Patent Application
20080042015
A more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments consistent with the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals used throughout the drawings refer to the same or like parts. Though the present invention is directed towards a system, method and computerized method for acquiring an exact position of rolling stock, those skilled in the art will recognize how the present invention can be utilized in other embodiments than just with rolling stock. Furthermore, acquiring an exact position of rolling stock may also involve detecting the position, direction traveled, velocity, acceleration, and length of the rolling stock.
Though a RF transmitter is discussed above, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that other forms of communication equipment may be used in the present invention wherein the signal 26 emitted is not RF. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, Bluetooth technology may be utilized. In another exemplary embodiment, a combination of technologies may be used, such as RF and Bluetooth.
A receiving device 28, 30, or receiver, is located on a train 31 or at a wayside mounted device 33 close to the transmitter 24. In an exemplary embodiment, as the wheels 22 of the locomotive 31, moving stock, vehicle, and/or train, passes over the rail 10 that has the membrane 20 beneath it, the compressive force exerted by the weight of the train 31 activates the membrane 20 wherein an electrical pulse is sent from the membrane 20 to the transmitter 24. Prior to receiving the electrical pulse, the transmitter 24 is passive. In other words, the transmitter 24 is not transmitting. Upon receiving a pulse from the membrane 20, the transmitter 24 emits a signal 26, which contains milestone position data, or unique position data if the transmitter 24 is confined to a certain known location. For example, if the present invention is used within a rail yard, or known location, unique yard position data is transmitted from the transmitter 24.
Thus, if used within a rail yard, in an exemplary embodiment, then the unique yard position data is transmitted to the wayside mounted receiver 28. Whereas, if the present invention is used along a railway network, milestone, or milepost, position data is transmitted back to the train, more than likely the locomotive, where the receiver 30 is located. Though the wayside mounted receiver 28 is discussed above as being located within a rail yard, those skilled in the art, however, will also recognize that wayside mounted receivers 28 may also be used within a railway network so as to provide train location data to a wayside device 33 for use in performing a defined function.
In operation, when used in a rail network where the locomotive 31 may need to acquire real time accurate train position data, the present invention with autonomously provide milepost data whenever the wheels 22 of a train 31 passes over the present invention. The train 31 is then able to pass off this milepost data to its systems and/or sub-systems that require such information. To insure reliability, redundancy, sequence numbers, and/or source data bits, built in tests (BITs) may also be added for improved data integrity as needed for safety critical decisions that utilizes position data, it is important that the integrity of the position data be commensurable to the hazard risk associated with the use of the position data.
When the present invention is installed within a rail yard, or hump yard, the present invention will autonomously generate a signal 26 encoded with specific yard position data whenever the wheel 22 of rolling stock 31 passes over it. The wayside mounted receiver 28 located in the yard will acquire the position data and then pass it along to yard based systems that require such information and can derive rolling stock position. The use of multiple exemplary examples of the present invention in a network environment in combination will allow the derivation of rolling stock movement direction, velocity, acceleration and/or length of the rolling stock. As discussed above, to insure reliability, redundancy, sequence numbers, and/or source data bits, built in tests (BITs) may also be added for improved data integrity as needed for safety critical decisions that utilizes position data. It is important that the integrity of the position data be commensurable to the hazard risk associated with the use of the position data.
Should an element of the present invention fail, fault detection may be accomplished by the present invention when in a networked configuration. The networked configuration can be accomplished in a closed location, such as a hump and/or rail yard, or the network can be formed within a railway network; for example, the railway network that covers the United States.
In an exemplary embodiment, each transmitter is considered a node within the networked configuration. The transmitter 24 and receiver 28, 30 contain elements which link the two devices together. Should the transmitter 24 fail, as an individual node in a networked system, wherein an improper signal is emitted, then the receiver/network will be able to detect the improper signal by reading nodes, other transmitters, before and after the node that failed. Thus if a transmitter is not transmitting proper or reasonable data, the present network of invention nodes in combination with network intelligence would know of this occurrence and would be able to report that information for future repair or invoke fail-safe or degraded modes of operation.
While the invention has been described in what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the specific illustrative embodiment but be interpreted within the full spirit and scope of the appended claims.
