Systems and methods for providing constant warning time at crossings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9026360-B2
Application number	US-201313910412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2013
Priority date	Jun 5, 2013
Publication date	May 5, 2015
Grant date	May 5, 2015

Abstract

A system includes a determination module and a communication module. The determination module is configured to be located onboard a first vehicle configured to travel along a first route including a crossing corresponding to an intersection of the first route with a second route. The determination module is configured to be communicatively coupled with a remote crossing module. The determination module is configured to determine, based on a speed of the first vehicle, timing information corresponding to a time at which the first vehicle will travel proximate to the crossing on the first route. The communication module is configured to transmit the timing information to the remote crossing module. The timing information includes a reference time configured as an absolute time corresponding to a time for impeding travel of a second vehicle along the second route through the crossing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a determination module configured to be located onboard a first vehicle configured to travel along a first route, the first route including a crossing corresponding to an intersection of the first route with a second route, the determination module configured to be communicatively coupled with a remote crossing module configured to impede travel of a second vehicle along the second route through the crossing when the first vehicle is proximate to the crossing on the first route, wherein the determination module is configured to determine, based on a speed and location of the first vehicle, timing information corresponding to a time at which the first vehicle will travel proximate to the crossing; and
a communication module configured to communicatively couple the determination module to the remote crossing module, the communication module configured to transmit the timing information to the remote crossing module, wherein the timing information includes a reference time corresponding to a time for impeding travel of the second vehicle along the second route through the crossing, the reference time being an absolute time.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication module is configured to transmit the timing information before the first vehicle enters a range of an automatic closure module associated with the remote crossing module when the first vehicle is traveling at a speed that is slower than a reference speed, the reference speed corresponding to a speed for which the automatic closure module is configured to impede travel of the second vehicle along the second route through the crossing.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the communication module is configured to transmit a suppression message to the remote crossing module, the suppression message configured to prevent operation of the automatic closure module when the first vehicle travels slower than the reference speed.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first route comprises plural sub-routes, and wherein the suppression information comprises sub-route identification information corresponding to a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is traveling.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle is an electric powered vehicle configured to receive energy from at least one of a rail or an overhead power source.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference time is a time at which the first vehicle will enter the crossing.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference time is a time at which a gate corresponding to the crossing is to be closed.

8. A system comprising:
a remote crossing module, the remote crossing module configured to be disposed along a first route along which a first vehicle is configured to travel, the first route comprising a track and a crossing corresponding to an intersection of the first route with a second route, the remote crossing module configured to impede travel of a second vehicle along the second route through the crossing when the first vehicle is proximate to the crossing on the first route, the remote crossing module comprising:
a communication module configured to communicatively couple the remote crossing module to the first vehicle, the communication module configured to receive timing information from the first vehicle, wherein the timing information includes a reference time corresponding to a time for impeding travel of the second vehicle along the second route through the crossing, wherein the reference time is configured as an absolute time; and
a determination module configured to determine a closing time to impede travel of the second vehicle along the second route using the timing information;
wherein the remote crossing module is configured to control an automatic closure module configured to impede travel of the second vehicle along the second route using information obtained from a track detection system configured to detect signals sent via the track.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the remote crossing module is configured to receive the timing information before the first vehicle enters a range of the automatic closure module when the first vehicle is traveling at a speed that is slower than a reference speed, the reference speed corresponding to a speed for which the automatic closure module is configured to impede travel of the second vehicle along the second route through the crossing, the timing information comprising a suppression message, wherein the remote crossing module is configured to suppress operation of the automatic closure module responsive to receiving the suppression message.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first route comprises plural sub-routes, and wherein the suppression message comprises sub-route identification information corresponding to a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is traveling, wherein the remote crossing module is configured to override the suppression message when the automatic crossing module receives information corresponding to a closing condition from a portion of the route other than the particular sub-route on which the first vehicle is traveling.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the automatic closure module is configured to receive information from a crossing predictor detection system comprising a shunt positioned along the first route, the automatic closure module configured to impede travel along the second route through the crossing based on a speed and location of the first vehicle determined using the information from the crossing predictor detection system.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the automatic closure module is configured to receive information from a track occupancy detection system, the automatic closure module configured to impede travel along the second route through the crossing based on a track occupancy.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the closing time is configured as an absolute time.

14. A method comprising:
determining, at a processing unit disposed onboard a first vehicle configured to travel along a first route, timing information corresponding to a time at which the first vehicle will travel proximate to a crossing based on a speed and location of the first vehicle, the crossing corresponding to an intersection of the first route with a second route; and
communicating the timing information to a remote crossing module disposed along the first route proximate the crossing, the remote crossing module configured to impede travel of a second vehicle along the second route through the crossing when the first vehicle is proximate to the crossing on the first route, wherein the timing information includes a reference time corresponding to a time for impeding travel of the second vehicle along the second route through the crossing, wherein the reference time is configured as an absolute time.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the timing information is communicated to the remote crossing module before the first vehicle enters a range of an automatic closure module associated with the remote crossing module when the first vehicle is traveling at a speed that is slower than a reference speed, the reference speed corresponding to a speed for which the automatic closure module is configured to impede travel of the second vehicle along the second route through the crossing.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising communicating a suppression message to the remote crossing module, the suppression message configured to prevent operation of the automatic closure module.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Fries Jeffrey Michael
• Baker Jeffrey
• Weingartner Aric Albert
• Steffen Ii Michael
• Herlocker Jesse Lee
• Shields William

Classifications

• B61L29/04 Primary

  Gates for level crossings · CPC title

• B61L29/22 Primary

  electrically · CPC title

• B61L29/32

  Timing, e.g. advance warning of approaching train · CPC title