Highway-rail grade crossing controller with out of service mode
AssigneeSafetran Systems Corporation
InventorsJohn T. Sharkey, Richard Bamfield
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic controller for a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system is coupled to an approach circuit and to an island circuit and activates a warning device when a train is present in either of the approach or the island circuits. The controller has a display with touch-sensitive fields for selectively taking the approach circuit or island circuit out of service. Additional touch-sensitive fields on the display may be used for selecting the amount of time that the approach or island circuits remain out of service and for confirming that the maintainer wishes to take the these circuits out of service. Service is automatically restored upon expiration of the selected amount of time.
Claims9
A highway-railroad grade crossing warning system, said warning system comprising:
- an approach circuit in the railroad on either side of the highway;
- an island circuit in the railroad at the intersection of the railroad and the highway;
- an electronic controller electrically coupled to said approach circuit and to said island circuit;
- a warning device which is activated when a train is detected in the approach circuit or in the island circuit by the electronic controller;
- a display in the electronic controller, the display having a plurality of touch-sensitive fields,
- a first touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the approach circuit out of service;
- a second touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the island circuit out of service;
- a third touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller for selecting the amount of time that the approach circuit or the island circuit is to remain out of service, and
- means in said electronic controller for restoring service to said approach circuit or to said island circuit upon expiration of the entered amount of time.
A method of taking an approach circuit and/or an island circuit of a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system out of service with an electronic controller for electrically coupling to the approach circuit and to the island circuit, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a means for coupling the electronic controller to the approach circuit;
- providing a means for coupling the electronic controller to the island circuit;
- providing a means for activating a warning device when the controller detects a train in the approach circuit or detects a train in the island circuit;
- providing a display in the electronic controller;
- providing a plurality of touch-sensitive fields on the display;
- touching a first touch-sensitive field on the display to selectively take the approach circuit out of service;
- touching a second touch-sensitive field on the display to selectively take the island circuit out of service;
- using a third touch-sensitive field on the display to enter an amount of time that the approach circuit or the island circuit is to remain out of service;
- and
- restoring service to said approach circuit or to said island circuit upon expiration of the selected amount of time.
An electronic controller for a highway-railroad grade crossing warning system, said warning system including an approach circuit in the railroad on either side of the highway, an island circuit in the railroad at the intersection of the railroad and the highway, at least one gate which is normally raised and a plurality of warning lights;
- said electronic controller comprising:
- means for coupling the electronic controller to the approach circuit;
- means for coupling the electronic controller to the island circuit;
- means for activating a warning device when the controller detects a train in the approach circuit or detects a train in the island circuit;
- a display in the electronic controller, the display having a plurality of touch-sensitive fields,
- a first touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the approach circuit out of service;
- a second touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller responsive to a command for selectively taking the island circuit out of service;
- a third touch-sensitive field on the display in said electronic controller for selecting the amount of time that the approach circuit or the island circuit is to remain out of service, and
- means in said electronic controller for restoring service to said approach circuit or to said island circuit upon expiration of the entered amount of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.