System and method for locating an object

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes the step of receiving an image generated by a camera associated with a vehicle. The image includes a point of interest (POI) associated with a physical object. The method also includes the step of determining a number of pixels from the POI of the image to an edge of the image. The edge of the image represents a location of the camera. The method also includes the step of determining an offset distance from the POI to a global positioning system (GPS) unit associated with the vehicle using the number of pixels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to locating objects and, more particularly, to systems and methods for locating objects. Background Art

[0002] Positive Train Control (PTC) is a communication-based train control system used to prevent accidents involving trains. PTC improves the safety of rail traffic by monitoring the location of PTC-critical assets in the rail environment. However, due to field errors and / or changes in the rail environment, the location of PTC-critical assets may be misreported, which may negatively affect the performance of the PTC system. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to an embodiment, a method includes the step of receiving an image generated by a camera associated with a vehicle. The image includes a point of interest (POI) associated with a physical object. The method also includes the step of determining a number of pixels from the POI of the image to an edge of the image. The edge of the image represents a location of the camera. The method also includes the step of determining an offset distance from the POI to a global positioning system (GPS) unit associated with the vehicle using the number of pixels.

[0004] According to another embodiment, a system includes one or more processors and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including receiving an image generated by a camera associated with a vehicle. The image includes a point of interest (POI) associated with a physical object. The operations also include an operation of determining a number of pixels from the POI of the image to an edge of the image. The edge of the image represents a location of the camera. The operations also include an operation of determining an offset distance from the POI to a global positioning system (GPS) unit associated with the vehicle using the number of pixels.

[0005] According to yet another embodiment, one or more computer-readable storage media contain instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including receiving an image generated by a camera associated with a vehicle. The image includes a point of interest (POI) associated with a physical object. The operations also include an operation of determining a number of pixels from the POI of the image to an edge of the image. The edge of the image represents a location of the camera. The operations also include an operation of determining an offset distance from the POI to a global positioning system (GPS) unit associated with the vehicle using the number of pixels.

[0006] Technical advantages of certain embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following. Certain systems and methods described herein locate objects (e.g., PTC critical assets) in a railway environment without the need for manual measurements on or near the railway, which improves the safety and efficiency of locating objects. Certain systems and methods described herein utilize information collected from geometric vehicles, such as images and GPS locations, which improves the accuracy of locating objects.

[0007] Other technical advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings, descriptions and claims. Moreover, although specific advantages have been listed above, various embodiments may include all, some or none of the listed advantages. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In order to help understand the present invention, reference is now made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] Figure 1 An example system for locating an object is shown;

[0010] Figure 2 Another example system for locating an object is shown;

[0011] Figure 3 Show that it can be Figure 1 and Figure 2 Example images used by the system;

[0012] Figure 4 Show that it can be Figure 1 and Figure 2 Example output generated by the system:

[0013] Figure 5 An example method for locating an object is shown; and

[0014] Figure 6 An example computer system is shown that may be used by the systems and methods described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] A vehicle (e.g., a track geometry vehicle) may collect data as it travels through an environment. The vehicle may be equipped with a camera for capturing images of physical objects in the environment and a GPS unit for capturing GPS locations. In order to accurately locate physical objects in the environment, the GPS location needs to be calibrated to account for the offset distance between the camera location and the GPS unit location. Certain embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for accurately locating objects in an environment using data collected from a camera and a GPS unit to determine the offset distance. These objects may be PTC critical objects associated with a railroad environment that are monitored for PTC compliance.

[0016] Figures 1 to 6 Example systems and methods for locating an object are shown. Figure 1 and Figure 2 An example system for locating an object is shown. Figure 3 Show that it can be Figure 1 and Figure 2 The example images used by the system are, Figure 4 Show that it can be Figure 1 and Figure 2 Example output generated by the system. Figure 5 An example method for locating an object is shown. Figure 6 An example computer system is shown that may be used by the systems and methods described herein.

[0017] Figure 1 An example system 100 for locating an object is shown. Figure 1 The system 100 includes a network 110, a locator module 120, a vehicle 130, a camera 140, a GPS unit 150, and a physical object 160. The system 100 or a portion thereof may be associated with an entity, which may include any entity that can locate an object, such as a business, a company (e.g., a railway company, a transportation company, etc.), or a government agency (e.g., a department of transportation, a public safety department, etc.). The elements of the system 100 may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware, firmware, and software.

[0018] The network 110 of the system 100 can be any type of network that facilitates communication between the components of the system 100. The network 110 can connect the locator module 120 and the camera 140 and / or GPS unit 150 of the system 100. Although the present invention shows the network 110 as a specific type of network, the present invention contemplates any suitable network. One or more parts of the network 110 can include an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, a 3G network, a 4G network, a 5G network, a long-term evolution (LTE) cellular network network, a combination of two or more of them, or other suitable types of networks. One or more parts of the network 110 can include one or more access (e.g., mobile access), core and / or edge networks. The network 110 can be any communication network, such as a private network, a public network, a connection through the Internet, a mobile network, a WI-FI network, a Bluetooth network, etc. The network 110 may include one or more network nodes. The network 110 may include cloud computing functionality. One or more components of the system 100 may communicate via the network 110. For example, the locator module 120 may communicate via the network 110, including receiving information from the camera 140 and / or the GPS unit 150.

[0019] The locator module 120 of the system 100 represents any suitable computing component that can be used to locate an object. The locator module 120 can be communicatively coupled to the camera 140 and / or the GPS unit 150 via the network 110. The locator module 120 controls the operation of the system 100. Figure 2 The locator module 120 is described in more detail in .

[0020] The vehicle 130 of the system 100 represents a vehicle (e.g., a van, a truck, a car, a rail car, etc.) that collects data. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, vehicle 130 is an automated track inspection vehicle (e.g., a track geometry vehicle) that travels along railroad track 180. Vehicle 180 can collect data associated with a railroad environment. For example, as vehicle 180 travels along railroad track 180, one or more components of vehicle 180 can collect imagery and / or sensor data associated with the railroad environment. The collected data can be used to locate objects in the railroad environment.

[0021] The camera 140 of the system 100 is any device that records visual images. The camera 140 may be a video camera, such as a digital video camera, a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, a mirrorless camera, a sports and action camera, etc. The camera 140 is physically connected to the vehicle 130. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the camera 140 is mounted on the top front end portion of the vehicle 130. The camera 140 is oriented so that the camera angle of view 142 of the camera 140 captures the physical object 160 and the track 180. As the vehicle 130 travels along the track 180, the camera 140 captures images of the physical object 160 and the track 180 (see, for example, FIG. Figure 3 The image 300 captured by the camera 140 depends on the camera perspective 142. The camera perspective 142 is affected by the position of the camera 140 relative to the vehicle 130 and / or the track 180. The camera 140 may transmit the generated image to the locator module 120 via the network 110.

[0022] The GPS unit 150 of the system 100 is any device that receives information from one or more GPS satellites and uses the received information to calculate the geographic location of the GPS unit 150. The GPS unit 150 may be a GPS tracking unit (e.g., a data logger, a data pusher, a data extractor, etc.) carried by the vehicle 130 that uses GPS to track the movement of the GPS unit 150 and determine the location of the GPS unit 150 at a particular point in time. The GPS unit 150 may include one or more GPS sensors, receivers, and / or antennas. The GPS unit 150 is physically connected to the vehicle 130. In Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the GPS unit 150 is mounted on the center roof of the vehicle 130. The GPS unit 150 may transmit one or more GPS locations of the GPS unit 150 to the locator module 120 via the network 110. Each GPS location may be represented by coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude coordinates) or any other suitable representation.

[0023] The physical objects 160 of the system 100 represent any physical objects associated with a railway environment. The railway environment is an area that includes one or more railway tracks 180. The physical objects 160 may be train control signals, switch points, crossings, milepost signs, speed signs, clearance points, etc. In some embodiments, the physical objects 160 represent PTC key assets. PTC is a functional requirement system that monitors and controls train operations.

[0024] The locator module 120 uses one or more images captured by the camera 140 and the GPS location captured by the GPS unit 150 to determine the geographic location of the physical object 160. The locator module 120 can determine the geographic location of the physical object 160 relative to the centerline of the railway track 180. The centerline of the railway track 180 is a line centered on the two outer tracks of the railway track 180. The locator module 120 can use the railway track centerline as a reference line for locating the physical object 160. In some embodiments, the locator module 120 detects an object (e.g., a representation of the physical object 160) in an image received from the camera 140 and determines an object point of interest (POI) in the object detected in the image. The object POI represents a specific point within the detected image object. The locator module 120 can map the object POI to the centerline of the railway track in the image (e.g., a representation of the railway track 180) to generate the POI. The POI represents the location of the physical object 160 converted to the centerline of the railway track 180.

[0025] The locator module 120 may determine a first distance 190 from the POI (corresponding to the location of the physical object 160 along the centerline of the track 180) to the camera 140. The locator module 120 determines the first distance 190 by counting the number of pixels from the POI of the image to the edge of the image. The edge of the image represents the location of the camera 140 (e.g., the location of the lens of the camera 140). The locator module 120 then converts the number of pixels into an equivalent distance using the camera view angle 142.

[0026] The locator module 120 may determine a second distance 192 from the camera 140 to the GPS unit 150. The second distance 192 depends on the relative positions of the camera 140 and the GPS unit 150. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the second distance 192 is a predetermined distance measured from the camera 140 attached to the front top of the vehicle 130 to the GPS unit 150 attached to the top center portion of the vehicle 130. In some embodiments, the second distance 192 is measured from the lens of the camera 140 to the antenna of the GPS unit 150. The second distance 192 can be approximately equal to half the length of the vehicle 130 (e.g., the geometric vehicle). For example, the second distance 192 can be between 200 and 230 inches (e.g., 216 inches).

[0027] The locator module 120 may add the first distance 190 to the second distance 192 to determine an offset distance 194. The offset distance 194 represents the distance from the location of the physical object 160 transposed to the centerline of the railroad track 180 to the GPS unit 150. Since the image of the physical object 160 and the GPS location of the GPS unit 150 are captured by the camera 140 and the GPS unit 150 at the same or approximately the same point in time, respectively, the GPS location may not accurately reflect the location of the physical object 160. The offset distance 194 illustrates the difference between the location of the physical object 160 and the GPS location of the GPS unit 150 at a specific point in time.

[0028] In operation, the locator module 120 receives a GPS position generated by a GPS unit 150 mounted on the vehicle 130 and an image generated by a camera 140 mounted on the vehicle 130. The GPS position and the image are captured at the same point in time. The locator module 120 detects an object in the image (e.g., a representation of a physical object 160) and determines an object POI in the detected image object. The locator module 120 maps the object POI to the centerline of a railway track in the image (e.g., a representation of a railway track 180) to generate the POI. The POI represents the location of the physical object 160 transposed to the centerline of the track 180. The locator module 120 determines the number of pixels from the POI of the image to the edge of the image. The locator module 120 determines a first distance 190 from the POI to the camera 140 using the number of pixels and the camera viewing angle 142, and determines a second distance 192 from the camera 140 to the GPS unit 150. The locator module 120 adds the first distance 190 to the second distance 192 to determine an offset distance 194. The locator module 120 modifies the GPS location based on the offset distance to determine the geographic POI location associated with the physical object 160. Figure 1 The system 100 can locate objects on or near a railway without manual measurement, which improves the safety and efficiency of locating objects.

[0029] although Figure 1 A specific number of networks 110, locator modules 120, vehicles 130, cameras 140, GPS units 150, and physical objects 160 are shown, but the present invention contemplates any suitable number of networks 110, locator modules 120, vehicles 130, cameras 140, GPS units 150, and physical objects 160. For example, Figure 1 The system 100 may include more than one camera 140 and / or GPS unit 150. Figure 1A particular arrangement of network 110, locator module 120, vehicle 130, camera 140, GPS unit 150, and physical object 160 is shown, but the present invention contemplates any suitable arrangement of network 110, locator module 120, vehicle 130, camera 140, GPS unit 150, and physical object 160. For example, GPS unit 150 may be mounted on the rear of vehicle 130. As another example, camera 140 and / or GPS unit 150 may be an integral part of vehicle 130. Figure 6 One or more components of system 100 are implemented by one or more components of a computer system. Figure 1 The system 100 can utilize one or more programs to perform one or more operations. For example, the locator module 120 can use a geographic information system (GIS), visualization software, an Internet service program, etc.

[0030] although Figure 1 The system 100 is described for locating objects in a railway environment, but one or more components of the system 100 may be applied to other implementations. For example, one or more components of the system 100 may be used to locate objects along roads, canals, trails, pipelines, etc.

[0031] Figure 2 Show that it can be Figure 1 An example system 200 for locating an object used by the system 100 of FIG. 200 or a portion thereof may be associated with an entity, which may include any entity that can locate an object, such as a business, a company (e.g., a railroad company, a transportation company, etc.), or a government agency (e.g., a department of transportation, a department of public safety, etc.). The elements of the system 200 may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware, firmware, and software. Figure 2 The system 200 includes a network 110, a locator module 120, a camera 140, and a GPS unit 150. The locator module 120 of the system 200 includes an interface 222, a memory 224, and a processor 226.

[0032] The interface 222 of the locator module 120 represents the ability to receive information from the network 110, transmit information through the network 110, perform appropriate processing of the information, and communicate with the network 110. Figure 2 The interface 222 represents any suitable computer element for communicating with other components of the system 200 (e.g., the camera 140 and the GPS unit 150), or any combination of the foregoing. The interface 222 represents any port or connection, whether real or virtual, including any suitable combination of hardware, firmware, and software, including protocol conversion and data processing capabilities, to communicate over a LAN, WAN, or other communication system that allows Figure 2 The system 200 exchanges information between components of the system 100 .

[0033] The memory 124 of the locator module 120 permanently and / or temporarily stores received and transmitted information, as well as system software, control software, other software for the locator module 120, and various other information. The memory 124 can store information for execution by the processor 126. The memory 124 includes any one or combination of volatile or non-volatile local or remote devices suitable for storing information. The memory 124 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, or any other suitable information storage device or combination of these devices. The memory 124 may include any appropriate information used in the operation of the locator module 120. In addition, the memory 124 may be a component external to the locator module 120 (or may be partially external to the locator module 120). The memory 124 may be located in any location suitable for the memory 124 to communicate with the locator module 120. In Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the memory 124 of the locator module 120 may store the data collection engine 230, the pixel engine 232, the locator engine 234, the comparison engine 236, and the database engine 250. In some embodiments, the data collection engine 230, the pixel engine 232, the locator engine 234, the comparison engine 236, and the database engine 250 may be located external to the memory 124 and / or the locator module 120.

[0034] The data collection engine 230 of the locator module 120 is an application that collects data from one or more components of the system 100. The data collection engine 230 may collect data from the GPS unit 150, the camera 140, an administrator, etc. The data collection engine 230 may receive one or more images 252 from the camera 140 of the system 200 via the network 110. The image 252 represents a view of the environment captured by the camera 140. Each image 252 may include physical objects and railroad tracks (e.g., Figure 1 The data collection engine 230 may receive one or more GPS locations 258 from the GPS unit 150. Each GPS location 258 may be represented by coordinates (e.g., latitude coordinates and longitude coordinates) or any other suitable representation. The data collection engine 230 may collect information related to the GPS unit 150. Figure 1 The data collection engine 230 may receive data associated with the direction of travel of the vehicle 130. For example, the data collection engine 230 may receive the direction of travel of the vehicle 130 (e.g., north or south) from an administrator, a motion sensor associated with the vehicle 130, or the like.

[0035] In some embodiments, the data collection engine 230 represents Figure 1 Detecting an object in an image 252 of a physical object 160 (e.g., Figure 3The data collection engine 230 determines an object POI 254 in the detected object of the image 252. The object POI 254 represents a specific reference point within the detected object of the image 252. The data collection engine 230 maps the object POI 254 to the railroad track in the image 252 (e.g., Figure 1 The center line of the railway track 180 is used to generate the POI 256. The POI 256 represents the location of the physical object 260 transposed to the center line of the railway track. Figure 3 The process of generating POI 256 for image 252 is described in more detail for image 300 in FIG. 10A . In some embodiments, rather than determining POI 256 , data collection engine 230 may receive image 252 from data collection engine 230 that includes POI 256 .

[0036] The pixel engine 232 of the locator module 120 is an application that analyzes the pixels of the image 252. The pixel engine 232 can receive the image 252 with the POI 256 from the data collection engine 230 and determine the number of pixels from the POI 256 of the image 252 to the edge of the image 252. The edge of the image 252 represents the location of the camera 140. The pixel engine 232 can convert each pixel from the POI 256 to the edge of the image 252 into an equivalent distance. Due to the different camera viewing angles, each pixel may be associated with a different distance. Figure 3 The process of converting pixels to distances is described in more detail for image 300.

[0037] The locator engine 234 of the locator module 120 is an application that determines the POI location 260 associated with the physical object 160. The locator engine 234 can use the number of pixels and the angle of the camera 140 (e.g., Figure 1 The locator engine 234 may determine a first distance 190 from the POI 256 to the camera 140 using a camera perspective 142. The locator engine 234 may determine a second distance 192 from the camera 140 to the GPS unit 150. The second distance 192 may be a predetermined distance based on the relative positions of the camera 140 and the GPS unit 150. The locator engine 234 may add the first distance 190 to the second distance 192 to determine an offset distance 194.

[0038] In some embodiments, the locator engine 234 receives the GPS location 258 from the data collection engine 230 and uses the GPS location 258, the offset distance 194, and Figure 1 The driving direction of the vehicle 130 is determined by Figure 1The POI location 260 associated with the physical object 160. For example, the locator engine 234 can receive the GPS location 258 from the data collection engine 230 represented by longitude and latitude coordinates (e.g., N38 03.9325, W9718.7658) or any other suitable representation. The locator engine 234 can receive the GPS location 258 from the data collection engine 230. Figure 1 The locator engine 234 can adjust the GPS location 258 to account for the offset distance 194 (e.g., 39.2 feet) and the direction of travel, thereby generating a POI location 260 (e.g., latitude = 38.06555556, longitude = -97.312778). The POI location 260 indicates Figure 1 The geographic location of the physical object 160 is converted to Figure 1 The centerline of the railroad track 180. In certain embodiments, the physical object 160 is a PTC critical asset.

[0039] In some embodiments, a program external to the system 200 (e.g., a web service and / or cloud service program) can perform one or more determinations for the locator engine 234. For example, a user (e.g., an administrator of the system 200) can input the GPS location 258, the offset distance 194, and the driving directions into the external program, and the web service program can generate the POI location 260.

[0040] The comparison engine 236 of the locator module 120 is used to compare Figure 1 The comparison engine 236 may compare the POI location 260 with the field location 262 associated with the physical object 160. The field location 262 is a location determined by field measurements. The comparison engine 236 may determine whether the POI location 260 and the field location 262 are within a predetermined distance of each other. The predetermined distance may be a distance less than or equal to twenty feet (e.g., one foot, three feet, or ten feet). The predetermined distance may be determined based on one or more requirements (e.g., audit requirements). In the case where the comparison engine 236 determines that the POI location 260 and the field location 262 are within the predetermined distance of each other, the comparison engine 236 may generate an indication that the location of the physical object 160 complies with one or more requirements (e.g., PTC compliance requirements). In the case where the comparison engine 236 determines that the interval between the POI location 260 and the field location 262 exceeds the predetermined distance, the comparison engine 236 may generate an indication that the location of the physical object 160 does not comply with one or more requirements. For example, the comparison engine 236 may apply a defect to the physical object 160.

[0041] In some embodiments, the comparison engine 236 can generate a report indicating which physical objects 160 are defective and / or which physical objects 160 are compliant. In some embodiments, the comparison engine 236 can generate instructions in response to determining that one or more physical objects 160 are defective or compliant. The instructions can include actions to be taken, such as performing one or more field measurements on all defective physical objects 160.

[0042] The database 250 of the locator module 120 may store certain types of information of the locator module 120. For example, the database 250 may store one or more images 252, object POIs 254, POIs 256, GPS locations 258, POI locations 260, first distances 190, second distances 192, offset distances 194, and field locations 262. The database 250 may be any one or combination of volatile or non-volatile local or remote devices suitable for storing information. The database 250 may include RAM, ROM, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, or any other suitable information storage device or combination of these devices. The database 250 may be a component external to the locator module 120. The database 250 may be located in any location suitable for the database 250 to store information of the locator module 120. For example, the database 250 may be located in a cloud environment.

[0043] The processor 226 of the locator module 120 controls certain operations of the locator module 120 by processing information received from the interface 222 and the memory 224 or information otherwise accessed by the processor 226. The processor 226 is communicatively coupled to the interface 222 and the memory 224. The processor 226 may include any hardware and / or software for controlling and processing information. The processor 226 may be a programmable logic device, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, any suitable processing device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In addition, the processor 226 may be a component external to the locator module 120. The processor 226 may be located at any position suitable for the processor 226 to communicate with the locator module 120. The processor 226 of the locator module 120 controls the operation of the data collection engine 230, the pixel engine 232, the locator engine 234, and the comparison engine 236.

[0044] The camera 140 of the system 200 captures an image 252 of one or more physical objects. For example, the camera 140 of the system 200 may be attached to the front end of a geometric vehicle traveling along a railroad track and may capture an image 252 of a physical object in a railroad environment associated with the railroad track. The GPS unit 150 of the system 200 captures one or more GPS locations 258. For example, the GPS unit 150 may be attached to the center portion of a geometric vehicle traveling along a railroad track and capture the GPS location 258 of the GPS unit 150 when the camera 140 captures the image 252. The camera 140 and the GPS unit 150 transmit the image 252 and the GPS location 258 to the locator module 120 via the network 110, and the locator module 120 determines a POI location 260 associated with the physical object using the data collection engine 230, the pixel engine 232, and / or the locator engine 234. The locator module 120 may then compare the POI location with the live location 262 using the comparison engine 236. Thus, the system 200 may be used to verify the location of physical objects (eg, PTC critical assets) within a railway environment.

[0045] although Figure 2 A particular arrangement of the network 110, locator module 120, interface 222, memory 224, processor 226, data collection engine 230, pixel engine 232, locator engine 234, comparison engine 236, database 250, camera 140, and GPS unit 150 is shown, but the present invention contemplates any suitable arrangement of the network 110, locator module 120, interface 222, memory 224, processor 226, data collection engine 230, pixel engine 232, locator engine 234, comparison engine 236, database 250, camera 140, and GPS unit 150. The network 110, locator module 120, interface 222, memory 224, processor 226, data collection engine 230, pixel engine 232, locator engine 234, comparison engine 236, database 250, camera 140, and GPS unit 150 may all or partly physically or logically co-exist with one another.

[0046] Figure 3 Show that it can be Figure 1 and Figure 2 An example image 300 is used by the system. The image 300 may represent Figure 2 One or more images 252. The image 300 may be composed of Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 The image 300 includes an object 310. The object 310 is captured by the camera 140. Figure 1 A representation of a physical object 160. Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, object 310 is a graphical representation of a milestone. Image 300 includes railroad track 320. Railroad track 320 is Figure 1 The railroad track 320 in the image 300 includes two rails. The centerline 330 of the railroad track 320 is a reference line that is located in the center between the two outer rails of the railroad track 320.

[0047] Figure 3 The image 300 includes an object POI 340. The object POI 340 may represent Figure 2 The object POI 254 of the system 200. The object POI 340 is a specific reference point within the object 310 of the image 300. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, object POI 340 is located at the bottom of object 310. Image 300 includes POI 350. POI 350 may represent Figure 2 350 represents the location of the object POI 340, which is displaced from the centerline 330 of the railroad track 320 by a distance 360. The distance 360 ​​may be measured vertically from the centerline 330 of the railroad track 320 to the object POI 340. The distance 360 ​​may be measured horizontally from the POI 350 to the object POI 340 relative to an edge of the image 300 (e.g., image edge 370).

[0048] Image 300 has horizontal and vertical measurements expressed in pixels. Each pixel of image 300 is a programmable color unit in image 300. The pixel size of image 300 is expressed as a number of pixels in the horizontal direction and a number of pixels in the vertical direction, which define the resolution of image 300. Each pixel can be converted to a linear distance. The pixel conversion can depend on the camera viewing angle (e.g., Figure 1 The camera perspective 142) is such that each pixel corresponds to a different distance.

[0049] Figure 3 Image edge 370 represents the outer boundary of image 300. Image edge 370 may correspond to Figure 1 The position of the camera 140 is such that the distance 380 from the POI 350 to the image edge 370 represents the distance from the POI 350 to Figure 1320 (e.g., the lens of camera 140). Distance 380 can be measured vertically from image edge 370 to POI 350. Distance 360 ​​from image edge 370 to POI 350 can be measured along centerline 330 of railroad track 320. Distance 380 can be expressed as a number of pixels n, where n represents any suitable integer (e.g., 200 pixels). The number of pixels can be converted to a linear measurement (e.g., 254.63 inches or 21.2 feet). Linear measurements can be represented by any suitable measurement (e.g., inches, feet, meters, centimeters, etc.). Therefore, Figure 3 The image 300 can be used to determine the distance from the POI 350 to Figure 1 The distance 380 of the camera 140 (eg, Figure 1 The first distance 190) is determined without on-site measurement, which can improve the efficiency and accuracy of locating objects in an environment.

[0050] Can Figure 3 The image 300 shown may be modified, added, or omitted. For example, the image 300 may include more or less than two railroad tracks. As another example, the image 300 may include more than one object 310. Figure 3 The image 300 of FIG. 300 shows a particular arrangement of the object 310 and the track 320 , but the present invention contemplates any suitable arrangement of the object 310 and the track 320 . For example, the object 310 may be located on the other side of the track 320 .

[0051] Figure 4 Show that it can be Figure 1 The system 100 and / or Figure 2 The example output 400 generated by the system 200. Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, output 400 is represented by a screen shot. Output 400 includes railroad track 410, railroad track 420, GPS input 430, offset input 440, position output 450, and position output 460. Railroad track 410 and railroad track 420 represent center lines of adjacent railroad tracks in a railroad environment.

[0052] Figure 4 The GPS input 430 represents a GPS location (e.g., Figure 2 The GPS location 258) can be input by a device installed in the vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 A GPS unit (e.g., Figure 1 GPS unit 150). When the camera (e.g. Figure 1 The camera 140 captures physical objects in the railway environment (e.g. Figure 1When an image of a physical object 160 is captured, a GPS location can be captured. GPS input 430 is represented as a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate. In some embodiments, an administrator (e.g., a railroad engineer) can enter GPS input 430 into a program (e.g., a web service program). Figure 4 As shown in output 400 of FIG. 4 , GPS input 430 is located relative to railroad track 410. In some embodiments, railroad track 410 is selected instead of railroad track 420 because the GPS location of GPS input 430 is closer to railroad track 410 than railroad track 420.

[0053] Figure 4 The offset input 440 represents the input of an offset distance (e.g., Figure 1 An offset distance 194) as measured between a physical object captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle and a GPS unit mounted on the vehicle. An offset input 440 is used to modify the GPS input 430 to account for the offset distance. Figure 4 As shown in output 400 of , a circle is generated around the intersection of GPS input 430 and railroad track 410. The radius of the circle is equal to the offset distance. Position output 450 represents the distance from GPS input 430 to offset distance 194 in a first direction (e.g., east) along railroad track 410. Position output 460 represents the distance from GPS input 430 to offset distance 194 in a second direction along railroad track 410. If the train is traveling in the first direction (e.g., east), position output 450 is selected as the POI location associated with the physical object (e.g., Figure 2 If the train is traveling in a second direction (e.g., west), the location output 460 is selected as the POI location associated with the physical object.

[0054] Can Figure 4 The output 400 shown may be modified, added, or omitted. For example, the output 400 may include more or less than two railroad tracks. As another example, the output 400 may include more or less than two location outputs. As yet another example, the output 400 may include a value (e.g., a numeric or alphanumeric value) representing the GPS input 430, the offset input 440, the location output 450, and / or the location output 450.

[0055] Figure 5 An example method 500 for locating an object is shown. The method 500 begins at step 505. At step 510, a locator module (e.g., Figure 2 The locator module 120 receives a signal from a vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 A GPS unit (e.g., Figure 1The GPS unit 150 of the present invention may generate a GPS position. The GPS device may be attached to a central portion of the roof of the vehicle. The vehicle may be a geometric vehicle traveling along a railway track of a railway environment. The GPS position may be represented by latitude and longitude coordinates (e.g., N38 03.9325, W97 18.7658) or any other suitable representation. Then, the method 500 moves from step 510 to step 515.

[0056] In step 515, the locator module receives a signal from a camera associated with the vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 The image generated by the camera 140 (e.g., Figure 3 The camera may be mounted on the front top of the vehicle. The image may be an image of the railway environment captured from the front end of the vehicle. The method 500 then moves from step 515 to step 520. In step 520, the locator module detects an object in the image. The object may represent a physical object in the railway environment (e.g., Figure 1 The physical object 160 in the example of FIG. 5 , such as a train control signal, a switch point, an intersection, a milestone sign, a speed sign, a customs clearance point, etc. In some embodiments, the object represents a PTC key asset. Then, the method 500 moves from step 520 to step 525.

[0057] In step 525, the locator module determines an object POI in the detected image object. An object POI is a specific point within an object. For example, an object POI can be a specific point at the bottom of a milestone sign. The method 500 then moves from step 525 to step 530, where the locator module maps the object POI to the centerline of the railroad track in the image to generate a POI. The POI represents the location where the physical object is transferred to the centerline of the railroad track. The method 500 then moves from step 530 to step 535.

[0058] In step 535, the locator module determines the number of pixels from the POI of the image to the edge of the image. The edge of the image represents the location of the camera. The locator module can convert the number of pixels into a linear distance. The method 500 then moves from step 535 to step 540, where the locator module uses the number of pixels and the camera angle (e.g., Figure 1 The camera perspective 142) determines a first distance from the POI to the camera (eg, Figure 1 The method 500 then moves from step 540 to step 545.

[0059] In step 545, the locator module determines a second distance from the camera to the GPS unit (eg, Figure 1 The second distance 192 can be a predetermined distance between the location of the camera mounted on the vehicle and the location of the GPS unit mounted on the vehicle. The second distance can be expressed as a linear horizontal distance measured along the centerline of the railroad track (e.g., 18 feet). The linear horizontal distance can be expressed by any suitable measurement (e.g., inches, feet, meters, centimeters, etc.). The method 500 then moves from step 545 to step 550, where the locator module adds the first distance to the second distance to determine an offset distance from the POI to the GPS unit (e.g., Figure 1 The offset distance 194 is represented by the offset distance 194. The offset distance can be expressed as a linear horizontal distance measured along the centerline of the railroad track (e.g., 39.2 feet). The linear horizontal distance can be represented by any suitable measurement (e.g., inches, feet, meters, centimeters, etc.). Then, the method 500 moves from step 550 to step 555.

[0060] In step 555, the locator module determines the direction of travel of the vehicle along the railroad track (e.g., east or west) when the GPS location and image were captured. The method 500 then moves from step 555 to step 560, where the locator module uses the GPS location, the offset distance, and the direction of travel of the vehicle to determine a POI location associated with the physical object. For example, the locator module can modify the GPS location (e.g., N3803.9325, W97 18.7658) by the offset distance (e.g., 39.2 feet) and the direction of travel of the vehicle (e.g., east) to generate a geographic POI location (e.g., latitude = 38.06555556, longitude = -97.312778). The geographic POI location can be represented by any suitable representation. The method 500 then moves from step 560 to step 565.

[0061] In step 565, the locator module compares the POI location with the field location (e.g., Figure 2 The field location 262) is compared. The field location represents the location of the physical object measured in the field. The method 500 then moves from step 565 to step 570, where the locator module determines whether the interval between the POI location and the field location exceeds a predetermined distance (e.g., three feet). If the locator module determines that the interval between the POI location and the field location exceeds the predetermined distance, the method 500 moves from step 570 to step 575, where the locator module applies a defect to the physical object. If the locator module determines that the interval between the POI location and the field location does not exceed the predetermined distance, the method 500 moves from step 570 to step 580, where the locator module verifies the location of the physical object. The method 500 then moves from steps 575, 580 to step 585, where the method 500 ends.

[0062] Can Figure 5 Method 500 may include more, fewer, or other steps. For example, as described above, method 500 may include generating a report in response to applying a defect to a physical object at step 575 and / or in response to verifying the location of the physical object at step 580. These steps may be performed in parallel or in any suitable order. Although discussed as specific components that perform the steps of method 500, any suitable component may perform any of the steps of method 500. For example, in step 560, the network service may determine the geographic location of the POI.

[0063] Figure 6 An example computer system is shown that can be used by the systems and methods described herein. For example, Figure 1 The network 110, the locator module 120, the camera 140 and / or the GPS unit 150 may include one or more interfaces 610, processing circuits 620, memory 630 and / or other suitable components. The interface 610 (e.g., Figure 2 Interface 610 may include hardware and / or software.

[0064] Processing circuit 620 (eg, Figure 2 The processor 226 of the processing circuit 620 performs or manages the operation of the component. The processing circuit 620 may include hardware and / or software. Examples of processing circuits include one or more computers, one or more microprocessors, one or more applications, etc. In some embodiments, the processing circuit 620 executes logic (e.g., instructions) to perform actions (e.g., operations), such as generating outputs from inputs. The logic performed by the processing circuit 620 may be encoded in one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media (e.g., memory 630). For example, the logic may include a computer program, software, computer-executable instructions, and / or instructions that can be executed by a computer. In a particular embodiment, the operation of the embodiment may be performed by one or more computer-readable media that stores, implements and / or encodes a computer program and / or has a stored and / or encoded computer program.

[0065] The memory 630 (or memory unit) stores information. The memory 630 (e.g., Figure 2The memory 224 may include one or more non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable and / or computer-executable storage media. Examples of memory 630 include computer memory (e.g., RAM or ROM), mass storage media (e.g., hard disk), removable storage media (e.g., compact disk (CD) or digital video disk (DVD)), database and / or network storage (e.g., server), and / or other computer-readable media.

[0066] Here, the computer-readable non-transitory storage medium may include one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits (ICs) (e.g., field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or application-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid hard disk drives (HHDs), optical disks, optical disk drives (ODSs), magneto-optical disks, magneto-optical disk drives, floppy disks, floppy disk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid-state drives (SSDs), RAM drives, secure digital cards or drives, any other suitable computer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitable combination of two or more thereof. Where appropriate, the computer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile, non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile.

[0067] Unless expressly stated otherwise or the context indicates otherwise, "or" herein is inclusive and not exclusive. Thus, as used herein, "A or B" means "A, B, or both," unless expressly stated otherwise or the context indicates otherwise. Additionally, "and" is conjunctive, unless expressly stated otherwise or the context indicates otherwise. Thus, as used herein, "A and B" means "A and B, jointly or severally," unless expressly stated otherwise or the context indicates otherwise.

[0068] The scope of the present invention encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations and modifications to the exemplary embodiments described or illustrated herein that will be understood by a person skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein or shown in the drawings. In addition, although the present disclosure describes and illustrates various embodiments herein, including specific components, elements, features, functions, operations or steps, any of these embodiments may include any combination or arrangement of any components, elements, features, functions, operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere herein that will be understood by a person skilled in the art. In addition, in the appended claims, references to devices or systems or parts of devices or systems, which are suitable for being arranged, configured, operable or operable to perform specific functions, include the devices, systems, components, whether or not they or the specific functions are activated, turned on or unlocked, as long as the devices, systems or components are so adjusted, arranged, enabled, configured, enabled, operable or operable. In addition, although the present invention describes or illustrates specific embodiments as providing specific advantages, specific embodiments may not provide these advantages, some advantages or all advantages.

Claims

1. A method for locating an object, characterized in that The following steps are involved: receiving an image generated by a camera connected to a vehicle, wherein the image includes a point of interest (POI) associated with a physical object; detecting an object in the image that corresponds to the physical object; determining an object POI in the detected object of the image; mapping the object POI to a centerline of a railway track in the image to generate the POI associated with the physical object; determining the number of pixels from the POI of the image to an outer boundary of the image along the centerline of the railroad track in the image, wherein the outer boundary of the image represents the position of the camera; as well as Determining an offset distance from the POI to a global positioning system (GPS) unit connected to the vehicle using the number of pixels, wherein determining the offset distance using the number of pixels includes converting each pixel in the number of pixels into a distance, each pixel in the number of pixels being associated with a different distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The following steps are also included: receiving a GPS location generated by the GPS unit associated with the vehicle, wherein the GPS location is represented by latitude and longitude coordinates; determining a direction of travel of the vehicle along a railway track, wherein the vehicle is a track geometry vehicle; as well as A POI location associated with the physical object is determined using the GPS location, the offset distance, and the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the POI location is represented by latitude and longitude coordinates.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The following steps are also included: comparing a POI location associated with the physical object and a field measured location associated with the physical object; determining that a separation between the POI location and the on-site measurement location exceeds a predetermined distance; as well as In response to determining that the separation between the POI location and the field measurement location exceeds a predetermined distance, applying an indication to the physical object, the indication indicating that the field measurement location does not meet one or more requirements.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The physical object represents at least one of the following positive train control key assets: Train control signals; Switching point; Intersection; Milestone markers; Speed ​​signs; and Customs clearance point.

5. A system for locating an object, characterized in that: The invention comprises one or more processors and a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including: receiving an image generated by a camera connected to a vehicle, wherein the image includes a point of interest (POI) associated with a physical object; detecting an object in the image that corresponds to the physical object; determining an object POI in the detected object of the image; mapping the object POI to a centerline of a railway track in the image to generate the POI associated with the physical object; determining the number of pixels from the POI of the image to an outer boundary of the image along the centerline of the railroad track in the image, wherein the outer boundary of the image represents the position of the camera; as well as Determining an offset distance from the POI to a global positioning system (GPS) unit connected to the vehicle using the number of pixels, wherein determining the offset distance using the number of pixels includes converting each pixel in the number of pixels into a distance, each pixel in the number of pixels being associated with a different distance.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that The operations also include the following: receiving a GPS location generated by the GPS unit associated with the vehicle, wherein the GPS location is represented by latitude and longitude coordinates; determining a direction of travel of the vehicle along a railway track, wherein the vehicle is a track geometry vehicle; as well as A POI location associated with the physical object is determined using the GPS location, the offset distance, and the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the POI location is represented by latitude and longitude coordinates.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that The operations also include the following: comparing a POI location associated with the physical object and a field measured location associated with the physical object; determining that a separation between the POI location and the on-site measurement location exceeds a predetermined distance; as well as In response to determining that the separation between the POI location and the field measurement location exceeds a predetermined distance, applying an indication to the physical object, the indication indicating that the field measurement location does not meet one or more requirements.

8. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that The physical object represents at least one of the following positive train control key assets: Train control signals; Switching point; Intersection; Milestone markers; Speed ​​signs; and Customs clearance point.

9. One or more computer-readable storage media, characterized in that: Contains instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including: receiving an image generated by a camera connected to a vehicle, wherein the image includes a point of interest (POI) associated with a physical object; detecting an object in the image that corresponds to the physical object; determining an object POI in the detected object of the image; mapping the object POI to a centerline of a railway track in the image to generate the POI associated with the physical object; determining the number of pixels from the POI of the image to an outer boundary of the image along the centerline of the railroad track in the image, wherein the outer boundary of the image represents the position of the camera; as well as Determining an offset distance from the POI to a global positioning system (GPS) unit connected to the vehicle using the number of pixels, wherein determining the offset distance using the number of pixels includes converting each pixel in the number of pixels into a distance, each pixel in the number of pixels being associated with a different distance.

10. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 9, characterized in that: The operations also include the following: receiving a GPS location generated by the GPS unit associated with the vehicle, wherein the GPS location is represented by latitude and longitude coordinates; determining a direction of travel of the vehicle along a railway track, wherein the vehicle is a track geometry vehicle; as well as A POI location associated with the physical object is determined using the GPS location, the offset distance, and the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the POI location is represented by latitude and longitude coordinates.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 10, characterized in that: The operations also include the following: comparing a POI location associated with the physical object and a field measured location associated with the physical object; determining that a separation between the POI location and the on-site measurement location exceeds a predetermined distance; as well as In response to determining that the separation between the POI location and the field measurement location exceeds a predetermined distance, applying an indication to the physical object, the indication indicating that the field measurement location does not meet one or more requirements.

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