US20060076461A1 - System and method for self powered wayside railway signaling and sensing - Google Patents
System and method for self powered wayside railway signaling and sensing Download PDFInfo
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- US20060076461A1 US20060076461A1 US10/962,328 US96232804A US2006076461A1 US 20060076461 A1 US20060076461 A1 US 20060076461A1 US 96232804 A US96232804 A US 96232804A US 2006076461 A1 US2006076461 A1 US 2006076461A1
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61K—AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RAILWAYS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B61K9/00—Railway vehicle profile gauges; Detecting or indicating overheating of components; Apparatus on locomotives or cars to indicate bad track sections; General design of track recording vehicles
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- This invention relates to a wayside sensor for railroads. More particularly this invention relates to a system for the reading of a sensor, processing the sensor output data and communicating the data in a wireless manner through the use of a power scavenging module.
- Wayside sensors for railroad operations perform a variety of functions. Because wires must be run to each sensor for communication and electrical power, this results in significant installation costs and maintenance costs as well as reliability concerns.
- a system for generating local power on railroad includes a power scavenging module and a power utilizing module.
- the power scavenging module is configured to convert an excitation of a rail into electrical power.
- the power utilizing module is powered by the electrical power and is configured to detect a predetermined characteristic in relation to the rail or a train moving on the rail or an environment of the railroad and to communicate data in relation to the predetermined characteristic.
- a method for generating local power on railroad.
- the method includes generating power from an excitation of a rail and energizing a power utilizing module using the power to detect a predetermined characteristic in relation to the rail or a train moving on the rail or an environment of the railroad and communicate data in relation to the predetermined characteristic.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a railroad signaling system constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention that includes a power scavenging module, a sensor module, a signal conditioning module and an output module for data communication.
- FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a railroad signaling system constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention that includes a power scavenging module, a sensor module, a signal conditioning module and an output module for data communication and
- FIG. 3 illustrates a method for railroad signaling in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a railroad signaling system 10 constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention that includes a power scavenging module 12 , a sensor module 14 , a signal conditioning module 16 and an output module 18 .
- power scavenging module 12 , sensor module 14 , signal conditioning module 16 and output module 18 are depicted as four different components. In other embodiments, however, these components can be combined into one or more integrated signaling system(s).
- the principles of the invention are not limited to only railroad systems.
- One of ordinary skill will recognize that other embodiments of the invention are suited for other types of detection systems, for example, systems to detect flaws in various types of rails used for track guided vehicles that are generally installed at amusement parks and rails used for tramways.
- the rail deflects in a downward motion as a result of this force.
- the rail deflects upward due to bending of the rail between wheels. This motion typically occurs at low frequency (0.1-10 Hz).
- Considerable rail vibration is also induced at higher frequency (>10 Hz) in both horizontal and vertical directions due to the passing train.
- the power scavenging module 12 utilizes one or both of the low and high frequency motions of the rail to generate electrical charge and a resultant voltage differential across its two output nodes.
- the voltage is tapped using contacts to power other systems that are electrically coupled to the output nodes of the power scavenging module 12 .
- the power scavenging module 12 and a power utilizing module together complete an electrical circuit that receives and conducts the current resulting from the power scavenging module 12 .
- the power utilizing module is the sensor module 14 that senses various operational parameters in relation to integrity of the rail and the train.
- the power utilizing module is the signal conditioning module 16 that receives the output signals from the sensor module 14 and then converts these signals into digital form for further analysis and storage.
- the power utilizing module is the output module 18 that receives conditioned signals from the signal conditioning module 16 and then communicates the resulting data to a control unit.
- FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a railroad signaling system 10 constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
- Power scavenging module 12 typically includes a transducer 44 , a power conditioning circuit 46 and a power storage system 48 .
- a transducer is a system that converts energy from one input form to another output form.
- the input excitation for the transducer 44 is a vibration or a displacement of the rail as a train passes over that and the output is electrical energy.
- transducer 44 includes a vibrating device that is made of piezoelectric material. Typically, piezoelectric materials deform due to the application of a physical force and the mechanical energy of this deformation is converted into electrical energy. This phenomenon is known in the art as ‘piezoelectric effect.’
- the power producing piezoelectric transducer 88 is attached to the rail 28 of FIG. 1 either directly, or via an intermediate mechanical device used to amplify the effects of the rail vibration provided by a passing train. As a result of the force from the passing trains, electrical charges are generated across the two output nodes of the piezoelectric transducer 88 . Converting the output electrical energy of the piezoelectric transducer 88 into useful electric power typically requires several steps. In one embodiment, the output electrical energy of the piezoelectric transducer 88 is transformed into a DC voltage and a current in a power conditioning circuit 46 comprising a rectifier 96 and a regulator 98 . The regulated DC output of the power conditioning circuit 46 is temporarily stored in a storage system 48 and then used by the sensor module 14 , the signal conditioning module 16 or the output module 18 .
- the mechanical, electrical, physical and other properties of a particular piezoelectric transducer 88 determine the amount of electrical charge that is generated in response to a given applied force.
- the polarity of the generated charge on the other hand depends on whether the element is under compression or tension as a result of the externally applied force.
- the amount of electrical charge generated and the impedance of the external system that uses the power affect the voltages developed at the contacts, leads and nodes of the power scavenging module 12 .
- the stressing of the piezoelectric transducer 88 is done by subjecting the piezoelectric transducer 88 to a force or a stress or a strain in a single, multiple or other impulsive manner or in a cyclical or other repetitive manner. This is done either at a constant frequency or any other frequency or range of frequencies found to be desirable. If efficiency of energy harvesting device depends upon resonant quality factor that may vary with ambient temperature, a temperature compensated flexural mode structure may be incorporated to retain a high quality factor independent of temperature.
- the piezoelectric transducer 88 is configured based on a cantilever design and specifically a temperature compensated flexural mode structure maximizes the efficiency of the cantilever design. Moreover, the piezoelectric transducer 88 is designed to function near its resonance mode by appropriately choosing the dimensions. In a resonant state, the mechanical energy applied on the piezoelectric transducer 88 is transformed very efficiently into electrical energy.
- the resonance frequency varies as a function of a number of properties of the piezoelectric transducer 88 e.g., the size, shape, density and other physical parameters. The factors affecting resonance also include the constituent makeup, for example, the basic crystal constituents and the various additives used to provide and vary the piezoelectric properties of the crystal or crystals being employed.
- the piezoelectric transducer 88 is made of materials that include thin polymer films, single crystal materials, or other piezoelectric element structures. These materials are used to form structures that are easily excited from a vibration input. This input may be a single discrete frequency, a combination of frequencies, or broadband vibration with a very large number of frequencies.
- This input may be a single discrete frequency, a combination of frequencies, or broadband vibration with a very large number of frequencies.
- the shape, size, density and other physical parameters of the materials and geometry of the structure have a direct impact on the efficiency of the piezoelectric structure to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. These parameters are chosen to design the most efficient system obtainable.
- other systems such as hydraulic transducers, electromagnetic transducers and other types of transducers are considered for different alternative configurations of the power scavenging module 12 based on operational parameters such as ‘performance’ as measured in terms of power output, ‘cost’, ‘ease of installation’, ‘environmental impact’, ‘reliability’ etc.
- Various types of power scavenging modules produce different amounts of voltage and current.
- Various internal and external parameters are used to match the internal impedance of the power scavenging module 12 with the external impedance of the power utilizing modules like the sensor module 14 , the signal conditioning module 16 or the output module 18 . In an ‘impedance-matched’ state, the overall flexibility and performance of the railroad signaling system 10 is improved.
- one other embodiment of the invention employs a hydraulic transducer 92 as a displacement transducer.
- the hydraulic transducer 92 uses hydraulic fluid to scavenge energy from passing trains using the low frequency displacement of the rail as the rail car trucks pass overhead.
- a downward force compresses the rails and the ties relative to the ballast. This relative motion and force depresses the hydraulic transducer 92 and pressurizes its hydraulic flow circuit.
- a pilot valve controls the release of hydraulic fluid under high pressure into a motor or a generator (not shown) where the mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy using an associated rectifier and regulator electronics.
- the hydraulic transducer 92 also serves as an energy storage system holding the pressurized hydraulic fluid until power is actually needed. Energy storage systems will be described in more detail later.
- a return spring returns the hydraulic transducer 92 to its original position after an energy producing cycle.
- the input excitation to the transducer 44 in FIG. 2 is an electromagnetic excitation.
- An electromagnetic vibratory, linear-velocity transducer 94 is built from a coil (not shown) attached to the vibrating rails and a permanent magnet (not shown) that is suspended within the coil by a spring.
- the frequency of vibration of the coil exceeds the resonance frequency of the coil-magnet mechanical system, the magnet remains almost immovable.
- a voltage is generated across the coil due to the motion of the turns of the coil in the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. The voltage is proportional to the speed of the coil.
- Power conditioning circuit 46 includes rectifier 96 and regulator 98 .
- the rectifier 96 receives the alternating electrical current from the piezoelectric transducer 88 and produces a corresponding pulsating direct current (DC) output.
- the electrical current rectified by the rectifier 96 is regulated by a voltage regulator 98 .
- the regulator 98 maintains the output voltage at a constant level for a range of input voltages.
- the regulator 98 is a shunt-type voltage regulator.
- a shunt regulator using a zener diode is the simplest and least expensive alternative. Shunt regulators keep the voltage across them to a maximum constant value, when a very low current is allowed to flow through it.
- a series regulator is used in the power conditioning circuit 46 .
- the series regulator employs an impedance in series to drop any extra voltage between the generator and the impedance itself. Both the series and the shunt regulators are dissipative in nature and they both operate in step down mode.
- a switching regulator is used in the power conditioning circuit 46 , when the power generated is much higher than required.
- Switching regulators employ a switching element in their power regulating circuit and they operate in both step up and step down modes. Switching regulators need a very low current to maintain a high constant input voltage. Moreover, they need over-voltage protection in the form of a low current zener diode.
- the power conditioned in the power conditioning circuit 46 is typically stored in a power storage system 48 .
- Power storage system 48 typically includes battery 102 and/or capacitor 104 to receive and store the regulated electrical output coming from regulator 98 . Such output is smoothed in voltage and has a nearly constant value.
- the energy is typically stored in a battery 102 for long term use or stored in a capacitor 104 for short term use.
- the factors to be considered while selecting a battery for the power storage system 48 are capacity, leakage current and number of charge-discharge cycles possible during the lifetime of the battery. Capacity of a battery is decided based on the load current, as the maximum current that is drawn depends on the ‘Ampere-hour’ rating of the battery and the charging current available from the power generator e.g., the power scavenging module 12 in the case of this embodiment of the invention. ‘Leakage current of a battery’ determines how much of electrical energy is lost from the battery and whether the battery will remain in a charged state for considerably long time.
- the battery used in this embodiment is a Lithium-ion Battery. The advantage of using such batteries is their high capacity and low leakage. That ensures that the voltage rarely falls below the required level and hence there is low startup time.
- the sensor module 14 senses one or more operational parameters related to the integrity of the rail or a train passing over the rails.
- the sensor module 14 may include a broken rail detector 52 to detect any breakage or fissure in the rails, an occupancy detector 54 to detect the presence of a train over a block or sector of rails or a train characteristics detector 56 to detect a number of characteristic parameters such as number of wheels or axles or railroad cars of a train or temperature of wheels or axles or bearings of the train passing over the rails.
- the sensor module 14 may also be enabled to determine the speed of a train.
- the sensor module 14 may also include defect detectors such as dragging equipment, hot bearing, hot wheel or wheel impact load.
- the sensor module 14 may further include an ‘Automatic Equipment Identification’ (AEI) tag reader system to detect an identity of a train.
- AEI Automatic Equipment Identification
- sensor module 14 The technical details of sensor module 14 and the sensing process therein are known to persons skilled in the art and specifics are not disclosed herein.
- the different embodiments and modes of sensing contemplated for the sensor module 14 of the present invention are herein described. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the above-described configuration of the sensor module 14 .
- the best mode for carrying out the invention hereinafter described is offered by way of illustration and not by the way of limitation. It is intended that the scope of the invention include all modifications that incorporate its principal design features.
- the sensor module 14 may include sensing systems to sense the status of a local signal or a visual signal. In yet another embodiment of the invention, sensor module 14 may include sensing systems to sense the position of a gate or a switch. In another embodiment of the invention, the sensor module 14 may include sensing systems to senses environmental characteristics such as wind speed, rainfall, snowfall, earthquake, landslide, temperature, barometric pressure, humidity etc.
- the power generated by the power scavenging module 12 is utilized by a circuitry 15 that is coupled to the sensor module 14 and is configured to receive the output signals of the sensor module 14 .
- the circuitry 15 also communicates data in relation to the rail or train or environmental characteristics sensed by the sensor module 14 .
- the circuitry 15 includes the signal conditioning module 16 .
- the signal conditioning module 16 receives the signals obtained by the sensor module 14 and processes them.
- the functions of the signal conditioning module 16 include analog amplification, gating, digital signal capture, signal processing and digital data analysis and processing. This module provides additional functionalities for power management, duty cycle, analog to digital conversion, time stamp, digital memory and environmental compensation.
- the controller 22 includes a microcontroller (not shown) and it is the central unit that controls and coordinates all the activities of all the modules of the railroad signaling system 10 and thereby coordinates the overall functioning of the system 10 .
- the controller 22 is an analog-to-digital converter accessible through all types of analog input ports and the function of the controller 22 is to convert the input analog DC voltage to a digital format recognizable by a central processing unit located in a command control circuit or a remote control unit.
- a number of switches, gates and visual signals are part of any typical railroad signaling system and controller 22 activates various switches using command module 122 , various gates using command module 124 and various visual signals using command module 126 .
- the controller 22 also controls and coordinates the activities of the output module 18 and sends the conditioned signal coming from the signal conditioning module 16 to the output module 18 .
- the structure and the function of the output module 18 will be described in more details below.
- controller 22 includes other solid-state equipments, relays, microprocessors, software, hardware, firmware, etc. or combinations thereof. All the read-out logic circuits in the system 10 also communicate with the controller 22 and the controller 22 in turn activates appropriate fail-time or warning alerts if the threshold level of an excitation from the broken rail detector 52 or the occupancy detector 54 or the train characteristics detector 56 is exceeded.
- the command signals issued by controller 22 take the form of simple go/no-go decisions wherein proper and improper performances are differentiated. Alternatively, more robust information is developed depending upon the type of situation being monitored, the sophistication of the sensor involved and logic performed by controller 22 .
- a history of field or performance data is recorded with future performance being predicted on the basis of the data trend.
- the information includes volume, frequency, and pattern of sound verses time.
- the information includes wavelength, visual images, intensity and pattern of light verses time.
- the circuitry 15 also includes the output module 18 .
- the output module 18 receives the processed signals from the controller 22 and then transmits them to a control unit.
- Hardware options for transmission include radio or wired communication links and transceivers or plug-in memory extension cards.
- an Internet or other multi-media communication links are especially useful for this application to facilitate convenient access to the information by a plurality of interested parties and to facilitate two-way communication.
- the output module 18 in this embodiment includes a receiver 72 and a transmitter 66 to communicate with the controller 22 or with a command control circuit (not shown) or with a wayside bungalow (not shown). Both receiver 72 and transmitter 66 are enabled to communicate using the necessary modes of communication protocol.
- Typical examples of communication protocols include TCP/IP and railroad standardized ‘Automatic Train Control System’ (ATCS).
- the remote control unit 26 typically includes and makes use of access to the Internet or other wide area information networks.
- the receiver 72 of the output module 18 receives communication signals from the controller 22 or from the remote control unit 26 or from the command control circuit (not shown) or from the wayside bungalow (not shown).
- the output module 18 in this embodiment communicates with the remote control unit 26 .
- the remote control unit 26 includes a microcontroller, such as a computerized data processor or an analog micro controller that receives the communication signals from the output module 18 .
- the remote control unit 26 includes a transmitter (not shown) and a remote receiver (not shown).
- the transmitter and the receiver can communicate in one or more of wireless, landline and fiber optic communication modes.
- Corresponding units housed in the output module 18 for two-way communication are the receiver 72 and the transmitter 66 .
- the readiness of railroad signaling system 10 throughout the network is easily and automatically monitored by the remote control unit 26 .
- the remote control unit 26 has an additional database to store various operational and field maintenance data in relation to various components, subsystems of the railroad signaling system 10 . For instance, data regarding the make, model, location, installation date, service history etc. of each component or each subsystem throughout the network are maintained in the database.
- Similar communication in relation to operation of the various components or subsystems of the railroad signaling system 10 is transmitted from the remote control unit 26 to the railroad signaling system controller 22 via the output module 18 .
- the remote control unit 26 includes communication equipments located on a passing train, so that communication signals are conveyed between the remote control unit 26 and the output module 18 using a transmitter or a receiver positioned in the train.
- remote control unit 26 communicates with a remotely located operations control center (not shown) so that appropriate warnings are provided to trains moving on the rail line regarding a breakage in the rails or a malfunction of a component or a subsystem. Approaching trains are signaled to stop or to proceed at a slow speed in such eventualities. Data streams from other systems can also be incorporated in to the operations control center such as logistics and maintenance and diagnostics systems to create a higher level of decisioning for the rail companies.
- Decisions can be made concerning scheduling based on the data streams of maintenance records, location of the train, jobs in the queue, asset location etc.
- decisions can be made based on integration of the data streams mentioned above with the data communicated by said output module.
- decisions for occupancy and consist can be optimized as well as alerts for security etc.
- the system 10 also includes a data processing unit 24 .
- the remote control unit 26 communicates with the data processing unit 24 for a higher-level analysis of the data processed and transmitted by the controller 22 .
- the data processing unit 24 includes a train signature analysis module 132 and a statistical data analysis module 134 .
- Train signature analysis module 132 analyzes vibration signatures or electronic signatures of a train as detected by the train characteristics detector 56 using statistical techniques like regression analysis, pattern recognition techniques, counting technique, principal component analysis etc. and compares the vibration signatures or electronic signatures to standard signatures using various comparative analysis techniques.
- the statistical data analysis module 134 performs a number of statistical analysis techniques on the data stored in the controller 22 and accessed using remote control unit 26 .
- a trending analysis of ‘mean time between failure’ (MTBF) of various components is performed.
- MTBF mean time between failure
- a change in the time interval between the delivery of a test signal and the operation of a component or a subsystem are used to diagnose a developing problem.
- analysis techniques performed by the data processing unit 24 involves numeric processing including computation of average values, peak values, time-to-maximum values, minimum values, time-to-minimum values, root mean square (RMS) values, cycle time, frequency, rise time, fall time, area values, integer values, pulse width, duty cycle, specified level time, differential pulse count of various sensing signals and their interpretation in various railroad related events such as acceleration or deceleration or stoppage of a train.
- RMS root mean square
- the data processing unit 24 analyzes the data and communicates with the controller 22 via the remote control unit 26 to activate an appropriate warning signal switch. It is also be possible to compare vibration signatures of a train from both the rails and identify a breakage in the rails by analyzing the difference between the two signals from two different rails.
- the invention is not limited to the above-described stand-alone configuration of the railroad signaling system 10 .
- the railroad signaling system 10 may be configured specifically for on-site use and it may be packaged in a hollow tie located in a rail-bed.
- a power scavenging module is positioned directly on the rail as in step 142 to generate power from various excitations of the rails using various transducers as in step 144 .
- Converting power from various excitations of the rails includes converting power from vibrational excitations as in step 146 or converting power from displacement excitations as in step 148 or converting power from electromagnetic excitations as in step 152 .
- the power is converted into voltage form as in step 154 and into current form as in step 156 .
- the power converted by the different embodiments of the power scavenging module is conditioned as in step 158 , first by rectifying as in step 162 and then by regulating the power as in step 164 so that the power is usable.
- the power conditioned this way is then stored in a power storage system as in step 166 .
- sensing operational parameters includes sensing any broken rail as in step 172 , sensing block occupancy as in step 174 and sensing train characteristics as in step 176 .
- sensing operational parameters includes sensing status of a local signal or a visual signal.
- sensing operational parameters includes sensing position of a gate or a switch.
- sensing operational parameters includes sensing environmental characteristics such as wind speed, rainfall, snowfall, earthquake, landslide, temperature, barometric pressure, humidity etc.
- the output signals from the sensor module are next conditioned as in step 178 for further analysis and storage. Typically, the conditioning of the signals takes place by conversion of the analog output signals from the sensor modules into digital form.
- direct power from the transducers or stored power from the storage system is used to operate an output module that receives the signals of sensed train and rail status and environmental characteristics and from the controller as in step 182 .
- the controller is a central unit that controls and coordinates all the activities, such as converting power from various excitations of the rails as in step 144 , sensing various operational parameters of any passing train, rail as well as a number of environmental characteristics as in step 168 , conditioning of the sensed signals as in step 178 and communicating with the output module of the railroad signaling system 10 as in step 182 .
- a number of switches, gates and visual signals are part of any typical railroad signaling system and the controller activates these various switches, gates and visual signals as in step 186 .
- the operation of the output module further includes communicating with a remote control unit as in step 184 .
- the output module communicates data related to all operational parameters to the remote control unit and receives command signals from the remote control unit and then passes that on to the controller.
- the controller processes the command signals to control and monitor various functions of the railroad signaling system 10 .
- the communication between the output module and the remote control unit, as in step 184 takes place via landline or wireless means.
- the remote control unit also communicates with a data processing unit.
- the data processing unit processes various operational data related to the train and the rail as in step 188 . Processing of the operational data includes processing train signatures as in step 192 and processing various statistical data related to the operation of the train and the rail as in step 194 .
- this invention makes this invention a self-powered, flexible, surface mountable, small, lightweight, cost effective, mass producible system. All the subcomponents are typically housed in a hollow railroad tie and can be rapidly deployed in the rail bed eliminating the need of any separate bungalows or AC line power.
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to a wayside sensor for railroads. More particularly this invention relates to a system for the reading of a sensor, processing the sensor output data and communicating the data in a wireless manner through the use of a power scavenging module.
- Wayside sensors for railroad operations perform a variety of functions. Because wires must be run to each sensor for communication and electrical power, this results in significant installation costs and maintenance costs as well as reliability concerns.
- Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide a more effective method and system for wireless rail sensing systems specifically augmented by use of a localized power generation system.
- In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a system for generating local power on railroad is provided. In this embodiment, the system includes a power scavenging module and a power utilizing module. The power scavenging module is configured to convert an excitation of a rail into electrical power. The power utilizing module is powered by the electrical power and is configured to detect a predetermined characteristic in relation to the rail or a train moving on the rail or an environment of the railroad and to communicate data in relation to the predetermined characteristic.
- In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for generating local power on railroad. The method includes generating power from an excitation of a rail and energizing a power utilizing module using the power to detect a predetermined characteristic in relation to the rail or a train moving on the rail or an environment of the railroad and communicate data in relation to the predetermined characteristic.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a railroad signaling system constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention that includes a power scavenging module, a sensor module, a signal conditioning module and an output module for data communication. -
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a railroad signaling system constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention that includes a power scavenging module, a sensor module, a signal conditioning module and an output module for data communication and -
FIG. 3 illustrates a method for railroad signaling in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of arailroad signaling system 10 constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention that includes apower scavenging module 12, asensor module 14, asignal conditioning module 16 and anoutput module 18. In this embodiment,power scavenging module 12,sensor module 14,signal conditioning module 16 andoutput module 18 are depicted as four different components. In other embodiments, however, these components can be combined into one or more integrated signaling system(s). The principles of the invention are not limited to only railroad systems. One of ordinary skill will recognize that other embodiments of the invention are suited for other types of detection systems, for example, systems to detect flaws in various types of rails used for track guided vehicles that are generally installed at amusement parks and rails used for tramways. - According to one embodiment of the invention as described in
FIG. 1 , when a train passes over a point in therail 28, a downward force is applied to the rails at the contact points with the wheels because of the weight of the train. The rail deflects in a downward motion as a result of this force. As the wheel passes and another wheel approaches, the rail deflects upward due to bending of the rail between wheels. This motion typically occurs at low frequency (0.1-10 Hz). Considerable rail vibration is also induced at higher frequency (>10 Hz) in both horizontal and vertical directions due to the passing train. Thepower scavenging module 12 utilizes one or both of the low and high frequency motions of the rail to generate electrical charge and a resultant voltage differential across its two output nodes. The voltage is tapped using contacts to power other systems that are electrically coupled to the output nodes of thepower scavenging module 12. Thepower scavenging module 12 and a power utilizing module together complete an electrical circuit that receives and conducts the current resulting from thepower scavenging module 12. - In one embodiment of the invention, the power utilizing module is the
sensor module 14 that senses various operational parameters in relation to integrity of the rail and the train. In another embodiment of the invention, the power utilizing module is thesignal conditioning module 16 that receives the output signals from thesensor module 14 and then converts these signals into digital form for further analysis and storage. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the power utilizing module is theoutput module 18 that receives conditioned signals from thesignal conditioning module 16 and then communicates the resulting data to a control unit. Each of these elements—thepower scavenging module 12, thesensor module 14, thesignal conditioning module 16 and theoutput module 18 will be described in more detail below. -
FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of arailroad signaling system 10 constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.Power scavenging module 12 typically includes atransducer 44, apower conditioning circuit 46 and apower storage system 48. A transducer is a system that converts energy from one input form to another output form. In one embodiment of the invention as illustrated inFIG. 2 , the input excitation for thetransducer 44 is a vibration or a displacement of the rail as a train passes over that and the output is electrical energy. In this embodiment,transducer 44 includes a vibrating device that is made of piezoelectric material. Typically, piezoelectric materials deform due to the application of a physical force and the mechanical energy of this deformation is converted into electrical energy. This phenomenon is known in the art as ‘piezoelectric effect.’ - In one embodiment of the invention, the power producing
piezoelectric transducer 88 is attached to therail 28 ofFIG. 1 either directly, or via an intermediate mechanical device used to amplify the effects of the rail vibration provided by a passing train. As a result of the force from the passing trains, electrical charges are generated across the two output nodes of thepiezoelectric transducer 88. Converting the output electrical energy of thepiezoelectric transducer 88 into useful electric power typically requires several steps. In one embodiment, the output electrical energy of thepiezoelectric transducer 88 is transformed into a DC voltage and a current in apower conditioning circuit 46 comprising arectifier 96 and aregulator 98. The regulated DC output of thepower conditioning circuit 46 is temporarily stored in astorage system 48 and then used by thesensor module 14, thesignal conditioning module 16 or theoutput module 18. - Technical details of
piezoelectric transducer 88 are known to persons skilled in the art and the specifics are not disclosed herein. Different embodiments of therailroad signaling system 10 of the present invention are herein described. However, it should be understood that the different modes for carrying out the invention hereinafter described are offered by way of illustration and not by the way of limitation. It is intended that the scope of the invention include all modifications that incorporate its principal design features. - The mechanical, electrical, physical and other properties of a particular
piezoelectric transducer 88 determine the amount of electrical charge that is generated in response to a given applied force. The polarity of the generated charge on the other hand depends on whether the element is under compression or tension as a result of the externally applied force. The amount of electrical charge generated and the impedance of the external system that uses the power affect the voltages developed at the contacts, leads and nodes of thepower scavenging module 12. - Functionally, in other embodiments of the invention, the stressing of the
piezoelectric transducer 88 is done by subjecting thepiezoelectric transducer 88 to a force or a stress or a strain in a single, multiple or other impulsive manner or in a cyclical or other repetitive manner. This is done either at a constant frequency or any other frequency or range of frequencies found to be desirable. If efficiency of energy harvesting device depends upon resonant quality factor that may vary with ambient temperature, a temperature compensated flexural mode structure may be incorporated to retain a high quality factor independent of temperature. - In this embodiment of the invention, the
piezoelectric transducer 88 is configured based on a cantilever design and specifically a temperature compensated flexural mode structure maximizes the efficiency of the cantilever design. Moreover, thepiezoelectric transducer 88 is designed to function near its resonance mode by appropriately choosing the dimensions. In a resonant state, the mechanical energy applied on thepiezoelectric transducer 88 is transformed very efficiently into electrical energy. The resonance frequency varies as a function of a number of properties of thepiezoelectric transducer 88 e.g., the size, shape, density and other physical parameters. The factors affecting resonance also include the constituent makeup, for example, the basic crystal constituents and the various additives used to provide and vary the piezoelectric properties of the crystal or crystals being employed. - Operationally, in yet another embodiment of the invention, the
piezoelectric transducer 88 is made of materials that include thin polymer films, single crystal materials, or other piezoelectric element structures. These materials are used to form structures that are easily excited from a vibration input. This input may be a single discrete frequency, a combination of frequencies, or broadband vibration with a very large number of frequencies. The shape, size, density and other physical parameters of the materials and geometry of the structure have a direct impact on the efficiency of the piezoelectric structure to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. These parameters are chosen to design the most efficient system obtainable. - In other embodiments of the invention, other systems such as hydraulic transducers, electromagnetic transducers and other types of transducers are considered for different alternative configurations of the
power scavenging module 12 based on operational parameters such as ‘performance’ as measured in terms of power output, ‘cost’, ‘ease of installation’, ‘environmental impact’, ‘reliability’ etc. Various types of power scavenging modules produce different amounts of voltage and current. Various internal and external parameters are used to match the internal impedance of thepower scavenging module 12 with the external impedance of the power utilizing modules like thesensor module 14, thesignal conditioning module 16 or theoutput module 18. In an ‘impedance-matched’ state, the overall flexibility and performance of therailroad signaling system 10 is improved. - Referring to
FIG. 2 again, one other embodiment of the invention employs ahydraulic transducer 92 as a displacement transducer. Thehydraulic transducer 92 uses hydraulic fluid to scavenge energy from passing trains using the low frequency displacement of the rail as the rail car trucks pass overhead. In operation, when a train passes over the rails, a downward force compresses the rails and the ties relative to the ballast. This relative motion and force depresses thehydraulic transducer 92 and pressurizes its hydraulic flow circuit. A pilot valve (not shown) controls the release of hydraulic fluid under high pressure into a motor or a generator (not shown) where the mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy using an associated rectifier and regulator electronics. The hydraulic fluid exits into a reservoir where it is stored until it is needed for successive cycles. Thehydraulic transducer 92 also serves as an energy storage system holding the pressurized hydraulic fluid until power is actually needed. Energy storage systems will be described in more detail later. A return spring returns thehydraulic transducer 92 to its original position after an energy producing cycle. - In another embodiment of the invention, the input excitation to the
transducer 44 inFIG. 2 is an electromagnetic excitation. An electromagnetic vibratory, linear-velocity transducer 94 is built from a coil (not shown) attached to the vibrating rails and a permanent magnet (not shown) that is suspended within the coil by a spring. When the frequency of vibration of the coil exceeds the resonance frequency of the coil-magnet mechanical system, the magnet remains almost immovable. At that time, a voltage is generated across the coil due to the motion of the turns of the coil in the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. The voltage is proportional to the speed of the coil. - Referring back to
FIG. 2 , the power generated by the different embodiments of thepower scavenging module 12 is conditioned, first by rectifying and then by regulating the power so that the power is usable.Power conditioning circuit 46 includesrectifier 96 andregulator 98. Therectifier 96 receives the alternating electrical current from thepiezoelectric transducer 88 and produces a corresponding pulsating direct current (DC) output. The electrical current rectified by therectifier 96 is regulated by avoltage regulator 98. Theregulator 98 maintains the output voltage at a constant level for a range of input voltages. - In one embodiment, the
regulator 98 is a shunt-type voltage regulator. A shunt regulator using a zener diode is the simplest and least expensive alternative. Shunt regulators keep the voltage across them to a maximum constant value, when a very low current is allowed to flow through it. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a series regulator is used in thepower conditioning circuit 46. The series regulator employs an impedance in series to drop any extra voltage between the generator and the impedance itself. Both the series and the shunt regulators are dissipative in nature and they both operate in step down mode. In another embodiment of the invention, a switching regulator is used in thepower conditioning circuit 46, when the power generated is much higher than required. Switching regulators employ a switching element in their power regulating circuit and they operate in both step up and step down modes. Switching regulators need a very low current to maintain a high constant input voltage. Moreover, they need over-voltage protection in the form of a low current zener diode. - Referring to
FIG. 2 again, the power conditioned in thepower conditioning circuit 46 is typically stored in apower storage system 48.Power storage system 48 typically includesbattery 102 and/orcapacitor 104 to receive and store the regulated electrical output coming fromregulator 98. Such output is smoothed in voltage and has a nearly constant value. The energy is typically stored in abattery 102 for long term use or stored in acapacitor 104 for short term use. There are systems like wireless sensors that are required to transmit data at regular intervals for relatively short times. When such systems depend on thepower scavenging module 12 for operating power, energy stored in thebattery 102 or thecapacitor 104 is used. - There are various types of
batteries 102 available. The factors to be considered while selecting a battery for thepower storage system 48 are capacity, leakage current and number of charge-discharge cycles possible during the lifetime of the battery. Capacity of a battery is decided based on the load current, as the maximum current that is drawn depends on the ‘Ampere-hour’ rating of the battery and the charging current available from the power generator e.g., thepower scavenging module 12 in the case of this embodiment of the invention. ‘Leakage current of a battery’ determines how much of electrical energy is lost from the battery and whether the battery will remain in a charged state for considerably long time. The battery used in this embodiment is a Lithium-ion Battery. The advantage of using such batteries is their high capacity and low leakage. That ensures that the voltage rarely falls below the required level and hence there is low startup time. - Referring to
FIG. 2 again, the power generated by thepower scavenging module 12 is subsequently utilized by thesensor module 14. Thesensor module 14 senses one or more operational parameters related to the integrity of the rail or a train passing over the rails. Thesensor module 14 may include abroken rail detector 52 to detect any breakage or fissure in the rails, anoccupancy detector 54 to detect the presence of a train over a block or sector of rails or atrain characteristics detector 56 to detect a number of characteristic parameters such as number of wheels or axles or railroad cars of a train or temperature of wheels or axles or bearings of the train passing over the rails. Thesensor module 14 may also be enabled to determine the speed of a train. Thesensor module 14 may also include defect detectors such as dragging equipment, hot bearing, hot wheel or wheel impact load. Thesensor module 14 may further include an ‘Automatic Equipment Identification’ (AEI) tag reader system to detect an identity of a train. These sensors are well known to those familiar with state-of-the-art in railway signaling. - The technical details of
sensor module 14 and the sensing process therein are known to persons skilled in the art and specifics are not disclosed herein. The different embodiments and modes of sensing contemplated for thesensor module 14 of the present invention are herein described. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the above-described configuration of thesensor module 14. The best mode for carrying out the invention hereinafter described is offered by way of illustration and not by the way of limitation. It is intended that the scope of the invention include all modifications that incorporate its principal design features. - In another embodiment of the invention, the
sensor module 14 may include sensing systems to sense the status of a local signal or a visual signal. In yet another embodiment of the invention,sensor module 14 may include sensing systems to sense the position of a gate or a switch. In another embodiment of the invention, thesensor module 14 may include sensing systems to senses environmental characteristics such as wind speed, rainfall, snowfall, earthquake, landslide, temperature, barometric pressure, humidity etc. - Referring to
FIG. 2 again, in one embodiment of the invention, the power generated by thepower scavenging module 12 is utilized by acircuitry 15 that is coupled to thesensor module 14 and is configured to receive the output signals of thesensor module 14. Thecircuitry 15 also communicates data in relation to the rail or train or environmental characteristics sensed by thesensor module 14. Thecircuitry 15 includes thesignal conditioning module 16. Thesignal conditioning module 16 receives the signals obtained by thesensor module 14 and processes them. In operation, the functions of thesignal conditioning module 16 include analog amplification, gating, digital signal capture, signal processing and digital data analysis and processing. This module provides additional functionalities for power management, duty cycle, analog to digital conversion, time stamp, digital memory and environmental compensation. - Another element of the
circuitry 15 as illustrated inFIG. 2 is acontroller 22. Thepower scavenging module 12, thesensor module 14 and thesignal conditioning module 16 communicate with thecontroller 22. Thecontroller 22 includes a microcontroller (not shown) and it is the central unit that controls and coordinates all the activities of all the modules of therailroad signaling system 10 and thereby coordinates the overall functioning of thesystem 10. Thecontroller 22 is an analog-to-digital converter accessible through all types of analog input ports and the function of thecontroller 22 is to convert the input analog DC voltage to a digital format recognizable by a central processing unit located in a command control circuit or a remote control unit. A number of switches, gates and visual signals are part of any typical railroad signaling system andcontroller 22 activates various switches usingcommand module 122, various gates usingcommand module 124 and various visual signals usingcommand module 126. Thecontroller 22 also controls and coordinates the activities of theoutput module 18 and sends the conditioned signal coming from thesignal conditioning module 16 to theoutput module 18. The structure and the function of theoutput module 18 will be described in more details below. - The invention is not limited to the above-described configuration of the
controller 22. In other embodiments of the invention, thecontroller 22 includes other solid-state equipments, relays, microprocessors, software, hardware, firmware, etc. or combinations thereof. All the read-out logic circuits in thesystem 10 also communicate with thecontroller 22 and thecontroller 22 in turn activates appropriate fail-time or warning alerts if the threshold level of an excitation from thebroken rail detector 52 or theoccupancy detector 54 or thetrain characteristics detector 56 is exceeded. The command signals issued bycontroller 22 take the form of simple go/no-go decisions wherein proper and improper performances are differentiated. Alternatively, more robust information is developed depending upon the type of situation being monitored, the sophistication of the sensor involved and logic performed bycontroller 22. For example, a history of field or performance data is recorded with future performance being predicted on the basis of the data trend. For audio performance data, the information includes volume, frequency, and pattern of sound verses time. For visual performance data, the information includes wavelength, visual images, intensity and pattern of light verses time. One should appreciate that the information stored by thecontroller 22 is directly responsive to known failure modes and performance characteristics of the particular type of railroad situation being monitored. - Referring to
FIG. 2 again, thecircuitry 15 also includes theoutput module 18. Theoutput module 18 receives the processed signals from thecontroller 22 and then transmits them to a control unit. Hardware options for transmission include radio or wired communication links and transceivers or plug-in memory extension cards. Moreover, an Internet or other multi-media communication links are especially useful for this application to facilitate convenient access to the information by a plurality of interested parties and to facilitate two-way communication. There are various communication protocols for use in various communications modes depending on the specific embodiment of this module. Theoutput module 18 in this embodiment includes areceiver 72 and atransmitter 66 to communicate with thecontroller 22 or with a command control circuit (not shown) or with a wayside bungalow (not shown). Bothreceiver 72 andtransmitter 66 are enabled to communicate using the necessary modes of communication protocol. Typical examples of communication protocols include TCP/IP and railroad standardized ‘Automatic Train Control System’ (ATCS). - An alternative to the embodiment described above is the use of a
remote control unit 26 to control the operations of therailroad signaling system 10 remotely. Theremote control unit 26 typically includes and makes use of access to the Internet or other wide area information networks. Thereceiver 72 of theoutput module 18, in this embodiment, receives communication signals from thecontroller 22 or from theremote control unit 26 or from the command control circuit (not shown) or from the wayside bungalow (not shown). In the same manner, theoutput module 18, in this embodiment communicates with theremote control unit 26. Functionally, theremote control unit 26 includes a microcontroller, such as a computerized data processor or an analog micro controller that receives the communication signals from theoutput module 18. - In an alternative embodiment, the
remote control unit 26 includes a transmitter (not shown) and a remote receiver (not shown). The transmitter and the receiver can communicate in one or more of wireless, landline and fiber optic communication modes. Corresponding units housed in theoutput module 18 for two-way communication are thereceiver 72 and thetransmitter 66. The readiness ofrailroad signaling system 10 throughout the network is easily and automatically monitored by theremote control unit 26. In another embodiment of the invention, theremote control unit 26 has an additional database to store various operational and field maintenance data in relation to various components, subsystems of therailroad signaling system 10. For instance, data regarding the make, model, location, installation date, service history etc. of each component or each subsystem throughout the network are maintained in the database. Similar communication in relation to operation of the various components or subsystems of therailroad signaling system 10, such as thepower scavenging module 12, thesensor module 14, thesignal conditioning module 16 or theoutput module 18 is transmitted from theremote control unit 26 to the railroadsignaling system controller 22 via theoutput module 18. - In yet another embodiment of the invention, the
remote control unit 26 includes communication equipments located on a passing train, so that communication signals are conveyed between theremote control unit 26 and theoutput module 18 using a transmitter or a receiver positioned in the train. In yet another alternative embodiment,remote control unit 26 communicates with a remotely located operations control center (not shown) so that appropriate warnings are provided to trains moving on the rail line regarding a breakage in the rails or a malfunction of a component or a subsystem. Approaching trains are signaled to stop or to proceed at a slow speed in such eventualities. Data streams from other systems can also be incorporated in to the operations control center such as logistics and maintenance and diagnostics systems to create a higher level of decisioning for the rail companies. Decisions can be made concerning scheduling based on the data streams of maintenance records, location of the train, jobs in the queue, asset location etc. In another embodiment of the invention, decisions can be made based on integration of the data streams mentioned above with the data communicated by said output module. In similar manner, decisions for occupancy and consist can be optimized as well as alerts for security etc. - In an alternative embodiment, the
system 10 also includes adata processing unit 24. Referring toFIG. 2 again, theremote control unit 26 communicates with thedata processing unit 24 for a higher-level analysis of the data processed and transmitted by thecontroller 22. Thedata processing unit 24 includes a trainsignature analysis module 132 and a statisticaldata analysis module 134. Trainsignature analysis module 132 analyzes vibration signatures or electronic signatures of a train as detected by thetrain characteristics detector 56 using statistical techniques like regression analysis, pattern recognition techniques, counting technique, principal component analysis etc. and compares the vibration signatures or electronic signatures to standard signatures using various comparative analysis techniques. On the other hand, the statisticaldata analysis module 134 performs a number of statistical analysis techniques on the data stored in thecontroller 22 and accessed usingremote control unit 26. For instance, in one embodiment, a trending analysis of ‘mean time between failure’ (MTBF) of various components is performed. In another embodiment, a change in the time interval between the delivery of a test signal and the operation of a component or a subsystem are used to diagnose a developing problem. An early recognition of a change in the system characteristics permits problems to be addressed before they result in a condition wherein a component or a subsystem fails to respond in a safe manner. - In other embodiments of the invention, analysis techniques performed by the
data processing unit 24 involves numeric processing including computation of average values, peak values, time-to-maximum values, minimum values, time-to-minimum values, root mean square (RMS) values, cycle time, frequency, rise time, fall time, area values, integer values, pulse width, duty cycle, specified level time, differential pulse count of various sensing signals and their interpretation in various railroad related events such as acceleration or deceleration or stoppage of a train. In yet another embodiment of thedata processing unit 24, algorithms are developed that relate a typical vibration signature of a train as detected by thetrain characteristics detector 56 and the power output of thepower scavenging module 12 to other railroad related events such as a train stopping, accelerating, idling etc. In the event when the vibration signature of a train changes, it is possible to use thepower scavenging module 12 and thetrain characteristics detector 56 in tandem to detect a possibility of a breakage in the rails. In such an event, thedata processing unit 24 analyzes the data and communicates with thecontroller 22 via theremote control unit 26 to activate an appropriate warning signal switch. It is also be possible to compare vibration signatures of a train from both the rails and identify a breakage in the rails by analyzing the difference between the two signals from two different rails. - The invention is not limited to the above-described stand-alone configuration of the
railroad signaling system 10. In another embodiment of the invention, therailroad signaling system 10 may be configured specifically for on-site use and it may be packaged in a hollow tie located in a rail-bed. - The overall operation of the
system 10 is illustrated inFIG. 3 using a process flow chart for railroad signaling in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. A power scavenging module is positioned directly on the rail as instep 142 to generate power from various excitations of the rails using various transducers as instep 144. Converting power from various excitations of the rails includes converting power from vibrational excitations as instep 146 or converting power from displacement excitations as instep 148 or converting power from electromagnetic excitations as instep 152. The power is converted into voltage form as instep 154 and into current form as instep 156. The power converted by the different embodiments of the power scavenging module is conditioned as instep 158, first by rectifying as instep 162 and then by regulating the power as instep 164 so that the power is usable. The power conditioned this way is then stored in a power storage system as instep 166. - The transducers and the power storage system together ensure that there is sufficient power available all the time to operate all the other modules of the
railroad signaling system 10. This way, drawing power either directly from the transducers or from the power storage system, thesensor module 14 is activated for sensing various operational parameters of passing trains, of the rails and a number of environmental characteristics as instep 168. More specifically, sensing operational parameters includes sensing any broken rail as instep 172, sensing block occupancy as instep 174 and sensing train characteristics as instep 176. In another embodiment of the invention, sensing operational parameters includes sensing status of a local signal or a visual signal. In yet another embodiment of the invention, sensing operational parameters includes sensing position of a gate or a switch. In another embodiment of the invention, sensing operational parameters includes sensing environmental characteristics such as wind speed, rainfall, snowfall, earthquake, landslide, temperature, barometric pressure, humidity etc. The output signals from the sensor module are next conditioned as instep 178 for further analysis and storage. Typically, the conditioning of the signals takes place by conversion of the analog output signals from the sensor modules into digital form. - Referring back to
FIG. 3 , direct power from the transducers or stored power from the storage system is used to operate an output module that receives the signals of sensed train and rail status and environmental characteristics and from the controller as in step 182. The controller is a central unit that controls and coordinates all the activities, such as converting power from various excitations of the rails as instep 144, sensing various operational parameters of any passing train, rail as well as a number of environmental characteristics as instep 168, conditioning of the sensed signals as instep 178 and communicating with the output module of therailroad signaling system 10 as in step 182. Moreover, a number of switches, gates and visual signals are part of any typical railroad signaling system and the controller activates these various switches, gates and visual signals as instep 186. - On the other hand, the operation of the output module further includes communicating with a remote control unit as in
step 184. The output module communicates data related to all operational parameters to the remote control unit and receives command signals from the remote control unit and then passes that on to the controller. The controller processes the command signals to control and monitor various functions of therailroad signaling system 10. The communication between the output module and the remote control unit, as instep 184, takes place via landline or wireless means. The remote control unit also communicates with a data processing unit. The data processing unit processes various operational data related to the train and the rail as instep 188. Processing of the operational data includes processing train signatures as instep 192 and processing various statistical data related to the operation of the train and the rail as instep 194. - In essence, the different embodiments described above make this invention a self-powered, flexible, surface mountable, small, lightweight, cost effective, mass producible system. All the subcomponents are typically housed in a hollow railroad tie and can be rapidly deployed in the rail bed eliminating the need of any separate bungalows or AC line power.
- While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
Claims (93)
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US10/962,328 US20060076461A1 (en) | 2004-10-12 | 2004-10-12 | System and method for self powered wayside railway signaling and sensing |
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