International Electronic Machines Corp.

International Business Machines Corporation

Csx Transportation, Inc.

Iem Corp.

Zahid F Mian

Ronald W Gamache

Ryk E Spoor

Jeremy C Mullaney

Bruce P McKenney

William Peabody

Robert MacAllister

Robert W Foss

Peter Hayes

Nicholas P Glasser

William B Johnson

William G vonAchen

Shankar B Baliga

Nicholas Glasser

Marc Robert Pearlman

Thomas Hubin

Richard Lee Smith

Noreen F Mian

Sheppard Salon

Thomas J Schneider

Theodore Haller

Brian M Berard

David J Metacarpa

Frederick A Prahl

Carl W Liebfried

Nick Glasser

Randy A Leet

Robert Macallister

Bruce P Mckenney

William G Vonachen

A solution for evaluating passing vehicles can include one or more imaging devices and a computing unit for processing image data acquired by the imaging device(s). The imaging devices can acquire image data that enables the computing unit to accurately identify a location of an element of the vehicle in an area that includes a region in which the passing vehicle is located and a restricted region in which no element or portion of an element of the passing vehicle should be unnecessarily located. The computing unit can classify any element at least partially located within the restricted region and initiate an action when such an element is not classified into a category of elements that is necessary to be located within the restricted region.

Image-based vehicle evaluation for non-compliant elements

Methods and systems for monitoring and detecting various events or anomalies of interest on or along an object of interest, such as a transportation path, road, or railway, are presented. Data regarding the detected events can be collected near its source and transmitted to a data collection or processing object for analysis or storage. These events may include, but not limited to, rock falls, wheel or tire flat spots, or other acoustic or vibration generating events at or near the object of interest.

Methods and systems for monitoring a transportation path with acoustic or vibration sensing

A solution for evaluating a component of a vehicle, such as a brake pad of a rail vehicle, is provided. An imaging component can acquire image data for a target area of the vehicle within which at least a portion of the component is visible. The target area can be illuminated by an illumination device that is, for example, horizontally offset from the imaging device to highlight the three-dimensional structure in the target area by creating shadows in the image data. A set of points corresponding to the component can be identified in the image data using the shadows. A measurement for at least one attribute of the component can be calculated from the set of points.

Brake component monitoring

A system for detecting an overheight and/or an over-width of a vehicle or a load carried by a vehicle includes a plurality of dimension sensors. The system also includes a controller configured to determine an object passing through the system based on the inputs received from at least one of the sensors, and determines at least one of a vertical continuous presence of the object or a horizontal continuous presence of the object. The controller determines the object as the load carried by the vehicle if at least one of the vertical continuous presence of the object or the horizontal continuous presence of the object is detected and generates an alert when a maximum height of the load is above a height limit and/or the maximum width of the load is above a width limit.

Overheight and wide load detection system and method thereof

A system and method for detecting medical conditions in individuals in crowded settings is described, including methods and approaches for addressing confounding issues such as variation due to external factors.

Automated sensing system for health detection

An unmanned mobile observation device, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, can be used to acquire observation data for a sensitive area. The observation data can include image data and geolocation data corresponding to a real-world geographic location at which the image data was acquired. The geolocation data can be accurate to five centimeters or less. The observation data can be evaluated to identify any defects within the sensitive area. Such evaluation can include comparison with previously acquired image data for the sensitive area, which can be enables by using the geolocation data to select the corresponding previously acquired image data.

Sensitive area management

A system, a method, and a computer program product may be provided for user guidance. In an example, the system includes an image projection device configured to project traffic patterns on a surface, at least one non-transitory memory configured to store computer program code, and a processor configured to execute the computer program code to control operation of the image projection device. For example, sensor data from one or more sensors onboard a vehicle is obtained. The sensor data is associated with a state of operation of the vehicle, and proximate movement associated with the vehicle. Based on the sensor data, one or more traffic patterns for projection is determined. Further, an image projection device is controlled to project the one or more traffic patterns in one or more direction of the vehicle.

System and method for roadway user safety

A solution for measuring torque and other parameters of a mechanical component is provided. At least two bands can be affixed to the mechanical component and at least two sensing assemblies can be operatively coupled to each band. Each sensing assembly generates signals indicative of relative movement between a respective band and the sensing assembly. A signal conditioner conditions the signals for a computing unit to determine the torque to the mechanical component. The computing unit can determine the torque from a twist of the mechanical component that can be correlated with the torque.

Mechanical component torque measurement

Evaluation of a rotating wheel is described. The evaluation utilizes information acquired by radiation reflecting off of one or more regions of the rotating wheel. An imaging device can acquire image data which is processed to evaluate the wheel. The radiation can comprise diffuse and/or coherent radiation. Image data for substantially an entire circumference of the wheel can be used in the evaluation.

Optical wheel evaluation

A solution for managing vehicles both individually and as a group of associated vehicles is provided. A vehicle node can be located on each vehicle in the group and obtain and process data from a plurality of sensors also located on the vehicle. The vehicle node can be configured to communicate, either directly or indirectly, with a group system assigned to the group using a wireless communications solution. The group system can acquire monitoring data for all of the group of associated vehicles, which can be used to manage the group of associated vehicles and/or one or more individual vehicles in the group. The group system can be located on a vehicle traveling as part of the group of associated vehicles or at a fixed location.

Network communications for vehicle group monitoring

A transportation asset management solution is described. The transportation asset can be evaluated for operability. The evaluation can include periodic analysis of defect data acquired during operation of the transportation asset over a period of time. The evaluation can determine current operability of the transportation asset with respect to the defect and/or a future requirement for maintenance on the transportation asset due to the defect. One or more actions can be generated based on the analysis. A composite defect cost corresponding to the defect can be computed. The composite defect cost can include costs associated with one or more of: acquiring defect data during operation of the transportation asset, addressing the defect, a defect failure, and/or an error in identifying the defect. One or more aspects of the management solution can be periodically optimized to reduce the composite defect cost.

Transportation asset management

An assembly for monitoring an area is provided. The assembly can include two or more cameras sensitive to radiation of distinct wavelength ranges. The fields of view of the cameras can be substantially co-registered at the area to be monitored. The assembly can include a computer system which can process the image data to monitor the area. The computer system can be configured to identify relevant objects present in the area, update tracking information for the relevant objects, and evaluate whether an alert condition is present using the tracking information.

Operations monitoring in an area

A solution for monitoring a railway vehicle is provided. A vehicle node and one or more sensor nodes are deployed on the railway vehicle. Each sensor node is configured to acquire data and communicate with the vehicle node only when certain conditions are met. The sensor node(s) and vehicle node can evaluate operating conditions to determine whether an alert should be sent to initiate action. In an illustrative application, the alert can correspond to excessive hunting by a wheelset of the rail vehicle which is posing a danger for derailment.

Railway vehicle operations monitoring

A solution for acquiring pressure data for an object, such as an airfoil, is provided. One or more pressure sensor nodes are utilized, each of which includes a set of pressure sensors and a processing component. The pressure sensor node(s) are affixed to the object in a manner that enables the pressure sensors to acquire pressure data for a set of locations on the surface of the object. A pressure sensor node also can include a wireless communications component to provide wireless communications between the pressure sensor node and a computer system.

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Loudonville, NY, United States of America

Zahid F Mian