Patents by Inventor John HOUNSCHELL

John HOUNSCHELL has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System and method for controlling a level crossing of a railway track
    Patent number: 10988151
    Abstract: A system controls a level crossing of a railway track installation. The railway track installation includes at least one track. The system includes at least two magnetometers associated with the at least one track and placed at corners of a crossing area between the at least one track and a road. The system also includes a level crossing control unit configured for receiving data from the magnetometers. Each magnetometer is arranged to detect a respective magnetic field vector of the earth's magnetic field and to send data representative of the magnetic field vector to the control unit. The control unit is configured to elaborate the data to detect changes in the magnetic field vectors due to the presence of a train in the crossing area and to control the level crossing as a function of the detected changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: John Hounschell, Jeffrey Fries, James Frisbie, Tony Spagnolia, Brian Isaacson
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A LEVEL CROSSING OF A RAILWAY TRACK
    Publication number: 20200039550
    Abstract: A system controls a level crossing of a railway track installation. The railway track installation includes at least one track. The system includes at least two magnetometers associated with the at least one track and placed at corners of a crossing area between the at least one track and a road. The system also includes a level crossing control unit configured for receiving data from the magnetometers. Each magnetometer is arranged to detect a respective magnetic field vector of the earth's magnetic field and to send data representative of the magnetic field vector to the control unit. The control unit is configured to elaborate the data to detect changes in the magnetic field vectors due to the presence of a train in the crossing area and to control the level crossing as a function of the detected changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: John HOUNSCHELL, Jeffrey FRIES, James FRISBIE, Tony SPAGNOLIA, Brian ISAACSON
  • Wayside communication system using power grid lines
    Patent number: 10293840
    Abstract: A wayside communication system for transmitting coded current signals through running rails of a railroad track between wayside control devices. A power line common to the wayside control devices is used as the return path for the current signals. The system features train and broken rail detection. The system allows sending signals long distances since rail to rail current leakage is no longer an issue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Nicholas Nagrodsky, Richard Lawson, Jeffrey Fries, John Hounschell, James Kiss
  • WAYSIDE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING POWER GRID LINES
    Publication number: 20180093684
    Abstract: A wayside communication system for transmitting coded current signals through running rails of a railroad track between wayside control devices. A power line common to the wayside control devices is used as the return path for the current signals. The system features train and broken rail detection. The system allows sending signals long distances since rail to rail current leakage is no longer an issue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas NAGRODSKY, Richard LAWSON, Jeffrey FRIES, John HOUNSCHELL, James KISS