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:
Oct. 03, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 09, 1998
Jeffrey D Kernwein, Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Wabtec Railway Electronics, Inc., Germantown, MD (US);
Abstract
An automatic train control system, including a track occupancy detector is disclosed which utilizes an image sensor disposed on the front of a locomotive which scans an image immediately in front of the locomotive and is capable of detecting the presence of the occupied track and any parallel tracks disposed on either side of the occupied track. Image processing is accomplished using a Laplacian edge detection algorithm and a Hough transform line detection algorithm. An on-board computer determines the slope of lines corresponding to rails extending ahead of the locomotive. The lines are grouped into lines having positive and negative slope and the number of lines in each group is determined. Based upon the number of lines having positive and negative slopes, a determination of occupancy is made. The information from the track occupancy detector is provided to other equipment located on the locomotive and used to assist with other advanced train control functions.