Patents by Inventor Matteo FREA

Matteo FREA 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).

  • Publication number: 20240011904
    Abstract: A system for determining an adhesion value between wheel and rail for a railway vehicle is described, comprising an optical information acquisition means arranged to acquire optical information from the rail, a database arranged to store the acquired optical information in at least a learning phase and to associate said information with a relevant real wheel-rail adhesion value measured at the moment of acquisition of the optical information, a control unit arranged to determine the current wheel-rail adhesion value on the basis of a comparison between current acquired optical information and the optical information previously stored in the database. The control unit determines that the current wheel-rail adhesion value associated with the current acquired optical information corresponds to the adhesion value associated with the optical information stored in the database having the highest degree of similarity with the current acquired optical information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventor: Matteo Frea
  • Publication number: 20230415798
    Abstract: A system for verifying the integrity of a convoy, particularly a railway convoy, comprising at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, is described, in which the system for verifying the integrity of a convoy includes a first controller arranged to be coupled to the first vehicle, a second controller arranged to be coupled to the second vehicle, and at least one communication means arranged to allow communication between the first controller and the second controller. The first controller and/or the second controller is/are arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised, when the first controller and the second controller are no longer able to communicate with each other via the at least one communication means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Angelo Grasso, Matteo Frea, Roberto Tione
  • Patent number: 11780414
    Abstract: A braking control system includes braking control modules configured to generate a braking torque request signal, indicative of a requested braking torque value CFr, which is variable until reaching a target value Vt, and to supply the braking torque request signal to a braking means which converts it into a braking torque with effective braking torque value CFe. The braking control modules are configured to calculate a total difference of instantaneous braking torque ?CFt as the sum of the differences between the CFr values and the CFe values of all modules. If the calculated ?CFt is greater than zero when Vt is reached, the braking control modules increase the braking torque until a ?CFt subsequent to reaching Vt has a zero or negative value, or until the maximum available adhesion signal has indicated that a controlled axle has reached the maximum available adhesion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: FAIVELEY TRANSPORT ITALIA S.P.A
    Inventors: Roberto Tione, Matteo Frea, Luc Imbert
  • Patent number: 11654876
    Abstract: A service and emergency braking control system for at least one railway vehicle, including a plurality of braking control modules is provided. Each braking control module is equipped for: if, when achieving a determined braking torque value from an applied braking torque, an instantaneous deceleration value is lower than the target deceleration value, increasing the applied braking torque until the instantaneous deceleration value reaches the target deceleration value, or until the maximum available adhesion from an axle controlled by said braking control module is indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FAIVELEY TRANSPORT ITALIA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Tione, Matteo Frea, Luc Imbert
  • Publication number: 20230122725
    Abstract: A system for estimating a load index of a railway vehicle is described, comprising: an image acquisition means arranged to acquire a real-time image of a predetermined area inside a wagon of such a railway vehicle; and a control means arranged to determine the load index of the railway vehicle as a function of this image acquired by the image acquisition means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventor: Matteo Frea
  • Publication number: 20230113694
    Abstract: A monitoring system is described for a plurality of homogeneous devices, of at least one railway vehicle, wherein a functional state of each device is represented by a respective value of at least one operating quantity common to the devices. The monitoring system comprises: a control means which acquires, in a succession of acquisition instants, values of the operating quantity; each value is representative of the functional state of a respective device in an acquisition instant; diagnostic means which receive the values acquired in an acquisition instant and detect an operating anomaly or a maintenance request from at least one device as a function of a comparison, for each acquisition instant, of the values received with a range of reference values comprising a reference value determined as a function of at least two values acquired in an acquisition instant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Roberto Tione, Matteo Frea
  • Patent number: 11465598
    Abstract: A system for determining a wheel-rail adhesion value for a railway vehicle including at least one axle to which two wheels having a radius are coupled is provided. The system includes a deformation detection circuit coupled to an axle arranged to detect a torsional deformation of the axle due to a longitudinal adhesion force transferred from the axle to the rail, and a controller arranged to estimate a torque value as a function of the torsional deformation detected to convert the estimated torque value into the longitudinal adhesion force value as a function of the radius of the wheels, and to calculate the wheel-rail adhesion value through the ratio between the longitudinal adhesion force value and a normal load value that the axle exerts on the rail. A method for determining a wheel-rail adhesion value for a railway vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: FAIVELEY TRANSPORT ITALIA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Matteo Frea, Luc Imbert
  • Publication number: 20220205202
    Abstract: A method for assessing contamination of a route includes imposing a first sliding value lower than a first threshold between one or more first wheels of a vehicle and the route, the one or more first wheels being the head the vehicle, imposing a second sliding value greater than a second threshold between one or more second wheels of the vehicle and the route, the one or more second wheels following the one or more first wheels and the second threshold being greater than the first threshold, and determining the trend of an adhesion curve between the one or more first wheels and the one or more second wheels and the route, based on a first adhesion value between the one or more first wheels and the route, and a second adhesion value between the one or more second wheels and the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Matteo Frea, Luc Imbert
  • Publication number: 20220118962
    Abstract: A method is described for detecting a braking action of a railway vehicle (RV) comprising monitoring the load transfer to a first axle of the railway vehicle (RV) from a second axle following the first axle according to the direction of travel (d) and, if the load transfer exceeds a predetermined threshold, determining that the railway vehicle (RV) is braking. An emergency braking method is also described comprising detecting an emergency braking request, activating an electrodynamic braking system to decelerate the railway vehicle when the emergency braking request is detected, applying the method to detect a braking action of a railway vehicle and, if so, determining that the electrodynamic braking system is operating correctly and using the electrodynamic braking system to fulfill at least partially the emergency braking request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Matteo Frea, Roberto Tione
  • Patent number: 11305795
    Abstract: A method for assessing contamination of a rail, in particular for a railway vehicle, comprises the steps of imposing a first sliding value lower than a first threshold between the wheels of a first controlled axle and the rail, the first controlled axle being the head axle of the railway vehicle, imposing a second sliding value greater than a second threshold between the wheels of a second controlled axle and the rail, the second axle following the first axle and the second threshold being greater than the first threshold, and determining the trend of an adhesion curve between the wheels belonging to a plurality of controlled axles and the rail, based on a first adhesion value between the wheels of the first axle and the rail, and a second adhesion value between the wheels of the second axle and the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: FAIVELEY TRANSPORT ITALIA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Matteo Frea, Luc Imbert
  • Publication number: 20210213920
    Abstract: A system and method for managing braking in a degraded adhesion condition for a vehicle system including at least one vehicle comprising setting a target deceleration value, applying a non-degraded braking force via a braking system of the vehicle system, detecting a presence of a degraded adhesion condition between the vehicle system and a route along which the vehicle system moves. Responsive to the degraded adhesion condition not being detected, maintaining the application of the non-degraded braking force, or responsive to the degraded adhesion condition being detected, applying a degraded braking force, activating recovery means to control deceleration of the vehicle system, determining a compensation deceleration value, and applying at least one of the braking system or recovery means to control the deceleration of the vehicle system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Matteo Frea, Luc Imbert
  • Publication number: 20210039615
    Abstract: A braking control system includes braking control modules configured to generate a braking torque request signal, indicative of a requested braking torque value CFr, which is variable until reaching a target value Vt, and to supply the braking torque request signal to a braking means which converts it into a braking torque with effective braking torque value CFe. The braking control modules are configured to calculate a total difference of instantaneous braking torque ?CFt as the sum of the differences between the CFr values and the CFe values of all modules. If the calculated ?CFt is greater than zero when Vt is reached, the braking control modules increase the braking torque until a ?CFt subsequent to reaching Vt has a zero or negative value, or until the maximum available adhesion signal has indicated that a controlled axle has reached the maximum available adhesion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Roberto TIONE, Matteo FREA, Luc IMBERT
  • Publication number: 20200377064
    Abstract: A system for determining a wheel-rail adhesion value for a railway vehicle including at least one axle to which two wheels having a radius are coupled is provided. The system includes a deformation detection circuit coupled to an axle arranged to detect a torsional deformation of the axle due to a longitudinal adhesion force transferred from the axle to the rail, and a controller arranged to estimate a torque value as a function of the torsional deformation detected to convert the estimated torque value into the longitudinal adhesion force value as a function of the radius of the wheels, and to calculate the wheel-rail adhesion value through the ratio between the longitudinal adhesion force value and a normal load value that the axle exerts on the rail. A method for determining a wheel-rail adhesion value for a railway vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Matteo FREA, Luc IMBERT
  • Publication number: 20200369251
    Abstract: A control method of a braking system of at least one railway vehicle comprising a plurality of deceleration influencing devices is provided. The control method includes calculating a deceleration difference between a target deceleration and at least an estimated effective deceleration; selecting at least one influencing device depending on the deceleration difference and decision factors, including a mission factor, advantage and disadvantage factors inherent to each deceleration influencing device, field response factors indicative of the environmental conditions surrounding the at least one railway vehicle, and system state factors; and controlling the selected at least one deceleration influencing device according to the deceleration difference and at least one of the decision factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Luc IMBERT, Matteo FREA
  • Publication number: 20200369303
    Abstract: A system for determining an angular speed value (V?) of an axle of a railway vehicle is provided. The system includes a deformation detection circuit coupled to the axle of the railway vehicle, the deformation detection circuit being arranged to detect a trend over time of a flexural deformation value of the axle due to a value of a normal load exerted by the axle on the rail, and a controller to estimate the angular speed value (V?) of the axle as a function of a frequency f derived from the trend over time of the flexural deformation value of the axle detected by the deformation detection circuit. A method for determining an angular speed value (V?) of an axle of a railway vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Matteo FREA, Luc IMBERT
  • Publication number: 20200364385
    Abstract: A system is provided for simulating contact between wheel and rail, in particular of a railway vehicle, comprising at least one hollow cylindrical structure having a first diameter and including a rail simulation surface arranged integrally with an internal surface of the hollow cylindrical structure and at least one wheel having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter and including a rolling surface adapted to be placed in contact with the rail simulation surface of the hollow cylindrical structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Luc IMBERT, Matteo FREA
  • Publication number: 20200361499
    Abstract: A device and method for dispensing a friction-coefficient-optimizing mixture of at least one lubricant and at least one grit into the gap between a rail wheel of a rail vehicle and a rail. The device includes a reservoir for the lubricant, a reservoir for the grit, a metering unit for metering the lubricant, a metering unit for metering the grit, a delivery apparatus for delivering the lubricant, a delivery apparatus for delivering the grit, and a common dispensing nozzle. The apparatus for delivering the lubricant and the apparatus for delivering the grit are separate from each other and end in the common dispensing nozzle, the friction-coefficient-optimizing mixture therefore not being formed until the dispensing, and an additional compressed air line is provided, which ends in the common dispensing nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: NOWE GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander REICH, Luc George IMBERT, Matteo FREA
  • Publication number: 20200269823
    Abstract: A service and emergency braking control system for at least one railway vehicle, including a plurality of braking control modules is provided. Each braking control module is equipped for: if, when achieving a determined braking torque value from an applied braking torque, an instantaneous deceleration value is lower than the target deceleration value, increasing the applied braking torque until the instantaneous deceleration value reaches the target deceleration value, or until the maximum available adhesion from an axle controlled by said braking control module is indicated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Roberto TIONE, Matteo FREA, Luc IMBERT
  • Publication number: 20200101993
    Abstract: A method for assessing contamination of a rail, in particular for a railway vehicle, comprises the steps of imposing a first sliding value lower than a first threshold between the wheels of a first controlled axle and the rail, the first controlled axle being the head axle of the railway vehicle, imposing a second sliding value greater than a second threshold between the wheels of a second controlled axle and the rail, the second axle following the first axle and the second threshold being greater than the first threshold, and determining the trend of an adhesion curve between the wheels belonging to a plurality of controlled axles and the rail, based on a first adhesion value between the wheels of the first axle and the rail, and a second adhesion value between the wheels of the second axle and the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Matteo FREA, Luc IMBERT