Rail vehicle event detection and recording system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9663127-B2
Application number	US-201414525416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2014
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system and method for detecting and recording rail vehicle events. The system comprises one or more cameras, one or more sensors, non-transient electronic storage, one or more physical computer processors, and/or other components. The one or more cameras may be configured to acquire visual information representing a rail vehicle environment. The one or more sensors may be configured to generate output signals conveying operation information related to operation of the rail vehicle. The non-transient electronic storage may be configured to store electronic information. The one or more physical computer processors may be configured to detect rail vehicle events based on the output signals and facilitate electronic storage of the visual information and the operation information for a period of time that includes the rail vehicle event in the non-transient electronic storage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rail vehicle event detection system configured to be coupled with a rail vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more cameras configured to acquire visual information representing a rail vehicle environment, the rail vehicle environment including spaces in and around an interior and an exterior of the rail vehicle;
one or more sensors configured to generate output signals conveying operation information related to operation of the rail vehicle;
non-transient electronic storage configured to store electronic information;
one or more physical computer processors configured by computer readable instructions to:
detect rail vehicle events based on the output signals; and
facilitate electronic storage of rail vehicle event information for a period of time that includes the rail vehicle event in the non-transient electronic storage, the rail vehicle event information including the visual information from the one or more cameras and the operation information from the one or more sensors for the period of time that includes the rail vehicle event; and

a power system configured to provide electrical power to the rail vehicle event detection system responsive to electrical power received by the rail vehicle event detection system from the rail vehicle ceasing.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an operator identity system configured to receive operator identity information that identifies periods of time individual operators operate the rail vehicle, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that operator identity information for the period of time that includes the rail vehicle event is included in the rail vehicle event information.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operator identity system is coupled with the rail vehicle and is configured to receive entry and/or selection of the operator identity information from operators of the rail vehicle at the rail vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operator identity system is configured to receive the operator identity information from a remotely located computing device.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operator identity system is configured to receive operator identity information from a biometric sensor configured to generate output signals that convey biometric information that identifies an individual operator of the rail vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cameras are configured such that the visual information includes views of exterior sides of the rail vehicle to capture visual images of collisions that occur at the sides of the rail vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising wireless communication components configured to transmit and receive electronic information, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured to facilitate wireless communication of the rail vehicle event information to a remote computing device via the wireless communication components.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured such that at least one of the one or more sensors is a rail vehicle subsystem sensor associated with mechanical systems of the rail vehicle, the at least one sensor configured to generate output signals conveying information related to the mechanical systems of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured such that at least one of the one or more sensors is a rail vehicle subsystem sensor associated with a rail vehicle safety system, the at least one sensor configured to generate output signals conveying information related to safety systems of the rail vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured such that the at least one rail vehicle subsystem sensor associated with the rail vehicle safety system is one or more of an overspeed sensor, a track brake sensor, an intercom sensor, a high horn sensor, an emergency brake sensor, or a CBTC sensor.

11. A rail vehicle event detection system configured to be coupled with a rail vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more cameras configured to acquire visual information representing a rail vehicle environment, the rail vehicle environment including spaces in and around an interior and an exterior of the rail vehicle;
one or more sensors configured to generate output signals conveying operation information related to operation of the rail vehicle;
non-transient electronic storage configured to store electronic information; and
one or more physical computer processors configured by computer readable instructions to:
detect rail vehicle events based on the output signals; and
facilitate electronic storage of rail vehicle event information for a period of time that includes the rail vehicle event in the non-transient electronic storage, the rail vehicle event information including the visual information from the one or more cameras and the operation information from the one or more sensors for the period of time that includes the rail vehicle event,

wherein the rail vehicle event detection system is electrically isolated from the rail vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more one or more cameras are configured to acquire visual information representing the rail vehicle environment at or near both ends of the rail vehicle; and
wherein the one or more sensors are configured to generate output signals conveying operation information related to operation of the rail vehicle at or near both ends of the rail vehicle.

13. A method for detecting and recording rail vehicle events with a rail vehicle event detection system configured to be coupled with a rail vehicle, the method comprising:
acquiring visual information representing a rail vehicle environment, the rail vehicle environment including spaces in and around an interior and an exterior of the rail vehicle;
generating output signals conveying operation information related to operation of the rail vehicle;
detecting rail vehicle events based on the output signals; and
facilitating electronic storage of rail vehicle event information for a period of time that includes the rail vehicle event in non-transient electronic storage, the rail vehicle event information including the visual information and the operation information for the period of time that includes the rail vehicle event,
wherein the rail vehicle event detection system is electrically isolated from the rail vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving operator identity information that identifies periods of time individual operators operate the rail vehicle, wherein the operator identity information for the period of time that includes the rail vehicle event is included in the rail vehicle event information.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving entry and/or selection of the operator identity information from operators of the rail vehicle at the rail vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving the operator identity information from a remotely located computing device.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising receiving operator identity information from a biometric sensor configured to generate output signals that convey biometric information that identifies an individual operator of the rail vehicle.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the visual information includes views of exterior sides of the rail vehicle to capture visual images of collisions that occur at the sides of the rail vehicle.

1

Assignees

• Smartdrive Systems Inc

Inventors

• Palmer Jason
• Sljivar Slaven
• Freitas Mark
• Deninger Daniel A
• Ravari Shahriar

Classifications

• G07C5/08 Primary

  Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time · CPC title

• B61L25/02 Primary

  Indicating or recording positions or identities of vehicles or trains · CPC title

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G07C5/0866

  the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title