AU2009238357A1 - Method and system for detecting impacts on areas to be monitored on a running vehicle - Google Patents

Description

I AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais ACTUAL INVENTORS: Thomas Schrevere Patrick Marion Jerome Moreau Christophe Gerault ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA. INVENTION TITLE: "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING IMPACTS ON AREAS TO BE MONITORED ON A RUNNING VEHICLE" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PRIORITY APPLICATION NO: French Patent Application Number 0806507 filed on 20 November 2008 2 The invention relates to the field of monitoring impacts on a running vehicle, and in particular ballast impacts on a railway vehicle circulating at high velocity. 5 A running vehicle, of the railway vehicle type, is by nature exposed to the external environment when moving on traffic ways, such as railway tracks lying on ballast. Ballast is the stone or gravel layer onto 10 which the rails lie. Its function is to transmit the stresses generated by railway vehicles circulating on the ground, without the latter becoming distorted through packing. The ballast has also a function to embed rails so as to provide some resistance to 15 longitudinal distortions. When a railway vehicle is circulating, a drawing force, depending on the velocity of the railway vehicle, is created between the vehicle and the track it is circulating on. Because of such a drawing force, the 20 ballast lifts off the ground, onto which it lies, and is propelled at high velocity on the vehicle or in the vicinity of the tracks. The ballast collides with the floor and the axles of the railway vehicle. Such impacts are detrimental and decrease the life of railway 25 equipment. Moreover, such projections are likely to wound maintenance technical personnel located in the vicinity of the traffic tracks. Such a phenomenon is traditionally referred to as a "ballast flight". Such a phenomenon, although well known, has a 30 higher and'higher importance for the railway transport professionals because of the higher and higher velocity of railway vehicles on the rails. In order to better understand such a phenomenon, it has been suggested to measure and model the ballast flight. 35 Methods for measuring ballast projections upon 3 the circulation of a railway vehicle have already been implemented but have not made it possible to reach satisfactory results. Thus, it is known for example to hang 5 microphones inside a railway vehicle in the vicinity of the floor of said vehicle so as to be able to listen to the various impacts on the external surface of the floor. Unfortunately, it is difficult to distinguish the noise of the ballast impacts from the background noise, 10 in particular vibrations of the railway vehicle upon its circulation on the tracks. The results of such a method are inaccurate and do not allow to draw satisfactory conclusions. Another drawback of this type of method lies 15 in the fact that when an impact is detected by the microphone, it is not able to be geographically located. Otherwise stated, it is not known where on the floor of the railway vehicle the ballast has hit the floor. In fact, the noise of the impact is received nearly 20 simultaneously by all the microphones, preventing from accurately determining the part of the floor of the vehicle being damaged. In order to overcome such a problem, it has been suggested arranging video recording cameras filming 25 the external surface of the vehicle floor so as to film the impacts. Due to the high velocity of the ballast when it is projected against the vehicle floor, it is appropriate to use so-called "fast" cameras, because of the high number of pictures being recorded per second. 30 Thus, in comparison with a traditional camera, a fast camera records a much higher number of data on a similar period of time and thereby allows capturing the path of the ballast upon its flying. For true condition testing on a railway 35 vehicle path, the memory storing capacity of the fast 4 camera is limited and it is not possible to continuously film the ballast impacts for the duration of the test. In order to overcome such a drawback, a solution comprises continuously taking pictures, but 5 only capturing video recordings when an impact occurs, i.e. when an impact noise is being detected by the microphone. In order to visualize the impact, the camera is associated with a pre-triggering system allowing to, upon reception of a control message, obtain a video 10 recording prior to the impact. The pre-triggering system comprises, to this end, a buffer or volatile memory comprising data as filmed by the camera during the last recording seconds. Conventionally, the buffer memory of the camera 15 comprises data being recorded during the last 5 to 10 seconds. When an impact is detected, the contents of the buffer memory is stored in a storing memory (non volatile memory also referred to as read-only memory), the storing memory comprising the impact pictures. 20 Such impact detecting and visualizing method requires an operator able to trigger the video recording at each impact detection. Because of the background noise and the subjectivity of the operator, detecting impacts is very random, numerous impacts being not 25 detected while false alerts are emitted. As a result of such a drawback, it is necessary to visualize all the video recordings, in order to discard non relevant recordings resulting from detection false alerts. Moreover, it is necessary to 30 perform such a step again for all the recording cameras. Such a method is thus difficult to be implemented and does not allow for reliably used results to be obtained. In order to solve at least some of such problems, the Applicant provides a method for detecting 35 impacts on areas to be monitored of a running vehicle, 5 created by objects being projected as a result of the velocity thereof, wherein vibration sensors are provided in direct contact with the areas to be monitored on the running vehicle, and signals from the vibration sensors 5 are analyzed for detecting impacts. Such a detection system advantageously allows for detecting with accuracy the impacts while directly measuring the vibration resulting from the impact on an area to be monitored on the running vehicle. Moreover, 10 an impact detected by a vibration sensor is able to be located on the running vehicle, enabling to model the ballast flight phenomenon. This invention is the result of the discovery of damage caused by ballast impacts on a railway vehicle 15 but it is understood that this invention applies to any circulating vehicle (car, plane, either taking off/landing, etc.), being able to project objects (ballast, small stones, etc.) because of the velocity thereof. 20 Preferably, an impact coefficient is measured for each vibration signal provided by a vibration sensor, each impact coefficient is compared to a predetermined threshold value and an impact detection message is-emitted when said impact coefficient exceeds 25 said predetermined threshold value. Measuring an impact coefficient on a vibration signal allows overcoming vibrations on the running vehicle detected by vibration sensors when the vehicle is running. Indeed, a neural network could have been 30 used for determining whether a vibration signal, measured by a sensor, represents an impact signal, but such a neural network is sensitive to noises and vibrations of the vehicle and does not provide satisfactory results. 35 Still preferably, an impact coefficient of 6 said vibration signal is measured on a time window with a predetermined time duration. Measuring the impact on a time window allows, on the one hand, to limit the number of data from the 5 vibration signal to be considered for calculating the impact coefficient and thereby, allows detecting in real time the impact. On the other hand, this allows to very finely detect the impacts on a time window with a predetermined size and thus, to accurately determine the 10 instant of the impact. Preferably, the window size is determined as a function of the duration of the vibration of an area to be monitored after the impact. More preferably, after an impact has been 15 detected, the impact detection is locked, as long as the impact coefficient of said vibration signal is not lower than said threshold value. Still preferably, the impact coefficient corresponds to the peak to peak measurement of the 20 vibration signal provided by the vibration sensor. A conventional solution would have been to compare the effective value of the signal to a threshold value. However, such a measurement is noise sensitive. As an impact results in intense vibrations in a very 25 short period of time (close to the pulse), a peak to peak measurement allows characterizing an impact in a vibration signal faster and more reliably. Indeed, an impact signal- corresponds to a pulse noise, the average level of which is low and the 30 peak to peak level is high. Moreover, such a measurement is easy to calculate and could be carried out rapidly. By means of such a measurement, it is possible to detect an impact in real time. According to a particular embodiment of this 35 invention, the threshold value is function of the area 7 to be monitored on the running vehicle. Using an adaptative threshold value for implementing the impact detecting method according to the invention allows adapting the detection as a 5 function of, for example, the nature of the area to be monitored (material, density, surface), as well as of its response in vibration. Thus, areas to be monitored in cast iron and aluminium do not exhibit the same threshold value, an impact being detected under 10 conditions being specific to the area wherein the vibration sensors are arranged. Preferably, the impact detection message comprises the reference of the area to be monitored having received the impact. 15 This advantageously allows locating for each detected impact, the area to be monitored on the running vehicle having detected the impact. Thus, a map could be achieved of impact locations on the running vehicle and the ballast flight could be modelled relevantly. 20 According to a particular embodiment of this invention, each area to be monitored is associated with at least one video recording camera able to film said area. From the impact detection message, the reference to the area to be monitored having received the impact 25 is extracted and only the video recording camera associated with the reference of said area to be monitored is activated. This advantageously allows to only activate the video recording cameras likely to visualize the 30 projection of the object on the vehicle, thereby avoiding to make use of a systematic study foe all the recordings. Processing the recorded data thus become easier. This invention also relates to a system for 35 detecting impacts on areas to be monitored of a running 8 vehicle, created by objects projected because of the velocity thereof. The system comprises vibration sensors in direct contact with areas to be monitored on said running vehicle and a data processing unit, connected to 5 the plurality of vibration sensor, arranged as to receive vibration signals provided by the plurality of vibration sensors and detect impact signals from said vibration signals for each of the areas to be monitored on the running vehicle. 10 Preferably, the processing unit comprises a discrimination module arranged for: - measuring an impact coefficient for each vibration signal provided by a vibration sensor; 15 - comparing said impact coefficient to a predetermined threshold value; and - transmitting an impact detection message when said impact coefficient exceeds said predetermined threshold value. 20 Still preferably, the processing unit comprises a matching table, connected to the discrimination module, associating for each vibration sensor the area to be monitored in which it is arranged. The matching table thus allows putting in 25 relation the reference of the sensors with the location thereof. According to a particular embodiment of this invention, the processing unit comprises a video management module, the input of which is connected to 30 the discrimination module and the output of which is connected to a plurality of video recording cameras, the video management module being arranged to control the plurality of video recording cameras according to the 9 impact detection messages transmitted by the discrimination module. Preferably, the video management module is connected to a location table wherein each area to be 5 monitored on the running vehicle is associated with at least one video recording camera able to film said area, the video management module being arranged for receiving an impact detection message from the discrimination module; extracting from the impact detection message the 10 reference of the area to be monitored which received the impact; transmitting said reference of the area to be monitored to the location table, said location table returning in response the reference of the recording camera associated with said area to be 15 monitored and controlling only the actuation of the recording camera corresponding to the reference of the camera being provided. This invention will be better understood through the appended drawing wherein: 20 FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a railway vehicle provided with a monitoring system according to this invention wherein the vibration sensors of said monitoring system are fixed on the floor of said railway vehicle; 25 FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the monitoring system of FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 4 shows a signal measured by a vibration sensor of the monitoring system according to this 30 invention, the signal being displayed on a graph with its abscissa indicating the time in seconds and the coordinate, the value of vibrations as measured in the vertical direction (m/s 2 ); and FIG. 5 shows another signal measured by a 35 vibration sensor of the monitoring system according to 10 this invention, the threshold value being represented. The system for detecting and monitoring the impacts in a running vehicle according to this invention will now be described for a railway vehicle. It is 5 understood that this invention applies to other running vehicles, in particular automotive vehicles. In this example, the system is arranged so as to detect and monitor ballast projections on the railway vehicle and in particular on the external surface of the 10 floor thereof as well as on the axles thereof. This invention applies to any objects projected onto the vehicle as a result of its velocity (ballast, small stones, etc.). Referring to FIG. 1, a system 1 for detecting 15 and monitoring the ballast projection is arranged on a railway vehicle 2, running on longitudinal rails embedded in ballast 3. The ballast 3 is in the form of pebbles, having a diameter ranging from 5 to 10 cm. As previously indicated, ballast 3 is the 20 stone or gravel layer onto which the rails lie. Its function comprises transmitting the stresses generated by railway vehicles circulating on the ground, without the latter becoming distorted through packing. The ballast has also a function of embedding rails so as to 25 provide some resistance to longitudinal distortions. In this example, a railway vehicle 2 is considered, with its floor 21 comprising axles onto which there are mounted wheels lying on the rails. The floor 21 comprises an internal surface, facing the 30 interior of the railway vehicle 2, and an external surface facing the ground and the ballast 3. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the monitoring system 1 comprises a plurality of vibration sensors lla lld arranged directly on the internal surface of the 35 floor 21 of the railway vehicle 2 and a data processing 11 unit 12 mounted on the railway vehicle 2. The data processing unit 12, connected to a plurality of vibration sensors lla-ld, is arranged for receiving vibration signals provided by the vibration sensors 11A 5 lid. The vibration sensors 11a-lid are here wire connected to the processing unit 12, but it is to be understood that a radio link could be appropriate as well. The vibration sensors 11a-1ld are mounted in 10 the railway vehicle 2 for sensing vibrations from the floor 21 of the railway vehicle 2 in the vertical direction, i.e. in the direction orthogonal to the plane wherein the floor 21 of the railway vehicle 2 extends. The vibration measurement direction by the vibration 15 sensors lla-lld is referred to as Z on FIG. 2. In this example, the floor 21 of the railway vehicle 2 comprises a plurality of supporting structural plates 21a-21c, or supporting metal sheets, forming the floor 21. Each plate 21a-21c forms a vibration unit 20 because a ballast impact 3 on part of a plate 21a-21c makes said plate vibrate as a whole. Otherwise stated, vibrations resulting from a ballast impact 3 on a given plate 21a-21c are not transmitted to the adjacent plates 21a-21c of said plate 21a-21c having received the 25 impact. The vibration sensors lla-lld have here the form of accelerometers. The vibration sensors 11a-lid are here chosen so as to be able to measure the vibrations resulting from an impact on a plate 21a-21c 30 of the floor 21 in order to avoid the vibration sensor 11.from becoming saturated. The frequency range of the sensors here varies from 5 Hz to 1 kHz. The vibration sensors lla-lld are here distributed on areas to be monitored of the floor 21 of 35 the railway vehicle 2, the areas to be monitored 12 corresponding to the supporting structural plates 21a 21c of the floor 21. In contrast to a sound measurement as previously carried out with a microphone, measuring 5 vibrations using one or more vibration sensors lla-lld directly arranged on a supporting structural plate 21a 21c allows to associate for each impact detected by the processing unit 12 the plate 21a-21c being hit by a ballast projection 3. As each plate 21a-21c forms a 10 vibration unit, detecting an impact by a vibration sensor 11 makes possible to infer which plate 21a-21c has received the impact. The detection and monitoring system 1 of this invention not only allows counting ballast impacts but 15 it also allows defining in real time the impact location. This system is then referred to as an impact located detection system. The processing unit 12 of the monitoring system 1 is mounted preferably in the railway vehicle 2 20 and is connected to the vibration sensors lla-lld distributed on the different supporting plates 21a-21c of the floor 21 on the railway vehicle 2. Referring to FIG. 1, the processing unit 12 is mounted on a vertical wall of the railway vehicle 2 but also lie on the 25 internal surface of the floor 21 in the railway vehicle 2. The processing unit 12 here is in the form of a set of calculators, such as computers and servers, but it is to be understood that one single calculator could 30 be appropriate as well. Referring to FIG. 3, the processing unit 12 comprises a discrimination module 121 having as a main function to gather the different vibration signals provided by the vibration sensors lla-lld and to detect, 35 among such signals, a ballast impact 3. In other words, 13 the role of the discrimination module 121 is to extract from an overall vibration signal from a vibration sensor a vibration signal characteristic of a ballast impact 3. To this end, referring to FIG. 4, the 5 discrimination module 121 is arranged so as to receive a vibration signal 110 and to analyse the latter in real time on a time window with a predetermined size T. Otherwise stated still, each vibration signal 110 is cut sequentially into signal portions with a predetermined 10 duration T. Each portion of vibration signal 110 is then analyzed by the discrimination module 121 so as to distinguish a signal characteristic of a ballast impact. Referring to FIG. 3, in a first step of the analysis of the portion of vibration signal 110, an 15 impact index Ci is measured corresponding, in the present case, to the peak to peak value Vcc of the vibration signal 110 upon the predetermined duration. Then the impact index Ci is compared to a predetermined threshold value Vs, also referred to as threshold Vs. 20 The threshold Vs, previously calculated, depends on several parameters of the area to be monitored 21a-21c, such as its material, its density, its response in vibration or its vibration surface. The position of the different vibration 25 sensors lla-11d on the different areas to be monitored 21a-21c of the floor 21 on the railway vehicle 2 are referenced in a matching table 123 stored in the processing unit 12, as shown on FIG. 3. The different thresholds Vs are also associated with the different 30 areas to be monitored 21a-21c of the floor 21 in said matching table 123 (see table hereinbelow). Vibration sensor Area to be Threshold value monitored 14 11a 21a Vs1 llb 21b Vs1 11c 21c Vs2 lid 21c Vs2 Table 1: Matching table Referring to FIG. 3, the railway vehicle (2) 5 comprises three areas to be monitored (21a-21c), a threshold value Vs having been previously determined for each one. Conventionally, a vibration threshold Vs is empirically defined for each family of areas to be monitored (steel structural plates, cast iron structural 10 plates) . Thus, as above indicated in table 1, the area to be monitored 21c has a threshold value Vs2 being different from that of areas to be monitored 21a-21b. In this example, the supporting structural plate, corresponding to the area to be monitored 21c, is formed 15 in a different way from that of the supporting structural plates corresponding to the areas to be monitored 21a-21b. Referring to the example of FIG. 4 showing a vibration signal coming from the vibration sensor llb 20 mounted on the area to be monitored 21b of the floor 21, the threshold value Vsl for the vibration signal 110 of said area to be monitored 21b is equal to 300 m/s 2 For each vibration signal 110 received by the discrimination module 121, this latter determines the 25 vibration sensor 1la-lld from which is coming the vibration signal 110. By interrogating the matching table 123 to which the discrimination module 121 is connected, the discrimination module 121 determines the area to be monitored 21a-21c on which is placed the 30 vibration sensor lla-lld, the vibration signal 110 of 15 which is analyzed. Thus, in case of detection of a ballast impact 3, the discrimination module 121 immediately provides the area to be monitored 21a-21c hit by the ballast 3. 5 Upon the comparing step, referring to FIG. 4, in the time window T1, the impact index Ci is higher than the threshold value Vsl of the zone to be monitored 21b. An impact is detected by the discrimination module 121 that send back to the 10 processing unit 12 a detection message Mi wherein it is indicated that an impact has occurred, mentioning the area to be monitored having received the impact and the sensing time for the ballast impact 3. Here, the detection message Mi indicates that an impact has 15 occurred at the time tl on the area to be monitored 21b. On the contrary, still referring to FIG. 4, in the time window T2, the impact index Ci is lower that the threshold value Vsl, no impact is detected by the discrimination module 121 and no detection message Mi is 20 sent. The discrimination module 121, parameterized by the threshold values Vs adapted to each one of the areas to be monitored 21a-21d, allows detecting precisely a ballast impact on the floor 21 of the rail 25 vehicle 2. The adaptive threshold values Vs make possible to overcome the background noise made by the running vehicle 2 vibrations while running on rails, such a monitoring and detection system 1 being advantageously 30 able to limit the number of false alarms. In a particular implementation of the invention, the discrimination module 121 is arranged in order to distinguish two successive impacts. For this purpose, the discrimination module 121 is parameterized 35 to count an impact when the impact index Ci is higher 16 than the threshold value Vs for a first time window. No other impact can be counted until the impact index Ci is not lower than the threshold value Vs for a second time window, posterior to the first one. This locking 5 mechanism allows avoiding a same impact to be counted several times by the monitoring and detection system 1. Referring to FIG. 5, the impact index Ci, corresponding to the peak to peak measurement Vcc, is higher than the threshold value Vs for the time 10 windows T'l, T'2 and T'3. Further to the impact detection in the time window T'l, a locking signal is activated, so preventing to count a new impact for the time windows T'2 and T'3. The locking signal is deactivated for the time 15 window T'4 wherein the peak-to-peak measurement Vcc is lower than the threshold value Vs. It advantageously allows detecting a new impact in the time window T'12. The detection and monitoring impact system 1 can be associated with a geolocation system and a 20 mapping. During the rail vehicle path, the detection system transmits the number of impacts detected and the locus of the impact on the vehicle. This information is transmitted to the geolocation system which reproduces on a map of the travelled area the number of impacts 25 being received. Thus, one can detect on which travel part the number of impacts is the most important. Advantageously, one can represent on the map the travel sectors that are likely to favour the ballast flight. For instance, the travel sectors favouring the 30 ballast flight are shown in red. The coloured map is then transmitted to the track maintenance agent who can thus arrange the traffic ways to reduce the ballast flight phenomenon. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, 35 the detecting and monitoring system 1 comprises a 17 plurality of video recording cameras 17a-17d which are mounted on the rail vehicle 2 in order to visualize one or several areas to be monitored 21a-21c in the rail vehicle 2. 5 Each video recording camera 17a-17d is here mounted on the outer surface of the floor 21 of the rail vehicle 2 so that at least one area to be monitored 21a 21c on the rail vehicle 2 is comprised in the view angle of one of the video recording cameras 17a-17d. 10 As shown in the preamble of the present application, the video recording cameras 17a-17d used are so-called "fast" cameras due to the high number of pictures they can register per second (from 100 to 250 pictures per second). 15 Each video recording camera 17a-17d is associated with a pre-triggering system allowing, upon reception of a detection message Mi, to obtain a video recording being anterior and posterior to the impact. The pre-triggering system comprises to this 20 end a buffer or volatile memory which comprises data captured by the camera during the last second recordings. Conventionally, the buffer memory of the camera comprises data registered during the last 5 to 10 seconds. When an impact is detected, the content of the 25 buffer memory is stored in a storage memory (non volatile memory), the storage memory comprising the pictures of the impact. In practice, the pre-triggering system is arranged for storing in memory the data filmed 5 seconds 30 before and 5 seconds after the effective impact of ballast 3 on the floor 21. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the video recording cameras 17a, 17b are mounted in different positions on the floor 21 of the rail vehicle 2 and are 35 connected to the processing unit 12, the video recording 18 cameras 17c, 17d being not visible on these figures. The cameras 17a-17d are here wire-connected but it is evident that they could also be connected by a radio link. 5 A location table 124, shown on the following table 2, associates for each area to be monitored 21a 21c on the running vehicle 2 at least one video recording camera 17a-17d being able to film said area 21a-21c, that is the areas to be monitored 21a-21c 10 that are visible by said video recording camera 17a-17d. Area to be monitored Recording camera 21a 17a 21b 17a, 17b 21c 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d Table 2: Location table 124 15 Thus, the video recording camera 17a illustrated on FIG. 1 films the supporting structural plates 21a and 21b while the video recording camera 17b only films the supporting structural plate 21b. Referring to FIG. 3, the processing unit 12 of 20 the monitoring system 1 further comprises a management module 122 arranged for controlling the different video recording cameras 17a-17d according to the detection messages Mi transmitted by the discrimination module 121. To this purpose, the management module 121 25 is connected at the input to the output of the discrimination module 121 and at the output to the video recording cameras 122 also communicating with the location table 124. As previously indicated, when an impact is 30 detected by a vibration sensor 110, the discrimination 19 module 121 transmits a detection message Mi in which it is indicated that an impact has occurred on the area to be monitored 21a-21c at a determined time. Said detection message Mi is transmitted to the management 5 module 122 of the processing unit 12 which extracts from the detection message Mi the impact time as well as the area to be monitored 21a-21c having received the impact. The reference of the area 21a-21c is then introduced into the location table 124 which returns back in 10 response the references of the video recording cameras 17a-17d which are oriented toward said referenced zone 21a-21c. Thus, also with the preceding example, when a ballast impact 3 is detected by the vibration 15 sensor lb, the discrimination module 121 of the processing unit 12 transmits a detection message Mi, stating that the supporting structural plate 122 receives the detecting message Mi and looks up the location table 124 to determine which video recording 20 cameras have to be activated. Here, as the supporting structural plate 21b has received an impact, the video recording cameras 17a and 17 b are activated (see table 2). Thus, only the video recording cameras 17a, 25 17b that are likely to film the ballast flight 3 are activated. The visualization of the video records is then facilitated, the number of records corresponding to false alarms (detection errors) being very limited. In this example, the management module 122 of 30 the processing unit also comprises a video recording database, not shown, wherein the different video recordings registered by the video recording cameras 17a-17d are stored. It has been described here vibration sensors 35 under the form of accelerometers, but it is to 20 understood that strain gauges could also be appropriate. Here, it has been described vibration sensors mounted on the lower surface of the floor but it is evident that they could also be mounted on the outer 5 surface. In this case, it is necessary to protect the sensors from outdoor conditions (rain, frost, etc.) but also from impacts due to the ballast.

Claims (8)

1. A method for detecting impacts on areas to be monitored (2la-21c) on a running vehicle (2), 5 created by objects projected due to its velocity, wherein: - vibration sensors (lla-lld) are arranged in direct contact with the areas to be monitored (21a-21c) on said running vehicle (2), and 10 - an impact coefficient (Ci) is measured for each vibration signal (110) provided by a vibration sensor (lla-lld); - each impact coefficient (Ci) is compared to a predetermined threshold value (Vs); 15 characterized in that an impact detection message (Mi) is transmitted when said impact coefficient (Ci) exceeds said predetermined threshold value (Vs), the impact detection message (Mi) comprising the reference of the area to be monitored (21a-21c) 20 which received the impact.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein an impact coefficient (Ci) of said vibration signal (110) is measured on a time window of a predetermined time (T). 25

3. A method according to any of claims 1 and 2, wherein the impact coefficient (Ci) corresponds to a peak to peak measurement (Vce) of the vibration signal (110) provided by the vibration sensor (lla-l1d).

4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein 30 the threshold value (Vs) is a function of the area to be monitored (21a-21c) on the running vehicle (2).

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein each area to be monitored (21a-21c) is associated with at least 35 one video recording camera (17a-17d) being able to 22 film said area (21a-21c), and - from the impact detection message (Mi) is extracted the reference of the area to be monitored (21a-21c) which received the impact; 5 - only the video recording camera (17a-17d) associated with the reference of said area to be monitored (21a-21c) is activated.

6. An impact detection system on areas to be monitored (21a-21c) on a running vehicle (2), 10 created by objects projected due to its velocity, comprising: - vibration sensors (lla-lld) in direct contact with areas to be monitored (21a-21c) in said running vehicle (2), and 15 - a data processing unit (12) connected to the plurality of vibration sensors (1la-1ld), arranged for o receiving vibration signals (110) provided by the plurality of vibration sensors (lla-lld), and o detecting impact signals among said vibration 20 signals (110) for each one of the areas to be monitored (21a-21c) on the running vehicle (2), characterized in that the processing unit (12) comprises: - a matching table (123) associating for each vibration 25 sensor (lla-l1d) the area to be monitored (21a-21c) inside which it is arranged; - a discrimination module (121), connected to the matching table (123) arranged for o measuring an impact coefficient (Ci) for each 30 vibration signal (110) provided by a vibration sensor (11a-lid); o comparing said impact coefficient (Ci) to a predetermined threshold value (Vs); o transmitting an impact detection message (Mi) when 35 said impact coefficient (Ci) exceeds the 23 predetermined threshold value (Vs), the impact detection message (Mi) comprising the reference of the area to be monitored (21a-21c) that received the impact. 5

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the processing unit (12) comprises a video management module (122) the input of which is connected to the discrimination module (121) and the output of which is connected to a plurality of video recording 10 cameras (17a-17d), the video management module (122) being arranged to control the plurality of video recording cameras (17a-17d) according to the impact detection messages (Mi) transmitted by the discrimination module (121). 15

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the video management module (122) is connected to a location table (124) wherein each area to be monitored (21a 21c) on the running vehicle (2) is associated with at least one video recording camera (17a-17d) being 20 able to film said area (21a-21c), the video management module (122) being arranged for - receiving an impact detection message (Mi) from the discrimination module (121); - extracting from the impact detection message (Mi) the 25 reference of the area to be monitored (21a-21c) which received the impact; - transmitting said reference of the area to be monitored (21a-21c) to the location table (124), said location table (124) returning back in response 30 the reference of the recording camera (17a-17d) associated with said area to be monitored (21a-21c); - controlling only the actuation of the recording camera (17a-17d) corresponding to the reference of the camera being provided.