Systems and methods for analyzing thermal properties of a railroad
Inventors
Dick, Matthew • Liu, Zhipeng • Yilma, Samson
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11358617-B2
Publication Date
2022-06-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system for analyzing thermal properties of a railroad includes a thermal imaging device configured to generate thermal image data reproducible as a thermal image of a portion of the railroad, the thermal image data being associated with a location of the portion of the railroad, an electronic display device, a memory device configured to receive and store therein the generated thermal image data; and one or more processors configured to: determine a temperature metric of the portion of the railroad based at least in part on the thermal image data; and cause the electronic display device to display (i) a first graph indicative of the temperature metric of the portion of the railroad and (ii) a second graph indicative of a railroad track geometry metric associated with the location of the portion of the railroad.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a system for analyzing thermal properties of a railroad. A thermal imaging device generates thermal image data reproducible as one or more thermal images along a length of the railroad, or as a thermal image of a portion of the railroad, and one or more processors analyze the thermal image data to determine temperature metrics.
The processors compare the temperature metric to a predefined temperature threshold indicative of a railroad condition. When the temperature metric at a location or portion is less than the predefined temperature threshold, the system analyzes one or more railroad track geometry metrics associated with the location or portion to identify a presence or absence of a railroad track defect and evaluate the defect to identify a railroad condition as the cause.
Based on the railroad condition and the railroad track geometry metrics, the system identifies a defect in the railroad and, responsive to identifying the railroad defect, generates a report identifying the railroad condition as the cause of the railroad track defect. In related embodiments, the system determines a temperature metric based at least in part on thermal image data obtained as a thermal image, uses GPS to determine a location relative to the portion of the railroad, includes an electronic display device, and overlays a numerical temperature-metric value onto an image of the railroad portion.
Claims Coverage
The partial content identifies two independent claims. Across these claims, the main inventive coverage centers on determining temperature metrics from thermal image data along a railroad, comparing those metrics to a predefined temperature threshold to indicate a railroad condition, correlating that condition with railroad track geometry metrics to identify a defect, and generating a report identifying the condition as the cause of the defect. Additional dependent claim coverage refines temperature metric forms and optional display or communication features.
Temperature metrics from reproducible thermal image data along a railroad
A thermal imaging device generates thermal image data reproducible as one or more thermal images along a length of the railroad, and the one or more processors analyze the thermal image data to determine a temperature metric along the length of the railroad.
Threshold-based railroad condition and defect identification using track geometry metrics
The one or more processors compare the temperature metric along the length of the railroad to a predefined temperature threshold indicative of a railroad condition; responsive to the temperature metric at a location along the length of the railroad being less than the predefined temperature threshold, the processors analyze one or more railroad track geometry metrics associated with the location to identify a presence or absence of a railroad track defect.
Causal reporting of railroad condition as the cause of a detected defect
Responsive to the presence of a railroad defect being identified at the location along the length of the railroad, the processors generate a report identifying the railroad condition at the location along the length of the railroad as the cause of the railroad track defect at the location.
Temperature metrics for a railroad portion using thermal and visual imaging with GPS location
A thermal imaging device generates thermal image data reproducible as a thermal image of a portion of the railroad; a camera generates image data reproducible as an image of the portion of the railroad; a GPS sensor determines a location of the system relative to the portion of the railroad; and one or more processors determine a temperature metric of the portion of the railroad based at least in part on the thermal image data.
Condition determination from threshold comparison and defect identification using track geometry metrics
The processors determine, based on the temperature metric of the portion of the railroad and a predefined temperature threshold, a railroad condition for the portion of the railroad; identify, based on the railroad condition and one or more railroad track geometry metrics, a defect in the portion of the railroad; and responsive to the identification of the railroad defect, generate a report identifying the railroad condition as the cause of the railroad track defect in the portion of the railroad.
Across the two independent claims, the core claim coverage is the integrated process of deriving a temperature metric from thermal image data, comparing the metric to a predefined temperature threshold to determine a railroad condition, correlating that condition with railroad track geometry metrics to identify a railroad track defect, and generating a report identifying the railroad condition as the cause of the defect. The dependent claims further refine the forms of temperature metrics and optional display or communication features.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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