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Track data determination system and method

  • US 9,846,025 B2
  • Filed: 12/21/2012
  • Issued: 12/19/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A track data determination system for use in connection with at least one vehicle configured to traverse a track, the system comprising:

  • at least one video camera device positioned on a portion of the at least one vehicle and configured to capture video data in at least one field-of-view forward of the at least one vehicle;

    at least one geographic positioning unit associated with the at least one vehicle and configured to generate position data and time data;

    at least one recording device configured to store at least one of the following;

    at least a portion of the video data, at least a portion of the position data, at least a portion of the time data, or any combination thereof; and

    at least one controller configured to;

    (i) receive at least one of the following;

    at least a portion of the video data, at least a portion of the position data, at least a portion of the time data, or any combination thereof; and

    (ii) determine track data based at least in part upon at least one of the following;

    at least a portion of the video data, at least a portion of the position data, at least a portion of the time data, or any combination thereof,wherein the track data comprises at least one of the following;

    track centerline data, feature data, verification data, or any combination thereof,wherein the track data comprises the track centerline data,wherein the track centerline data comprises data sufficient to define a centerline between rails of the track along a section of the track,wherein the track centerline data is used to determine a position and orientation of the at least one camera device to the centerline of the track, andwherein the at least one controller is further configured to;

    identify at least one point on a surface of at least one feature located outside of the rails and in the field of view forward of the at least one vehicle;

    receive dimension data including known physical dimensions of the at least one feature;

    determine the relative position of the at least one feature with respect to the at least one video camera device and the centerline of the track by processing the at least one point on the surface of the at least one feature against the known dimensions of the at least one feature and the track centerline data; and

    determine the global position of the at least one feature by processing the relative position of the at least one feature with respect to the at least one video camera device and the centerline of the track against the at least a portion of the position data.

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