US 5,978,718 A · Rail vision system

Abstract

A rail vision system visually reads signal aspect information from each wayside signal device of a wayside signaling system. It also warn a train operator of the more restrictive signal aspects and imposes a penalty brake application should the train operator fail to acknowledge the warning. Each wayside signal device communicates from a railway operating authority information including directions as to how the train should proceed along the upcoming segment of railway track. The rail vision system includes a signal locating system and a rail navigation system. The signal locating system isolates visually the upcoming wayside signal device and reads the information therefrom as the train approaches thereto. The rail navigation system determines the position that the train occupies on the railway track and provides the signal locating system with data as to the whereabouts of the upcoming wayside signal device relative to the position of the train. This enables the signal locating system to isolate visually the upcoming wayside signal device and to provide the information read therefrom to the rail navigation system. The rail navigation system can then warn the train operator of the more restrictive signal aspects, and should the train operator fail to acknowledge the warning, impose a penalty brake application.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A rail vision system for a train, such train for travelling along a railway track featuring a multiplicity of wayside signal devices each of which situated along such railway track so as to communicate from a railway operating authority information including directions as to how such train should proceed along a segment of such railway track generally corresponding thereto, said rail vision system comprising:

(a) a signal locating system for isolating visually an upcoming one of such wayside signal devices when such train approaches thereto and for reading said information when available therefrom;
and
(b) a rail navigation system for determining a position such train occupies on such railway track and for providing said signal locating system with data as to whereabouts of such upcoming wayside signal device relative to said position of such train thereby enabling said signal locating system (i) to isolate visually such upcoming wayside signal device when such train approaches thereto and (ii) to provide said information when read from such upcoming wayside signal device to said rail navigation system so that said rail navigation system can operate brakes of such train in compliance with such wayside signaling system.

(a) an input means for generating a video signal indicative of an image of an object onto which said input means is focused, such object including an upcoming one of such wayside signal devices;
(b) a processing means for digitally processing said video signal so that such object, and said information if appearing thereon, is rendered discernable;
(c) a storage device for storing a database including data pertaining to (i) locations of railway track routes, (ii) locations and orientations of curves and switches in such railway track routes, (iii) type and location of each of such wayside signal devices on such railway track routes, (iv) direction to which each such wayside signal device points and a particular track which each such wayside signal device signals, (v) position of each such wayside signal device with respect to such particular track and to said direction which such train is travelling, (vi) distance from each such wayside signal device at which imaging of such object should start, (vii) a signal number that appears on a signboard of each such wayside signal device so equipped, and (viii) position of such signboard for each of such wayside signal devices so equipped;
(d) a speed sensing device for sensing rotation of a wheel of such train to generate a first signal from which at least one of speed of and distance traveled by such train can be determined;
(e) a rate of turn measuring apparatus for measuring a rate at which such train turns while traveling on a curve of such railway track to generate a second signal from which curvature of such railway track can be determined;
(f) a navigational receiver for receiving positional coordinates that such train occupies and for generating a third signal indicative of an approximate position of such train on such railway track;
and
(g) a computer, according to instructions contained within programming code, for using said signals along with and in comparison to at least some of said data to determine a position such train occupies on such railway track and whereabouts of such upcoming wayside signal device relative to such position of such train so as to manipulate said input means to focus on such upcoming wayside signal device when such train approaches thereto thereby enabling said processing means to provide said information to said computer so that said computer can operate brakes of such train in compliance with such wayside signaling system.

5 more elements

A rail vision system for a train, such train for travelling along a railway track having a multiplicity of crossings intersecting therewith, said rail vision system comprising:

(a) an input means for generating a video signal indicative of an image of an object onto which said input means is focused, such object including an upcoming one of such crossings;
(b) a processing means for digitally processing said video signal so that such object and any obstruction thereon is rendered discernable;
(c) a storage device for storing a database including data pertaining to (i) locations of railway track routes, (ii) locations and orientations of curves and switches in such railway track routes, (iii) location of each of such crossings on such railway track routes, (iv) distance from each of such crossings at which imaging should start;
(d) a speed sensing device for sensing rotation of a wheel of such train to generate a first signal from which at least one of speed of and distance traveled by such train can be determined;
(e) a rate of turn measuring apparatus for measuring a rate at which such train turns while traveling on a curve of such railway track to generate a second signal from which curvature of such railway track can be determined;
(f) a navigational receiver for receiving positional coordinates that such train occupies and for generating a third signal indicative of an approximate position of such train on such railway track;
and
(g) a computer, according to instructions contained within programming code, for using said signals along with and in comparison to at least some of said data to determine a position such train occupies on such railway track and whereabouts of such upcoming crossing relative to such position of such train so as to manipulate said input means to focus on, and said processing means to discern, such upcoming crossing so that said computer can warn such train operator when such upcoming crossing is obstructed as such train approaches thereto.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rail vision system

Life of this patent

Rail vision system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21