Adaptive Trackless Vehicles Controlled by CCOS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mass transit systems are limited by the need for tracks and guiding mechanisms, restricting flexibility and accessibility, requiring separate infrastructure and schedules, and lacking integration with personal and commercial vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A trackless transit system utilizing a Command, Control, and Orchestration System (CCOS) to control adaptive trackless vehicles, allowing them to operate without tracks, switching between driver-controlled and system-controlled modes, using vehicle autonomy kits with position sensors, perception sensors, and drive-by-wire modules for navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If track-based guiding mechanisms are used to control vehicle movement, then vehicle movement control and safety are improved, but system flexibility and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical track-based guiding system with an electronic control system. The CCOS uses sensors, processors, and communication networks to control vehicle movement without physical tracks, thereby maintaining reliable control while achieving flexibility and adaptability in routing and operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional tracks and supporting infrastructure are installed to reach new locations, then vehicle accessibility is improved, but capital expenditure and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the guiding function from the physical track infrastructure and relocates it to the electronic control system. This allows vehicles to reach new locations by software configuration rather than physical track installation, reducing infrastructure complexity and capital expenditure while maintaining accessibility.
3Productivity
If vehicles operate in system-controlled mode within controlled area, then traffic management and congestion avoidance are improved, but driver autonomy and operational flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control mode system where vehicles can switch between system-controlled mode (for optimal traffic management within controlled areas) and driver-controlled mode (for autonomy and flexibility). This dynamic switching capability resolves the contradiction by allowing both centralized efficiency and driver autonomy depending on operational context.
Data Source
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AI summary
Technologies are described herein for providing a trackless transit system and controlling adaptive trackless vehicles within that system. Aspects include an autonomous vehicle transit system for controlling vehicle movement of trackless vehicles in the transit system. The system includes a command, control and orchestration system (CCOS) and vehicle controllers. Each vehicle controller is associated with a trackless vehicle and communicates a current location to the CCOS, receives a navigation command, and controls the trackless vehicle according to the navigation command. Further, the CCOS provides navigation commands to the vehicle controllers to control movements of the trackless vehicles within the transit system according to vehicle position information received from the vehicle controllers. According to embodiments, a trackless vehicle may be switched between a driver controlled mode in which the vehicle is controlled by a driver and a system controlled mode in which the vehicle is controlled by the CCOS.