U.S. patent application number 16/672012 was filed with the patent office on 2021-05-06 for object detection & alert for autonomous ride-sharing vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is Honda Motor Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Zainab I. Ali, Alex W. Baker, Michael A. Baumbarger, Jacob J. Olchovy.
Application Number | 20210134140 16/672012 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004482614 |
Filed Date | 2021-05-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210134140 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baker; Alex W. ; et
al. |
May 6, 2021 |
OBJECT DETECTION & ALERT FOR AUTONOMOUS RIDE-SHARING
VEHICLE
Abstract
A system for providing an alert to an owner of an object that
the object is on a surface. The alert reminds the owner that the
object is on the surface and to retrieve the object, thus
inhibiting abandonment of the object by the owner. The system
includes a material layer including a conductive thread thereon.
The material layer can define the surface and be arranged in a
vehicle. An electrical current flowing through the conductive
thread produces an electrical phenomenon. The object produces a
change in the electrical phenomenon detected by the sensor. If the
object is detected on the surface and the owner of the object is
leaving the object on the surface, the system provides the alert to
the owner that the object is on the surface so the object can be
retrieved by the owner.
Inventors: |
Baker; Alex W.; (Ostrander,
OH) ; Olchovy; Jacob J.; (Marysville, OH) ;
Baumbarger; Michael A.; (Marysville, OH) ; Ali;
Zainab I.; (Marysville, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004482614 |
Appl. No.: |
16/672012 |
Filed: |
November 1, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05D 1/021 20130101;
B60Q 3/54 20170201; B60N 2/70 20130101; B60R 13/0268 20130101; B60Q
9/00 20130101; B60R 16/03 20130101; G08B 21/24 20130101; G08B 25/10
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G08B 21/24 20060101
G08B021/24; G08B 25/10 20060101 G08B025/10; B60Q 9/00 20060101
B60Q009/00 |
Claims
1. A system for detecting and providing an alert to a user that an
object of personal property of the user is on a surface, the system
including: a conductive thread; a power source electrically
connected to the conductive thread and providing electric current
flowing through the conductive thread; a sensor detecting
electrical phenomena resulting from the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread; and an indicator in communication
with the sensor; wherein the conductive thread is arranged relative
to the surface such that when the object is on the surface, the
object produces a change in the electrical phenomena; and wherein
the indicator generates an alert indicating that the change in the
electrical phenomena is occurring, thus indicating to the user that
the object is on the surface.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the indicator includes
a electroluminescent light source arranged under the surface; the
electroluminescent light source is selectively operable to emit
light; and the alert includes light emitted from the
electroluminescent light source.
3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the electroluminescent
light source includes electroluminescent yarn.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the indicator includes
a transmitter; the transmitter is selectively operable to send a
wireless signal to a receiver associated with the user; and the
alert includes the wireless signal.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the surface is in a
vehicle; the user is an occupant of the vehicle; the alert is
generated only when the occupant is leaving the vehicle and the
object is left on the surface; the alert includes light emitted by
electroluminescent yarn arrange under the surface, a wireless
signal generated by a transmitter and sent to a receiver associated
with the occupant, or combinations thereof.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein: the alert includes the
emitted light and the wireless signal; the light is emitted when
the vehicle reaches a predetermined location where the occupant is
to leave the vehicle; the wireless signal is generated if the
occupant leaves the vehicle without taking the object off of the
surface; and the receiver includes a portable electronic device of
the occupant.
7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the conductive thread
is arranged in a material layer covering a component of the
vehicle.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the component includes
a seat, a floor, a roof, a trunk, or combinations thereof.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the electrical
phenomena includes a voltage of the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread; the conductive thread includes a
piezoresistive material that experiences an increase in resistance
when mechanically stressed by the object; and the change in the
electrical phenomena includes a decrease in the voltage resulting
from the increase in resistance.
10. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the electrical
phenomena includes an electromagnetic field produced by the
electric current flowing through the conductive thread, an
inductance of the conductive thread, a capacitance of the
conductive thread, or combinations thereof; the object produces a
change in the electromagnetic field, a change in the inductance, a
change in the capacitance, or combinations thereof; and the change
in the electrical phenomena includes the change in the
electromagnetic field, the change in the inductance, the change in
the capacitance, or combinations thereof.
11. An autonomous ride-sharing vehicle including: a surface upon
which an object of personal property can be arranged; a conductive
thread; a power source electrically connected to the conductive
thread and providing electric current flowing through the
conductive thread; a sensor detecting electrical phenomena
resulting from the electric current flowing through the conductive
thread; and an indicator in communication with the sensor; wherein
the conductive thread is arranged relative to the surface such that
when the object is on the surface, the object produces a change in
the electrical phenomena; and wherein the indicator generates an
alert indicating to an occupant, who is an owner of the object,
that the object is on the surface if both of the following a) and
b) are satisfied: a) the change in the electrical phenomena is
occurring, and b) the occupant is leaving the vehicle.
12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the conductive
thread is arranged in a material layer covering a component of the
vehicle; and the component includes a seat, a floor, a roof, a
trunk, or combinations thereof.
13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the conductive
thread is arranged under the surface.
14. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein: the indicator
includes a electroluminescent light source arranged under the
surface; the electroluminescent light source is selectively
operable to emit light; and the alert includes light emitted from
the electroluminescent light source.
15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the
electroluminescent light source includes electroluminescent yarn
interwoven with the conductive thread.
16. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein: the indicator
includes a transmitter; the transmitter is selectively operable to
send a wireless signal to a receiver associated with the occupant;
and the alert includes the wireless signal.
17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the signal indicates
to the owner that the object has been left on the surface.
18. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein: the electrical
phenomena includes a voltage of the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread; the conductive thread includes a
piezoresistive material that experiences an increase in resistance
when mechanically stressed by a weight of the object on the
surface; and the change in the electrical phenomena includes a
decrease in the voltage resulting from the increase in
resistance.
19. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein: the electrical
phenomena includes an electromagnetic field produced by the
electric current flowing through the conductive thread, an
inductance of the conductive thread, a capacitance of the
conductive thread, or combinations thereof; the object produces a
change in the electromagnetic field, a change in the inductance, a
change in the capacitance, or combinations thereof; and the change
in the electrical phenomena includes the change in the
electromagnetic field, the change in the inductance, the change in
the capacitance, or combinations thereof.
20. The vehicle according to claim 11, further including an
electronic control unit in communication with the sensor, the power
source, and the indicator, wherein the electronic control unit
controls the indicator to produce the alert according to the change
in the electrical phenomena.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Users of ride-sharing vehicles often take along with them
various objects of personal property, e.g. bags, phones, etc.,
which may be unwittingly left behind in the vehicle after the user
and the vehicle part from one another. Once the user and the
vehicle part ways, these objects that were left in the vehicle can
be difficult or impossible to retrieve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0002] According to one aspect, a system for detecting and
providing an alert that an object is on a surface includes a
conductive thread; a power source electrically connected to the
conductive thread and providing electric current flowing through
the conductive thread; a sensor detecting electrical phenomena
resulting from the electric current flowing through the conductive
thread; and an indicator in communication with the sensor. The
conductive thread is arranged relative to the surface such that
when the object is on the surface, the object produces a change in
the electrical phenomena. The indicator generates an alert that the
change in the electrical phenomena is occurring, thus indicating
that the object is on the surface.
[0003] According to another aspect, an autonomous ride-sharing
vehicle includes a surface upon which an object can be arranged; a
conductive thread; a power source electrically connected to the
conductive thread and providing electric current flowing through
the conductive thread; a sensor detecting electrical phenomena
resulting from the electric current flowing through the conductive
thread; and an indicator in communication with the sensor. The
conductive thread is arranged relative to the surface such that
when the object is on the surface, the object produces a change in
the electrical phenomena. The indicator generates an alert if both
of a) and b) are satisfied: a) the change in the electrical
phenomena is occurring, and b) an occupant, who is the owner of the
object, is leaving the vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a material layer including a
conductive thread according to the present subject matter.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle
including a detection and alert system according to the present
subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0006] Ride-sharing vehicles are those which are typically owned by
one person, yet used by other persons. These ride-sharing vehicles
may include taxis, trains, buses, and autonomous ride-sharing
vehicles, for example. Various objects of personal property of the
users (referred to herein as "occupant" of the vehicle or "owner"
or the object) may be brought along during transport in the
vehicle, yet the object may be inadvertently left behind in the
vehicle by the occupant when the occupant leaves the vehicle. This
object may be of great importance to the occupant, and forgetting
it in the vehicle may cause inconvenience and annoyance in efforts
to retrieve the object from the vehicle.
[0007] The present subject matter provides a detection and alert
system that detects an object on a surface, and provides an alert
to an owner that the object is on the surface. The alert inhibits
the object from being abandoned by the owner on the surface. The
system includes a conductive thread incorporated into a surface
where objects can be placed and possibly forgotten, e.g. in a
vehicle. The conductive thread provides functionality to the
surface to allow the object to be detected, and the system
optionally provides an alert that the object is on the surface, so
that the owner of the object is reminded that the object is on the
surface and does not inadvertently abandon the object on the
surface and instead retrieves the object from the surface.
[0008] With reference to the drawings, the present subject matter
provides a system 2 for detecting an object 4 on a surface 6, and
providing an indication (i.e. alert) 38 that the object 4 has been
abandoned on the surface 6. Such alert 38 may remind the owner that
the object 4 is on the surface 6, and thus prevent the owner from
leaving the object 4 behind on the surface 6.
[0009] The system 2 may be employed in a vehicle 8 (e.g. a
ride-sharing vehicle, boats, planes, etc.), or at other locations
such as in building (e.g. houses, offices, restaurants, movie
theaters, etc.), outdoor areas (e.g. park benches) or elsewhere.
The system 2 may inhibit the owner of the object 4 from leaving the
object 4 at these locations.
[0010] The surface 6 on which the object 4 is placed by the owner
is not particularly limited, and may include any surface 6 where an
object 4 can be placed, including a seat 10, a trunk 12, a floor
14, other surfaces, and combinations thereof of a ride-sharing
vehicle. The object 4 may include any item, including items brought
into the vehicle 8 by a occupant of the vehicle 8.
[0011] The system 2 may include a conductive thread 16, a power
source 18, a sensor 20, an indicator 22, and an electronic control
unit (ECU) 24.
[0012] The conductive thread 16 may be incorporated into a material
layer 28 for including in the vehicle 8 or for including at other
locations. The material layer 28 may be a flexible sheet-like
structure capable of covering various components in the vehicle 8
or elsewhere.
[0013] The conductive thread 16 is an elongated conductive material
arranged on the material layer 28. The conductive thread 16 is not
particularly limited, and may include any one or more known
conductive threads, including but not limited to a printed and
cured conductive ink, a conductive polymer impregnated in or coated
on a thread, a thin flexible conductive metal wire or braided
cable, etc., or combinations thereof.
[0014] The conductive thread 16 may be arranged in or on the
material layer 28, for example by printing, adhesive application,
or other techniques, and/or may be arranged within or inside the
material layer 28 (e.g. under an outer surface), for example by
weaving, sewing, knitting, injection, mechanical mixing or other
techniques.
[0015] The material layer 28 may include one or more conductive
threads 16, and the conductive thread 16 may be arranged in a
regular pattern or randomly on the material layer 28. The
conductive thread 16 may be arranged in a grid-like pattern, or may
be arranged in other regular patterns.
[0016] In a non-limiting embodiment as depicted in FIG. 1, the
material layer 28 is a sheet-like structure including a single
continuous conductive thread 16 arranged thereon in a regular
pattern. As depicted, the conductive thread 16 is arranged in a
regular pattern including one or more coils 30. Each coil 30 may
include one or more turns of the conductive thread 16. By including
the coils 30, electric current flowing through the coils 30 may
produce a magnetic field by induction. In this embodiment, the
conductive thread 16 may be flexible, so that after the material
layer 28 is applied over a vehicle component, the conductive thread
16 maintains its electrical continuity from one end 32 to the other
end 34 so that the electric current from the power source 18 can
flow through the conductive thread 16 from the one end 32 to the
other end 34.
[0017] The material layer 28 including the conductive thread 16 may
be flexible, and thus may be arranged to cover various objects
including vehicle components such as the seat 10, floor 14, trunk,
12, or roof 26 of the vehicle 8. The material layer 28 may include
a woven or non-woven textile, synthetic or natural leather,
polymers, etc., or combinations thereof.
[0018] The system 2 may include an electrical connection 36
provided between the power source 18 and the conductive thread 16
for transferring electric current from the power source 18 to the
conductive thread 16. The power source 18 is thereby in electrical
communication with the conductive thread 16 through the electrical
connection 36, and thus electric current from the power source 18
can be supplied to, and thus flow through, the conductive thread 16
via this electrical connection 36.
[0019] The power source 18 provides electric current to the
conductive thread 16. The power source 18 may be a battery or
alternator of the vehicle 8, or may be a battery included in the
vehicle 8 so as to provide electric current exclusively to the
conductive thread 16.
[0020] The material layer may define the surface 6 upon which the
object 4 is placed. In a non-limiting example, an occupant of the
vehicle 8 may place the object 4 (e.g. a purse or computer, etc.)
on the seat 10 or floor 14 adjacent the seat 10. That surface 6 of
the floor 14 or seat 10 upon which the object 4 is placed, can be
defined by the material layer including the conductive thread 16.
The object 4 may be detected on the surface by the sensor 20.
[0021] The material layer may not define the surface 6, and instead
may be arranged at a different location within the vehicle 8. In a
non-limiting example, the material layer may be arranged on the
roof 26 of the vehicle 8, and the object 4 may change the
electrical phenomena generated by the conductive thread 16 on the
roof 26, which is detected by the sensor 20.
[0022] More than one conductive thread 16 may be arranged in
different locations within the vehicle 8 as depicted in FIG. 2.
These multiple conductive threads 16 may have electrical current
passing through them simultaneously, and thus the sensor may detect
the change the electrical phenomena in each conductive thread as
effected by the object 4.
[0023] The electrical current flowing through the conductive thread
16 produces electrical phenomena that can be detected by the sensor
20. The conductive thread 16 may be arranged relative to the
surface 6 such that the electrical phenomena changes as a result of
the object 4 being on the surface 6. The sensor 20 is included to
monitor the electrical phenomena resulting from the electric
current flowing through the conductive thread 16, and the change in
the electrical phenomena resulting from the object 4 being on the
surface 6. These electrical phenomena may be altered (e.g. in
magnitude) by the presence of the object 4 on the surface 6 as
explained in more detail herein.
[0024] The amount of electric current provided by the power source
18 may be constant, so that the change in the electrical phenomena
is a result of the object 4 being in proximity to the conductive
thread 16, and not a result in the change in the amount of the
electrical current flowing through the conductive thread 16. Thus
the detected change in the electrical phenomena may indicate that
the object 4 is on the surface 6 and might be left behind in the
vehicle 8 by the owner. The change in the electrical phenomena is
not particularly limited, as long as it can be detected by the
sensor 20, and may include for example, an increase or decrease in
a magnitude of the electrical phenomena, a change in the type of
electrical phenomena induced by the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread 16, or other changes that can be
detected by the sensor 20.
[0025] The electronic control unit (ECU) 24 of the vehicle 8 may be
in communication with the sensor 20, the indicator 22, and the
power source 18, and may operate to determine if the measured
electrical phenomena has changed from a predetermined measurement
value. The predetermined measurement value may be the measurement
of the electrical phenomena when the surface 6 does not have an
object 4 thereon. By placing the object 4 on the surface 6, the
measured electrical phenomena may change from this predetermined
measurement value. The ECU 24 may be configured to control the
indicator 22 to generate the alert 38 only if the measured
electrical phenomena changes by a predetermined amount or more from
the predetermined measurement value. The predetermined amount may
be determined based on how much the electrical phenomena would
change if an object of a certain size, certain weight, certain
material composition, or other characteristic were on the surface
6.
[0026] The sensor 20 may be external to the material layer 28 as
shown in FIG. 2, or may be integral with the material layer 28,
e.g. under the surface 6. Other arrangements of the sensor 20 with
respect to the material layer 28 and conductive thread 16 can be
used, including mounting one or more sensors 20 on the seat 10, on
the floor 14, in the trunk 12 or on the roof 26, so long as the
sensor 20 is able to detect the various electrical phenomena
resulting from the electric current flowing through the conductive
thread 16, and detect the change in the electrical phenomena
resulting from the object 4 being arranged on the surface 6.
[0027] The sensor 20 may be configured to detect a) a voltage of
the electric current flowing through the conductive thread 16, b)
an electromagnetic field produced by the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread 16, c) an inductance of the
conductive thread 16 produced by the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread 16, d) a capacitance of the
conductive thread 16 produced by the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread 16; or e) combinations of a)-d) along
with other electrical phenomena resulting from the electric current
flowing through the conductive thread 16. The sensor 20 may detect
a)-e) wirelessly or through an electrical connection with the
conductive thread 16, optionally via the electrical connection
36.
[0028] In a non-limiting embodiment, the sensor 20 detects the
voltage of the electric current flowing through the conductive
thread 16. The voltage may be affected by the object 4 being on the
surface 6. The conductive thread 16 may be arranged under the
surface 6 and include a piezoresistive material, which may
experience an increase in resistance when mechanically stressed.
The object 4 may mechanically stress the piezoresistive material
simply by the weight of the object 4 pressing down by the force of
gravity against the conductive thread 16 under the surface 6. Such
mechanical stress may cause the piezoresistive material to
experience an increase in resistance, which may reduce the voltage
of the electric current flowing through the conductive thread 16.
The sensor 20 may detect the original voltage (i.e. without the
object 4 being on the surface 6) and the change in the voltage due
to the object 4 being on the surface 6.
[0029] In another non-limiting embodiment, the sensor 20 detects an
electromagnetic field produced by the electric current flowing
through the conductive thread 16. For this purpose, the sensor 20
may include a detector coil and the conductive thread 16 may
include coils 30 thereby forming a transmitter coil. Electric
current flowing through the coils 30 of the conductive thread may
induce an electromagnetic field, which may produce a corresponding
electric current flowing through the detector coil of the sensor 20
by induction. The object 4 on the surface 6 may be in the
electromagnetic field, and thus may affect the electromagnetic
field by damping it or amplifying it. By measuring the amount of
induced electric current flowing through the detector coil of the
sensor 20, the sensor 20 is able to detect the object 4 on the
surface 6.
[0030] In another non-limiting embodiment, the sensor 20 detects an
inductance of the conductive thread 16 produced by the electric
current flowing through the conductive thread 16. In this
embodiment, the conductive thread 16 may include coils 30. When
electric current is passed through the coils 30, this produces
oscillation, which is a high frequency alternating electric current
in the coils 30 that has a continuously changing electromagnetic
field able to induce eddy currents in the object 4. The larger the
object 4 is, the closer the object 4 is to the coils 30, and the
greater its conductivity, the greater the induced eddy currents are
in the object 4, and the more effect the object's 4 resulting
opposing electromagnetic field has on the magnitude and frequency
of the oscillation in the coils 30. The magnitude of the
oscillations is reduced as the load is increased in a non-magnetic
object 4, a leather purse, because the induced field in the object
4 opposes the source induction field from the coils 30, lowering
net inductive impedance and therefore simultaneously tuning the
oscillation frequency of the coils 30 to be higher. But that
magnitude of the oscillation is less affected if the object 4 is
highly magnetically permeable material, like iron, as that high
permeability increases the coil inductance, lowering the frequency
of oscillation. The sensor 20 may measure the change in magnitude
of the oscillation with an amplitude modulation detector. The
sensor 20 may detect a change in the frequency of the oscillation,
which can be accomplished with a frequency discriminator circuits,
like a phase lock loop detector, to see in what direction and how
much the frequency shifts. As such, the type (conductive or
non-conductive) and size of the object 4, and the proximity of the
object 4 to the coils 30 can be determined.
[0031] In another non-limiting embodiment, the sensor 20 detects
the capacitance of the conductive thread 16 produced by the
electric current flowing through the conductive thread 16. The
capacitance may be affected by the object 4 being on the surface 6.
This may occur where the object 4 increases the parasitic
capacitance of the conductive thread 16 to ground, thereby reducing
its capacitance and thus indicating a the presence of the object 4
on the surface 6.
[0032] The ECU 24 may communicate with the sensor 20, the indicator
22, and the power source 18 to provide control instructions for
operating the indicator 22. The ECU 24 may operate to determine the
presence of the object 4 on the surface 6 based on the electrical
phenomena resulting from the electric current flowing through the
conductive thread 16 as measured by the sensor 20. The ECU 24 may
compare these detected electrical phenomena against a predetermined
value. If the difference exceed a predetermined amount, then the
ECU 24 may control the indicator 22 to provide the alert 38 that
the object 4 is on the surface 6 so as to remind the owner to take
the object 4 off of the surface 6, i.e. take the object 4 with the
owner.
[0033] This alert 38 may be provided when the owner of the object 4
might inadvertently abandon the object 4 on the surface 6, e.g.
when the occupant is leaving the vehicle 8 or just before or after
the occupant is leaving the vehicle 8. The system 2 may determine
in various ways if the owner of the object 4 is leaving the vehicle
8 or could possibly leave the object 4 on the surface 6, including
by the sensor 20, or other device, detecting the presence or
absence of the owner in the vehicle 8 (which can be done in the
same manner an detecting the object 4 as discussed herein), by the
vehicle 8 being within a certain distance of a predetermined
destination/location where the occupant is going to exit and leave
the vehicle 8, etc. If the occupant has not yet left the vehicle 8,
the alert 38 may be provided to the occupant as a reminder to take
the object 4 with them. If the occupant has already left the
vehicle 8, then the alert may be provided to the occupant as an
instruction to return to the vehicle 8 to retrieve the object 4
from the surface 6.
[0034] The indicator 22 may include a light source 22a that emits
light (not shown) as a visual alert 38 to an occupant of the
vehicle 8. The light source 22a may include electroluminescent
light source, such as electroluminescent yarn or other light
emitting feature arrange under the surface 6 to thereby provide
emitted light that is emits upward from under the object 4 to
illuminate around the surface 6 where the object 4 is in contact
with the surface 6, or may be arranged so as to shine light on the
object 4 from above. The light may be flashing or constant. The
indicator 22 may include a wireless transmitter 22b that emits a
wireless signal 38b as a wireless alert 38 to a receiver 40 that is
remote and external to the system 2 and/or to the vehicle 8. The
receiver 40 may include one or more electronic devices of the
occupant, e.g. a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone.
The indicator 22 may include a speaker 22c that emits sounds 38c as
an audible alert 38 so that the occupant can hear the sounds 38c
and be reminded to take the object 4 with them from the surface 6.
The indicator 22 may include these components, other components, or
combinations thereof to provide one or more alerts 38 that the
object 4 is on the surface 6. For example, the system 2 may provide
an audible or visual alert 38 while the occupant is still in the
vehicle 8 to remind the occupant to take the object with them; and
then provide a wireless alert 38 if the occupant exits the vehicle
8 without taking the object 4 from the vehicle 8.
[0035] Rather than only including an alert 38 that the object 4 is
on the surface 6, the alert 38 may also include additional
information including the location of the object 4 within the
vehicle 8, such as in the trunk 12 or in a front or back row of
seats, and this additional information may be sent in the alert 38
continuously or periodically before, during, or after the occupant
is leaving the vehicle 8.
[0036] It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed
and other features and functions, or alternatives or varieties
thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different
systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or
unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or
improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in
the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following
claims.
* * * * *