Dynamic wheel diameter determination system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469318-B2
Application number	US-201314077725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2013
Priority date	Nov 12, 2013
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A system and method provide the capability to dynamically measure the diameter of a train wheel. An onboard sensor signals detection and loss of detection of a proximity plate having a predetermined length and placed along a direction of travel of the train. A signal generator generates a signal indicating the number of revolutions of the wheel. Based on the sensor signals indicating detection and loss of detection of the proximity plate, the length of the proximity plate, and the corresponding number of wheel revolutions, a controller automatically calculates the wheel diameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for automatic wheel diameter determination, the system comprising:
a first proximity plate having a first length and comprising a detectable material, the first proximity plate being positioned at a first location along a direction of motion of a vehicle;
a sensor on the vehicle configured to generate a first signal including an indication of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate at a start of the first length and an indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate at an end of the first length;
a signal generator on the vehicle configured to generate a second signal indicating a number of revolutions of a wheel on the vehicle; and
a controller configured to receive the first signal and the second signal and determine a diameter of the wheel based on the first length, the indication of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate, the indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate, and the number of revolutions of the wheel.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second proximity plate having a second length and comprising the detectable material, the second proximity plate being positioned at a second location along the direction of travel of the vehicle, a third length between the first proximity plate and the second proximity plate,
wherein:
the sensor is further configured to generate the first signal further including an indication of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate at a start of the second length and an indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate at an end of the second length, and
the controller is further configured to determine the diameter of the wheel further based on the second length, the third length, the indication of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate and the indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the diameter of the wheel by averaging at least two diameter calculations from two different combinations of detection and loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate and the second proximity plate.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the diameter of the wheel by averaging six diameter calculations from six different combinations of detection and loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate and the second proximity plate.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal generator is a tacho-generator, the second signal comprises pulses, and a predetermined number of pulses corresponds to a single revolution of the wheel.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first signaling device positioned along the direction of motion of the vehicle, the first signaling device configured to initiate a vehicle coast mode for the detection and loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first signaling device is configured to automatically initiate the vehicle coast mode.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first signaling device is configured to indicate to a vehicle operator to manually initiate the vehicle coast mode.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a second signaling device positioned along the direction of motion of the vehicle, the second signaling device configured to initiate the determining the diameter of the wheel from the received first signal and second signal.

10. An on-board controller for a vehicle comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium connected to the processor, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium is configured to store instructions for:
receiving a first signal generated by a sensor on a vehicle, the first signal including an indication of detection of a detectable material of a first proximity plate at a start of a first length of the first proximity plate and an indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate at an end of the first length, the first proximity plate being positioned at a first location along a direction of motion of the vehicle;
receiving a second signal generated by a signal generator on the vehicle, the second signal indicating a number of revolutions of a wheel on the vehicle; and
determining a diameter of the wheel based on the first length, the indication of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate, the indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate, and the number of revolutions of the wheel.

11. The controller of claim 10 , wherein:
the first signal further includes an indication of detection of the detectable material of a second proximity plate at a start of a second length of the second proximity plate and an indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate at an end of the second length, the second proximity plate being positioned at a second location along the direction of motion of the vehicle, a third length between the first proximity plate and the second proximity plate; and
determining the diameter of the wheel is further based on the second length, the third length, the indication of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate, and the indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate.

12. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium is further configured to store instructions for:
receiving a third signal; and
in response to the third signal, initiating a vehicle coast mode for the detection and loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate.

13. A method of automatically determining wheel diameter, the method comprising:
generating, by a sensor on a vehicle, a first signal including an indication of detection of a detectable material of a first proximity plate at a start of a first length of the first proximity plate and an indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate at an end of the first length, the first proximity plate being positioned at a first location along a direction of motion of the vehicle;
generating, by a signal generator on the vehicle, a second signal indicating a number of revolutions of a wheel on the vehicle;
receiving, by a controller, the first signal and the second signal; and
determining, by the controller, a diameter of the wheel based on the first length, the indication of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate, the indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the first proximity plate, and the number of revolutions of the wheel.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the first signal further includes an indication of detection of the detectable material of a second proximity plate at a start of a second length of the second proximity plate and an indication of loss of detection of the detectable material of the second proximity plate at an end of the second length, the second proximity plate being positioned at a second location along the direction of motion of the vehicle, a third length between the first proximity plate and the second proximity plate; and
determining the diameter of the wheel is further based on the second length, the

Assignees

• Thales Canada Inc

Inventors

• Kanner Abe
• Kinio Walter
• Sue Ernest

Classifications

• B61L25/023

  Determination of driving direction of vehicle or train · CPC title

• B61L15/0072 Primary

  On-board train data handling · CPC title

• G07C5/02

  Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only (apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00) · CPC title

• B61L15/0081

  On-board diagnosis or maintenance · CPC title

• G01B7/125 Primary

  of objects while moving · CPC title