Apparatuses, systems, methods, and software for train control and tracking using multi sensors, SSD/QR signs, and/or RF reflectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11465660-B2
Application number	US-201816489347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2018
Priority date	Feb 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, methods, and software for train control and tracking using multi sensors, SSD/QR signs, and/or RF reflectors are disclosed, which enable determination of train location on a guideway, train movement authority, train length, and coupler status of each vehicle (married pair) and the consist (integrity) of the train.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a first sensor on a first end of a vehicle having the first end and a second end, the first sensor being configured to generate corresponding sensor data based on a detected sign of a plurality of signs along a direction of movement of the vehicle, wherein the signs of the plurality of signs comprise a dynamic portion including one or more of a seven segments character display comprising changeable characters or a QR code display comprising a changeable pattern;
a second sensor on the second end of the vehicle, the second sensor being configured to generate corresponding sensor data based on the dynamic portion of the detected sign; and
a controller coupled with the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller being configured to:
determine a sign ID of the detected sign based on the dynamic portion of the detected sign;
determine a location of the vehicle based on the sign ID and a database comprising locations of the signs of the plurality of signs;
calculate a speed of the vehicle relative to the detected sign of the plurality of signs based on the sensor data generated by the first sensor and the second sensor; and
cause the speed of the vehicle relative to the detected sign to be output by a display.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor comprises a radar detector, a LIDAR detector, a camera, or an IR detector.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wayside control system communicatively coupled with the signs of the plurality of signs; and
at least one third sensor along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the at least one third sensor being communicatively coupled with the wayside control system and configured to detect the vehicle speed relative to the detected sign based on the vehicle speed output by the display.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the wayside control system is configured to change the dynamic portion of the signs of the plurality of signs.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising an exterior of the vehicle that includes the one or more of the seven segments character display comprising the changeable characters or the QR code display comprising the changeable pattern.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein
the controller is configured to change the display to indicate one or more of a vehicle ID, a switch request, a connected path information or destination information, and
the wayside control system is configured to determine the vehicle ID, the switch request, the connected path information or the destination information based on a detection of the display by the at least one third sensor.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one of third sensor comprises a radar detector, a LIDAR detector, a camera, or an IR detector.

8. A method, comprising:
detecting a sign of a plurality of signs along a direction of movement of a vehicle based on sensor data generated by a first sensor on a first end of the vehicle, wherein the signs of the plurality of signs comprise a dynamic portion including one or more of a seven segments character display comprising changeable characters or a QR code display comprising a changeable pattern;
detecting the sign of the plurality of signs along the direction of movement of the vehicle based on sensor data generated by a second sensor on a second end of the vehicle opposite the first end of the vehicle;
determining a sign ID of a detected sign based on the dynamic portion of the detected sign;
determining a location of the vehicle based on the sign ID and a database comprising locations of the signs of the plurality of signs;
calculating a speed of the vehicle relative to the detected sign of the plurality of signs based on the sensor data generated by the first sensor and the second sensor; and
causing the speed of the vehicle relative to the detected sign to be output by a display.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the display comprises one or more of a seven segments character display comprising changeable characters or a QR code display comprising a changeable pattern on an exterior of the vehicle, and the method further comprises:
changing the display to indicate one or more of a vehicle ID, a switch request, a connected path information or destination information.

10. A system, comprising:
a first sensor on a first end of a vehicle having the first end and a second end, the first sensor being configured to generate corresponding sensor data based on a detected sign of a plurality of signs along a direction of movement of the vehicle, wherein the signs of the plurality of signs comprise:
a dynamic portion including one or more of a seven segments character display comprising changeable characters or a QR code display comprising a changeable pattern; and
a static portion configured to indicate information that does not change;

a second sensor on the second end of the vehicle, the second sensor being configured to generate corresponding sensor data based on the detected sign; and
a controller coupled with the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller being configured to:
determine a sign ID of the detected sign based on at least one of the static portion or the dynamic portion of the detected sign;
determine a location of the vehicle based on the sign ID and a database comprising locations of the signs of the plurality of signs;
calculate a speed of the vehicle relative to the detected sign of the plurality of signs based on the sensor data generated by the first sensor and the second sensor;
cause the speed of the vehicle relative to the detected sign to be output by a display; and
determine one or more of a switch attribute or an authorized speed for a guideway section along which the vehicle is configured to travel based on the dynamic portion of the detected sign,

wherein the dynamic portion is changeable based on an instruction received from a wayside control system communicatively coupled with the signs of the plurality of signs.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a wayside control system communicatively coupled with the signs of the plurality of signs; and
at least one third sensor along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the at least one third sensor being communicatively coupled with the wayside control system and configured to detect the vehicle speed relative to the detected sign based on the vehicle speed output by the display.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the wayside control system is configured to change the dynamic portion of the signs of the plurality of signs.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the seven segments character display comprises changeable characters or a QR code display comprising a changeable pattern on an exterior of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein
the controller is configured to change the display to indicate one or more of a vehicle ID, a switch request, a connected path information or destination information, and
the wayside control system is configured to determine the vehicle ID, the switch request, the connected path information or the destination information based on a detection of the display by the at least one third sensor.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one of third sensor comprises a radar detector, a LIDAR detector, a camera, or an IR detector.

16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
at least one third sensor along the direction of movement of the vehicle,
wherein the at least one third sensor is communicatively coupled with the wayside c

Assignees

• Thales Canada Inc

Inventors

• Green Alon
• Kinio Walter
• Whitwam Firth

Classifications

• G01S13/867

  Combination of radar systems with cameras · CPC title

• B61L23/041

  Obstacle detection · CPC title

• B61L3/125 Primary

  using short-range radio transmission · CPC title

• B61L15/0054

  Train integrity supervision, e.g. end-of-train [EOT] devices · CPC title

• B61L27/70

  Details of trackside communication · CPC title