METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING THE POSITION OF A VEHICLE IN A GIVEN AREA

A method for detecting the position of a vehicle in a predetermined area includes: detecting the magnitude and the angle of incremental motion vectors relating to the movement of the vehicle by means of a first sensor device; automatically fixing the vehicle at predetermined points within the predetermined area whenever the vehicle passes a corresponding point; and detecting the current position of the vehicle in the predetermined area by vectorial summation of the detected incremental motion vectors with respect to the position vector to the current reference position. The automatic fixing of a respective reference position of the vehicle at predetermined points is carried out by means of a second sensor device, which interacts in a non-contacting manner with a respective reference marking at the corresponding point within the predetermined area. The respective reference marking has reflective and non-reflective areas which the second sensor device simultaneously scans by means of at least two signals, with the coordinates of the reference position of the vehicle relative to a reference position of the reference marking and, optionally, the through-movement angle being determined by evaluating the time profile of the reflected intensity of the signals.