US 2025/0083720 A1 · APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR MONITORING MOVING VEHICLES

Abstract

Railcar inspection systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed, including a railcar inspection portal. The railcar inspection portal includes a physical structure positioned around a railroad track, and through which a railcar can travel. The railcar inspection portal can include wheel detection sensors along the railroad track for detecting the presence of a railcar passing over the sensors. The sensors can transmit signals, corresponding to railcars passing over the sensors, to computing devices for determining railcar speeds. The railcar inspection portal can include imaging devices configured to capture images and readings of railcars passing through the inspection portal. Based on a determined speed corresponding to a passing railcar, the computing devices can control the imaging devices to capture specific areas or components of the passing railcar, or individual cars thereon. The computing devices can process the captured images to detect defects corresponding to the passing railcar, or individual cars thereon.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices configured to capture inspection images of a passing railcar travelling along a railway;
a calibration cart configured to travel along the railway, the calibration cart comprising a plurality of calibration targets, the plurality of calibration targets each corresponding to a spatial location of one or more target regions of the passing railcar, wherein each of the plurality of calibration targets corresponds to one or more of the plurality of imaging devices;
and
one or more computing devices in communication with the one or more imaging devices, the one or more computing devices being configured to:
capture calibration images of the plurality of calibration targets with the plurality of imaging devices;
process the calibration images to determine whether any of the plurality of imaging devices is outside an acceptable calibration range;
and
in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of imaging devices is outside the acceptable calibration range, output instructions to adjust calibration settings for each of the at least one of the plurality of imaging devices.

5 more elements

A non-transitory, computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or processors, causes a computing system to:

output instructions for a plurality of imaging devices to capture calibration images of a plurality of calibration targets of a calibration cart, the plurality of calibration targets being positioned at corresponding three-dimensional locations at which the plurality of imaging devices are configured to capture inspection images of the corresponding one or more target regions of a passing railcar;
receive the calibration images from the plurality of imaging devices;
process the calibration images to determine whether any of the plurality of imaging devices is outside an acceptable calibration range;
and
in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of imaging devices is outside the acceptable calibration range, output instructions to adjust calibration settings for each of the at least one of the plurality of imaging devices.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for monitoring moving vehicles

Life of this patent

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for monitoring moving vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20