter of claim 14, wherein the sensor includes a camera for sensing the position of the variable length barrier before it is picked up by the inlet snout.

16. 15. The barrier transporter of claim 14, wherein the sensor includes a GNSS or GPS receiver for sensing the position of the variable length barrier before it is picked up by the inlet snout.

17. 11. The barrier transporter of claim 10, wherein the surface is a road, a shoulder of a road, a travel lane on a bridge surface, a shoulder of a bridge surface, a parking lot, an on-ramp, or an off-ramp.

18. 1. A barrier transporter for picking up and repositioning interconnected road barriers, the interconnected road barriers including at least one variable length barrier, the barrier transporter comprising: an elongated, movable chassis having a front end and a rear end; an entry snout mounted to the front end of the chassis for picking up a portion of an interconnected road barrier from a first location on a road surface; an exit snout mounted to the rear end of the chassis for returning a portion of the interconnected roadway barrier to a road surface at a second position different from the first position; a conveyor system disposed between the entrance snout and the exit snout for transporting a portion of the interconnected roadway barrier from the entrance snout to the exit snout; a capstan system for adjusting tension or compression between the interconnected road barriers while a portion of the interconnected road barriers is being transported by the conveyor system; a control system for operating the capstan system, a data receiver for receiving data from a sensor that senses the length of the variable length barrier, senses tension or compression of a hydraulic cylinder in the variable length barrier, or senses tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers by sensing the position of the variable length barrier before the variable length barrier is picked up by the snout; a processing system for receiving and analyzing the sensor data to determine whether the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers is outside of an acceptable range, and for controlling operation of the capstan system to adjust the tension or compression between barriers of interconnected road barriers if the tension or compression is outside of an acceptable range; a control system comprising: A barrier transporter comprising:

19. 20. The barrier transporter of claim 18, wherein the data receiver is further configured to receive data from a camera for sensing the position of the variable length barrier before the variable length barrier is picked up by the inlet snout.

20. 20. The barrier transporter of claim 18, wherein the data receiver is further configured to receive data from a GNSS or GPS receiver for sensing the position of the variable length barrier before it is picked up by the inlet snout.

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