Patent Application
20160244025
The present disclosure relates to a vision control system for a windshield, and more specifically to the vision control system for the windshield of a locomotive.
Typically, machines such as locomotives include a windshield disposed in a cabin to facilitate viewing of tracks. In some cases, for e.g., an unattended locomotive may include a vision monitoring device such as a camera disposed in the cabin. The camera may provide data related to surroundings such as tracks etc. as seen through the windshields. In some cases due to various environment or operational conditions, moisture or fog may be present on the windshield. Such a presence of moisture, fog or other particulate matter may affect the visibility through the windshield for the operator and/or the camera.
Conventionally, the machines may include windshield wipers or other cleaning devices to improve visibility through the windshield. These devices are typically activated after a certain time interval or by an operator. However, manual activation of these devices may not be possible in case of unattended locomotives. Further, these methods may not be efficient and accurate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,345,445 describes a wiping system for use on a vehicle window. The wiping system includes a window wiper assembly positioned proximate the window, a first sensor for detecting the presence of moisture on the window and a second sensor for detecting if the vehicle has been remotely started. A controller is coupled to the wiper assembly and to the first and second sensors and enables the wiper assembly when the vehicle has been remotely started and moisture is present on the window. The wiping system also comprises a third sensor for detecting the presence of moisture on the window, a fourth sensor for detecting vehicle shut-down, and a fifth sensor for sensing the temperature of the window. The controller is coupled to each of the third, fourth, and fifth sensors and enables the wiper assembly when the vehicle has been shut-down for less than a predetermined period of time, the temperature of the window exceeds a temperature threshold, and moisture is detected on the window.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a vision control system for controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive. The vision control system includes a sensing module for detecting at least one parameter related to the glass surface. The sensing module includes a moisture sensing device configured to detect a presence of moisture on the glass surface and a photo sensor configured to detect opacity of the glass surface. The vision control system also includes a cleaning system configured to perform a cleaning operation on the glass surface. The vision control system further includes a controller communicably coupled to the sensing module and the cleaning system. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of the at least one parameter related to the glass surface from the sensing module and communicate with the cleaning system to control the cleaning operation based on the received signal.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, a vision control system for controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive is provided. The vision control system includes a sensing module for detecting at least one parameter related to the glass surface. The sensing module includes a moisture sensing device configured to detect a presence of moisture on the glass surface and a photo sensor configured to detect opacity of the glass surface. The sensing module also includes a cleaning system configured to perform a cleaning operation on the glass surface and a user input interface disposed external to the locomotive. The vision control system further includes a controller communicably coupled to the sensing module, the cleaning system and the user input interface. The controller is configured to receive, via the sensing module, a signal indicative of at the least one parameters related to the glass surface, receive, via the user input interface, a user input corresponding to controlling the cleaning operation. The controller is further configured to communicate with the cleaning system to control the cleaning operation based on at least one of the received user input and the received signal.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive is provided. The method includes detecting at least one parameter of the glass surface. The parameters include opacity of the glass surface, a presence of moisture on the glass surface and a presence of fog on the glass surface. The method also includes activating a wiper assembly upon detecting the presence of the moisture. The wiper assembly is configured to at least partly remove the moisture from the glass surface. The method further includes activating a defogger system upon detecting the presence of fog. The defogger system is configured to at least partly remove the fog from the glass surface. The method also includes activating a washer fluid system upon determining the opacity is less than a threshold opacity. The washer fluid system is configured to apply a washer fluid to the glass surface.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. Referring to
The locomotive 100 may generally include a frame (not shown) configured to support one or more components of the locomotive 100. The locomotive 100 may include a set of wheels (not shown) rotatably coupled to the frame. The set of wheels are configured to provide mobility to the locomotive 100 on a set of rails or tracks (not shown). The locomotive 100 may include a power system (not shown) configured to provide power to the locomotive 100 for mobility and other operational requirements. The power system may provide power for driving the wheels to move the locomotive 100 along the pair of tracks or rails. In an example, the power system may include an internal combustion engine powered by a fuel, such as, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and any other fuel known in the art.
The cabin 101 may be provided on the frame. The cabin 101 may include various controls, input devices that may be used to control various components of the locomotive 100. Referring to
A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the locomotive 100 may include other components such as, plurality of carbodies and the like based on a type of application. In some embodiments, the locomotive 100 may refer to a collection of two or more locomotives that are connected to each other to form a locomotive consist. In any case, in some embodiments, a back end of the locomotive 100 may be attached or coupled to move a series of cars.
In an embodiment, the locomotive 100 includes a vision monitoring device 102 disposed in the cabin 101. In an example, the vision monitoring device 102 may be camera. In another example, the vision monitoring device 102 may be a video recorder. The vision monitoring device 102 may be configured to record data related to surrounding of the locomotive 100. In an example, the vision monitoring device 102 may be positioned behind the glass surface 104 to record the data as seen through the glass surface 104.
Referring to
The sensing module 112 also includes a photo sensor 120 configured to detect an opacity of the glass surface 104. The photo sensor 120 may embody any sensor commonly known in the art that is configured to determine the opacity. In various embodiments, the sensing module 112 may include other sensors for e.g., a temperature sensor to detect other parameters related to the glass surface 104.
The vision control system 200 further includes a cleaning system 114 configured to perform a cleaning operation on the glass surface 104. In an embodiment, the cleaning system 114 may include a wiper assembly 106 configured to at least partly remove the moisture on the glass surface 104. The wiper assembly 106 may include one or more wiper members (wiper member 108A, 108B shown in
The cleaning system 114 may also include a defogger system 130 configured to at least partly remove the fog on the glass surface 104. In an example, the defogger system 130 includes a heating element (not shown) disposed proximate to the glass surface 104 for heating air. Further, the defogger system 130 may also include a blower (not shown) for blowing the heated air against the glass surface 104.
The cleaning system 114 may further include a washer fluid system 140. The washer fluid system 140 may embody any system configured to apply a washer fluid to the glass surface 104. The washer fluid may be water, or a mixture of water with cleaning agents or other types of washer fluids known in the art. In an example, the washer fluid system 140 may include a container defining a port. One or more pipes may be disposed in the port. Further, the container may receive the washer fluid from a reservoir and deliver the washer fluid to the glass surface 104 through the pipes.
A position and structural configuration of various components of the cleaning system 114 is merely exemplary in nature and hence non-limiting to this disclosure. Moreover, the components of the cleaning system 114 may embody other types of devices known in the art and configured to function according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
The vision control system 200 further includes a controller 202 communicably coupled to the sensing module 112 and the cleaning system 114. The controller 202 may be an electronic controller that operates in a logical fashion to perform operations, execute control algorithms, store and retrieve data and other desired operations. The controller 202 may include or access memory, secondary storage devices, processors, and any other components for running an application. The memory and secondary storage devices may be in the form of read-only memory (ROM) or random access memory (RAM) or integrated circuitry that is accessible by the controller 202. Various other circuits may be associated with the controller 202 such as power supply circuitry, signal conditioning circuitry, driver circuitry, and other types of circuitry.
The controller 202 may be a single controller or may include more than one controller disposed to control various functions and/or features of the vision control system 200 and/or the locomotive 100. The term “controller 202” is meant to be used in its broadest sense to include one or more controllers and/or microprocessors that may be associated with the locomotive 100 and that may cooperate in controlling various functions and operations of the vision control system 200 and/or the locomotive 100. The functionality of the controller 202 may be implemented in hardware and/or software without regard to the functionality employed.
The controller 202 may be configured to determine if the vision monitoring device 102 is switched on or active. The controller 202 is configured to receive a signal indicative of at least one of the parameters related to the glass surface 104 from the sensing module 112. The parameters may include a presence of moisture, a presence of fog, opacity and the like. Further, the controller 202 is configured to control an operation by the cleaning system 114 based on the received signal. Referring to
Referring now to
However if at step 306, the controller 202 determines that there is no substantial moisture on the glass surface 104, the controller 202 may pass the control to step 310. At step 310, the controller 202 may deactivate the wiper assembly 106.
Referring to
If at step 404 the controller 202 determines the presence of the fog on the glass surface 104, the controller 202 may pass the control to step 408. At step 408, the controller 202 may activate the defogger system 130 for a predefined duration. Thereafter, the controller 202 may return the control to step 406 from step 408. As such, the controller 202 may activate the defogger system 130 until the controller 202 determines there is no substantial fog on the glass surface 104.
However if at step 406, the controller 202 determines that there is no substantial fog on the glass surface 104, the controller 202 may pass the control to step 410. At step 410, the controller 202 may deactivate the defogger system 130.
Referring to
Referring to
The vision control system 600 also includes a controller 602 communicably coupled to the sensing module 112, the cleaning system 114 and the user input interface 604. The controller 602 is substantially similar to the controller 202 that is described herein. As described above, the controller 602 is configured to receive, via the sensing module 112, the signal indicative of the parameters related to the glass surface 104. However, the controller 602 is also configured to receive, via the user input interface 604, a user input corresponding to controlling the cleaning operation by the cleaning system 114. Further, the controller 602 is also configured to communicate with the cleaning system 114 to control the cleaning operation based on at least one of the received signal and the user input.
In an embodiment, the locomotive 100 may include one or more input devices (not shown) configured to allow a user to provide instruction corresponding to enabling one of a remote control and the automatic control. As such, upon enabling the automatic control, the controller 602 may operate similar to the controller 202, according to various embodiments described herein with reference to
Referring to
In an embodiment, the vision control system 600 may include a display device (not shown) communicably coupled to the sensing module 112. The display device may display various outputs indicative of the parameters related to the glass surface 104. As such, an operator may provide, via the user input interface 604, the suitable user input corresponding activation of the components of the cleaning system 114. In an example, the operator may choose to activate the wiper assembly 106 upon determining the presence of moisture on the glass surface 104.
At step 706, the controller 602 may activate the cleaning system 114 based on the received user input. However, if at step 704, the user input corresponds to deactivating the cleaning system 114, the controller 202 may pass the control to step 708. At step 708, the controller 202 may deactivate the cleaning system 114.
Typically, machines such as, locomotives include windshields on a cabin structure of the cabin. The windshields may provide visibility of surroundings to an operator or other vision monitoring devices such as, a camera. However, due to certain environment conditions or during operation of the locomotive, moisture, fog or other dust particles may be present on the windshields thereby obstructing visibility therethrough. The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining these parameters of the glass surface and accordingly performing the cleaning operation on the glass surface.
A method 800 of controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive will now be described. Referring to
At step 802, the method 800 includes detecting at least one parameter of the glass surface 104. The parameters may include the opacity of the glass surface 104, the presence of moisture on the glass surface 104 and the presence of fog on the glass surface 104. The sensing module 112 may be configured to detect the parameters of the glass surface 104. At step 804, the method 800 includes activating the wiper assembly 106 upon detecting the presence of the moisture. The wiper assembly 106 is configured to at least partly remove the moisture from the glass surface 104. The controller 202, 602 may be configured to activate the wiper assembly 106 upon receiving the signal indicative of the presence of the moisture.
At step 806, the method 800 includes activating the defogger system 130 upon detecting the presence of fog. The defogger system 130 is configured to at least partly remove the fog from the glass surface 104. The controller 202, 602 may be configured to activate the defogger system 130 upon receiving the signal indicative of the presence of the moisture. At step 808, the method 800 includes activating the washer fluid system 140 upon determining the opacity is less than a threshold opacity. The washer fluid system 140 is configured to apply a washer fluid to the glass surface 104. The controller 202, 602 may be configured to activate the washer fluid system 140 upon receiving the signal indicative of the opacity less than a threshold opacity.
Additionally or optionally, the method 800 also includes receiving, via the user input interface 604, the user input corresponding to activating the wiper assembly 106, the defogger system 130 and the washer fluid system 140. The method 800 may further include activating the corresponding wiper assembly 106, the defogger system 130 and the washer fluid system 140 based on the user input.
The present disclosure also relates to the vision control system 200. The controller 202 is configured to automatically activate the respective components of the cleaning system 114 based on the parameters of the glass surface 104. As such, the cleaning operation by the cleaning system 114 may be accurately performed at a required time. The present disclosure also relates to the vision control system 600. The controller 602 is configured to remotely activate the respective components of the cleaning system 114 based on the user input. As such, the cleaning operation by the cleaning system 114 may be controlled by an operator based as needed. Such a system 600 enables the operator to easily control the cleaning operation from a remote location. Additionally, in other applications, the controller 602 may be configured to automatically activate the cleaning system 114 by changing the mode to automatic mode.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.
