This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for determining a passage status of a train through a railroad crossing. In an example method, a railroad crossing status detector system provided in a vehicle may determine that a train is approaching the railroad crossing. The determination is made by evaluating a first detection signal received from a first train detection apparatus located on one side of the railroad crossing. The railroad crossing status detector system may then evaluate a second detection signal received from a second train detection apparatus located on the other side of the railroad crossing and determine that the train has traveled past the railroad crossing. The system may also evaluate one or both detection signals to determine whether the train is currently located at the railroad crossing or is backing up after traveling at least partway across the railroad crossing.

A system and a method automatically detect whether a vehicle entering a track section of a railway network is shorter than a predefined length. The method includes detecting at a time T0 an entry of the vehicle on a first track subsection. From the time T0, the occupancy states of at least a first subsection and a third subsection are determined in dependence on the time. The occupancy state is either “occupied” or “free”. The occupancy states for at least first and third subsections is reported to an evaluation unit at least until the occupancy state of the first subsection is “free”. The reported occupancy states determined for the at least first and third subsections are processed by the evaluation unit, and from a temporal evolution of the occupancy states of the first and third subsections, it is determined whether the entering vehicle is shorter than the predefined length.

A train wireless system includes a train detecting apparatus on the ground and a controller on a train. The detecting apparatus includes a detector and a calculator. The detector detects that the train is on rails in a block. The calculator measures an on-rail time during which the detector detects the train in the block, and calculates an on-rail detecting time during which the train has been on the rails in the block. The controller includes a distance measurer, a time measurer, a recorder, and a train-length calculator. The distance measurer measures a travelling distance of the train from a beginning of the block, the time measurer measures an elapsed time since the distance measurer starts the measurement, the recorder records the elapsed time and the travelling distance, and the train-length calculator searches the recorder based on the detecting time, and calculates the train length using a selected travelling distance.

A train wireless system includes a train detecting apparatus on the ground and a controller on a train. The detecting apparatus includes a detector and a calculator. The detector detects that the train is on rails in a block. The calculator measures an on-rail time during which the detector detects the train in the block, and calculates an on-rail detecting time during which the train has been on the rails in the block. The controller includes a distance measurer, a time measurer, a recorder, and a train-length calculator. The distance measurer measures a travelling distance of the train from a beginning of the block, the time measurer measures an elapsed time since the distance measurer starts the measurement, the recorder records the elapsed time and the travelling distance, and the train-length calculator searches the recorder based on the detecting time, and calculates the train length using a selected travelling distance.

A method for identifying properties of rail-guided vehicles uses an axle counter to detect vehicle measurement data as the vehicle crosses. The measurement data are analyzed in a computer and speed and distances between vehicle axles are ascertained. A property of the vehicle is ascertained in a computer based on the ascertained speed and distances between axles. A checking step ascertains a pattern of normal distances between axles in that a normal distance between axles calculated by considering a predefined normal speed is assigned to each ascertained distance between axles, and by considering their order, the normal distances between axles merge to form the pattern. The pattern is compared with reference patterns, and upon identified conformity of the pattern and reference pattern, a type linked to the reference pattern is assigned to the vehicle as a property. An apparatus and computer program determining properties of vehicles are also provided.

A system comprises a first sensor on a first end of a vehicle and an on-board controller coupled to the first sensor. The first sensor is configured to detect a radio frequency (RF) signature of a marker along a guideway. The first sensor is a radar detection device. The on-board controller is configured to determine a first position of the vehicle on the guideway or a first distance from the position of the vehicle to a stopping location along the guideway based on at least the RF signature received from the first sensor. The marker is a metasurface plate comprising a first diffused element, a first retroreflector element, a first absorbing element and a second diffused element between the first retroreflector element and the first absorbing element.

A roadside unit 40 that controls a traffic safety apparatus provided at a railroad crossing 150 at which a general road 120 on which a vehicle 20 travels and a railroad track 110 on which a railroad vehicle 10 given priority over the vehicle 20 travels intersect receives a first message from the railroad vehicle 10. The first message includes an information element indicating a railroad vehicle as a type of a transmission source vehicle, and an information element indicating at least one of a position of the railroad vehicle 10 or speed of the railroad vehicle 10. In the roadside unit 40, a communicator transmits a second message to the vehicle 20. The second message includes an information element related to waiting time for passing of the railroad vehicle 10 through the railroad crossing 150.

A roadside unit 40 that controls a traffic safety apparatus provided at a railroad crossing 150 at which a general road 120 on which a vehicle 20 travels and a railroad track 110 on which a railroad vehicle 10 given priority over the vehicle 20 travels intersect receives a first message from the railroad vehicle 10. The first message includes an information element indicating a railroad vehicle as a type of a transmission source vehicle, and an information element indicating at least one of a position of the railroad vehicle 10 or speed of the railroad vehicle 10. In the roadside unit 40, a communicator transmits a second message to the vehicle 20. The second message includes an information element related to waiting time for passing of the railroad vehicle 10 through the railroad crossing 150.

This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for determining a passage status of a train through a railroad crossing. In an example method, a railroad crossing status detector system provided in a vehicle may determine that a train is approaching the railroad crossing. The determination is made by evaluating a first detection signal received from a first train detection apparatus located on one side of the railroad crossing. The railroad crossing status detector system may then evaluate a second detection signal received from a second train detection apparatus located on the other side of the railroad crossing and determine that the train has traveled past the railroad crossing. The system may also evaluate one or both detection signals to determine whether the train is currently located at the railroad crossing or is backing up after traveling at least partway across the railroad crossing.

Methods and systems for real-time detection and reporting of trains is described. A system includes two train detection units (TDUs) for each railroad track intersecting a municipality boundary. Each TDU including a proximity sensor to sense a presence of an object on the railroad track, a camera to capture an image of a detected object when the object is within a detection zone, a radar to measure speed when the detected object is classified as a train, and a processor to classify the detected object, generate a timestamp corresponding to when the train entered and exited the detection zone, and determine a train length from the speed and time delta between entrance timestamp and exit timestamp. A train detection controller to receive at least the train length and a TDU identification from one of the two TDUs, and determine estimated time of arrivals for the train at different municipality locations.