External interaction with a mover in an independent cart system is allowed at known locations along the track. The mover is initially propelled along the track in a first operating state. When the mover arrives at a station, the controller generates a signal to alert the external actuator of the presence of a mover at the station. After waiting at the station for a first predefined time interval, the controller switches to a second operating state, in which the coils are de-energized or the controller is reconfigured to operate in a less responsive manner than in the first operating state. The controller remains in the second operating state for a second predefined interval, during which the external actuator interacts with the mover or a load on the mover. After the second predefined interval, the controller enters a third operating state, and the controller propels the mover away from the station.

In one embodiment, a propulsion system includes roaming vehicles including a reaction plate installed on a bottom of each of the roaming vehicles, a surface stator matrix installed with a running surface for the roaming vehicles and including single sided linear induction motors (SSLIMs). Each of the SSLIMs include two windings installed orthogonally to one another. The propulsion system also includes motor drives configured to electrically couple to the SSLIMs via a switching panel, and a control system configured to receive information related to the roaming vehicles, receive a desired motion profile for the roaming vehicles across the surface stator matrix, determine which of the SSLIMs to activate and a performance of the SSLIMs based on the desired motion profile, the information, or some combination thereof, and send control signals to the motor drives to control the SSLIMs to produce the motion profile.

Magnetic levitation can be used for transportation purposes. In various embodiments, the vehicle utilizing magnetic levitation can be enclosed within a tube or a tunnel or outside of an enclosed environment. Various cross-sections of vehicles and tubes can be utilized. In various embodiments, the vehicles can be used for personal or mass transportation use. The vehicle can travel in at least two directions with a window at each end of the vehicle.

A system and method of monitoring forces exerted at multiple locations on a mover includes multiple sensors, where each sensor is mounted at one of the locations. Each sensor detects an operating condition of the mover at the location on the mover at which it is mounted. The sensors may include accelerometers, strain gauges, or a combination thereof. Each strain gauge is mounted proximate to an area of interest on the mover. Each strain gauge generates a feedback signal corresponding to a deformation of the material measured at the location of the sensor. From the measured deformation of material, a force acting on the mover at the location of the sensor may be determined. The forces exerted at the different locations on the mover may be monitored in real time to determine bearing performance or monitored over a duration of time to observer changes in bearing performance over that duration.

A mover includes a body, an axle, a drive wheel, a motor, a speed reducer, and a shaft coupling. The wheel is arranged rotatably around the axle. The reducer is attached to the axle to reduce and transmit rotational power of the motor and includes an output shaft aligned with a center axis of the axle. The coupling transmits the rotational power of the reducer to the wheel and includes a cylindrical portion having an annular shape when viewed along the center axis and housing the reducer at least partially inside. The cylindrical portion includes an input portion and an output portion at first and second ends, respectively, along the center axis. The cylindrical portion further includes an absorber between the input and output portions to absorb deviation and an angle of deviation between respective rotational center axes of the output shaft and the drive wheel.

A cooperative control method and system for electro-hydraulic hybrid braking of a middle-low speed maglev train is provided, which relates to the field of vehicle braking control. The method includes: denoising operation data of a middle-low speed maglev train; using a controlled autoregressive integrated moving average model as an electro-hydraulic hybrid braking process model for the middle-low speed maglev train, and processing denoised operation data by using a least square method to determine parameters in the controlled autoregressive integrated moving average model; establishing a generalized predictive control model with time lag compensation according to the controlled autoregressive integrated moving average model and a Smith predictor; and performing cooperative control on an electro-hydraulic hybrid braking process of the middle-low speed maglev train by using the generalized predictive control model with time lag compensation. A time lag in the electro-hydraulic hybrid braking process of the middle-low speed maglev train is reduced; control accuracy of the electro-hydraulic hybrid braking process of the middle-low speed maglev train is improved to a certain extent; and a speed tracking effect is improved.

In one embodiment, a system includes a linear induction motor (LIM) installed in a curved portion of a track, a ride vehicle disposed upon the track, one or more reaction plates coupled to a side of the ride vehicle facing the track via a plurality of actuators, one or more sensors configured to monitor an air gap between the one or more reaction plates and the LIM, and a processor configured to determine which of the plurality of actuators to actuate and a desired performance of each of the plurality of actuators based on data received from the one or more sensors to maintain the air gap at a desired level throughout traversal of the curve by the ride vehicle.

Magnetic levitation transport using a parallel dipole line track system is provided. In one aspect, a magnetic levitation transport system includes: a dipole line track system having: i) multiple segments joined together, each of the multiple segments having at least two diametric magnets, and ii) at least one diamagnetic object levitating above the at least two diametric magnets. A method for operating a magnetic levitation transport system is also provided.

Magnetic levitation can be used for transportation purposes. In various embodiments, the vehicle utilizing magnetic levitation can be enclosed within a tube or a tunnel or outside of an enclosed environment. Various cross-sections of vehicles and tubes can be utilized. In various embodiments, the vehicles can be used for personal or mass transportation use. The vehicle can travel in at least two directions with a window at each end of the vehicle.

A method and system for characterizing performance of a mover operating in a linear drive system is disclosed, where the linear drive system includes multiple track segments and where each track segment includes a segment controller. Each segment controller is configured to obtain an in-system frequency response for a mover present along the track segment. An injection sequence is generated within the segment controller, where the injection sequence includes harmonic content across a range of frequencies to be evaluated. The injection sequence is added to a control module within the segment controller, and the segment controller samples and records motion of the mover in response to the injection sequence. A frequency response corresponding to the recorded motion of the mover resulting from the injection sequence is obtained, and may be utilized to identify a resonant operating point or an undesirable level of the harmonic content present in the sampled data.