US 2004/0201486 A1 · Solid state crossing controller and related methods

Abstract

A solid state crossing controller for a railroad crossing signal system with two independent outputs for controlling illumination of lamps in the signal system share a common neutral or return wire, with sensing of a common neutral or return line shared by the two independent outputs to determine any loss of the neutral line. When a failure has been detected in the neutral line, the controller modifies the voltages for the lamps in the signaling system for better illumination of the lamps during the failure condition, such as to the highest voltage available from a battery in the system. Upon detection of the failure in the neutral line, the controller may provide a call or message that there is a failure in the system that is in need of repair. If the failure in the neutral line is intermittent, the controller will resume normal operation after that train, has cleared the crossing. However, a call or message that a failure has occurred in the neutral line is provided. Tests for the failure will be repeated when the next train approaches the crossing. Related methods for determining whether a failure has occurred in the neutral line are also disclosed.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A solid state crossing controller for a railroad crossing signal system comprising:

a pair of lamp drivers including a first lamp driver with an output and a second lamp driver with an output;
a first plurality of signaling lamps coupled to the output of said first lamp driver for receiving operating power therefrom;
a second plurality of signaling lamps coupled to the output of said second lamp driver for receiving operating power therefrom;
a neutral line that is referenced to common, said neutral line also coupled to the first plurality of signaling lamps and to the second plurality of signaling lamps to provide a conductive path for operating power from the output of the first lamp driver through the first plurality of signaling lamps to common and to provide a conductive path for operating power from the output of the second lamp driver through the second plurality of signaling lamps to common, and
sensing circuitry for detecting a failure condition in the neutral line and for generating a failure signal in response to detecting a failure condition in the neutral line.

2 more elements

A method of determining whether a failure has occurred in a neutral line of a solid state crossing controller, the crossing controller comprising a pair of lamp drivers including a first lamp driver with an output and a second lamp driver with an output;

a first plurality of signaling lamps coupled to the output of said first lamp driver for receiving operating power therefrom;
a second plurality of signaling lamps coupled to the output of said second lamp driver for receiving operating power therefrom;
a neutral line that is referenced to common, said neutral line also coupled to the first plurality of signaling lamps and to the second plurality of signaling lamps to provide a conductive path for operating power from the output of the first lamp driver through the first plurality of signaling lamps to common and to provide a conductive path for operating power from the output of the second lamp driver through the second plurality of signaling lamps to common, and a microprocessor, said microprocessor coupled to the first and second lamp drivers to control the conductive state of said lamp drivers;
said method comprising the steps of:
sensing the operative condition of one of said line drivers to determine if a failure has occurred in the neutral line, and
generating a failure signal in response to determining that a failure has occurred in the neutral line.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Solid state crossing controller and related methods

Life of this patent

Solid state crossing controller and related methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17