U.S. patent application number 16/721813 was filed with the patent office on 2020-07-02 for systems and methods for displaying virtual railroad signs.
The applicant listed for this patent is ENSCO, INC.. Invention is credited to Matthew Dick, John Martin, Larisa Parks, Michael Tolfree, Jackie Van der Westhuizen.
Application Number | 20200207384 16/721813 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 71122559 |
Filed Date | 2020-07-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200207384 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dick; Matthew ; et
al. |
July 2, 2020 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISPLAYING VIRTUAL RAILROAD SIGNS
Abstract
A method for operating a railroad vehicle without reference to
physical railroad signs placed along a railroad track includes
determining a current location of the railroad vehicle along the
railroad track based on the determined current location of the
railroad vehicle, automatically selecting a virtual railroad sign
from one or more databases containing a plurality of virtual
railroad signs, each of the plurality of virtual railroad signs
stored in the one or more databases being associated with (i) a
location along the railroad track and (ii) a message, and
displaying, on an electronic display device a railroad track
indicia representative of a segment of the railroad track, a
railroad vehicle indicia representative of at least a portion of
the railroad vehicle, and an indicia representative of the
associated message of the selected virtual railroad sign.
Inventors: |
Dick; Matthew;
(Charlottesville, VA) ; Parks; Larisa;
(Springfield, VA) ; Tolfree; Michael;
(Springfield, VA) ; Van der Westhuizen; Jackie;
(Springfield, VA) ; Martin; John; (Springfield,
VA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ENSCO, INC. |
Springfield |
VA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
71122559 |
Appl. No.: |
16/721813 |
Filed: |
December 19, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62786076 |
Dec 28, 2018 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61L 3/004 20130101;
B61L 3/02 20130101; B61L 23/14 20130101; B61L 2201/00 20130101;
B61L 25/025 20130101; B61L 3/006 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B61L 3/00 20060101
B61L003/00; B61L 3/02 20060101 B61L003/02; B61L 23/14 20060101
B61L023/14; B61L 25/02 20060101 B61L025/02 |
Claims
1. A method for operating a railroad vehicle on a railroad track
without reference to physical railroad signs located generally
along the railroad track, the method comprising: determining a
current location of the railroad vehicle along the railroad track;
based on the determined current location of the railroad vehicle,
automatically selecting a virtual railroad sign from one or more
databases containing a plurality of virtual railroad signs, each of
the plurality of virtual railroad signs stored in the one or more
databases being associated with (i) a respective location along the
railroad track and (ii) a respective message; and displaying, on an
electronic display device: a railroad track indicia representative
of a segment of the railroad track; a railroad vehicle indicia
representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle; and
an indicia representative of the associated message of the selected
virtual railroad sign.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a
substantially real-time distance between the current location of
the railroad vehicle and the associated location of the selected
virtual railroad sign; and displaying, on the electronic display
device, the substantially real-time distance between the current
location of the railroad vehicle and the selected virtual railroad
sign.
3. (canceled)
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment of the railroad track
includes non-linear portions and the displayed railroad track
indicia representative of the segment of the railroad track is
linear.
5. (canceled)
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated message of the
selected virtual railroad sign includes a milepost number, a speed
limit, a limit, a whistle board, an indication of a railroad track
curve, an indication of a railroad track tunnel, an indication of a
road crossing, an indication of a rail crossing, an indication of a
bridge, an indication of an overhead bridge, a railroad grade, or
any combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected virtual railroad
sign is within a predetermined distance from the determined current
location of the railroad vehicle, wherein the predetermined
distance is between about 1 mile and about 10 miles.
8-10. (canceled)
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the
displayed indicia representative of the associated message of the
selected virtual railroad sign, automatically adjusting a speed of
the railroad vehicle.
12. (canceled)
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the
determined current location of the railroad vehicle, automatically
selecting a virtual railroad signal from a plurality of virtual
railroad signs stored in the one or more databases, each of the
plurality of virtual railroad signals being associated with (i) a
location along the railroad track and (ii) a substantially
real-time signal; and displaying, on the electronic display device,
an indicia representative of the real-time signal associated with
the selected virtual railroad signal.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the associated substantially
real-time signal of the selected virtual railroad signal is a clear
signal, an approach-limited signal, an approach-medium signal, a
diverging-clear signal, an approach signal, a diverging-approach
signal, a restricting signal, a stop and proceed signal, or a stop
signal.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device is
positioned with and coupled to the railroad vehicle.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein physical signs corresponding to
the plurality of virtual railroad signs stored in the one or more
databases are not located along the railroad track.
17. A method for operating a railroad vehicle on a railroad track
without reference to physical railroad signs located along the
railroad track, the method comprising: determining a current
location of the railroad vehicle along the railroad track; based on
the determined current location of the railroad vehicle,
automatically selecting a plurality of virtual railroad signs from
one or more databases, each of the plurality of virtual railroad
signs being associated with (i) a respective location along the
railroad track and (ii) a respective message; and displaying, on an
electronic display device: a railroad track indicia representative
of a segment of the railroad track, a railroad vehicle indicia
representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle, and
for each of the selected plurality of virtual railroad signs, an
indicia representative of the associated message.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: determining a
substantially real-time distance between the current location of
the railroad vehicle and each of the associated locations of the
selected plurality of virtual railroad signs; and displaying, on
the electronic display device, the substantially real-time distance
between the current location of the railroad vehicle and each of
the selected plurality of virtual railroad signs.
19. (canceled)
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the segment of the railroad
track includes substantially non-linear portions and the displayed
indicia representative of the segment of the railroad track is
linear.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein the associated messages of the
selected plurality of virtual railroad signs include a milepost
number, a speed limit, a limit, a whistle board, or any combination
thereof.
22-25. (canceled)
26. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected plurality of
virtual railroad signs includes a first virtual sign, a second
virtual sign, and a third virtual sign, wherein the associated
message of the first virtual sign is a first speed limit, the
associated message of the second virtual is a whistle board, and
the associated message of the third virtual sign is a second speed
limit that is different than the first speed limit.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising, determining a
substantially real-time distance between the current location of
the railroad vehicle and the associated location of the first
virtual sign, the second virtual sign, and the third virtual sign;
and displaying, on the electronic display device, the substantially
real-time distance between the current location of the railroad
vehicle and the first virtual sign, the second virtual sign, and
the third virtual sign.
28. The method of claim 17, further comprising, based on the
determined current location of the railroad vehicle, automatically
selecting a virtual railroad signal from a plurality of virtual
railroad signs stored in the one or more databases, each of the
plurality of virtual railroad signals being associated with (i) a
location along the railroad track and (ii) a substantially
real-time signal; and displaying, on the electronic display device,
an indicia representative of the real-time signal associated with
the selected virtual railroad signal.
29. The method of claim 17, wherein the associated substantially
real-time signal of the selected virtual railroad signal is a clear
signal, an approach-limited signal, an approach-medium signal, a
diverging-clear signal, an approach signal, a diverging-approach
signal, a restricting signal, a stop and proceed signal, a stop
signal, or any combination thereof.
30-31. (canceled)
32. A method for automatically displaying one or more virtual
railroad signs, the method comprising: determining a location of a
railroad vehicle along a railroad track at a first time; based on
the determined location of the railroad vehicle at the first time,
automatically selecting a first plurality of virtual railroad signs
stored in one or more databases, each of the virtual railroad signs
stored in the one or more databases being associated with (i) a
respective location along the railroad track and (ii) a respective
message; displaying, on an electronic display device: a railroad
track indicia representative of a first segment of the railroad
track, a railroad vehicle indicia representative of at least a
portion of the railroad vehicle, and for each of the selected first
plurality of virtual railroad signs, an indicia representative of
the associated message; determining a location of the railroad
vehicle along the railroad track at a second time; based on the
determined location of the railroad vehicle at the second time,
automatically selecting a second plurality of virtual railroad
signs from the one or more databases, each of the plurality of
virtual railroad signs being associated with (i) a respective
location along the railroad track and (ii) a respective message;
and displaying, on the electronic display device: a railroad track
indicia representative of a second segment of the railroad track,
the railroad vehicle indicia representative of at least a portion
of the railroad vehicle, and for each of the selected second
plurality of virtual railroad signs, an indicia representative of
the associated message.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the selected first plurality of
virtual railroad signs is different than the selected second
plurality of virtual railroad signs.
34-54. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 62/786,076, filed Dec. 28, 2018, which
is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to railroad signs,
and more particularly, to systems and methods for automatically
displaying a plurality of virtual railroad signs such that a
railroad vehicle can be operated without reference to physical
signs placed along the railroad track.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Railroad vehicle operators (engineers) rely on physical
signs placed along the railroad track to operate the railroad
vehicle. For example, mileposts indicate a location of the railroad
vehicle, whistle boards indicate when the engineer should blow the
whistle/horn, limit signs tell the engineer where to stop at a
switch to avoid collisions with other trains, and speed limit signs
tell the engineer how fast to go. If the location of these physical
signs in changed, or if the physical sign is removed entirely, this
may inhibit the engineer's ability to safely operate the railroad
vehicle and/or result in the railroad's non-compliance with certain
government regulations regarding the maintenance of railroad signs.
The present disclosure is directed to solving these and other
problems.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to some implementations of the present disclosure,
a method for operating a railroad vehicle on a railroad track
without reference to physical railroad signs located generally
along the railroad track includes determining a current location of
the railroad vehicle along the railroad track, based on the
determined current location of the railroad vehicle, automatically
selecting a virtual railroad sign from one or more databases
containing a plurality of virtual railroad signs, each of the
plurality of virtual railroad signs stored in the one or more
databases being associated with (i) a respective location along the
railroad track and (ii) a respective message, and displaying, on an
electronic display device a railroad track indicia representative
of a segment of the railroad track, a railroad vehicle indicia
representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle, and
an indicia representative of the associated message of the selected
virtual railroad sign.
[0005] According to some implementations of the present disclosure,
a method for operating a railroad vehicle without reference to
physical railroad signs placed along a railroad track includes
determining a current location of the railroad vehicle along the
railroad track, based on the determined current location of the
railroad vehicle, automatically selecting a plurality of virtual
railroad signs from one or more databases, each of the plurality of
virtual railroad signs being associated with (i) a location along
the railroad track and (ii) a message, and displaying, on an
electronic display device a railroad track indicia representative
of a segment of the railroad track, a railroad vehicle indicia
representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle, and
for each of the selected plurality of virtual railroad signs, an
indicia representative of the associated message.
[0006] According to some implementations of the present disclosure,
a method for operating a railroad vehicle on a railroad track
without reference to physical railroad signs located along the
railroad track includes determining a current location of the
railroad vehicle along the railroad track, based on the determined
current location of the railroad vehicle, automatically selecting a
plurality of virtual railroad signs from one or more databases,
each of the plurality of virtual railroad signs being associated
with (i) a respective location along the railroad track and (ii) a
respective message, and displaying, on an electronic display device
a railroad track indicia representative of a segment of the
railroad track, a railroad vehicle indicia representative of at
least a portion of the railroad vehicle, and for each of the
selected plurality of virtual railroad signs, an indicia
representative of the associated message.
[0007] According to some implementations of the present disclosure,
a system for operating a railroad vehicle without reference to
physical signs placed along a railroad track includes a GPS module
configured to generate location data indicative of a location of
the railroad vehicle on the railroad track, a memory device storing
one or more databases of virtual railroad signs, each of the
virtual railroad signs being associated with (i) a respective
location along the railroad track and (ii) a respective message, an
electronic display device, and one or more processors configured to
determine a current location of the railroad vehicle based on the
location data, based on the determined current location of the
railroad vehicle, automatically select a plurality of virtual
railroad signs from the database of virtual railroad signs, the
associated location of each of the selected plurality of virtual
railroad signs being within a predetermined distance of the current
location of the railroad vehicle, and cause the electronic display
device to display a railroad vehicle indicia representative of at
least a portion of the railroad vehicle, a railroad track indicia
representative of a segment of the railroad track, and for each of
the selected plurality of virtual railroad signs, an indicia
representative of the associated message.
[0008] According to some implementations of the present disclosure
a system for automatically displaying virtual railroad signs
includes a railroad vehicle configured to move along a railroad
track, the railroad vehicle including a Positive Train Control
(PTC) system, a GPS module coupled to the railroad vehicle and
being configured to generate location data indicative of a location
of the railroad vehicle along the railroad track, an electronic
memory device for storing one or more databases containing virtual
railroad signs, each of the virtual railroad signs being associated
with (i) a respective location along the railroad track and (ii)
respective a message, an electronic display device coupled to the
railroad vehicle such that an engineer operating the railroad
vehicle can view the electronic display device, and one or more
processors configured to determine a current location of the
railroad vehicle on the railroad track based on location data from
the GPS module, automatically select a plurality of virtual
railroad signs from the database of virtual railroad signs, the
associated location of each of the selected plurality of virtual
railroad signs being within a predetermined distance from the
determined current location of the railroad vehicle, and cause the
electronic display device to display (i) a railroad vehicle indicia
representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle, (ii)
a first railroad track indicia representative of the first segment
of the railroad track, and (iii) the first plurality of virtual
railroad signs at corresponding locations along the first railroad
track indicia.
[0009] The above summary is not intended to represent each
embodiment or every aspect of the present invention. Additional
features and benefits of the present invention are apparent from
the detailed description and figures set forth below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a system for
automatically displaying virtual railroad signs and a railroad
vehicle according to some implementations of the present
disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 2A is a plan view of the railroad vehicle of FIG. 1 at
a first location along a railroad track including a plurality of
physical railroad signs according to some implementations of the
present disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 2B is a plan view of the railroad vehicle of FIG. 1 at
a second, subsequent location along the railroad track of FIG. 2A
according to some implementations of the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 3A illustrates an indicia representative of the
railroad vehicle, an indicia representative of the railroad track
of FIG. 2A, and a plurality of virtual railroad signs displayed on
the electronic display device of the system of FIG. 1 according to
some implementations of the present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 3B illustrates an indicia representative of the
railroad vehicle, an indicia representative of the railroad track
of FIG. 2B, and a plurality of virtual railroad signs displayed on
the electronic display device of the system of FIG. 1 according to
some implementations of the present disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example method for operating a
railroad vehicle without reference to physical railroad signs
placed along a railroad track according to some implementations of
the present disclosure
[0016] FIG. 5 is a two-dimensional map of a railroad according to
some implementations of the present disclosure; and
[0017] FIG. 6 is a linearized version of the two-dimensional map of
the railroad of FIG. 5 according to some implementations of the
present disclosure.
[0018] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown
by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in
detail. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended
to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on
the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications,
equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Railroad vehicle operators (engineers) rely on physical
signs and signals placed adjacent to the railroad track (e.g.,
subways, elevated trains, high speed rail, monorails, trams, etc.)
to operate the railroad vehicle. Examples of physical railroad
signs include, mileposts (indicating a reference location), whistle
boards (indicating when the engineer should blow the horn/whistle),
limit signs (indicating when the engineer should stop the railroad
vehicle at a switch to avoid collisions with other trains), speed
limit signs (indicating how fast the engineer can operable the
railroad vehicle), curve signs (indicating an upcoming curved or
non-linear section of the railroad track), tunnel signs (indicating
an upcoming railroad tunnel), road crossing signs (indicating an
intersecting vehicle/pedestrian roadway), rail crossing (indicating
an intersecting railroad track), overhead bridge sign (indicating
an upcoming overhead bridge), grade signs (indicating a grade or
incline of the railroad track), and the like. These physical
railroad signs can be placed at various locations along the
railroad track, including, for example, above the railroad track
(e.g., an overhead sign) or on either side of the railroad
track.
[0020] Many railroad vehicles (e.g., passenger trains, freight
trains, etc.) include a so-called Positive Train Control (PTC)
system. In many jurisdictions (e.g., the United States), PTC
systems are required by government regulations. For example, all
North American freight trains utilize PTC systems. Generally, the
PTC system receives information about the location of the railroad
vehicle (e.g., from a GPS navigation system) and information
regarding where the railroad vehicle is allowed to safely travel.
Using this information, the PTC system prevents or overrides unsafe
movement of the railroad vehicle (e.g., reduces the speed of the
railroad vehicle, stops the railroad vehicle, etc.) PTC systems
rely on a database of physical railroad signs (e.g., speed limit
signs) which are input into PTC algorithms to control movement of
the railroad vehicle (e.g., enforce collision avoidance, reduce
speed, etc.) In the United States, the Federal Railroad
Administration ("FRA") requires that all PTC systems have an
accurate database containing precise GPS coordinates of each
physical railroad sign. The total number of physical signs in such
a database may be between 400,000 and 600,000 signs. In particular,
the FRA requires that the GPS coordinates of each sign stored in
the database are within 7.2 feet of the actual GPS coordinates of
the physical sign.
[0021] Railroads face several challenges continuously maintaining a
database of GPS coordinates of physical signs within the applicable
tolerances because the physical signs are often moved for a variety
of reasons, whether intentionally or unintentionally. For example,
railroad maintenance workers often must temporarily remove physical
signs when replacing fouled ballast (stone material that supports
the railroad track). After the ballast is replaced, workers place
the railroad signs back in the general area of their original
position. This process is often imprecise, meaning that the GPS
coordinates stored in the PTC system database may no longer
correspond to the new, actual GPS coordinates of the railroad sign.
As an another example, a railroad snowplow may knock over physical
signs when removing snow from the railroad track. Often, these
signs are not repositioned until the snow is clear (e.g., in the
spring) and is often done so in a relatively imprecise manner. As a
result of this movement of the signs, railroads must continuously
resurvey or audit the GPS coordinates of each of the physical signs
to ensure that the PTC database is in compliance with applicable
government regulations. Resurveying the physical signs may require
personnel to travel to each of the physical signs and record the
sign's GPS coordinates using a mobile device. Other surveying
methods may require complicated detection systems (e.g., light
detection and ranging ("LIDAR") sensors and/or simultaneous
localization and mapping ("SLAM") sensors) coupled to a railroad
vehicle to update the GPS coordinates of the physical railroad
signs.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, a system 10 includes one or more
processors 12 (hereinafter "processor"), one or more memory devices
14 (hereinafter "memory"), one or more electronic display devices
18 (hereinafter "electronic display device"), a communication
module 20, a GPS module 22, and one or more location sensors 24.
The system 10 is coupled to or located on a railroad vehicle 100
(e.g., a locomotive, a railcar, a passenger car, a freight car, a
subway train, a vehicle configured to move along both a
conventional road surface and railroad tracks, etc.) As described
herein, the system 10 can be used to automatically display one or
more virtual railroad signs on the electronic display device 18
such that an engineer can operate the railroad vehicle without
reference to physical signs placed along the railroad track. In
other words, the physical signs places along the railroad track can
be removed if desired.
[0023] The processor 12 of the system 10 is communicatively coupled
to the memory device 14, the electronic display device 18, the
communication module 20, the GPS module 22, and the one or more
location sensors 24, and is generally used to control the operation
of these various components of the system 10 and implement the
methods described herein. The processor 12 can be a general or
special purpose processor or microprocessor, and the system 10 can
include any suitable number of processors (e.g., one processor, two
processors, four processors, ten processors, etc.)
[0024] The memory device 14 is generally used to store machine
readable instructions that are executable by the processor 12. In
particular, the memory device 14 stores a virtual sign database 16.
The virtual sign database 16 contains an associated location (e.g.,
as defined by GPS coordinates) and associated message (e.g., a
numerical speed limit) for a plurality of virtual railroad signs.
The associated location of each of the plurality of virtual
railroad signs is the location along the railroad track where a
physical railroad sign would be placed instead of (or in addition
to), the virtual railroad sign. Methods for generating the virtual
sign database 16 such that the virtual railroad signs contained
therein correspond to where physical railroad signs would be
positioned along the railroad track are discussed in further detail
herein. The memory device 14 can be any suitable computer readable
storage device or media, such as, for example, a random or serial
access memory device, a hard drive, a solid state drive, a flash
memory device, etc.
[0025] While the memory device 14 is shown as including a single
virtual sign database 16, in some implementations, the memory
device 14 can include a plurality of virtual sign databases (e.g.,
two databases, five databases, ten databases, etc.) For example, a
first database can contain the associated location (e.g., GPS
coordinates) of the virtual railroad signs and a second database
can contain the associated message (e.g., numerical speed limit) of
the virtual railroad signs. Further, while the memory device 14 of
the system 10 is shown as being coupled to (e.g., located on) the
railroad vehicle 100, alternatively, in some implementations, the
memory device 14 can be decoupled from the railroad vehicle 100
(e.g., located on or in a remote device such as a remote server).
In such implementations, the communication module 20
communicatively couples the memory device 14 to the processor
12.
[0026] The electronic display device 18 is a human-machine
interface (HMI) including a graphical user interface (GUI) that can
display images (e.g., still images, video images, or both). As
described in detail herein, the electronic display device 18 can
display, for example, an indicia representative of a message of a
virtual railroad sign, an indicia representative of at least a
portion of the railroad vehicle 100, and/or an indicia
representative of a portion of the railroad track. The electronic
display device 18 can be, for example, a general or special purpose
desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, smartphone,
display monitor, television, LED display, LCD display, or the like,
or any combination thereof. The electronic display device 18 can
also include an input interface such as, for example, a touchscreen
or touch-sensitive substrate, a mouse, a keyboard, or any sensor
system configured to sense inputs made by a human user interacting
with the electronic display device 18.
[0027] As shown, the electronic display device 18 is coupled to
(e.g., located on or in) the railroad vehicle 100. More
specifically, in some implementations, the electronic display
device 18 is located in a cab of the railroad vehicle 100 such that
the electronic display device 18 can be viewed by an engineer
operating the railroad vehicle. For example, in some
implementations, the electronic display device 18 can be a head-up
display (HUD) that displays image(s) without requiring the engineer
to look away from the usual viewpoint when operating the railroad
vehicle. The HUD can include a windshield projection to display one
or more images on the windshield of the railroad vehicle 100. While
the electronic display device 18 is shown as being coupled to
(e.g., located on or in) the railroad vehicle 100, in some
implementations, the electronic display device 18 is decoupled from
the railroad vehicle 100. In such implementations, the electronic
display device 18 can be integrated in a mobile device such as a
smartphone, tablet, laptop computer, or the like.
[0028] The communication module 20 is communicatively coupled to
the processor 12 and is generally used to communicate data or other
information in digital or analog form to and from systems external
to the system 10 (e.g., a remote server). Examples of communication
interfaces for the communication module 20 include a wired network
interface or a wireless network interface. As shown, the
communication module 20 of the system 10 is coupled to the railroad
vehicle 100. Further, the communication module 20 is
communicatively coupled to the memory device 14 via the processor
12. Thus, in some implementations, the communication module 20 can
transmit an updated or substantially real-time virtual railroad
sign data base from a remote device to the system 10, replacing the
virtual sign database 16 previously stored in the memory device
14.
[0029] The GPS module 22 is coupled to the railroad vehicle 100 and
is configured to receive GPS signals for determining a location
(e.g., expressed in latitude and longitude, or other coordinates)
of the railroad vehicle 100. As described herein, the location of
the railroad vehicle 100 along a railroad track can be expressed in
terms of a distance relative to the railroad track. Among the
various railroad signs described herein are mile markers. In other
words, the location of the railroad vehicle 100 is expressed in
reference to mile markers (e.g., the current location of the
railroad vehicle 100 is mile 5.9 of the railroad track). To express
the location of the railroad vehicle 100 in this manner (e.g., as
opposed to purely in the form of GPS coordinates), the processor 12
can compare the GPS coordinates determined by the GPS module 20 to
a look-up table (e.g., stored in the memory device 14) and/or
determine a distance between the GPS coordinates of the railroad
vehicle 100 and known GPS coordinates of the nearest milepost.
[0030] During operation, the railroad vehicle 100 may travel in
areas (e.g., a tunnel) where the GPS module 22 cannot acquire a GPS
signal from which the location of the railroad vehicle 100 can be
determined. For this scenario, the system 10 optionally includes
one or more location sensors 24 that are configured to determine
the location of the railroad vehicle 100 without the use of GPS
signals. For example, in some implementations, the one or more
location sensors 24 includes an optical encoder that is coupled to
an end of an axle of the railroad vehicle 100 to detect rotational
position changes. In such implementations, the optical encoder can
be used to determine the location of the railroad vehicle 100 in
terms of a distance traveled from an initial position (e.g., the
last known location of the railroad vehicle 100). In other
implementations, the one or more location sensors 24 includes a
radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader coupled to the
railroad vehicle 100 and being configured to receive location
information from RFID tags positioned on or adjacent to the
railroad. The RFID tags store information such as GPS coordinates
or a distance relative to mileposts or other landmarks from which
the system 10 can determine the location of the railroad vehicle
100 without the use of GPS.
[0031] As described herein, the railroad vehicle 100 is configured
to move along a railroad track (e.g., railroad track 200 shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2B), which can include, for example, one or more
running rails, a power rail, crossties, fasteners, joint bars,
ballast, overhead power lines, switches, or the like, or any
combination thereof. In some implementations, the railroad vehicle
100 includes one or more cameras 112 (hereinafter "camera")
configured to generate image data reproducible as one or more
images the railroad. The camera 112 can be a digital camera that
generates video images, still images, or both; and can optionally
include zooming ability (e.g., optical and/or digital zoom). As
shown, the camera 112 is communicatively coupled to the processor
12 of the system 10. The railroad vehicle 100 also includes a
Positive Train Control system ("PTC") 114. As described herein, the
PTC system 114 is generally used to control the movement of the
railroad vehicle 100 along the railroad track. As shown, the PTC
system 114 is communicatively coupled to the processor 12 of the
system 10. In some implementations, the railroad vehicle 100 can
also include a light detection and ranging ("LIDAR") sensor, a
simultaneous localization and mapping ("SLAM") sensor, or both. The
LIDAR sensor and/or SLAM sensor can be used to generate a
three-dimensional representation of the railroad track and its
surroundings, which can be stored in the memory device 14 and/or
transmitted to a remote device via the communication module 20.
[0032] While the system 10 is shown in FIG. 1 as including all of
the components described herein, more or fewer components can be
included in a system. For example, an alternative system (not
shown) includes the processor 12, the memory device 14, the display
device 18, and the GPS module 22. Thus, various systems for
automatically displaying virtual railroad signs and/or operating
the railroad vehicle 100 without reference to physical railroad
signs placed along the railroad track can be formed using any
portion of the components described herein.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 2A, a plan view of the railroad vehicle
100 (FIG. 1) and a railroad track 200 is illustrated. As shown, the
railroad track 200 includes a substantially linear (e.g., straight)
section 210 and substantially non-linear (e.g., curved) section
220. In this example, the railroad vehicle 100 generally travels
along the railroad track 200 in the direction of arrow A. As shown,
the railroad vehicle 100 is positioned at a first location
(relative to a second, subsequent location shown in FIG. 2B).
[0034] A plurality of physical railroad signs 230 are placed along
or adjacent to the railroad track 200, including a plurality of
milepost signs 232a-232d, a plurality of speed limit signs
234a-234b, and a whistle board sign 236. The plurality of milepost
signs 232a-232d are positioned along the railroad track 200 at
regular intervals of one mile and include a first milepost sign
232a (indicating a first mile of the railroad track 200), a second
milepost sign 232b (indicating a second mile of the railroad track
200), a third milepost sign 232c (indicating a third mile of the
railroad track 200), a fourth milepost sign 232d (indicating a
fourth mile of the railroad track 200), and a fifth milepost sign
232e (indicating a fifth mile of the railroad track 200). The
plurality of speed limit signs 234a-234b includes a first speed
limit sign 234a and a second speed limit sign 234b. As shown, the
first speed limit sign 234a is positioned at the first mile of the
railroad track 200 (e.g., at the same or similar position as the
first milepost sign 232a). The first speed limit sign 234a
communicates to the engineer operating the railroad vehicle 100
that the speed limit after the first milepost sign 232a is 60 miles
per hour. The second speed limit sign 234b is positioned at the
fourth mile of the railroad track 200 (e.g., at the same or similar
position as the fourth milepost sign 234b). The second speed limit
sign 234b communicates to the engineer operating the railroad
vehicle 100 that the speed limit after the fourth milepost sign
232d is 45 miles per hour. In other words, the second speed limit
sign 234b communicates to the engineer to slow down the railroad
vehicle 100 as it is traveling on the substantially non-linear
section 220 of the railroad track 200. The whistle board sign 236
is positioned between the first milepost sign 232a and the second
milepost sign 232b and communicates to the engineer operating the
railroad vehicle 100 to blow the railroad vehicle 100 whistle/horn.
More specifically, the whistle board sign 236 is positioned prior
to (relative to arrow A) a crossing 250 (e.g., a rail crossing, a
roadway crossing, a pedestrian crossing, etc.) such that the
engineer blows the railroad vehicle 100 whistle/horn as a warning
that the railroad vehicle 100 is approaching the crossing 250.
[0035] FIG. 3A illustrates an indicia 310 representative of the
railroad vehicle 100 (FIGS. 1 and 2A), an indicia 320
representative of a segment of the railroad track 200 (FIG. 2A) a
plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 corresponding to the
plurality of physical railroad signs 232 (FIG. 2A) displayed on the
electronic display device 18 (FIG. 1). As shown, the indicia 310
representative of the railroad vehicle 100 is an image or depiction
of a railroad locomotive, although other images are possible (e.g.,
based on the kind of railroad vehicle, based on the personnel using
the electronic display device 18, etc.) As shown, the indicia 320
representative of a segment of the railroad track 200 is linear,
whereas the corresponding segment of the railroad track 200
includes a substantially linear section 210 and a substantially
non-linear section 220, as shown in FIG. 2A.
[0036] The electronic display device 18 also displays a current
location 300 of the railroad vehicle 100. In this example, current
location 300 is expressed in terms of a distance along the railroad
track 200 (mile 0.9), although the current location 300 can also be
expressed in other ways (e.g., in GPS coordinates). While not shown
in FIG. 3A, the electronic display device 18 can also display other
information regarding the status of the railroad vehicle 100, such
as, for example, brake pipe pressure, brake cylinder pressure,
break pipe reduction, speed, acceleration, end-of-train status, a
length of the train, or the like, or any combination thereof.
[0037] The plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 includes a
plurality of virtual milepost signs 332a-332e, a plurality of
virtual speed limit signs 334a-334b, and a virtual whistle board
sign 336. The plurality of virtual milepost signs 332a-332e
correspond to the plurality of physical milepost signs 232a-232e
(FIG. 2A). More specifically, a first virtual milepost sign 332a
includes an indicia 333a (in this example, the number 1) to
communicate the message of the first virtual milepost sign 332a
(e.g., the beginning of the first mile of the railroad track 200),
second virtual milepost sign 332b includes an indicia 333b (in this
example, the number 2) to communicate the message of the second
virtual milepost sign 332b (e.g., the beginning of the second mile
of the railroad track 200), third virtual milepost sign 332c
includes an indicia 333c (in this example, the number 3) to
communicate the message of the third virtual milepost sign 332c
(e.g., the beginning of the third mile of the railroad track 200),
the fourth virtual milepost sign 332d includes an indicia 333d (e.
in this example, the number 4) to communicate the message of the
fourth virtual milepost sign 332d (e.g., the beginning of the
fourth mile of the railroad track 200), and the fifth virtual
milepost sign 332e includes an indicia 333e (in this example, the
number 5) to communicate the message of the fifth virtual milepost
sign 332e (e.g., the beginning of the fifth mile of the railroad
track 200). As shown, each of the plurality of virtual milepost
signs 332a-332e are spaced evenly apart on the electronic display
device 18 (FIG. 3A), just as the physical milepost signs 232a-232e
are evenly spaced are along the railroad track 200 (FIG. 2A). As
shown, each of the plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 has a
generally square boundary in which the indicia representative of
the associated message is contained when displayed on the
electronic display device 18. While each of the plurality of
virtual railroad signs 330 is shown as including a generally square
boundary, other boundary shapes and sizes are possible (e.g.,
rectangular, circular, triangular, polygonal, etc.)
[0038] The plurality of virtual speed limit signs 334a-334b (FIG.
3) correspond to the plurality of physical speed limit signs
234a-234b (FIG. 2A). A first virtual speed limit sign 334a
corresponds to the first physical speed limit sign 234a (FIG. 2A)
and includes an indicia 335a (e.g., a number) representative of the
speed limit (in this example, 60 miles per hour). Likewise, a
second virtual speed limit sign 334b corresponds to the second
physical speed limit sign 234b (FIG. 2A) and includes an indicia
335b (e.g., a number) representative of the speed limit (in this
example, 45 miles per hour). The virtual whistle board sign 336
corresponds to the physical whistle board sign 236 (FIG. 2A) and
includes an indicia 337 (in this example, the letter "W")
communicating the message of the virtual whistle board sign
336.
[0039] As shown, the relative distances between the plurality of
virtual speed limit signs 334a-334b, the indicia 310 representative
of the railroad vehicle, the plurality of virtual milepost signs
332a-332e, and the virtual whistle board sign 336 along the
railroad track indicia 320 correspond to the relative physical
locations of the railroad vehicle 100, the physical speed limit
signs 234a-234b, the physical milepost signs 232a-232e, and the
physical whistle board sign 236 (FIG. 2A) along the railroad track
200.
[0040] In some implementations, the electronic display device 18
also displays one or more substantially real-time distances
340a-340c between the current location of the railroad vehicle 100
and the location associated with one or more of the plurality of
virtual railroad signs 330. In other words, the substantially
real-time distance is a distance between the location actual
railroad vehicle 100 and the location along the railroad track 200
associated with the plurality of virtual railroad sign 330, as if
the virtual railroad sign were actually placed along the railroad
track 200. As shown, the first virtual speed limit sign 334a
includes a substantially real-time distance 340a between the
current location 300 of the railroad vehicle and the associated
location of the first virtual speed limit sign 334a. In this
example, the substantially real-time distance 340a between the
current location 300 of the railroad vehicle and the first virtual
speed limit sign 334a is 0.1 miles. The virtual whistle board sign
336 includes a substantially real-time distance 340b between the
current location 300 of the railroad vehicle and the virtual
whistle board sign 336 which, in this example, is 0.6 miles.
Similarly, the second virtual speed limit sign 334b includes a
substantially real-time distance 340c between the current location
300 of the railroad vehicle and the second virtual speed limit sign
334b which, in this example, is 3.1 miles. While not shown, it is
contemplated that in some implementations the plurality of virtual
milepost signs 332a-332e can also include a substantially real-time
distance from the current location 300 of the railroad vehicle. As
shown, each of the substantially real-time distances 340a-340c is
positioned within the generally square boundary of the respective
one of the plurality virtual railroad signs 330.
[0041] When operating the railroad vehicle 100 and viewing the
plurality of railroad signs 230 (FIG. 2A), an operator can only
estimate how far away the railroad vehicle 100 is from the railroad
sign. If the physical railroad sign is a speed limit sign that
calls for a reduction in speed, and if the engineer misjudges how
far away the sign is (or does not see it), this may cause the PTC
system 114 (FIG. 1) to activate and/or require the engineer to
rapidly decelerate using the brakes. Advantageously, by displaying
a substantially real-time distance between one or more of the
plurality of virtual railroad signs 330, an engineer operating the
railroad vehicle 100 can more precisely determine when to take any
action (e.g., accelerate, decelerate, etc.) that is required by the
associated message of the virtual railroad sign.
[0042] In some implementations, the electronic display device 18
can also display a current speed of the railroad vehicle 100. The
current speed of the railroad vehicle 100 can be an actual,
measured speed of the railroad vehicle 100 (e.g., measured using
the optical encoder described herein), an expected speed of the
railroad vehicle 100 (e.g., based on the speed limit), or a
combination of both. In such implementations, the processor 12 of
the system 10 can be used to determine an amount of time (e.g.,
seconds, minutes, etc.) until the railroad vehicle 100 reaches a
location associated with one or more of the plurality of virtual
railroad signs 330. As one example, based on the current location
of the railroad vehicle 100, the current speed of the railroad
vehicle 100, and the location associated with the second virtual
speed limit sign 334b, the display device 18 can display an amount
of time until the railroad vehicle 100 reaches the second virtual
speed limit sign 334b. For example, if the railroad vehicle 100 is
traveling at 60 miles per hour, the amount of time from current
location 300 to the second virtual speed limit sign 334b is about
18.5 seconds. In such implementations, the amount of time can be
displayed in addition to the substantially real-time distance
described herein, and can be displayed within the boundary of the
respective one of the plurality of virtual railroad signs 330.
Advantageously, displaying an amount of time provides an engineer
operating the railroad vehicle 100 further information to aid in
operating the railroad vehicle 100 safely and efficiently (e.g.,
reducing fuel consumption, allowing more gradual breaking or
acceleration, etc.)
[0043] As described above, in some implementations, the railroad
vehicle 100 includes the camera 112, which is configured to
generate image data reproducible as one or more images of the
railroad track 200 and its surroundings. These images from the
camera 112 can be displayed on the electronic display device 18.
The plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 can then be overlaid on
these images from the camera 112 to create an augmented reality
display. In such implementations, the plurality of virtual railroad
signs 330 are overlaid on the images from the camera 112 such that
they generally correspond to where the physical railroad sign 230
would be located.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 2B, the railroad vehicle 100 is shown at a
second, subsequent position (relative to FIG. 2A) as the railroad
vehicle 100 has moved along the railroad track 200 in the direction
of arrow A. More specifically, after moving in the direction of
arrow A for some time, the railroad vehicle 100 has passed the
first physical milepost sign 232a and the first physical speed
limit sign 234a.
[0045] Referring now to FIG. 3B, the indicia 310 representative of
the railroad vehicle 100 (FIGS. 1 and 2A), the indicia 320
representative of a segment of the railroad track 200 (FIG. 2B),
and the plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 corresponding to
the plurality of physical railroad signs 232 (FIG. 2B) are
displayed on the electronic display device 18 (FIG. 1) when the
railroad vehicle 100 is at a second, subsequent location (relative
to the location shown in FIG. 2A). In this example, the plurality
of virtual railroad signs 330 displayed for the second, subsequent
location of the railroad vehicle (FIG. 2B) is the same as the
plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 displayed for the first
location of the railroad vehicle 100 (FIG. 2A).
[0046] As shown by a comparison of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the relative
positions of the displayed plurality of virtual railroad signs 330
and the indicia 310 representative of the railroad vehicle have
been updated to correspond to the relative distances between each
of the plurality of physical railroad signs 230 and the location of
the railroad vehicle 100 at the second, sequent location (FIG. 2B).
Further, the displayed current location 300 of the railroad vehicle
100 is updated to reflect the second, subsequent location of the
railroad vehicle 100 (the railroad vehicle is now located a mile
1.4, having traveled 0.5 from the first location (FIG. 2A) to the
second, subsequent position (FIG. 2B)). Moreover, the substantially
real-time distance 340a (FIG. 2A) between the first virtual speed
limit sign 334a and the current location 300 of the railroad
vehicle 100 is removed as the railroad vehicle 100 has already
passed the location associated with the first virtual speed limit
sign 334a.
[0047] While the plurality of physical railroad signs 230 (FIGS. 2A
and 2B) and the plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 (FIGS. 3A
and 3B) have been shown and described herein as including a
plurality of milepost signs, a plurality of speed limit signs, and
a whistle board sign, other types and combination of railroads are
contemplated such as, for example, a chain-marker, a curve sign, a
tunnel sign, a road crossing sign, a rail crossing sign, a bridge
sign, an overhead bridge sign, a railroad sign, or any combination
thereof. Further, while the displayed indicium of the plurality of
virtual railroad signs 330 are shown and described herein as either
a number or a letter, other types of indicium are possible, such
as, for example, a word, a symbol, a color, an image, or the like,
or any combination thereof. For example, instead of being a number,
the displayed indicia 335a of the first virtual speed limit sign
334a can be a color (e.g., green), communicating to the engineer of
the railroad vehicle 100 that the speed limit is the maximum
allowed speed for the railroad.
[0048] In some implementations, the system 10 can also be used to
automatically display a plurality of virtual railroad signs on the
electronic display device 18. In such implementations, the memory
device 14 stores therein a database that is similar to the database
16 that stores a plurality of virtual railroad signs, where each of
the virtual railroad signs is associated with a location along the
railroad track and a substantially real-time signal. Examples of
substantially real-time signals include, for example, a clear
signal (indicating that the railroad vehicle 100 can proceed), an
approach-limited signal (indicating that the railroad vehicle 100
can proceed at a limited speed but to be prepared to change
speeds), an approach-medium signal (indicating that the railroad
vehicle 100 can proceed at a medium speed but to be prepared to
change speeds), a diverging-clear signal (indicating that the
railroad vehicle 100 can proceed through a diverging route), an
approach signal (indicating that the railroad vehicle 100 should
proceed but prepare to stop at the next signal), a
diverging-approach signal (indicating that the railroad vehicle 100
should proceed through a diverging route and approach the next
signal prepared to stop), a restricting signal (indicating that the
railroad vehicle 100 should proceed at a restricted speed), a stop
and proceed signal (indicating that the railroad vehicle 100 should
stop and then proceed), a stop signal (indicating that the railroad
vehicle 100 should stop), or any combination thereof. These virtual
railroad signals can be automatically selected from the database
stored in the memory 14 and displayed on the electronic display
device 18 using the methods described herein. For example, in one
implementations, the memory device 14 receives, via the
communication module 20, updated information from a remote device
such that each of the virtual signals stored in the database
includes a substantially-real time signal.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 4, a method 400 for automatically
displaying one or more virtual railroad signs and/or for operating
a railroad vehicle without reference to physical signs placed along
the railroad track is shown. The method 400 can be implemented
using the system 10 (FIG. 1) described herein.
[0050] Step 401 of the method 400 includes determining a current
location of the railroad vehicle 100 along the railroad track 200
(FIGS. 2A and 2B). As described herein, the current location of the
railroad vehicle 100 can be determined using the GPS module 22, the
location sensor(s) 24, or a combination thereof.
[0051] Step 402 of the method 400 includes automatically selecting
a plurality of virtual railroad signs (e.g., the plurality of
virtual railroad signs 330 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B) from the
virtual sign database 16 of the memory device 14 (FIG. 1). As
described herein, the virtual railroad sign database 16 stores
virtual railroad signs (e.g., 100 virtual signs, 100,000 virtual
signs, 500,000 virtual signs, etc.), where each of the virtual
railroad signs stored therein is associated with a location along
the railroad track 200 (e.g., GPS coordinates) and a message (e.g.,
a speed limit, milepost, etc.) Automatically selecting the
plurality of virtual railroad signs is based on the determined
current location of the railroad vehicle 100. More specifically,
one or more virtual railroad signs with associated locations that
are within a predetermined distance from the determined current
location of the railroad vehicle 100 are selected from the virtual
sign database 16. The predetermined distance is a length of the
railroad track 200 in front of the railroad vehicle 100 in the
direction of travel (arrow A). The predetermined distance can be,
for example, between about 0.1 miles and about 100 miles, between
about 0.25 miles and about 50 miles, between about 0.5 miles and
about 10 miles, between about 1 mile and about 10 miles, between
about 3 miles and about 6 miles, about 5 miles, etc. In some
implementations, the predetermined distance can be adjusted as
desired by an engineer operating the railroad vehicle 100 (e.g.,
through an input interface of the electronic display device 18 of
the system 10) such that electronic display device 18 displays more
or less virtual railroad signs, in greater or less detail.
[0052] Step 403 of the method 400 includes displaying an indicia
representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle 100 on
the electronic display device 18. In the example shown in FIGS. 3A
and 3B, the indicia 300 representative of the railroad vehicle 100
is an image or depiction of a railroad locomotive, although other
types of indicia are possible. For example, the displayed indicia
representative of the railroad vehicle 100 can be shape (e.g., a
rectangle), a partial image or depiction of the railroad vehicle
100 (e.g., half of the locomotive), or a full or partial image or
depiction of an entire rain (e.g., the locomotive and one or more
railcars). Step 403 can also including displaying the determined
current location of the railroad vehicle 100 (step 401) on the
electronic display device 18 (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 3A and
3B).
[0053] As described herein, in some implementations, at least some
of the components of the system 10 can be decoupled from a railroad
vehicle (e.g., the electronic display device 18). As one example,
the electronic display device 18 and other components of the system
10 can be integrated in a mobile device (e.g., smartphone, computer
tablet, laptop, etc.) that is carried by a railroad maintenance
worker traveling (e.g., walking) along the railroad track 200. In
such implementations, rather than displaying an indicia
representative of at least a portion of the railroad vehicle 100,
step 403 can include displaying an indicia representative of the
maintenance worker (e.g., a shape, a symbol, an icon, an image or
depiction of the worker, etc.)
[0054] Step 404 of the method 400 includes displaying an indicia
representative of a portion (e.g., segment) of the railroad track
200 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) on the electronic display device 18. As
described above, the railroad track 200 includes a substantially
linear (e.g., straight) portion 210 and a substantially non-linear
(e.g., curved) section 220. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the
indicia 320 representative of the railroad track 220 is linear
(e.g., a generally straight line). Further, in some
implementations, the portion of the railroad track 220 has a length
that is equal to the predetermined distance described above in step
402 for selecting the plurality of virtual railroad signs from the
database 16.
[0055] Step 405 of the method 400 includes displaying the selected
plurality of virtual railroad signs (step 402) on the electronic
display device 18. More specifically, step 405 includes displaying
an indicia representative of the associated message of the selected
virtual railroad signs as shown in, for example, FIGS. 3A and
3B.
[0056] Step 406 of the method 400 includes displaying a
substantially real-time distance between the determined current
location of the railroad vehicle 100 (step 401) and the associated
locations of the selected virtual railroad signs. For example, as
shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a substantially real-time distance 340a
for the first virtual speed limit sign 334a, a substantially
real-time distance 340b for the virtual whistle board sign 336, and
a substantially real-time distance 340c for the second virtual
speed limit sign 334b are displayed on the electronic display
device 18. While the substantially real-time distances are shown in
the lower right-hand corner of the virtual railroad signs, more
generally, the substantially real-time distances 340a-340c can be
displayed anywhere on the electronic display device 18.
[0057] Upon completion of step 406, steps 401-406 can be repeated
one or more times such that the various images displayed on the
electronic display device 18 are continuously updated as the
railroad vehicle 100 moves along the railroad track 200. For
example, as the railroad vehicle 100 continues to move along the
railroad track 200 in the direction of arrow A (FIGS. 2A and 2B),
the current location 300 (FIGS. 3A and 3B), the positions of the
displayed plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 relative to the
indicia 310 representative of the railroad vehicle 100 is updated,
and the substantially real-time distances 340a-340c are
continuously updated. In the examples shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the
plurality of virtual railroad signs 330 move towards the indicia
310 representative of the railroad vehicle 100 as the railroad
vehicle 100 continues moves in the direction of arrow A (FIGS. 2A
and 2B). Thus, all of the various indicia are displayed on the
displayed device 18 in substantially real-time (e.g., with only a
very small latency on the order of milliseconds, for example).
[0058] It should be understood that when step 402 is carried out a
second time to selected a second plurality of virtual railroad
signs, the second plurality of virtual railroad signs can be the
same as, or different than, the selected plurality of railroad
signs the first time step 402 is performed. As shown by a
comparison of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the same virtual railroad signs 330
are displayed when the railroad vehicle 100 is at the first
location and when the railroad vehicle 100 is at the second,
subsequent location. However, it should be understood that as the
railroad vehicle 100 continues to move in the direction of arrow A,
a different plurality of virtual railroad signs will be
automatically selected from the database 16 when step 402 is
repeated.
[0059] To create the database 16 of virtual railroad signs stored
in the memory device 14, the locations of physical railroad signs
must be determined and input into the database 16. As described
herein, the current location of the railroad vehicle 100 along the
railroad track 200 is expressed in reference to mileposts along the
railroad track 200 (e.g., the railroad vehicle is currently located
at mile 1.4). While the locations of the physical railroad signs
can be determined in terms of GPS coordinates, these GPS
coordinates must then correspond to a distance along the railroad
track (e.g., mile 1.0 of the railroad track). In one example, a
geographic information system ("GIS") mapping methodology may be
used to generate the database 16.
[0060] FIG. 5 illustrates a two-dimensional map 500 of a railroad
including a plurality of railroad tracks. As shown, a
two-dimensional first railroad track 510 includes a plurality of
substantially linear (e.g., straight) sections 512 and a plurality
substantially non-linear (e.g., curved) sections 514. FIG. 6
illustrates a linearized (one-dimensional) map 600 of the railroad
shown in FIG. 5, including a linearized (one-dimensional) version
610 of the first railroad track 510. As shown in FIG. 5, a
plurality of physical railroad signs 530 are positioned along the
two-dimensional railroad track 510. Among others, there are two
methods for mapping the locations of the physical railroad signs
530 to the linearized version 610 of the first railroad track.
[0061] The first of such methods includes determining GPS
coordinates of the center of the railroad track 510 at predefined
intervals (e.g., every foot) and also determining GPS coordinates
of the physical railroad signs 530. Based on this information, the
railroad track 510 and the plurality of physical railroad signs 530
can be mapped as the linearized version 610 shown in FIG. 6. The
second of such methods includes determining GPS coordinates of the
physical railroad signs 530 along the two-dimensional railroad
track 510 (FIG. 5) and determining a distance between the GPS
coordinates of the physical railroad signs and railroad mileposts
to place them along the linearized version 610 of the first
railroad track shown in FIG. 6. Of these two methods, the first
method is preferred because the second method relies on the
assumption that the mileposts are positioned correctly.
[0062] In accordance with the aspects described herein, in some
implementations, some or all of the physical railroad signs 232
(FIGS. 2A and 2B) can be removed from the railroad track 200
because the engineer can operate the railroad vehicle 100 using the
virtual railroad signs 330 displayed on the electronic display
device 18 (FIGS. 3A and 3B). There are several advantages to
removing the physical railroad signs 230. First, the railroad no
longer needs to resurvey the GPS coordinates of physical railroad
signs to ensure that the PTC system database is compliance with
government regulations. Second, by transmitting an update to the
database 16 stored in the memory device 14, a railroad can quickly
update one or more signs (e.g., a speed limit) without having to
send workers to replace physical signs. Third, the railroad
engineer's ability to receive messages from railroad signs is not
limited by the extent of the engineer's visual line-of-sight, which
can be limited by various factors (e.g., inclement weather, a
curve, the terrain, etc.) Rather, the predetermined distance can be
adjusted so that the engineer can receive messages from railroad
signs that are farther ahead of the railroad vehicle than the
engineer would be able to see. Fourth, by displaying the linearized
indicia 320 of the railroad track 200 and/or displaying
substantially real-time distances between the virtual signs 330 and
the current location of the railroad vehicle, engineers can better
anticipate what actions need to be taken to comply with the message
of the railroad signs (e.g., speed up, slow down, stop, etc.) The
systems and methods described herein can also be used to facilitate
the operation of autonomous railroad vehicles
[0063] While the various distances described herein are expressed
in terms of miles, more generally, any unit of distance (e.g.,
feet, meters, kilometers, etc.) or any combination of units of
distance can be used in accordance with the systems and methods
described herein.
[0064] While the present disclosure has been described with
reference to one or more particular embodiments or implementations,
those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be
made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present disclosure. Each of these embodiments or implementations
and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within
the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It is also
contemplated that additional embodiments implementations according
to aspects of the present disclosure may combine any number of
features from any of the embodiments described herein.
* * * * *