Patent ID: 6619212
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: B60L,B60M,Y02T

Abstract:
A method for controlling operation of a vehicle on a guideway system, wherein the vehicle includes a first element of a linear induction motor and an alternate power source, and the guideway system has an acceleration section including a second element of the linear induction motor, and a computer control system, the method comprising:utilizing the second element in cooperation with the first element so as to accelerate the vehicle on the acceleration section of the guideway system; automatically sensing a main section of the guideway system for the presence of a suitable gap in traffic flow for receiving the vehicle from the acceleration section; providing guidance instructions to the vehicle from the computer control system so as to route the vehicle to an aborted merge deceleration section of the guideway system if a suitable gap is not present; and providing speed instructions to the vehicle using the computer control system so as to cause the vehicle to use the alternate power source to maintain a desired cruising speed on a main section of the guideway system if the vehicle enters the main section of the guideway system.