Systems and methods for determining wind velocity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11680959-B2
Application number	US-202117188157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2021
Priority date	Mar 7, 2019
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes a vehicle, one or more probes coupled to the vehicle, and a controller. The vehicle is operable to traverse a distance. The one or more probes are operable to measure wind pressure and generate one or more wind pressure measurements. The controller is operable to receive the one or more wind pressure measurements from the one or more probes, determine a wind angle relative to the vehicle using the one or more wind pressure measurements, and determine a wind speed relative to the vehicle using the one or more wind pressure measurements and the wind angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a first probe and a second probe coupled to a vehicle; and
a controller, wherein the controller is operable to:
receive a first wind pressure measurement from the first probe and a second wind pressure measurement from the second probe;
determine a pressure differential using the first wind pressure measurement and the second wind pressure measurement; and
determine whether the vehicle is susceptible to wind-induced tip-over based at least in part on the pressure differential.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to initiate an action in response to determining that the vehicle is susceptible to wind-induced tip-over, wherein the action comprises one or more of the following:
decrease a speed of the vehicle;
stop the vehicle;
activate a siren; and
change a direction of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more probes coupled to the vehicle are located in compliance with one or more Association of American Railroads (AAR) clearance plate diagram standards.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more probes comprise a first probe and a second probe;
the first probe is coupled to a top surface of a front portion of the vehicle on a first side of the top surface;
the second probe is coupled to the top surface of the front portion of the vehicle on a second side of the top surface opposite the first side; and
at least one of the first probe and the second probe is coupled to the vehicle outside of aerodynamic separation zones over 360 degrees of relative wind angles of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more probes is coupled to the vehicle by at least one of the following:
one or more magnets;
one or more welds; and
one or more bolts.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more probes is fixed to the vehicle such that each of the one or more probes is restricted from movement independent of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is one of the following:
a locomotive;
a railroad car;
a bus;
a truck;
an aircraft; or
a shipping vessel.

8. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a first wind pressure measurement from a first probe and a second wind pressure measurement from a second probe coupled to a vehicle;
determining, by the controller, a pressure differential using the first wind pressure measurement and the second wind pressure measurement; and
determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is susceptible to wind-induced tip-over based at least in part on the pressure differential.

9. The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising initiating, by the controller, an action in response to determining that the vehicle is susceptible to wind-induced tip-over, wherein the action comprises one or more of the following:
decrease a speed of the vehicle;
stop the vehicle;
activate a siren; and
change a direction of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more probes coupled to the vehicle are located in compliance with one or more Association of American Railroads (AAR) clearance plate diagram standards.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the one or more probes comprise a first probe and a second probe;
the first probe is coupled to a top surface of a front portion of the vehicle on a first side of the top surface;
the second probe is coupled to the top surface of the front portion of the vehicle on a second side of the top surface opposite the first side; and
at least one of the first probe and the second probe is coupled to the vehicle outside of aerodynamic separation zones over 360 degrees of relative wind angles of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more probes is coupled to the vehicle by at least one of the following:
one or more magnets;
one or more welds; and
one or more bolts.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more probes is fixed to the vehicle such that each of the one or more probes is restricted from movement independent of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle is one of the following:
a locomotive;
a railroad car;
a bus;
a truck;
an aircraft; or a shipping vessel.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media embodying instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first wind pressure measurement from a first probe and a second wind pressure measurement from a second probe coupled to a vehicle;
determining a pressure differential using the first wind pressure measurement and the second wind pressure measurement; and
determining whether the vehicle is susceptible to wind-induced tip-over based at least in part on the pressure differential.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , the operations further comprising initiating an action in response to determining that the vehicle is susceptible to wind-induced tip-over, wherein the action comprises one or more of the following:
decrease a speed of the vehicle;
stop the vehicle;
activate a siren; and
change a direction of the vehicle.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the one or more probes coupled to the vehicle are located in compliance with one or more Association of American Railroads (AAR) clearance plate diagram standards.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein:
the one or more probes comprise a first probe and a second probe;
the first probe is coupled to a top surface of a front portion of the vehicle on a first side of the top surface;
the second probe is coupled to the top surface of the front portion of the vehicle on a second side of the top surface opposite the first side; and
at least one of the first probe and the second probe is coupled to the vehicle outside of aerodynamic separation zones over 360 degrees of relative wind angles of the vehicle.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more probes is coupled to the vehicle by at least one of the following:
one or more magnets;
one or more welds; and
one or more bolts.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more probes is fixed to the vehicle such that each of the one or more probes is restricted from movement independent of the vehicle.

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

• G01P5/248 Primary

  by measuring phase differences · CPC title

• B61K13/00

  Other auxiliaries or accessories for railways · CPC title

• G01P5/06

  using rotation of vanes (measuring speed of rotating shafts G01P3/00) · CPC title

• G01P13/045

  with speed indication · CPC title

• G01P5/14 Primary

  by measuring differences of pressure in the fluid · CPC title