초록 ▼

A self-propelled remotely controlled pilot vehicle adapted for use on railroad tracks to monitor hazardous conditions and obstacles on the railroad tracks. The pilot vehicle precedes a train along the railroad tracks at a distance which will allow the train to come to a complete stop in the event th

A self-propelled remotely controlled pilot vehicle adapted for use on railroad tracks to monitor hazardous conditions and obstacles on the railroad tracks. The pilot vehicle precedes a train along the railroad tracks at a distance which will allow the train to come to a complete stop in the event the pilot vehicle encounters a hazardous condition on the track. The pilot vehicle is equipped with a sensor array which measures a variety of different parameters such as the presence of noxious gases, moisture in the atmosphere or at ground level, and breakage in one or both rails of the track. The pilot vehicle is also equipped with a television camera which provides a visual image of the railroad track ahead of the pilot vehicle to the engineer of the train. An infrared camera which is mounted on the front of the pilot vehicle generates an infrared image of the tracks and is used during darkness or in severe weather conditions to monitor the tracks for unsafe conditions or to detect animals or humans from body radiation. Information gathered by the pilot vehicle\s sensor array is supplied to a computer on board the pilot vehicle and is transmitted back to the train to enable the train\s engineer to be apprised of conditions existing on the tracks ahead of the train in order to have time to react to potential hazards and dangerous situations on the railroad tracks.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for surveying railway tracks ahead of a train, said train being adapted to travel along said railway tracks, said system comprising: a pilot vehicle traveling along said railway tracks ahead of said train, said pilot vehicle including: drive means for propelling said pilot vehicle along sai

A system for surveying railway tracks ahead of a train, said train being adapted to travel along said railway tracks, said system comprising: a pilot vehicle traveling along said railway tracks ahead of said train, said pilot vehicle including: drive means for propelling said pilot vehicle along said railway tracks; processing means for receiving position information and control signals transmitted by said train, said processing means processing said position information and control signals to determine a safe distance said pilot vehicle is to be disposed away from said train; drive control means operatively connected to said processing means and said drive means for maintaining said pilot vehicle at said safe distance from said train; television camera means mounted on said pilot vehicle at a front end of said pilot vehicle, said television camera means monitoring a visual scene presented to said pilot vehicle as said pilot vehicle travels along said railway tracks, said television camera means generating a video signal representative of said visual scene presented to said pilot vehicle as said pilot vehicle travels along said railway tracks; transmitter/receiver means connected to said television camera means to receive said video signal from said television camera means, said transmitter/receiver means including modulating means for modulating a first radio frequency signal responsive to said video signal and an antenna for transmitting said first radio frequency signal to said train; magnetic signature sensing means mounted on an underside of said pilot vehicle in proximity with a pair of rails of said railroad track, said magnetic signature sensing means measuring a magnetic field generated by a current flowing through at least one of said pair of rails of said railroad track, said magnetic signature sensing means generating a first electrical signal proportional to an intensity of said magnetic field; said processing means receiving said first electrical signal from said magnetic signature sensing means, said processing means generating a warning message whenever a voltage level of said first electrical signal decreases below a predetermined voltage level; said modulating means modulating a second radio frequency signal responsive to said warning message; said antenna transmitting said second radio frequency signal to said train; an infrared camera mounted on the front end of said pilot vehicle, said infrared camera monitoring an infrared scene presented to said pilot vehicle as said pilot vehicle travels along said railway tracks, said infrared camera generating a second electrical signal representative of said infrared scene presented to said pilot vehicle as said pilot vehicle travels along said railway tracks; said transmitter/receiver means being connected to said infrared camera to receive said second electrical signal from said infrared camera; said modulating means modulating a third radio frequency signal responsive to said second electrical signal; and said antenna transmitting said third radio frequency signal to said train.