Warning light assembly with orientation sensor, and railway crossing installation including the same
AssigneeRailway Equipment Company, Inc.
InventorsDavid K. Fox, Jason L. Honeck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A warning light assembly and railway crossing including such an assembly are disclosed. An example warning light assembly includes a housing, an illumination device at least partially positioned within the housing, and a movement detection circuit positioned within the housing in a fixed position relative to the illumination device. The movement detection circuit can include a plurality of sensors of different types, and is configured to detect a change in position or orientation of the warning light assembly relative to an initial position, and, in response to detecting the change in position or orientation, generate an alert.
Claims22
A warning light assembly installable at a railway crossing, the warning light assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- an illumination device at least partially positioned within the housing;
- and
- a movement detection circuit positioned within the housing in a fixed position relative to the illumination device;
- wherein the movement detection circuit is configured to:
- detect a change in position or orientation of the warning light assembly relative to an initial position;
- and
- in response to detecting the change in position or orientation, generate an alert.
A warning light assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- an illumination device at least partially positioned within the housing;
- and
- a control circuit operatively connected to the illumination device and located within the housing, the control circuit including a communication interface;
- at least one sensor positioned within the housing in a fixed position relative to the illumination device, the at least one sensor being operatively coupled to the control circuit;
- wherein the control circuit is configured to:
- in response to a message received at the communication interface, capture a position of the at least one sensor as representative of a default position of the warning light assembly;
- detect a change in position of the warning light assembly relative to the default position;
- and
- in response to detecting the change in position or orientation, generate an alert.
A railway crossing warning light installation comprising:
- at least one warning light assembly electrically connected at a railway crossing, the at least one warning light assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- an illumination device at least partially positioned within the housing;
- and
- a control circuit located within the housing, the control circuit including a communication interface;
- at least one sensor positioned within the housing in a fixed position relative to the illumination device, the at least one sensor being operatively coupled to the control circuit;
- wherein the control circuit is configured to:
- in response to a message received at the communication interface at a first time, capture a position of the at least one sensor as representative of a default position of the warning light assembly;
- and
- capture a second position of the at least one sensor as representative of a position of the warning light assembly at a second time;
- wherein the railway crossing warning light installation is configured to detect a change in position or orientation of the warning light assembly by comparing the default position with the second position and, in response to detecting the change in position or orientation being greater than a threshold, generate an alert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.