A vehicle may include a frame structure, a body mounted to the frame structure, and a vehicle navigation system. The vehicle navigation system may include a navigation sensor mounted to the frame structure, and a processor in communication with the navigation sensor. The navigation sensor may be configured to detect reference elements disposed in or on a road on which the vehicle travels. The processor may be configured to receive, from the navigation sensor, signals indicative of a sequence or pattern of detected reference elements. The processor may also be configured to determine, using the received signals, at least one of a position, velocity, or orientation of the vehicle on the road.

A dock area control system includes a vehicle proximity detection system (PDSC). The PDSC includes a vehicle low frequency magnetic field generator (MFG) that generates a vehicle pulsed magnetic field that is sensed by a dock area controller electronics module (DEM).

A mobile robot system for automated operation of a data center or telecommunications office, includes a moveable robotic platform with a multiplicity of tools integrated therein, to operate on a network element within a bay, with integrated RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags and visual alignment markers attached to fiber optic connectors and ports of the network elements. The mobile robot system positions a robot probe arm with an RFID probe for proximity detection to identify a cable and associated fiber optic connector based on a unique RF identifier of a tag on the fiber optic connector. The robot probe arm has a connector gripper to engage and unplug the associated fiber optic connector.

An industrial vehicle passing maneuver is authorized by an automated process. The process comprises receiving, by a processor, a first message, a second message and a third message. The first message indicates a position of a first industrial vehicle in a work environment. The second message indicates a position of an electronic badge that is detected by the first industrial vehicle. The third message indicates a position of a second industrial vehicle within the work environment. The processor determines that the second industrial vehicle intends to pass the first industrial vehicle, and determines an instruction comprising a select one of an instruction related to a passing maneuver or an instruction not to pass based upon the position of the first industrial vehicle, the position of the electronic badge, and the position of the second industrial vehicle. The instruction is communicated to the second industrial vehicle.

A vehicle may include a frame structure, a body mounted to the frame structure, and a vehicle navigation system. The vehicle navigation system may include a navigation sensor mounted to the frame structure, and a processor in communication with the navigation sensor. The navigation sensor may be configured to detect reference elements disposed in or on a road on which the vehicle travels. The processor may be configured to receive, from the navigation sensor, signals indicative of a sequence or pattern of detected reference elements. The processor may also be configured to determine, using the received signals, at least one of a position, velocity, or orientation of the vehicle on the road.

A vehicular system where a vehicle moves in a traveling area in which magnetic markers are arranged so that magnetic polarities form a predetermined pattern and a wireless tag is annexed correspondingly to some of the magnetic markers, the wireless tag outputting, by wireless communication, tag information allowing a position of the magnetic marker to be identified, includes a first position identifying part which identifies a vehicle position where the vehicle is located based on the position of the magnetic marker identified by using the tag information and a second position identifying part which identifies, on a route after the vehicle passes over the magnetic marker serving as a reference when the first position identifying part identifies the vehicle position, a magnetic marker newly detected by the vehicle based on detection history of magnetic markers and identifies the vehicle position based on the position of the identified magnetic marker.

A method for recognizing a location of a robotic device includes collecting first environmental data corresponding to a first current location of the robotic device, generating a first location signature based on the first environmental data, driving the robotic device to enter a standby mode at a first time, driving the robotic device to wake up from the standby mode after a predetermined time elapses at a second time after the driving the robotic device to enter the standby mode, collecting second environmental data corresponding to a second current location of the robotic device, generating the second location signature generated based on the second environmental data, comparing the first and second location signatures, and determining whether a location of the robotic device has been changed between the first and second times based on a comparison result between the first and second location signatures.

A method for recording and predicting position data for a self-propelled wheeled vehicle (1) carrying a load (14) is provided whereby the vehicle (1) is caused to move along a ground surface (5) along a predominantly straight line trajectory (17) by rotating at least one load carrying wheel (3) in frictional engagement with the surface (5), angular rotation data of at least one wheel (3) is obtained, absolute position data are obtained at different predetermined fixed positions P.sub.n of the vehicle (1) with respect to the surface (5) along the straight line trajectory (17), whereby the distance travels is measured independently and used to calibrate motion sensors on board the vehicle. The invention also comprises a delivery or pick up system, a program for an on-board computing device and an on-board computing device.

A managing method of a mining machine includes: detecting a position of a landmark; and extending a first distance when a position of the landmark obtained in advance is present within a range of a second distance in a travel direction of the mining machine from a position, as a reference, where the mining machine reaches when the mining machine travels the first distance after the mining machine starts traveling by the dead reckoning navigation, when the mining machine travels in an unmanned state in a mine in which a plurality of the landmarks is located, the mining machine travels based on a detected self position and uses the dead reckoning navigation while correcting a current position of the mining machine based on a position of the landmark obtained in advance and a detected position of the landmark when the self position cannot be detected.

An apparatus includes a pavement marker configured to be mounted to a road at a lane line of a lane at known orientation with respect to the lane line; and an RF device carried by the raised pavement marker. The RF device is configured to transmit a directional RF navigation signal and it is positioned relative to the known orientation to transmit the signal across the lane in a direction that is substantially normal to the lane line.