Apparatus and method for rail track inspection
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inspecting a rail track from a railcar traveling on the rail track, the apparatus comprising:
- an antenna positioned on the railcar and directing radar signals toward the rail track and collecting radar signals returned from the rail track;
a radar transceiver connected to the antenna for supplying the radar signals to the antenna, the radar signals being directed toward the rail track and electromagnetically interacting with the rail track, the radar transceiver receiving radar returned signals based on the electromagnetic interaction of the radar signals with the rail track;
a controller connected to the radar transceiver for controlling transmission of the radar signals from the radar transceiver and receipt of the radar returned signals;
a signal processing unit connected to the controller; and
a sensor unit connected to the signal processing unit for supplying input data to the signal processing unit wherein the signal processing unit processes at least the input data and the radar returned signal to produce processor output data;
a database connected to the signal processing unit for storing the processor output data and for archiving previously processed processor output data, wherein the signal processing unit compares the processor output data with the previously processed processor output data to determine an existence of an imperfection in the rail track.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for inspecting an operational condition of a rail track from a railcar includes an antenna positioned on the railcar that directs radar signals toward the rail track and collects radar signals returned from the rail track. A radar transceiver is connected to the antenna and supplying the radar signals to the antenna. The radar transceiver receives radar returned signals from an interaction of the radar signal with the rail track. A controller is connected to the radar transceiver for controlling transmission of the radar signals from the radar transceiver and receipt of the radar returned signals. A signal processing unit is connected to the controller and a sensor unit that supplies input data to the signal processing unit. The signal processing unit processes at least the input data and the radar returned signal to produce processor output data and to determine the operational condition of the rail track.
75 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inspecting a rail track from a railcar traveling on the rail track, the apparatus comprising:
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an antenna positioned on the railcar and directing radar signals toward the rail track and collecting radar signals returned from the rail track;
a radar transceiver connected to the antenna for supplying the radar signals to the antenna, the radar signals being directed toward the rail track and electromagnetically interacting with the rail track, the radar transceiver receiving radar returned signals based on the electromagnetic interaction of the radar signals with the rail track;
a controller connected to the radar transceiver for controlling transmission of the radar signals from the radar transceiver and receipt of the radar returned signals;
a signal processing unit connected to the controller; and
a sensor unit connected to the signal processing unit for supplying input data to the signal processing unit wherein the signal processing unit processes at least the input data and the radar returned signal to produce processor output data;
a database connected to the signal processing unit for storing the processor output data and for archiving previously processed processor output data, wherein the signal processing unit compares the processor output data with the previously processed processor output data to determine an existence of an imperfection in the rail track. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for inspecting a rail track from a railcar traveling on the rail track, the apparatus comprising:
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an antenna positioned on the railcar and directing radar signals toward the rail track and collecting radar signals returned from the rail track;
a radar transceiver connected to the antenna for supplying the radar signals to the antenna, the radar signals being directed toward the rail track and electromagnetically interacting with the rail track, the radar transceiver receiving radar returned signals based on the electromagnetic interaction of the radar signals with the rail track;
a controller connected to the radar transceiver for controlling transmission of the radar signals from the radar transceiver and receipt of the radar returned signals;
a signal processing unit connected to the controller; and
a sensor unit connected to the signal processing unit for supplying input data to the signal processing unit wherein the signal processing unit processes at least the input data and the radar returned signal to produce processor output data and to determine an existence of an imperfection in the rail track. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for inspecting a rail track from a railcar traveling on the rail track, the method comprising the steps of:
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emitting a radar signal from the railcar toward the rail track, the emitted radar signal electromagnetically interacting with the rail track;
receiving a radar returned signal based on the electromagnetic interaction of the emitted radar signal with the rail track;
processing the radar returned signal to produce processor output data; and
determining an existence of an imperfection in the rail track based on the step of processing the radar returned signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
analyzing the radar return signal;
producing the processor output data from the step of analyzing;
storing the processor output data in a database;
archiving previously processed processor output data in the database; and
comparing the processor output data with the previously processed processor output data.
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19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of displaying the existence of the imperfection in the rail track.
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20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of annunciating the existence of the imperfection in the rail track.
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21. A method for inspecting a rail track from a railcar traveling on the rail track, the method comprising the steps of:
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emitting a radar signal from a railcar toward the rail track, the emitted radar signal electromagnetically interacting with the rail track;
receiving a radar returned signal based upon the electromagnetic interaction of the emitted radar signal with the rail track;
processing the radar return signal;
producing the processor output data from the step of processing;
comparing the processor output data with previously processed processor output data; and
determining an existence of an imperfection in the rail track based on the step of comparing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
storing the processor output data in a database; and
archiving the previously processed processor output data in the database.
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Specification