Pantograph damage and wear monitoring system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for evaluating the condition of a pantograph, the system comprising:
- a track-side pantograph monitoring station for capturing an image of the pantograph while a locomotive comprising the pantograph is in normal service, the monitoring station comprising a first image capture device positioned below and at an oblique angle relative to the pantograph;
a station management system for analyzing the image captured at the monitoring station and for determining the condition of the pantograph, the station management system configured to;
a) determine a number of current collectors in the pantograph by matching the image to a pre-defined model of a plurality of pre-defined models, the plurality of pre-defined models representing a plurality of known pantograph types;
b) generate a current collector profile for each of the number of current collectors and based upon the image; and
c) analyse each of the current collector profiles to determine the condition of the pantograph; and
a user interface for controlling the station management system and indicating whether the pantograph is damaged and/or worn.
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Abstract
A system for evaluating the condition of a pantograph, the system comprising: a track-side pantograph monitoring station that captures one or more images of a pantograph, while a locomotive comprising the pantograph is in normal service; a station management system that analyzes one or more images captured at the monitoring site and determines the condition of the pantograph; and a user interface that controls the system and presents the results of the analysis to the user. A user may control the track-side monitoring station and station management system remotely.
15 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for evaluating the condition of a pantograph, the system comprising:
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a track-side pantograph monitoring station for capturing an image of the pantograph while a locomotive comprising the pantograph is in normal service, the monitoring station comprising a first image capture device positioned below and at an oblique angle relative to the pantograph; a station management system for analyzing the image captured at the monitoring station and for determining the condition of the pantograph, the station management system configured to; a) determine a number of current collectors in the pantograph by matching the image to a pre-defined model of a plurality of pre-defined models, the plurality of pre-defined models representing a plurality of known pantograph types; b) generate a current collector profile for each of the number of current collectors and based upon the image; and c) analyse each of the current collector profiles to determine the condition of the pantograph; and a user interface for controlling the station management system and indicating whether the pantograph is damaged and/or worn. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of analyzing whether a pantograph is damaged and/or worn using computer programs, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving at least one command from a sensor and on receipt of the at least one command activating at least one image capture device to capture an image of the pantograph at a monitoring station, said at least one image capture device being positioned below and at an oblique angle relative to the pantograph; analyzing the image captured by the at least one image capture device for signs of damage and/or wear, wherein the analyzing includes; a) determining a number of current collectors in the pantograph by matching the image to a predefined model of a plurality of pre-defined models, the plurality of pre-defined models representing a plurality of known pantograph types, b) generating a current collector profile for each of the number of current collectors and based upon the image; and
c) analysing each of the current collector profiles to determine the condition of the pantograph; andproviding the results of the analysis to an output means. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An automated method for determining the condition of a pantograph, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a locomotive at a monitoring station; detecting the presence of the pantograph at the monitoring station; activation of an image capture device on simultaneous detection of the locomotive and pantograph at the monitoring station to thereby capture an image of the pantograph, the image capture device being positioned below and at an oblique angle relative to the pantograph; analyzing the image of the pantograph to determine whether the pantograph is damaged and/or a constituent carbon current collector is worn, wherein the analyzing includes a) determining a number of current collectors in the pantograph by matching the image to a pre-defined model of a plurality of pre-defined models, the plurality of pre-defined models representing a plurality of known pantograph types;
b) generating a current collector profile for each of the number of current collectors and based upon the image; and
c) analysing each of the current collector profiles to determine the condition of the pantograph; andreporting the results of the analysis to an end user.
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37. A system for evaluating the condition of a pantograph, the system comprising:
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a track-side pantograph monitoring station for capturing an image of the pantograph while a locomotive comprising the pantograph is in normal service, the monitoring station comprising a first image capture device positioned below and at an oblique angle relative to the pantograph; a sensor interface for receiving a first input from a locomotive sensor indicating that the locomotive is at the monitoring station, receiving a second input from a pantograph sensor indicating that the pantograph is within the field of view of the first image capture device, de-bouncing and shaping the inputs received from the sensors; and
providing a command to the first image capture device to acquire an image of the pantograph when the first and second inputs are received simultaneously;a station management system for analyzing the image captured at the monitoring station and for determining the condition of the pantograph, wherein the analyzing includes a) determining a number of current collectors in the pantograph by matching the image to a pre-defined model of a plurality of pre-defined models, the plurality of pre-defined models representing a plurality of known pantograph types;
b) generating a current collector profile for each of the number of current collectors and based upon the image; and
c) analysing each of the current collector profiles to determine the condition of the pantograph is performed according to the matched pre-defined model; anda user interface for controlling the station management system and indicating whether the pantograph is damaged and/or worn. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification