Radar systems for vehicle detection at highway-rail grade crossings

United States Patent: 8596587

Systems and methods for redundant vehicle detection at highway-rail grade crossings

Abstract A method for sensing objects within a rail grade crossing island is described. The method includes transmitting a radar signal into the island from each of a plurality of radar devices such that each portion of the island is monitored by at least two of the radar devices, detecting if an object is in the island based on received signals corresponding to the transmissions associated with at least one of the radar devices, and operating a gate control device associated with the rail grade crossing based on the detections.

---

Inventors:	Hilleary; Thomas N. (Kansas City, MO)
Applicant:	Name City State Country Type Hilleary; Thomas N. Kansas City MO US
Assignee:	Bystep, LLC (Kansas City, MO)
Appl. No.:	13/103,625
Filed:	May 9, 2010

DOT Bystep Report - A Radar Vehicle Detection System for Four-Quadrant Gate Warning Systems and Blocked Crossing Detection
The Wavetronix Matrix Radar was adapted for use at four-quadrant gate railroad crossings for the purpose of influencing exit gate behavior upon the detection of vehicles, as an alternative to buried inductive loops. Two radar devices were utilized, operating collaboratively, in order to realize a fully redundant system.

Performance variables including vehicle size and location, vehicle occlusion, and radar positioning were evaluated, along with sensitivity to rain, snow, and other environmental conditions.

Recommendations for utilization of the radars in conjunction with popular crossing warning system controllers are provided. Also included is a means for detecting vehicles that are stopped, stored, or deliberately placed in the crossing island, and rapidly communicating that information across cellular, PTC, ITCS, and ACSES, and other data networks.

AREMA Report 

Executive Summary

The development and testing of a radar-based means of detecting vehicle presenceat railroad crossings showed improvements in the areas of performance, reliability, safety, and life-cycle cost over the industry’s standard use of inductive loop vehicle detectors.A comprehensive series of validation tests contrasted the dual microwave radar system with the performance of inductive loop arrays. Tests that evaluated mounting location, vehicle size and location, environmental and meteorological performance, and failsafe scenarios demonstrated the dual-radar system’s performance to be equal or superior to that of strategically-placed inductive loops in actual railroad crossing installations. 

Over four months of testing involving more than 120,000 vehicles showed no missed detection events for either the loop system or the dual radar system.False detections by the loop system occurred 68 times(0.057%) while false detections by the radar system occurred 27 times(0.022%). For the purpose of providing an exit path for potentially trapped vehicles in four quadrant gate crossings, a false detection is generally considered to be a ‘right-side’ failure –causing exit gates to ascend to the failsafe, raised position.

UK Implementing Radar Controlled Grade Crossings 

The Office of Rail Regulation has announced how it is going to spend £21 billion on the rail network over the next five years. Targets include an improvement in punctuality and more money for upgrading dangerous level crossings. One crossing which has already been upgraded, in Ormskirk, Lancashire, was the site of a near miss in 2012, when the crossing was manned. Now a new obstacle detection system has been installed which uses radar. Although this technology is common in Europe, it is new in the UK. It will be quite costly, with each crossing costing over £1 million.