This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US2015/047656 filed 31 Aug. 2015 and claims benefit thereof, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to a railroad crossing indication device, a railroad crossing indication system and a method for displaying information at railroad crossings.
2. Description of the Related Art
A constant warning time device, also referred to as a grade crossing predictor (GCP) in the U.S. or a level crossing predictor in the U.K., is an electronic device that is connected to the rails of a railroad track and is configured to detect the presence of an approaching train and determine its speed and distance from a crossing, i.e., a location at which the tracks cross a road, sidewalk or other surface used by moving objects. The constant warning time device will use this information to generate a constant warning time signal for controlling a crossing warning device. A crossing warning device is a device that warns of the approach of a train at a crossing, examples of which include crossing gate arms (e.g., the familiar black and white striped wooden arms often found at highway grade crossings to warn motorists of an approaching train), crossing lights (such as the red flashing lights often found at highway grade crossings in conjunction with the crossing gate arms discussed above), and/or crossing bells or other audio alarm devices. Constant warning time devices are often, but not always, configured to activate the crossing warning device at a fixed time, e.g., 30 seconds, prior to an approaching train arriving at a crossing.
Motorists have always had waiting/patience problems with railroad crossings. They ignore the lights, try to circumvent the crossing gates, and get frustrated while waiting for a train to pass. Sometimes, motorists and pedestrians ignore the warning signs because they cannot see the train coming, don't think there is danger present, or are too impatient to wait. Some motorists underestimate the danger associated with railroad crossings and how circumventing safety systems can have seriously negative consequences. There are also several examples of motorists driving through crossing gates and striking the side of a moving train. Thus, there exists a need to convey additional information at railroad crossings so that motorists will be deterred from circumventing the provided safety systems.
Briefly described, aspects of the present invention relate to railroad crossing indication device, a railroad crossing indication system, and a method for displaying information at railroad crossings. The term ‘railroad crossing’ is also known and herein referred to as ‘railroad grade crossing’ or ‘grade crossing’.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a railroad crossing indication device comprising a processing unit configured to receive and process data provided by a constant warning time device in communication with a railroad track, wherein the data relate to a train approaching a railroad track, and a screen unit configured to display information of the train approaching the railroad crossing based upon the data provided by the constant warning time device.
A second aspect of the present invention provides a railroad crossing indication system comprising a constant warning time device in communication with a railroad track, at least one railroad crossing warning device located at a railroad crossing in communication with the constant warning time device, and a railroad crossing indication device located in proximity to the railroad crossing and the at least one railroad crossing warning device, and in communication with the constant warning time device, wherein the railroad crossing indication device displays information relating to a train approaching the railroad crossing based upon data of the train approaching the railroad crossing provided by the constant warning time device.
A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for displaying information at a railroad crossing comprising providing data by a constant warning time device which is in communication with a railroad track, the data relating to a train approaching a railroad crossing, receiving the data by a railroad crossing indication device located in proximity to the railroad crossing and operably coupled to the constant warning time device, and displaying, by a screen unit of the railroad crossing indication device, information of the train approaching the railroad crossing using the data provided by the constant warning time device.
To facilitate an understanding of embodiments, principles, and features of the present invention, they are explained hereinafter with reference to implementation in illustrative embodiments. In particular, they are described in the context of being a railroad crossing indication device, a railroad crossing indication system, and method for displaying information at railroad crossings, in particular in connection with constant warning time devices, also referred to as grade crossing predictor (GCP) or grade crossing predictor system (GCP system). Embodiments of the present invention, however, are not limited to use in the described devices or methods.
The components and materials described hereinafter as making up the various embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable components and materials that would perform the same or a similar function as the materials described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.
Typical constant warning time devices include a transmitter that transmits a signal over a circuit formed by the track's rails and one or more termination shunts positioned at desired approach distances from the transmitter, a receiver that detects one or more resulting signal characteristics, and a logic circuit such as a microprocessor or hardwired logic that detects the presence of a train and determines its speed and distance from the crossing. The approach distance depends on the maximum allowable speed of a train, the desired warning time, and a safety factor. Preferred embodiments of constant warning time devices generate and transmit a constant current AC signal on said track circuit; constant warning time devices detect a train and determine its distance and speed by measuring impedance changes caused by the train's wheels and axles acting as a shunt across the rails, which effectively shortens the length, and hence lowers the impedance, of the rails in the circuit. Multiple constant warning devices can monitor a given track circuit if each device measures track impedance at a different frequency.
The railroad track 20 includes two rails 20a, 20b and a plurality of ties (not shown in
The system 10 includes a constant warning time device 40, also referred to as GCP or GCP system that comprises a transmitter that connects to the rails 20a, 20b at transmitter connection points T1, T2 on one side of the road 30 via transmitter wires 42. The constant warning time device 40 also comprises a main receiver that connects to the rails 20a, 20b at main receiver connection points R1, R2 on the other side of the road 30 via receiver wires 44. The receiver wires 44 are also referred to as main channel receiver wires. The constant warning time device 40 further comprises a check receiver that connects to the rails 20a, 20b at check receiver connection points C1, C2 via check channel receiver wires 46. The check channel receiver wires 46 are connected to the track 20 on the same side of the road 30 as the transmitter wires 42, resulting in a six-wire system. The main channel receiver and check channel receiver operate in much the same manner with an incoming train move, providing a parallel check of the main channel operation. Those of skill in the art will recognize that the transmitter and receivers (main channel receiver and check channel receiver), other than the physical conductors that connect to the track 20, are often co-located in an enclosure located on one side of the road 30. The constant warning time device 40 includes a control unit 50 connected to the transmitter and receivers. The control unit includes logic, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof, for calculating train speed, distance and direction, and producing constant warning time signals for the crossing.
Also shown in
Typically, the shunts S1, S2 positioned on both sides of the road 30 and the associated constant warning time device 40 are tuned to the same frequency. This way, the transmitter can continuously transmit one AC signal having one frequency, the receiver can measure the voltage response of the rails 20a, 20b and the control unit 50 can make impedance and constant warning time determinations based on the one specific frequency. When a train crosses one of the termination shunts S1, S2, the train's wheels and axles act as shunts, which lowers the inductance, impedance and voltage measured by the corresponding control unit 50. Measuring the change in the impedance indicates the distance of the train, and measuring the rate of change of the impedance (or integrating the impedance over time) allows the speed of the train to be determined.
As described before, the GCP system 40 is configured to detect the presence of an approaching train, determine its speed and distance from the railroad crossing, calculates when the train will arrive at the crossing, and will use this information to generate constant warning time signals for controlling the crossing warning devices 210, 212, 220, 230. Typically, a normally energized master relay 232, only shown schematically herein, is arranged between the GCP system 40 and the warning devices 210, 212, 220, 230, for example along the connecting elements 240 and operably coupled by the connecting elements 240, wherein an output of the GCP system 40 feeds a coil of the master relay 232. According to a pre-programmed time, for example a number of seconds and/or minutes, before projected arrival time of the approaching train, the GCP system 40 is configured such that the output feeding the coil of the master relay 232 is turned off to drop the master relay 232 and to activate the crossing warning devices 210, 212, 220, 230. It should be noted that the GCP system 40, the master relay 232 and the warning time devices 210, 212, 220, 230 will not be described in further detail as those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar with these devices and systems.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the railroad crossing indication system 200 further comprises a railroad crossing indication device 250, also referred to as indication device 250 herein. As described before, motorists have always had waiting/patience problems with railroad crossings. They ignore the lights, try to circumvent the crossing gates, and get frustrated while waiting for a train to pass. The indication device 250 conveys additional information at the railroad crossing so that motorists will be deterred from circumventing the provided safety systems, which are for example the warning devices 210, 212, 220, 230. In an embodiment, the indication device 250 is mounted to a support 234 of at least one of the warning devices 210, 212, 220, 230. Alternatively, the indication device 250 can be mounted to a separate support in proximity to the railroad crossing, such as for example a separate post or any other suitable support base provided in a way that motorist can easily see the indication device 250 while waiting for a train to pass.
The screen unit 300, also referred to herein as display or simply screen, can comprises multiple screen sections, for example sections 310, 320, 330 displaying different elements or features, such as for example current time in section 310, current temperature in section 320 and a picture of an approaching train in section 330. The screen 300 can further comprise section 340 illustrating a graphical element visualizing progression of an approaching train. In
There are many other types of information and/or programs that can be displayed on the indication device 250 while waiting for a train passing through the railroad crossing, such as for example safety tips, train speed, direction of train approach, train proximity, time the train takes to pass the railroad crossing, etc. An attractive option, in particular for railroad owners, is to display advertising/commercials on the indication device 250, for example with reference to
During a break until a next train will arrive at the railroad crossing after the present train has passed the crossing, the indication device 250 can be turned off, for example if the break is long, for example one hour or more, and then turned on again before the next train arrives at the crossing, for example simultaneously with when the GCP system 40 detects an approaching train and sends signals to active the warning devices 210, 212, 220, 230 (see
By using an engaging display to convey important information such as for example train speed, train direction of approach, train proximity, time of arrival of train at the crossing and/or time the train takes to pass the railroad crossing, motorists will be deterred from circumventing installed safety systems. If a motorist has a better understanding of how long a train takes to arrive, how fast or close it is to the grade crossing, or how long until a train passes, they will be further deterred from attempting to circumvent safety systems.
The described railroad crossing indication device and system allow railroad owners to equip new railroad crossings or to retrofit existing crossings with more accurate and safer warnings to motorists via a real time display. The concept can be integrated into future and currently deployed railroad crossings, in particular railroad crossings comprising a GCP system, because information which is already being provided by the GCP system is used to display relevant safety, warning, and convenience information. The disclosed device and system will further provide a convenience for motorists by indicating how soon the train will pass. Both will lead to a reduction in the ignoring of safety warnings by abating motorist impatience.
While embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in exemplary forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents, as set forth in the following claims.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2015/047656 | 8/31/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2017/039597 | 3/9/2017 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180222507 A1 | Aug 2018 | US |