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:
Nov. 20, 2007
Filed:
May. 24, 2005
Raymond C. Franke, Glenshaw, PA (US);
Raymond C. Franke, Glenshaw, PA (US);
Union Switch & Signal, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A railroad signaling method includes measuring a track current on a first track section, measuring a local voltage on the railroad line wires, determining whether a magnitude of the track current meets or exceeds a threshold value independent of the local voltage, and determining whether the track current and the local voltage are nominally in phase with one another in a manner that is independent of the track current measuring step. A first signal is provided only if the magnitude is determined to meet or exceed the threshold and the track current and local voltage are determined to be nominally in phase. The first signal is an indication that a train is not present in the track section, that the track section does not have a broken rail, and that the insulated joints that bound the track section do not include a fault condition. An associated relay arrangement is also provided.