The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 29, 1997
Filed:
Sep. 29, 1994
Quentin H Rench, Racine, WI (US);
Stephen Jacobs, Bayside, CA (US);
Von Schrader Company, Racine, WI (US);
Abstract
The disclosure involves a method for guiding a machine within an area. Such method includes the steps of triggering an acoustic locating signal from a stationary 'beacon-type' base module to a receiver on the machine. The method is applicable for one-beacon, two-receiver and two-beacon, one-receiver applications. A related apparatus also includes a device for emitting a trigger signal and a device for determining the time elapsed between transmission and reception of the locating signal. An operating principle involves computing the module-to-machine distance by determining the 'time of flight' of such signal. The machine is steered along a path, the locus of which is defined by an equation.