Railroad Crossing Warning System

• US 20130194423A1
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: QR Limited (Future FinTech Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: QR Limited (Future FinTech Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baines, Stephen, McMah, David
• Application Number:
  US13/582,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194423A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/00 Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/246 Signals or brake- or lighting devices mounted on the road vehicle and controlled from the vehicle or train
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/28 electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/30 Supervision, e.g. monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a warning system for displaying a warning message to a vehicle approaching a railroad crossing. The railroad crossing includes a railroad along which a train can travel, and a road crossing the railroad and along which the vehicle can travel. The warning system includes an identification system for identifying at least one identity characteristic (e.g. number plate, vehicle type, etc.) relating to the vehicle. A train detection system detects at least one train characteristic (e.g. presence, position, speed) relating to the train approaching the railroad crossing along the railroad. A vehicle detection system detects at least one vehicle characteristic (e.g. presence, position, speed) relating to the vehicle approaching the railroad crossing along the road. The warning system further includes a display system for displaying the warning message to the vehicle responsive to detecting both the train and vehicle characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a warning message to a vehicle approaching a railroad crossing, the railroad crossing including a railroad along which a train can travel and a road crossing the railroad and along which the vehicle can travel, the method including the steps of:

identifying at least one identity characteristic relating to the vehicle;

detecting at least one train characteristic relating to the train approaching the railroad crossing along the railroad;

detecting at least one vehicle characteristic relating to the vehicle approaching the railroad crossing along the road;

displaying, on an electrical display, the warning message to the vehicle subsequent to detecting both the train and vehicle characteristics, the warning message relating to the identity characteristic of the vehicle.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identity characteristic relates to a number plate of the vehicle.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identity characteristic relates to the color and/or type of vehicle.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the warning message relates to the identity characteristic by being personalized to include the identity characteristic.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of determining a risk of a collision between the train and vehicle.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the risk is determined using any one or more of:

the train characteristic, the vehicle characteristic and environmental conditions.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the displayed warning message is selected from a number of possible warning messages, with the severity of the warning messages relating to the determined risk.

8. A method as claimed in claim 5, further involving capturing and recording images of the railroad crossing in the event of a high risk of collision between the train and the vehicle to record either a collision or a near miss.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displayed warning message relates to the identity characteristic by being determined in accordance with a determined risk, in turn, determined using the identity characteristic.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the risk is determined in accordance with a behavioral profile associated with the identity characteristic.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, further including the step of storing a vehicle record in an enforcement database or sending an alarm responsive to a determined unacceptable vehicle behaviour, the vehicle record including the identified characteristic.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the determined unacceptable behaviour relates to either the determined risk exceeding a predetermined risk threshold or the determined unacceptable behaviour relates to the vehicle speed exceeding a speed limit.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including the step of sending an alarm to an emergency services facility or a railroad crossing monitoring facility responsive to determining that the vehicle and train have collided.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including the steps of:

moving a vehicle impact barrier to impede the vehicle from crossing the railroad; and

transmitting the warning message in audio format to a radio of the vehicle.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one train characteristic includes the presence, position or speed of the train;

and the at least one vehicle characteristic includes the presence, position or speed of the vehicle.

16. A warning method for displaying a warning message to a vehicle approaching a railroad crossing, the method including the steps of:

identifying at least one identity characteristic relating to the vehicle; and

displaying the warning message to the vehicle, the warning message relating to the identity characteristic of the vehicle.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the warning message relates to the identity characteristic by being personalized to include the identity characteristic.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the displayed warning message relates to the identity characteristic by being determined in accordance with a determined risk, in turn, determined using the identity characteristic.

19. A warning system for displaying a warning message to a vehicle approaching a railroad crossing, the railroad crossing including a railroad along which a train can travel and a road crossing the railroad and along which the vehicle can travel, the system including:

identification means for identifying at least one identity characteristic relating to the vehicle;

train detection means for detecting at least one train characteristic relating to the train approaching the railroad crossing along the railroad;

vehicle detection means for detecting at least one vehicle characteristic relating to the vehicle approaching the railroad crossing along the road;

display means for displaying the warning message to the vehicle responsive to detecting both the train and vehicle characteristics, the warning message relating to the identity characteristic of the vehicle.

20. A warning system for displaying a warning message to a vehicle approaching a railroad crossing, the system including:

identification means for identifying at least one identity characteristic relating to the vehicle; and

display means for displaying the warning message to the vehicle, the warning message relating to the identity characteristic of the vehicle.

21-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A warning system for displaying a warning message to at least one moving object, the system including:

risk determination means for determining a risk of a collision between first and second moving objects; and

display means for displaying the warning message to at least one of the moving objects, the warning message relating to the determined risk of a collision and being one of a number of possible warning messages.