Locomotive/train navigation system and method
First Claim
1. A method of determining track identification for a locomotive passing through a transition in a trackway system, the transition having at least two possible exit tracks, comprising the steps:
- defining an area about at least one transition in the trackway system for which track identification is desired;
logging position information upon entry by the locomotive in the defined area about the at least one transition until the locomotive exits the defined area; and
conducting a best fit analysis as a function of at least one of the latitude, longitude, and azimuth between the logged data and a pre-stored database to determine which of the exit tracks is occupied by the locomotive.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a rail track system having transition points, a locomotive having a navigation system (such as a combined inertial/GPS location system) moves along an initially known track and enters the “halo” surrounding a track transition to begin data collection/logging to accumulate successive position information data points as the locomotive moves into, progresses through, and exits the “halo.” The collected data for movement within the “halo” is then subject to a best fit assessment relative to the data pre-stored in the track database.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of determining track identification for a locomotive passing through a transition in a trackway system, the transition having at least two possible exit tracks, comprising the steps:
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defining an area about at least one transition in the trackway system for which track identification is desired;
logging position information upon entry by the locomotive in the defined area about the at least one transition until the locomotive exits the defined area; and
conducting a best fit analysis as a function of at least one of the latitude, longitude, and azimuth between the logged data and a pre-stored database to determine which of the exit tracks is occupied by the locomotive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of determining track identification for a locomotive passing through a transition in a trackway system, the transition having at least two possible exit tracks, comprising the steps:
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defining a perimeter about at least one transition in the trackway system for which track identification is desired;
logging position information upon passage by the locomotive over the defined perimeter about the at least one transition until the locomotive exits the defined perimeter; and
conducting a best fit analysis as a function of at least one of the latitude, longitude, and azimuth between the logged data and a pre-stored database to determine which of the exit tracks is occupied by the locomotive. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of updating a trackway database having position information therein regarding at least one transition in a trackway system, the at least one transition having a pre-defined perimeter, an entry track, and at least two exit tracks, said method comprising:
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logging the position of a locomotive moving through the transition during the time period between the locomotive passing through the perimeter on the entry track and passing through the perimeter on an exit track;
repeating said first-mentioned step to log a plurality such moving-through-the-transition events;
updating the values stored in the trackway database for that transition as a function of the plurality of logged transition events. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification