Systems and methods for communicating information associated with wind pressures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11061048-B2
Application number	US-201916295490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 7, 2019
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a controller, one or more signals from the one or more pressure transducers. The one or more pressure transducers are coupled to one or more pressure lines, the one or more pressure lines are coupled to one or more probes, and the one or more probes coupled to a vehicle. The method also includes converting, by the controller, the one or more signals to one or more digital signals. The method further includes calculating, by the controller, a wind velocity relative to the vehicle using the one or more digital signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
two or more probes coupled to a vehicle, wherein the two or more probes comprise a first probe and a second probe;
one or more pressure lines coupled to the two or more probes;
one or more pressure transducers coupled to the one or more pressure lines, wherein at least one of the one or more pressure transducers is coupled to the first probe and the second probe via the one or more pressure lines; and
a controller operable to:
receive one or more signals from the two or more probes;
convert the one or more signals to one or more digital signals; and
calculate a wind velocity relative to the vehicle using the one or more digital signals.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an atmospheric pressure device operable to measure atmospheric pressure;
a temperature device operable to measure outside temperature;
wherein the controller is further operable to:
receive one or more pressure signals from the atmospheric pressure device;
receive one or more temperature signals from the temperature device; and
calculate the wind velocity using the one or more pressure signals from the atmospheric pressure device and the one or more temperature signals from the temperature device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a first pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a first port of the first probe and a first and second pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a second pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a second port of the first probe and the second pressure transducer, a third pressure transducer, a fourth pressure transducer, and a sixth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a third pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a third port of the first probe, the fourth pressure transducer, and a fifth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers; and
a fourth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a fourth port of the first probe and the first pressure transducer, the third pressure transducer, and the fifth pressure transducer.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
a fifth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a first port of the second probe and a seventh and an eighth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a sixth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a second port of the second probe and the sixth pressure transducer, the eighth pressure transducer, a ninth pressure transducer, and a tenth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a seventh pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a third port of the second probe, the tenth pressure transducer, and an eleventh pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers; and
an eighth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a fourth port of the second probe and the seventh pressure transducer, the ninth pressure transducer, and the eleventh pressure transducer.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vehicle computer operable to initiate one or more actions; and
a display operable to visually display information;
wherein the controller is further operable to:
communicate the wind velocity to the vehicle computer; and
communicate the wind velocity to the display.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pressure lines are hard wired to the two or more probes and to the one or more pressure transducers.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a compass, wherein the controller is further operable to:
receive one or more readings from the compass; and
determine an absolute wind velocity relative to ground using the wind velocity and the readings received from the compass and a ground speed.

8. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, one or more signals from one or more pressure transducers, the one or more pressure transducers coupled to one or more pressure lines, the one or more pressure lines coupled to two or more probes, wherein:
the two or more probes are coupled to a vehicle;
the two or more probes comprise a first probe and a second probe; and
at least one of the one or more pressure transducers is coupled to the first probe and the second probe via the one or more pressure lines;

converting, by the controller, the one or more signals to one or more digital signals; and
calculating, by the controller, a wind velocity relative to the vehicle using the one or more digital signals.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, by the controller, one or more pressure signals from an atmospheric pressure device;
receiving, by the controller, one or more temperature signals from a temperature device; and
calculating, by the controller, the wind velocity using the one or more pressure signals from the atmospheric pressure device and one or more temperature signals from the temperature device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
a first pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a first port of the first probe and a first and second pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a second pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a second port of the first probe and the second pressure transducer, a third pressure transducer, a fourth pressure transducer, and a sixth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a third pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a third port of the first probe, the fourth pressure transducer, and a fifth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers; and
a fourth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a fourth port of the first probe and the first pressure transducer, the third pressure transducer, and the fifth pressure transducer.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
a fifth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a first port of the second probe and a seventh and an eighth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a sixth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a second port of the second probe and the sixth pressure transducer, the eighth pressure transducer, a ninth pressure transducer, and a tenth pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers;
a seventh pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a third port of the second probe, the tenth pressure transducer, and an eleventh pressure transducer of the one or more pressure transducers; and
an eighth pressure line of the one or more pressure lines is coupled to a fourth port of the second probe and the seventh pressure transducer, the ninth pressure transducer, and the eleventh pressure transducer.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
communicating, by the controller, the wind velocity to a vehicle computer; and
communicating, by the controller, the wind velocity to a display.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more pressure lines are hard wired to the two or more probes and to the one or more pressure transducers.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, by the controller, one or more readings from a compass; and
determining, by the controller, an absolute wind velocity relative to ground using the wind velocity and the readings received from the compass and a ground speed.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media embodying instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause

Assignees

• Bnsf Railway Co
• Airflow Sciences Corp

Inventors

• Dumont Brian J
• Paul James
• Fleming Matthew
• Harris Paul
• Wills Corey D
• Pasta Corey T
• Gabler Paul K
• Morgart Dennis W

Classifications

• B61L15/009

  On-board display devices · CPC title

• G01P5/14 Primary

  by measuring differences of pressure in the fluid · CPC title

• G01P13/045

  with speed indication · CPC title

• B61L15/0072

  On-board train data handling · CPC title