Gate crossing arm collision detection system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809237-B2
Application number	US-201615010362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A detection and warning system is provided for a railroad crossing. The system comprises a sensor configured to be mounted on an underside of a gate arm of a railroad crossing gate to detect a presence of a vehicle or other object that is obstructing the railroad crossing. The system further comprises a communication interface coupled to the sensor. In response to a detection of the vehicle or the other object, the communication interface to relay a warning signal indicative of a possible collision on the railroad crossing with the vehicle or the other object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detection and warning system for a railroad crossing, the system comprising:
a sensor configured to be mounted on an underside of a gate arm of a railroad crossing gate to detect a presence of a vehicle or other object that is obstructing the railroad crossing, the sensor including a sensing strip;
a sensing circuit coupled to the sensing strip to detect an event of contact being made between the vehicle or the object and the sensing strip of the sensor; and
a communication interface coupled to the sensor,
wherein in response to a detection of the vehicle or the other object, the communication interface relays to a locomotive approaching the railroad crossing a warning signal indicative of a possible collision on the railroad crossing with the vehicle or the other object,
wherein the communication interface to relay the warning signal to a control interface of a locomotive engine, and
wherein the sensing circuit is configured to operate in a fail-safe mode in that a reduce speed command is broadcast to all oncoming trains in case of a transmit condition when a collision or a circuit compromise is detected and no command is broadcast in case of a do not transmit condition when no collision is detected or the sensing circuit is functioning properly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a touch sensor capable of detecting an object in response to an event of contact with the vehicle or the other object.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the touch sensor is an edge touch sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensing strip is configured to be mounted on the underside of the gate arm of the railroad crossing gate, wherein a plurality of pairs of a positive sensor strip and a negative sensor strip are provided side-by-side from an array of edge crush collision sensors, and wherein a first terminal connects all the positive sensor strips to a controller and a second terminal connects all the negative sensor strips to a ground GND.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the warning signal defines an advance notice of a possible collision to a locomotive engine operator.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface includes a track circuit to encode the warning signal for sending a warning to the locomotive engine.

7. A method of detecting a vehicle or other object in a railroad crossing and providing a warning, the method comprising:
detecting a presence of the vehicle or the other object in the railroad crossing with a sensor configured to be mounted on an underside of a gate arm of a railroad crossing gate; and
relaying a warning signal using a communication interface coupled to the sensor in response to detecting the presence of the vehicle or the other object, the warning signal indicative of a possible collision on the railroad crossing with the vehicle or the other object; and
wirelessly relaying the warning signal to a wireless control interface of a locomotive engine, wherein the warning signal defines an advance notice of the possible collision to a locomotive engine operator; and
using a sensing circuit that is configured to operate in a fail-safe mode in that a reduce speed command is sent to all oncoming trains, wherein the sensing circuit is coupled to a sensing strip to detect an event of contact being made between the vehicle or the object and the sensing strip of the sensor.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein detecting a presence of the vehicle or the other object further comprising:
detecting with a touch sensor an object in response to an event of contact with the vehicle or the other object.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the touch sensor is an edge touch sensor.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication interface includes a track circuit to encode the warning signal for sending a warning to the locomotive engine.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein detecting a presence of the vehicle or the other object further comprising:
using the sensing strip configured to be mounted on the underside of the gate arm of the railroad crossing gate.

12. A detection and warning system for a railroad crossing, the system comprising:
an edge touch sensor coupled to a sensing strip and a sensing circuit;
wherein the sensing strip is configured to be mounted on an underside of a gate arm of a railroad crossing gate, and
wherein the sensing strip is coupled to the sensing circuit to detect an event of contact being made between a vehicle or other object and the sensing strip of the edge touch sensor; and

a wireless communication interface coupled to the edge touch sensor,
wherein in response to a detection of the event of contact, the wireless communication interface wirelessly relays to a wireless control interface of a locomotive engine of a train approaching the railroad crossing a warning to a locomotive engineer to stop the train before the crossing, and
wherein the sensing circuit is configured to operate in a fail-safe mode in that a reduce speed command is broadcast to all oncoming trains in case of a transmit condition when a collision or a circuit compromise is detected and no command is broadcast in case of a do not transmit condition when no collision is detected or the sensing circuit is functioning properly.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the wireless communication interface is configured to wirelessly relay to the wireless control interface a warning signal for applying the brakes of the train automatically without waiting or involving the locomotive engineer.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein a computer of the train automatically calculates a braking curve and slows the train down without an input from the locomotive engineer.

Assignees

• Siemens Industry Inc

Inventors

• Dejarnatt Barton
• Pless Travis

Classifications

• B61L23/007

  Safety arrangements on railway crossings · CPC title

• B61L29/04

  Gates for level crossings · CPC title

• B61L29/08 Primary

  Operation of gates; Combined operation of gates and signals · CPC title

• B61L2201/00

  Control methods · CPC title

• B61L15/0027

  Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R · CPC title