Rail feature identification system
AssigneeHarsco Technologies LLC
InventorJavier FERNANDEZ
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure includes systems, devices, and methods for identifying, detecting, and/or tracking rail features. In some aspects, a system includes a camera and a computer having at least one memory, at least one processor configured to receive a plurality of images from the camera, and for each of the images: assigning a location identifier and identifying one or more rail features that correspond to one of a plurality of predetermined rail features. In some systems, the at least one processor is configured to determine a location of each of the one or more identified rail features.
Claims23
A rail vehicle comprising:
- a frame coupled to a plurality of rail wheels configured to move along a rail track;
- and
- a railroad track feature detection system coupled to the frame, the feature detection system comprising:
- a camera coupled to the frame and positioned such that the camera is configured to capture a plurality of images of a rail track as the rail vehicle moves along the rail track;
- and
- a computer having:
- at least one memory comprising instructions;
- and
- at least one processor configured to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to:
- receive the plurality of images, and for each of the images:
- assign a location identifier;
- detect one or more rail features;
- identify the one or more rail features as a relevant rail feature from a dataset of predetermined rail features;
- and
- assign a feature identifier to each identified rail feature;
- and
- based on the location identifier and the feature identifier:
- determine a geographical location of the one or rail more features;
- and
- track the one or more rail features.
(canceled)
7-9. (canceled)
A railroad track feature detection system comprising:
- an imaging device configured to be coupled to a frame of a rail vehicle and positioned such that the imaging device is configured to capture a plurality of images of a rail track as the rail vehicle moves along the rail track;
- and
- a computer having:
- at least one memory comprising instructions, at least a portion of the instructions configured as a neural network;
- and
- at least one processor configured to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to perform one or more operations in real-time;
- wherein the one or more operations include:
- receiving the plurality of images, and for each of the images:
- assigning a location identifier;
- and
- identifying one or more rail features that correspond to one of a plurality of predetermined rail features;
- and
- determining a location of each of the one or more identified rail features.
A method of tracking one or more rail features, the method comprising:
- receiving a first image from a camera module;
- detecting one or more first rail features in the first image;
- identifying the one or more first rail features;
- receiving a second image from the camera module;
- calculating a displacement distance associated with the first and second images;
- detecting one or more second rail features in the second image;
- based on the displacement distance, identifying a first subset of the one or more second rail features that correspond to one of the one or more first rail features;
- re-identifying the first subset of the one or more second rail features;
- and
- identifying a second subset of the one or more second rail features that do not correspond to one of the one or more first rail features;
- identifying a first subset of the one or more first rail features that are not included in the second image;
- and
- setting the first subset of the one or more first rail features as tracked feature and transmitting feature data of the tracked features to a display unit.
25-29. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.