END OF TRAIN VIDEO SYSTEM

• US 20140183303A1
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wise Electronics LLC
• Inventors: Toth, George E., Kramer, Mark T., Egerton, Gary W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,393,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/167.R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/009 On-board display devices
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions

Abstract

A viewing system for trains that makes real time visual information in the form of images or video of the vicinity of the end of a train available to a locomotive operator or distant user. The system gathers images or video of the vicinity of the end of a train and transmits and displays the images or video to a remote display on a locomotive or at a remote location off the train. The invention also records the images or video such that the images or video can be recalled and used at a later time.

Claims

1. A train viewing system for the capture of real time visual information in the form of images or video of the vicinity of the end of a train and transmission of that visual information to a locomotive the system comprising:

one or more imaging devices positioned in said vicinity of the end of the train for capturing imaging data therefrom;

a transmitter for transmitting said imaging data to a locomotive; and

a receiver located in said locomotive for receiving said imaging data transmitted from said one or more imaging devices.

2. A train viewing system as described in claim 1, further comprising an end-of-train device at the end of said train, at least one of said one or more imaging devices residing within said end-of-train device.

3. A train viewing system as described in claim 1, further comprising a display, in communication with said receiver for displaying said imaging data transmitted from said one or more imaging devices, at said locomotive.

4. A train viewing system as described in claim 1, further comprising an end-of-train device at the end of said train, at least one of said one or more imaging devices being remote from said end-of-train device.

5. A train viewing system as described in claim 4, wherein said at least one imaging device transmits imaging data to or receives control commands from said end-of-train device.

6. A train viewing system as described in claim 5, wherein said at least one imaging device wirelessly transmits said imaging data to or wirelessly receives said control commands from the end-of-train device.

7. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, wherein said transmitter comprises a wireless radio for transmitting said imaging data to said locomotive wirelessly.

8. A train viewing system as described in claim 7, wherein said wireless radio transmitter is incorporated into said end-of-train device.

9. A train viewing system as described in claim 7, where said wireless radio transmitter is separate from said end-of-train device.

10. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, wherein said end-of-train device comprises a marker light, and said marker light provides imaging illumination for said one or more imaging devices.

11. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, further comprising a receiver positioned in a vicinity of the end of the train for reception of control commands from said locomotive for said one or more imaging devices.

12. A train viewing system as described in claim 11, wherein said end-of-train receiver is incorporated in said end-of-train device.

13. A train viewing system as described in claim 11, wherein said end-of-train receiver is separate from said end-of-train device.

14. A train viewing system as described in claim 11, wherein said end-of-train receiver is a wireless receiver.

15. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, where said receiver located in said locomotive comprises a head-of-train device radio.

16. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, further comprising an air motor in said end-of-train device for supplying electrical power for said one or more imaging devices and transmitter.

17. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, further comprising a battery in said end-of-train device for supplying electrical power for said viewing system to said one or more imaging devices and transmitter.

18. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, wherein electrical power for said one or more imaging devices and transmitter is supplied by a train ECP brake cable.

19. A train viewing system as described in claim 2, wherein said transmitter is connected to said receiver located in said locomotive via a train ECP brake system wire.

20. A train viewing system for the capture of real time visual information in the form of images or video of a vicinity at the end of the train and transmission of that visual information to a remote location off the train for display in real-time, the system comprising:

one or more imaging devices positioned in said vicinity of the end of the train for capturing imaging data;

a transmitter for transmitting said imaging data to a remote location;

a receiver located at said remote location for receiving said imaging data transmitted from said one or more imaging devices;

a display in communication with said receiver for displaying said images or video of the vicinity of the end of said train.

21. A train recording system for recording visual information in the form of images or video of the vicinity of the end of the train and storing it for later use, the system comprising:

one or more imaging devices positioned in said vicinity of the end of the train for capturing said visual information;

a data recorder in communication with said one or more imaging devices for preserving said visual information on data storage; and

a means of retrieving said visual information from said data storage.

22. A train recording system as in claim 21, further comprising a transmitter positioned in said vicinity of the end of the train, and a receiver in communication with said data recorder, said data recorder being in said locomotive and in communication with said transmitter via said receiver.

23. A train recording system as in claim 21, further comprising a transmitter positioned in said vicinity of the end of the train, and a receiver in communication with said data recorder, said data recorder being at a remote location off said train and in communication with said transmitter via said receiver.

24. A train viewing system for the capture of real time visual information in the form of images or video of the vicinity of the end of a train and transmission of that visual information to a locomotive or other remote locations, the system comprising:

one or more imaging devices positioned in said vicinity of the end of the train for capturing imaging data therefrom;

a processor in communication with said one or more imaging devices that adds a unique identifier code to said captured imaging data.

a wireless transmitter for transmitting a wireless message with said imaging data and unique identifier code to a locomotive; and

a wireless receiver located in said locomotive for receiving said wireless message transmitted from said wireless transmitter.

25. The train viewing system of claim 24, further comprising an end-of-train device at the end of said train, at least one of said one or more imaging devices residing within said end-of-train device, and wherein said unique identifier code uniquely identifies the end-of-train device.

26. The train viewing system of claim 25, wherein said receiver is in communication with a processor programmed to accept wireless messages containing said unique identifier code and to reject other messages lacking said unique identifier code.

27. A train viewing system for the capture of real time visual information in the form of images or video of the vicinity of the end of a train and transmission of that visual information to a locomotive or remote location in a wireless message containing a unique identifier code, comprising:

one or more imaging devices positioned in said vicinity of the end of the train for capturing imaging data therefrom;

a transmitter for transmitting said imaging data to a locomotive; and

a wireless receiver located in said locomotive for receiving said imaging data transmitted from said one or more imaging devices;

wherein said wireless message is received by a wireless receiver located in said locomotive or remote location.

28. The train viewing system of claim 27, wherein said unique identifier code uniquely identifies the wireless transmitter.

29. The train viewing system of claim 27, wherein said receiver is in communication with a processor that is programmed to accept wireless messages containing a unique identifier code and to reject messages lacking a unique identifier code.