Locomotive Speed Determination Using Onboard Image Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle speed determination systems often require redundant sensors, which increase costs and may not provide accurate or reliable speed measurements, especially in scenarios like positive train control systems where redundancy is mandated.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle speed determination system that uses onboard analysis processors to analyze image data from a camera to calculate speed based on differences in image features over time, providing a redundant and accurate measurement without the need for additional sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant speed sensors are installed to meet government regulations, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system originally designed for visual recording is made multi-functional by adding speed determination capability. The same camera hardware serves both its original purpose and the new function of calculating vehicle speed through image analysis, eliminating the need for dedicated redundant speed sensors
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical redundant speed sensors, the system creates a virtual copy of speed measurement functionality through image processing. The camera captures visual information that is then processed to generate speed data, effectively copying the speed measurement function from traditional sensors to an optical-based system
2Measurement precision
If traditional speed sensors are used, then speed measurement is achieved, but accuracy is insufficient especially when sensors are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces image data as an intermediary between the vehicle's motion and the speed measurement. Instead of directly measuring speed through sensors, the camera captures intermediate visual information that is then processed to derive accurate speed data, providing a more reliable measurement pathway
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical speed sensors with an optical-based system. The camera captures optical information from the environment, and image processing algorithms convert this optical data into speed measurements, substituting the mechanical sensing approach with an optical-computational approach that offers superior accuracy and reliability
3Measurement precision
If GPS-based systems are used for speed determination, then basic speed data is obtained, but accuracy is insufficient compared to image-based methods
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from the temporal dimension used by GPS (measuring position changes over time) to the spatial dimension (analyzing visual features and their movement across image frames). This dimensional shift allows for more precise speed determination by directly observing spatial displacement of visual features rather than inferring it from sequential position data
Data Source
AI summary
A locomotive speed determination system and method receive image data of a field of view of a camera operably disposed onboard a locomotive. A speed and/or heading of the locomotive are determined as the vehicle is moving based at least in part on one or more differences in the image data. In one aspect, pixel intensities in different images or frames may be examined to identify one or more features of interest in the images or frames. Movement of the one or more features of interest in the images or frames is correlated to movement of the locomotive along the route, and the time difference between when the images or frames are obtained can be used to determine the locomotive speed.