US 6,511,023 B2 · Automated railway monitoring system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the real time location of wheeled cars linked together in a train traveling on a fixed track. The method creates a wheel count and a location point for the train by counting the number of wheels on the train in a sequential order as the train passes a first wheel counting station, wherein the wheel counting station is stationary at a fixed location. The wheel count and location point for the train is then recorded in a computer. As the train passes subsequent wheel counting stations positioned along the track, the train is identified by recounting the wheels on the train and matching the number of recounted train wheels to the wheel count. The location point of the train is updated in the computer to correspond to the location of the last wheel counting station and to count the number of wheels on the train. Subsequently, a rail car location in the computer is created, wherein the rail car location corresponds to the last updated location point for the train. Accordingly, the method apparatus use a plurality of wheel counting stations, sensors, and a computer to determine the location of linked cars on a fixed track.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for determining the real time location of wheeled rail cars linked together in a train traveling on a fixed track, the method comprising the following steps:

a) creating a count and location point for the train by counting the number of wheels on the train in sequential order as the train passes a first counting station having a known location, the location point corresponding the location of the first counting station;
b) recording the count and location point in a computer,
c) identifying the train as the train passes subsequent counting stations positioned along the track by recounting the wheels on the train and matching the number of recounted train wheels to the count, each of said counting stations having a known location,
d) updating the location point in the computer when the train is identified to correspond to the location of the last counting station to count the number of wheels on the train,
e) creating a rail car location in the computer, the rail car location corresponding to the last updated location point for the train,
f) providing each rail car with an identification tag,
g) identifying each of the rail cars in the train in sequential order as the train passes an identification tag reading station, the identification tag reading station adapted to read the identification tag and transmit the sequential identity of the cars to the computer,
h) creating a wheel profile for the train by combining the wheel count and the sequential identity of the cars, the wheel profile listing the number of wheels on the train and the identification of each of the rail cars on the train,
i) recording a train schedule in the computer, the train schedule including a list of customer locations where the rail cars will be transferred and a list of the rail cars transferred at those respective customer locations, and
j) amending the wheel profile for the train as the train travels from customer locations by changing the wheel profile to reflect the scheduled transfer of the rail cars at the respective customer locations, the amended wheel profile containing a predicted number of wheels on the train and a predicted list of rail car identities.

7 more elements

A system for determining the real time location of wheeled rail cars linked together in a train travelling on a fixed track, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of counting stations positioned along the track, the counting stations each adapted to accurately count the wheels of the train as the train passes the station to create a wheel count for the train, the wheel count corresponding to the total number of wheels of the train counted by the counting station, each counting station having a known location;
b) the counting stations being adapted to transmit an information signal to a first computer operatively coupled to the counting stations when the train passes the stations, said information signal including the wheel count for the train and location information corresponding to the location of the counting station generating the wheel count;
c) the first computer adapted to store the wheel count and location information in a memory module;
d) the first computer adapted to identify the train when it passes each counting station by matching the number of wheels of the train counted by said counting station to the wheel count for the train;
e) the first computer adapted to generate a location point corresponding to the location of the last counting station to count the number of wheels on the train,
f) the first computer further adapted to create a rail car location corresponding to the location point;
g) the counting stations are further adapted to measure the speed and direction of the wheels on the train and the time the wheel count was taken, the counting stations being further adapted to transmit this information to the first computer;
h) each of the rail cars have identification tags identifying the rail car and further comprising at least one identification tag reading station positioned adjacent to the track and operatively coupled to the first computer, the identification tag reading station adapted to read the identification tags of the rail cars to identify each of the rail cars in the train in sequential order as the train passes the identification tag reading station, the identification tag reading station adapted to transmit the sequential identity of the cars to the first computer, the identification tag reading station positioned near a counting station, the first computer adapted to store the identity of each of the rail cars forming the train;
i) the first computer is further adapted to create a wheel profile for the train by combining the wheel count and the identities of the cars read from the identification tag reading station, the wheel profile listing the number of wheels on the train and the identification of each of the rail cars on the train;
j) wherein the first computer is further adapted to store a train schedule, the train schedule including a list of customer locations where the rail cars will be transferred and a list of the rail cars transferred at the respective customer locations, and wherein the first computer is further adapted to amend the wheel profile for the train as the train travels from a first customer location to a second customer location by changing the wheel profile to reflect the transfer of the rail cars, the amended wheel profile containing a predicted number of wheels on the train and a predicted identification list for the rail cars in the train.

7 more elements

A system for determining the real time location of wheeled rail cars linked together in a train traveling on a fixed track, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of counting stations positioned along the track, the counting stations each adapted to accurately count the wheels of the train as the train passes the station to create a wheel count for the train, the wheel count corresponding to the total number of wheels of the train counted by the counting station, each counting station having a known location;
b) the counting stations being adapted to transmit an information signal to a first computer operatively coupled to the counting stations when the train passes the stations, said information signal including the wheel count for the train and location information corresponding to the location of the counting station generating the wheel count;
c) the first computer adapted to store the wheel count and location information in a memory module;
d) the first computer adapted to identify the train when it passes each counting station by matching the number of wheels of the train counted by said counting station to the wheel count for the train;
e) the first computer adapted to generate a location point corresponding to the location of the last counting station to count the number of wheels on the train,
f) the first computer further adapted to create a rail car location corresponding to the location point,
g) the counting stations are further adapted to measure the speed and direction of the wheels on the train and the time the wheel count was taken, the counting stations being further adapted to transmit this information to the first computer,
h) each of the rail cars have identification tags identification tags identifying the rail car and further comprising at least one identification tag reading station positioned adjacent to the track and operatively coupled to the first computer, the identification tag reading station adapted to read the identification tags of the rail cars to identify each of the rail cars in the train in sequential order as the train passes the identification tag reading station, the identification tag reading station adapted to transmit the sequential identity of the cars to the first computer, the identification tag reading station positioned near a counting station, the first computer adapted to store the identity of each of the rail cars forming the train,
i) the first computer is further adapted to create a wheel profile for the train by combining the wheel count and the identities of the cars read from the identification tag reading station, the wheel profile listing the number of wheels on the train and the identification of each of the rail cars on the train,
j) the first computer is further adapted to store a train schedule, the train schedule including a list of computer locations where rail cars will be transferred and a list of the rail cars transferred at the respective customer locations, and wherein the first computer is further adapted to amend the wheel profile for the train as the train travels from a first customer location to a second customer location by changing the wheel profile to reflect the transfer of rail cars, the amended wheel profile containing a predicted number of wheels on the train and a predicted identification list for the rail cars in the train,
k) the first computer is further adapted to identify the train as the train passes subsequent counting stations positioned along the track by matching the number of wheels counted for the train by said counting stations to the predicted wheel count for the train, the first computer being further adapted to update the rail car locations when the train is identified by changing the updated location point to correspond to the location of the last counting station which read the wheels on the train,
l) the first computer is further adapted to verify the transfer for rail cars at a customer location by comparing the number of wheels on the train counted when the train passed a counting station positioned after the customer location to the predicted number of wheels on the trains according to the amended wheel profile,
m) wherein the first computer is further adapted to search for a specific rail car by corresponding rail car identify information and transmit the location point and estimated rail car location for said specific rail car to a remote computer via the world wide web.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated railway monitoring system

Life of this patent

Automated railway monitoring system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24