Optical route examination system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767016-B2
Application number	US-202117242082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2021
Priority date	Jun 4, 2002
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A method includes obtaining one or more images of a segment of a route from a camera while a vehicle is moving along the route. The segment of the route includes one or more guide lanes. The method also includes comparing, with one or more computer processors, the one or more images of the segment of the route with a benchmark visual profile of the route based at least in part on an overlay of the one or more images onto the benchmark visual profile or an overlay of the benchmark visual profile onto the one or more images. The one or more processors identify a misaligned segment of the route based on one or more differences between the one or more images and the benchmark visual profile and respond to the identification of the misaligned segment of the route by modifying an operating parameter of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining one or more images of a route while a vehicle is moving along the route, the route including a first guide lane;
determining a position of the vehicle relative to the first guide lane by measuring a first distance between the vehicle and the first guide lane, the first distance being perpendicular to a direction of movement of the vehicle;
determining whether a number of pixels of the one or more images exceeds a threshold value, the pixels corresponding to one or more wheels of the vehicle and that is disposed outside of a region of a benchmark visual profile of the route corresponding to a target position of the one or more wheels;
determining whether the position of the vehicle is to be changed based on one or more of the first distance or the number of the pixels disposed outside of the region of the benchmark visual profile exceeding the threshold value; and
modifying an operating parameter of the vehicle to change the position of the vehicle relative to the first guide lane responsive to determining that the position of the vehicle is to be changed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a position of a first wheel of the one or more wheels relative to the first guide lane.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the position of the vehicle by measuring an intensity of the pixels in the one or more images.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying portions of the one or more images that represent the vehicle by measuring intensities of the pixels in the one or more images and distinguishing the portions of the one or more images that represent the vehicle from other portions of the one or more images based on the intensities.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the operating parameter of the vehicle includes adjusting steering of the vehicle based on the position of the vehicle relative to the first guide lane.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the one or more images of the route for a determined distance of travel of the vehicle, and determining whether the position of the vehicle is to be changed based on the position of the vehicle changing by a threshold value along the determined distance of travel of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the one or more images with the benchmark visual profile of the route based at least in part on an overlay of the one or more images onto the benchmark visual profile or an overlay of the benchmark visual profile onto the one or more images, the benchmark visual profile comprising designated areas corresponding to each of the first guide lane and a region corresponding to the target position of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining the position of the vehicle based at least in part on the overlay of the one or more images onto the benchmark visual profile or the overlay of the benchmark visual profile onto the one or more images.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the position of the vehicle relative to a second guide lane by measuring a second distance between the vehicle and the second guide lane;
determining whether the position of the vehicle is to be changed based at least in part on the second distance; and
modifying an operating parameter of the vehicle to change the position of the vehicle relative to the second guide lane responsive to determining that the position of the vehicle is to be changed.

10. A system, comprising:
a camera configured to be detachably coupled or mounted to a vehicle and to obtain one or more images of a route and the vehicle while the vehicle moves along the route, wherein the route includes a first guide lane; and
a controller having one or more processors configured to determine a position of the vehicle relative to the first guide lane by measuring a first distance between the vehicle and a first guide lane, the first distance being perpendicular to a direction of movement of the vehicle,
the one or more processors configured to determine whether a number of pixels of the one or more images exceeds a threshold value, the pixels corresponding to one or more wheels of the vehicle and that is disposed outside of a region of a benchmark visual profile of the route corresponding to a target position of the one or more wheels,
the one or more processors further configured to determine whether an operating parameter of the vehicle is to be changed based on one or more of the first distance or the number of the pixels disposed outside of the region of the benchmark visual profile exceeding the threshold value, and
responsive to determining that the operating parameter of the vehicle is to be changed, the one or more processors being further configured to modify the operating parameter of the vehicle to change the position of the vehicle relative to the first guide land.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a position of a first wheel of the one or more wheels relative to the first guide lane, and determine a position of the vehicle based at least in part on the position of the first wheel.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the position of the wheel of the vehicle by measuring intensities of pixels in the one or more images.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify portions of the one or more images that represent the one or more wheels of the vehicle by measuring intensities of the pixels in the one or more images and distinguishing the portions of the one or more images that represent the one or more wheels of the vehicle from other portions of the one or more images based on the intensities.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to compare the one or more images with the benchmark visual profile of the route based at least in part on an overlay of the one or more images onto the benchmark visual profile or an overlay of the benchmark visual profile onto the one or more images, the benchmark visual profile comprising designated areas corresponding to the first guide lane and a region corresponding to the target position of a wheel.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to adjust steering of the vehicle based on the position of the vehicle relative to the first guide lane.

16. A method comprising:
obtaining one or more images of a route and a wheel of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving along the route, the route including guide lanes;
comparing the one or more images with a benchmark visual profile of the route based at least in part on an overlay of the one or more images onto the benchmark visual profile or an overlay of the benchmark visual profile onto the one or more images, the benchmark visual profile comprising designated areas corresponding to each of the guide lanes and a region corresponding to a target position of the wheel;
identifying a position of the wheel of the vehicle relative to the guide lanes based in part on the comparing of the one or more images with the benchmark visual profile of the route;
determining whether the position of the wheel of the vehicle is to be changed based on a number of pixels of the one or more images corresponding to the wheel disposed outside of the region of the benchmark visual profile exceeding a threshold value; and
modifying an operating parameter of the vehicle to change the po

Assignees

• Transp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Naithani Nidhi
• Rao Dattaraj Jagdish
• Bind Anju
• Chaki Sreyashi Dey
• Brooks James D
• Armstrong Jeffrey
• Miner Michael Scott
• Clouse Shannon Joseph
• Mathews Jr Harry Kirk

Classifications

• B60W30/16 Primary

  Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle · CPC title

• B61C17/12

  Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units (control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05) · CPC title

• B61L3/127

  for remote control of locomotives (remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12) · CPC title

• B61L23/047 Primary

  Track or rail movements · CPC title

• B61L23/041

  Obstacle detection · CPC title