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| Summary / Description | Abstract: A method using the position data being determined on the train to determine characteristics of the train and/or the track. This is achieved by providing position determining devices at two or more spaced locations along the train. The position of the two locations are determined by the position determining devices. A processor determines the difference between the two locations from the positions determined by the position determining devices and determines the characteristics of the train from the determined difference between the two locations. |
| Type of Prior Art | Issued Patents - US |
| Country | United States of America |
| Patent/Application # | 6311109 |
| Kind Code | United States (US) - United STATES Patent - A |
| Patentee Name | New York Air Brake Corporation |
| Relevant Pages, Columns, or Lines | Col. 1 Line 7 - Col. 2 Line 42 |
| URL | |
| Filing Date | July 24, 2000 |
| Additional Information | |
| Notes | |
Excerpt Column 1 Lines 11-24:With the advent of train control systems, scheduling train systems and train separation, the location of a train on a particular track and its relationship to other trains and track structures is becoming increasingly important. Providing additional intelligence on the train as well as in central locations depend upon the accurate position of a train on a particular track. Global positioning systems (GPS) and other devices have been used to determine the position of the train. Data bases are provided on the locomotive as a point of comparison. Other input devices such as turn rate indicators, compasses, tachometers and odometers also provide additional information used to determine the position of the locomotive. Examples of such systems are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,129,605; 5,740,547; and 5,867,122. Column 1 Lines 32-59: The present invention makes use of the position data being determined on the train to determine characteristics of the train and/or the track. This is achieved by providing position determining devices at at least two locations along the train. The position of the locations are determined by the position determining devices. A processor determines the difference between the locations from the positions determined by the position determining devices and determines the characteristics of the train from the determined difference between the two locations. For example, the locations of the position determining devices may be at the head end and rear end of the train. Thus, the differences of the two locations would determine the length of the train. The position is preferably taken when the train is traveling along a flat, straight track. This removes the curvature from the determination as well as any run-in or run-out which would lengthen or shorten the train if it is not flat. The number of vehicles in the train are also determined and used to estimate the length of the train. The estimated length of the train is compared to the length of the train determined from the position determining devices and any discrepancies are determined. The discrepancies may then be reported. The number of vehicles in the train is determined either from a listing of the vehicles on the train or from the number of axles recorded in a hot box detection system on the train. See also Column 2 Lines 18-42: The collecting of the data and the deriving of the track profile is performed as the vehicle travels the track. ....using two or more positions determined by the position determining devices and correlating them to a track profile data base stored on the train, a more accurate determination of the location of the train on the track would result. .... Discrepancies can also be determined in the train as the train rolls across the track. This method includes storing a list on the train of the vehicles in the train. A report from the hot box detection system positioned along the track is stored on the train. ... |
A method for monitoring integrity of a railroad train (10) and determining passage of the train relative to a plurality of virtual blocks defined by wireless transmissions along a section of track (54) over which the train travels, with said virtual blocks providing safeguards for the travel of the train relative to other trains on the section of the track when there is a shared use of the section of track, said method comprising:
identifying a plurality of failure modes that may lead to an erroneous determination that the entire train has cleared a boundary for a respective one of said virtual blocks; collecting data at an end-of-train location, said data being collected from multiple sensing devices (14), wherein each of said sensing devices monitors a different parameter and generates data useful for evaluating whether at least one of said failure modes has occurred;
collecting data at a head-of-train location, with the data collected at the head-of-train corresponding to the type of data collected at the end-of-train location;
storing (40) a plurality of rules for relating the data collected at the head-of-train location to the data collected at the end-of-train location for reducing a probability of making an erroneous determination as to whether the entire train has cleared a boundary for a respective one of said virtual blocks;
processing (42) the data collected at said end-of-train and at said head-of train location using the stored rules to determine whether the entire train has cleared a respective one of said virtual blocks;
in the event said determination indicates clearance of said respective block, declaring said virtual block as being unoccupied and thus available for another train to enter the block; and
in the event said determination indicates a lack of clearance of said respective block, declaring said virtual block as being occupied and thus unavailable for another train to enter the block.
| Relevance | See the Excerpt. Disclosed are multiple sensing devices, use of HOT and EOT. |
A method for monitoring integrity of a railroad train 10 and determining passage of the train relative to a plurality of virtual blocks defined by wireless transmissions along a section of track (54) over which the train travels, with said virtual blocks providing safeguards for the travel of the train relative to other trains on the section of the track when there is a shared use of the section of track, said method comprising:
collecting data useful for evaluating conditions that may affect train integrity from at least one sensing device (14) at a end of train location;
collecting data at a head-of-train location, with the data collected at the head-of-train corresponding to the type of data collected at the end-of-train location;
processing (42) the data collected at said end-of-train and at said head-of train location to determine whether the entire train has cleared a respective one of said virtual blocks;
in the event said determination is unable to reach a clearance for said respective block, associating with said virtual block a cautionary status; and
automatically communicating to an offboard system the cautionary status of said virtual block, wherein said offboard system is responsible for managing shared use of the track by other trains.
| Relevance | See the Excerpt. |
United States