Locomotive Event Recorder Synchronization via Common Time Source
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing event recorders for mobile vehicles lack the capability to easily synchronize and display multiple types of data, such as video, GPS, and operational data, on a common platform, leading to inaccuracies in accident investigations and insurance assessments.
Innovation Solution
An event recorder playback system with a controller that synchronizes recorded data using tagged metadata, allowing for coordinated animation and display of video, GPS map, and operational data on a user console, enabling precise analysis of locomotive events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple types of data (video, GPS, operational data) are recorded separately with different time sources, then comprehensive event data is captured, but synchronization accuracy deteriorates and investigation reliability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple data sources (video, GPS, operational sensors) into a unified playback system with a common time source. The controller synchronizes all data types to a single reference clock, eliminating the need for complex post-hoc stitching and ensuring accurate temporal relationships between different event data streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The event recorder is designed as a universal platform that handles multiple data types through a single synchronized system. The controller performs multiple functions: recording various data streams, synchronizing them to a common time source, and coordinating their simultaneous playback, replacing the need for separate specialized systems.
2Loss of information
If complex software is used to stitch together different data types after recording, then comprehensive event reconstruction is achieved, but system complexity increases and processing time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs synchronization in advance during the recording phase by using a common time source for all data streams. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex post-processing stitching operations, as data is already time-aligned when stored, requiring only simple retrieval and playback.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate time sources are used for different data types, then data independence is maintained, but coordination difficulty increases and animation synchronization becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The controller merges the time-keeping function into a single common time source that serves all data streams. This unified time reference allows independent data collection while ensuring automatic temporal coordination during playback, eliminating the need for manual synchronization of animations across different data types.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method includes enabling a user of event recorder playback software to select a past time segment of recorded locomotive event data. The method includes presenting recorded video data recorded by one or more cameras on the locomotive during the past time segment, presenting recorded GPS map data indicative of the geographical position of the locomotive during the past time segment, and presenting recorded locomotive operational data recorded during the past time segment. The presentations of recorded video data, recorded GPS map data, and recorded locomotive operational data are synchronized based on a common attribute associated with all of the recorded data. Implementation of a select animation process to one or more of the presentations of recorded data results in the simultaneous implementation of the same select animation process to another of the presentations of recorded data.