Detecting the movement of a rail vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12128939-B2
Application number	US-201917298351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2019
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

A method for detecting a movement of a rail vehicle, in particular a freight or passenger train, in a warning zone of a rail crossing, includes: determining a first temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a portion of the warning zone at a first time; determining a second temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a portion of the warning zone at a second time. The first time is chronologically before the second time. The method compares the first temperature with the second temperature. If the comparison demonstrates that the second temperature is higher than the first temperature, the method outputs a warning signal and initiates blocking of the rail crossing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for detecting a movement of a rail vehicle in a warning zone of a rail crossing, the method comprising the acts of:
determining a first temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a section of the warning zone at a first time;
determining a second temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a section of the warning zone at a second time, wherein the first time is chronologically before the second time;
comparing the first temperature to the second temperature; and
when the comparison shows that the second temperature is higher than the first temperature;
outputting a warning signal, and
initiating a block of the rail crossing,
wherein the determination of the first temperature at the first time is only performed after a predetermined first time period after entry of the rail vehicle into the warning zone.

2. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , the method further comprising the act of:
initiating a cancellation of the block of the rail crossing when the rail vehicle stays in the warning zone longer than a predetermined second time period after its entry into the warning zone.

3. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , the method further comprising the acts of:
determining a first number of axles during an entry of the rail vehicle into the warning zone;
determining a second number of axles during an exit of the rail vehicle from the warning zone; and
comparing the first and the second number of axles to one another; and
when the second number of axles differs from the first number of axles;
storing the second number of axles, otherwise
storing the first number of axles.

4. The method for detecting a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 3 , wherein
the initiation of the block of the rail crossing and/or a chronological duration of the predetermined second time period is produced based on the stored number of axles.

5. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , wherein
the determination of the first and the second temperature is performed by one or more heat or temperature registration devices which are arranged, in a stationary manner, along the warning zone of the rail crossing.

6. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 5 , wherein
the comparison of the temperature at the first time to the temperature at the second time is performed on the basis of the temperature measurement by the same heat registration device.

7. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 5 , wherein
the at least one heat registration device or at least one temperature measurement device is formed by a thermal imaging camera and/or an infrared sensor.

8. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , wherein
at the first and the second time, an exhaust gas temperature of the rail vehicle is measured for the temperature comparison, wherein the rail vehicle comprises a diesel locomotive.

9. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , wherein
the output of the warning signal and the initiation of the block of the rail crossing take place when the comparison shows that the second temperature is higher than the first temperature by a threshold value.

10. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , wherein
the initiation of the block of the rail crossing takes place physically and/or virtually.

11. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , wherein
the initiation of the block of the rail crossing is carried out by a light signal, a rail barrier, and/or an item of blocking information, to a motor vehicle located in a vicinity of the rail crossing.

12. The method for detecting the movement of a rail vehicle in the warning zone of a rail crossing according to claim 1 , wherein
the rail vehicle is a freight or passenger train.

13. A rail crossing safety system for detecting a movement of a rail vehicle in a warning zone of a rail crossing, wherein the system is configured to carry out the acts of:
determining a first temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a section of the warning zone at a first time;
determining a second temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a section of the warning zone at a second time, wherein the first time is chronologically before the second time;
comparing the first temperature to the second temperature; and
when the comparison shows that the second temperature is higher than the first temperature;
outputting a warning signal, and
initiating a block of the rail crossing,
wherein the determination of the first temperature at the first time is only performed after a predetermined first time period after entry of the rail vehicle into the warning zone.

14. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program code that, when executed by one or more processors, carries out the acts of:
determining a first temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a section of the warning zone at a first time;
determining a second temperature in the warning zone of the rail crossing or in a section of the warning zone at a second time, wherein the first time is chronologically before the second time;
comparing the first temperature to the second temperature; and
when the comparison shows that the second temperature is higher than the first temperature;
outputting a warning signal, and
initiating a block of the rail crossing,
wherein the determination of the first temperature at the first time is only performed after a predetermined first time period after entry of the rail vehicle into the warning zone.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Clauer Dana
• Irrenhauser Thomas
• Prueglmeier Marco
• Wuddi Philipp

Classifications

• B61L29/30

  Supervision, e.g. monitoring arrangements · CPC title

• B61L29/28

  electrically operated · CPC title

• B61L1/16

  Devices for counting axles; Devices for counting vehicles · CPC title

• B61L1/161

  characterised by the counting methods · CPC title

• B61L29/228 Primary

  using optical means · CPC title