Method and system for compensating for wheel wear on a train
AssigneeQuantum Engineering, Inc.
InventorsMark Edward Kane, James Francis Shockley, Harrison Thomas Hickenlooper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for compensating for wheel wear uses position and/or speed information from an independent positioning system to measure some distance over which the train has traveled. Wheel rotation information is also collected over the distance. The wheel rotation information and distance and/or speed information are then used to determine the size of the train wheels. The method is performed periodically to correct for changes in wheel size over time due to wear so that the wheel rotation information can be used to determine train position and speed in the event of a positioning system failure.
Claims16
A method for supplying a signal to a device configured to process a wheel sensor signal from a wheel sensor connected to a wheel of a predetermined size comprising the steps of:
- determining a speed of a train without the use of a wheel sensor connected to a wheel of the predetermined size;
- determining a parameter of a signal indicative of a speed of the train that would be output by a wheel sensor connected to a wheel of a predetermined size if the wheel were rotating at a rate corresponding to the speed of the train;
- generating a wheel sensor signal having the parameter;
- supplying the wheel sensor signal to at least one device configured to process a wheel sensor signal corresponding to a wheel sensor connected to a wheel of the predetermined size.
A system for supplying a signal to a device configured to process a wheel sensor signal from a wheel sensor connected to a wheel of a predetermined size, the system comprising:
- a control unit;
- and
- a signal generator connected to the control unit;
- wherein the control unit is configured to perform the steps of:
- determining a speed of a vehicle on which the control unit is located without use of a wheel sensor connected to a wheel of the predetermined size;
- determining a parameter of a signal that would be output by a wheel sensor connected to a wheel of a predetermined size if the wheel were rotating at a rate corresponding to the speed;
- and
- controlling the signal generator to generate a wheel sensor signal having the parameter;
- wherein the wheel sensor signal is output to a device configured to process a wheel sensor signal from a wheel sensor associated with a wheel of the predetermined size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.