Video inspection system for inspection of rail components and method thereof

• US 20040263624A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENSCO, Incorporated (Teris LLC)
• Original Assignee: ENSCO, Incorporated (Teris LLC)
• Inventors: Carr, Gary A., Nejikovsky, Boris, Parniani, Toofan, Diaz, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,755,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/08 Measuring installations for surveying permanent way applications of measuring apparatus or devices for track building purposes E01B35/00; measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/042 Track changes detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/044 Broken rails
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/045 Rail wear

Abstract

A video inspection system and method for facilitating inspection of a rail component while traveling on the railroad track. The system includes a light source that provides illumination to a rail of the railroad track, a triggering device for automatically providing a trigger signal, a camera adapted to provide an image of the illuminated rail component, and a computing device adapted to capture the image provided by the camera based on the trigger signal. A method for inspecting rail components is also provided, the method including the steps of illuminating a rail of the railroad track, automatically providing a trigger signal, providing a camera adapted to provide an image of the rail component, and capturing the image of the rail component that is provided by the camera based on the trigger signal.

Claims

1. A video inspection system mountable on at least one of a railcar and a vehicle adapted to travel on a railroad track, said video inspection system being adapted to facilitate inspection of a rail component while traveling on the railroad track, said video inspection system comprising:

a light source that provides illumination to a rail of the railroad track;

a sensor adapted to provide an output signal;

a camera adapted to provide an image of the illuminated rail component; and

a computing device adapted to capture said image provided by said camera based on said output signal from said sensor.

2. The video inspection system of claim 1, further comprising a trigger generator for converting said output signal from said sensor to a trigger signal.

3. The video inspection system of claim 2, wherein said computing device further includes an interface device that captures said image provided by said camera based on said trigger signal.

4. The video inspection system of claim 1, further comprising an encoder that provides pulse signals corresponding to a speed of the vehicle or railcar.

5. The video inspection system of claim 4, wherein said computing device further includes a counter/timer device that allows capturing of constant resolution images from said camera, independent of the speed of the vehicle or railcar.

6. The video inspection system of claim 1, further comprising a positioning means for determining the position of the railcar or the vehicle, and for providing position data indicative of said determined position.

7. The video inspection system of claim 6, wherein said computing device is further adapted to correlate said captured image of the rail component with said position data to allow determination of the location at which said image was captured.

8. The video inspection system of claim 6, wherein said positioning means includes a GPS receiver.

9. The video inspection system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a distance sensor, and said output signal from said sensor is indicative of the presence of the rail component.

10. The video inspection system of claim 9, wherein said distance sensor is a laser based sensor positioned above, and pointed towards, the rail of the railroad track.

11. The video inspection system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a vibration sensor, and said output signal from said sensor is indicative of vibration caused by the rail of the railroad track as the railcar or vehicle travels thereon.

12. The video inspection system of claim 11, wherein said vibration sensor is at least one accelerometer secured to a frame member of the railcar or the vehicle.

13. The video inspection system of claim 1, wherein said camera is a line scan camera and said light source provides continuous illumination.

14. The video inspection system of claim 1, wherein said camera is an area scan camera and said light source is a strobe light that provides flash illumination.

15. The video inspection system of claim 1, wherein the rail component is at least one of a joint bar, a switch frog, a rail fastener, and a switch point.

16. The video inspection system of claim 1, wherein said computing device includes a digital image processing software for analyzing said captured images.

17. The video inspection system of claim 16, wherein said digital image processing software includes a pattern recognition software for identifying presence of a defect or damage to the rail component.

18. The video inspection system of claim 16, wherein said digital image processing software includes an optical character recognition software for recognizing inscriptions on the rail component.

19. A video inspection system mountable on at least one of a railcar and a vehicle adapted to travel on a railroad track, said video inspection system being adapted to facilitate inspection of a rail component while traveling on the railroad track, said video inspection system comprising:

a light source that provides illumination to a rail of the railroad track;

a distance sensor that is pointed toward the rail of the railroad track, said distance sensor being adapted to provide an output signal indicating presence of the rail component;

a camera adapted to provide an image of the illuminated rail component;

a computing device adapted to capture said image provided by said camera based on said output signal from said distance sensor, said computing device including a memory device for storing said captured image to allow retrieval of said stored image; and

a position means for determining the position of the railcar or the vehicle, and for providing position data indicative of said determined position;

wherein said computing device is further adapted to correlate said captured image of the rail component with said position data to allow determination of the location at which said image was captured.

20. The video inspection system of claim 19, wherein said distance sensor is a laser based distance sensor.

21. The video inspection system of claim 19, further comprising a trigger generator for converting said output signal from said distance sensor to a trigger signal, and wherein said computing device includes an interface device adapted to capture said image provided by said camera based on said trigger signal.

22. The video inspection system of claim 19, further comprising vibration sensor that outputs a signal indicative of vibration caused by the rail of the railroad track as the railcar or vehicle travels thereon.

23. The video inspection system of claim 19, wherein said computing device includes a digital image processing software with a pattern recognition software for identifying presence of a defect or damage to the rail component.

24. A method for inspecting rail components of a railroad track while traveling on the railroad track comprising the steps of:

illuminating a rail of the railroad track;

electronically detecting the presence of a rail component;

providing an output signal indicating presence of the rail component;

providing a camera adapted to provide an image of the rail component; and

capturing said image of the rail component that is provided by said camera based on said output signal.

25. The method of claim 24, further including the step of determining the position at which said image was captured and correlating said captured image of the rail component with said determined position.

26. The method of claim 24, further including the step of. digitally processing said captured image to identify at least one of defect and damage to the rail component.

27. A method for inspecting rail components of a railroad track while traveling on the railroad track comprising the steps of:

illuminating a rail of the railroad track;

electronically detecting vibration caused by the rail of the railroad track while traveling thereon;

providing an output signal indicating atypical or abnormal vibration;

providing a camera adapted to provide an image of a rail component; and

capturing said image of the rail component that is provided by said camera based on said output signal.

28. The method of claim 27, further including the step of determining the position at which said image was captured.

29. The method of claim 28, further including the step of correlating said captured image of the rail component with said determined position.

30. The method of claim 27, further including the step of digitally processing said captured image to identify at least one of defect and damage to the rail component.

31. A video inspection system mountable on at least one of a railcar and a vehicle adapted to travel on a railroad track, said video inspection system being adapted to facilitate inspection of a rail component while traveling on the railroad track, said video inspection system comprising:

a light source that provides illumination to a rail of the railroad track;

a triggering means for automatically providing a trigger signal;

a camera adapted to provide an image of the illuminated rail component; and

a computing device adapted to capture said image provided by said camera based on said trigger signal.

32. The video inspection system of claim 31, further comprising a positioning means for determining the position of the railcar or the vehicle, and for providing position data indicative of said determined position.

33. The video inspection system of claim 32, wherein said computing device is further adapted to correlate said captured image of the rail component with said position data to allow determination of the location at which said image was captured.

34. The video inspection system of claim 31, further including a distance sensor that provides an output signal indicative of the presence of the rail component, and said trigger signal is provided by said triggering means based on said output signal.

35. The video inspection system of claim 31, further including a vibration sensor that provides an output signal indicative of vibration caused by the rail of the railroad track as the railcar or vehicle travels thereon, and said trigger signal is provided by said triggering means based on said output signal.

36. The video inspection system of claim 31, wherein said computing device includes a digital image processing software for analyzing said captured images.

37. The video inspection system of claim 36, wherein said digital image processing software includes a pattern recognition software for identifying presence of a defect or damage to the rail component.

38. The video inspection system of claim 37, wherein said trigger signal is provided by said triggering means based on whether said digital image processing software identifies presence of a defect or damage to the rail component.

39. The video inspection system of claim 37, wherein said digital image processing software includes an optical character recognition software for recognizing inscriptions on the rail component.

40. The video inspection system of claim 31, wherein said rail component is at least one of a joint bar, a switch frog, a rail fastener, and a switch point.

41. A method for inspecting rail components of a railroad track while traveling on the railroad track comprising the steps of:

illuminating a rail of the railroad track;

automatically providing a trigger signal;

providing a camera adapted to provide an image of the rail component; and

capturing said image of the rail component that is provided by said camera based on said trigger signal.

42. The method of claim 41, further including the step of determining the position at which said image was captured and correlating said captured image of the rail component with said determined position.

43. The method of claim 41, further including the step of electronically detecting the presence of the rail component, wherein said trigger signal is automatically provided when the rail component is detected.

44. The method of claim 41, further including the step of electronically detecting vibration caused by the rail of the railroad track while traveling thereon, wherein said trigger signal is automatically provided when atypical or abnormal vibration is detected.

45. The method of claim 41, further including the step of digitally processing said captured image to identify at least one of defect and damage to the rail component.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said trigger signal is automatically provided upon identification of a defect or damage to the rail component.

47. The method of claim 41, further including the step of electronically recognizing inscriptions on the rail component.