FIELD OF INVENTION

Embodiments of the present application illustrates an e-FLS and specifically to a system and method to provide for freight and logistics control. Specifically, the present disclosure describes a system or method of transportation of people and freight to provide a better, economical, faster, affordable and an environmentally sustainable solution in densely populated urban or rural areas and areas with difficult terrains and geographies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transportation of people and freight across long distances have been a long felt challenge due to the increase in population, increase in traffic conditions on roadways or railways, and variations in geographical conditions like terrains or mountains across land area. For example, in urban areas one may find the exclusive utilization of the roadways for the operation of transport services, especially when it’s related to long distance transportation services. Statistically, the transport of goods in urban locations by road is roughly 12 to 16 percentage of traffic when a cumulative account of the traffic is taken into consideration.

Furthermore, studies illustrate that, the more the number of residents that are increasing in a particular urban area, there is almost a 20 percent increase in the total number of vehicles in that particular area which increases the overall traffic in that area. Similar is the case for rail transport services because the increase in population creates a high demand for more railway trains. Even if more trains are provided, time management for a larger section of the crowd during peak working hours is again a difficult task because of the rush in the intermediate railway stations. Furthermore, access to all areas across an urban infrastructure is difficult due to the limited or no availability of space for construction. Transportation of goods via railways is also difficult since railway tracks require a lot of available land and also laying tracks to remote industrial areas where such goods are processed is also a difficult and expensive task.

Therefore, this exposes that the extravagant usage of road transport services as well as rail transport services has led to numerous difficulties, for example, environmental pollution, rapid deterioration of available resources, or inappropriate use of available land. Since the road or railway infrastructure is inadequate and development prospects are nearly non-existent, especially in the case of urban infrastructure, the capability to meet the necessities of people in a socio-friendly and economical way is increasingly restricted. Therefore, there is a need to develop a system or method of transportation that can concurrently address the aforementioned requirements in terms of reducing environmental pollution, improvising on safe usage of available resources during construction and usage of transport models, and reduction in the usage of available land for construction of the same. More particularly, there is a need for a system or method of transportation of people and freight to provide a better, economical, faster, affordable and an environmentally sustainable solution in densely populated urban or rural areas that struggle with difficult terrains and geographies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the subject matter in order to provide a basic understanding of some of the aspects of subject matter embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of the subject matter. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the embodiments or to delineate the scope of the subject matter. Its sole purpose to present some concepts of the subject matter in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

A system for freight and logistics control addresses the need for a system or method of transportation of people and freight to provide a better, economical, faster, affordable and an environmentally sustainable solution in densely populated urban or rural areas that struggle with difficult terrains and geographies. The system for freight and logistics control comprises ropeways, intermediate stations, and a central intelligent module. The ropeways extend across a series of towers, wherein each ropeway transfers one or more cars. Each car is configured to be transferred from a first ropeway to a second ropeway that is in one of a same direction and a different direction. The intermediate stations are positioned below the ropeways, wherein each intermediate station comprises rails that receive the cars that are detached from the ropeways, and the cars traverse along the rails. A systems of motor powered external rollers that are positioned on the intermediate station that control movement of the detached cars on the rail after detaching from the ropeway and before attaching to the ropeway. The central intelligent module is controlled by at least one processor, wherein the central intelligent module creates a path for a car to select an intermediate station of the intermediate stations based on information regarding a delivery station.

The central intelligent module selectively detaches and lowers the car from a ropeway to a rail based on the delivery station associated with the selected car, and lift and re-attach the selected car from the rail to a selected ropeway based on the delivery station, to continue the transfer of the selected car along the selected ropeway. In an embodiment, the car is received on the rail using a plurality of wheels positioned below the car that are configured to align and traverse across each rail. In an embodiment, the central intelligent module is configured to sustain the car in traversal along the ropeway if the car is not scheduled to be lowered in the selected station. In an embodiment, the central intelligent module is configured to change the direction of the car form one rail to another rail in the intermediate station based on the delivery station, and wherein the selected car is configured to be lifted and re-attached to a ropeway that is different from the selected ropeway.

In an embodiment, each intermediate station comprises one or more elevators that are configured to lower the car from the ropeway to the rail and to lift the car from the rail to the ropeway. In an embodiment, each tower includes sensors that are configured to sense the positioning of the car with respect to the intermediate stations and another tower. In an embodiment, the car that traverses across the ropeway is air conditioned. In an embodiment, the length of the system is altered based on addition of the ropeways, the towers, and the intermediate stations. In an embodiment, each ropeway provides a different speed for the traversal of the car. In an embodiment, the system for freight and logistics control comprises a guiding system that is in association with the central intelligent module to align the car precisely on the rail while arriving at intermediate station.

In an embodiment, the car is pushed forward by an external roller (S -roller) positioned at the intermediate station, wherein the external rollers are geared and powered using motors to transfer the car along the rail after the car is received on the rail. Once cable car comes on rail and detached from ropeway the rollers are used to push the car in a controlled way to bring it to stop. In an embodiment, the external rollers are configured to push the car to another rail in the intermediate station, and wherein a switching of the car from the one rail to another rail is performed by a rail switching system that is controlled by the central intelligent module. In an embodiment, the rollers are further configured to increase speed of the car at the intermediate station to a speed of the ropeway to which the car needs to be attached. The unique aspects of e-FLS or the system for freight and logistics control is the capability to transfer a car from one ropeway system to another ropeway system. Such transfer can be more than one and depends on requirement. The transfer of car could be in the same direction or different directions. The transfer from one ropeway can be to multiple other ropeways in different directions. The speed of each ropeway could be same or different depending on capacity demands. The advantage of such system is to increase the length of ropeway system which is otherwise limited due to single ropeway.

The e-FLS is a concept of transportation of people and freight to provide a better, economical, faster, affordable and environmentally sustainable solution in densely populated urban/rural areas, difficult terrain and geographies by using a hybrid system of ropeway, detachable cable car and rail. The car in the e-FLS is capable of moving either by hanging on the ropeway or cable overhead and/or on steel wheels at the bottom, capable of moving car on the rail or guideways. The e-FLS is an innovation to provide capability of multipoint to multipoint people, freight and logistics transportation using ropeway or cable overhead together with rail and steel wheels at the bottom. Ropeway or cable car is used to support transportation from a point to the next point which could be, for example, 500 m to 2000 m apart. At these intermediate points, the car meant for this particular intermediate station switches automatically and comes on the steel wheel and rail below.

The cable car and its wheel are aligned precisely along the rails by guiders as it arrives at the intermediate station. This is to ensure that steel wheels of the cable car lands properly on the rails at the bottom. Once car touches rail and comes fully on steel wheels, it releases the hold of the cable on the overhead. The car that is not meant for this particular station of loading/unloading continues its movement while hanging with ropeway or cable and doesn’t release the grip of the cable or rope. After landing on steel rails the car is gripped from the sides by S-rollers, as described before which are positioned on intermediate stations to control the speed of cable car and bring the car to stop as it moves on the rail at the intermediate station. The S-roller speed is designed accordingly in decreasing order for the cabin car that is arriving at the intermediate stations. Similarly, S-rollers are used to increase the speed of the cable car which are meant to be re-attached to the ropeway. The S-rollers are stationary and fixed at the intermediate station and rotate at the designed speed.

These intermediate points of loading/unloading stations called carri-port, where the car moves on rail on steel wheel. On this section the car meant for loading/unloading only is stopped while any car preceding or following the particular car continues to move forward using cable. The switching of the freight and logistics car from cable to rail and back is done automatically with a central intelligent system. The switching and stopping of car at an intermediate station for any duration does not affect operations at other loading/unloading stations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The following drawings are illustrative of particular examples for enabling systems and methods of the present disclosure, are descriptive of some of the methods and mechanism, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The drawings are not to scale (unless so stated) and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description.

Figure 1 A shows a schematic diagram describing a system for freight and logistics control, wherein Figure 1A shows a car arriving at a rail of the intermediate station after detaching from a first ropeway and a second ropeway to which cable car is to be re-attached.

Figure IB shows a schematic diagram describing a system for freight and logistics control, wherein the car arriving at a rail of the intermediate station via a single ropeway.

Figure 2A shows another schematic diagram that illustrates the lowering of the car in the intermediate station in the system for freight and logistics control, which also shows that the car is switched to a different rail at the intermediate station.

Figure 2B shows an embodiment of a portion of the system, illustrating the movement of car on the intermediate station along the rail. Figure 2C shows a detailed view of the system illustrating the car, wheels and the rail with respect to Figure 2B.

Figure 2D shows a detailed view of the central intelligent module system of the system.

Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the car traversing along the track of the system for freight and logistics control.

Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the elevator positioned on the intermediate station of the system for freight and logistics control.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and may represent both hardware and software components of the system. Further, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figure may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments now will be described. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey its scope to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the particular exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

Figure 1A shows a schematic diagram describing a system 100 for freight and logistics control, wherein Figure 1A shows a car 108 arriving at a rail 110 of the intermediate station 104 after detaching from a first ropeway 102a and a second ropeway 102b to which car 108 is to be re attached. Figure IB shows a schematic diagram describing a system 100 for freight and logistics control, wherein the car 108 arriving at a rail 110 of the intermediate station 104 via a single ropeway 102. The system 100 for freight and logistics control addresses the need for a system or method of transportation of people and freight to provide a better, economical, faster, affordable and an environmentally sustainable solution in densely populated urban or rural areas that stmggle with difficult terrains and geographies. The system 100 for freight and logistics control comprises ropeways 102, intermediate stations 104, and a central intelligent module 200, as shown in Figure 2D. The ropeways 102 extend across a series of towers 106, wherein each ropeway 102 transfers one or more cars 108. As shown in Figure IB, each car 108 is configured to be transferred from a first ropeway 102a to a second ropeway 102b that is either in a same direction or a different direction. The intermediate stations 104 are positioned below the ropeways 102, and each intermediate station 104 comprises rails 110 that receive the cars 108 that are detached from the ropeways 102, and the cars 108 traverse along the rails 110. A systems motor powered external rollers 122 that control movement of the detached cars 108 on the rail 110 after detaching from the ropeway 102 and before attaching to the ropeway 102, as further described in Figure 3.

With reference to Figures 2A-2D, Figure 2A shows another schematic diagram that illustrates the lowering of the car 108 in the intermediate station 104 in the system 100 for freight and logistics control. Figure 2A also shows the F-rollers 116 that used during the descending portion of the ropeway 102 to straighten the portion for alignment with the intermediate station 104, or in other words, straighten the zone of contact of the ropeway 102 to the rail 110. The important aspect of the F-Rollers 116 is to keep a precise and fixed distance between ropeway 102 and rail 110 at the intermediate station 104. Figure 2B shows an embodiment of a portion of the system 100, which illustrates the movement of car 108 over the intermediate station 104 along the rail 110. Figure 2C shows a detailed view of the system 100 illustrating the car 108, the wheels 112 positioned below the car and the rail 110 with respect to Figure 2B. In an example, a telescopic suspension attachment 118 connects the car 108 to the ropeway 102 as shown in Figure 2C.

Referring to Figure 2D that shows a detailed view of the central intelligent module system 200 of the system 100, the central intelligent module 200 is controlled by at least one processor, wherein the central intelligent module 200 creates a path for a car 108 to select an intermediate station 104 based on information regarding a delivery station, via a path creation module 202. The path creation module 202 is in association with the loading module 210 and the elevator sequencing module 212 to control the loading and lifting mechanisms. In an example, the system 100 for freight and logistics control is a system and process that’s associated with the system, whereby a car 108 moves from point A to point B while hanging along a ropeway 102. The intermediate stations 104 are the points where system 100 provide intelligent switching to bring car 108 meant for loading and unloading only are switched to rail 110 or guide ways at the bottom. All cars 108 have steel wheels at the bottom and are hence, capable of moving in two methods, namely first at the overhead of the car 108 that is configured to traverse along the ropeway 102 or cables with which it hangs and the second along the rail 108 at the bottom.

The central intelligent module 200 selectively detaches and lowers the car 108 from a ropeway 102 to a rail 110 based on the delivery station associated with the selected car 108 via a station selection module 204, and lift and re-attach the selected car 108 from the rail 110 to a selected ropeway 102 based on the delivery station, to continue the transfer of the selected car 108. The station selection module 204 is in communication with a clamp controller module 214 to set the controls for the clamping mechanism during station selection on the ropeway 102. The car 108 is received on the rail 110 using multiple wheels 112 positioned below the car 108 that are configured to align and traverse across each rail 110. In an embodiment, the systemlOO for freight and logistics control comprises a guiding system 222 that is in association with the central intelligent module 200 to align the car 108 precisely on the rail 110 while arriving at intermediate station 104.

In an embodiment, the central intelligent module is configured to sustain the car 108 in traversal along the ropeway 102 if the car 108 is not scheduled to be lowered in the selected station 104 via a tracking module 206. The tracking module 206 is in communication with a cable and tower ID 216 module to retrieve the ID of the ropeway 102 and the tower 106 associated with that specific ropeway 102 to enhance better tracking of the cars 108. The central intelligent module 200 is configured to change the direction of the car 108 form one rail 110 to another rail 110 in the intermediate station 104 based on the delivery station, and the selected car 108 is configured to be lifted and re-attached to a ropeway 102 that is different from the selected ropeway 102 via a connection module 208 that is in communication with a speed controller module 218 and a switch controller module 220. Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the car 108 traversing along the track or rail 110 of the system 100 for freight and logistics control. In an embodiment, the car 108 is pushed forward by external rollers 122 that are positioned at the intermediate station 104, wherein the external rollers 122 (S- rollers) are geared and powered using motors to transfer the car 108 along the rail 110 after the car 108 is received on the rail 110. Once the cable car 108 comes on the rail 110 and gets detached from the ropeway 102, the external rollers 122 are used to push the car 108 in a controlled manner to bring it to stop. The car 108 and its wheels 112 are aligned precisely along the rails 110 by guiders as the car 108 arrives at the intermediate station 104. This is to ensure that steel wheels 112 of the cable car 108 lands properly on the rails 110 at the bottom. Once the car 108 touches the rail 110 and contacts completely on the steel wheels 112, the car 108 releases the hold of the ropeway 102 on the overhead. In an embodiment, the external rollers 122 are configured to push the car 108 from one rail 110 to another rail 110 in the intermediate station 104, and wherein a switching of the car 108 from the one rail 110 to another rail 110 is performed by a rail switching system 224 that is controlled by the central intelligent module 200, as described in Figure 2D.

The car 108 that is not meant for that particular intermediate station 104 for loading/unloading continues its movement while hanging along the ropeway 102 and doesn’t release the grip from the ropeway 102. In an embodiment, the external rollers 122 (S-rollers) are further configured to increase speed of the car 108 at the intermediate station 104 to a speed of the ropeway 102 to which the car 108 needs to be attached. After landing on the rails 110, the car 108 is gripped from the sides by S-rollers 122, as described before, which are positioned on intermediate stations 104 to control the speed of cable car 108 and bring the car 108 to a stop as it moves on the rail 110 at the intermediate station 104. The S-roller’s 122 speed is designed accordingly in decreasing order for the cabin car 108 that is arriving at each intermediate station 104. Similarly, the S-rollers 122 are used to increase the speed of the cable cars 108 that are meant to be re-attached to the ropeway 102. The S-rollers 122 are stationary and are fixed at the intermediate station 104 and rotate at the designed speed. A set of alignment guiders 120 are also positioned at a frontal section of the car 108 to align the movement of the car 108 on the rail 110.

Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the elevators 114a and 114b positioned on the intermediate station 104 of the system 100 for freight and logistics control. Each intermediate station 104 comprises one or more elevators 114a and 114b that are configured to lower the car 108 from the ropeway 102 to the rail 110 and to lift the car 108 from the rail 110 to the ropeway 102. Each tower 106 includes sensors that are configured to sense the positioning of the car 108 with respect to the intermediate stations 104 and another tower 106. In an embodiment, the car 108 that traverses across the ropeway 102 is air conditioned. In an embodiment, the length of the system 100 is altered based on addition of the ropeways 102, the towers 106, and the intermediate stations 104. Each ropeway 102 provides a different speed for the traversal of the car 108. In an example, the system and process associated with system whereby car 108 moves from point A to point B while hanging with a ropeway 102. The intermediate stations 104 are the points where systems 100 provide intelligent switching to bring car 108 meant for loading and unloading only are switched to rail 110 or guideways at the bottom. All cars 108 have steel wheels 112 at the bottom and hence are capable of moving in two methods, namely first at the overhead of the car 108 which is the ropeway 102 or cables with which it hangs, and the second is on the rail 110 at the bottom.

When the car 108 approaches an intermediate station 104, the steel wheels 112 attached to its bottom lands on rail 110 or guideways and thereon it moves on rail 110 or guideways. The intelligent automatic system or the central intelligent module then releases the grip of the ropeway 102 or cable for the car 108 meant only for this intermediate station 104. If a car 108 is not meant for the particular intermediate station 104 then it continues to be clamped to the ropeway 102 or cable overhead and moves to the next intermediate station 104. The rail 110 and steel wheels 112 at the bottom of the car 108 provides additional capability of routing or switching car 108 or gondola in a different direction. After the required switching or routing is performed car 108 or gondola is attached to the required overhead cable or ropeway 102. The ropeway 102 could be moving in any direction and this helps in creating a system of Freight, logistics and people using overhead ropeways 102 and rail 110.

The system 100 uses hybrid of overhead cable or ropeway 102 and steel wheel 112 and rail 110 at the bottoms provides a unique method and process to cross densely populated areas, difficult terrain and geographies faster, cheaper, cleaner and safer way. The system 100 is energy efficient and quick to implement as this land footprint will be very small and only at the intervals of hundreds of meters or even kilometers. After stopping or detecting car 108 from the overhead ropeway 102 at the intermediate station 104, it will be brought down to the ground level using elevators 114 where they will be loaded and unloaded or people will board and de -board. After loading and unloading car 108, it will be lifted again at the ropeway 102 level for attaching to the overhead ropeway 102 using centrally controlled automatic system or the central intelligent module.

The system 100 provides a new definition of a ropeway 102, cable car 108 or rail system 110 as with the e-FLS arrangements a freight and logistics system can be built at any location to overcome congestion, difficult terrain or geography while overcoming cost and limitations of land availability. The cable car 108 is capable of attaching and detaching from overhead ropeway 102 based on the automation and programmable commands from a central location or the central intelligent module. The cable car 108 is capable of attaching and detaching from ropeway 102 in a dynamic environment without affecting the car 108 either preceding it or following it. The system 100 is capable of switching between a ropeway 102 to a rail 110 and visa - versa. The e-FLS system 100 is capable to route a car 108 to a different direction and a different ropeway 102 system. The e-FLS system 100 is capable to extend the length of the system 100 without any concern of overloading since system 100 works with different ropeway 102 running at different speed and direction. The e-FLS system 100 is used for freight and logistics as well as people transportation.

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present disclosure may be embodied as a method and system. Accordingly, the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, a software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. It will be understood that the functions of any of the units as described above can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts performed by any of the units as described above.

Instructions may also be stored in a computer- readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act performed by any of the units as described above. Instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus like a scanner/check scanner to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts performed by any of the units as described above.

In the specification, there has been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention. Although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation of the scope of the invention