Monitoring transportation systems

US10317256B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated · US

Inventors

• Ajay Raghavan · Mountain View, US
• Kyle Arakaki · Mountain View, US
• Andreas SCHUH · Duderstadt, DE
• Alex Hegyi · San Francisco, US
• Peter Kiesel · Palo Alto, US
• Anurag Ganguli · Saratoga, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 14, 2017
• Grant date: Jun 11, 2019
• Expiry date: Aug 15, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01P3/36
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A monitoring system includes optical sensors disposed on one or more fiber optic waveguides. Each optical sensor is spaced apart from other optical sensors and is disposed at a location along a route defined by a transportation structure that supports a moveable conveyance. The plurality of optical sensors are mechanically coupled to one or both of the transportation structure and the moveable conveyance. Each optical sensor provides an optical output signal responsive to vibrational emissions of one or both of the transportation structure and the conveyance. The monitoring system includes a detector unit configured to convert optical output signals from the optical sensors to electrical signals. A data acquisition controller synchronizes recordation of the electrical signals with movement of the conveyance.