Cab signal quality detecting and reporting system and method

• US 6,763,290 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Johnson, John Hayward
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/294,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 246/187.R, 246/220, 246/121, 246/125, 105/238.1, 105/404, 105/375
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/246 using coded current

Abstract

A system and method for railroad cab signal quality detection and reporting for use in connection with a railroad cab signaling system in which a status signal is carried on a railroad rail. The status signal has a cab signal parameter that is indicative of a status of a zone of track. A signal detector detects the status signal transmitted via the railroad rail. A signal measurement subsystem associated with the signal detector measures the cab signal parameter. A quality analysis subsystem analyzes the measured cab signal parameter and determines a measure of quality of the cab signal parameter. The system may include equipment that is mounted on a rail vehicle, such as a locomotive, or mounted along a block of track, or on portable equipment. The system may also include a cab signal quality collection and reporting system. The method includes detecting the cab status signal and measuring the cab signal parameter from the detected status signal. The measure of quality of the measured cab signal parameter is determined and is reported.

Claims

1. A railroad cab signal quality detection system for use in connection with a railroad cab signaling system in which a status signal is carried on a railroad rail, the status signal having a cab signal parameter that is indicative of a status of a zone of track, the system comprising:

a signal detector for detecting the status signal transmitted via the railroad rail;

a signal measurement subsystem associated with the signal detector for measuring the cab signal parameter; and

a quality analysis subsystem for analyzing the measured cab signal parameter and determining a measure of quality of the cab signal parameter.

2. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the quality analysis subsystem distinguishes between a valid cab signal parameter and an invalid cab signal parameter.

3. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the quality analysis subsystem detects the marginal operation of a cab signal parameter and reports the quality of the marginal cab signal parameter wherein trends in the marginal cab signal parameter over time indicates the degrading performance of the cab signal parameter.

4. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the status signal is an analog signal and the system further comprises:

a signal conditioner for conditioning the status signal detected by the signal detector and for providing a conditioned cab signal; and

a signal converter associated with the signal conditioner for receiving the conditioned cab signal and converting the conditioned cab signal to a digital cab signal.

5. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the signal conditioner comprises a filter circuit for filtering one or more ranges of frequencies.

6. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the signal measurement subsystem digitally processes the digital cab signal for measuring the cab signal parameter and for providing a digital representation of the cab signal parameter to the quality analysis subsystem.

7. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the quality analysis subsystem compares the digital representation of the cab signal parameter to a predefined rule for determining whether the cab signal parameter is valid or invalid.

8. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a database of auxiliary information and wherein the quality analysis subsystem accesses the database of auxiliary information for reporting on the quality of the cab signal parameter.

9. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a notification subsystem that provides notifications to the on-board operating crew or remotely to train maintenance personnel.

10. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the notification subsystem is a display for displaying the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter reported by the quality analysis subsystem.

11. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the signal detector, the signal measurement subsystem and the quality analysis subsystem are configured for being carried on a railway vehicle.

12. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the signal detector, the signal measurement subsystem and the quality analysis subsystem are configured as a portable system.

13. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a reporting subsystem for receiving information from the quality analysis subsystem regarding the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter and for generating a report containing the received information.

14. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the reporting subsystem automatically generates a report upon occurrence of a predefined event or condition as detected by or indicated by quality analysis subsystem.

15. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a storage subsystem for receiving and storing information or a report from the quality analysis subsystem regarding the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter.

16. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the quality analysis subsystem analyzes information in the cab signal parameter to determine a source of the potentially invalid cab signal.

17. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the quality analysis subsystem analyzes information in the cab signal parameter to determine whether the source is one of a failed track circuit, a failing track circuit, an onboard cab signal detector, or an onboard cab signal system.

18. A railroad cab signal quality detection system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a communication link connected to a remote cab signal quality collection and reporting system to report the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter by communicating the quality of the cab signal parameter as determined by the quality analysis subsystem to a remote location.

19. A railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system for use in connection with a railroad cab signaling system, an on-board cab signal system, and a railroad cab signal quality detection system in which a status signal is carried on a railroad rail, the status signal having a cab signal parameter that is indicative of a status of a zone of track, the system comprising:

a data collection system for collecting data indicative of a measure of a quality of the cab signal parameter of the status signal; and

a quality analysis and reporting system for analyzing the collected data and generating reports responsive to the collected data and indicative of the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter.

20. The railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a storage system for storing the collected data from a plurality of railroad cab signal quality detection systems.

21. The railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system as set forth in claim 20, wherein the quality analysis and reporting system further analyzes the plurality of stored collected data associated with the measure of quality of the cab signal parameters and determines a measure of functionality of the railroad cab signaling system, onboard cab signal system and components thereof.

22. The railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system as set forth in claim 21, further comprising a repair order system generating a repair order when the quality analysis and reporting system determines that the measure of functionality of the railroad cab signaling system, the on-board cab signal system, or components indicates that a repair thereof is needed.

23. The railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the quality analysis and reporting system automatically generates a dispatch to a maintenance system, a communications system or the reporting system wherein the quality analysis and reporting system determines that the measure of functionality of the railroad cab signaling system, the on-board cab signal system, or components thereof require repair.

24. The railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system as set forth in claim 20, further comprising a database of auxiliary information and wherein the data collection system receives auxiliary information from the database for reporting on the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter.

25. The railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system as set forth in claim 24, wherein the quality analysis and reporting system further analyzes the collected data associated with the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter and auxiliary information and determines a measure of functionality of the railroad cab signaling system, the on-board cab signal system, and equipment thereof.

26. The railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system as set forth in claim 25, further comprising a repair order system generating a repair order when the quality analysis and reporting system determines that the measure of functionality of the railroad cab signaling system, the on-board cab signal system, or equipment require repair.

27. A system comprising a locomotive equipped with a railroad cab signal quality collection and reporting system which comprises a cab signal detector for detecting a cab status signal, a cab signal conditioner for receiving the detected cab status signal from the signal detector and providing a conditioned signal to a cab signal converter for converting the conditioned signal from analog to digital format which is indicative of the cab status signal, and a cab aspect display system for displaying the cab status to an operator, further comprising:

a signal measurement subsystem associated with the cab signal detector for measuring a cab signal parameter;

a quality analysis subsystem for analyzing the measured cab signal parameter and determining a measure of quality of the cab signal parameter; and

a reporting subsystem for receiving the determined measure of quality of the cab signal parameter from the quality analysis subsystem and for generating a report containing the received determined measure of quality.

28. A railroad cab signaling system comprising a cab signal parameter and a cab signal transmitter for transmitting the cab signal parameter onto a railway rail, further comprising:

a signal detector for detecting the status signal transmitted via the railroad rail;

a signal conditioner for conditioning the status signal detected by the signal detector and for providing a conditioned cab signal;

a signal converter associated with the signal conditioner for receiving the conditioned cab signal and converting the conditioned cab signal to a digital cab signal;

a signal measurement subsystem for measuring a cab signal parameter from the digital cab signal;

a quality analysis subsystem for analyzing the measured cab signal parameter and determining a measure of quality of the cab signal parameter; and

a reporting subsystem for receiving the determined measure of quality of the cab signal parameter from the quality analysis subsystem and for generating a report containing the received determined measure of quality.

29. A quality monitoring method for use with a railroad cab signaling system in which a status signal is carried on a railroad rail, the status signal having a cab signal parameter that is indicative of a status of a zone of track, the method comprising:

detecting the status signal;

measuring the cab signal parameter from the detected status signal;

determining a measure of quality of the measured cab signal parameter; and

reporting the determined measure of quality of the measured cab signal parameter.

30. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 29, wherein determining determines whether the measured cab signal parameter is valid or invalid and wherein reporting reports whether the measured cab signal parameter is valid or invalid.

31. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 30 wherein determining if the measured cab signal parameter is valid or invalid comprises digitally processing the detected status signal.

32. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 30 wherein determining if the measured cab signal parameter is valid or invalid comprises comparing the measured cab signal parameter to a predefined quality rule.

33. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 29 further comprising conditioning the detected status signal prior to measuring the cab signal parameter.

34. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 33 further comprising converting the conditioned detected status signal to a form suitable for digital processing.

35. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 29 further comprising displaying an indication of the cab signal parameter measured and an indication of the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter.

36. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 29 further comprising providing a notification of a corrective action if the measure of quality of the cab signal parameter is less than a predetermined value.

37. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 36 wherein the notification is a dispatch to initiate a repair or maintenance of the railroad cab signaling system, the on-board cab signal system, or components thereof.

38. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 29 wherein reporting the measure of quality of the measured cab signal parameter comprises storing in a storage system an indication of the measured cab signal parameter and an indication of whether the cab signal parameter is valid or invalid.

39. A quality monitoring method as set forth in claim 38 wherein the storage system is a central storage system suitable for storing information from a plurality of sources.