Automatic vehicle guidance protection system

1. An automated vehicle protection system comprising:

a guideway for guiding a vehicle along a path, the guideway comprising a first section and a second section;

a vehicle to be guided along the path;

a first guideway loop antenna associated with the first section of the guideway for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the vehicle;

a second guideway loop antenna associated with the second section of the guideway for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the vehicle, wherein the first and second guideway loop antennae are configured in a series arrangement;

a transceiver coupled to the first guideway loop antenna for receiving a signal from the vehicle and selectively generating an inhibit signal in response thereto, to inhibit vehicle movement in the second section of the guideway; and

a transponder mounted on the vehicle for receiving a signal from the guideway loop antenna and transmitting a response to the guideway loop antenna.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein a sinusoidal signal generator is provided, coupled to the first guideway loop antenna, for causing the antenna to transmit a sinusoidal radio signal.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein a sinusoidal signal receiver is provided in the vehicle for receiving a sinusoidal radio frequency signal from the first guideway loop antenna and automatically transmitting a response thereto.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the inhibit signal is passed to a circuit associated with a second guideway loop antenna to control transmission of a signal from the second guideway loop antenna.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the first and second guideway loop antennae are elongate and extend along first and second adjacent sections of the guideway.

6. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a code transmitter associated with the guideway loop antenna for selectively transmitting a code to the vehicle depending on the presence or absence of an inhibit signal from an adjacent guideway section.

7. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a code receiver for receiving a code from one of the guideway loop antennas and a controller to cause the vehicle to move along its guideway dependent on a code received.

8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second guideway loop antennae are part of a first antennae series arrangement, the system further comprising a second antennae series arrangement distinct from the first antennae series arrangement, the second antennae series arrangement comprising a third guideway loop antenna and a fourth guideway loop antenna, wherein the third guideway loop antenna is for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the vehicle, and the system further comprising:

a transceiver coupled to the third guideway loop antenna for receiving a signal from the vehicle generated by the vehicle in response to a signal transmitted by the third guideway loop antenna and generating a second signal in response thereto, to inhibit vehicle movement in a section of the guideway, and wherein the second inhibit signal is passed to a second circuit associated with the fourth guideway loop antenna to control transmission of a signal from the fourth guideway loop antenna.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein in use the first antennae series arrangement is an active arrangement and the second antennae series arrangement is a standby arrangement that can be activated if a failure of the second antennae arrangement is detected.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second antennae series arrangement are operational at the same time.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein the third guideway loop antenna overlaps the first and second guideway loop antennae.