Acoustic monitoring of railcar running gear and railcars
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for monitoring railcars comprising:
- providing a plurality of railcar acoustic monitoring devices wherein each railcar acoustic monitoring device comprises;
a microphone wherein the microphone is configured to generate an acoustic signal based upon the acoustic environment thereof, a processor communicatively coupled to the microphone and configured to receive the acoustic signal, a power source electrically coupled to the processor, and a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a portion of the acoustic signal;
mounting each railcar acoustic monitoring device in proximity to a railcar running gear;
transmitting data from each acoustic monitoring device corresponding to the acoustic signal via the wireless transmitter; and
receiving the data with a wireless receiver system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for monitoring the condition of the running gear of a railcar utilizing acoustic/motion/vibration sensors mounted on the railcar while the railcar is underway. For some embodiments, utilizing this sensor data, defects in the running gear may be detected, and this information may be used to alert an operator to the defective condition. Operated in conjunction with a GPS or similar location detection device, a plurality of sensors mounted on a plurality of railcars may also be used to identify damaged or worn sections of track.
47 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring railcars comprising:
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providing a plurality of railcar acoustic monitoring devices wherein each railcar acoustic monitoring device comprises;
a microphone wherein the microphone is configured to generate an acoustic signal based upon the acoustic environment thereof, a processor communicatively coupled to the microphone and configured to receive the acoustic signal, a power source electrically coupled to the processor, and a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a portion of the acoustic signal;mounting each railcar acoustic monitoring device in proximity to a railcar running gear; transmitting data from each acoustic monitoring device corresponding to the acoustic signal via the wireless transmitter; and receiving the data with a wireless receiver system. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A railcar acoustic monitoring system comprising:
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railcar running gear; a microphone disposed in proximity to the railcar running gear, the microphone configured to generate an acoustic signal associated with the running gear; a processor communicatively coupled to the microphone and configured to receive the acoustic signal wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a memory, the memory configured to store at least a portion of the acoustic signal therein; a power source electrically coupled to the processor; and a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit the portion of the acoustic signal.
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4. A railcar acoustic monitoring system for monitoring the railcar while it is in motion, said system comprising:
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railcar running gear; a microphone disposed in proximity to the railcar running gear, the microphone configured to generate an acoustic signal based upon the motion of the running gear; a processor communicatively coupled to the microphone and configured to receive the acoustic signal; memory communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store one or more acoustic signatures associated with running gear defects in the memory; a power source electrically coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a defect condition exists based on a comparison of the acoustic signal to the one or more acoustic signatures; and a transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit a defect alert signal based on the defect condition being detected. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A network of acoustic monitoring devices for acoustic monitoring of railcars comprising:
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a plurality of railcars, each railcar having at least one running gear; a plurality of acoustic monitoring devices, each acoustic monitoring device disposed in proximity to the at least one running gear of each railcar, wherein each acoustic monitoring device comprises; a microphone configured to generate an acoustic signal operation of the running gear; a processor communicatively coupled to the microphone and configured to receive the acoustic signal; a power source electrically coupled to the processor; and a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit a portion of the acoustic signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A railcar monitoring system comprising:
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a railcar having two sets of railcar running gear; an motion disposed in proximity to the railcar running gear, the accelerometer configured to generate a signal based upon the movement of the railcar; a processor communicatively coupled to the motion sensor and configured to receive signals from the motion sensor, wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a memory, the memory configured to store at least a portion of the signals therein; a power source electrically coupled to the processor; and a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit at least a portion of the motion sensor signals. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A railcar monitoring system configured to monitor the railcar while it is in motion, said system comprising:
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a railcar having two sets of railcar running gear; an accelerometer disposed in proximity to the railcar running gear, the accelerometer configured to generate a signal based upon the movement of the railcar; a processor communicatively coupled to the accelerometer and configured to receive the signal therefrom; memory communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to store one or more predetermined signatures associated with operation of the running gear in the memory; a power source electrically coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to determine the condition of the running gear based on comparison of the signal from the accelerometer and the one or more signatures stored in memory; and a transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit a signal based on the determined condition of the running gear. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A system for monitoring the condition of railroad track, said system comprising:
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a central monitoring station; a plurality of railcars disposed on said track, wherein each railcar comprises at least one set of running gear; an accelerometer capable of generating acceleration data signals; a processor communicatively coupled to the accelerometer and configured to receive the signal therefrom; a global positioning satellite device; memory communicatively coupled to the processor, said memory having an acceleration signal range programmed thereon, which range is commiserate with normal operation of said running gear; a power source electrically coupled to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the acceleration data signals from the accelerometer fall within the normal range stored in said memory; and a transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit a track defect alert to the central monitoring station when the acceleration data signals fall outside the normal range.
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38. A method for monitoring a railcar, said method comprising:
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providing a railcar with a monitoring devices, wherein said monitoring device comprises;
a sensor configured to generate a signal based upon movement of the railcar, a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to receive the signal, a power source electrically coupled to the processor, and a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a monitoring signal based upon the sensor signal;mounting said monitoring device in proximity to a railcar running gear; transmitting the monitoring signal via the wireless transmitter; and receiving the data with a wireless receiver system. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for monitoring the condition of railroad track, said method comprising:
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providing a plurality of railcars, each railcar having a monitoring device mounted thereon, wherein said monitoring device comprises;
a sensor configured to generate a signal based upon movement of the railcar, a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to receive the signal, a global positioning satellite device, a power source electrically coupled to the processor, and a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit a monitoring signal based upon the sensor signal;storing one or more predetermined signatures associated with operation of the railcar in the memory of the processor; moving said railcars along a length of track; comparing the signal from the sensor with the one or more signatures stored in memory to identify a spike in the sensor signal; identifying the location of the railcar on the track at the time of the spike utilizing the global positioning device; and transmitting a monitoring signal to a central monitoring station upon identification of a spike in the sensor signal. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification