Self powered railway monitoring system

• US 20060118678A1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hershey, John Erik, Wells, Kenneth Brakeley II
• Granted Patent: US 7,364,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/121
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/00 Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors

Abstract

A data gathering apparatus comprises a power generation device configured to generate power via movement of the rail. The data gathering apparatus further comprises a sensing device configured to receive power from the power generation device and to sense at least one property of the rail, wherein the property of the rail is at least partially defined by a vehicle traveling on the rail.

Claims

1. A data gathering apparatus for use with a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

a power generation device configured to generate power in response to a vehicle traveling on the rail; and

a sensing device configured to receive power from the power generation device and to sense a property of the vehicle traveling on the rail.

2. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the power generation device comprises a fluidically actuated generator.

3. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the power generation device comprises a ratcheted vertical plunger.

4. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the power generation device comprises a piezo-electric device.

5. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to determine a property of the power generation device.

6. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a communication circuitry configured to communicate with a remote location.

7. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate in accordance with a cellular protocol.

8. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate in accordance with a radio frequency (RF) protocol.

9. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to determine a weight of the vehicle.

10. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to determine a velocity of the vehicle.

11. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to receive a signal from the vehicle indicative of the property of the vehicle.

12. A data gathering apparatus for use with a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

a power generation device configured to generate power via movements of the rail; and

a sensing device configured to receive power from the power generation device and to sense a property of the power generation device, wherein the sensed property is at least partially defined by a vehicle traveling on the rail.

13. The data gathering apparatus of claim 12, wherein the power generation device comprises a fluidically actuated generator.

14. The data gathering apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a communication circuitry configured to communicate the sensed property to a remote location.

15. The data gathering apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a power tie configured to extend between right and left rails of a railroad.

16. The data gathering apparatus of claim 15, wherein the power generation device is disposed in the power tie.

17. The data gathering apparatus of claim 12, wherein the power generation device comprises a piston disposed in a chamber and configured to actuate in response to the vehicle traveling on the rail.

18. The data gathering apparatus of claim 17, wherein the power generation device comprises a biasing member configured to bias the piston toward the vehicle traveling on the rail.

19. The data gathering apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a processor configured to receive communications from the sensing device.

20. The data gathering apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to receive operating power from the power generation device.

21. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the sensing device is configured to sense a fluidic pressure.

22. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the sensing device is configured to sense a displacement of an actuateable member.

23. A data gathering apparatus for use with a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

a power generation device that is configured to generate power in response to vehicular traffic on the rail, wherein the vehicular traffic on the rail facilitates the pressurization of a fluid; and

a sensing device configured to receive power from the power generation device and to sense at least one property of the power generation device, wherein the at least one property of the power generation device is at least partially defined by a vehicle traveling on the rail.

24. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 23, further comprising a communication circuitry configured to communicate the sensed property of the rail to a remote location.

25. The data gathering apparatus of claim 24, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate in accordance with a cellular protocol.

26. The data gathering apparatus of claim 24, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate in accordance with a wireless protocol.

27. The data gathering apparatus of claim 24, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate in accordance with a RF (radio frequency) protocol.

28. The data gathering apparatus of claim 23, wherein the power generation device comprises an actuateable member configured to actuate in response to a vehicle traveling on the rail.

29. The data gathering apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one property of the power generation device is fluidic pressure.

30. The data gathering apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one property of the power generation device is the displacement of an actuateable member.

31. The data gathering apparatus of claim 23, wherein the sensing device comprises a hall-effect sensor.

32. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the sensing device comprises a resistive device.

33. A data gathering apparatus for use with a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

a pair of rails;

a power generation device coupled to the rail and configured to generate power in response to a vehicle traveling on the pair of rails;

a sensing device configured to sense a parameter of the power generation device, wherein the parameter is at least partially defined by the vehicle traveling on the pair of rails;

communication circuitry configured to transmit the sensed parameter in accordance with a communication protocol and to receive power from the power generation device; and

a processor device configured to determine a parameter of the vehicle based on the sensed parameter of the power generation device.

34. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 33, wherein the processor device is located remotely with respect to the sensing device of the power generation device.

35. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 33, wherein the communication protocol comprises a radio frequency (RF) protocol.

36. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 33, further comprising a database configured to correlate the sensed parameter of the power generation device to a known parameter of the vehicle.

37. A data gathering apparatus for use with a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

a power generation device configured to generate power in response to a vehicle traveling on the rail;

a sensing device configured to sense a property of the vehicle traveling on the rail; and

communication circuitry configured to receive a signal from the sensing device and to transmit the sensed property of the vehicle to a remote location;

wherein the sensing device or the communication circuitry receives operating power from the power generation device.

38. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein the power generation device comprises a fluidically actuated generator.

39. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein the power generation device comprises a piezo-electric device.

40. The data gathering apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein the sensing device is configured to determine a property of the power generation device.

41. A railroad network, comprising

a pair of rails;

a power generation device coupled to the rail and configured to generate power in response to a vehicle traveling on the pair of rails;

a sensing device configured to sense a property of the power generation device, wherein the property is at least partially defined by the vehicle traveling on the pair of rails;

communication circuitry configured to transmit the sensed property in accordance with a communication protocol; and

a processor device configured to determine a property of the vehicle based on the sensed property of the power generation device.

42. The railroad network as recited in claim 41, wherein the processor is located remotely with respect to the sensing device of the power generation device.

43. The railroad network as recited in claim 41, wherein the communication protocol comprises a radio frequency (RF) protocol.

44. The railroad network as recited in claim 41, further comprising a database configured to correlate the sensed property of the power generation device to a known property of the vehicle.

45. A data gathering apparatus for use with a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

means for converting excitation of rail into electric power;

means for detecting at least one property of a power generation device;

wherein the property is at least partially defined by a vehicle traveling on the rails;

means for transmitting the sensed property in accordance with a communication protocol; and

means for determing a property of the vehicle based on the sensed property of the power generation device.

46. A method of gathering data for use with a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

generating electrical power via the excitation of the rail; and

transmitting the electrical power to a sensing device for operation, the sensing device being configured to determine at least one property of a vehicle traveling on the rail.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising communicating the determined property of the vehicle to a remote location.

48. The method of claim 46, further comprising correlating the determined property of the vehicle to a property of the vehicle.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising correlating the determined property of the vehicle to an operating condition of the vehicle.

50. A method of gathering data for use with a rail road network having a rail, comprising:

generating electrical power via a power generation device configured to generate power in response to a vehicle traveling on the rail; and

transmitting the electrical power to a sensing device for operation, the sensing device being configured to determine at least one property of the power generation device.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, further comprising transmitting the determined at least one property of the power generation device to a remote location in accordance with a communication protocol.

52. The method as recited in claim 50, comprising correlating the determined at least one property of the power generation device to a property of the vehicle traveling on the rail.

53. A method for gathering data related to a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

generating electrical power via a power generation device in response to vehicular traffic on the rail;

wherein the vehicular traffic on the rail facilitates pressurization of a fluid; and

transmitting the electrical power to a sensing device configured to sense at least one property of the power generation device, wherein the at least one property of the power generation device is at least partially defined by a vehicle traveling on the rail.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein detecting at least property of the power generation device comprises sensing a pressure generated by the hydraulic power scavenging unit as a function of time.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein detecting at least one property of the power generation device comprises sensing the displacement of the hydraulic power scavenging unit as a function of time.

56. The method of claim 53, further comprising processing plurality of signals output by the sensing device.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the processing of plurality of signals comprises determining at least one property in relation to the rail.

58. A method for gathering data related to a railroad network having a rail, comprising:

generating electrical power via a power generation device in response to vehicular traffic on the rail; and

transmitting the electrical power to a sensing device configured to sense at least one property of the vehicular traffic; and

communication circuitry configured to receive a signal from the sensing device and transmit the signal to a remote location.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein detecting at least property of the power generation device comprises sensing a pressure generated by the hydraulic power scavenging unit as a function of time.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein detecting at least one property of the power generation device comprises sensing the displacement of the hydraulic power scavenging unit as a function of time.

61. The method of claim 58, further comprising processing plurality of signals output by the sensing device.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the processing of plurality of signals comprises determining at least one property in relation to the rail.