The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 23, 1998
Filed:
May. 14, 1997
Joseph Cipollone, Moreno Valley, CA (US);
Harmon Industries, Inc., Blue Springs, MO (US);
Abstract
A track circuit with diagnostic capability differentiates between an occupied track circuit and one in which a conductor of the track circuit (one of the rails) is broken. Transceiver units are provided at the respective ends of the track circuit and operate alternately in transmit and receive modes. The applied voltage and current are measured at the transmitting unit, and the received voltage and current are sensed and measured at the receiving unit. From these measurements made successively as the units alternately transmit and receive, each unit can determine whether the track is available or unavailable and, if unavailable, whether the track has a broken rail. A microprocessor in each unit distinguishes a broken rail from an occupied track when an increase in the applied transmitting voltage at the unit occurs simultaneously with a decrease in each of the other voltage and current measurements.