Patent ID: 9682716
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: B61L

Claim:
1. A system comprising: first and second application devices configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system having at least one vehicle and configured to travel along a route having first and second conductive tracks, the first and second application devices each configured to be at least one of conductively or inductively coupled with one of the conductive tracks; and at least one processor configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle system, the at least one processor operably coupled with first and second detection devices disposed onboard the vehicle system, the first and second detection devices configured to detect the injected examination signals, the at least one processor configured to: control supply of electric current from a power source to the first and second application devices in order to electrically inject a first examination signal into the conductive tracks via the first application device and to electrically inject a second examination signal into the conductive tracks via the second application device; monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the first and second conductive tracks in response to the first and second examination signals being injected into the conductive tracks; identify a classification, from plural classifications, of fault based upon the one or more electrical characteristics of the first and second conductive tracks; and initiate a responsive action to control the vehicle system in response to identifying the classification of fault; wherein the at least one processor is configured to, if the one or more electrical characteristics comprise one or more signal characteristics that correspond to a potential insulated joint or a potential broken rail, determine that the one or more signal characteristics are due to insulated joints if the one or more signal characteristics occur on both of the first and second conductive tracks.