Vibration notifications received from vibration sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017267266-A1
Application number	US-201415511181-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Sep 21, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Example implementations relate to receiving vibration notifications from vibration sensors. In example implementations, a subset of a plurality of vibration sensors from which vibration notifications are expected may be identified based on a position of a train along a track. The plurality of vibration sensors may be arranged in a predetermined order on the track. Whether vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive, with respect to the predetermined order, vibration sensors in the subset may be determined.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A system comprising:
a plurality of vibration sensors arranged in a predetermined order on a track, wherein each of the plurality of vibration sensors is to:
generate electrical charge in response to vibrations;
transmit vibration notifications in response to vibration levels above a threshold level; and
transmit, with each vibration notification, a sensor identification code stored on the respective vibration sensor; and
a receiver module to:
receive vibration notifications and sensor identification codes from the plurality of vibration sensors;
identify, based on a position of a train along the track, a subset of the plurality of vibration sensors from which vibration notifications are expected; and
determine whether vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive, with respect to the predetermined order, vibration sensors in the subset;
wherein the receiver module is communicatively coupled to the plurality of vibration sensors and to the train.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vibration sensors comprises:
a power storage module to store generated electrical charge; a vibration detection module to determine whether vibration levels experienced by the respective vibration sensor exceed the threshold level; and an amplification module to use electrical charge stored in the power storage module to boost electrical signals used to transmit the vibration notifications and sensor identification code, wherein the vibration notifications and sensor identification code are wirelessly transmitted.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver module is further to:
store the predetermined order of the plurality of vibration sensors, and a list of sensor identification codes and data indicative of physical locations of the respective vibration sensors; determine, based on the list, a physical location of a vibration sensor, in the subset, from which a vibration notification was not received.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the receiver module is further to request a repair for the physical location.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein vibration sensors in the subset are vibration sensors that the train is traveling toward and that are less than a predetermined distance from the train, and wherein the receiver module is further to activate emergency brakes of the train in response to a determination that vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive vibration sensors in the subset.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver module is on the train.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver module is in a location from which the train receives control signals.

8 . A machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor, the machine-readable storage medium comprising:
instructions to identify, based on a position of a train along a track, a subset of a plurality of vibration sensors from which vibration notifications are expected, wherein the plurality of vibration sensors are arranged in a predetermined order on the track; instructions to determine whether vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive, with respect to the predetermined order, vibration sensors in the subset; and instructions to trigger an alarm in response to a determination that vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive vibration sensors in the subset.

9 . The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to activate emergency brakes of the train in response to a determination that vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive vibration sensors in the subset.

10 . The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to determine, based on a list of sensor identification codes and data indicative of physical locations of the respective vibration sensors, a physical location of a vibration sensor, in the subset, from which a vibration notification was not received.

11 . The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10 , further comprising instructions to request a repair for the physical location.

12 . A method comprising:
identifying, based on a position of a train along a track, a subset of a plurality of vibration sensors from which vibration notifications are expected, wherein the plurality of vibration sensors are arranged in a predetermined order on the track; identifying, based on received sensor identification codes, from which of the vibration sensors in the subset a vibration notification has been received; and determining whether vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive, with respect to the predetermined order, vibration sensors in the subset.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the subset is identified based on which of the plurality of vibration sensors are less than a predetermined distance from the train.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
storing the predetermined order of the plurality of vibration sensors, and a list of sensor identification codes and data indicative of physical locations of the respective vibration sensors; determining, based on the list, a physical location of a vibration sensor, in the subset, from which a vibration notification was not received; and requesting a repair for the physical location.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising triggering an alarm in response to a determination that vibration notifications have not been received from consecutive vibration sensors in the subset.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Schmidt Larry
• Kaur Satwant

Classifications

• B61L23/14

  automatically operated · CPC title

• B61L1/164

  Mechanical · CPC title

• B61L23/044 Primary

  Broken rails · CPC title

• G01H11/08

  using piezoelectric devices · CPC title

• G01H1/00

  Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector (G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence) · CPC title