GB2242174A - Method of moving and guiding a carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

There is provided a magnetic element buried in the ground to form a marker line 1. A carrier such as a golf cart is provided with sensing means to sense the marker line and to move the carrier in an S-shaped or zigzag path. Once the line (1) is sensed, the steering may be turned away for a preselected time before being turned back until the line is sensed again. The carrier may follow the line for part of the path of travel e.g. along a connection road between two golf holes. The carrier may travel between two buried lines. This method of movement avoids wear and tear on the green or fairway of a golf course. <IMAGE>

Description

METHOD OF MOVING AND GUIDING A CARRIER The present device relates to a method of guiding an operatorless carrier to be moved particularly but not exclusively on a golf course.

Heretofore, as an operatorless carrier (hereinafter referred to as "a carrier") on a golf course, a so-called electromagnetic guided vehicle is employed to be guided by a guide cable buried under a paved, exclusive use, road surface or a railway carrier moving on rails laid on the ground is employed.

The electromagnetic guided vehicle is guided to move directly over the buried cable by supplying a current to the guide cable buried under the road surface, detecting a generated magnetic field, amplifying the induced electromotive force difference of two coils, and controlling a steering motor, and moves on a predetermined stationary route provided on a fairway side.

The railway type vehicle moves on rails laid on a lawn.

However, these conventional carriers cannot move except along the predetermined same route. The paved road and the laid rails disturb golf playing, and particularly when the latter carrier moves, there arises a problem that the lawn is damaged, and a countermeasure for the problems is desired.

The present invention is devised in view of the abovedescribed problems and provides a method of moving and guiding a carrier which can effectively prevent a lawn, the ground from damaging without moving along the same route in the fairway of a golf course.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of moving and guiding a carrier comprising the step of magnetically sensing one or more marker lines so as to move the carrier in an S-shaped or zigzag path in its moving direction, said one or more marker liners comprising one or more buried magnetic elements.

In other places than the fairway, such as a connection road to a next hole, it is not necessary for the carrier to move in the S shape or zigzag shape, but since it is required to rapidly move to the next hole as fast as possible due to the relation to a next player, it is rather desired to move at the shortest distance to the next hole.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of moving and guiding a carrier comprising the steps of magnetically sensing with sensing means a marker line to guide the carrier, said marker line comprising a buried magnetic element, providing a movement switching mark at a position along the marker line, sensing the movement switching mark by a second sensing means so as to switch the movement of the carrier between an S-shaped or zigzag path along the marker line and a predetermined path along the marker line.

Preferably a second sensing means is provided to sense a movement switching mark and to switch the carrier movement between said S-shaped or zigzag path along the marker line and a predetermined path along the marker line.

The invention will now be described in more detail. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 and 2 are explanatory views for Sshaped or zigzag shaped movement of a carrier in the case of a single row of a marker line according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is an explanatory view of S-shaped or zigzag shaped movement of a carrier in the case of two rows of marker lines, Figure 4 is an explanatory view showing a predetermined carrier route movement by a method of guiding the carrier according to a second embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is a schematic view showing an example of the carrier used for the method of the first embodiment, and Figure 6 is an explanatory view of a steering angle conversion in case of the S-shaped or zigzag shaped movement.

Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention to be used on a golf course. In the embodiment, a magnetic element is buried a suitable depth under the ground surface in the golf course to form a marker line 1 for a carrier 2 in a given direction. Figures 1 and 2 show the case of a single row of the marker line 1, and Figure 3 shows the case of a plurality of rows of the marker lines 1.

The carrier 2 is constructed to operate or stop under a remote control 3. Thus, as shown in Figure 5, a remote control radio receiver 23 is mounted in the carrier. Magnetic sensors 21 and 22 for movement are respectively provided as magnetic sensing means at the right and left sides of the head of the carrier 2 body. Further, a movement controller 24 for controlling acceleration/deceleration, starting and stopping of the carrier, and a steering controller 25 for controlling the S-shaped or zigzag shaped movement of the carrier 2 are provided in the carrier 2.

The control of the S-shaped or zigzag shaped movement of the carrier 2 by the steering controller 25 will be described in both the cases of a single row of the marker line 1 and of a double row of the marker lines 1.

First, in connection with the control in the case of the single row of the marker line 1, there are considered two ways of control for moving the carrier in the S shape or zigzag shape namely at one side of the marker line 1 as shown in Figure 1, and across the marker line 1 as shown in Figure 2. More specifically, in the former case, when the magnetic sensors 21 and 22 of the carrier 2 sense the marker line 1, they convert the steering angle of the carrier 2 in an opposite direction. Then, after several seconds from when the carrier 2 is moved, the steering angle is again converted to the opposite direction.

In the latter case, when the magnetic sensors 21 and 22 sense the marker line 1, the steering angle is converted in the opposite direction after several seconds.

The conversion of the steering angle of the carrier may be conducted at the ground point (e) where the marker line 1 is sensed. However, in this embodiment as shown in Figure 6, the conversion of the steering angle of the carrier is conducted after it is moved from the marker line sensing ground point (e) along the marker line 1 for several seconds.

According to this steering conversion, the entering angle 0 of the carrier 2 to the marker line 1 can be positively detected, and, even when the marker line 1 is curved, the steering angle can be converted in response to the curve, thereby stably moving the carrier in the S shape or zigzag shape. Thus, an encoder for detecting the actual steering angle of the carrier 1 and feeding back the numeric value to the controller is provided in the carrier 1.

Then, with respect to the control in case of the double row of the marker lines 1, as shown in Figure 3, the carrier 2 is moved between a plurality of rows of the marker lines provided in parallel (hereinafter referred to as "a moving road face"), and when the magnetic sensors 21 and 22 of the carrier 1 sense either one of the marker lines, the steering angle of the carrier 2 is converted to the other line direction. In this case, the conversion of the steering angle is constituted in the same manner as that of the previous embodiment.

As the steering controller 25 in the above embodiment, a microcomputer containing a random number table in which the steering angle to be converted is set in an arbitrary range is employed to automatically vary the steering angle to be converted in case of starting moving the carrier in the S shape or zigzag shape, thereby moving the carrier in a random S shape or zigzag shape.

The movement controller 24 of this embodiment also controls the speed of the moving carrier. In this case, an oblique sensor for measuring the longitudinal or lateral inclination of the carrier 2 is separately provided to automatically decelerate/ accelerate the carrier 2 in response to the inclination. The carrier 2 can be safely automatically moved in the whole of various ground surface shapes such as an ascent or a descent under the control of the oblique sensor.

The operation of the first embodiment of the present invention described above will be described.

When the player transmits a start signal by a remote control oscillator 3 held by the player, the carrier 2 starts moving. When the magnetic sensors 21 and 22 of the carrier 2 sense any marker line 1, the steering controller 25 of the carrier 2 is operated to automatically convert the steering angle of the carrier under the control as described above, thereby moving the carrier in the S shape or zigzag shape.

Further, when the random number table in which the numeric values of the steering angle are set is associated in the microcomputer for storing the table in its memory in the steering controller 25, the steering angle is freely varied on the basis of the random number table, and the carrier 2 moves in the S shape or zigzag shape at random. When the carrier 2 is to be stopped, the remote control oscillator 3 may be operated.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4.

In the second embodiment, a magnetic element is also buried in a suitable depth under the ground surface to form a marker line 1 toward the moving direction of a carrier 2', and movement switching marks 4 and 5 of the carrier 2' are further laid at predetermined positions along the marker line 1.

The marker line 1 may be composed of a single row or a plurality of rows as shown. In this second embodiment, in the zones A and A' for moving the carrier 2' along the predetermined route of the marker line 1, a single row of the marker line 1 is provided, while in the zone B for moving the carrier 2' in an S shape or zigzag shape, a plurality of rows of the marker lines are provided. However, as will be described, since the S shape or zigzag shape moving method of this second embodiment employs the moving method of the first embodiment, the single row of the marker line may be formed in the zone B.

The movement switching marks 4 and 5 are formed by burying a plurality of magnetic elements similarly to the marker line 1. In this second embodiment, sensing means of the switching marks 4 and 5 are composed through magnetism similarly to the case of the marker line 1. Thus, the magnetic elements are buried. The switching marks 4 and 5 are so laid as to be substantially perpendicular to the marker line 1, and a single row or two rows of the marks are provided corresponding to the movement to be switched.

Particularly in this second embodiment, the marks 4 for switching to the predetermined route movement are composed of two rows, and the mark 5 for switching to the S shape or zigzag shape movement is composed of a single row.

The carrier 2' is composed substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, but in the carrier 2' of this second embodiment, a switching sensor 28 for sensing the movement switching marks 4 and 5 is provided at the right side of the centre of the head of the carrier 2'. In this second embodiment as described above, the movement switching marks 4 and 5 are constructed to magnetically sense, and the switching sensor 28 is hence formed of a magnetic sensor.

A steering controller of this second embodiment is different from the first embodiment to control not only the carrier in the S shape and zigzag shape but also in a predetermined route movement and movement switching.

Since the S-shaped or zigzag shaped movement of the carrier 2' of this second embodiment of the present invention is based on the method of the first embodiment, the movement control of the carrier 2' is similarly to the case of the first embodiment of the present invention. In this second embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, three marker lines 1 are laid to construct two moving roads. After the carrier 2' enters the left or right moving zones C or D while moving at the predetermined route, the carrier 2' is moved in the S shape or zigzag shape in the moving zones C or D.

The control of the carrier 2' for the predetermined route movement is conducted by detecting the magnetic force of the marker line 1 by the magnetic sensors 21 and 22 of the carrier 2'. More specifically, the magnetic sensors 21 and 22 disposed at the left and right sides of the head of the carrier 2' detect the intensity of the magnetic force to guide the carrier 2' to the position where the magnetic forces detected by the left and right magnetic sensors 21 and 22 become equivalent. Accordingly, when the carrier 2' is moved at this position, the carrier 2' can be moved at the predetermined route along the marker line 1.

The movement switching control of the carrier 2' by the steering controller is adapted to switch the carrier 2' between the S-shaped or zigzag shaped movement and the predetermined route movement. More specifically, when the switching sensor 28 of the carrier 2' magnetically senses only once the switching mark, it controls to move the carrier 2' in the S shape or zigzag shape along the marker line 1, while when the sensor 28 magnetically senses the switching marks continuously twice, it controls to move the carrier 2' in the predetermined route along the marker line 1. Accordingly, when the sensor 28 senses the single row or two rows of the switching mark, the carrier 2' is automatically switched between the Sshaped or zigzag shaped movement and the predetermined route movement.

In the controller of this second embodiment, an oblique measuring sensor and a microcomputer containing a random number table in which the steering angle to be converted of the carrier is set in an arbitrary range are incorporated similarly to the first embodiment.

The operation of the second embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described. The carrier 2' is started to be moved, similarly to the first embodiment, by the operation of a remote control oscillator. When the switching magnetic sensor 28 of the carrier 2' senses initial two rows of switching marks 4, the carrier 2' is moved along the marker line 1 by the operation of the controller. Then, when the switching sensor 28 senses the single row of the switching mark 5, the carrier 2' is moved in the S shape or zigzag shape this time in the moving zones C or D.In this second embodiment in this case, since the microcomputer containing the random number table in which the numeric values of the steering angles are set in an arbitrary range is employed, the steering angle of the carrier 2' is freely varied on the basis of the random number table, and moved in the S shape or zigzag shape at random.

As described above, the carrier 2' is moved while it is automatically switched between the Sshaped or zigzag shaped movement and the predetermined route movement each time the switching sensor 28 senses the switching marks 4 and 5.

The movement switching means of the second embodiment is constructed to be operated through magnetism as described above. However, the invention is not always limited to the particular embodiment.

According to the first embodiment described above, the carrier does not move along the same route always. Accordingly, even if the carrier is frequently moved in the golf course, its ground and lawn are scarcely damaged, and since a building on the ground is not required, it does not disturb playing nor obviate a sight.

Further, the formation of the marker line may be sufficient by laying it under the ground and may be inexpensively provided.

According to the second embodiment in addition of the effects of the first embodiment, the switching of the carrier movements can be automatically performed to move the carrier in the S shape or zigzag shape on the fairway due to the necessity of preventing the ground, the lawn from damaging and to move the carrier at the predetermined route on the connection road to next hole at a place required to move the carrier as fast as possible, thereby automatically moving the carrier in response to the objects in the courses.

Furthermore, since the movement switching means is sufficient by laying the switching mark, the construction cost in case of using the technique of the present invention may be low, and since the carrier can be automatically switched to either movement, labour cost can be usefully saved to provide large economic advantage for the entire golf course.

Claims (6)

1 A method of moving and guiding a carrier comprising the step of magnetically sensing one or more marker lines so as to move the carrier in an Sshaped or zigzag path in its moving direction, said one or more marker lines comprising one or more buried magnetic elements.

2 A method of moving and guiding a carrier comprising the steps of magnetically sensing with sensing means a marker line to guide the carrier, said marker line comprising a buried magnetic element, providing a movement switching mark at a position along the marker line, sensing the movement switching mark by a second sensing means so as to switch the movement of the carrier between an S-shaped or zigzag path along the marker line and a predetermined path along the marker line.

3 A carrier having a body, wheels, sensing means for magnetically sensing a marker line formed by burying a magnetic element and steering means operable to move the carrier in an S-shaped or zigzag path controlled by said sensing means.

4 A carrier as claimed in Claim 3 wherein a second sensing means is provided to sense a movement switching mark and to switch the carrier movement between said S-shaped or zigzag path along the marker line and a predetermined path along the marker line.

5 A carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6 A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.