# US 8,786,428 B2 · Track worker safety information system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,428 B2 - Document ID: US8786428B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/097,403 - Filed: 2011-04-29 - Published: 2011-11-17 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-14 - Assignees: Bombardier Transportation GmbH - Applicants: Keith Burton Sheardown; Mark Willer; Pankaj Sood; Nerraj Sood; Peter Basl - Inventors: Keith Burton Sheardown; Mark Willer; Pankaj Sood; Nerraj Sood; Peter Basl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786428B2 ## CPC - B61L 23/06: for warning men working on the route - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) ## Abstract In a method of operating a system for announcing the presence of one or more individuals on or near a pathway to an operator of a vehicle traveling on the pathway, each of a number of data readers positioned along the pathway receives data input by the one or more individuals. In response to each data reader receiving the data input, a unique subset of a number of lamps, also positioned along the pathway, is caused to illuminate. The system includes a computer network that controls the operation of the lamps in response to the input of data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for providing warning notifications about one or more track workers along a track, the method comprising: detecting presence of the one or more track workers along the track via a network of detectors coupled to a communications network; and controlling broadcast of one or more human-perceivable indications across the communications network to one or more broadcast units based on the presence of the track workers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the one or more track workers comprises detecting one or more devices on the one or more track workers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising detecting the presence of at least one train on the track. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the one or more human-perceivable indications comprises generating a visual indication or an audible indication. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, comprising generating the visual indication as a flashing light at the one or more broadcast units. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, comprising generating the audible indication as an audible message at the one or more broadcast units. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising alerting a train operator within the one or more trains using the visual indication. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, comprising generating the visual indication in a vicinity of the one or more track workers or in a vicinity of the one or more trains such that the visual indication is noticeable by the one or more track workers or the train operator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, comprising controlling the visual indication based on movement of the one or more track worker or the one or more trains. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising generating a human-perceivable indication to the one or more track workers confirming detection of the presence of the one or more track workers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprising generating a caution message as part of the human-perceivable indication. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, comprising controlling the frequency of the flashing light. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, comprising generating one of a pre-recorded or a live message as part of the audible message. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising selecting some or all of the broadcast units for output of the one or more human-perceivable indications. ### Claim 15 A system for providing notification of the presence of one or more track workers along a track, the system comprising: one or more identification readers situated along a length of the track and operative for reading one or more identification tags carried by the one or more track workers; one or more beacons situated along the length of the track for broadcasting notifications regarding the location of the one or more track workers along the track; and a communication network linking the tag readers and the beacons to a processor controlled data processing system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein at least one identification reader includes a human machine interface to allow one of the track workers to input data into the data processing system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising one or more broadcast units, each broadcast unit integrating at least one identification reader and at least one beacon. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, each broadcast unit is networked via the communication network and controlled by the data processing system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein each beacon includes means for providing a visual indication, an audible indication, or both. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein each identification reader includes means to confirm identification of the one or more track workers. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein more than one beacon broadcasts the notifications. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the communication network is a wired communication network, a wireless communication network, or a combination of a wired and wireless communication network. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the communication network is a wired communication network comprising one or more of the following: network-based communication, optics-based communication, and cable-based communication.