Apparatus and method for monitoring the output of a warning or indicator light
First Claim
1. An operational status detection system for a railroad warning device having a warning light, comprising:
- a photo detector configured to generate a signal corresponding to a light output of the warning light of the railroad warning device, said photo detector comprising a lens, an optical filter and a photodiode, wherein said optical filter is disposed between said photodiode and said lens and said optical filter is configured to provide the light output of the warning light received by said lens to be presented as a substantially uniform spatial response to said photodiode wherein areas of high intensity of the warning light that are received by the lens are attenuated, said areas of high intensity providing higher light outputs than other areas of the warning light; and
a microcontroller receptive to said signal, wherein said microcontroller compares said signal to at least one threshold value, said at least one threshold value corresponding to an acceptable light output of the warning light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An operational status detection system for a railroad warning device having a warning light, comprising: a photo detector configured to generate a signal corresponding to a light output of the warning light of the railroad warning device, the photo detector comprising a lens, an optical filter and a photodiode, wherein the optical filter is disposed between the photodiode and the lens and the optical filter is configured to provide the light output of the warning light to be presented as a substantially uniform spatial response to the photodiode wherein areas of high intensity of the warning light that are received by the lens are attenuated, the areas of high intensity providing higher light outputs than other areas of the warning light; and a microcontroller for receiving the signal, wherein the microcontroller compares the signal to at least one threshold value, the at least one threshold value corresponding to an acceptable light output of the warning light.
31 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An operational status detection system for a railroad warning device having a warning light, comprising:
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a photo detector configured to generate a signal corresponding to a light output of the warning light of the railroad warning device, said photo detector comprising a lens, an optical filter and a photodiode, wherein said optical filter is disposed between said photodiode and said lens and said optical filter is configured to provide the light output of the warning light received by said lens to be presented as a substantially uniform spatial response to said photodiode wherein areas of high intensity of the warning light that are received by the lens are attenuated, said areas of high intensity providing higher light outputs than other areas of the warning light; and a microcontroller receptive to said signal, wherein said microcontroller compares said signal to at least one threshold value, said at least one threshold value corresponding to an acceptable light output of the warning light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An operational status detection system for a railroad warning device having a warning light, comprising:
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a plurality of photo detectors each being configured to generate a signal corresponding to a light output of the warning light of the railroad warning device, each of said plurality of photo detectors comprising a lens, an optical filter and a photodiode, wherein said optical filter is disposed between said photodiode and said lens and said optical filter is configured to provide the light output of the warning light to be presented as a substantially uniform spatial response to said photodiode wherein areas of high intensity of the warning light that are received by the lens are attenuated, said areas of high intensity providing higher light outputs than other areas of the warning light; and a microcontroller for receiving each signal generated by said plurality of photo detectors, wherein said microcontroller compares each signal to at least one threshold value, said at least one threshold value corresponding to an acceptable light output of the warning light. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for remotely monitoring a light output of a warning light of a railroad crossing warning system, comprising:
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inverting and compressing an image of the light output with a lens offset from a central portion of the warning light; filtering the image provided by the lens with an optical filter, wherein the optical filter is configured to selectively attenuate the image to provide a filtered light output by selectively blocking areas of high intensity of the warning light, said areas of high intensity providing a greater light output than other areas of the warning light; sampling the filtered light output with a photodiode, the photodiode generating a signal indicative of a light intensity of the filtered light output; comparing the signal to an acceptable threshold value to generate an operational status signal; and providing said operational status signal to a remote monitoring system. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A warning light for a railroad crossing, comprising:
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a housing for a light emitting device; a roundel secured to said housing, said roundel being positioned in front of said light emitting device to provide an illuminated surface of the warning light; a shroud extending from said housing and said roundel; a photo detector secured to said shroud and being positioned to detect light from said illuminated surface wherein said photo detector is configured to provide an operational status signal of the warning light, said photo detector comprising; a lens, an optical filter and a photodiode, wherein said optical filter is disposed between said photodiode and said lens and said optical filter is configured to provide a light output of the warning light to be presented as a substantially uniform spatial response to said photodiode wherein areas of high intensity of the warning light that are received by the lens are attenuated, said areas of high intensity providing greater light output than other areas of the warning light; and a microcontroller receptive to said signal, wherein said microcontroller compares said signal to at least one threshold value, said at least one threshold value corresponding to an acceptable light output of the warning light. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification