On-train rail track monitoring system

• US 8,942,426 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Bar-Am
• Original Assignee: Michael Bar-Am
• Inventors: Bar-Am, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Newman, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US11/679,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20070217670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,891 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 382/106, 382/107, 382/181, 382/209, 104/242, 731/46
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/08 Measuring installations for surveying permanent way applications of measuring apparatus or devices for track building purposes E01B35/00; measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/041 Obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/045 Rail wear
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/047 Track or rail movements
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/048 Road bed changes, e.g. road bed erosion

Abstract

An automatic inspection system is provided for monitoring rail track for detecting and generating alerts for certain hazards to the operation of trains that may cause various safety concerns and even derailment. The monitoring is during normal railway service runs without interrupting the normal railway services. In one implementation, an imaging module is used on a passenger or freight train to capture video images of the rail track under the train in motion. In one implementation, the captured video images are automatically processed in a computer using a software module which is based on digital image processing techniques and algorithms to determine whether an irregularity is present on the rail track. In one implementation, video images containing detected irregularities on the rail track are transmitted to a control center for further analysis and possible alert.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a rail track, comprising:

providing an imaging module under a passenger or freight train to capture video images of the rail track under the train in motion; and

automatically processing captured video images in a computer on the train to determine whether an irregularity is present on the rail track even before the irregularity degrades into a concern for a safe operation of the passenger or freight train.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

capturing video images of an interface between a wheel of the train and the rail track when the train is in motion; and

in the computer on the train, digitally monitoring a relative position and a relative motion of the wheel and the rail track;

wherein the method further comprises conducting trend analysis.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the digital monitoring comprises:

using a plurality of on-train digital motion detectors to respectively monitor motion at different locations of a video image.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the digital monitoring further comprises:

digitally filtering a video image to selectively detect motion in the video image.

5. The method as in claim 2, further comprising:

comparing to at least one of the relative position and the relative motion of the wheel and the rail track to a pre-determined safety standard threshold value; and

sending a captured video image to a control center off the train for further analysis when the pre-determined safety standard threshold value is exceeded.

6. The method as in claim 1, where the digital processing of the captured video images in the computer comprises:

digitally comparing the captured video images to stored images of irregularities of the rail track in a digital library to find a match; and

sending a matched video image to a control center off the train to be further analyzed to determine the nature of the matched video image.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

upon detection of an irregularity on the rail track that adversely affects safety of the train, generating an alert signal to notify the presence of the irregularity when the detected irregularity meets a pre-selected criteria.

8. The method as in claim 7, further comprising:

conducting a further investigation of a cause for the irregularity in response to the alert signal.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

upon detection of an irregularity on the rail track that adversely affects safety of the train, analyzing the image of the irregularity at a control center off the train to further determine the nature of the irregularity.

10. The method as in claim 1, comprising detecting a sign of the irregularity by monitoring multiple factors which are each within a track standard and each alone is not sufficient to cause a derailment but a combination of the factors can lead to a derailment.

11. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

providing one or more illuminating lights to illuminate the rail track to allow for capture of video images by the imaging module under a poorly lit condition.

12. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one infrared sensor and/or MM Wave sensor in the imaging module to allow for capture of video images under a poorly lit condition and/or a poor visibility condition in bad weather.

13. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

engaging the imaging module removable on the train in a detachable manner; and

replacing the imaging module when inoperable with a working imaging module to reduce an interruption to a service run of the train.

14. A method for monitoring a rail track, comprising:

capturing video images from a moving passenger or freight train operating on the rail track during a regular service run of the train, by an imaging module located under the train;

automatically processing captured video images in a computer on the train to determine whether an irregularity is present on the rail track according to a set of predetermined irregularity criteria;

selecting video images that contain detected irregularities on the rail track for further analysis of each detected irregularity; and

performing trend analysis.

15. The method as in claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting the selected video images that contain detected irregularities on the rail track in real time off the train to a control center; and

at the control center, analyzing each detected irregularity to determine the nature of the detected irregularity.

16. The method as in claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting the selected video images that contain detected irregularities on the rail track off the train to a data storage device;

transmitting the selected video images from the data storage device to a control center via a communication link; and

at the control center, analyzing each detected irregularity to determine the nature of the detected irregularity.

17. A method for monitoring a rail track, comprising:

capturing video images from a moving train operating on the rail track, by an imaging module located under the train;

automatically processing captured video images using a digital motion detection algorithm to monitor an interface between a wheel of the train and the rail track;

wherein the imaging module comprises (i) a first camera having a field of view (FOV) that is set to cover an interface between a right-hand rail and a corresponding right-hand wheel;

(ii) a second camera having a FOV that is set to cover an interface between a left-hand rail and a corresponding left-hand wheel;

(iii) a third camera that is set to cover a whole track including the two rails.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein the digital processing comprises:

using a plurality of on-train digital motion detectors to respectively monitor motion at different locations of a video image of the interface.

19. The method as in claim 18, wherein the digital processing further comprises:

digitally filtering the video image of the interface to selectively detect motion of the interface.

20. A method for monitoring a rail track, comprising:

capturing video images from a moving train operating on the rail track;

automatically processing captured video images using a digital image matching algorithm to compare the captured video images to stored images of irregularities of the rail track in a digital library to find a match;

analyzing a matched video image to determine the nature of an irregularity;

generating an alert signal to alert an irregularity if a parameter of the irregularity exceeds a safety standard threshold; and

updating an anomalies trend database if a significant change is detected for a certain irregularity from a previous run but does not exceed a safety limit.

21. The method according to claim 20, comprising detecting an irregularity by detecting at least one out of a rapid movement of a wheel of a train, a rapid lateral movement of the wheel of the train, a wheel of the train that climbs above a predetermined distance on a rail head, and a rail gauge that exceeds a predetermined threshold.