Systems and methods for rail worker and rail vehicle warning and position determination

Abstract

System and methods are provided for warning a worker of a rail vehicle, or an operator of the rail vehicle of the worker. The system includes a worker device, a vehicle device, and a central server. The devices and server operate on one or a combination of actual or simulated satellite navigational signals, and beacon signals to determine the position of the devices, to generate a warning. The position determination may prioritize beacon signals over satellite navigation signals. The position determination may involve correcting a calculated position based on a measured power level of the beacon signal received from the beacon transmitter, an elapsed time since a previous beacon signal was last received by the device from the beacon transmitter, an elapsed time since a previous satellite navigation signal was received by the device, or an accuracy of the position of the device based on the satellite navigation signal.

The claimed invention is: 
     
         1 . A system for warning a worker of a rail vehicle, or an operator of the rail vehicle of the worker, the system comprising:
 (a) a satellite navigation signal simulator for radiating satellite navigation signals;   (b) a worker device adapted for carrying by the worker, wherein the worker device comprises: a first receiver for receiving satellite navigation signals; a first transceiver for transceiving data via a communications network; a first output device comprising one or a combination of a first display device, a first speaker, and a first vibrator; a first processor operatively connected to the first receiver, the first transceiver, the first output device, and a first non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the first processor to implement a first method comprising the steps of:
 (i) determining one or a combination of position, speed, or direction (kinematic data) of the worker device based at least on satellite navigation signals received by the first receiver; 
 (ii) causing the first transceiver to transmit the determined kinematic data of the worker device via the communications network; and 
 (iii) causing the first output device to generate a visual, audible, or haptic warning in response to notification data received by the first transceiver via the communications network; 
   (c) a vehicle device adapted to be placed onboard the rail vehicle, wherein the vehicle device comprises: a second receiver for receiving satellite navigation signals; a second transceiver for transceiving data via the communications network; a second output device comprising one or a combination of a second display device, a second speaker, and a second vibrator; a second processor operatively connected to the second receiver, the second transceiver, the second output device, and a second non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the second processor to implement a second method comprising the steps of:
 (i) determining one or a combination of position, speed, or direction (kinematic data) of the vehicle device based at least on satellite navigation signals received by the second receiver; 
 (ii) causing the second transceiver to transmit the determined kinematic data of the vehicle device via the communications network; and 
 (iii) causing the output device to generate a visual, audible, or haptic warning in response to notification data received by the second transceiver via the communications network; and 
   (d) a central server comprising: a third transceiver for transceiving data via the communications network; and a third processor operatively connected to the transceiver, and a third non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the third processor to implement a third method comprising the steps of:
 (i) determining if a safety rule is violated based at least on one or a combination of the kinematic data of the worker device, and the kinematic data of the vehicle device received by the third transceiver; and 
 (ii) if the safety rule is violated, causing the third transceiver to transmit notification data to one or a combination of the worker device, and the vehicle device via the communications network. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system for warning a worker of a rail vehicle, or an operator of the rail vehicle of the worker, the system comprising:
 (a) a plurality of beacon transmitters for radiating beacon signals along the railway;   (b) a worker device adapted for carrying by the worker, wherein the worker device comprises: a first receiver for receiving beacon signals; a first transceiver for transceiving data via a communications network; a first output device comprising one or a combination of a first display device, a first speaker, and a first vibrator; a first processor operatively connected to the first receiver, the first transceiver, the output device, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the first processor to implement a first method comprising the steps of:
 (i) determining a received signal strength of beacon signals received by the first receiver; 
 (ii) causing the first transceiver to transmit the determined received signal strength of beacon signals received by the first receiver via the communications network; and 
 (iii) causing the output device to generate a visual, audible, or haptic warning in response to notification data received by the first transceiver via the communications network; 
   (c) a vehicle device adapted to be placed onboard the rail vehicle, wherein the vehicle device comprises: a second receiver for receiving beacon signals; a second transceiver for transceiving data via the communications network; a second output device comprising one or a combination of a second display device, a second speaker, and a second vibrator; a second processor operatively connected to the second receiver, the second transceiver, the second output device, and a second non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the second processor to implement a second method comprising the steps of:
 (i) determining a received signal strength of beacon signals received by the second receiver; 
 (ii) causing the second transceiver to transmit the determined strength of beacon signals received by the second receiver via the communications network; and 
 (iii) causing the second output device to generate a visual, audible, or haptic warning in response to notification data received by the second transceiver via the communications network; 
   (d) a central server comprising: a transceiver for transceiving data via the communications network; and a processor operatively connected to the transceiver, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the processor to implement a third method comprising the steps of:
 (i) determining one or a combination of position, speed, or direction (kinematic data) of the worker device based at least on the received signal strength of beacon signals received by the first receiver, as received by the third transceiver via the communications network; 
 (ii) determining one or a combination of position, speed, or direction (kinematic data) of the vehicle device based at least on the received signal strength of beacon signals received by the second receiver, as received by the third transceiver via the communications network; 
 (iii) determining if a safety rule is violated based at least on one or a combination of the kinematic data of the worker device, and the kinematic data of the vehicle device received by the transceiver; and 
 (iv) if the safety rule is violated, causing the transceiver to transmit notification data to one or a combination of the worker device, and the vehicle device via the communications network. 
   
     
     
         3 . A method for warning a worker of a rail vehicle, or for warning an operator of the rail vehicle of the worker, the method implemented by a device carried by the worker, or placed onboard the rail vehicle, the device comprising: a first receiver for receiving beacon signals; a second receiver for receiving satellite navigation signals; a transceiver for transceiving data via a communications network; an output device comprising one or a combination of a display device, a speaker, and a vibrator; and a processor operatively connected to the first receiver, the second receiver, the transceiver, the output device, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the processor to implement the method, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) determining if beacon signals are received by the first receiver, and if so, then:
 (i) determining a received signal strength of beacon signals received by the first receiver; and 
 (ii) causing the transceiver to transmit the determined strength of beacon signals received by the first receiver via the communications network; and 
   (b) if it is determined that beacon signals are not received by the first receiver, then determining if satellite navigation signals are received by the second receiver, and if so, then:
 (i) determining one or a combination of position, speed, or direction (kinematic data) of the device based at least on satellite navigation signals received by the second receiver; and 
 (ii) causing the transceiver to transmit the determined kinematic data of the device via the communications network; and 
   (c) causing the output device to generate a visual, audible, or haptic warning in response to notification data received by the transceiver via the communications network, wherein the notification data is based at least on either the transmitted determined strength of beacon signals received by the first receiver, or the transmitted determined kinematic data of the device.