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US 5,265,831 AGranted
Arrangement for detecting an object by means of sound conducted through a solid body and method of using such arrangement
OwnerBruno Mullerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting an impact sound, such as a sound caused by a railroad vehicle approaching a construction location. The apparatus comprises an arrangement for detecting impact sound or vibrations with a receiver mounted at the rail, for example, and, further, an evaluation circuit for processing the vibrations and triggering a warning signal when the intensity of the receiver-output signal continuously increases, for example, when the intensity in a predetermined frequency range passes through predetermined threshold values during predetermined times. Thus, an approaching railroad vehicle can be positively detected by monitoring a continuously increasing sound or vibration which is propagated in the rails.
Claims28
An arrangement for detecting an object, said arrangement comprising:
- a vibration receiver for detecting vibrations produced by the object;
- an evaluation circuit for receiving an output signal from said vibration receiver and for delivering a warning signal in response to said output signal from said vibration receiver fulfilling predetermined criteria, said evaluation circuit comprising a comparator, said comparator comprising:
- means for comparing intensity of said output signal received from said vibration receiver during at least two different points in time;
- and
- means for delivering a warning signal to a warning device in response to an occurrence of said output signal intensity above a predetermined threshold value at two different points in time;
- said evaluation circuit further comprising:
- means for determining said intensity of said output signal at uniform time intervals and means for maintaining said warning signal until said output signal fails to be above said predetermined threshold at at least one of said points in time;
- said predetermined threshold comprising a predetermined higher threshold;
- and
- said evaluation circuit further comprising means for triggering a pre-warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal, between a first and a second point in time, above a predetermined lower threshold, whereby said means for delivering a warning signal delivers said warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal intensity above said predetermined higher threshold value at a further point in time.
7 more elements
An arrangement for detecting an object, said arrangement comprising:
- a vibration receiver for detecting vibrations produced by the object;
- an evaluation circuit for receiving an output signal from said vibration receiver and for delivering a warning signal in response to said output signal from said vibration receiver fulfilling predetermined criteria, said evaluation circuit comprising a comparator, said comparator comprising:
- means for comparing intensity of said output signal received from said vibration receiver during at least two different points in time;
- and
- means for delivering a warning signal to a warning device in response to an occurrence of said output signal intensity above a predetermined threshold value at two different points in time;
- said evaluation circuit further comprising:
- means for determining said intensity of said output signal at uniform time intervals and means for maintaining said warning signal until said output signal fails to be above said predetermined threshold at at least one of said points in time;
- said predetermined threshold comprising a predetermined higher threshold;
- and
- said evaluation circuit further comprising means for triggering a pre-warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal, between a first and a second point in time, above a predetermined lower threshold, whereby said means for delivering a warning signal further comprises means for delivering said warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal intensity above said predetermined higher threshold value at two further points in time.
7 more elements
An arrangement for detecting an object said arrangement comprising:
- a vibration receiver for detecting vibrations produced by the object;
- an evaluation circuit for receiving an output signal from said vibration receiver and for delivering a warning signal in response to said output signal from said vibration receiver fulfilling predetermined criteria, said evaluation circuit comprising a comparator, said comparator comprising:
- means for comparing intensity of said output signal received from said vibration receiver during at least two different points in time;
- means for delivering a warning signal to a warning device in response to an occurrence of said output signal intensity above a predetermined threshold value as identified by said means for comparing at two successive points in time;
- a sound conducting medium for conducting vibrations to said vibration receiver, wherein said sound-conducting medium comprises a plurality of rails along which a vehicle is guided for movement, said vibration receiver comprising a first vibration receiver provided at a first of said plurality of rails;
- a second vibration receiver provided at a second of said plurality of rails;
- and
- a gate circuit connected to each of said first vibration receiver and said second vibration receiver;
- wherein said gate circuit comprises an AND-gate and wherein said means for delivering a warning signal to a warning device delivers said warning signal, by means of said AND-gate, only in response to an occurrence of an output signal intensity above a predetermined threshold value at two successive points in time with respect to both said first of said plurality of rails and said second of said plurality of rails.
6 more elements
A method of detecting an object, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving vibrations produced by the object at a plurality of different points in time;
- generating an output signal as a function of said vibrations received from said object;
- generating a warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal having an intensity above a predetermined threshold value at two different points in time;
- producing a warning in response to the generation of said warning signal;
- and
- maintaining said warning signal until said output signal fails to be above said predetermined threshold at at least one of said points in time;
- wherein said predetermined threshold comprises a predetermined higher threshold, said method further comprising triggering a pre-warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal, between a first and a second point in time, above a predetermined lower threshold, whereby said step of generating a warning signal further comprises generating said warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal intensity above said predetermined higher threshold value at a further point in time.
4 more elements
A method of detecting an object, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving vibrations produced by the object at a plurality of different points in time;
- generating an output signal as a function of said vibrations received from said object;
- generating a warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal having an intensity above a predetermined threshold value at two different points in time;
- producing a warning in response to the generation of said warning signal;
- and
- maintaining said warning signal until said output signal fails to be above said predetermined threshold at at least one of said points in time;
- wherein said predetermined threshold comprises a predetermined higher threshold, said method further comprising triggering a pre-warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal, between a first and a second point in time, above a predetermined lower threshold, whereby said step of generating a warning signal further comprises generating said warning signal in response to an occurrence of said output signal intensity above said predetermined higher threshold value at two further points in time.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.