Light rail vehicle monitoring and stop bar overrun system

• US 9,302,687 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STC Incorporated (STC)
• Original Assignee: STC Incorporated (STC)
• Inventors: Cross, Brad
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US14/305,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140291454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/301, 701/302, 246/122.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2201/00 Control methods
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/02 Global system for mobile communication - railways [GSM-R]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/14 automatically operated
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/02 Indicating or recording positions or identities of vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/10 Operations, e.g. scheduling or time tables
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/40 Handling position reports or trackside vehicle data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

A satellite positioning location based control and monitoring system for light rail transit systems which enables transit personnel to track vehicle positions, progress and non-vital signals as light rail vehicles travel through their routes while eliminating the capital and maintenance costs associated with embedded light rail transit monitoring systems.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a vehicle within a traffic grid, the system comprising:

a pre-defined detection zone located in a traffic grid after a stop bar at an intersection;

a vehicle computer unit (VCU) installed in a vehicle having a published schedule;

a central control system remote from said pre-defined detection zone and said vehicle; and

a priority detector installed at said pre-defined detection zone;

wherein if said vehicle is detected by said priority detector within said pre-defined detection zone after said stop bar at an intersection when said stop bar is engaged, said system will determine that a violation has occurred and send an alert to said central control system; and

wherein the central control system will record a log of the violation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said log includes information chosen from the group consisting of:

date of occurrence, time of occurrence, vehicle identification number, stop bar signal state, vehicle speed, and global satellite positioning strength.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said central control system displays information regarding progression of said vehicle within said traffic grid.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said pre-defined detection zone is an advanced detection zone, wherein said advanced detection zone is located prior to a scheduled stop on said vehicle'"'"'s route.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein when said vehicle enters said advanced detection zone, a notification announcement is triggered.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein parameters of said pre-defined detection zone can be modified to account for changing monitoring and tracking needs.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a mass transit vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a light rail vehicle (LRV).

9. A system for monitoring a mass transit vehicle within a traffic grid, the system comprising:

a pre-defined detection zone located in a traffic grid after a stop bar at an intersection;

a vehicle computer unit (VCU) installed in a mass transit vehicle;

a central control system remote from said pre-defined detection zone and said mass transit vehicle; and

a priority detector installed at said pre-defined detection zone;

wherein if said mass transit vehicle is detected by said priority detector within said pre-defined detection zone after said stop bar at an intersection when said stop bar is engaged, said system will determine that a violation has occurred and send an alert to said central control system; and

wherein the central control system will record a log of the violation.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said log includes information chosen from the group consisting of:

date of occurrence, time of occurrence, vehicle identification number, stop bar signal state, mass transit vehicle speed, and global satellite positioning strength.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said central control system displays information regarding progression of said vehicle within said traffic grid.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein parameters of said pre-defined detection zone can be modified to account for changing monitoring and tracking needs.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said mass transit vehicle is a light rail vehicle (LRV).