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US 2026/0274315 A1Published application
System and method for inferring vehicle route switch status
AssigneeTransportation IP Holdings, LLC
InventorRebecca Wilson Dreasher
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Abstract
A system and a method for inferring status of switches positioned along a route traveled by a vehicle system are recited. A switch indicator is to emit a first signal in response to each of the switches being in its alignment configuration. The first signal emitted from the switch indicator is received in response to the vehicle system traveling toward the switch indicator before arriving at an outmost switch. That each of the switches is in its alignment configuration is determined based on a clustered first group in response to receiving the first signal.
Claims29
A system for inferring status of switches positioned along a route traveled by a vehicle system, the system comprising:
- a control circuit configured to:
- associate a plurality of switches deployed sequentially along a route with a first switch indicator deployed along the route and located subsequent to or prior to the plurality of switches such that the first switch indicator is to emit:
- a first signal in response to each of the plurality of switches being in its alignment configuration of aligning with the route;
- and
- a second signal in response to at least one of the plurality of switches being in its divergence configuration of diverging from the route;
- cluster the first switch indicator that emits the first signal and the plurality of switches that each is in its alignment configuration into a first group;
- cluster the first switch indicator that emits the second signal and the plurality of switches that one or more thereof is in its divergence configuration into a second group;
- receive the first signal or the second signal emitted from the first switch indicator in response to the vehicle system traveling along the route in a first moving direction toward the first switch indicator and then the plurality of switches before arriving at a first outmost switch among the plurality of switches;
- determine that each of the plurality of switches is in its alignment configuration based on the clustered first group in response to receiving the first signal;
- determine that at least one switch among the plurality of switches is in its divergence configuration based on the clustered second group in response to receiving the second signal;
- and
- control movement of the vehicle system in response to a determination that the plurality of switches each is in its alignment configuration or that the at least one switch is in its divergence configuration.
9 more elements
A method for inferring status of switches positioned along a route traveled by a vehicle system, the method comprising:
- associating a plurality of switches deployed sequentially along a route with a first switch indicator deployed along the route and located subsequent to or prior to the plurality of switches such that the first switch indicator is to emit a first signal in response to each of the plurality of switches being in its alignment configuration of aligning with the route and a second signal in response to at least one switch among the plurality of switches being in its divergence configuration of diverging from the route;
- clustering the first switch indicator that emits the first signal and the plurality of switches that each is in its alignment configuration into a first group;
- clustering the first switch indicator that emits the second signal and the plurality of switches that one or more thereof is in its divergence configuration into a second group;
- receiving the first signal or the second signal emitted from the first switch indicator in response to the vehicle system traveling along the route in a first moving direction toward the first switch indicator and then the plurality of switches before arriving at a first outmost switch among the plurality of switches;
- determining that each of the plurality of switches is in its alignment configuration based on the clustered first group in response to receiving the first signal;
- determining that at least one switch is in its divergence configuration based on the clustered second group in response to receiving the second signal;
- and
- controlling movement of the vehicle system in response to a determination that the plurality of switches each is in its alignment configuration or that the at least one switch is in its divergence configuration.
5 more elements
A system for inferring status of switches positioned along a route traveled by a vehicle system, the system comprising:
- a control circuit configured to:
- associate a plurality of switches deployed sequentially along a route with a first switch indicator deployed along the route and located subsequent to or prior to the plurality of switches such that the first switch indicator is to emit:
- a first signal in response to each of the plurality of switches being in its alignment configuration of aligning with the route;
- cluster the first switch indicator that emits the first signal and the plurality of switches that each is in its alignment configuration into a first group;
- determine that each of the plurality of switches is in its alignment configuration based on the clustered first group in response to receiving the first signal emitted from the first switch indicator in response to the vehicle system traveling along the route in a moving direction toward the first switch indicator and then the plurality of switches before arriving at a first outmost switch among the plurality of switches;
- and
- control movement of the vehicle system in response to a determination that the plurality of switches each is in its alignment configuration.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.