Light emission power control apparatus and method

• US 9,950,720 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2017
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tetra Tech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tetra Tech Incorporated
• Inventors: Mesher, Darel
• Primary Examiner(s): CRAWFORD, JASON
• Application Number:
  US15/453,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20170203775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/00 Railway vehicle profile gauges; Detecting or indicating overheating of components; Apparatus on locomotives or cars to indicate bad track sections; General design of track recording vehicles
• 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 23/04 for monitoring the mechanical state of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/303 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system and method for adjusting light emitter output for a railway track inspection system based on data feedback from one or more sensors.

Claims

1. A system for inspecting a railway track, the system comprising:

a power source;

a light emitting apparatus powered by the power source for emitting light energy toward a railway track;

at least one sensor for sensing reflected light emitted from the light emitting apparatus and acquiring three dimensional data of the railway track; and

a processor in communication with the at least one sensor wherein the processor includes an algorithm for adjusting the power of the light emitting apparatus, the algorithm comprising the steps of;

a. analyzing the three dimensional data from the at least one sensor; and

b. adjusting a light emitter control output value based at least in part on the analyzed three dimensional data; and

a controller in communication with the processor wherein the controller is configured to control the light intensity of the light emitting apparatus in response to the light emitter control output value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a data storage apparatus in communication with the processor for storing the acquired three dimensional data.

3. A method of inspecting a railway track bed using a light source with real time adjustable light emission, the method comprising the steps of:

a. emitting light from a light source toward a railway track bed;

b. detecting light reflected from the railway track bed using at least one sensor;

c. measuring surface elevation of the railway track bed and light intensity of the reflected light based on the detected light to provide elevation and intensity data;

d. analyzing the elevation and intensity data;

e. adjusting a light emitter control output value based on the analyzed elevation and intensity data; and

f. controlling the light intensity of the light source in response to the adjusted light emitter control output value.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the analyzing step further includes analyzing the elevation and intensity data for elevation zero value errors, out-of-range errors and intensity distribution.

5. A method of inspecting a railway track bed using a light source with real time adjustable light emission, the method comprising the steps of:

a. emitting light from a light source toward a railway track bed;

b. sensing light reflected from the railway track bed;

c. determining railway track bed surface conditions based on the sensed light reflected from the railway track bed; and

d. adjusting the intensity of light emitted from the light source based on the railway track bed surface conditions.