A system for determining a location of a rail vehicle based on a radio frequency (RF) signal includes at least one processor programmed or configured to receive an RF signal transmitted by at least one radio transmitter device, where the RF signal includes location data associated with the location of the at least one radio transmitter device, determine a location of the at least one radio transmitter device based on the location data associated with the location of the at least one radio transmitter included in the RF signal, and determine a location of a rail vehicle based on the location of the at least one radio transmitter device. A method and computer program product are also disclosed.

Systems and methods are provided for worker protection. The worker protection systems comprise a plurality of alert devices, comprising one or more wearable personal alert devices, each worn by a person (e.g., worker), and one or more companion alert devices that broadcast alerts or signals triggering alerts. The companion alert devices comprise vehicle-mounted alert devices, configured for operation on vehicles (e.g., trains), and wayside detection units, configured for placement on or near paths of the vehicles. The wayside detection units may be operable to autonomously detect and track the vehicles.

A portable stop determining device 10 includes an acceleration sensor 115 and a state grasp unit 143 in order to detect that a vehicle such as a train stops, with an adequate degree of accuracy, even when position information of a user and time information are not available. The state grasp unit 143 outputs an alarm signal when detecting deceleration in a direction of travel of the vehicle based on a measured value from the acceleration sensor, and detecting that posture of the portable stop determining device carried by a person riding on the vehicle inclines in the direction of travel and then returns to a basic state.

A system that can automatically measure, track, and/or report train emissions for complying with geographic environmental restrictions. An emissions module determines the amount of emissions emitted by a train over time. A location module tracks the location of the locomotive of the train relative geographic locations having emission regulations. A compliance module records the amount of emissions emitted by the train in the geographic location.

A track monitoring system (and a method thereof) for mounting to a vehicle on a track comprising at least one rail is provided. The track monitoring system comprises a position and attitude measurement unit configured to determine a geographical position and attitude of the system during at least one pass of the vehicle on the track, a storage medium for storing track geometry data, a laser imaging and/or scanning unit configured to determine a position of the at least one rail relative to the track monitoring system, and a position of the at least one rail and surroundings relative to the track monitoring system during the at least one pass, a processor configured to determine, in the at least one pass, a first geographically referenced rail position based on the geographical position and attitude of the rail monitoring system and the position of the at least one rail relative to the system, determine, in the at least one pass, a second geographically referenced rail position based on the geographical position and attitude of the rail monitoring system and the position of the at least one rail and surroundings relative to the rail monitoring system, determine a third geographically referenced rail position based on the first and the second geographically referenced rail positions, and corresponding geographically referenced track geometry data, acquire, in a further pass, track geometry data associated with each position of the rail relative to the rail monitoring system, and the output of the position and attitude measurement unit, update, based on the third geographically referenced position of the rail, the track geometry data acquired in the further pass, and store updated track geometry data to the storage medium.

The present disclosure relates to a railway collision protection and safety system having a vehicle device located on rail vehicles at a work zone, a personal protection unit located with rail workers at the work zone, and a dispatcher processor at a control center. An authority limit within the work zone may be determined by the dispatcher processor, and an authority exceeded signal is sent to the rail vehicle when the rail vehicle is determined to exceed the authority limit.

A method for determining a location of a vehicle driving on a track is provided, the method comprising the step of obtaining a real-time image from an imaging device (100) located on the vehicle and deriving information from the obtained real-time image. The derived information is compared with a database comprising derived information from a plurality of images, each of the plurality of images being associated with a specific track segment. The closest match is then determined between a sequence of the real-time images to a sequence of the plurality of images, and the location of the vehicle on a track segment is identified based on the specific track segment associated with the closest matched sequence of images. The track segments are associated with a specific track amongst a set of parallel or closely spaced tracks.

The driving assistance device (10) for a railway vehicle comprises means (12) for determining a target speed (V.sub.c), means (20) for comparing an instantaneous speed (V.sub.i) of the railway vehicle with the target speed (V.sub.c) or an interval surrounding the target speed, and means (22) for indicating driving instructions intended for a driver of the railway vehicle, said driving instructions including instructions for modifying the instantaneous speed (V.sub.i) with view to bringing it closer to the target speed (V.sub.c).

An automated on-vehicle rail vehicle control system has an on-vehicle set point value detection unit, an automated train operating system, a driving and braking unit, and additional sensors for detecting environment-related information. The on-vehicle set point value detection unit is configured to determine, based on on-vehicle positioning and map data as well as sensor data from the additional sensors, operative set point values for the control mode and the current driving mission of the rail vehicle. The automated train operating system is configured to generate driving and braking commands based on the set point values of the on-vehicle set point value detection unit. The driving and braking unit is configured to carry out traction and braking operations based on the driving and braking commands so determined. There are also described a rail vehicle and a method for the automated control of a rail vehicle.

In an example, the autonomous vehicle (“AV”) can be configured among the other vehicles and railway to communicate with a rider on a peer to peer basis to pick up the rider on demand from a location on a track, like a railway, tram or other track, rather than the rider being held hostage to a fixed railway schedule. The rider can have an application on his/her cell phone, which tracks each of the AVs, and contact them using the application on the cell phone. In an example, the AV is configured for both on-track and off track operation with different operating parameters for on-track and off track, including speed, degree of autonomy, sensors used etc.