Reference Measurement System for Rail Applications

• US 20140071269A1
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harsco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Harsco Corporation
• Inventors: MOHAMED, Omar, MAURICE, Peter
• Application Number:
  US14/019,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 13/00 Other auxiliaries or accessories for railways safety belts or harnesses A62B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/00 Railway vehicle profile gauges; Detecting or indicating overheating of components; Apparatus on locomotives or cars to indicate bad track sections; General design of track recording vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/041 Obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/047 Track or rail movements
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00

Abstract

A reference measurement system includes a rail vehicle configured to move along rails of a track. An imaging system is disposed on the rail vehicle and is configured to capture one or more images of a reference point. The system further includes a processor, which is configured to calculate a relative position between the rails and the reference point based on the image. Related methods for making reference measurements are described.

Claims

1. A reference measurement system for rail applications, comprising:

a rail vehicle configured to move along rails;

at least one imaging system mounted on the rail vehicle and configured to capture at least one image of a reference point; and

a processor configured to calculate a relative position between the rails and the reference point based on the at least one image.

2. A reference measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the relative position between the rails is substantially at a midpoint between the rails and at a level of the lower of the rails.

3. A reference measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a distance between the imaging system and the reference point based on the at least one image.

4. A reference measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to calculate an elevation between the imaging system and the reference point based on the at least one image.

5. A reference measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a tilt angle between the imaging system and the reference point based on the at least one image.

6. A reference measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the reference point is a point-shaped object fixed in space and disposed adjacent to the track.

7. A reference measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one imaging system comprises two or more cameras positioned at fixed distances from one another.

8. A reference measurement system according to claim 7, wherein the two or more cameras capture two or more images of the reference point, the two or more images having objects common to the two or more images.

9. A reference measurement system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to match the common objects in the two or more images to calculate a relative position between the rails and the reference point.

10. A reference measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one imaging system comprises one or more cameras.

11. A reference measurement system according to claim 10, wherein the one or more cameras are configured to capture images of the reference point at different points in time.

12. A reference measurement system according to claim 10, wherein the one or more cameras are configured to change position relative to the rail vehicle to capture multiple perspectives of the reference point.

13. A reference measurement system according to claim 10, wherein the one or more cameras includes at least one camera configured to capture a composite image having multiple perspectives of the reference point at the same time.

14. A method for making a reference measurement in rail applications, comprising:

providing a rail vehicle configured to move along rails, the rail vehicle having at least one imaging system mounted thereon;

capturing at least one image of a reference point using the at least one imaging system; and

determining a relative position between the rails and the reference point based on the at least one image.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein determining a relative position between the rails and the reference point comprises determining a distance between the imaging system and the reference point based on the at least one image.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein determining a relative position between the rails and the reference point comprises determining an elevation between the imaging system and the reference point based on the at least one image.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein determining a relative position between the rails and the reference point comprises determining a tilt angle between the imaging system and the reference point based on the at least one image.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein capturing at least one image comprises capturing images of the reference point at different points in time.

19. A method according to claim 14, further comprising changing the position of the imaging system to capture multiple perspectives of the reference point.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein capturing at least one image comprises capturing a single composite image having multiple perspectives of the reference point at the same time.