阅读说明：本技术 自主车辆运输系统和方法 (Autonomous vehicle transport system and method ) 是由 K·M·麦奎 于 2019-10-03 设计创作，主要内容包括：根据本实施例的一种游乐园系统包括多个分开的公园区域、自主车辆以及贡多拉系统,所述自主车辆配置成沿着多个分开的公园区域内的地表面行驶,所述贡多拉系统配置成在多个分开的公园区域之间运输自主车辆。游乐园系统进一步包括控制系统,控制系统配置成操作自主车辆以与贡多拉系统接合和从贡多拉系统脱离以促进通过贡多拉系统运输自主车辆。(An amusement park system according to the present embodiments includes a plurality of separate park areas, autonomous vehicles configured to travel along ground surfaces within the plurality of separate park areas, and a gondolas system configured to transport the autonomous vehicles between the plurality of separate park areas. The amusement park system further includes a control system configured to operate the autonomous vehicle to engage with and disengage from the gondola system to facilitate transport of the autonomous vehicle through the gondola system.)

1. An amusement park transport system comprising:

a plurality of separate park areas;

an autonomous vehicle configured to travel along a ground surface within the plurality of separate park areas;

a Gongdora system configured to transport the autonomous vehicle between the separate park areas; and

a control system configured to operate the autonomous vehicle to engage with and disengage from the Gongdora system to facilitate transport of the autonomous vehicle by the Gongdora system.

2. An amusement park transport system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a Gongdora accessory integrally coupled to a roof of the autonomous vehicle.

3. An amusement park transport system according to claim 2, wherein the gondola accessory integrally coupled to the roof is configured to engage with a gondola arm of the gondola system to engage with a gondola system.

4. An amusement park transport system according to claim 3, wherein the Gongdora accessory integrally coupled to the roof is configured to engage with a locking device coupled to an end of the Gongdora arm to engage with the Gongdora system.

5. An amusement park transport system according to claim 2, wherein the gondola accessory integrally coupled to the roof comprises a gondola arm configured to engage with a cable of the gondola system.

6. An amusement park transport system according to claim 1, wherein the gondola system comprises a plurality of gondola stations configured to facilitate engagement of the autonomous vehicle to and/or disengagement of the autonomous vehicle from the gondola system, and wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to travel along the ground surface separate from the plurality of gondola stations.

7. An amusement park transport system according to claim 6, wherein a gondola station of the plurality of gondola stations comprises a guide track configured to contact a side of the autonomous vehicle to guide the autonomous vehicle to an engaged position within the gondola station.

8. An amusement park transport system according to claim 6, wherein a gondola station of the plurality of gondola stations comprises a sub-surface locating system arranged below a surface of a gondola travel path and configured to contact wheels of the autonomous vehicle to guide the autonomous vehicle to an engaged position within the gondola station.

9. An amusement park transport system according to claim 1, comprising a controller of the control system, wherein the controller is configured to:

receiving a first signal indicative of a first location of the autonomous vehicle;

receiving, from a user interface of the autonomous vehicle, a second signal indicative of a second location; and

providing a third signal to a vehicle controller of the autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to travel from the first location to the second location.

10. An amusement park transport system according to claim 9, wherein the first location is arranged in a first park area and the second location is arranged in a second park area geographically separated from the first park area, and wherein, based on the third signal, the vehicle controller is configured to cause the autonomous vehicle to engage with the gondola system to travel from the first location to the second location.

11. An amusement park transport system according to claim 10, wherein the first park area is geographically separated from the second park area by public roads, bodies of water, terrain, or combinations thereof.

12. An autonomous vehicle transport system comprising:

a Gongdora system;

a vehicle configured to travel autonomously at least partially along a surface and comprising a Gongdora accessory integrally coupled to a top portion of the vehicle, wherein the Gongdora accessory is configured to support a weight of the vehicle, and wherein the Gongdora accessory comprises a locking tool configured to engage with and disengage from the Gongdora system; and

a controller configured to maneuver the vehicle into an engaged position relative to the Google pull.

13. The autonomous vehicle transport system of claim 12, wherein the gondola accessory is configured to engage with a gondola arm of the gondola system.

14. The autonomous vehicle transport system of claim 13, wherein the gondola accessory comprises a convex surface, wherein the gondola arm comprises a concave surface, and wherein the convex surface of the gondola accessory is configured to move along the concave surface of the gondola arm to facilitate engagement between the vehicle and the gondola system.

15. The autonomous vehicle transport system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle comprises wheels configured to drive the vehicle along the surface, wherein the Gongo-Rake accessory is configured to engage with the Gongo-Rake arm based on a position of the wheels.

16. The autonomous vehicle transport system of claim 15, wherein the wheel is configured to switch between a retracted position and an extended position, and wherein movement from the retracted position to the extended position is configured to engage the locking tool with the gondolas.

17. The autonomous vehicle transport system of claim 12, wherein the gondola accessory comprises a gondola arm integrally coupled to the top portion of the vehicle, and wherein the gondola arm comprises a grip configured to engage with a cable of the gondola system.

18. The autonomous vehicle transport system of claim 12, wherein the vehicle includes a seat configured to support a passenger.

19. A vehicle transportation system comprising:

a plurality of vehicles; and

a gondolas pull station comprising an arrival zone and an exit zone, wherein a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to arrive in the air at the arrival zone via a cable of the gondolas pull station, to disengage from the cable, and to travel along a first path to exit the gondolas pull station, and wherein a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to travel along a second path to enter the gondolas pull station, to engage to the cable, and to exit the exit zone via the cable.

20. The vehicle transportation system of claim 19, wherein the first vehicle is configured to reach the arrival zone while supported in the air by a gondolas pull arm, and wherein the first vehicle is configured to disengage from the cable by disengaging from the gondolas pull arm.

21. The vehicle transport system of claim 20, wherein the second vehicle is configured to engage to the cable by engaging to the gondolas pull arm, and wherein the first vehicle is configured to exit the gondolas pull station while supported in the air by the gondolas pull arm.

22. The vehicle transport system of claim 19, wherein the gondolas pull station includes a wheel configured to drive the cable through the gondolas pull station, wherein the gondolas pull station includes a first arm carrier extending from the wheel and a second arm carrier extending from the wheel and separate from the first arm carrier, wherein the first vehicle is configured to disengage from the cable, engage to the first arm carrier, and travel along the first path, and wherein the second vehicle is configured to engage to the arm carrier, travel along the second path, engage to the cable, and exit the exit area via the cable.

23. The vehicle transportation system of claim 19, wherein the first and second paths intersect one another.

Background

Amusement parks or similar entertainment facilities can move people and goods within the park environment in a variety of ways. However, transportation of vehicles within the park is relatively complex. For example, the pedestrian path is typically closed to the motor vehicle. Further, the park environment may include one or more portions (e.g., park locations, residence locations) that may be separated by roads or geographic features. Thus, travel throughout an amusement park may be difficult/inconvenient.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present technology that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

The following outlines certain embodiments, consistent in scope with the initially claimed subject matter. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but rather these embodiments are intended to provide only a brief summary of certain disclosed embodiments. Indeed, the present disclosure may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

According to an embodiment, an amusement park system includes a plurality of separate park areas, an autonomous vehicle configured to travel along a ground surface within the plurality of separate park areas, and a gondola system configured to transport the autonomous vehicle between the plurality of separate park areas. The amusement park system further includes a control system configured to operate the autonomous vehicle to engage with and disengage from the gondola system to facilitate transport of the autonomous vehicle through the gondola system.

According to another embodiment, an autonomous vehicle transport system includes a Gooduola system, a vehicle configured to autonomously travel at least partially along a surface and including a Gooduola accessory integrally coupled to a top portion of the vehicle. The Gongdora accessory is configured to support the weight of the vehicle. The Gongdora accessory includes a locking tool configured to engage with and disengage from the Gongdora system. The autonomous vehicle transport system further includes a controller configured to maneuver the vehicle into an engaged position relative to the Google.

According to a further embodiment, a vehicle transportation system includes a plurality of vehicles and a gondolas pull station having an arrival zone and an departure zone. A first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to arrive in the air at the arrival zone via a cable of the gondolas pull station, to disengage from the cable, and to travel along a first path to exit the gondolas pull station. A second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles is configured to travel along a second path to enter the gondolas pull station, engage the cable, and exit the exit area via the cable.

Drawings

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an amusement park including autonomous vehicles and a Googla-enabled transportation system, according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of components of an autonomous vehicle transport system, according to aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle transport system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; and

fig. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle transport system of fig. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. Further, to the extent that certain terms are used herein, such as parallel, perpendicular, and the like, it is understood that such terms are intended to take into account certain deviations from strict mathematical definitions, such as deviations associated with manufacturing imperfections and associated tolerances.

An autonomous vehicle transport system is provided herein that includes an autonomous vehicle and a gondola system. The autonomous vehicle is configured to transport users and cargo within the amusement park area autonomously (e.g., without continuous user input). However, in some embodiments, the amusement park area may be separated by one or more obstacles (such as geographical features and/or various infrastructure, such as public roads). In fact, it may be desirable to utilize autonomous vehicles to travel to separate amusement park areas while avoiding obstacles. Thus, the autonomous vehicle transport system may utilize a gondola system to transport autonomous vehicles to a separate amusement park area (or within an amusement park area) while avoiding obstacles.

In some embodiments, an autonomous vehicle (e.g., a "vehicle") may include a gondola accessory integrally coupled to a roof of the vehicle. The Gongdora accessory is configured to facilitate engagement between the vehicle and the Gongdora system. For example, in one embodiment, a gondola accessory integrally coupled to a vehicle may be configured to engage with a gondola arm via a locking device disposed at an end of the gondola arm. That is, the vehicle is configured to travel to a gondola pull station, engage with a gondola pull arm of the gondola pull station via a gondola pull accessory, and be transported along a gondola pull path (e.g., a cable path) via the gondola pull arm. In another embodiment, a Gooduola accessory integrally coupled to a vehicle may include a Gooduola arm. That is, the vehicle is configured to travel within the amusement park area with a gondolas coupled integrally to the top of the vehicle. The vehicle is also configured to travel to a gondola station, couple to a cable of the gondola station via a grip disposed on an end of a gondola arm, and be transported along a gondola path (e.g., a cable path) via the cable. In yet another embodiment, the gondola system may include a vehicle compartment coupled to an end of a gondola arm. In such embodiments, the vehicle is configured to travel to a gondola station, into a vehicle compartment, engage with the vehicle compartment, and be transported along a gondola route (e.g., a cable route) via the gondola compartment.

The gondola station may also include various embodiments configured to facilitate engagement and disengagement between a vehicle and a gondola system. For example, a gondola station may include an arrival zone where vehicles may arrive from a gondola route and depart from a gondola system. The gondola station may further include an exit zone wherein the vehicle may be engaged with the gondola system and exit along a gondola path via a cable. For example, when ready to engage with a gondola system, the vehicle may be guided by the loading path to the centerline of the loading path. The loading path may include a guide rail configured to contact a side of the vehicle to guide the vehicle to the centerline. The loading path further may include a sub-surface positioning system configured to guide the vehicle to the centerline.

To this end, features of the autonomous vehicle transport system as provided herein may be used in conjunction with the disclosed embodiments. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an amusement park 10 (e.g., an amusement park system), the amusement park 10 transporting goods and/or users (e.g., passengers) throughout the amusement park 10 using an autonomous vehicle transport system 12. In particular, autonomous vehicle transport system 12 may include vehicles 14 (e.g., autonomous vehicles, transport units, Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles, gondola vehicles) configured to transport guests and/or equipment/cargo throughout amusement park 10. Vehicles 14 may be autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles configured to travel to various locations throughout amusement park 10 to pick up/deliver guests and/or cargo. To travel throughout amusement park 10, vehicles 14 may utilize gondola system 16 of autonomous vehicle transport system 12. The gondola system 16 is configured to transport the vehicle 14 in an aerial manner along a gondola path 18 (e.g., a ropeway, a cable path) between gondola stations 20, and the gondola system 16 may include a pulley (bull wheel) 21 configured to actuate a cable 23 along the gondola path 18. In this manner, the gondola system 16 may transport the vehicle 14 to/from the gondola station 20 while avoiding various infrastructure (e.g., pedestrian paths, public roads, buildings, attractions) or geographic obstacles.

Generally, the vehicle 14 is configured to travel along the ground within the park boundary 22. The park boundary 22 may define one or more park areas 24, the park areas 24 including locations of interest, such as guest houses 26, attractions 28, stores 30, parking lots 32, and the like. The vehicle 14 is configured to travel automatically (e.g., autonomously via an onboard controller) within the park boundary 22 of the park area 24. For example, in some embodiments, the vehicles 14 may be configured to travel along a predetermined vehicle path 34 within the park area 24 to transport guests/goods to different portions of the park area 24. However, it may be difficult to travel between park areas 24 of amusement park 10. Indeed, in some embodiments, the park area 24 may be separated by obstacles 36, such as public roads or roads, terrain, bodies of water, and other elements that may impede surface travel. For example, as used herein, terrain may refer to land areas that are not designed for infrastructure for vehicles and/or pedestrians to travel. Accordingly, a gondola system 16 is provided herein that is configured to transport vehicles 14 between park areas 24 so as to avoid obstacles. Further, it should be appreciated that although shown and discussed with reference to amusement park 10 generally, autonomous transport system 12 may be applied in any suitable environment, such as a vacation home, city, or other environment.

The autonomous vehicle transport system 12 defined by the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16 may be communicatively coupled to a controller 40, the controller 40 may represent a single master control system or a plurality of distributed control systems. As discussed herein, the controller 40 may provide instructions to the vehicles 14 and/or the gondola system 16 to transport the vehicles 14 between the park areas 24 and/or within the park areas 24.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of certain components of the autonomous vehicle transport system 12. It should be understood that the illustrated components may have additional software or hardware elements. Additionally, the functionality of the various disclosed hardware or software elements may be duplicated and/or exchanged among the illustrated components.

The autonomous vehicle transport system 12 may be configured to be operated, at least in part, via instructions from the controller 40, and the controller 40 may include a memory 42 for storing instructions executable by a processor 44 to perform the methods and control actions described herein. Processor 44 may include one or more processing devices, and memory 42 may include one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by processor 44 or by a special purpose or programmed computer or other machine with a processor.

Additionally, the controller 40 may be configured to include communication circuitry 46 (e.g., a transceiver or other communication device) to communicate with one or more other components of the autonomous vehicle transport system 12 over wired and wireless communication paths.

As discussed, the autonomous vehicle transport system 12 may include one or more autonomous vehicles 14, the one or more autonomous vehicles 14 including a motor 48 and a power source 50 (e.g., a battery, a solar panel, a generator, a gas engine, or any combination thereof). The operation of the motor 48 may be controlled by a vehicle controller 52, the vehicle controller 52 including a memory 54 and a processor 56 and being configured to operate any onboard logic to control a vehicle path or process. For example, the vehicle 14 may respond to local environmental inputs via one or more onboard sensors 58. The vehicle controller 52 may control the motor 48 to adjust its output power to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle 14. The vehicle controller 52 may also control the brakes to slow or stop the vehicle 14. Further, the vehicle controller 52 may operate under instructions from an occupant (e.g., guest, passenger) via a user input interface or user input 60 (e.g., a system or device for receiving input) or from the controller 40 via the communication circuit 46. For example, the user may input a desired destination using user input 60. Vehicle controller 52 and/or controller 40 may communicate with a user via display 62. For example, the display 62 (which may be part of the user input 60) may display to the user future destinations, the time remaining until the destination is reached, or optional stops along the way to the destination. To illustrate, in some embodiments, a user may input a desired destination to vehicle controller 52 and/or controller 40. As the autonomous vehicle 14 travels to the destination, the vehicle 14 may utilize the gondola route 18 of the gondola system 16. While traveling along the gondola route 18, the vehicle 14 may travel through one or more gondola stations 20. Thus, at each juncture of the gondola route 18 (such as at the gondola station 20), the user may have the option of adjusting the current travel route of the vehicle 14, such as by disengaging from the gondola system 16 and traveling through the ground to a different destination, as opposed to continuing along the gondola route 18. Generally, the controller 40 may receive the first signal, receive a second signal indicative of the second location from a display 62 (e.g., a user interface) of the vehicle 14, and provide a third signal to the vehicle controller 52 of the vehicle 14 to cause the vehicle 14 to travel from the first location to the second location, the first signal indicative of the first location of the vehicle 14.

The autonomous vehicle 14 may store the images and/or navigation files of the amusement park 10 in the memory 54 so that navigation may be performed using the processor 56 of the vehicle controller 52 to execute on-board logic. The sensors 58 may include one or more cameras, laser scanners, and/or ultrasound scanners that provide input to the vehicle controller 52 to execute turning or navigation instructions to avoid obstacles. In some embodiments, the sensor 58 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) configured to detect a location of the vehicle 14. The sensor 58 may communicate the position of the vehicle 14 to the vehicle controller 52 and/or the controller 40 for navigation purposes.

The autonomous vehicle 14 may further include a gondola accessory 64 (e.g., a locking device) integrally coupled to the vehicle 14 and configured to engage or couple the autonomous vehicle 14 with the gondola system 16. That is, as discussed in further detail below, the autonomous vehicle 14 is configured to travel to a gondola station 20 of the gondola system 16, engage with the gondola system 16 via a gondola accessory 64, and be transported to the corresponding gondola station 20 via a gondola route 18. Accordingly, the gondola system 16 may include a corresponding locking device 66, the locking device 66 configured to engage with the gondola accessories 64 of the vehicle 14. In some embodiments, the gondola system 16 may further include a sensor 58, the sensor 58 configured to detect engagement of the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16. The sensor 58 may include, for example, a pressure sensor configured to detect the weight (e.g., presence) of the vehicle 14 on the Gooduola system 16. The sensor 58 may further include a proximity sensor configured to detect engagement of a gondola accessory 64 of the vehicle 14 with a locking device 66 of the gondola system 16.

For example, Googlo system 16 may communicate with controller 40 via communication circuitry 46, which communication circuitry 46 may include a bus bar (bus bar). In one embodiment, the sensor 58 may send data to the controller 40 via the communication circuit 46 indicating the engagement of the vehicle 14 with the gondola system 16. The Gongdora system 16 may further include a power source 70, the power source 70 configured to provide power to the locking device 66, the sensor 58, and the communication circuit 46. The power source 70 may include, for example, a battery, a solar panel, a generator, a gas engine, a power grid, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the power supply 70 of the Google System 16 may be configured to provide power to the power supply 50 of the vehicle 14 via charging a battery, or configured as an alternative power supply, for example.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle 14. Vehicle 14 includes wheels 80 configured to drive vehicle 14 throughout amusement park 10, a frame 82 configured to provide structural support for vehicle 14, one or more seats 84 configured to provide seating for users/guests, and a gondola accessory 64 configured to couple with gondola system 16.

Generally, to maneuver vehicle 14 through amusement park 10, wheels 80 are configured to drive vehicle 14 using power from power source 50. The wheels 80 are also configured to steer the vehicle 14 based on input from the vehicle controller 52. For example, the wheels 80 may cause the vehicle 14 to travel to the gondola stations 20 of the gondola system 16. At the gondola station 20 of the gondola system 16, the vehicle 14 is configured to couple to a gondola arm 86 of the gondola system 16 via a gondola accessory 64. The Gongdora accessory 64 is integrally coupled (e.g., bolted, welded) to a top portion 88 (e.g., roof) of the frame 82 of the vehicle 14. In practice, the vehicle 14 is configured to be vertically supported (e.g., transported) via the gondola accessory 64. In other words, the frame 82 of the vehicle 14 is configured (e.g., reinforced) to provide support in a vertical direction such that the entirety of the weight of the vehicle 14, as well as any loads (e.g., people, cargo) in the vehicle 14, may be supported by the gondola accessory 64 via the frame 82.

The gondola accessory 64 is configured to engage with a gondola locking device 66 included in a base 90 (e.g., a first end) of the gondola arm 86. As discussed herein, engagement between the vehicle 14 (e.g., via the gondola accessory 64) and the gondola system 16 (e.g., via the locking device 66) may refer to one or more components of the gondola accessory 64 (e.g., one or more locking tools 91) actuating to couple to one or more components of the gondola locking device 66, or vice versa. For example, engaging the locking device 66 (e.g., locking tool 91) of the finger clamps to the Gooduola accessory 64, or the Gooduola accessory 64 (e.g., locking tool 91) extends a protrusion (e.g., a pin) into a receptacle of the locking device 66. In some embodiments, engagement may refer to rotation of one or more components of the gondola locking device 66 and/or the gondola accessory 64 (e.g., locking tool 91) to engage the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16.

In some embodiments, the engagement between the gondola accessory 64 and the gondola locking device 66 may be caused in part by input from the wheel 80. For example, the wheel 80 may be communicatively (e.g., electrically and/or mechanically) coupled to the gondola accessory 64. To this end, if the weight (e.g., force) experienced by the wheel 80 is below a predetermined threshold, the gondola pull accessory 64 (e.g., locking tool 91) may be configured to engage with the gondola pull locking device 66. Specifically, a weight below a predetermined threshold may indicate that the vehicle 14 is being supported by the gondola system 16, as opposed to being supported by the wheels 80. In some embodiments, the sensor 58 may include a pressure sensor configured to detect weight on the wheel 80. The sensor 58 may send data indicative of the weight on the wheel 80 to the vehicle controller 52, which may cause the gondola accessory 64 to engage with the gondola locking device 66 if the weight is below a predetermined threshold. Further, in one embodiment, the wheel 80 is configured to transition between a first retracted position and a second extended position. The wheel 80 may be in a first position when the weight of the vehicle 14 is being supported via the wheel 80, and the wheel 80 may be in a second position when the weight of the vehicle 14 is being supported through a different point (such as via the gondola accessory 64). Thus, transitioning from the first retracted position to the second extended position may cause the vehicle 14 to engage the locking device 66. It should be noted that other sensors may be used to determine binding. For example, a pressure sensor located at the junction may be utilized.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the vehicle 14 engaged with the gondolas pull arm 86. As discussed above with reference to fig. 3, vehicle 14 includes wheels 80 configured to drive vehicle 14 throughout amusement park 10, a frame 82 configured to provide structural support for vehicle 14, one or more seats 84 configured to provide seating for users/guests, and integral gondola accessories 64 configured to couple with gondola system 16. Further, as shown, in some embodiments, the gondola accessory 64 (e.g., locking tool 91) may include a convex surface 92, the convex surface 92 configured to interact with a concave surface 94 of the locking device 66 of the gondola arm 86 to facilitate engagement between the vehicle 14 and the gondola arm 86. For example, the corresponding convex and concave surfaces 92, 94 of the gondola accessory 64 and the locking device 66 of the gondola arm 86 are used to guide the gondola accessory 64 into the gondola locking device 66 of the gondola arm 86, respectively. In this manner, when the gondola accessory 64 is inserted into the gondola locking device 66, the gondola accessory 64 may be centered over the gondola locking device 66, such as by sliding along the concave surface 94 of the gondola locking device 66.

Further, in some embodiments, when the gondola accessory 64 is disposed within the gondola locking device 66, the gondola accessory 64 may apply a downward force to the gondola locking device 66, as indicated by arrow 96. In some embodiments, the downward force may be caused by the gondola pull arm 86 moving upward away from the vehicle 14 (e.g., due to movement of the gondola pull arm 86 with the cable 23). When the gondola accessory 64 applies a downward force to the gondola locking device 66, a pressure mechanism 98 (e.g., pressure switch, sensor) disposed below the locking device 66 may experience the downward force and cause one or more components of the locking device 66 to actuate to secure (e.g., engage) the gondola accessory 64 in the locking device 66. For example, when the pressure mechanism 98 senses a downward force, one or more latches 100 may be actuated to retain the Gooduola accessory 64 within the locking device 66. In particular, one or more latches 100 may be actuated mechanically, such as a result of a downward force applied to pressure mechanism 98, or electrically, such as a result of a signal sent from controller 40 based on the downward force experienced by pressure mechanism 98. Further, in some embodiments, the gondola accessory 64 may be configured to passively engage with the locking device 66 of the gondola arm 86. For example, the Gooduola accessory 64 and/or the locking device 66 may include one or more jaws (pawls) 102. One or more pawls 102 each comprise a pivot rod configured to allow movement in one direction and prevent movement in another direction. For example, one or more pawls 102 can allow movement of the gondola accessory 64 inserted into the locking device 66 and prevent movement of the gondola accessory withdrawn from the locking device 66. Indeed, during decoupling or disengagement of the gondola accessory 64 and the locking device 66, the pawl 102 may be retracted, such as by the actuator 104, to allow movement of the gondola accessory 64 to be withdrawn from the locking device 66.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the autonomous vehicle 14. Similar to the embodiments discussed above, vehicle 14 includes wheels 80 configured to drive vehicle 14 throughout amusement park 10, a frame 82 configured to provide structural support for vehicle 14, one or more seats 84 configured to provide seating for users/guests, and integral gondola accessories 64 configured to couple with gondola system 16. In the current embodiment, the integral gondola pull accessory 64 is configured to be directly coupled to the cable 23 or rope of the gondola pull system 16. In particular, the gondola accessory 64 may include a gondola arm 86, the gondola accessory 64 being integrally coupled to the frame 82 of the vehicle 14. In other words, the vehicle 14 is configured to travel throughout the amusement park 10 with the gondola arm 86, the gondola arm 86 being integrally attached to a roof 88 (e.g., a roof) of the vehicle 14. As the vehicle 14 travels to the gondola station 20 of the gondola system 16, the vehicle 14 is configured to couple to the gondola system 16 via a grip 108 (e.g., a locking tool 91, a detachable grip, a coupling mechanism, a clamp, etc.) disposed at a second end 110 of the gondola arm 86, hi certain embodiments, as discussed in further detail below, the grip 108 may be actuated to couple to the cable 23 and decouple from the cable 23 through interaction with one or more structures of the gondola station 20.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle 14 coupled to a gondola system 16 via a vehicle compartment 112 extending from a gondola arm 86. Similar to the embodiments discussed above, vehicle 14 may include wheels 80 configured to drive vehicle 14 throughout amusement park 10, a frame 82 configured to provide structural support for vehicle 14, and one or more seats 84 configured to provide seating for users/guests. The vehicle compartment 112 includes one or more securing devices 114 to secure the vehicle 14 to the vehicle compartment 112. As discussed above, because the vehicle 14 is configured to be coupled to the gondola system 16 via the vehicle compartment 112, the frame 82 of the vehicle 14 in the illustrated embodiment may not necessarily provide support to the vehicle 14 in a vertical direction. Indeed, in the current embodiment, the vehicle 14 may be smaller in weight as compared to other embodiments discussed herein (which may include the integral Google accessory 64 and the frame 82 configured to support the vehicle 14 from a vertical orientation). The reduced weight of the vehicle 14 in the present embodiment may be advantageous for more efficient power/fuel consumption during use of the vehicle 14.

In some embodiments, the securing apparatus 114 may include a boot 116 configured to engage the wheel 80 of the vehicle 14. Thus, when the vehicle 14 travels into the vehicle compartment 112, the boot 116 is configured to engage with the wheel 80 to couple the vehicle 14 to the vehicle compartment 112. Further, in some embodiments, the securing device 114 may include an obstacle 118 (e.g., a door) configured to secure the vehicle 14 within the vehicle compartment 112. In some embodiments, the barrier 118 may be configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position. When the barrier 118 is in the open position, the vehicle 14 may be allowed to enter and exit the vehicle compartment 112. In some embodiments, when in the open position, the barrier 118 may act as a ramp to facilitate entry of the vehicle 14 into the vehicle compartment 112 or exit of the vehicle 14 from the vehicle compartment 112. When the obstacle 118 is in the closed position, the obstacle 118 may prevent or impede the vehicle 14 from exiting the vehicle compartment 112 if the vehicle 14 is disposed within the vehicle compartment 112. In particular, in some embodiments, when the obstacle 118 is in the closed position, the obstacle 118 may contact the vehicle 14 to maintain the vehicle 14 in a stable and stationary position within the vehicle compartment 112. In some embodiments, the stationary device 114 may operate based on one or more signals from the vehicle controller 52 and/or the controller 40. That is, the controller(s) 40, 52 may send a signal to the securing device 114 to cause the securing device 114 to actuate to lock the vehicle 14 within the vehicle compartment, as discussed above, or may actuate to release (e.g., decouple) the vehicle 14 from the vehicle compartment 112. In some embodiments, the securing device 114 may be mechanically actuated, such as by the weight of the vehicle 14 within the vehicle compartment 112. Further, it should be understood that the vehicle compartment 112 is also configured to accept objects/devices/systems other than the vehicle 14. For example, the vehicle compartment 112 is configured to house/transport an autonomous vehicle, a conventional automobile, a bicycle, and/or a person.

It should be noted that all of the various embodiments (e.g., the embodiments shown in fig. 3-6 of vehicle 14) may be combined with any of the various loading/unloading station arrangements set forth herein. Indeed, various combinations of attachment mechanisms, vehicle configurations, and loading station arrangements may be employed in any of a variety of combinations based on the presently disclosed embodiments. The illustrated embodiments are representative, and the present disclosure is not limited to only the illustrated embodiments.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the autonomous vehicle transport system 12, which includes the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16. Specifically, fig. 7 includes a view of the exit area 120 of the gondola station 20. That is, the vehicle 14 may arrive at the exit zone 120 via a loading path 122 (e.g., a loading track), be coupled to the cable 23 of the gondolas pull system 16 via the gondolas pull arm 86, and depart along the gondolas pull path 18 to the corresponding gondolas pull station 20.

In the current embodiment, as discussed above with reference to fig. 3 and 4, the gondola system 16 includes a gondola pull arm 86, wherein the gondola pull locking device 66 is coupled to a base 90 of the gondola pull arm 86. When the gondola arm 86 reaches the gondola station 20, as indicated by arrow 124, the gondola arm 86 may be coupled to the cable 23 (shown in fig. 3) via the grip 108. When the gondola arm 86 reaches the wheel 21, the grip 108 may interact with an attachment manager 126, the attachment manager 126 being coupled to an arm carrier 128 (e.g., a holding track) of the gondola system 16. In particular, the arm carrier 128 is configured to transport the gondola arms 86 and/or the vehicle compartments 112 between positions (e.g., engaged/disengaged positions) within the gondola station 20, and to store the gondola arms 86 and/or the vehicle compartments 112 subsequent to disengagement and prior to engagement with the vehicle 14. The attachment manager 126 may disengage the grip 108 from the cable 23 and position the gondolas 86 on the arm carrier 128. The arm carrier 128 may include one or more drive elements 130 (e.g., individually powered wheels), the one or more drive elements 130 configured to move each multi-arm 86 along the arm carrier 128. Specifically, the drive element 130 may move the Gongdor arm 86 to a centerline 132 of the loading path 122 to couple to the vehicle 14. For example, the locking device 66 of the gondola arm 86 may be coupled to the gondola accessory 64 of the vehicle 14 when the gondola arm 86 is positioned on the centerline 132 of the loading path 122. Indeed, when the vehicle 14 is positioned on the centerline 132, the vehicle 14 may be considered to be in an engaged position to engage with the gondola system 16. Once the gondola arm 86 is coupled to the gondola accessory 64, the drive element 130 may drive the gondola arm 86 and the vehicle 14 toward the second attachment manager 126. When the grip 108 of the Gooduola arm 86 interacts with the attachment manager 126, the attachment manager 126 may position the grip 108 on the cable 23 and cause the grip 108 to couple to the cable 23. Once the grip 108 of the gondola arms 86 is coupled to the cable 23, the cable 23 may transport the gondola arms 86 and the vehicle 14 to the corresponding gondola stations 20, as indicated by arrow 134. In practice, the arm carrier 128 is configured to store a plurality of gondolas pull arms 86 as the gondolas pull arms 86 arrive at the gondolas pull station 20. In some embodiments, the controller 40 may monitor the position of the vehicle 14 and may send one or more signals to the drive element 130 to cause the Gooduola arm 86 to be moved to the centerline 132 as the vehicle 14 approaches the loading path 122. Further, in certain embodiments, if the arm carrier 128 is fully loaded with the gondolas 86 stored, the controller 40 may cause the drive element 130 to move the gondolas 86 along the arm carrier 128 to couple to the cable 23, thereby making room for more of the arriving gondolas 86. In effect, once coupled to the cable 23, the gondola arms 86 will be passed to the corresponding gondola stations 20.

Loading path 122 (e.g., loading track) may include a guidance system 137, with guidance system 137 utilized to facilitate loading or engaging vehicles 14 onto cables 23 of gondolas pull system 16 for aerial travel across amusement park 10. For example, the guidance system 137 may include a guide rail 138, the guide rail 138 configured to contact a side of the vehicle 14 to guide the vehicle 14 along the loading path 122 to the centerline 132 to facilitate engagement between the vehicle 14 and the Gongo drawbar arm 86. In some embodiments, the guide track 138 may include a flared entrance 140. In practice, the guide track 138 may act as a funnel configured to guide the vehicle 14 to the centerline 132 on the loading path 122. Further, in some embodiments, the guidance system 137 may have one or more sub-surface positioning systems 142 configured to position the vehicle 14 onto the centerline 132. That is, the subsurface positioning system 142 may include one or more elements configured to interact with the wheels 80 (or underside) of the vehicle 14 to position the vehicle 14 on the centerline 132. For example, in some embodiments, the sub-surface positioning system 142 of the loading path 122 may include a grid element of the dynamic travel area of U.S. patent application publication No. 2016/0070262, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further, in some embodiments, the sub-surface positioning system 142 of the loading path 122 may include the propulsion system of U.S. patent application publication No. 2018/0056792, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Further, in some embodiments, the cable 23 is configured to lift the vehicle 14 from the loading path 122 before the vehicle 14 reaches the end 144 of the loading path 122 to ensure engagement of the locking device 66 of the Gooduola arm 86 with the Gooduola accessory 64 of the vehicle 14. Indeed, as discussed above, in some embodiments, the locking device 66 and the gondolas accessory 64 may be engaged when the vehicle 14 is lifted such that the wheels 80 are not supporting the weight of the vehicle 14 or based on various sensor inputs. Thus, by lifting the vehicle 14 before the end of the loading path 122, the gondolas pull accessory 64 may be actuated to cause engagement between the gondolas pull arm 86 and the vehicle 14 when the vehicle 14 is disposed above the surface of the loading path 122. In this manner, as discussed above, if the gondolas pull arm 86 and the vehicle 14 are not sufficiently engaged when the vehicle 14 is lifted from the surface of the loading path 122, the gondolas pull system 16 may interrupt operation (e.g., in response to one or more signals from the controller 40) such that the vehicle 14 is held stationary above the loading path 122 via the cable 23. One or more maintenance operations may then be performed on the vehicle 14, such as by a system operator/technician.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the autonomous vehicle transport system 12 including the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16. Specifically, fig. 8 includes a gondola station 20 having an exit zone 120 and an arrival zone 148. Similar to the embodiment discussed above with reference to fig. 7, the gondolas pull station 20 may include a loading path 122, a guide rail 138, a sub-surface positioning system 142, an arm carrier 128, and a wheel 21. In the current embodiment, the vehicle 14 includes a Gongdor arm 86, the Gongdor arm 86 integrally attached to a roof 88 of the vehicle 14. Thus, the arm carrier 128 may include separate first and second portions 150, 152. In particular, a first portion 150 of the arm carrier 128 may be associated with the exit zone 120 and a second portion 152 of the arm carrier 128 may be associated with the arrival zone 148. For example, the vehicle 14 may travel to the loading path 122 and interact with the guidance system 137 (e.g., the guidance track 138 and/or the sub-surface positioning system 142). That is, the guidance system 137 may place the vehicle 14 on the centerline 132 of the loading path 122. Once positioned on the centerline 132, the vehicle 14 may be coupled to the first portion 150 of the arm carrier 128. The drive element 130 of the arm carrier 128 may then drive the gondolas pull arm 86 and the vehicle toward the cable 23, with the attachment manager 126 configured such that the grip 108 is coupled to the cable 23. In some embodiments, the motor 48 of the vehicle 14 may drive the vehicle 14 along the arm carrier 128 (e.g., via the wheels 80) toward the cable 23, with the attachment manager 126 configured such that the grip 108 is coupled to the cable 23. Once coupled to the cable 23, the cable 23 may transport the vehicle 14 to the corresponding gondolas pull station 20, as indicated by arrow 154.

When the vehicle 14 reaches the gondolas pull station 20 via the cable 23, the grip 108 of the gondolas pull arm 86 may interact with the attachment manager 126 of the second portion 152 of the arm carrier 128, as indicated by arrow 156. In particular, the attachment manager 126 may detach the grip 108 of the Gooduola arm 86 from the cable 23 and position the grip 108 along the second portion 152 of the arm carrier 128. Once on the second portion 152 of the arm carrier 128, the drive element 130 of the arm carrier 128 may urge the vehicle 14 forward away from the gondola pull station 20, as indicated by arrow 158. In some embodiments, the motor 48 of the vehicle 14 may drive the vehicle 14 away from the gondolas pull station 20 (by contact with the ground) along the arm carrier 128.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the autonomous vehicle transport system 12 including the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16. Specifically, fig. 9 includes a gondola station 20, the gondola station 20 having both an arrival zone 148 and an exit zone 120 directly coupled via a transition zone 160. In other words, the gondola station 20 includes a single path 162 in which the vehicle 14 is configured to engage with and disengage from the vehicle compartment 112. Indeed, in the current embodiment, the gondola system 16 includes a gondola pull arm 86, the gondola pull arm 86 being integrally coupled to the vehicle compartment 112, as discussed above in fig. 6. To illustrate, the vehicle 14 (or the vehicle compartment 112 without the vehicle 14) is configured to reach the gondola pull station 20 via the cable 23, as indicated by arrow 164. At the same time, vehicle 14 may be positioned along path 162 to reach zone 148. When the vehicle compartment 112 reaches the transition zone 160, the grip 108 of the Gooduola arm 86 may interact with the attachment manager 126 to decouple the grip 108 from the cable 23 and position the grip 108 on the arm carrier 128. Once on the arm carrier 128, the drive element 130 may position the vehicle compartment 112 within the transition zone 160 of the ride path 162. Once positioned along the transition zone 160 of the ride path 162, if the vehicle compartment 112 is engaged with the vehicle 14, the vehicle compartment 112 may be disengaged from the vehicle 14 and the vehicle 14 may travel away from the vehicle compartment 112, as indicated by arrow 166. Once the vehicle 14 has traveled away from the vehicle compartment 112, the vehicle 14 from the exit area 120 may travel into the vehicle compartment 112, as indicated by arrow 168, and may engage with the vehicle compartment 112, as discussed above with reference to fig. 6. In other words, once the vehicle compartment 112 is placed on the transition zone 160 without a vehicle 14 engaging the vehicle compartment 112, the next vehicle 14 in the arrival zone 148 may travel into the vehicle compartment 112 and engage the vehicle compartment 112. Once the vehicle 14 from the arrival zone 148 is engaged with the vehicle compartment 112, the drive element 130 may move the vehicle compartment 112 to the cable 23, where the grip 108 of the gondolas pull arm 86 may interact with the attachment manager 126. The attachment manager 126 may then couple the grip 108 to the cable 23, and the cable 23 may transport the vehicle 14 to the corresponding gondolas pull station 20, as indicated by arrow 170.

Further, it should be noted that the length of the arm carrier 128 may be designed based on the estimated throughput of the gondola pull station 20. Indeed, as shown, the length of the arm carrier 128 is merely an example of a possible length of the arm carrier 128. In some embodiments, the arm carrier 128 may be longer in length to hold an increased number of gondola arms 86 (and/or vehicle compartments 112). Indeed, in some embodiments, the gondola pull arm 86 may reach the gondola pull station 20 at a faster rate than the vehicle 14 may disengage and engage the vehicle compartment 112 in the transition zone 160. In such embodiments, it may be beneficial for the arm carrier 128 to store a sufficient number of vehicle compartments 112.

Further, in some embodiments, the path 162 may include a guidance system 137, and the guidance system 137 may include the sub-surface positioning system 142 and/or the guide rail 138. As shown, in the current embodiment, the guide track 138 may include a gap 172 disposed adjacent to the arm carrier 128 along an edge of the path 162. Gap 172 will allow vehicle compartment 112 to enter path 162 through gap 172.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle transport system 12 including a vehicle 14 and a gondola system 16. The embodiment illustrated in fig. 10 may be similar to the embodiment discussed above with reference to fig. 8. However, in contrast to having a first portion 150 of the arm carrier 128 and a second portion 152 of the arm carrier 128, the arm carrier 128 may be a continuous unit coupling the arrival zone 148 to the exit zone 120. For example, when the vehicle 14 approaches the gondolas pull station 20 via a cable, as indicated by arrow 174, the vehicle 14 may be decoupled from the gondolas pull arm 86 and exit from the gondolas pull station 20, as indicated by arrow 176. Once the vehicle 14 is disengaged from the gondola arm 86, the gondola arm 86 may continue along the arm carrier 128 to the exit region 120 in response to the drive element 130. Once the gondola arms 86 are in line with the centerline 132 of the loading path 122 of the exit region 120, the gondola arms 86 may be coupled to the vehicle 14 from the exit region 120. The gondola arm 86 may then carry the vehicle 14 along the gondola path 18 away from the gondola station 20, as indicated by arrow 180.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle transport system 12 including a vehicle 14 and a gondola system 16. The embodiment illustrated in fig. 11 may be similar to the embodiment discussed above with reference to fig. 10. However, the gondola station 20 may include an arrival zone 148 corresponding to the gondola route 18 that diverges from the exit zone 120. For example, as shown, the Gooduola path 18 may form an angle of ninety degrees. However, it should be understood that any suitable angle may exist between the Gooduola paths 18.

Similar to fig. 7, the vehicle 14 illustrated in fig. 11 is configured to engage with the cable 23 of the gondola pull path 18 at the exit area 120 of the gondola pull station 20. The same gondola station 20 may further include a landing zone 148 for a separate gondola route 18. The arrival zone 148 may function similar to the arrival zone 148 of fig. 10. Further, the gondola station 20 may comprise an arm carrier 128, the arm carrier 128 being coupled between the wheel 21 of the exit region 120 and the wheel 21 of the arrival region 148, in fact, similar to the arm carrier 128 of fig. 10, the arm carrier 128 is configured to move the gondola arm 86 from the arrival region 148 to the exit region 120 via the drive element 130 as shown. Indeed, in some embodiments, the arm carrier 128 may be configured to store the gondola arms 86 (the gondola arms 86 from the gondola route 18 corresponding to the arrival zone 148) and to transfer the gondola arms 86 to the exit zone 120 as needed for the vehicle 14 to arrive at the exit zone 120.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the autonomous vehicle transport system 12 including the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16. As shown, in some embodiments, a gondola station 20a may be disposed along the gondola pathway 18, such as within a wheel 21 of the gondola pathway 18 (as shown by the gondola station 20a of fig. 1). In practice, the arrival zone 148 and the exit zone 120 of the Gonguo pull station 20a may be substantially collinear or parallel. To illustrate, the vehicle 14 may reach the arrival zone 148 via the cable 23 and interact with the attachment manager 126, as indicated by arrow 182. The attachment manager 126 may disengage the grip 108 of the gondola pull arm 86 from the cable 23 and position the grip 108 on the arm carrier 128. In some embodiments, the cable 23 may continue along or adjacent to the arm carrier 128. Once disposed on the arm carrier 128, the Goodla arm 86 may be disengaged from the Goodla accessory 64 of the vehicle 14. Once disengaged, the vehicle 14 may exit the gondola station 20, as indicated by arrow 184. Further, once the vehicle 14 is disengaged from the gondolas arms 86, the gondolas arms 86 may be actuated along the arm carriers 128 by the drive element 130. Specifically, the gondola arms 86 may be positioned at the exit zone 120 to couple to different vehicles 14. In practice, the vehicle 14 may arrive at the gondola station 20 via a separate path from the arrival zone 148, as indicated by arrow 186. A vehicle 14 arriving at the gondola station 20 may travel to the departure area 120, as indicated by arrow 188, where the vehicle 14 will be coupled to the gondola arm 86. Once coupled to the gondola arm 86, the gondola arm 86 and the vehicle 14 may be moved further along the arm carrier 128 (e.g., in response to the vehicle motor 48 and/or the arm carrier 128 driving the element 130), wherein the grip 108 of the gondola arm 86 will interact with the attachment manager 126. Specifically, the attachment manager 126 may cause the grip 108 to be coupled to the cable 23. Once coupled to cable 23, cable 23 may pull gondola pull arm 86 and vehicle 14 out of gondola pull station 20a along gondola pull path 18, as indicated by arrow 190.

In some embodiments, the vehicle 14 may reach the arrival zone 148, remain engaged with the gondola pull arm 86 as the gondola pull arm 86 moves along the arm carrier 128, and continue to the exit zone 120, where the vehicle 14 will continue along the gondola pull path 18. Further, in some embodiments, a gondola station 20a may be disposed between two separate gondola paths 18. For example, in some embodiments, the gondola station may include a first wheel 21 configured to actuate a cable 23 through a first gondola path 18 a. The gondola station 20 may further comprise a second wheel 21b configured to actuate a cable 23 through a second gondola path 18 b. In this manner, in some embodiments, the first boudouard path 18a may be positioned at an angle relative to the second boudouard path 18 b.

The discussion of the embodiments illustrated in fig. 7-12 may have focused on a particular embodiment of the gondola accessory 64, the gondola pull arm 86, the vehicle compartment 112, or a combination thereof, in order to provide a concise description of the embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the gondola station 20 of fig. 7-12 may include any combination of gondola accessories 64, gondola pull arms 86, and/or vehicle compartments 112, such as shown in fig. 3-6.

Further, as discussed herein, certain embodiments of the autonomous vehicle transport system 12 may rely on engagement with the gondolas pull arm 86 and/or the vehicle compartment 112 in order to engage the vehicle 14 with the gondolas pull system 16. To this end, in some embodiments, the controller 40 may determine the position of each of the vehicles 14 (e.g., via the sensors 58) and may provide a corresponding number of gondolas pull arms 86 and/or vehicle compartments 112 at the appropriate gondolas pull station 20 to facilitate travel of the vehicle 14 via the gondolas pull system 16. For example, the destination of the vehicle 14 (which may be received through the user input 60) may require the utilization of one or more specific Gongdora stations 20. Accordingly, the controller 40 may send one or more signals to the gondola system 16 such that the gondola system 16 communicates an appropriate number of gondola arms 86 and/or vehicle compartments 112 to the appropriate gondola stations 20 to facilitate efficient travel of the vehicle 14 to its destination. In other words, the controller may ensure that each gondola pull station 20 to be used in the travel of the vehicle 14 includes an appropriate number of gondola pull arms 86 and/or vehicle compartments 112 so that the vehicle 14 does not wait an excessive amount of time at the gondola pull station 20 to utilize the gondola pull system 16.

In general, the autonomy of the vehicle 14 may greatly facilitate travel through the gondola system 16. Indeed, as discussed herein, the engagement between the vehicle 14 and the gondola system 16 may require precise control of the vehicle 14. Thus, the autonomy of the vehicle 14 may provide precise control to utilize the gondola system 16. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the vehicle 14 may be an involuntary vehicle 14.

While only certain features have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.