System and method for determining a characterisitic of an object adjacent to a route
First Claim
1. A determination system comprising a plurality of cameras configured to be attached to a vehicle when the vehicle travels along a route, said cameras aligned along respective lines of sight to an object positioned adjacent to the route in order to determine at least one characteristic of the object, wherein the cameras are positioned at respective plural external surfaces of said vehicle within a common transverse plane that intersects a fixed length position along a length of said vehicle, said plural external surfaces being spaced within said transverse plane;
- a position determination device configured to determine a position of the vehicle along the route; and
a controller configured to;
determine an expected position of the object and at least one of a fixed length position of at least one of the cameras from a leading end of the vehicle along a direction of travel of the vehicle, a horizontal separation distance between the cameras, or a vertical separation distance between the cameras;
align the plurality of cameras toward the object based on the position of the vehicle along the route, the expected position of the object, and the at least one of the fixed length position of at least one of the cameras, the horizontal separation distance between the cameras, or the vertical separation distance between the cameras.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for determining at least one characteristic of an object positioned adjacent to a route. The characteristic of the object is related to the operation of a powered system. The powered system travels along the route. The system includes a plurality of cameras attached to the powered system. The plurality of cameras are aligned along a respective line of sight to the object. A method and computer readable media are also provided for determining at least one characteristic of an object positioned adjacent to a route.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A determination system comprising a plurality of cameras configured to be attached to a vehicle when the vehicle travels along a route, said cameras aligned along respective lines of sight to an object positioned adjacent to the route in order to determine at least one characteristic of the object, wherein the cameras are positioned at respective plural external surfaces of said vehicle within a common transverse plane that intersects a fixed length position along a length of said vehicle, said plural external surfaces being spaced within said transverse plane;
- a position determination device configured to determine a position of the vehicle along the route; and
a controller configured to;
determine an expected position of the object and at least one of a fixed length position of at least one of the cameras from a leading end of the vehicle along a direction of travel of the vehicle, a horizontal separation distance between the cameras, or a vertical separation distance between the cameras;
align the plurality of cameras toward the object based on the position of the vehicle along the route, the expected position of the object, and the at least one of the fixed length position of at least one of the cameras, the horizontal separation distance between the cameras, or the vertical separation distance between the cameras. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- a position determination device configured to determine a position of the vehicle along the route; and
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19. A method comprising:
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identifying a position of a vehicle traveling along a route, the vehicle having plural cameras connected to the vehicle in different locations; determining an expected position of an object disposed alongside the route and at least one of a fixed length position of at least one of the cameras from a leading end of the vehicle along a direction of travel of the vehicle, a horizontal separation distance between the cameras, or a vertical separation distance between the cameras; aligning the cameras along respective lines of sight to said object based on the position of the vehicle that is identified, the expected position of the object, and the at least one of the fixed length position, the horizontal separation distance, or the vertical separation distance; collecting respective image data from said object with the cameras; and determining at least one characteristic of said the object based upon said image data. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A determination system comprising:
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a plurality of cameras configured to be attached to a rail vehicle; and
a position determination device configured to determine a position of the vehicle along a track; anda controller configured to be connected with the plurality of cameras and to adjust the plurality of cameras for alignment along a respective lines of sight to wayside equipment disposed alongside the track being traveled by the rail vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to align the plurality of cameras toward the wayside equipment based on the position of the vehicle along the track, an expected position of the wayside equipment and at least one of a fixed length position of at least one of the cameras from a leading end of the vehicle along a direction of travel of the vehicle, a horizontal separation distance between the cameras, or a vertical separation distance between the cameras. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A non-transitory computer readable medium for determining at least one characteristic of an object positioned alongside a route, said characteristic of the object being related to an operation of a vehicle having plural attached cameras and traveling along the route, said non-transitory computer readable medium including computer software code, that, when executed on a processor, causes the processor to:
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identify a position of the vehicle along the route; determine an expected position of the object and at least one of a fixed length position of at least one of the cameras from a leading end of the vehicle along a direction of travel of the vehicle, a horizontal separation distance between the cameras, or a vertical separation distance between the cameras; and align said cameras along respective lines of sight to said object based on the position of the vehicle, the expected position of the object, and the at least one of the fixed length position, the horizontal separation distance, or the vertical separation distance.
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Specification