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US 2022/0035037 A1Published application
System and method for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor along a survey path
AssigneeTetra Tech, Inc.
InventorDarel Mesher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autonomous system for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor along a survey path while moving on a railroad corridor assessment platform. The system includes two LiDAR sensors configured to scan along scan planes that intersect but not at all points. The LiDAR sensors are housed in autonomously controlled and temperature controlled protective enclosures.
Claims19
A system for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor along a survey path while moving on a railroad corridor assessment platform, the system comprising:
- a. a railroad corridor assessment platform;
- b. a first LiDAR sensor configured to scan along a first scan plane, the first LiDAR sensor attached to the railroad corridor assessment platform;
- c. a second LiDAR sensor configured to scan along a second scan plane, the second LiDAR sensor attached to the railroad corridor assessment platform;
- d. a first sensor enclosure housing for protecting the first LiDAR sensor, the first sensor enclosure further comprising a first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap configured to move from a first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position in which the first LiDAR sensor is exposed to a first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position in which the first LiDAR sensor is not exposed, and from the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position to the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position;
- and
- e. a second sensor enclosure for housing for protecting the second LiDAR sensor, the second sensor enclosure further comprising a second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap configured to move from a second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position in which the second LiDAR sensor is exposed to a second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position in which the second LiDAR sensor is not exposed, and from the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position to the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position.
3 more elements
The system for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor of claim 3 further comprising:
- a. a wheel mounted shaft encoder for sending trigger signals to the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, and the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera as the railroad corridor assessment platform moves along a survey path;
- b. a high-performance processor wherein the processor controls operations of the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, and the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, and wherein the processor performs a method for generating and interpreting digital image data, the method comprising operations of:
- i. receiving pulses from the shaft encoder and triggering the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, and the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera to obtain digital image data at the same time instances;
- ii. obtaining a first set of digital image data using the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera;
- iii. obtaining a second set of digital image data using the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera;
- iv. obtaining a third set of digital image data using the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera;
- v. obtaining a fourth set of digital image data using the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera;
- vi. combining the first set of digital image data, the second set of digital image data, the third set of digital image data, and the fourth set of digital image data to form a combined set of digital image data comprising a plurality of digital images and generating a combined panoramic digital image of the rail corridor;
- and
- vii. storing the combined set of digital image data on the data storage device.
7 more elements
The system for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor of claim 5 further comprising:
- a. a climatic sensor on the railroad corridor assessment platform, the climatic sensor in electrical communication with the high performance processor;
- and
- b. the high-performance processor wherein the processor controls operations of the first inner shell motorized linear actuator and the second inner shell motorized linear actuator, and wherein the processor performs a method for protecting the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, and the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the method comprising operations of:
- i. receiving climatic conditions data from the climatic sensor;
- ii. activating the first inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the first sensor enclosure inner shell from the first sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the first sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on the received climatic conditions data;
- iii. activating the second inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the second sensor enclosure inner shell from the second sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the second sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on the received climatic conditions data;
- iv. activating the first LiDAR cap motorized actuator to move the first sensor enclosure LiDAR cap from the first sensor enclosure cap open position to the first sensor enclosure cap closed position;
- and
- v. activating the second LiDAR cap motorized actuator to move the second sensor enclosure LiDAR cap from the second sensor enclosure cap open position to the second sensor enclosure cap closed position.
6 more elements
The system for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor of claim further comprising:
- a. a motion sensor for sensing motion of the railroad corridor assessment platform, the motion sensor in electrical communication with the high performance processor;
- and
- b. the high-performance processor wherein the processor controls operations of the first inner shell motorized linear actuator and the second inner shell motorized linear actuator, and wherein the processor performs a method for protecting the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, and the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the method comprising operations of:
- i. receiving a motion sensor signal from the motion sensor indicating that the railroad corridor assessment platform is moving relative to a railroad track below a minimum speed threshold programmed into the computing system;
- ii. activating the first inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the first sensor enclosure inner shell from the first sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the first sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on the received motion sensor signal;
- iii. activating the second inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the second sensor enclosure inner shell from the second sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the second sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on the received motion sensor signal;
- iv. activating the first LiDAR cap motorized actuator to move the first sensor enclosure LiDAR cap from the first sensor enclosure cap open position to the first sensor enclosure cap closed position;
- and
- v. activating the second LiDAR cap motorized actuator to move the second sensor enclosure LiDAR cap from the second sensor enclosure cap open position to the second sensor enclosure cap closed position.
6 more elements
The system for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor of claim 8 further comprising:
- a. the first sensor enclosure further comprising at least one first sensor air aperture through which air can directed across the first LiDAR sensor;
- and
- b. the second sensor enclosure further comprising at least one second sensor air aperture through which air can directed across the second LiDAR sensor.
A method for generating and interpreting point clouds of a rail corridor, the method comprising:
- a. obtaining a first set of point cloud data using a processor and a first LiDAR sensor oriented to scan along a first scan plane and attached to a railroad corridor assessment platform wherein the first LiDAR sensor is in electrical communication with the processor, and wherein the first LiDAR sensor is housed in a first sensor enclosure further comprising a first sensor enclosure LiDAR cap configured to move from a first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position in which the first LiDAR sensor is exposed to a first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position in which the first LiDAR sensor is not exposed, and from the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position to the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position;
- and
- b. obtaining a second set of point cloud data using the processor and a second LiDAR sensor oriented to scan along a second scan plane and attached to the railroad corridor assessment platform in a rear-facing orientation wherein the second LiDAR sensor is in electrical communication with the processor wherein the second LiDAR sensor is housed in a second sensor enclosure further comprising a second sensor enclosure LiDAR cap configured to move from a second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position in which the second LiDAR sensor is exposed to a second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position in which the second LiDAR sensor is not exposed, and from the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position to the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position.
The method of claim 10 further comprising:
- a. receiving pulses from a wheel mounted shaft encoder in electrical communication with the processor and triggering a first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, a first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, a second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, and a second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera to obtain digital image data at the same time instances;
- b. obtaining a first set of digital image data using the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera;
- c. obtaining a second set of digital image data using the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera;
- d. obtaining a third set of digital image data using the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera;
- e. obtaining a fourth set of digital image data using the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera;
- f. combining the first set of digital image data, the second set of digital image data, the third set of digital image data, and the fourth set of digital image data to form a combined set of digital image data comprising a plurality of digital images and generating a combined panoramic digital image of a rail corridor;
- and
- g. storing the combined set of digital image data on a data storage device in electrical communication with the processor.
5 more elements
The method of claim 12 further comprising colorizing the combined point cloud using the combined set of digital image data and the processor.
The method of claim 12 further comprising:
- a. triggering a first sensor enclosure third high resolution camera and a second sensor enclosure third high resolution camera to obtain digital image data at the same time instances as the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, and the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera;
- b. obtaining a fifth set of digital image data using a first sensor enclosure third high resolution camera;
- c. obtaining a sixth set of digital image data using a second sensor enclosure third high resolution camera;
- d. combining the first set of digital image data, the second set of digital image data, the third set of digital image data, the fourth set of digital image data, the fifth set of digital image data and the sixth set of digital image data to form a combined set of digital image data comprising a plurality of digital images and generating a combined panoramic digital image of a rail corridor.
1 more element
The method of claim 13 further comprising geo-referencing the colorized combined point cloud using a geo-referencing device.
The method of claim 14 further comprising:
- a. housing the first LiDAR sensor, the first sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the first sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, and the first sensor enclosure third high resolution camera in the first sensor enclosure;
- b. housing the second LiDAR sensor, the second sensor enclosure first high resolution camera, the second sensor enclosure second high resolution camera, and the second sensor enclosure third high resolution camera in the second sensor enclosure;
- c. blowing temperature-controlled air to the first sensor enclosure and the second sensor enclosure using a heating and cooling system including an air blower wherein temperature-controlled air is blown through an air duct to the first sensor enclosure and the second sensor enclosure and wherein the heating and cooling system is controlled by the processor based on temperature data received by a temperature sensor proximate to the first LiDAR sensor and the second LiDAR sensor.
The method of claim 16 further comprising:
- a. blowing temperature-controlled air through an aperture in the first sensor enclosure adjacent to the first LiDAR sensor for blowing away flying debris and precipitation from the first LiDAR sensor and to maintain the first sensor enclosure LiDAR cap at a temperature above freezing to eliminate the accumulation of frozen precipitation;
- and
- b. blowing temperature-controlled air through an aperture in the second sensor enclosure adjacent to the second LiDAR sensor for blowing away flying debris and precipitation from the second LiDAR sensor and to maintain the second sensor enclosure LiDAR cap at a temperature above freezing to eliminate the accumulation of frozen precipitation
The method of claim 18 further comprising;
- a. detecting weather conditions outside the first sensor enclosure and the second sensor enclosure using a climatic sensor in electrical communication with the processor;
- b. activating the first inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the first sensor enclosure inner shell from the first sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the first sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on information received by the processor from the climatic sensor;
- c. activating the second inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the second sensor enclosure inner shell from the second sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the second sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on information received by the processor from the climatic sensor;
- d. activating the first LiDAR cap motorized linear actuator to move the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap from the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position to the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position;
- and
- e. activating the second LiDAR cap motorized linear actuator to move the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap from the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position to the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position.
3 more elements
The method of claim 18 further comprising;
- a. detecting movement of the railroad corridor assessment platform using a motion sensor;
- b. activating the first inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the first sensor enclosure inner shell from the first sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the first sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on information received by the processor from the motion sensor;
- c. activating the second inner shell motorized linear actuator to move the second sensor enclosure inner shell from the second sensor enclosure inner shell open position to the second sensor enclosure inner shell closed position based on information received by the processor from the motion sensor;
- d. activating the first LiDAR cap motorized actuator to move the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap from the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position to the first sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position;
- and
- e. activating the second LiDAR cap motorized actuator to move the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap from the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap open position to the second sensor enclosure LiDAR sensor cap closed position.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.