US 11,884,310 B2
Systems and methods for detecting tanks in railway environments
Andrea Leticia Arias Llorenty, Fort Worth, TX (US); Sandra N. Green, Arlington, TX (US); Rucha D. Jani, Fort Worth, TX (US); David Matthew King, Fort Worth, TX (US); Doug McReynolds, Dallas, TX (US); Seyed Mohammad Nourbakhsh, Keller, TX (US); Stephanie Ortiz Watkins, Krum, TX (US); Nathaniel Richmond, Frisco, TX (US); Xiaoyan Si, Kirkland, WA (US); Je Sang Sung, Fort Worth, TX (US); and Anpeng Zhang, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to BNSF Railway Company, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed by BNSF Railway Company, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/176,131.
Application 17/176,131 is a continuation of application No. 16/855,365, filed on Apr. 22, 2020, granted, now 10,919,546.
Prior Publication US 2021/0331723 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B61K 9/08 (2006.01); B61L 23/04 (2006.01); B61L 25/02 (2006.01)
CPC B61K 9/08 (2013.01) [B61L 23/041 (2013.01); B60L 2200/26 (2013.01); B61L 23/047 (2013.01); B61L 25/025 (2013.01); B61L 2205/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
determining, by an image detection tool, a plurality of tank classifications, wherein the plurality of tank classifications comprises:
a first tank classification associated with a tank containing a hazardous material; and
a second tank classification associated with a tank containing a nonhazardous material;
identifying, by the image detection tool, a tank within an image of a railway environment;
analyzing, by the image detection tool, the tank to determine one or more characteristics associated with the tank;
classifying, by the image detection tool, the tank into the first tank classification based on the one or more characteristics;
determining, by the image detection tool, that the tank contains the hazardous material and that the tank presents a hazard to the railway environment based on classifying the tank into the first tank classification; and
generating, by the image detection tool, an alert in response to determining that the tank presents the hazard to the railway environment.