# US 2014/0151512 A1 · System and method for inspection of wayside rail equipment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151512 A1 - Document ID: US20140151512A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/093,949 - Filed: 2013-12-02 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-02 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: JARED KLINEMAN COOPER; NICHOLAS DAVID NAGRODSKY; JOSEPH FORREST NOFFSINGER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151512A1 ## CPC - B61L 23/04: for monitoring the mechanical state of the route - B61L 5/18: Light signals; Mechanisms associated therewith, e.g. blinders - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) ## Abstract An inspection system for use with a rail vehicle includes a sensor configured to be deployed onboard the rail vehicle for inspection of wayside rail equipment to determine operability or alignment of the equipment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inspection system, comprising: a first sensor system configured to be operably disposed onboard a rail vehicle; wherein the first sensor system comprises a sensor that is configured to generate sensor signals indicative of wayside rail equipment inspected by the sensor, and a control module configured to be operably coupled to the sensor and operative to determine at least one of operability or alignment of the wayside rail equipment based on the sensor signals received from the sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, further comprising: a location identifying system for confirming a location of the rail vehicle relative to a location of the wayside rail equipment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, further comprising: a second sensor system configured to be operably disposed onboard the rail vehicle for inspecting rail track. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The inspection system of claim 3, wherein the second sensor system is a cab-mounted video system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, further comprising: a database configured to receive and store at least one of results of wayside rail equipment inspections or locations of wayside rail equipment to be inspected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inspection system of claim 5, wherein: the database includes plural designated values respectively corresponding to plural devices of the wayside rail equipment to be inspected along a route to be traveled by the rail vehicle, each designated value indicative of a determined amount of light emitted from the device corresponding to the designated value when the device is operational and properly aligned; the sensor is configured to generate the sensor signals corresponding to light emitted from the plural devices of the wayside rail equipment and sensed by the sensor as the rail vehicle travels along the route; and the control module is configured to perform a comparison of the designated values to the sensor signals and to generate output signals based on the comparison. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The inspection system of claim 1, wherein: the first sensor system is a cab-mounted video system, the sensor of the first sensor system comprising a video camera of the cab-mounted video system; the camera is aligned to view a sensor aperture of the wayside rail equipment when the rail vehicle is traveling along a route, the wayside rail equipment being disposed on a wayside of the route; and the control module is configured to assess the sensor signals generated by the video camera for determining if the video camera has captured light emitted through the sensor aperture of the wayside rail equipment, the wayside rail equipment configured to emit signal light along a first axis disposed at a non-zero degree angle relative to an axis of the sensor aperture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The inspection system of claim 7, wherein the wayside rail equipment is further configured to emit the light through the sensor aperture along the axis of the sensor aperture in a direction of the route when the first axis is aligned perpendicular to the direction of the route. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The inspection system of claim 7, wherein: the wayside rail equipment is a wayside crossing signal light located at a crossing of the route and an automobile route; the wayside crossing signal light comprises a light cowl that defines the first axis along which the signal light is emitted, the signal light comprising visible light for warning motorists traveling along the automobile route; and the sensor aperture comprises a hole in a side of the cowl. ### Claim 10 An inspection system, comprising: a reflector configured be affixed to wayside rail equipment; wherein the reflector is configured, when affixed to the wayside rail equipment, to be detected by a sensor mounted to a rail vehicle, and is configured to allow the rail vehicle to inspect the wayside rail equipment to assess at least one of alignment or operability of the wayside rail equipment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The inspection system of claim 10, further comprising: a database configured to receive and store at least one of results of wayside rail equipment inspections or locations of wayside rail equipment to be inspected. ### Claim 12 An inspection system, comprising: wayside rail equipment having a cowl with a primary light opening and a sensor aperture; wherein the sensor aperture emits light for detection by a sensor mounted to a rail vehicle to allow the rail vehicle to assess at least one of alignment or operability of the wayside rail equipment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The inspection system of claim 12, wherein the wayside rail equipment is a wayside crossing signal light. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The inspection system of claim 12, wherein the sensor aperature comprises a hole in a side of the cowl, a center axis of the hole being generally perpendicular to a center axis of the primary light opening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The inspection system of claim 12, further comprising: a database configured to receive and store at least one of results of wayside rail equipment inspections or locations of wayside rail equipment to be inspected. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The inspection system of claim 14, wherein: the database includes plural designated values respectively corresponding to plural devices of the wayside rail equipment to be inspected along a route to be traveled by the rail vehicle, each designated value indicative of a determined amount of light emitted from the device corresponding to the designated value when the device is operational and properly aligned.