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. 08, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 10, 1998
Peter R McConnell, Burnaby, CA;
Robert A Scragg, Vancouver, CA;
Sonic Systems Corporation, Vancouver, CA;
Abstract
The present invention, generally speaking, provides an acoustic railway crossing detector. The present invention provides a means of not only detecting the presence of a train, but it can determine speed and direction of travel. This allows a more adaptive control of the railway crossing gates and may reduce the nuisance factor of having the gate close too far in advance of the train reaching the crossing. It is also much less susceptible to false activation by natural causes or acts of vandalism. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an acoustic railway crossing detector includes at least one acoustic emitter; at least one acoustic detector; multiple reflectors arranged to reflect acoustic energy produced by an acoustic emitter toward an acoustic detector, and control circuitry coupled to an acoustic detector for producing an indication of whether or not a train is present.