US 12,246,746 B2
Operation system and operation system control method
Michiharu Yamamoto, Tokai (JP); Tomohiko Nagao, Tokai (JP); and Hitoshi Aoyama, Tokai (JP)
Assigned to AICHI STEEL CORPORATION, Tokai (JP)
Appl. No. 18/020,268
Filed by Aichi Steel Corporation, Tokai (JP)
PCT Filed Aug. 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/029093
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 8, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/034849, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 17, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-135444 (JP), filed on Aug. 8, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0271630 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
Int. Cl. B60W 60/00 (2020.01); B60W 30/12 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 60/001 (2020.02) [B60W 30/12 (2013.01); B60W 2300/10 (2013.01); B60W 2552/53 (2020.02)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An operation system for causing a vehicle to automatically travel along a dedicated lane for vehicles, the system having
a plurality of magnetic markers arranged in the dedicated lane;
a storage part which stores, as connection point identification information, identification information of a magnetic marker corresponding to a connection point for at least either one of branching from the dedicated lane to another lane and merging from another lane to the dedicated lane; and
a setting part which sets or cancels the connection point, wherein
the storage part is configured to store, as the connection point identification information, identification information of the magnetic marker corresponding to the connection point when the connection point is set by the setting part, and erase the connection point identification information according to identification information of the magnetic marker corresponding to the connection point when the connection point is canceled by the setting part,
the system is configured so that at least one of branching from the dedicated lane to another lane and merging from another lane to the dedicated lane is allowed at a point corresponding to the magnetic marker according to the connection point identification information stored in the storage part,
the system has
a movable fence for partitioning the dedicated lane, which can be opened and closed; and
a control part which controls opening/closing operation of the movable fence, and
the control part is configured to cause the movable fence corresponding to the magnetic marker according to the connection point identification information stored by the storage part to be opened and cause the movable fence corresponding to the magnetic marker according to identification information to be closed when the connection point identification information according to identification information of any of the magnetic marker is erased.