System, method, and apparatus for verifying railroad work zone instructions

Abstract

Provided is a computer-implemented method for verifying electronic work zone instructions with an on-board system of a train. The method includes receiving at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device, generating at least one visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message, transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the train to the employee-in-charge device, receiving a verification of the at least one visual instruction diagram from the employee-in-charge device, and enforcing at least one work zone instruction parameter of the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the train in response to receiving the verification. A system and computer program product are also provided.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for verifying electronic work zone instructions with an on-board system of a train, comprising:
 receiving, by the on-board system of the train, at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device;   generating, by the on-board system of the train, at least one visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message;   transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the train to the employee-in-charge device;   receiving, by the on-board system of the train, a verification of the at least one visual instruction diagram from the employee-in-charge device; and   in response to receiving the verification, enforcing at least one work zone instruction parameter of the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the train.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one visual instruction diagram comprises at least one track diagram and textual instructions. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the at least one visual instruction diagram comprises:
 extracting, by the on-board system, a plurality of work zone instruction parameters from the electronic work zone instruction message; and   converting, by the on-board system of the train, the plurality of work zone instruction parameters to the visual instruction diagram.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction is received from a back office system, and wherein the back office system receives the at least one electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the back office system, after receiving the at least one electronic work zone instruction message, extracts a plurality of work zone instruction parameters from the electronic work zone instruction message and transforms the plurality of work zone instruction parameters to a track data framework associated with the on-board system of the train. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message comprises at least one of the following work zone instruction parameters: work zone limits, a work zone speed restriction, a work zone route, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the train to the employee-in-charge device comprises transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system to a back office system, and transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the back office system to the employee-in-charge device. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the employee-in-charge device comprises a handheld or portable computer. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising requesting, by the on-board system of the train, the at least one electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device, wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message is transmitted by the employee-in-charge device in response to the request. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method for verifying electronic work zone instructions with an on-board system of a train, comprising:
 receiving, by the on-board system of the train, at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device;   generating, by the on-board system of the train, at least one visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message;   transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the train to the employee-in-charge device;   receiving, by the on-board system of the train, a verification of the at least one visual instruction diagram or at least one new electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device; and   in response to receiving the verification or the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message: (i) enforcing at least one work zone instruction parameter of the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the train if the verification is received;   or (ii) generating, by the on-board system of the train, at least one new visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message if the rejection is received.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message is received, the method further comprising:
 (a) transmitting the new visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the train to the employee-in-charge device;   (b) receiving, by the on-board system of the train, a verification of the new visual instruction diagram or at least one new electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device; and   (c) in response to receiving the verification or the at least one further electronic work zone instruction message: (i) enforcing the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the train if the verification is received; or (ii) generating, by the on-board system of the train, a new visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the at least one new electronic work zone instruction message.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising repeating steps (a)-(c) until at least one electronic work zone instruction message is enforced by the on-board system of the train. 
     
     
         13 . A system for verifying electronic work zone instructions with an on-board system of a train, comprising:
 (a) an on-board control system arranged on at least one locomotive of a train, the on-board control system comprising at least one processor programmed or configured to:
 (i) receive at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device; 
 (ii) generate a visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message; 
 (iii) transmit the visual instruction diagram to the employee-in-charge device; 
 (iv) receive, by the on-board system of the train, a verification or a rejection of the visual instruction diagram from the employee-in-charge device; and 
 (v) in response to receiving a verification, enforce the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the train. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 (b) the employee-in-charge device comprising at least one portable computing device including at least one processor programmed or configured to:
 (i) receive user input; 
 (ii) generate the work zone instruction message based on the user input; 
 (iii) receive the visual instruction diagram from the on-board control system; 
 (iv) display the visual instruction diagram; and 
 (v) receive the approval or the rejection. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one visual instruction diagram comprises at least one track diagram and textual instructions. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the on-board control system is further programmed or configured to:
 extract a plurality of work zone instruction parameters from the electronic work zone instruction message; and   generate the at least one visual instruction diagram by converting the plurality of work zone instruction parameters to the at least one visual instruction diagram.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction is received from a back office system, and wherein the back office system receives the at least one electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the back office system, after receiving the at least one electronic work zone instruction message, extracts a plurality of work zone instruction parameters from the electronic work zone instruction message and transforms the plurality of work zone instruction parameters to a track data framework associated with the on-board system of the train. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message comprises at least one of the following work zone instruction parameters:
 work zone limits, a work zone speed restriction, a work zone route, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one visual instruction diagram is transmitted from the on-board system of the train to the employee-in-charge device by transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system to a back office system, and transmitting the at least one visual instruction diagram from the back office system to the employee-in-charge device. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the employee-in-charge device comprises a handheld or portable computer. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the on-board control system is further programmed or configured to request the at least one electronic work zone instruction message from the employee-in-charge device, wherein the at least one electronic work zone instruction message is transmitted by the employee-in-charge device in response to the request. 
     
     
         23 . A computer program product for verifying electronic work zone instructions with an on-board system of a train, comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by the on-board system of the train, cause the on-board system to:
 receive at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device;   generate at least one visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message;   transmit the at least one visual instruction diagram to the employee-in-charge device;   receive a verification of the at least one visual instruction diagram from the employee-in-charge device; and   in response to receiving the verification, enforce at least one work zone instruction parameter of the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the train.