Modular lamp system for railroad crossing warning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021237785-A1
Application number	US-201817049209-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 14, 2018
Priority date	Jun 14, 2018
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A modular lamp system (200) for a railroad crossing warning device includes a crossing lamp (210) and a crossing lamp base (220) controllable by a wayside control device (40), and a module (230) comprising an electronic circuit (250), wherein the crossing lamp base (220) is configured to provide power to the crossing lamp (210) and the module (230), and wherein, when the crossing lamp (210), the crossing lamp base (220) and the module (230) are assembled and in operation, the crossing lamp (210) performs a first action and the module (230) performs a second action, which is different from the first action.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A modular lamp system for a railroad crossing warning device, comprising:
a crossing lamp and a crossing lamp base controllable by a wayside control device, and at least one module comprising an electronic circuit, wherein the crossing lamp base is configured to provide power to the crossing lamp and the at least one module, and wherein, when the crossing lamp, the crossing lamp base and the at least one module are assembled and in operation, the crossing lamp performs a first action and the at least one module performs a second action, which is different from the first action.

22 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the crossing lamp provides light when activated by the wayside control device.

23 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one module is replaceable without replacing the crossing lamp.

24 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the electronic circuit comprises an inclinometer for gate level detection for a crossing gate.

25 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the electronic circuit comprises an optical detector for light out detection of the crossing lamp.

26 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the electronic circuit comprises a microphone for bell audio detection of a crossing bell.

27 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to communicate with a remote device.

28 . The modular lamp system of claim 27 , wherein the at least one module is adapted to communicate wirelessly.

29 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one module comprises a wired connection to the wayside control device.

30 . The modular lamp system of claim 29 , wherein the wayside control device comprises a grade crossing predictor (GCP).

31 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one module comprises a connection point for connecting one or more external devices.

32 . The modular lamp system of claim 31 , wherein the one or more external devices are selected from a camera, a motion sensor, a temperature probe, an infrared (IR) receiver, a laser emitter, and a combination thereof.

33 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one module comprises a dip switch interface for user configuration.

34 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , comprising multiple modules.

35 . The modular lamp system of claim 34 , comprising multiple stacked modules.

36 . The modular lamp system of claim 34 , wherein the multiple modules are interchangeable.

37 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the crossing lamp is an incandescent light bulb and the crossing lamp base is a socket, wherein the at least one electronic module is a nesting module positioned between the crossing lamp and the crossing lamp base.

38 . The modular lamp system of claim 36 , wherein the at least one electronic module provides pass-through power to the crossing lamp.

39 . The modular lamp system of claim 21 , wherein the crossing lamp comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and the crossing lamp base is a LED circuit board, wherein the at least one electronic module is a daughter board stacked on the LED circuit board.

40 . A railroad crossing warning device comprising a modular lamp system as claimed in claim 21 .

Assignees

• Siemens Mobility Inc

Inventors

• Mcgavock Jr Richard Alan
• Harp Brian

Classifications

• H01R33/94

  Holders formed as intermediate parts for linking a counter-part to a coupling part · CPC title

• F21W2111/02

  for roads, paths or the like · CPC title

• F21V19/04

  with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret {(auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006)} · CPC title

• B61L29/28 Primary

  electrically operated · CPC title

• B61L29/04

  Gates for level crossings · CPC title