Work zone instruction verification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11639188-B2
Application number	US-202016841296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2020
Priority date	Oct 10, 2016
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a computer-implemented method for verifying electronic work zone instructions with an on-board system of a vehicle system. The method includes receiving at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device, generating at least one visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message, communicating the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the vehicle system to the employee-in-charge device, receiving a verification of the at least one visual instruction diagram from the employee-in-charge device, and enforcing at least one work zone instruction parameter of the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the vehicle system in response to receiving the verification. A system and computer program product are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by an on-board system of a vehicle system, at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device located in a work zone;
generating, by the on-board system of the vehicle system, at least one visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message;
communicating the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the vehicle system to the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone;
receiving, by the on-board system of the vehicle system, a verification of the at least one visual instruction diagram or at least one new electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone; and
in response to receiving the verification or the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message: (i) enforcing at least one work zone instruction parameter of the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the vehicle system responsive to the verification being received; or (ii) generating, by the on-board system of the vehicle system, at least one new visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message responsive to a rejection being received,
wherein the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message is received, the method further comprising:
communicating the new visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the vehicle system to the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone;
receiving, by the on-board system of the vehicle system, a verification of the new visual instruction diagram or at least one new electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone; and
in response to receiving the verification or the at least one further electronic work zone instruction message: (i) enforcing the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the vehicle system responsive to the verification being received; or (ii) generating, by the on-board system of the vehicle system, a new visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating receiving the at least one electronic work zone instruction message, generating the at least one visual instruction diagram, and communicating the at least one visual instruction diagram until the at least one electronic work zone instruction message is enforced by the on-board system of the vehicle system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one visual instruction diagram comprises at least one route diagram and a textual instruction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one visual instruction diagram comprises:
extracting work zone instruction parameters from the electronic work zone instruction message; and
converting the work zone instruction parameters to the visual instruction diagram.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message is received from a back office system, and wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message is received from the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving the at least one electronic work zone instruction message, extracting work zone instruction parameters from the electronic work zone instruction message; and
transforming the work zone instruction parameters to a route data framework associated with the on-board system of the vehicle system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message comprises at least one of a work zone limit, a work zone speed restriction, or a work zone route.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating the at least one visual instruction diagram comprises communicating the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system to a back office system, and communicating the at least one visual instruction diagram from the back office system to the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the employee-in-charge device comprises a handheld or portable computer located in the work zone.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
requesting the at least one electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone, wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message is communicated by the employee-in-charge device located in the work zone in response to the request.

Assignees

• Westinghouse Air Brake Tech Corp

Inventors

• Kernwein Jeffrey D
• Shaw Karen A
• Spiegelhalter Jr Thomas Paul

Classifications

• G05D1/0044

  by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps (maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005) · CPC title

• B61L23/06 Primary

  for warning men working on the route · CPC title

• G05D1/0214

  in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13) · CPC title

• B61L27/40

  Handling position reports or trackside vehicle data · CPC title

• B61L15/0072

  On-board train data handling · CPC title