System, method, and apparatus for certifying a brake pressure calibration for an end-of-train device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9341537-B2
Application number	US-201313796301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for certifying an end-of-train device pressure calibration is provided. The system includes a pressure calibration device configured to output a regulated pressure; and an end-of-train device comprising: a brake pipe interface adapted to receive the regulated pressure from the pressure calibration device; and a pressure sensing device configured to obtain a measured pressure by measuring the regulated pressure. At least one of the pressure calibration device and the end-of-train device comprises at least one controller configured to determine a calibration certification result based at least partially on a difference between the measured pressure and the regulated pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for certifying an end-of-train device pressure calibration, comprising:
applying a fixed pressure to a brake pipe interface of the end-of-train device with an automated calibration device while the end-of-train device is removed from a train;
measuring the fixed pressure with the end-of-train device to determine a measured pressure;
determining if the measured pressure is within a predetermined range of the fixed pressure;
generating pressure calibration certification data based at least partially on whether the measured pressure is within the predetermined range of the fixed pressure; and
transmitting the pressure calibration certification data to at least one remote server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated calibration device transmits the pressure calibration certification data to the at least one remote server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated calibration device comprises at least one of the following: a display device, an adapter for a display device, a user input device, an adapter for a user input device, a Bluetooth adapter, a serial interface, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressure calibration certification data comprises a pressure calibration certification result, and wherein the pressure calibration certification result indicates that the end-of-train device passed or failed certification.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the pressure calibration certification data further comprises at least one of the following: an identifier of the end-of-train device, a date, a location, the measured pressure, the fixed pressure, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the end-of-train device comprises machine-readable indicia or device comprising data identifying the end-of-train device, and wherein the end-of-train device comprises at least one display, the method further comprising:
scanning the machine-readable indicia or device with a mobile device; and
scanning the at least one display with the mobile device after the end-of-train device has measured the fixed pressure and displays the measured pressure on the at least one display.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the mobile device determines if the measured pressure is within the predetermined range, wherein the pressure calibration certification data is generated by the mobile device, and wherein the mobile device transmits the pressure calibration certification data to the at least one remote server.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising inputting, into the mobile device, a value representing the fixed pressure.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, from a mobile device to the at least one remote server, data configured to cause the at least one remote server to transmit, to the end-of-train device, data configured to cause the end-of-train device to enter a certification mode.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving, on the mobile device, the fixed pressure amount from a source of the fixed pressure.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the at least one remote server, data configured to display a warning message or alert on the end-of-train device when a calibration certification is due or expired.

12. A computer program product for certifying an end-of-train device pressure calibration on a mobile device including at least one processor, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
determine or receive an identification of the end-of-train device at least partially based on scanning at least one machine-readable indicia or device comprising identification data;
determine or receive a pressure calibration certification result based at least partially on a fixed pressure applied to the end-of-train device and a measurement of the fixed pressure by the end-of-train device; and
transmit, to at least one remote server, the identification of the end-of-train device and the pressure calibration certification result.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the mobile device to:
acquire the fixed pressure applied to the end-of-train device; and
acquire, from the end-of-train device, the measurement of the fixed pressure.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the mobile device to:
capture at least one image of at least one display on the end-of-train device by a camera unit of the mobile device; and
acquire at least one of the fixed pressure amount and the measurement by processing the at least one image of at least one display on the end-of-train device.

15. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the mobile device to: acquire the fixed pressure amount from a pressure calibration device that outputs the fixed pressure.

16. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the mobile device to transmit, to the at least one remote server or the end-of-train device, data configured to cause the end-of-train device to initiate the measurement of the fixed pressure.

17. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the mobile device to: wirelessly communicate with at least one of the end-of-train device and a pressure calibration device that outputs the fixed pressure.

18. The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the mobile device to: receive the pressure calibration certification from at least one of the end-of-train device and a pressure calibration device that outputs the fixed pressure.

19. A system for certifying an end-of-train device pressure calibration, comprising:
(a) a pressure calibration device configured to output a regulated pressure;
(b) an end-of-train device comprising:
(i) a brake pipe interface adapted to receive the regulated pressure from the pressure calibration device;
(ii) a pressure sensing device configured to obtain a measured pressure by measuring the regulated pressure; and
(iii) at least one machine-readable indicia or device, the at least one machine-readable indicia or device comprising identification data for the end-of-train device; and

(c) at least one mobile device configured to read or scan the at least one machine-readable indicia or device to determine the identification data,
wherein at least one of the pressure calibration device and the end-of-train device comprises at least one controller configured to determine a calibration certification result based at least partially on a difference between the measured pressure and the regulated pressure.

Assignees

• Wabtec Holding Corp

Inventors

• Swar Padam D
• Kurz Brian E

Classifications

• G01L27/005 Primary

  Apparatus for calibrating pressure sensors · CPC title