LOW COST SMART MAGNETOMETER FOR TRAIN DETECTION/MONITORING

PRESENT TRAIN DETECTION SCHEMES RELY LARGELY ON A LOW RESISTANCE THROUGH THE TRAIN'S WHEELS TO PERTURBATE A STABLE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. WHILE ELEGANT IN PRINCIPLE, THE DESIGN IS PLAGUED BY OXIDE FILMS AND MATERIAL BUILDUP ON THE RAIL, SNEAK PATHS THROUGH THE BALLAST AND OTHER UNCONTROLLABLE VARIABLES. KVH INDUSTRIES PROPOSES TO DESIGN AND DELIVER A "SMART MAGNETOMETER"-BASED SENSOR PACKAGE WHICH WILL BACKUP AND FAIL-SAFE THE PRESENT TRACK CIRCUIT DESIGN. THE MAGNETOMETER WILL BE LOW IN COST, LOW IN POWER CONSUMPTION, WILL READILY INTEGRATE WITH EXISTING DETECTION AND SIGNALLING SYSTEMS INFRASTRUCTURES AND WILL OBVIATE THE SHORTCOMINGS CITED IN THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATIVE RESEARCH SOLICITATION. OUR SMART MAGNETOMETER WILL INCLUDE A MICROPROCESSOR FOR POWER CONDITIONING, SELF-TEST CAPABILITY, DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND A LOW DRAIN INTERNAL BATTERY FOR BACKUP POWER. WE WILL EMPLOY RAIL POWER IN THE DETECTION ZONE WHENEVER POSSIBLE, BUT OUR MICROELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY WILL ALLOW SELF-POWERED OPERATION (INCLUDING AN OPTION FOR PHOTO-VOLTAIC CELLS). WE PROPOSE TO USE OUR EXTENSIVE ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE AND OUR PREEMINENCE IN THE FIELD OF MAGNETOMETRICS TO DEVELOP, TEST, AND DELIVER A PROOF-OF-PRINCIPLE TRAIN DETECTOR SENSOR PACKAGE FOR TEST AND EVALUATION.