Route examination system and method

US9669851B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Jared Klineman Cooper · Melbourne, US
• Samuel William Golden · Melbourne, US
• Joseph Forrest Noffsinger · Lee's Summit, US
• Ajith Kuttannair Kumar · Erie, US
• Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov · Niskayuna, US
• Jeffrey Michael Fries · Grain Valley, US
• Steven Joseph Ehret · Erie, US
• Nicholas David Nagrodsky · Melbourne, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 13, 2015
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2017
• Expiry date: Mar 13, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B61L3/10
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A route examination system and method automatically detect (with an identification unit onboard a vehicle having one or more processors) a location of a break in conductivity of a first route during movement of the vehicle along the first route. The system and method also identify (with the identification unit) one or more of a location of the vehicle on the first route or the first route from among several different routes based at least in part on the location of the break in the conductivity of the first route that is detected.