Patent Application
20070291985
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:
a and 5b illustrate visualizations of the railyard in accordance with exemplary embodiments.
Referring now to
In exemplary embodiments, the computing device 16 may contain several programs for processing the received video feeds including, but not limited to, a facial recognition program, digital video and image signal processing software, and the like.
Currently, the cost of wiring is a major factor in the overall cost of most surveillance networks, particularly in surveillance networks designed to cover a large physical area such as a railyard. Accordingly, in one embodiment the device for interpreting the captured images 12 may include a wireless communications device 32 and the video devices 14 may include wireless communications modules that combine to enable wireless communication between the devices for interpreting the captured images 12 and the video devices 14. In one embodiment, a portion of the plurality of the video devices 14 are connected to the device for interpreting the captured images 12 through a wired connection, and another portion of the plurality of the video devices are wireless and are connected to the device for interpreting the captured images 12. The wireless communications device and the wireless communications module may utilize a wide variety of wireless communications protocols including, but not limited to, 802.11b/g/a, Infrared, Bluetooth™, or the like.
Returning to
Furthermore, the intelligent railyard monitoring system 10 includes one or more sensors 20 that are disposed in or around the railyard. The sensors 20 are in operable communication with the device for interpreting the captured images 12. The sensors 20 may be designed to monitor a wide variety of conditions within the railyard. For example, the sensors 20 may be configured to provide information including, but not limited to, movement, temperature, auditory, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the device for interpreting the captured images 12 may communicate with the sensors 20 using either wired or wireless communications protocols or a combination of the two. In one embodiment, the computing device 16 is provided with the location of each sensor 20 in relation to the video devices 14 or with respect to the global railyard coordinate system.
In one embodiment, the intelligent railyard monitoring system 10 may also include a device controller 22, which is in operable communication with the computing device 16. The device controller 22 may be used to control any peripheral device in the railyard responsive to commands received from the device for interpreting the captured images 12. The device controller 22 may be a wide range of devices including, but not limited to, an alarm system, an actuator connected to a gate or a door, a lighting control system, a railway switch, an actuator connected to a video device 14, and actuator connected to a sensor 20, or the like. In one embodiment, the device for interpreting the captured images 12 may monitor the video devices 14 and/or the sensors 20 and upon the detection of an event, the device for interpreting the captured images 12 may instruct the device controller 22 to take a responsive action.
For example, the device for interpreting the captured images 12 may detect the presence of a person in a restricted area of the railyard and may responsively instruct the device controller 22 to sound an alarm. In another example, the device for interpreting the captured images 12 may detect an impending collision between two railcars and responsively instruct the device controller 22 to activate a railway switch to avoid the collision. In yet another example, the computing device may detect movement in an area of the railyard and instruct an actuator affixed to a video device 14 to point in the direction of the detected movement.
Referring now to
Continuing with reference now to
Once a target is detected and classified, the location of each target is tracked by the computing device 16. The location may be tracked with respect to either the global railyard coordinate system, from frame-to-frame between video devices, or both. In one embodiment, the target tracking system utilizes one or more detailed models of the railyard and the tracked targets to constrain the possible movements of targets and hence improve tracking performance. The intelligent railyard monitoring system 10 may keep a log of the current and/or past locations of each target for a predetermined period of time using the computing device 16. In one embodiment, the data storage device of the computing device 16 may be periodically backed-up onto a removable data storage device such as a CD, DVD, or tape drive.
In one embodiment, the intelligent railyard monitoring system 10 may be configured to monitor specific tasks or actions. These tasks may be specified interactively by an operator or be pre-specified in the system. Exemplary tasks or actions may include, but are not limited to, monitoring the receiving yard to report the train arrival, monitoring the departure yard to report the time at which the crew boards the train, monitoring the movement of any individuals in particular areas of the railyard, or monitoring the movements of all individuals in the railyard. In another example, the intelligent railyard monitoring system 10 may monitor railcars differently depending upon the type of cargo the railcar is carrying. For example, if the RFID tag or other identification system indicated that a particular railcar is carrying a hazardous material, the railyard monitoring system 10 may maintain constant video surveillance of the railcar and may sound an alarm if a person is detected within a specific range of the railcar.
The computing device 16 may include a software package that is designed to analyze behavioral patterns of identified persons to verify that the individuals are acting within normal behavioral patterns. For example, the computing device 16 may track individuals once they have been identified and compare their behavioral pattern with behavioral patterns associated with the job function of the identified individual. Additionally, the computing device 16 can also determine whether or not individuals are being coerced or are under the influence of alcohol or in other ways debilitated. For example, the computing device 16 may compare behavior and/or movement (e.g., gait of the individual) with the previously observed behavior and/or movement of the same individual. In the event that the computing device 16 identifies that the behavioral pattern of an individual is outside of the expected behavioral pattern, the computing device 16 may alert a user or sound an alarm.
In exemplary embodiments, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may be used to detect hazardous working conditions in the railyard and sound an alarm upon the detection. For example, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may detect a railcar approaching a worker in a blue flag zone and sound an audible alarm to warn the worker, activate the breaks of the railcar, or switch the track of the railcar to avoid the collision. In another example, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may detect a potential collision between two railcars in the railyard. In one embodiment, the intelligent railyard monitoring system can control various railyard resources in response to the detection of a hazardous working condition. For example, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may instruct a railcar to stop upon detection that it is approaching a worker or another railcar.
In other exemplary embodiments, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may detect the beginning and end of work processes (i.e., when a worker begins or finishes a scheduled task). For example, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may be used to track personnel in the railyard and keep a log of their activities in the railyard including when they began and concluded specific work tasks. In addition to tracking workers, the log information can also be used in time studies for process engineers. In one embodiment, if a worker is taking an abnormally long period of time to complete a task an alert or alarm may be issued to notify a controller of the abnormality.
Hump yards are the largest and most effective classification railyards with the largest shunting capacity. The heart of these yards is the hump: a lead track on a hill, or hump, over which the engine pushes the cars. Single cars, or some coupled cars in a block, are uncoupled just before or at the crest of the hump and roll by gravity into their destination tracks. The intelligent railyard monitoring system may be used for monitoring the velocity of railcars pushed over the yard hump and feeding the velocity information into the hump control system that determines how much break force to apply to slow the cart down to just the right coupling velocity. Additionally, the intelligent railyard monitoring system can be used for detecting if railcars, being pushed over the hump, are switched correctly onto the right tracks and report errors if they are switched incorrectly.
Furthermore, the intelligent railyard monitoring system can be used for detecting train arrival and departure of railcars. In exemplary embodiments, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may include a schedule of all incoming and departing railcars and may monitor the railyard for arrivals and departures. The intelligent railyard monitoring system may use the information to keep a log of actual versus scheduled arrival and departure times. Additionally, if the intelligent railyard monitoring system detects an unscheduled arrival or departure it may sound an alarm or alert.
In exemplary embodiments, the intelligent railyard monitoring system may include a visualization of the railyard, as depicted generally in
In one embodiment, the intelligent railyard monitoring system 10 may include one or more auxiliary light source 34 for improved performance during periods of low illumination (e.g., night, inclement weather). The auxiliary light source 34 may include a spotlight, an infrared light, or the like. The light source 34 may be in operable communication with the device controller 22 and/or the computing device 16, which may control the operational mode of the light source 34 (e.g., if the light source is on or off and the intensity of the light emitted by the light source). The light source 34 may be disposed anywhere in or around the railyard including, but not limited to, on a railcar, on a building, on a pole, or the like. Depending on the location of the light source 34, the light source 34 may communicate with the device controller 22 and/or the computing device 16 through either wired or wireless means. In one embodiment, infrared light sources may be installed on all yard engines to facilitate system performance during all lighting conditions. The light sources 24 may be mounted in either a fixed or a moveable manner. In one embodiment, the light source is mounted on an actuator that is in operable communication with the device controller 22, which controls the direction the light source is pointed.
The video device 14 may include a solar array that can be used to charge a battery that provides power to the video device 14. In one embodiment, the video device 14 may contain a video analysis algorithm operable for determining the required frequency of video capture and whether or not a captured image must be transmitted and at what compression rate. For example, the video device 14 may have a video analysis algorithm that is capable of comparing a captured image with a previously captured image that can be used to prevent the video device from transmitting a substantially duplicate image. In an exemplary embodiment, the video devices 14 are programmed to only transmit an image once a change in the environment that they are observing is detected. Additionally, the video devices 14 may be designed to send an updated image on a regular schedule to ensure that the video devices are still functioning properly. The computing device 16 collects the transmitted imagery and updates the representation of the railyard maintained by the computing device 16.
Referring now to
As described above, the present disclosure can be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The present disclosure can also be embodied in the form of a computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the disclosure. The present disclosure can also be embodied in the form of a computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into an executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the disclosure. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.
While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
