Patent ID: 6570497
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: B61K,B61L,G01S

Abstract:
An apparatus for inspecting a rail track from a railcar traveling on the rail track, the apparatus comprising:an antenna positioned on the railcar and directing radar signals toward the rail track and collecting radar signals returned from the rail track; a radar transceiver connected to the antenna for supplying the radar signals to the antenna, the radar signals being directed toward the rail track and electromagnetically interacting with the rail track, the radar transceiver receiving radar returned signals based on the electromagnetic interaction of the radar signals with the rail track; a controller connected to the radar transceiver for controlling transmission of the radar signals from the radar transceiver and receipt of the radar returned signals; a signal processing unit connected to the controller; and a sensor unit connected to the signal processing unit for supplying input data to the signal processing unit wherein the signal processing unit processes at least the input data and the radar returned signal to produce processor output data; a database connected to the signal processing unit for storing the processor output data and for archiving previously processed processor output data, wherein the signal processing unit compares the processor output data with the previously processed processor output data to determine an existence of an imperfection in the rail track.