VEHICLE DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20080169385A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Central Signal, LLC
• Original Assignee: Central Signal, LLC
• Inventors: Baldwin, David, ASHRAF, Ahtasham
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/130
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/22 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/28 electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/282 magnetic or inductive control by the vehicle

Abstract

An vehicle detection system is provided for tracking, detecting, and monitoring vehicles. The system and methods of the present invention are suitable for on track and roadway vehicles. In particular the present invention provides an improved and cost effective system and methods for tracking, detecting and monitoring locomotives and on track vehicles.

Claims

1. A failsafe vehicle detection system comprising:

a vehicle detection sensor;

a signal processing device for processing data obtained by the sensor;

a signal transmitter, wherein the signal includes the data obtained by the sensor and the sensor is configured to communicate with the transmitter;

a vital processing device that receives the data from the transmitter, the vital processing device adheres to closed circuit principles; and

an active crossing warning device, wherein the vital processing device is configured to communicate with the warning device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is multi-dimensional.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a sensor node and a sensor device, the sensor node receives data and transmits the data to the sensor device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the active warning device is configured to obstruct a first path.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data includes vehicle magnetic characteristics.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vital processing device is a pair of redundant microprocessors.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vital processing device further comprises a signal processing device that is configured to communicate with the warning device.

8. The system according to claim 3, wherein vehicle detection data is obtained from more than one sensor.

9. The system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor includes greater than one sensor nodes.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first path is a motor vehicle roadway that intersects a second path.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the second path is a locomotive track.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein a sensor is located on either side of a motor vehicle roadway and in close proximity to a locomotive track.

14. The method according to claim 10 further comprising:

providing a temperature compensation and reset mechanism;

detecting temperature variance; and

compensating the waveform in response to the temperature variance.

13. A method of continuously detecting the presence of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing a magnetic field generating device;

detecting a change in inductance by adaptively sensing the surrounding magnetic field flux;

providing a frequency output proportional to the inductance change;

generating a waveform from the frequency output proportional to the surrounding magnetic field;

processing the waveform, wherein a change in the waveform provides information of the presence of a vehicle;

providing a vehicle warning device;

providing a warning device activation and deactivation means; and

maintaining the system in a vital state.

15. A failsafe vehicle detection system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle detection sensors;

a signal processing device for processing data obtained by the sensors;

a signal transmitter configured to transmit vehicle detection data to a vital processing device, wherein the vital processing device adheres to closed circuit principles; and

an active crossing warning device, the vital processing device is configured to communicate with the warning device, wherein the warning device is configured to obstruct motor vehicle movement across a roadway.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the vital processing device is a pair of redundant microprocessors.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein vehicle detection data is obtained from more than one sensor.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein multi-dimensional waveform data is obtained at plurality of sensor layout positions, wherein the signal processing device is configured to provide waveform pre-processing, filtering and data packeting.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the transmitter is a vital radio.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the vital processing device comprises:

a vital radio module to communicate with a plurality of sensor nodes;

a data logging and retrieval module;

a plurality of vital relay input and output ports; and

a user interface.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensor nodes that are remotely reconfigurable and resetable.

22. The system according to claim 20 wherein the system is configured to provide vital vehicle detection irrespective of vehicle motion, length, formation, composition and on-track behavior.

23. The system according to claim 20 wherein the vital processing device is configured to provide warning device activation and deactivation, logic and maintain the system in a vital state.