Route examination system and method

• US 9,575,007 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rao, Dattaraj Jagdish, Naithani, Nidhi, Bind, Anju, Chaki, Sreyashi Dey
• Primary Examiner(s): Makiya, David J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malkowski, Kenneth J
• Application Number:
  US15/075,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/10 for detecting cracks in rails or welds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/04 for monitoring the mechanical state of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/72 Investigating presence of flaws

Abstract

A route examination system includes a thermographic camera configured to be logically or mechanically coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route. The thermographic camera is also configured to sense infrared radiation emitted or reflected from the route and to generate a sensed thermal signature representative of the infrared radiation that is sensed. The system also includes a computer readable memory device configured to store a designated thermal signature representative of infrared radiation emitted from a segment of the route that is not damaged. The system also includes an analysis processor configured to determine a condition of a first portion of the route relative to other portions of the route at least in part by comparing the sensed thermal signature and the designated thermal signature.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a thermographic camera configured to be logically or mechanically coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route, the thermographic camera is also configured to sense infrared radiation emitted or reflected from the route, the thermographic camera configured to generate a sensed thermal signature representative of the infrared radiation that is sensed;

a computer readable memory device configured to store a stored thermal signature representative of infrared radiation emitted from a segment of the route that is not damaged, the stored thermal signature being a combination of previously sensed thermal signatures of the route; and

an analysis processor configured to determine a condition of the route at least in part by comparing the sensed thermal signature and the stored thermal signature.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the condition of the first portion of the route includes determining that the first portion of the route is damaged, and the analysis processor is configured to direct a vehicle controller of the vehicle to change an operation of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis processor is configured to determine a rate at which damage to the first portion of the route is changing based at least in part on the sensed thermal signature and the previously sensed thermal signatures.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the analysis processor is configured to implement different actions in response to the rate at which damage to the first portion of the route is changing based on the rate at which the damage to the first portion of the route is changing.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors other than the thermographic camera, the one or more sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics of the route other than the infrared radiation that are indicative of damage to the route, wherein the analysis processor is configured to determine that the first portion of the route is damaged responsive to both the sensed thermal signature and the one or more characteristics of the route indicating damage to the first portion of the route.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the change to the operation of the vehicle comprises one or more of:

autonomously slowing a ground speed of the vehicle, reducing an engine speed of the vehicle, engaging a braking system of the vehicle, steering the vehicle to avoid the first portion of the route, engaging a suspension system of the vehicle to absorb a shock upon contact with the first portion of the route, or signaling a maintenance crew to repair the damage to the first portion of the route.

7. A system comprising:

a camera or sensor configured to be logically or mechanically coupled with a vehicle that travels along a route, the camera configured to sense radiation emitted or reflected from the route, the camera configured to generate a first signature representative of the radiation that is sensed from a segment of the route;

a computer readable memory device configured to store a second signature representative of radiation emitted from the segment of the route; and

an analysis processor configured to compare the first signature to the second signature, and the analysis processor is further configured to determine a rate of change to the route based on the comparison of the first thermal signature to the second signature, and the analysis processor is further configured to implement one or more actions in response to the rate of change of the route, wherein the analysis processor is configured to direct a vehicle controller of the vehicle to autonomously slow movement of the vehicle responsive to the analysis processor determining that the segment of the route is damaged and a location and direction of the vehicle indicate that the vehicle will travel over the segment of the route.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein second designated signature is a thermal signature of the infrared radiation emitted by, or reflected from, the route at the segment of the route at a prior time when the segment of the route was not damaged.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the analysis processor is configured to determine that the route is damaged based on both the first thermal signature and on external or contextual information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the second thermal signature represents the infrared radiation that one or more of calculated or estimated to be emitted from the route.

11. A method comprising:

sensing infrared radiation emitted from a route being traveled by a vehicle using a thermographic camera coupled with the vehicle;

generating a first thermal signature representative of the infrared radiation that is sensed;

obtaining a composite signature that is a combination of previously sensed thermal signatures of the route; and

determining whether the route is damaged by comparing the first thermal signature with the composite signature.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising autonomously slowing movement of the vehicle responsive to determining that the route is damaged.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the previously sensed thermal signatures represent the infrared radiation emitted by the route at a prior time when the route was not damaged.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising combining the previously sensed thermal signatures to form the composite signature.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a rate at which damage to the route is changing based on comparing the first thermal signature to the composite signature.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising implementing one or more different actions selected from:

communicating one or more of;

a warning signal to one or more other vehicles to warn the other vehicles of the condition of the route at the first portion, a warning signal to one or more wayside devices disposed at or near the route so that the wayside devices can communicate the warning signals to one or more other vehicles systems, or a warning signal to an off-board facility that can arrange for the repair or further examination of the damaged segment of the route, and

controlling one or more of;

a suspension system that switches the vehicle from one mode of operation to another mode of operation as the vehicle approaches or passes over the first portion that has been identified as damaged or unhealthy, the propulsion system to reduce the chance of skid or slippage, or the engine throttle to reduce the vehicle speed.