US 12,454,294 B2
Systems and methods for verifying railcar location
Erik L. Gotlund, Green Oaks, IL (US); David P. Cannon, Chicago, IL (US); Michael E. Antonakakis, Colorado Springs, CO (US); and Thomas M. Kingsley, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to TTX Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by TTX Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/154,793.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/133,010, filed on Dec. 31, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/964,726, filed on Jan. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0291883 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. B61L 25/02 (2006.01); B61L 15/00 (2006.01); H04L 67/12 (2022.01); H04L 67/52 (2022.01); H04L 67/53 (2022.01)
CPC B61L 25/025 (2013.01) [B61L 15/0081 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01); H04L 67/52 (2022.05); H04L 67/53 (2022.05); B61L 2205/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computing device for verifying a rail car location, comprising:
a processor;
a spring sensor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when read by the processor, cause the computing device to:
establish, based on determining a car location of the rail car, a geofence based on the car location;
adjust, based on the geofence, a car load state sensor interval for the spring sensor;
determine, according to the car load state sensor interval, and based on calculating spring usage of a spring associated with the spring sensor, an expected spring height of the spring;
measure, using the spring sensor, an actual spring height of the spring;
determine, based on a comparison of the expected spring height and the actual spring height satisfying a threshold, a car load state change for a rail car;
determine, based on the car load state change, an indicated car location;
identify an event corresponding to the car load state change, wherein the event comprises an event location corresponding to the indicated car location;
override a low-power operating mode associated with the processor in response to determining that the car load state change is a high priority event, the override including controlling a short-range communication device to transmit data about the car load state change; and
verify the car location based on the event location corresponding to the indicated car location and location information.