Patent classifications
B61L5/1881
LUMINOUS DEVICE FOR RAIL WAYS SIGNALS AND THE LIKE, AND MANAGEMENT METHOD THEREOF
The invention relates to a luminous device (5) and a method for managing said device (5), comprising LED lighting means (51), a dissipative electric load (52) adapted to increase an electric power dissipated by the device (5) when the LED lighting means (51) are emitting light, and current interrupting means (53) configured for dynamically interrupting the flow of current through said dissipative load (52) when the LED lighting means (51) are emitting light, so as to reduce the electric power dissipated by said device (5).
SOLAR POWERED CELL NETWORK SWITCH POINT INDICATOR SYSTEM
This invention relates generally to a device which utilizes a solar powered Internet of Things (IoT) technology to remotely monitor the position of railroad switches and derails and send updates by cellular signal to a database via a cloud platform. This new and novel technology allows for cost effective remote monitoring of railroad switch points and derails in dark territory without the need for wayside power or radio communication equipment. The device is also capable of being integrated with dispatch CAD (computer automated dispatch), wayside signalization, positive train control devices, automatic alert generations, active warning devices, crossing gates, as well as power assisted railroad switches.
System and method for railroad smart flasher lamps
A smart lamp system and method for monitoring a status of LEDs. The system can provide LED status monitoring using a logic controller communicating with at least one strip of LEDs. The system can utilize the logic controller to assign a unique identifier (ID) to the at least one strip of LEDs based on a physical position of a plurality of dual-inline package (DIP) switches incorporated within a smart lamp housing. The system can provide a hardware architecture to interface the logic controller with a power-line communication (PLC) transceiver. The system can establish a communication protocol between the PLC transceiver and a PLC receiver to efficiently communicate the statuses of the LEDs. The logic controller can generate a payload including a binary representation of the unique ID of the smart lamp and the statuses of the LEDs and transmit the payload to the PLC transceiver.
SYSTEM AND METHOD TO ENSURE SIGNAL LIGHT INTEGRITY AND VIEWABILITY
A system and method is proposed to ensure detection of signal light integrity and viewability. The system includes a wireless network of signal light monitors attached unobtrusively to the sun visors on each signal light for which monitoring is required. Each signal light monitor includes diverse sensors which detect signal light integrity and viewability. The detection sensors are simultaneously active to detect signal light intensity, color intensity and viewability. The information obtained from the sensors is transmitted wirelessly to a base signal light monitor. The base signal light monitor communicates this information over a mesh network to an edge processor. The network is self-healing and ensures data integrity using a pre-calculated communication link if a communication link between base signal light monitors is lost or broken. The edge processor is capable of image and condition analysis on the detection data and communicates events to an enterprise network for action.
Lamp driver card to control lighting of a lamp load or a LED on a wayside of a railway system
A lamp driver card to control lighting of a lamp load located on a wayside of a railway system is provided. The lamp driver card comprises a light source controller module including at least one channel having a semiconductor switch or a relay to receive power on a copper cable sized at a selected gauge size from a power source to turn ON or OFF the lamp load. The light source controller module is configured to support a multi-voltage rating range operation extended from a limited voltage to an extended operating voltage and a current rating to light the lamp load such that the light source controller module is compatible with relatively higher DC/AC voltages. The copper cable is sized at the selected gauge size of a first size to a second size based on a selected voltage rating of a first voltage system or a second multi-voltage ranges system.
MONITORING SYSTEM, WAYSIDE LED SIGNAL, AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A WAYSIDE LED SIGNAL
A monitoring system for a light emitting diode (LED) signal (100) includes optical detectors (120) for measuring a light output of LEDs (112, 114), a first processing unit (124) in communication with the plurality of optical detectors (120) and configured to receive and process measurement data of the light output from the plurality of optical detectors (120), and a first switching element (130) operably coupled to the first processing unit (124). The first processing unit (124) is further configured to transmit a control signal based on the measurement data of the light output of the plurality of LEDs (112, 114) to the first switching element (130) to disconnect a reference load (150) by switching from a first state to a second state when the light output is less than a predefined threshold value, wherein the second state of the first switching element (130) is stored in a storage medium (148).
System and method for controlling a wayside device
A system includes at least one signal light having at least one lamp. The system further includes a control device electrically connected to the at least one lamp by a conductive cable. The at least one lamp is configured to flash in response to the loss of an audio signal generated by the control device.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RAILROAD SMART FLASHER LAMPS
A smart lamp system and method for monitoring a status of LEDs. The system can provide LED status monitoring using a logic controller communicating with at least one strip of LEDs. The system can utilize the logic controller to assign a unique identifier (ID) to the at least one strip of LEDs based on a physical position of a plurality of dual-inline package (DIP) switches incorporated within a smart lamp housing. The system can provide a hardware architecture to interface the logic controller with a power-line communication (PLC) transceiver. The system can establish a communication protocol between the PLC transceiver and a PLC receiver to efficiently communicate the statuses of the LEDs. The logic controller can generate a payload including a binary representation of the unique ID of the smart lamp and the statuses of the LEDs and transmit the payload to the PLC transceiver.
Rail Signal Arrangement for a Rail Signaling System
A rail signal arrangement for a rail signaling system comprises a rail signal having a rail signal lamp including a plurality of light emitter sub-arrays each comprising a light emitter, wherein the light emitter sub-arrays are electrically connected in parallel. A control circuit is provided and configured to operate the rail signal lamp in response to operating instructions from a remote operations management system, detect the proportion of light emitter sub-arrays that are in an operable condition with a monitoring system, and provide a condition status signal to the remote operations management system in accordance with whether the proportion of light emitter sub-arrays in an operable condition meets a minimum threshold level.
LAMP DRIVER CARD TO CONTROL LIGHTING OF A LAMP LOAD OR A LED ON A WAYSIDE OF A RAILWAY SYSTEM
A lamp driver card to control lighting of a lamp load located on a wayside of a railway system is provided. The lamp driver card comprises a light source controller module including at least one channel having a semiconductor switch or a relay to receive power on a copper cable sized at a selected gauge size from a power source to turn ON or OFF the lamp load. The light source controller module is configured to support a multi-voltage rating range operation extended from a limited voltage to an extended operating voltage and a current rating to light the lamp load such that the light source controller module is compatible with relatively higher DC/AC voltages. The copper cable is sized at the selected gauge size of a first size to a second size based on a selected voltage rating of a first voltage system or a second multi-voltage ranges system.