Method and apparatus for detecting misalignment of train inspection systems

• US 7,671,757 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Church, Benjamin Paul, Mathews, Harry Kirk Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/758,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/20 Safety arrangements for preventing or indicating malfunction of the device, e.g. by leakage current, by lightning

Abstract

A method and system to detect misalignment of sensors used in train inspection systems are provided. The method includes receiving inputs from a train inspection sensor that is coupled to a railroad track, determining a position of the train inspection sensor using a motion detector, and identifying the inputs received from the train inspection sensor as at least one of acceptable or not acceptable based on the determined position of the train inspection sensor.

Claims

1. A method to detect misalignment of sensors used in train inspection systems, said method comprising:

receiving inputs from a train inspection sensor that is coupled to a railroad track;

determining a position of the train inspection sensor using a motion detector;

determining a baseline position of the train inspection sensor;

monitoring the train inspection sensor to determine whether the train inspection sensor has shifted from the baseline position by a predetermined amount; and

identifying the inputs received from the train inspection sensor as at least one of acceptable or not acceptable based on the determined position of the train inspection sensor.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising marking the received inputs as unacceptable if the train inspection sensor has shifted from the baseline position by the predetermined amount.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining a position of the train inspection sensor using an accelerometer.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the train inspection sensor is a bearing temperature sensing unit, said method further comprises determining a position of the bearing temperature sensing unit using an accelerometer that is coupled to the bearing temperature sensing unit.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein receiving inputs from a train inspection sensor further comprises receiving inputs from a bearing temperature sensing unit that is coupled to the railroad track, wherein the bearing temperature sensing unit is configured to detect a temperature of a locomotive bearing journal or a rolling stock bearing journal passing an infrared bearing scanner.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a maintenance alert if the train inspection sensor has shifted from the baseline position by the predetermined amount.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising analyzing the signal generated by the motion detector to determine if the train inspection sensor is properly aligned.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising generating a maintenance alert indication when the quantity of not acceptable inputs exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining a position of the train inspection sensor using at least one of an accelerometer and a tilt sensor.

10. A system for use in detecting misalignment of sensors used in train inspection systems, said detection system comprising:

at least one train inspection sensor coupled to a railroad track;

a motion detector coupled to said at least one train inspection sensor; and

a detecting unit coupled to said at least one train inspection sensor and said motion detector, said detecting unit configured to;

receive inputs from said at least one train inspection sensor;

determine a position of said at least one train inspection sensor using inputs received from said motion detector; and

identify the received inputs as at least one of acceptable or not acceptable based on whether said at least one train inspection sensor has shifted from a baseline position by a predetermined amount.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said detecting unit is further configured to:

determine the baseline position of said at least one train inspection sensor; and

monitor said at least one train inspection sensor to determine whether said at least one train inspection sensor unit has shifted from the baseline position by the predetermined amount.

12. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said motion detector comprises at least one accelerometer.

13. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said at least one train inspection sensor comprises a bearing temperature sensing unit.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said bearing temperature sensing unit is configured to detect a temperature of locomotive bearing journals or rolling stock bearing journals passing bearing temperature sensing unit.

15. A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said detecting unit is further configured to generate a maintenance alert if at least one of said bearing temperature sensing unit has shifted from the baseline position by the predetermined amount.

16. A system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said detecting unit is further configured to generate a maintenance alert indication when the quantity of not acceptable inputs exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. A method to detect misalignment of sensors used in train inspection systems, said method comprising:

receiving inputs from a train inspection sensor;

determining a position of the train inspection sensor; and

processing the inputs received from the train inspection sensor based on whether the position of the train inspection sensor has shifted from a baseline position by a predetermined amount.