COMPUTERIZED RAILROAD TRACK MAPPING METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20190197923A1
• Filed: 12/21/2017
• Published: 06/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc. (Cattron Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jovenall, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 10,643,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/04 for monitoring the mechanical state of the route
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/028 Determination of vehicle position and orientation within a train consist, e.g. serialisation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/40 Handling position reports or trackside vehicle data
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/003 Kinematic accelerometers, i.e. measuring acceleration in relation to an external reference frame, e.g. Ferratis accelerometers G01P15/001, G01P15/16, G01P15/165 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

A system includes at least one train having one or more sensors and a device remote from the at least one train. The device is configured to communicate with the at least one train via one or more networks, collect data from the one or more sensors of the at least one train at a plurality of different locations in a defined area, and generate a map of the one or more tracks based on the data collected from the one or more sensors of the at least one train at the plurality of different locations in the defined area. Other example systems and computer-implemented methods of mapping one or more railroad tracks in a defined area are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one train having one or more sensors; and

a device remote from the at least one train, the device configured to communicate with the at least one train via one or more networks, collect data from the one or more sensors of the at least one train at a plurality of different locations in a defined area, and generate a map of the one or more tracks based on the data collected from the one or more sensors of the at least one train at the plurality of different locations in the defined area.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of trains including the at least one train, the plurality of trains each having one or more sensors, and wherein the device comprises a computer server configured to collect data from the one or more sensors of each of the plurality of trains at the different locations in the defined area, and generate the map of the one or more tracks based on the data collected from the one or more sensors of said each of the plurality of trains at the different locations in the defined area.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer server is configured to average the data collected from the one or more sensors of the plurality of trains and generate the map based on the average of the data collected.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer server is configured to collect data from the plurality of trains over a period of time, generate the map based on the data collected in a first portion of the period of time, and update the map based on the data collected in a second portion of the period of time.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer server is configured to compare the data collected from the one or more sensors of one of the plurality of trains with the data collected from the one or more sensors of one or more other trains of the plurality of trains.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer server is configured is configured to generate an alarm when the comparison indicates a variation greater than a defined threshold between the data collected from said one of the plurality of trains and said one or more other trains of the plurality of trains.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a computer server configured to collect data from the at least one train a plurality of times over a period of time and validate the data by comparing the data from the at least one train over the period of time.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer server is configured to provide one or more signals to the at least one train to calibrate the one or more sensors if the data collected is not validated.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to collect data from the one or more sensors of the at least one train periodically or continuously.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one train includes a control unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to filter data collected from the one or more sensors.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes at least one kinematic sensor.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the map includes at least one of an elevation grade along the one or more tracks and an angle of a curve along the one or more tracks.

13. A computer-implemented method of mapping one or more railroad tracks in a defined area, the method comprising:

collecting data from one or more sensors onboard at least one train at a plurality of different locations in the defined area; and

generating a map of the one or more tracks based on the data collected from the one or more sensors at the plurality of different locations in the defined area.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein collecting data includes collecting data from one or more sensors onboard a plurality of trains including the at least one train at the plurality of different locations in the defined area, and wherein generating the map includes generating the map based on the data collected from the one or more sensors of said each of the plurality of trains at the different locations in the defined area.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising averaging the data collected from the one or more sensors of the plurality of trains, and wherein generating the map includes generating the map based on the average of the data collected.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting data includes collecting data from the plurality of trains over a period of time, and wherein generating the map includes generating the map based on the data collected in a first portion of the period of time, the method further comprising updating the map based on the data collected in a second portion of the period of time.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising comparing the data collected from the one or more sensors of one of the plurality of trains with the data collected from the one or more sensors of one or more other trains of the plurality of trains, and generating an alarm when the comparison indicates a variation greater than a defined threshold between the data collected from said one of the plurality of trains and said one or more other trains of the plurality of trains.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein collecting data includes collecting data from the at least one train over a period of time, the method further comprising comparing the data from the at least one train over the period of time to validate the data.

19. One or more computer servers having one or more processors configured to perform the method of claim 13.

20. A system comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage media including computer-executable instructions for mapping one or more railroad tracks in a defined area, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

collect data from one or more sensors onboard at least one train at a plurality of different locations in the defined area; and

generate a map of the one or more tracks based on the data collected from the one or more sensors at the plurality of different locations in the defined area.