WARNING HORN CONTROL SYSTEM, RADAR SYSTEM, AND METHOD

• US 20120001767A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: BALLINGER, Forrest H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,019,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/24 Means for warning road traffic that a gate is closed or closing, or that rail traffic is approaching, e.g. for visible or audible warning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/18 wherein range gates are used

Abstract

There is provided a radar system that includes an emitter system (e.g., an antenna), configured to emit electromagnetic pulses and detect electromagnetic pulses, and a reflection target, placed opposite the emitter system. The emitter system and the reflection target define an area of interest. A controller is configured to identify a reflection from the reflection target and, if the reflection is not identified, to stop sending a radar check signal. The radar system may be part of a warning horn control system, where the radar check signal is used as a control input for activating a warning horn.

Claims

1. A radar system, comprising:

an emitter system configured to emit electromagnetic pulses and detect electromagnetic pulses;

a reflection target, wherein the reflection target is placed opposite the emitter system, and wherein the emitter system and the reflection target define an area of interest; and

a controller configured to identify a reflection from the reflection target and, so long as the reflection is identified, provide a radar check signal.

2. The radar system of claim 1, comprising an advance warning sign configured to function as the reflection target.

3. The radar system of claim 1, wherein the reflection target is a dedicated target reflector.

4. The radar system of claim 1, comprising a train detection system configured to stop providing a train-detection check signal when a train is approaching a crossing.

5. The radar system of claim 4, comprising:

a warning horn configured to emulate a train horn; and

a logic control circuit, wherein the logic control circuit is configured to activate the warning horn if both the radar check signal and the train-detection check signal are not provided.

6. The radar system of claim 1, comprising a precision timer to identify the reflection from the reflection target.

7. The radar system of claim 6, wherein the precision timer comprises logic configured as a precision timing gate.

8. The radar system of claim 1, comprising a precision timer to identify secondary reflections from a variable target between the emitter system and the reflection target.

9. The radar system of claim 8, comprising logic configured to identify whether the variable target between the emitter system and the reflection target is approaching a crossing based, at least in part, on timing the secondary reflections.

10. The radar system of claim 9, wherein the logic is configured to stop providing the radar check signal if the variable target is approaching the crossing, even if a signal is received from the target reflector.

11. The radar system of claim 8, wherein the variable target comprises a truck, a car, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or any combinations thereof.

12. A warning horn control system, comprising a radar system, wherein the radar system is configured to provide a radar check signal if a reflection from a reflection target is identified and no variable target is approaching the crossing.

13. The warning horn control system of claim 12, wherein the radar system is configured to stop providing the radar check signal if a variable target is approaching a grade crossing, even if the target reflector signal is being received.

14. The warning horn control system of claim 13, further comprising a train detection system, configured to stop providing a train-detection check signal when a train is approaching a grade crossing.

15. The warning horn control system of claim 14, comprising:

a warning horn configured to emulate a train horn; and

a logic control circuit, wherein the logic control circuit is configured to activate the warning horn if both the radar check signal and the train-detection check signal are not provided.

16. The warning horn control system of claim 12, comprising a strobe light configured to flash when a warning horn is sounding.

17. A warning horn control system for a grade crossing, comprising:

an emitter system configured to emit electromagnetic pulses and detect electromagnetic pulses;

a reflection target, wherein the reflection target is placed opposite the emitter system, and wherein the emitter system and the reflection target define an area of interest at the grade crossing; and

a controller configured to identify a reflection from the reflection target and, so long as the reflection is identified, provide a radar check signal, wherein the controller is further configured to activate a warning horn if both the radar check signal and a train-detection check signal are not provided, the train-detection check signal being provided from a train detection system when a train is not approaching the grade crossing and the train-detection check signal not being provided from the train detection system when a train is approaching the grade crossing.

18. A method of operating an unmanned radar installation, comprising:

emitting pulses into a region with an emitter system portion of a radar system;

detecting reflected pulses from the region, wherein the region is defined by the emitter system on one side of the region and a reflection target on an opposite side of the region; and

, so long as a reflected pulse from the reflection target is identified,

providing a radar check signal from the radar system.

19. The method of operating an unmanned radar installation of claim 18, comprising:

detecting a reflected pulse from a variable target in the region, wherein the variable target is within the region; and

, so long as the variable target is detected in the region, approaching the crossing,

stopping the radar check signal.

20. The method of operating an unmanned radar installation of claim 18, comprising arming a warning, if the radar check signal is no longer provided.