Enforcing Restricted Speed Rules Utilizing Track Data and Other Data Sources

Abstract

A system and method of dynamic train control for restricting the speed of a train in a railway on an approach to a visual barrier may include determining a stopping distance of a train to a visual barrier upon detecting a presence of the visual barrier in the railway, generating one or more stop target distances during an approach to the visual barrier based on the speed of the train on the approach to the visual barrier, and generating a warning for an operator to reduce the speed of the train based on the train moving within a warning distance associated with the stopping distance of the one or more stop target distances associated with the visual barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented dynamic train control method for restricting the speed of a train in a railway on an approach to a visual barrier, comprising:
 determining a stopping distance to the visual barrier upon detecting a presence of the visual barrier in the railway;   generating one or more stop target distances during the approach to the visual barrier based on the speed of the train on the approach to the visual barrier; and   generating a warning for an operator to reduce the speed of the train based on the train moving to within a warning distance associated with the stopping distance of the one or more stop target distances associated with the visual barrier.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the warning for the operator further comprises:
 automatically generating at least one updated stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances outside the warning distance associated with the stopping distance based on a current speed.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 generating a speed profile from an initial stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances for enforcing the speed of the train on approach to the visual barrier; and   monitoring the train for a stop based on the visual barrier by monitoring at least one of the one or more stop target distances, the speed profile, the speed of the train on approach to the visual barrier, or at least one warning distance associated with at least one stopping distance in the approach to the visual barrier.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 in response to generating an updated stop target distance,   monitoring the train based on the updated stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances to maintain a stopping distance within at least a warning distance of the visual barrier until a clear path beyond the at least one visual barrier is confirmed.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 detecting the visual barrier based on track data, sensor data, or image data associated with a track in the railway; and   predicting an initial stopping distance on the approach to the visual barrier, the stopping distance associated with at least one of a maximum restricted speed for the train to stop within one-half the range of vision, a maximum allowable speed, a speed limit, or a braking curve.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the visual barrier further comprises receiving or sensing one or more images associated with the railway immediately in front of the train. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising maintaining the speed of the train on approach to the visual barrier based on at least one of the one or more stop target distances or a speed profile until a clear path beyond the visual barrier is confirmed. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 detecting at least one visual barrier based on at least one of wheel data, rail data, train position data, car position data, train speed data, track data, track location data, track curvature data, track profile data, track grade data, train weight data, car weight data, train length data, car length data, environmental data, or authority data.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the one or more stop target distances comprises determining a position of the one or more stop target distances between the train and the visual barrier. 
     
     
         10 . A dynamic train control system for restricting the speed of a train on approach to an upcoming visual barrier, comprising:
 one or more processors programmed and/or configured to:
 determine a stopping distance to the visual barrier upon detecting a presence of the visual barrier in the railway; 
 generate one or more stop target distances during the approach to the visual barrier based on the speed of the train on the approach to the visual barrier; and 
 generate a warning for an operator to reduce the speed of the train based on the train moving to within a warning distance associated with the stopping distance of the one or more stop target distances associated with the visual barrier. 
   
     
     
         11 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the warning for the operator by:
 automatically generating at least one updated stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances outside the warning distance associated with the stopping distance based on a current speed.   
     
     
         12 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 generate a speed profile from an initial stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances for enforcing the speed of the train on approach to the visual barrier; and   monitor the train for a stop based on the visual barrier by monitoring at least one of the one or more stop target distances, the speed profile, the speed of the train on approach to the visual barrier, or at least one warning distance associated with at least one stopping distance in the approach to the visual barrier.   
     
     
         13 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 in response to generating an updated stop target distance,   monitor the train based on the stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances to maintain a stopping distance within at least a warning distance of the visual barrier until a clear path beyond the at least one visual barrier is confirmed.   
     
     
         14 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 detect the visual barrier based on track data, sensor data, or image data associated with a track in the railway; and   predict an initial stopping distance on the approach to the visual barrier, the stopping distance associated with at least one of a maximum restricted speed for the train to stop within one-half the range of vision, a maximum allowable speed, a speed limit, or a braking curve.   
     
     
         15 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to detect the visual barrier by receiving or sensing one or more images associated with the railway immediately in front of the train. 
     
     
         16 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to maintain the speed of the train on approach to the visual barrier based on at least one stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances or a speed profile until a clear path beyond the visual barrier is confirmed. 
     
     
         17 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 10  wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 detect at least one visual barrier based on at least one of wheel data, rail data, train position data, car position data, train speed data, track data, track location data, track curvature data, track profile data, track grade data, train weight data, car weight data, train length data, car length data, environmental data, or authority data. 
 
     
     
         18 . The dynamic train control system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the one or more stop target distances by determining a position of the one or more stop target distances between the train and the visual barrier. 
     
     
         19 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 determine a stopping distance to the visual barrier upon detecting a presence of the visual barrier in the railway;   generate one or more stop target distances during the approach to the visual barrier based on the speed of the train on the approach to the visual barrier; and   generate a warning for an operator to reduce the speed of the train based on the train moving to within a warning distance associated with the stopping distance of the one or more stop target distances associated with the visual barrier.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the at least one processor to generate the warning for the operator by:
 automatically generating at least one updated stop target distance of the one or more stop target distances outside the warning distance associated with the stopping distance based on a current speed.