THERMOGRAPHIC ROUTE EXAMINATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a thermographic camera configured to be coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route, the thermographic camera also configured to sense infrared radiation emitted from the route, the thermographic camera configured to generate a thermal signature representative of different temperatures of one or more segments of the route based on the infrared radiation that is sensed by the thermographic camera;
a computer readable memory device configured to store one or more healthy thermal signatures representative of temperatures of at least one of the one or more segments of the route that is not damaged; and
an analysis processing unit configured to receive the thermal signature from the thermographic camera and to determine if the one or more segments of the route are damaged segments of the route based on the thermal signature, wherein the analysis processing unit is configured to compare the thermal signature of the one or more segments of the route with the one or more healthy thermal signatures to determine if the one or more segments of the route are the damaged segments of the route.
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Abstract
A thermographic route examination system includes a thermographic camera, a computer readable memory device, and an analysis processing unit. The thermographic camera is coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route and senses infrared radiation emitted from the route to generate a thermal signature representative of the route. The computer readable memory device stores healthy thermal signatures representative of temperatures of at least one segment of the route that is not damaged. The analysis processing unit receives the thermal signature from the thermographic camera and to determine if the one or more segments of the route are damaged segments of the route based on the thermal signature by comparing the thermal signature of the one or more segments of the route with the one or more healthy thermal signatures to determine if the one or more segments of the route are the damaged segments of the route.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a thermographic camera configured to be coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route, the thermographic camera also configured to sense infrared radiation emitted from the route, the thermographic camera configured to generate a thermal signature representative of different temperatures of one or more segments of the route based on the infrared radiation that is sensed by the thermographic camera; a computer readable memory device configured to store one or more healthy thermal signatures representative of temperatures of at least one of the one or more segments of the route that is not damaged; and an analysis processing unit configured to receive the thermal signature from the thermographic camera and to determine if the one or more segments of the route are damaged segments of the route based on the thermal signature, wherein the analysis processing unit is configured to compare the thermal signature of the one or more segments of the route with the one or more healthy thermal signatures to determine if the one or more segments of the route are the damaged segments of the route. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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sensing infrared radiation emitted from a route with a thermographic camera coupled to a vehicle traveling on the route; generating a thermal signature representative of different temperatures of one or more segments of the route based on the infrared radiation that is sensed; and examining the thermal signature to determine if the one or more segments of the route are damaged segments of the route based on the thermal signature by comparing the thermal signature of the one or more segments of the route with one or more healthy thermal signatures representative of temperatures of at least one segment of the route that is not damaged. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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a thermographic camera configured to be coupled with a rail vehicle that travels along a track, the thermographic camera configured to generate an infrared image of the track as the rail vehicle moves on the track; a computer readable memory device configured to store one or more healthy infrared images representative of at least one segment of the track that is not damaged, wherein the analysis processing unit is configured to compare the infrared image of the track with the one or more healthy infrared images to determine if the track is damaged; and an analysis processing unit configured to examine the infrared image and identify differences in temperatures of the track, the analysis processing unit also configured to identify one or more areas of interest in the infrared image based on the differences, the one or more areas of interest representing damaged locations of the track. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification