Rail Vehicle Visual Sensing for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rail vehicle systems are prone to collisions due to limited communication between vehicles and servers, leading to potential damage when communication is delayed or obstacles appear on the rail.
Innovation Solution
A rail vehicle system equipped with a visual sensing device that includes an image capture module, a laser emitting module, and a laser receiving module, which continuously captures images and emits laser beams to detect obstacles, allowing the processing device to adjust travel speed and direction in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rail vehicles communicate only with the server and not with each other, then the system control structure is simple and centralized, but the rail vehicles are prone to collision when communication is delayed or obstacles appear
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized server-based control system is segmented into distributed units where each rail vehicle is equipped with an independent processing device and visual sensing device. This allows each vehicle to autonomously detect obstacles and adjust its travel, eliminating the single point of failure (server communication delays) while maintaining system simplicity through modular deployment of sensing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual sensing device continuously captures images and the processing device pre-processes this data to detect obstacles before they become critical threats. By performing preliminary detection and analysis onboard each vehicle, the system proactively identifies potential collision risks and takes preventive action without waiting for server communication or reactions from other vehicles.
2Reliability
If the server determines all travel instructions for all rail vehicles, then the system has centralized control for coordination, but communication delays cause collision risks
Solution Approach 1:
Each rail vehicle is equipped with self-service capabilities through onboard processing devices that independently analyze visual sensing data and determine travel adjustments. This eliminates dependency on server communication for real-time safety decisions, allowing each vehicle to serve its own safety needs autonomously while the server maintains overall coordination for non-critical functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local feedback loops where each rail vehicle's processing device continuously receives visual sensing data, analyzes it in real-time, and adjusts travel parameters accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism operates independently of server communication delays, ensuring immediate response to obstacles while the server provides supplementary coordination feedback.
3Reliability
If visual sensing devices are added to each rail vehicle for real-time obstacle detection, then collision prevention capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The visual sensing device and processing unit are designed as universal multi-functional modules that can be deployed on any rail vehicle in the system. These modules serve multiple purposes: obstacle detection, distance measurement, travel adjustment, and potential communication with other vehicles. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by using standardized components rather than specialized equipment for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical communication and coordination systems with optical-based visual sensing and electronic image processing. Instead of mechanical interlocks or complex radio communication protocols between vehicles, the system uses cameras and image analysis to detect obstacles and determine appropriate travel adjustments, simplifying the physical infrastructure while enhancing reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prevents collisions between rail vehicles and obstacles by enabling real-time adjustments based on visual and laser sensing data, even in situations with poor communication between vehicles and servers.
Implementation Method 1
The laser emitting module is disposed on the vehicle body. The laser emitting module is disposed near the image capture module, and the laser emitting module is configured to emit a laser beam toward one side of the vehicle body.
Implementation Method 2
The laser receiving module is disposed on the vehicle body. The laser receiving module is disposed near the image capture module. The laser receiving module is configured to receive the laser beam reflected by an object that is located at one side of the vehicle body
Data Source
AI summary
A rail vehicle system, a rail vehicle, and a visual sensing device are provided. The rail vehicle system includes a system control device, a rail, and a rail vehicle. The rail vehicle includes a processing device and the visual sensing device. In a process where the rail vehicle travels along the rail, the visual sensing device captures images in front of the rail vehicle, and the visual sensing device emits a laser beam toward a front side of the rail vehicle. The visual sensing device receives the reflected laser beam to generate a laser sensing data. The processing device determines whether or not to change at least one of a travel direction and a travel speed of the rail vehicle according to the images captured by the visual sensing device and the laser sensing data.