Railroad collision avoidance system and method for preventing train accidents
First Claim
1. A railroad collision avoidance system comprising:
- a transmitting impulse radio unit, coupled to a first object, capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a railroad; and
a receiving impulse radio unit, coupled to a second object, capable of receiving the impulse radio signal and further capable of alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A railroad collision avoidance system and method are disclosed that utilize impulse radio technology to effectively warn a person when there is a locomotive in their vicinity. In one embodiment, the railroad collision avoidance system includes a transmitting impulse radio unit coupled to a locomotive and a receiving impulse radio unit coupled to a vehicle. The transmitting impulse radio unit operates to transmit an impulse radio signal towards the vehicle when the locomotive is a predetermined distance from a railroad crossing. Upon receiving the impulse radio signal, the receiving impulse radio unit makes sure the person operating the vehicle is informed about the potentially dangerous situation. Several embodiments of the railroad collision avoidance system and method are disclosed all of which operate to warn a person when there is a locomotive in their vicinity.
158 Citations
49 Claims
-
1. A railroad collision avoidance system comprising:
-
a transmitting impulse radio unit, coupled to a first object, capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a railroad; and
a receiving impulse radio unit, coupled to a second object, capable of receiving the impulse radio signal and further capable of alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for preventing train accidents, said method comprising the steps of:
-
transmitting an impulse radio signal from a transmitting impulse radio unit coupled to a first object when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a railroad;
receiving the impulse radio signal at a receiving impulse radio unit coupled to a second object; and
alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
scanning the railroad crossing to determine whether a vehicle is located on the railroad crossing; and
informing a person on the locomotive about the vehicle if the vehicle is located on the railroad crossing.
-
-
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first object is a control box, the second object is a vehicle and said step of transmitting further includes transmitting the impulse radio signal at the vehicle when the control box learns of the presence of a locomotive.
-
16. The method of claim 11, wherein said first object is a control box, the second object is a railroad pole and said step of transmitting further includes transmitting the impulse radio signal at the railroad pole when the control box learns of the presence of a locomotive.
-
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:
-
scanning the railroad crossing to determine whether a vehicle is located on the railroad crossing; and
informing a person on the locomotive about the vehicle if the vehicle is located on the railroad crossing.
-
-
18. The method of claim 11, wherein said first object is a locomotive, the second object is a work vehicle and said step of receiving further includes receiving the impulse radio signal at the work vehicle when the locomotive is in the vicinity of the work vehicle.
-
19. The method of claim 11, wherein said first object is a first locomotive, the second object is a second locomotive and said step of receiving further includes receiving the impulse radio signal towards the second locomotive when the first locomotive is in the vicinity of the second locomotive.
-
20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of determining a distance between a locomotive carrying the transmitting impulse radio unit and said receiving impulse radio unit.
-
21. An apparatus comprising:
a transmitting impulse radio unit capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal to a receiving impulse radio unit that is coupled to an object when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a railroad, wherein said receiving impulse radio unit is capable of alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
27. A method for preventing train accidents, said method comprising the steps of:
-
transmitting an impulse radio signal to a receiving impulse radio unit that is coupled to an object when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a railroad; and
alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. An apparatus comprising:
a receiving impulse radio unit capable of receiving an impulse radio signal from a transmitting impulse radio unit coupled to an object when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a railroad, wherein said receiving impulse radio unit is capable of alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
42. A method for preventing train accidents, said method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving at an object an impulse radio signal from a transmitting impulse radio unit when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a railroad; and
alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
scanning the railroad crossing to determine whether the vehicle is located on the railroad crossing; and
informing a person on the second locomotive about the vehicle if the vehicle is located on the railroad crossing.
-
-
47. The method of claim 43, wherein said transmitting impulse radio unit transmits the impulse radio signal at the work vehicle when a second locomotive is in the vicinity of the work vehicle.
-
48. The method of claim 43, wherein said transmitting impulse radio unit transmits the impulse radio signal at the first locomotive when a second locomotive is in the vicinity of the first locomotive.
-
49. A subway collision avoidance system comprising:
-
a transmitting impulse radio unit, coupled to a first subway train, capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal when there is a potentially dangerous situation on a track; and
a receiving impulse radio unit, coupled to a second subway train, capable of receiving the impulse radio signal and further capable of alerting a person about the potentially dangerous situation.
-
Specification