Enhanced recordation device for rail car inspections

• US 20070194115A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mitchell, Robert, Andarawis, Emad, Davenport, David, Bhotika, Rahul, Hershey, John, Welles, Kenneth, Logan, Prescott, Wetzel, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 17/00 Switching systems for classification yards
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/14 Quality control systems

Abstract

A device for conducting rail car inspections including an inspection module, an imaging module, a scanner module, a location module, a printer module and a communication module.

Claims

1. A computer program product for use with a device on a communications network having a management information system, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for recording results of a rail car inspection;

computer readable first program code module for causing a computer to determine the location of the device;

computer readable second program code module for causing the computer to provide a preformatted display relating to a rail car inspection and to receive user input;

computer readable third program code module for causing the computer to scan computer readable identification information to identify a rail car;

computer readable fourth program code module for causing the computer to print information from the second program module;

computer readable fifth program code module for causing the computer to create a photographic image; and

computer readable sixth program code for causing the computer to transmit information from any one of the other modules to the management information system.

2. The computer program of claim 1 wherein the first program module enables the functionality of the second program module when the determined location of the device is with a predetermined geographic area.

3. The computer program of claim 2 wherein the predetermined geographic area corresponds to a portion of a rail yard authorized for rail car inspections.

4. The computer program of claim 1, wherein the printed information is a rail car inspection report.

5. The computer program of claim 1, wherein the printed information is a bad order tag for a rail car.

6. The computer program of claim 1, wherein the second module provides an interactive display of pull down menus corresponding to selected options for the user.

7. The computer program of claim 1, wherein the second module provides preformatted forms pre-filled in with information collected from at least one of the first, third, or fifth program modules.

8. A computer program product for use with a device on a communications network, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for recording results of a rail car inspection;

computer readable first program code module for causing a computer to determine the location of the device;

computer readable second program code module for causing the computer to provide a preformatted display relating to a rail car inspection and to receive user input;

computer readable third program code module for causing the computer to scan computer readable identification information to identify a rail car; and

wherein the first program module enables the functionality of the second program module when the determined location of the device is with a predetermined geographic area.

9. The computer program of claim 8 wherein the predetermined geographic area corresponds to a portion of a rail yard authorized for rail car inspections.

10. The computer program of claim 8 further comprising:

computer readable fourth program code module for causing the computer to print information from the second program module.

11. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the printed information is a bad order tag for a rail car.

12. The computer program of claim 8 further comprising:

computer readable fifth program code module for causing the computer to create a photographic image.

13. A system for conducting a railcar inspection in a rail yard comprising:

a database containing information relevant to the railcars being inspected and information related to the rail yard;

a hand held processor including;

a first display for providing a menu of options for conducting a railcar inspection and recording user input in response to the menu;

a location module for determining the location of the handheld processor;

a transceiver in communication with said database for communicating the user input and location of the processor to the database;

a second display monitor remote from said hand held processor in communication with said database for displaying the user input and location in real-time.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the hand held processor includes a printer for printer user input information.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the hand held processor includes a scanner for identifying the inspected railcar.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the handheld processor including an imaging device to capture images of the inspected railcar.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the hand held processor includes a glove with a stylus extending from one of the fingers to facilitate user input.

18. The system of claim 13 further comprising an interface that enables the hand held processor to receive user input when the location modules determines that the location of the handheld processor is with a predetermined geographic boundary.