Methods and systems for detection and notification of blocked rail crossings
First Claim
1. A potential blocked rail crossing detection and notification system, said system comprising:
- a processing device;
a communications interface communicatively coupled to said processing device and operable for facilitating communications between said processing device and at least one external device;
at least one vehicle detection mechanism placed proximate to a rail grade crossing, said at least one vehicle detection mechanism communicatively coupled to said processing device and being continuously operable to provide one of a first signal and a second signal to said processing device, the first signal indicative of a presence of a vehicle within a defined area surrounding an intersection of a roadway and one or more railroad tracks, the second signal indicative of a non-presence of a vehicle within the defined area surrounding the intersection of the roadway and one or more railroad tracks; and
said processing device being programmed to continuously communicate with the at least one external device, wherein the processing device is programmed to communicate the first signal to the external device when the first signal is provided by the at least one vehicle detection mechanism, and wherein the processing device is programmed to continuously communicate the second signal to the external device when the second signal is provided by the at least one vehicle detection mechanism.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A blocked rail crossing detection and notification system is described. The system includes a processing device, a communications interface communicatively coupled to the processing device and operable for facilitating communications between the processing device and at least one external device, and at least one vehicle detection mechanism placed proximate to a rail grade crossing. The at least one vehicle detection mechanism is communicatively coupled to the processing device and operable to provide signals to the processing device indicative of the presence or non-presence of a vehicle within a defined area surrounding an intersection of a roadway and one or more railroad tracks. The processing device is further programmed to communicate the presence or non-presence of a vehicle along with supporting correlative visual data within the defined area to the at least one external device via the communications interface.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A potential blocked rail crossing detection and notification system, said system comprising:
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a processing device; a communications interface communicatively coupled to said processing device and operable for facilitating communications between said processing device and at least one external device; at least one vehicle detection mechanism placed proximate to a rail grade crossing, said at least one vehicle detection mechanism communicatively coupled to said processing device and being continuously operable to provide one of a first signal and a second signal to said processing device, the first signal indicative of a presence of a vehicle within a defined area surrounding an intersection of a roadway and one or more railroad tracks, the second signal indicative of a non-presence of a vehicle within the defined area surrounding the intersection of the roadway and one or more railroad tracks; and said processing device being programmed to continuously communicate with the at least one external device, wherein the processing device is programmed to communicate the first signal to the external device when the first signal is provided by the at least one vehicle detection mechanism, and wherein the processing device is programmed to continuously communicate the second signal to the external device when the second signal is provided by the at least one vehicle detection mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for monitoring a rail crossing for a potential obstruction and notifying railroad personnel of the same, said system comprising:
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a processor-based device located proximate the rail crossing; a communications interface communicatively coupled to said processor-based device and continuously operable for facilitating communications between said processor-based and a location remote from the rail crossing; and a plurality of obstruction sensors continuously monitoring the rail grade crossing, each of said plurality of obstruction sensors being communicatively coupled to said processor-based device and operable to provide respective signals to said processor-based indicative of the presence of an obstruction in the path of one or more railroad tracks at the rail crossing; wherein at least one of the plurality of obstruction sensors further being operable to provide a signal to said processing device indicative of a non-presence of an obstruction in the path of one or more railroad tracks at the rail crossing; said processor-based device programmed to continuously communicate, based on the signals provided from the plurality of obstruction sensors, the presence or non-presence of an obstruction to the location remote from the rail crossing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for monitoring a rail crossing intersecting a roadway for an obstruction in the path of an approaching locomotive and for notifying railroad personnel of the same, said system comprising:
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a processor-based device local to the rail crossing; a communications interface communicatively coupled to said processor-based device and continuously operable for facilitating communications between said processor-based device and a remote location; and a plurality of obstruction sensors each continuously monitoring the rail grade crossing for an obstruction in a different manner, each of said plurality of obstruction sensors being communicatively coupled to said processor-based device and operable to provide respective signals to said processor-based device indicative of the presence of a potential obstruction in the path of one or more railroad tracks at or proximate the rail crossing, wherein at least one of said plurality of obstruction sensors is further operable to provide a signal to said processor-based device indicative of a non-presence of an obstruction in the path of one or more railroad tracks at or proximate the rail crossing; said processor-based device configured to; compare the signals from the plurality of obstruction sensors to determine whether the potential obstruction exists; and if the potential obstruction is determined to exist, communicate the presence of the potential obstruction to the location remote from the rail crossing.
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21. A rail crossing detection and notification system, said system comprising:
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a processing device; a communications interface communicatively coupled to said processing device and operable for facilitating communications between said processing device and at least one external device at a remote location; and a plurality of detectors placed proximate to a rail grade crossing, each of said plurality of detectors communicatively coupled to said processing device and being operable to provide a signal to said processing device, the signal indicative of a non-presence of an obstruction within a defined area surrounding an intersection of a roadway and one or more railroad tracks; and said processing device being programmed to communicate, based on the signals provided, the non-presence of an obstruction within the defined area to the at least one external device, and the processing device configured to compare signals provided by the plurality of detectors. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A potential blocked rail crossing detection and notification system, said system comprising:
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a processing device; a communications interface communicatively coupled to said processing device and operable for facilitating communications between said processing device and at least one external device at a remote location; at least one vehicle detection mechanism placed proximate to a rail grade crossing, said at least one vehicle detection mechanism communicatively coupled to said processing device and being continuously operable to provide a signal to said processing device, the signal indicative of either a presence or a non-presence of a vehicle within a defined area surrounding an intersection of a roadway and one or more railroad tracks; said processing device being programmed to continuously communicate the signal indicative of either the presence or the non-presence of a vehicle within the defined area to the at least one external device; and wherein the rail grade crossing includes at least one status and control signal for warning roadway vehicles of an impending train, and wherein the processing device is configured to monitor the status and control signal to avoid a false blocked crossing detection event.
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Specification