VISION CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCOMOTIVE

• US 20160244025A1
• Filed: 02/25/2015
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Melas, Dennis, Traylor, Isaac
• Granted Patent: US 9,561,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/023 including defroster or demisting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0818 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/485 including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 25/00 Window arrangements peculiar to rail vehicles vehicle window arrangements in general B60J; cleaning vehicle windows B60S; heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas H05B3/84
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance

Abstract

A vision control system for controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive. The vision control system includes a sensing module for detecting at least one parameter related to the glass surface. The sensing module includes a moisture sensing device configured to detect a presence of moisture on the glass surface and a photo sensor configured to detect an opacity of the glass surface. The vision control system also includes a cleaning system configured to perform a cleaning operation on the glass surface. The vision control system further includes a controller communicably coupled to the sensing module and the cleaning system. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of the at least one parameter related to the glass surface from the sensing module and communicate with the cleaning system to control the cleaning operation based on the received signal.

Claims

1. A vision control system for controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive, the vision control system comprising:

a sensing module for detecting at least one parameter related to the glass surface, the sensing module comprising;

a moisture sensing device configured to detect a presence of moisture on the glass surface; and

a photo sensor configured to detect an opacity of the glass surface;

a cleaning system configured to perform a cleaning operation on the glass surface; and

a controller communicably coupled to the sensing module and the cleaning system, the controller configured to;

receive a signal indicative of the at least one parameter related to the glass surface from the sensing module; and

communicate with the cleaning system to control the cleaning operation based on the received signal.

2. The vision control system of claim 1, wherein the cleaning system comprises at least one of:

a wiper assembly configured to at least partly remove the moisture on the glass surface;

a defogger system configured to at least partly remove the fog on the glass surface; and

a washer fluid system configured to apply a washer fluid to the glass surface.

3. The vision control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to activate the wiper assembly upon receiving, via the moisture sensing device, the signal indicative of the presence of the moisture on the glass surface.

4. The vision control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to activate the defogger system upon receiving the signal indicative of the presence of a fog on the glass surface.

5. The vision control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to activate the washer fluid system upon receiving, via the photo sensor, the signal indicative of the opacity less than a threshold opacity.

6. The vision control system of claim 1 further comprising a user input interface disposed external to the locomotive and in communication with the controller.

7. The vision control system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive, via the user input interface, a user input corresponding to controlling the cleaning operation; and

communicate with the cleaning system to control the cleaning operation based on the received user input.

8. The vision control system of claim 1, wherein the locomotive is an unattended locomotive.

9. The vision control system of claim 1, wherein the glass surface is a windshield of the locomotive.

10. A vision control system for controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive, the vision control system comprising:

a sensing module for detecting at least one parameter related to the glass surface, the sensing module comprising;

a moisture sensing device configured to detect a presence of moisture on the glass surface; and

a photo sensor configured to detect an opacity of the glass surface;

a cleaning system configured to perform a cleaning operation on the glass surface; and

a user input interface disposed external to the locomotive; and

a controller communicably coupled to the sensing module, the cleaning system and the user input interface, the controller configured to;

receive, via the sensing module, a signal indicative of at the least one parameters related to the glass surface;

receive, via the user input interface, a user input corresponding to controlling the cleaning operation; and

communicate with the cleaning system to control the cleaning operation based on at least one of the received user input and the received signal.

11. The vision control system of claim 10, wherein the cleaning system comprises at least one of:

a wiper assembly configured to at least partly remove the moisture from the glass surface;

a defogger system configured to at least partly remove the fog from the glass surface; and

a washer fluid system configured to apply a washer fluid to the glass surface.

12. The vision control system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to activate the wiper assembly upon receiving, via the moisture sensing device, the signal indicative of the presence of the moisture on the glass surface.

13. The vision control system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to activate the defogger system upon receiving the signal indicative of the presence of fog on the glass surface.

14. The vision control system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to activate the washer fluid system upon receiving, via the photo sensor, the signal indicative of the opacity less than a threshold opacity.

15. The vision control system of claim 10, wherein the locomotive further includes a vision monitoring device communicably coupled to the controller.

16. The vision control system of claim 10, wherein the locomotive is an unattended locomotive.

17. A method of controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive, the method comprising:

detecting at least one parameter of the glass surface, the parameters comprising an opacity of the glass surface, a presence of moisture on the glass surface and a presence of fog on the glass surface;

activating a wiper assembly upon detecting the presence of the moisture, the wiper assembly configured to at least partly remove the moisture from the glass surface;

activating a defogger system upon detecting the presence of fog, the defogger assembly configured to at least partly remove the fog from the glass surface; and

activating a washer fluid system upon determining the opacity is less than a threshold opacity, the washer fluid system configured to apply a washer fluid to the glass surface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the locomotive is an unattended locomotive.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving, via a user input interface, a user input corresponding to activating at least one of the wiper assembly, the defogger system and the washer fluid system; and

activating at least one of the wiper assembly, the defogger system and the washer fluid system based on the user input.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the glass surface is a windshield of the locomotive.