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:
Mar. 26, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 09, 1998
David H. Halvorson, Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Joe B. Hungate, Marion, IA (US);
Stephen R. Montgomery, Marion, IA (US);
Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, PA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for determining the presence of a third rail disposed between parallel railroad tracks as a train progresses along said parallel railroad tracks and further for determining the relative direction of motion of said third rail with respect to said first two rails and further for determining the rate at which the third rail moves with respect to the first rails is disclosed, which is a low power radar sensor disposed underneath the rail vehicle and directed toward the rail on the opposing side of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, two rail detectors are shown which are disposed on opposite sides of the rail vehicle. The radar detectors are coupled with an onboard computing device and with other components of an advanced train control system which can be used for precisely locating the train on closely spaced parallel tracks and further for updating and augmenting position information used by the advanced train control system. The system including GPS receivers and wheel tachometers for providing alternate sources of information for position determination.