Systems and methods for verifying railcar location
Systems and methods for remote monitoring and verifying railcar locations in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computing device for verifying a rail car location includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when read by the processor cause the computing device to determine a car load state change for a rail car, identify an event corresponding to the car load state change, wherein the event includes an event location, determine a car location of the rail car, establish a geofence based on the car location, determine location information based on the geofence, and verify the car location based on the location information and the event location.
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.
2 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein determining the car location comprises determining the car location based on feedback from a global positioning system receiver installed on the rail car.
3 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the geofence comprises a circular region centered on the car location.
4 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the geofence comprises a polygonal area established around the car location.
5 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises at least one location name and corresponding location address obtained from a third-party location service.
6 . The computing device of claim 5 , wherein:
the event location further comprises an event location name; and
verifying the car location further comprises determining the event location name matches the location name.
7 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the car load state change comprises a change from a loaded state of the rail car to an unloaded state of the rail car.
8 . A computer-implemented method for verifying a rail car location, comprising:
establishing, based on determining a car location of the rail car, a geofence based on the car location;
adjusting, based on the geofence, a car load state sensor interval for a spring sensor;
determining, according to the car load state sensor interval, based on calculating spring usage of a spring associated with the spring sensor, an expected spring height of the spring;
measuring, using the spring sensor, an actual spring height of the spring;
determining, 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;
determining, based on the car load state change, an indicated car location;
identifying an event corresponding to the car load state change, wherein the event comprises an event location, corresponding to the indicated car location;
overriding a low-power operating mode 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
verifying the car location based on the event location corresponding to the indicated car location and location information.
9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein determining the car location comprises determining the car location based on feedback from a global positioning system receiver installed on the rail car.
10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the geofence comprises a circular region centered on the car location.
11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the geofence comprises a polygonal area established around the car location.
12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the location information comprises at least one location name and corresponding location address obtained from a third-party location service.
13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein:
the event location further comprises an event location name; and
verifying the car location further comprises determining the event location name matches the location name.
14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the car load state change comprises a change from a loaded state of the rail car to an unloaded state of the rail car.
15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:
establishing, based on determining a car location of a rail car, a geofence based on the car location;
adjusting, based on the geofence, a car load state sensor interval for a spring sensor;
determining, based on calculating spring usage of a spring associated with the spring sensor, an expected spring height of the spring;
measuring, using the spring sensor, an actual spring height of the spring;
determining, 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;
determining, based on the car load state change, an indicated car location;
identifying an event corresponding to the car load state change, wherein the event comprises an event location, corresponding to the indicated car location;
overriding 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
verifying the car location based on the event location corresponding to the indicated car location and location information.
16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the car location comprises determining the car location based on feedback from a global positioning system receiver installed on the rail car.
17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the geofence comprises a circular region centered on the car location.
18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the geofence comprises a polygonal area established around the car location.
19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the location information comprises at least one location name and corresponding location address obtained from a third-party location service;
the event location further comprises an event location name; and
verifying the car location further comprises determining the event location name matches the location name.
20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the car load state change comprises a change from a loaded state of the rail car to an unloaded state of the rail car.