RU2786372C2 - Data-sharing system for obtaining and recording data in real time - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: computer technology.

SUBSTANCE: inventions group relates to the field of computer technology. The system comprises a means of recording data on board a mobile asset, including a local storage component, a data encoder, an onboard data manager and a queued repository and adapted to receive data based on at least one data signal from at least one of the data source on the onboard the mobile asset and a data source remote from the mobile asset; and a web server adapted to receive a request from a first user, determine a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) containing a shared link in a web browser adapted to provide access to view said data selected by the first user on the first provided that the first user has first native permissions allowing access to view the specified data, generate an email containing a URL, and send an email to at least one email address of at least one second user, and the request contains at least at least one email address of at least one second user and said data stored in the remote data repository.

EFFECT: providing real-time data acquisition, recording and viewing.

20 cl, 28 dwg

Description

Cross-reference to related application

[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/680907 filed June 5, 2018, claims priority and is a continuation in part of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/825943 filed March 29, 2019 , claims priority and is a continuation in part of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/337227 filed May 16, 2016, claims priority and is a continuation in part of U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 16/595650 filed May 15, 2017 , now U.S. Patent Number 9934623, issued April 3, 2018, claims priority and is a continuation in part of U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 15/907486, filed February 28, 2018, claims priority and is a partial continuation of Provisional Application for U.S. Patent No. 62/337225, filed May 16, 2016, claims priority and is a continuation in part of Non-Provisional Patent Application (U.S.) No. 15/595689, filed May 15, 2 017, claims priority and is a continuation in part of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/337228 filed May 16, 2016, and claims priority and is a continuation in part of U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 15/595712 filed May 15 May 2017, to the extent not contrary to law, the contents of which are fully contained in this document by reference.

The technical field to which the invention belongs

[0002] This disclosure relates to a system and method for viewing video, images, and data from a real-time data acquisition and recording system and sharing the video, images, and/or data with other people.

State of the art

[0003] High-value mobile assets such as locomotives, aircraft, public transport, mining equipment, transportable medical equipment, cargo, ships, and military vessels typically use black-box on-board systems to acquire and record data. These data acquisition and recording systems, such as event data recorders or flight data recorders, record a variety of system parameters used for accident investigation, crew performance evaluation, fuel efficiency analysis, maintenance planning, and predictive diagnostics. A typical data acquisition and recording system contains digital and analog inputs, as well as pressure switches and pressure transducers that record data from various on-board sensor devices. Recorded data may include parameters such as speed, distance traveled, location, fuel level, engine revolutions per minute (RPM), fluid levels, driver control data, pressures, current and forecast weather and environmental conditions. In addition to the underlying event and operational data, video and audio event/data recording capabilities are also deployed on many of these identical mobile assets. Typically, data is retrieved from the data recorders after an incident involving the asset occurs and investigation is required after the data recorder is recovered. There may be some situations in which the data writer cannot be recovered or the data is otherwise inaccessible. In these situations, data such as event data and operational data, video data and audio data acquired by the data acquisition and recording system are required quickly regardless of whether or not physical access to the data acquisition and recording system is or is not available, allowing users to share data or parts of it with other authorized people.

The essence of the invention

[0004] This disclosure relates generally to real-time data acquisition and recording systems used in high-value mobile assets. The teachings herein may provide real-time or near-real-time access to data such as event data and operational data, video data and audio data recorded by a real-time data acquisition and recording system. One implementation of a method for processing, storing, and transmitting data from at least one asset includes receiving, using a web server, a request from a first user, wherein the request contains said data stored in a remote data repository and an email address second user; determining a universal resource locator (URL) adapted to provide access to said data; generating a mail message containing a URL; and sending the mail message to the email address.

[0005] Another implementation of a system for processing, storing, and transmitting data from at least one asset includes a web server adapted to receive a request from a first user, determine a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to grant access to the specified data, generate a mail message containing the URL, and send the mail message to the e-mail address, and the request contains the specified data stored in the remote data repository, and the e-mail address of the second user; and a data writer on board the mobile asset, comprising at least one local storage component, a data encoder, an onboard data manager, and a queued repository, the data writer being adapted to receive data based on at least one data signal from at least one at least one data source on board the mobile asset and at least one data source remote from the mobile asset, and wherein the data encoder is adapted to encode the data into encoded data .

[0006] These and other aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in the detailed description of the embodiments below, in the appended claims, and in the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

[0007] The various features, advantages, and other uses of the equipment will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description and to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts in several views. It should be emphasized that according to established practice, the various features of the drawings are not drawn to scale. Conversely, the sizes of various features are arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity.

[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a field implementation of a first embodiment of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a field implementation of a second embodiment of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a flowchart for a process for writing data and/or information from a mobile asset, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 4 is a flowchart for a process for appending data and/or information from a mobile asset after a power cut, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0012] FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates exemplary intermediate blocks of records and complete blocks of records stored in an impact storage module in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 6 is a diagram that illustrates exemplary intermediate blocks of records in a shock storage module prior to power loss and after power recovery, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0014] FIG. 7 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary segment of records in a shock storage module after power is restored in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0015] FIG. 8 illustrates a field implementation of a first embodiment of a real-time data acquisition and recording system viewer in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0016] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for a process for recording video data, audio data, and/or information from a mobile asset, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0017] FIG. 10 is a flowchart for a process for recording video data, audio data, and/or information from a mobile asset, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0018] FIG. 11 is a flowchart that illustrates an exemplary 360-degree fisheye camera view of a viewer of a real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 12 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary 360-degree panoramic camera view of a viewer of a real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0020] FIG. 13 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary 360-degree quadratic camera view of a viewer of a real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 14 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary 360-degree distortion-free camera view of a viewer of a real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 15 illustrates a field implementation of a first embodiment of a video content analysis system of a data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 16A is a diagram that illustrates exemplary track detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 16B is a diagram that illustrates exemplary track detection and turnout detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 16C is a diagram that illustrates exemplary track detection, track counting, and signal detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0026] FIG. 16D is a diagram that illustrates exemplary crossing and track detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 16E is a diagram that illustrates exemplary dual air signal detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 16F is a diagram that illustrates exemplary multiple track detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 16G is a diagram that illustrates exemplary turnout and track detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 16H is a diagram that illustrates exemplary arrow detection in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 17 is a flowchart for a process for determining the internal state of a mobile asset, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 18 is a flowchart for a process for determining object detection and detecting obstacles occurring external to the mobile asset, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 19 illustrates a field implementation of a first embodiment of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 20 illustrates a field implementation of a second embodiment of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording system in accordance with implementations of this disclosure; and

[0035] FIG. 21 is a flowchart for a process for sharing data and/or information from an asset, in accordance with implementations of this disclosure.

Detailed description of the invention

[0036] The first embodiment of the real-time data acquisition and recording system described herein provides real-time or near-real-time access to a wide range of data such as event and operational data, video data and audio data associated with expensive an asset to remotely located users such as asset owners, machinists and investigators. The data acquisition and recording system records the data, through the data recorder, associated with the asset and streams the data to the remote data repository and remote users before, during and after an incident occurs. Data is streamed to a remote data repository in real time or near real time, ensuring information is available at least up to the time of the incident or emergency, thereby virtually eliminating the need to find and download a "black box" to investigate the incident that contains the asset and eliminates the need to interact with the data recorder on the asset to request the download of specific data, find and transfer files, and use a user application to view the data. The system of the present disclosure retains the typical write capability and adds the ability to stream data to a remote data repository and remote end user before, during, and after an incident. In the vast majority of situations, the information written to the data recorder is redundant and not required because the data is already being received and stored in the remote data repository.

[0037] Prior to the present disclosure system, data is retrieved from a "black box" or "event recorder" after an incident occurs and an investigation is required. Data files containing black box time segments must be loaded and retrieved from the black box and then viewed by the user using their own software. The user must physically or remotely access the asset, select the required data to be downloaded from the black box, download the file containing the required information to the computing device, and locate the appropriate file with the required data using a user application that runs on the computing device. device. The system of the present disclosure eliminates the need for the user to perform these steps, requiring the user only to use a common web browser in order to navigate to the desired data. A remotely located user may access a common web browser to navigate to desired data associated with a selected asset to view and analyze asset performance and safety in real time or near real time.

[0038] A remotely located user, such as an asset owner, engineer, and/or investigator, can access a common web browser to navigate to live and/or historical data related to a selected asset to view and analyze operational performance and asset security in real time or near real time. The ability to view transactions in real time or near real time allows for rapid evaluation and adjustment of behavior. During an incident, for example, real-time information and/or data can make it easier to triage the situation and provide valuable information to emergency responders. In normal operation, for example, near real-time information and/or data can be used to audit team performance and promote network-wide situational awareness.

[0039] The data may include, but is not limited to, analog and frequency parameters such as speed, pressure, temperature, current, voltage, and acceleration that originate from an asset and/or nearby assets, boolean data such as needle positions, actuator position, warning lights and actuator control commands, global positioning system (GPS) data and/or geographic information system (GIS) data such as position, speed and altitude, internally generated information such as regulatory speed limits for of an asset based on its current position, video and image information from cameras located at various locations in, on or near the asset, audio information from microphones located at various locations in, on or near the asset, information regarding the operational plan for an asset that is sent to an asset from a data center, such as route information, records and cargo manifests, information regarding environmental conditions, including current and forecast weather conditions for the area in which the asset is currently operating or planned to operate, status data and asset management operating data generated through systems such as a fine control system train traffic (PTC) in locomotives, and data extracted from a combination of any of the above, including, but not limited to, additional data, video and audio analysis and analytics.

[0040] FIG. 1 and 2 illustrate a field implementation of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, respectively, of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording (DARS) system 100, 200 in which aspects of the disclosure may be implemented. DARS 100, 200 is a system that delivers real-time information to remotely located end users from a data recorder. DARS 100, 200 includes a data recorder 154, 254 that is mounted on a vehicle or mobile asset 148, 248 and communicates with any number of different sources of information via any combination of onboard wired and/or wireless links 170, 270 for transmission. data, such as a wireless gateway/router, or off-board information sources via the DARS data processing and storage center 150, 250 100, 200 via data links, for example, via wireless data links 146. The data recorder 154, 254 comprises an onboard data manager 120, 220, a data encoder 122, 222, a vehicle event detector 156, 256, a queued repository 158, 258, and a wireless gateway/router 172, 272. Additionally, in this implementation, , the data writer 154, 254 may include a ruggedized memory module 118, 218 and/or an Ethernet switch 162, 262 with/without Power over Ethernet (POE). An exemplary secure memory module 118, 218, for example, may be a crash-resistant event recorder memory module that complies with the Code of Federal Regulations and Fed. requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, an impact resistant memory module in accordance with any applicable Code of Federal Regulations, or any other suitable secure storage device known in the art. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the data recording means 254 may further include an optional non-impact removable data storage device 219.

[0041] Wired and/or wireless data links 170, 270 may include any one or combination of discrete signal inputs, standard or proprietary Ethernet, serial, and wireless connections. Ethernet-connected devices may use an Ethernet switch 162, 262 data writers 154, 254 and may use POE. Ethernet switch 162, 262 may be internal or external and may support POE. Additionally, data from remote data sources such as the mapping component 164, 264, the route/team declaration processing component 124, 224, and the weather component 126, 226 in the implementation of FIG. 1 and 2 are available to the onboard data manager 120, 220 and vehicle event detector 156, 256 from the data processing and storage center 150, 250 via the wireless data link 146, 246 and the wireless gateway/router 172, 272.

[0042] Data recorder 154, 254 collects data or information from a wide variety of sources, which can vary widely based on asset configuration, via on-board data links 170, 270. Data encoder 122, 222 encodes at least a minimal set of data, which is typically specified by a regulator. In this implementation, data encoder 122, 222 receives data from a wide variety of asset sources 148, 248 and data center sources 150, 250. Information sources may include any number of components in the asset 148, 248, such as any of the analog inputs 102, 202, digital inputs 104, 204, I/O module 106, 206, vehicle controller 108, 208, controller 110, 210 engine, inertial sensors 112, 212, global positioning system (GPS) 114, 214, camera 116, 216, signal data 166, 266 system of precise control of train traffic, data 168, 268 fuel system, cellular detectors (not shown) , internally managed data and any additional data signals, and any of a certain number of components in the data processing and storage center 150, 250, for example, any of the route/crew declaration processing component 124, 224, the weather component 126, 226, the mapping component 164, 264 and any additional data signals. The data encoder 122, 222 compresses or encodes the data and time synchronizes the data in order to facilitate efficient real-time transmission and replication to the remote data repository 130, 230. The data encoder 122, 222 transmits the encoded data to the onboard data manager 120, 220, which then stores the encoded data in the impact storage module 118, 218 and the repository 158, 258, queuing for replication to the remote data repository 130, 230 via the remote manager 132 , 232 data, located in the center 150, 250 data processing and storage. Optionally, the airborne data manager 120, 220 may store a tertiary copy of the encoded data in the non-impact removable data storage device 219 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The onboard data manager 120, 220 and the remote data manager 132, 232 work in concert to manage the data replication process. One remote data manager 132, 232 at data center 150, 250 can manage data replication from multiple assets 148, 248.

[0043] Data from various input components and data from the audio/graphical user interface (GUI) 160, 260 in the driver's booth are sent to the vehicle event detector 156, 256. The vehicle event detector 156, 256 processes the data to determine whether or not an event, incident, or other predefined situation involving the asset 148, 248 occurs. When the vehicle event detector 156, 256 detects signals that indicate that that the preset event occurs, the vehicle event detector 156, 256 sends processed data that the preset event occurs, along with confirmation data accompanying the preset event, to the on-board data manager 120, 220. Vehicle event detector 156, 256 detects events based on data from a wide range of sources such as analog inputs 102, 202, digital inputs 104, 204, I/O module 106, 206, vehicle controller 108, 208, controller 110, 210 engines, inertial sensors 112, 212, GPS 114, 214, cameras 116, 216, route/team declaration processing component 124, 224, weather component 126, 226, mapping component 164, 264, PTC signal data 166, 266 and data 168, 268 fuel system, which may vary based on asset configuration. When the vehicle event detector 156, 256 detects an event, the detected asset event information is stored in a queued repository 158, 258 and may optionally be presented to the asset crew 148, 248 via an audio/graphical user interface (GUI) 160, 260 in the driver's booth. .

[0044] The airborne data manager 120, 220 also sends data to the queued repository 158. In near real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 stores the encoded data received from the data encoder 122, 222 and any event information in the impact storage module 118, 218 and in the queued repository 158, 258. In the second embodiment of FIG. 2, the onboard data manager 220 may optionally store the encoded data in a non-impact removable data storage device 219. After five minutes of encoded data has been accumulated in the queued repository 158, 258, the airborne data manager 120, 220 stores five minutes of encoded data to the remote data repository 130, 230 via the remote data manager 132, 232 at the processing center 150, 250 and data storage over the wireless data link 146, 256 available through the wireless gateway/router 172, 272. In real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 stores the encoded data received from the data encoder 122, 222 and any information events to the shockproof storage module 118, 218 and optionally to the non-shockproof removable data storage device 219 of FIG. 2 and to a remote data repository 130, 230 via a remote data manager 132, 232 at a data processing and storage center 150, 250 over a wireless data link 146, 246 accessible via a wireless gateway/router 172, 272. Onboard dispatcher 120, Data 220 and remote data manager 132, 232 can communicate over multiple wireless links, such as Wi-Fi, cellular, satellite, and private wireless systems, using a wireless gateway/router 172, 272. Wireless link 146, 246 for data transmission, for example, may be a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless citywide area network (WMAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a private wireless system, a cellular telephone network, or any other means of data transmission from means 154, 254 data records DARS 100, 200, in this example, to remote controller 130, 230 data from DARS 100, 200. When b the wireless data connection is not available, the data is stored in the storage device and queued in the queued repository 158, 258 until the wireless connection is restored and the data replication process cannot be resumed.

[0045] In parallel with the data recording, the data writer 154, 254 continuously and autonomously replicates the data to the remote data repository 130, 230. The replication process has two modes, real-time mode and near real-time mode. In real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 130, 230 every second. In near real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 130, 230 every five minutes. The frequency used for near real time is configurable, and the frequency used for real time can be adjusted to maintain high resolution data by replicating the data to the remote data repository 130, 230 every 0.10 seconds. When the DARS 100, 200 is in near real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 queues the data in the queued repository 158, 258 before replicating the data to the remote data manager 132, 232. The onboard data manager 120, 220 also replicates the vehicle event detector information queued in the queued repository 158, 258 to the remote data manager 132, 232. Near real-time mode is used during normal operation, under most conditions, to improve the efficiency of the data replication process.

[0046] The real-time mode can be initiated based on events occurring and detected by the vehicle event detector 156, 256 on board the asset 148, 248, or by a request initiated from the data center 150, 250. A typical data center 150, 250 initiated real-time request is initiated when a remote user 152, 252 requests real-time information from a web client 142, 242. A typical reason for real-time originating on board an asset 148, 248, is to detect an event or incident by the vehicle event detector 156, 256, such as initiation, by the driver, of an emergency stop request, emergency braking activity, rapid acceleration or deceleration on any axis, or loss of input power to the means 154, 254 data records. When changing from near real time to real time, all data not yet replicated to the remote data repository 130, 230 is replicated and stored in the remote data repository 130, 230, and then live replication is initiated. The transition between near real time and real time typically occurs in less than five seconds. After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the event or occurrence, after a predetermined amount of time of inactivity, or when the user 152, 252 no longer requires real-time information from the asset 148, 248, the data recorder 154, 254 returns to the almost real time. The predetermined amount of time required to initiate the transition is configurable and is typically set to ten minutes.

[0047] When the data recorder 154, 254 is in real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 attempts to continuously empty its queue to the remote data manager 132, 232, storing the data in the shock-resistant memory module 118, 218 and optionally in a non-shock-resistant removable device. 219 data storage of FIG. 2 and sending data to the remote data manager 132, 232 at the same time. The onboard data manager 120, 220 also sends the detected vehicle information queued in the queued repository 158, 258 to the remote data manager 132, 232.

[0048] When receiving data to be replicated from the data recorder 154, 254, along with data from the mapping component 164, 264, the route/team declaration processing component 124, 224, and the weather component 126, 226, the remote controller 132, 232 data stores the compressed data to a remote data repository 130, 230 at the DARS data processing and storage center 150, 250 100, 200. The remote data repository 130, 230, for example, may be a cloud data store or any other suitable remote data store. When data is received, a process is initiated that instructs the data decoder 136, 236 to decode the latest replicated data to/from the remote data repository 130, 230 and send the decoded data to the remote event detector 134, 234. The remote data manager 132, 232 stores vehicle event information in the remote data repository 130, 230. When the remote event detector 134, 234 receives the decoded data, it processes the decoded data to determine whether or not an event of interest has been detected in the decoded data. The decoded information is then used by the remote event detector 134, 234 to detect events, incidents, or other predetermined situations in the data occurring with the asset 148, 248. When an event of interest is detected from the decoded data, the remote event detector 134, 234 stores event information and confirmation data in the remote data repository 130, 230. When the remote data manager 132, 232 receives information from the remote event detector 134, 234, the remote data manager 132, 232 stores the information in the remote data repository 130, 230.

[0049] A remotely located user 152, 252 can access information including vehicle event detector information associated with a particular asset 148, 248 or multiple assets using a standard web client 142, 242, such as a web a browser or virtual reality style device (not shown) which, in this implementation, can display thumbnail images from selected cameras. The web client 142, 242 transmits the user's request 152, 252 for information to the web server 140, 240 via the network 144, 244 using common web standards, protocols, and technologies. Network 144, 244, for example, may be the Internet. The network 144, 244 may also be a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), a cellular telephone network, or any other means of communication from the web server 140 , 240, in this example, to the web client 142, 242. The web server 140, 240 requests the required data from the data decoder 136, 236. The data decoder 136, 236 receives the requested data associated with a particular asset 148, 248 or multiple assets from a remote data repository 130, 230 when requested from a web server 140, 240. The data decoder 136, 236 decodes the requested data and sends the decoded data to the localizer 138, 238. Localization is the process of converting data into formats required by the end user, such as converting the data into the user's preferred language and units of measurement. The localizer 138, 238 identifies the profile settings set by the user 152, 252 by accessing the web client 142, 242 and uses the profile settings to prepare information sent to the web client 142, 242 for presentation to the user 152, 252 , as raw encoded data, and the detected event information is stored in the remote data repository 130, 230 using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and International System of Units (SI units). The localizer 138, 238 converts the decoded data into the format required by the user 152, 252, such as the preferred language and units of the user 152, 252. The localizer 138, 238 sends the localized data in the preferred format of the user 152, 252 to the web server 140, 240 via request. The web server 140, 240 then sends the localized data of the asset or multiple assets to the web client 142, 242 for viewing and analysis, providing real-time playback and display of standard and 360-degree video. The web client 142, 242 can display and the user 152, 252 can view data, video, and audio for a single asset, or view data, video, and audio for multiple assets at the same time. The web client 142, 242 can also provide synchronous playback and real-time display of data along with a variety of video and audio data from both standard video sources and 360-degree video sources on, in, or near an asset, nearby assets, and/or remote sites.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process 300 for writing data and/or information from an asset 148, 248 in accordance with an implementation of this disclosure. The data recorder 154, 254 receives data signals from various input components, which include physical or calculated data items from the asset 148, 248 and data center 150, 250, such as speed, latitude coordinates, longitude coordinates, horn detection, throttle position, weather data, map or route data, and/or crew data (302). The data encoder 122, 222 creates a record that includes a structured bit sequence used to configure and record data signal information (304). The encoded record is then sent to the onboard data manager 120, 220, which sequentially combines the sequence of records in chronological order into blocks of records that include up to five minutes of data (306). An intermediate block of records includes less than five minutes of data, while a full block of records includes a full five minutes of data. Each block of records includes all the data required to fully decode the included signals, including performing a data integrity check. At a minimum, a block of records must begin with a start record and end with an end record.

[0051] In order to ensure that all encoded signal data is stored in the shockproof storage module 118 and optionally in the non-shockproof removable data storage device 219 of FIG. 2, if the data recorder 154, 254 loses power or is subjected to extreme temperatures or mechanical stress due to a collision or other catastrophic event, the onboard data manager 120, 220 stores intermediate record blocks in the shockproof memory module 118 at a predetermined frequency (308) and optionally in the non-impact removable storage device 219 of FIG. 2, wherein the predetermined frequency is configurable and/or variable, as shown in FIG. 5 in an exemplary representation. Intermediate record blocks are stored at least once per second, but may also be stored at a rate of once every tenth of a second. The frequency at which intermediate blocks of records are saved depends on the sampling rates of each signal. Each intermediate record block includes the complete set of records since the last complete record block. The data writer 154, 254 may alternate between two temporary storage locations in the impact storage module 118, 218 and optionally in the non-impact removable storage device 219 of FIG. 2, when writing each intermediate block of records, to prevent damage or loss of more than one second of data when the data writer 154, 254 loses power while storing data in the shock-resistant storage module 118, 218 or the optional non-shock-resistant removable data storage device 219 of the data recorder 254 according to fig. 2. Each time a new intermediate record block is stored in the temporary location of the impactful storage device, it must overwrite the previously stored intermediate record block in that location.

[0052] Every five minutes, in this implementation, when the data recorder 154, 254 is in near real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 stores a complete record block including the past five minutes of encoded signal data into a record segment in shockproof memory module 118, 218 shown in FIG. 7 and sends a copy of the complete block of records to the remote data manager 132, 232 for storage in the remote data repository 130, 230 for a predetermined retention period, eg, two years (310). The shock-resistant memory module 118, 218 and/or the optional non-shock-resistant removable data storage device 219 of the data recorder 254 of FIG. 2 retains the record segment of the last blocks of records for a prescribed retention duration, which in this implementation is the federally mandated duration for which the data recorder 154, 254 must store operational data or video data in the impact-resistant memory module 118, 218 with an additional 24- hour buffer and then overwrite.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process 400 for appending data and/or information from an asset 148, 248 after a power cut, in accordance with an implementation of this disclosure. After the power supply is restored, the data writer 154, 254 identifies the last intermediate block of records that is stored in one of the two temporary locations of the impactful memory (402) and validates the last intermediate block of records using 32-bit cyclic redundancy check. a code that is included in the end entry of each block of entries (404). The validated intermediate block of records is then added to the end of the record segment of the impact storage device, and the record segment, which can contain up to five minutes of data before power loss, is sent to the remote data manager 132, 232 for storage during the retention period (406). The encoded signal data is stored in the shockproof memory module 118, 218 and/or in the optional non-shockproof removable data storage device 219 of the data recorder 254 of FIG. 2 in an annular buffer of prescribed storage time. As the record segment of the impact memory is broken into multiple blocks of records, the data writer 154, 254 deletes obsolete blocks of records as necessary to free up storage space each time a full block of records is stored in the memory block 118, 218 and/or the optional non-impact removable the data storage device 219 of the data recording means 254 of FIG. 2.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a diagram that illustrates exemplary intermediate blocks of records before power loss and after power is restored to the data recorder 154, 254. When the intermediate record block stored at temporary location 2 at (02/01/2016 10:10:08 AM) (602) is valid, this intermediate record block is added to the end of the record segment (702) (FIG. 7) in the impact memory module 118 , 218 and/or the optional non-impact removable data storage device 219 of the data recorder 254 of FIG. 2 as shown in FIG. 7. When the intermediate record block stored at temporary location 2 at (02/01/2016 10:10:08 AM) is not valid, the intermediate record block at temporary location 1 at (02/01/2016 10:10:07 AM) passes validation, and, if valid, appended to the end of the record segment in the impactful memory module 118, 218 and/or the optional non-impactable removable data storage device 219 of the data recorder 254 of FIG. 2.

[0055] Whenever any block of records is to be stored in the shockproof storage module 118, 218 and/or the optional non-shockproof removable data storage device 219 of the data recorder 254 of FIG. 2, the record segment is immediately flushed to disk. Because the data writer 154, 254 interleaves between two different temporary storage locations while storing intermediate blocks of records, there is always one temporary storage location that is not modified or dumped into the impact storage device or the non-impact removable storage device, thereby ensuring that , at least one of the two intermediate blocks of records stored in temporary storage locations is valid, and that the data writer 154, 254 should not lose more than one second for most of the data each time the writer 154, 254 data loses power. Similarly, when the data writer 154, 254 writes data to the shock-resistant memory module 118, 218 and/or the optional non-shock-resistant removable data storage device 219 of the data writer 254 of FIG. 2, every tenth of a second, the data writer 154, 254 should not lose more than one tenth of a second for most of the data each time the data writer 154, 254 loses power.

[0056] For ease of explanation, process 300 and process 400 are illustrated and described as a series of steps. However, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed in other orders and/or in parallel. Additionally, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed with other steps not shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated steps may be required in order to implement technologies in accordance with the claimed subject matter.

[0057] A third embodiment of the real-time data acquisition and recording system and viewer described herein provides real-time or near real-time access to a wide range of data such as event and operational data, video data, and audio data of high value asset to remote users such as asset owners, machinists and investigators. The data acquisition and recording system records data, through the data recorder, associated with the asset and streams the data to the remote data repository and remote users before, during and after an incident occurs. Data is streamed to a remote data repository in real time or near real time, ensuring information is available at least up to the time of the incident or emergency, thereby virtually eliminating the need to find and download a "black box" to investigate the incident that contains the asset, and eliminates the need to interact with the data recorder on the asset to request the download of specific data, find and transfer files, and use a user application to view the data. The system of the present disclosure retains typical recording capabilities and adds the ability to stream data to a remote data repository and remote end user before, during, and after an incident. In the vast majority of situations, the information written to the data recorder is redundant and not needed because the data is already being received and stored in the remote data repository.

[0058] Prior to the present disclosure system, data is retrieved from a "black box" or "event recorder" after an incident occurs and an investigation is required. Data files containing black box time segments must be loaded and retrieved from the black box and then viewed by the user using their own software. The user must access the asset physically or remotely, select the required data to be downloaded from the black box, download the file containing the required information to the computing device, and locate the appropriate file with the required data using a user application that runs on the computing device. device. The system of the present disclosure eliminates the need for the user to perform these steps, requiring the user only to use a common web browser in order to navigate to the required data. A remotely located user may access a common web browser to navigate to desired data associated with a selected asset to view and analyze asset performance and safety in real time or near real time.

[0059] A remotely located user, such as an asset owner, engineer, and/or investigator, may access a common web browser to navigate to live and/or historical data related to a selected asset to view and analyze operational performance and asset security in real time or near real time. The ability to view transactions in real time or near real time enables rapid assessment and adjustment of behavior. During an incident, for example, real-time information and/or data can make it easier to triage the situation and provide valuable information to emergency responders. In normal operation, for example, near real-time information and/or data can be used to audit team performance and contribute to network-wide situational awareness.

[0060] The real-time data acquisition and recording system of the third embodiment uses at least one or any combination of an image measurement device, a video measurement device, and a ranging device at, on, or near a mobile asset as part of the acquisition and recording system. data. Image measurement devices and/or video measurement devices include, but are not limited to, 360 degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow angle cameras, wide angle cameras, 360 degree fisheye cameras, and/or other cameras. Ranging devices include, but are not limited to, radar and a device based on optical detection and ranging (lidar). Lidar is a surveillance method that measures the distance to a target by illuminating the target with pulsed laser light and measuring the reflected pulses with a sensor. Prior to the system of the present disclosure, "black box" and/or "event recorders" did not include 360-degree cameras or other cameras in, on, or near the mobile asset. The system of the present disclosure adds the ability to use and record video using 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree fisheye cameras, radar, lidar, and/or other cameras as parts of the data acquisition and recording system, providing 360-degree views, narrow-angle views, wide-angle views, fisheye views, and/or other views of, on, or near a mobile asset to a remote data repository, and remote user and investigator before, during, and after an incident involving a mobile asset occurs. The ability to view operations, 360-degree video and/or other real-time or near-real-time video allows for rapid assessment and adjustment of crew behavior. Owners, operators and investigators can view and analyze operational efficiency, safety of people, vehicles and infrastructures and can investigate or inspect an incident. The ability to view 360-degree video and/or other videos from a mobile asset enables rapid assessment and adjustment of crew behavior. During an incident, for example, 360-degree videos and/or other videos can make it easier to triage the situation and provide valuable information to emergency responders and investigators. In normal operation, for example, 360-degree video and/or other videos can be used to audit team performance and promote network-wide situational awareness. 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree fisheye cameras, radar, lidar, and/or other cameras provide a complete picture of situations to provide video surveillance systems for law enforcement and/or railroad police, critical infrastructure inspection, level crossing monitoring, track progress review, inside cab and depot crew audits, and real-time remote surveillance.

[0061] Prior art systems require users to download video files containing time segments in order to view the video files using their own software application or other external video playback applications. The data acquisition and recording system of the present disclosure provides 360-degree video, other video, image information, and audio and ranging information that can be displayed to a remote user using a virtual reality-style device and/or through a standard web client, for This eliminates the need to download and use external applications in order to view videos. Additionally, remote users can view 360-degree videos and/or other videos in various modes using a VR-style device or through a standard web client such as a web browser, thereby eliminating the need to download and use external applications in order to view videos. Previous video systems require the user to download video files containing temporary data segments that are viewable only using their own application software or other external video playback applications that the user must purchase separately.

[0062] The data may include, but is not limited to, video and image information from cameras located at various locations in, on, or near the asset, and audio information from microphones located at various locations in, on, or near the asset. A 360-degree camera is a camera that provides a 360-degree spherical field of view, a 360-degree hemispherical field of view, and/or a 360-degree fisheye field of view. The use of 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree fisheye cameras, and/or other cameras in, on, or near the asset provides the ability to use and record video using the view cameras 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree fisheye cameras and/or other cameras as part of DARS, thereby making 360-degree and/or other views available at, on, or near the asset for the remote data repository, remote users, and investigators before, during, and after the incident.

[0063] FIG. 8 illustrates a field implementation of a third embodiment of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording (DARS) system 800 in which aspects of entity disclosure may be implemented. DARS 800 is a system that delivers real-time information, video information, and audio information from data recorder 808 on mobile asset 830 to remote end users via data center 832. The data recorder 808 is mounted on a vehicle or mobile asset 830 and communicates with any number of different information sources via any combination of wired and/or wireless data links, such as a wireless gateway/router (not shown). The data recorder 808 includes a shockproof memory module 810, an onboard data manager 812, and a data encoder 814. In the fourth embodiment, the data recording means 808 may also include a non-shock resistant removable storage device (not shown). An exemplary secure memory module 810, for example, may be a crash-resistant event recorder memory module that complies with the Code of Federal Regulations and Fed. CAA, impact resistant memory in accordance with any applicable Code of Federal Regulations, or any other suitable secure storage device known in the art. Wired and/or wireless data links may include any one or combination of discrete signal inputs, standard or proprietary Ethernet, serial, and wireless connections.

[0064] Data recorder 808 collects video data, audio data, and other data and/or information from a wide variety of sources, which may vary based on asset configuration, via on-board data links. In this implementation, the data recorder 808 receives data from a video management system 804 that continuously records video and audio data from 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree fisheye cameras. , radar, lidar, and/or other cameras 802 and fixed cameras 806 that are placed in, on or near the asset 830, and the video management system 804 stores video and audio data in a shock-resistant storage module 810 and may also store video and audio data in a non-shock-resistant removable storage device of the second embodiment. Different versions of the video data are created using different bit rates or spatial resolutions, and these versions are divided into variable length segments such as thumbnails, low-resolution five-minute segments, and high-resolution five-minute segments.

[0065] The data encoder 814 encodes at least a minimum data set, which is typically specified by the regulator. The data encoder 814 receives video and audio data from the video management system 804 and compresses or encodes the data and time synchronizes the data in order to facilitate efficient real-time transmission and replication to the remote data repository 820. The data encoder 814 transmits the encoded data to the on-board data manager 812, which then sends the encoded video and audio data to the remote data repository 820 via the remote data manager 818 located in the data center 830 in response to an on-demand request by the remote user 834 or in response to certain operating conditions observed on board the asset 830. The onboard data manager 812 and the remote data manager 818 work in concert to manage the data replication process. The remote data manager 818 in the data center 832 can manage the replication of data from multiple assets. The video and audio data stored in the remote data repository 820 is available to the web server 822 for access by the remote user 834.

[0066] Airborne data manager 812 also sends data to a queued repository (not shown). The onboard data manager 812 monitors the video and audio data stored in the shockproof storage module 810 and/or the optional non-shockproof removable storage device of the fourth embodiment by the video management system 804 and determines whether it is in near real time or in real time. time or not. In near real time, the airborne data manager 812 stores encoded data, including video data, audio data, and any other data or information received from the data encoder 814, and any event information, in the impact resistant storage module 810 and/or an optional non-impact removable device. storing the data of the fourth embodiment and in the queued repository. After five minutes of encoded data has been accumulated in the queued repository, the airborne data manager 812 stores five minutes of encoded data to the remote data repository 820 via the remote data manager 818 at the data center 832 via the wireless data link 816. . In real time, the onboard data manager 812 stores encoded data, including video data, audio data, and any other data or information received from the data encoder 814, and any event information, to a remote data repository 820 via a remote data manager 818 at the center 832 processing and storing data through the wireless data link 816, every configurable predetermined period of time, for example, every second or every 0.10 seconds. The onboard data manager 812 and the remote data manager 818 may communicate over multiple wireless links. The wireless data link 816 may, for example, be a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless wide area network (WMAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a private wireless system, a cellular telephone network, or any other means of data transmission. from the data writer 808, in this example, to the remote data manager 818. The process of sending and retrieving video and audio data remotely from asset 830 requires a wireless data connection between asset 830 and data center 832. When a wireless data connection is not available, the data is stored and queued in the shockproof storage module 810 and/or the optional non-shockproof removable storage device of the fourth embodiment until the wireless connection is restored. The process of extracting video data, audio data, and any other additional data resumes as soon as the wireless connection is restored.

[0067] In parallel with the data recording, the data writer 808 continuously and autonomously replicates the data to the remote data repository 820 . The replication process has two modes, real-time mode and near real-time mode. In real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 820 every second. In near real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 820 every five minutes. The frequency used for near real time is configurable, and the frequency used for real time can be adjusted to maintain high resolution data by replicating data to the remote data repository 820 every 0.10 seconds. Near real-time mode is used during normal operation, under most conditions, to improve the efficiency of the data replication process.

[0068] The real-time mode can be initiated based on events that occur on board the asset 830, or through a request initiated from the center 832 data processing and storage. A typical data center-initiated 832 real-time request is triggered when a remote user 834 requests real-time information from a web client 826. A typical reason for real-time originating on board an asset 830 is to detect an event or an incident, such as an initiation, by the driver, of an emergency stop request, emergency braking activity, rapid acceleration or deceleration on any axis, or loss of power input to the data recorder 808 . When transitioning from near real time to real time, all data not yet replicated to the remote data repository 820 is replicated and stored in the remote data repository 820, and then live replication is initiated. The transition between near real time and real time typically occurs in less than five seconds. After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the event or occurrence, after a predetermined amount of inactivity time, or when the user 834 no longer requires real time information from the asset 830, the data recorder 808 returns to near real time. The predetermined amount of time required to initiate the transition is configurable and is typically set to ten minutes.

[0069] When the data recorder 808 is in real time, the airborne data manager 812 attempts to continuously empty its queue to the remote data manager 818 by storing the data in the shockproof storage module 810 and the optional non-shockproof removable data storage device of the second embodiment and sending the data to remote data manager 818 at the same time.

[0070] When receiving video data, audio data, and any other data or information that needs to be replicated from the data recorder 808, the remote data manager 818 stores the data in the remote data repository 820 in the data processing and storage center 830 . Remote data repository 820, for example, may be a cloud data store or any other suitable remote data store. When data is received, a process is initiated that instructs the data decoder (not shown) to decode the latest replicated data from the remote data repository 820 and send the decoded data to the remote event detector (not shown). The remote data manager 818 stores the vehicle event information in the remote data repository 820 . When the remote event detector receives decoded data, it processes the decoded data to determine whether or not an event of interest has been detected in the decoded data. The decoded information is then used by the remote event detector to detect events, incidents, or other predefined situations in the data occurring with the asset 830. Upon detecting an event of interest from the decoded data previously stored in the remote data repository 820, the remote event detector stores the information events and confirmation data in the remote data repository 820 .

[0071] Video data, audio data, and any other data or information is available to user 834 in response to an on-demand request by user 834 and/or sent via on-board data manager 812 to remote data repository 820 in response to certain operating conditions observed on board asset 830 The video data, audio data, and any other data or information stored in the remote data repository 820 is available on the web server 822 for access by the user 834. The remote user 834 can access the video data, audio data, and any other data or information related to a specific asset 830 or multiple assets stored in a remote data repository 820 using a standard web client 826 such as a web browser or virtual reality style device 828 which, in this implementation, can display thumbnail images of selected cameras. The web client 826 transmits the user's request 834 for video, audio, and/or other information to the web server 822 via the network 824 using common web standards, protocols, and technologies. Network 824, for example, may be the Internet. The network 824 may also be a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), a cellular telephone network, or any other means of transferring data from the web server 822 to in this example, to the web client 826. The web server 822 requests the required data from the remote data repository 820. The web server 822 then sends the requested data to the web client 826, which provides playback and live display of standard video, 360 video, and/or other video. The web client 826 renders video data, audio data, and any other data or information to a user 834 that can interact with the 360-degree video and/or other video and/or still image data for viewing and analysis. The user 834 may also upload video data, audio data, and any other data or information using the web client 826 and may then use the virtual reality device 828 to interact with the 360-degree video data for viewing and analysis.

[0072] The web client 826 may be enhanced by a software application that provides playback of 360-degree video and/or other video in a variety of different modes. The user 834 can select the mode in which the software application presents video playback, such as, for example, a fisheye view as shown in FIG. 11 is a panoramic view as shown in FIG. 12, double panoramic view (not shown), quadratic view as shown in FIG. 13 and an undistorted view as shown in FIG. fourteen.

[0073] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process 840 for recording video data, audio data, and/or information from an asset 830 in accordance with an implementation of this disclosure. The video management system 804 receives data signals from various input components (842), such as 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree fisheye cameras, radar, lidar, and/or or other cameras 802 and fixed cameras 806 on, in, or near the asset 830. The video management system 804 then stores the video data, audio data, and/or information in the shockproof storage module 810 and/or the optional non-shockproof removable storage device of the fourth embodiment (844), using any combination of standardized formats such as, for example, still images, thumbnails, sequences of still images, or compressed video formats. Data encoder 814 creates a record that includes a structured bit sequence used to configure and record data signal information (846). In near real time, the video management system 804 stores the video data in the shockproof storage module 810 and the optional non-shockproof removable storage device of the fourth embodiment, while sending only limited video data, such as thumbnails or very short low-resolution video segments, off-board to a remote repository 820 data (848).

[0074] In another implementation, the encoded record is then sent to the onboard data manager 812, which sequentially combines the sequence of records in chronological order into blocks of records that include up to five minutes of data. An intermediate block of records includes less than five minutes of data, while a full block of records includes a full five minutes of data. Each block of records includes all the data required to fully decode the included signals, including performing a data integrity check. At a minimum, a block of records must begin with a start record and end with an end record.

[0075] In order to ensure that all encoded signal data is stored in the impact memory 810 and/or the optional non-impact removable data storage device of the fourth embodiment, if the data recorder 808 loses power, the airborne data manager 812 stores intermediate blocks of records in the impact memory module 810 and/or an optional fourth embodiment non-impact removable storage device, at a predetermined frequency, the predetermined frequency being configurable and/or variable. Intermediate record blocks are stored at least once per second, but may also be stored at a rate of once every tenth of a second. The frequency at which intermediate blocks of records are saved depends on the sampling rates of each signal. Each intermediate record block includes the complete set of records since the last complete record block. The data recorder 808 may alternate between two temporary storage locations in the shock storage module 810 as each intermediate block of records is written to prevent more than one second of data from being corrupted or lost when the data writer 808 loses power while storing the data in the shock memory module 810. Each once a new intermediate record block is stored in the temporary location of the impactful storage device, it must overwrite the previously stored intermediate record block at that location.

[0076] Every five minutes, in this implementation, when the data recorder 808 is in near real time, the airborne data manager 812 stores a complete block of records, including the past five minutes of coded signal data, into a segment of records in the impactful memory module 810 and/or an optional non-shock resistant removable storage device of the fourth embodiment, and sends a copy of the complete block of records containing five minutes of video data, audio data and/or information to the remote data manager 818 for storage in the remote data repository 820 for a predetermined retention period, for example, two years. The impact memory module 810 and the optional non-impact removable storage device of the fourth embodiment retain the record segment of the last record blocks for a prescribed retention duration, which in this implementation is the federally mandated duration for which the data recorder 808 must retain operational data or video data in the shockproof memory module 810 with an additional 24-hour buffer, and then overwritten.

[0077] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a process 850 for viewing data and/or information from an asset 830 through a web browser 826 or virtual reality style device 828. When an event occurs, or when a remotely located authorized user 834 requests a segment of video data stored in the impact memory module 810 via the web client 826, the onboard data manager 812, depending on the event, should start sending real time video data out-of-board with the best available resolution, taking into account the bandwidth of the wireless link 816 for data transmission. The remote user 834 initiates a request for specific video and/or audio data in a specific view mode (852) through the web client 826, which transmits the request to the web server 822 via the network 824. The web server 822 requests specific video and/or or audio data from a remote data repository 820 and sends the requested video and/or audio data to the web client 826 (854) via the network 824. The web client 826 displays the video and/or audio data in a user-specified view 834 (856). User 834 may then download specific video and/or audio data for viewing on device 828 in a virtual reality style. In another real-time implementation, the thumbnails are sent first at one second intervals, then short segments of lower resolution video, and then short segments of higher resolution video.

[0078] For ease of explanation, process 840 and process 850 are illustrated and described as a sequence of steps. However, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed in other orders and/or in parallel. Additionally, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed with other steps not shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated steps may be required in order to implement technologies in accordance with the claimed subject matter.

[0079] The fifth embodiment of the real-time data acquisition and recording system and the video analytics system described herein provides real-time or near real-time access to a wide range of data such as event and operational data, video data, and audio data of high value asset, remotely located users. The data acquisition and recording system records data associated with an asset and streams the data to a remote data repository and remote users before, during and after an incident occurs. Data is streamed to a remote data repository in real time or near real time, ensuring information is available at least up to the time of the incident or emergency, thereby virtually eliminating the need to find and download a "black box" to investigate an incident containing an asset, by streaming information to a remote real-time data repository, and ensuring that the information is available at least up to the time of the catastrophic event. DARS performs video analysis of the recorded video data of the mobile asset to determine, for example, driver's house occupancy, track detection, and detection of objects near the tracks. The remote user can use a common web browser to navigate and view the required data associated with the selected asset, and does not need to interact with the data acquisition and recording system on the asset to request the download of specific data, find or transfer files, and use a custom application in order to view the data.

[0080] DARS provides access to remote users to video data and video analysis performed by a video analytics system by streaming data to a remote data repository and a remote user before, during and after an incident, thereby eliminating the need for the user to manually download , extract and play video to analyze the video data in order to determine whether the driver's booth is occupied, whether or not a crew member or unauthorized personnel is present during an incident, rut detection, rut detection, investigation, or any other time of interest. Additionally, the video analytics system provides driver booth occupancy detection, rut detection, rut object detection, head and tail detection by processing image data and real-time video data, thereby ensuring that the correct data is always available to the user. For example, real-time image processing ensures that a locomotive designated as a tail locomotive is not operated as a lead locomotive in order to improve railway safety. Prior art systems provide the position of a locomotive in a train through the use of train generation functionality in dispatch systems. From time to time, dispatch system information may be out of date as the information is not updated in real time and crew personnel may change locomotives as needed.

[0081] Prior to the system of the present disclosure, inspection teams and/or asset personnel must manually inspect the state of the track, manually check whether the vehicle is in a head or tail position, manually observe the locations of each individual object of interest, manually create a geographic location database of all objects of interest, periodically perform a manual field observation of each object of interest to verify its location, and identify any changes in geographic location that differ from the original observation, manually update the database when objects of interest change location due to repair or additional development of infrastructure over time, when the source database is created, select and download the required data from the digital video recorder and/or data recorder, and inspect the downloaded data and/or offline video, and check the number of and for any obstructions, and the vehicle operator must physically check for any obstructions and/or switch positions. The system of the present disclosure eliminates the need for users to perform these steps, requiring the user only to use a common web browser in order to navigate to the required data. Asset owners and operators can automate and improve the efficiency and safety of mobile assets in real time, and can actively monitor gauge conditions and receive real-time warning information. The present disclosure system eliminates the need for asset owners and drivers to download data from a data recorder in order to track gauge conditions and investigate incidents. As an active protection system, DARS can help the driver check any obstacles, send real-time warnings and/or save information offline and send emergency information for remote monitoring and storage. Both current and past rut detection information and information related to the detection of objects near the ruts can be stored in a remote real-time data repository to assist the user in viewing the information when needed. A remotely located user may access a common web browser to navigate to desired data associated with a selected asset to view and analyze asset performance and safety in real time or near real time.

[0082] The real-time data acquisition and recording system of the fifth embodiment can be used to continuously track objects of interest and identify in real time when they are moved or damaged, become obstructed by foliage, and/or are out of order, and require maintenance. DARS uses video information, image information and/or audio information to detect and identify various infrastructure objects such as railway tracks in video, has the ability to track tracks as a mobile asset moves, and has the ability to create, audit and periodically update a database of objects of interest with geographic location. The real-time data acquisition and recording system of the fifth embodiment uses at least one or any combination of an image measurement device, a video measurement device, and a ranging device at, on, or near a mobile asset as part of the data acquisition and recording system. Image measurement devices and/or video measurement devices include, but are not limited to, 360 degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow angle cameras, wide angle cameras, 360 degree fisheye cameras, and/or other cameras. Ranging devices include, but are not limited to, radar and a device based on optical detection and ranging (lidar). Lidar is a surveillance method that measures the distance to a target by illuminating the target with pulsed laser light and measuring the reflected pulses with a sensor.

[0083] DARS can automatically inspect the state of the track, for example, counting the number of tracks present, identifying the current track the mobile asset is traveling on, and detecting any obstacles or defects present, such as eroded ballast, broken tracks, out-of-gauge patterns , misaligned turnouts, turnout creep, rut flooding, snow accumulation, etc., and plan preventive maintenance to avoid catastrophic events. DARS can also detect railroad track switches and track gauge changes. The DARS can further detect a data location change including whether the object is missing, occluded, and/or not present at the expected location, or not. Track detection, infrastructure diagnostic information and/or infrastructure monitoring information can be displayed to the user using any standard web client such as a web browser, thereby eliminating the need to download files from the data recorder and use proprietary application software or other external applications. in order to view information as required by prior art systems. This process can be extended to automatically create, audit, and/or update a database of geographic locations of objects of interest and comply with Federal regulations. Through the system of the present disclosure, cameras pre-installed to comply with federal regulations are used to perform various tasks that previously required human interaction, specialized vehicles, and/or alternative equipment. DARS enables these tasks to be performed automatically as the mobile asset moves through the territory, as part of normal commercial operation and day-to-day operations. DARS can be used to save countless man-hours of manual work by using normal vehicles and pre-installed cameras to perform tasks that previously required manual effort. DARS can also perform tasks previously performed using specialized vehicles by preventing track segments from being closed in order to inspect and find the track and objects of interest, which often results in loss of commercial operation and the need to purchase and maintain expensive equipment. DARS further reduces the amount of time people have to be in close proximity to railroad tracks, resulting in fewer overall accidents and possible loss of life.

[0084] The data may include, but is not limited to, measured analog and frequency parameters such as speed, pressure, temperature, current, voltage, and acceleration that originate from mobile assets and/or nearby mobile assets; measured boolean data such as arrow positions, actuator positions, warning lights, and actuator control commands; position, speed and altitude information from global positioning system (GPS) data and additional geographic information system (GIS) data such as latitude and longitude of various objects of interest; internally generated information, such as a regulatory speed limit for a mobile asset based on its current position; state data and operating data of the train traffic control system generated by systems such as the Precise Train Control (PTC) system; vehicle parameters and inertial parameters such as speed, acceleration and location, for example, received from GPS; GIS data such as latitude and longitude of various objects of interest; video information and image information from at least one camera located at various locations in, on or near the mobile asset; audio information from at least one microphone located at various locations in, on or near the mobile asset; information regarding the operational plan for the mobile asset that is sent to the mobile asset from the data center, such as information about routes, schedules, and cargo manifests; information regarding environmental conditions, such as the current and forecast weather of the area in which the mobile asset is currently operating or planned to operate; and data extracted from a combination of any of the above sources, including additional data, video and audio analysis and analytics.

[0085] "Track" may include, but is not limited to, rails and sleepers of railways used to transport a locomotive and/or a train. "Objects of Interest" may include, but are not limited to, various infrastructures installed and maintained in close proximity to railway tracks that can be identified using artificial intelligence, such as supervised learning or stimulated learning, for camera-captured image and video assets . Supervised learning and/or stimulated learning uses pre-labeled datasets defined as "training" data to enable remote and offline identification of objects within a camera's view at, on, or near a mobile asset. Supervised learning and/or stimulated learning trains neural network models in order to identify patterns that occur in visual images received from cameras. These patterns, such as people, barriers, cars, trees, signals, arrows, etc., are contained in single images only. Sequential frames in a video can also be analyzed for patterns, such as flashing signals, moving cars, sleeping people, etc. DARS may or may not require human interaction at any stage of implementation, including, but not limited to, labeling training datasets required for supervised learning and/or stimulated learning. Objects of interest include, but are not limited to, tracks, track center points, waymarks, signals, crossing barriers, arrows, level crossings, and text signs. "Video analytics" means any understandable information collected through the analysis of video and/or images recorded from image, video and/or range measurement devices such as at least one camera, e.g. 360 degree cameras, stationary cameras, narrow angle cameras, wide angle cameras, 360 degree fisheye cameras, radar, lidar and/or other cameras, in, on or near a mobile asset such as, but not limited to, objects of interest, geographic locations of objects , obstacles on the track, distances between the objects of interest and the mobile asset, incorrect track alignment, etc. The video analytics system can also be used in any mobile asset, residential area, space or room containing a surveillance camera to enhance video surveillance. In mobile assets, a video analytics system provides cost-effective and efficient off-line event detection in a busy driver's booth for remote users.

[0086] FIG. 15 illustrates a field implementation of a fifth embodiment of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording (DARS) system 900 in which entity disclosure aspects may be implemented. DARS 900 is a system that delivers real-time information, video information, and audio information from a data recorder 902 on a mobile asset 964 to remotely located end users 968 via a data processing and storage center 966 . The data recorder 902 is mounted on a vehicle or mobile asset 964 and communicates with any number of different information sources via any combination of wired and/or wireless data links 942, such as through a wireless gateway/router (not shown). The data recorder 902 collects video data, audio data, and other data or information from a wide variety of sources, which may vary based on the configuration of the asset, via the onboard data links 942. The data writer 902 includes a local storage component such as a shockproof storage module 904, an onboard data manager 906, and a data encoder 908 in the asset 964. shown). An exemplary secure memory module 904 may, for example, be a crash-resistant event recorder memory module that complies with the Code of Federal Regulations and Federal Railroad regulations, a crash surviving memory module that complies with the Code of Federal Regulations and Federal Railroad Civil Aviation Association, impact resistant memory in accordance with any applicable Code of Federal Regulations, or any other suitable secure storage device known in the art. Wired and/or wireless data links may include any one or combination of discrete signal inputs, standard or proprietary Ethernet, serial, and wireless connections.

[0087] DARS 900 further comprises a video analytics system 910 that includes a track and/or object detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914. The track detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914 comprises a supervised learning and/or stimulated learning component 924 or another component based on neural networks or artificial intelligence, an object detection and location component 926, and an obstacle detection component 928 that detects obstacles present on or near the tracks. , and/or obstructions to the cameras, such as personnel blocking the view of the cameras. In this implementation, live video is captured by at least one camera 940 mounted in the driver's house of asset 964 on or near asset 964. Cameras 940 are placed at an appropriate height and angle to capture video in and around asset 964 and obtain a sufficient view size for further processing. Live video and image data is captured in front of and/or around the asset 964 by cameras 940 and fed into the track and/or object detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914 for analysis. The track detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914 of the video analytics system 910 processes live video and image data frame by frame to detect the presence of railroad tracks and any objects of interest. Either camera position parameters such as height, angle, shift, focal length, and field of view may be fed into the track and/or object detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914, or the camera 940 may be configured to allow the video analytics system 910 to detect and determine the position and camera settings.

[0088] In order to perform a state determination, such as driver booth occupancy detection, video analytics system 910 uses a supervised learning and/or stimulated learning component 924 and/or other algorithms based on artificial intelligence and learning to evaluate, for example, video data from cameras 940 , asset data 934 such as speed, GPS and inertial sensor data, weather component data 936, and route/team, declaration, and GIS data processing component 938. Driver house occupancy detection is inherently subject to environmental noise sources such as light bouncing off clouds and sunlight passing through buildings and trees while the asset is moving. To handle environmental noise, supervised learning and/or stimulated learning component 924 data, detection component 926 and object location component 928, obstacle detection component, asset component 934, which may include speed, GPS data, and inertial sensor data, weather component data 936 and other learning algorithms are assembled together to form an internal and/or external state definition comprising the mobile asset 964. The track and/or object detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914 may also include a face recognition system adapted with the ability to allow locomotive access authorization as part of the locomotive security system, a fatigue detection component adapted to be able to track crew attention, and an activity detection component to detect unauthorized activities such as smoking.

[0089] Additionally, the video analytics system 910 may receive location information including the latitude and longitude coordinates of a signal, such as a stop signal, a traffic signal, a speed limit signal, and/or an object signal near the tracks, from an asset owner. The video analytics system 910 then determines whether or not the location information received from the asset owner is correct. If the location information is correct, the video analytics system 910 saves the information and does not have to recheck the location information again for a predetermined amount of time, such as checking the location information on a monthly basis. If the location information is not correct, the video analytics system 910 determines the correct location information and reports the correct location information to asset owners, saves the location information, and does not need to re-verify the location information again for a predetermined amount of time, for example, perform location information verification on a monthly basis. . Storing the location information allows easier detection of a signal such as a stop signal, a traffic signal, a speed limit signal, and/or an object signal near a rut.

[0090] Supervised learning and/or stimulated learning, using the supervised learning and/or stimulated learning component 924, for tracks is performed by using various information obtained from successive frames of video and/or images, as well as using additional information received from a data center 966; and a vehicle data processing component 934 that includes inertial sensor data and GPS data to determine training data. The object detection and location component 926 uses the training data received from the supervised learning and/or stimulated learning component 924 and specific information regarding the mobile asset 964 and the railway, such as track width and curvature, sleeper positioning, and vehicle speed, to distinguish railway tracks, signs, signals, etc. from other objects in order to determine object detection data. The obstacle detection component 928 uses object detection data received from the object detection and location component 926, such as information regarding obstacles present on or near the tracks and/or camera obstructions, such as personnel blocking the view of the cameras, and additional information from a weather component 936, a route/team and GIS data declaration processing component 938, and a vehicle data processing component 934 that includes inertial sensor data and GPS data in order to improve accuracy and determine obstacle detection data. The mobile asset data from the vehicle data processing component 934 includes, but is not limited to, speed, location, acceleration, yaw rate/yield rate, and railroad crossings. Any additional information received and used from the data center 966 includes, but is not limited to, 24/7 information and the geographic location of the mobile asset 964.

[0091] Infrastructure objects of interest, information processed by the track and/or object detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914 and diagnostic and monitoring information is sent to the data encoder 908 of the data recorder 902 via the onboard data links 942 to encode the data. The data writer 902 stores the encoded data in the impact memory module 904 and optionally in the optional non-impact removable storage device of the sixth embodiment, and sends the encoded information to the remote data manager 946 in the data center 966 via the wireless link 944 for data transmission. The remote data manager 946 stores the encoded data in a remote data repository 948 in the data center 966 .

[0092] To determine the detection 928 of obstacles or the detection of 926 objects, for example, the presence of a track in front of the asset, objects on and / or near the tracks, obstacles on or near the tracks and / or obstacles that block the view of the cameras, 964, the analytical system 910 of the vehicle uses a supervised learning and/or stimulated learning or other artificial intelligence component 924, an object detection and location component 926, and an obstacle detection component 928, and other image processing algorithms to process and evaluate image data and camera video data from cameras 940 in real time . The track and/or object detection and infrastructure monitoring component 914 uses the processed video data along with asset component 934 data, which may include speed, GPS and inertial sensor data, weather component 936 data, and route/crew processing component 938, declarations. and GIS data, in order to determine external state definitions, such as head and tail mobile assets, in real time. When processing image and video data to detect a track and/or objects, for example, the video analytics system 910 automatically configures the parameters of the cameras 940 necessary to detect the track, detects passing over switches, counts the number of tracks, detects all additional tracks along the side of the asset 964, determines the track , which asset 964 is currently traveling on, detects track geometry defects, detects track blur scenarios, such as detecting water near a track within given track limits, and detects missing ramp or track scenarios. The accuracy of object detection depends on the existing lighting conditions in and around the asset 964. DARS 900 must handle different lighting conditions through the use of additional data collected on board the asset 964 and data center 966. DARS 900 is improving with the ability to work under different lighting conditions, work in different weather conditions, detect more objects of interest, integrate with existing database systems to create, audit and update data automatically, detect multiple tracks, work in harmony with curved tracks, detect any obstruction, detect any track defect that could cause safety issues, and work in low cost embedded systems.

[0093] Determining the internal and/or external status from the video analytics system 910, such as occupancy of the driver's house, detection and location of objects, for example, track detection and detection of objects near the tracks, and detection of obstacles, such as obstacles on or near the tracks and camera-blocking barriers are provided to the data recorder 902, along with any data from the vehicle fleet management system (VMS) or digital video recorder component 932, via the onboard data links 942. The data recording means 902 stores the determination of the internal and/or external state, the data of the object detection and location component 926, and the data of the obstacle detection component 928 in the impact storage module 904 and optionally in the non-impact removable storage device of the sixth embodiment and the remote data repository 948 via the remote manager 946 data located in the center 966 data processing and storage. The web server 958 provides the internal and/or external state definition, the object detection and location component 926 information, and the obstacle detection component 928 information to the remote user 968 via the web client 962 upon request.

[0094] The data encoder 908 encodes at least a minimum data set, which is typically specified by the regulator. The data encoder 908 receives video, image data, and audio data from any of the cameras 940, the video analytics system 910, and the video management system 932, and compresses or encodes and time synchronizes the data in order to facilitate efficient real-time transmission and replication to a remote data repository 948 . The data encoder 908 transmits the encoded data to the airborne data manager 906, which then sends the encoded video data, image data, and audio data to the remote data repository 948 via the remote data manager 946 located in the data processing and storage center 966 in response to an on-demand request by the user 968 or in response to certain operating conditions observed on board the asset 964. The onboard data manager 906 and the remote data manager 946 work in concert to manage the data replication process. A remote data manager 946 in the data center 966 can manage the replication of data from multiple assets 964.

[0095] Airborne data manager 908 determines whether a detected event, internal and/or external state determination, object detection and location, and/or obstacle detection should be queued or dispatched immediately, based on the prioritization of the detected event. For example, in a normal operating situation, detecting a track obstruction is much more urgent than detecting whether or not someone is in the driver's house of an asset 964. The airborne data manager 908 also sends data to a queued repository (not shown). In near real time, the onboard data manager stores the encoded data received from the data encoder 908 and any event information in the impact storage module 904 and in the queued repository. After five minutes of encoded data has been accumulated in the queued repository, the airborne data manager 906 stores five minutes of encoded data to the remote data repository 948 via the remote data manager 946 in the data processing and storage center 966 over the wireless link 944 for data transmission. . In real time, the onboard data manager 908 stores the encoded data received from the data encoder 908 and any event information to the shockproof storage module 904 and to the remote data repository 948 via the remote data manager 946 in the data processing and storage center 966 over the wireless link 944 communications for data transmission every configurable predetermined period of time, for example, every second or every 0.10 seconds.

[0096] In this implementation, the airborne data manager 906 sends video data, audio data, internal and/or external state determination, object detection and location information, obstacle detection information, and any other data or event information to the remote data repository 948 via the remote manager 946 data in the center 966 data processing and storage through a wireless link 944 for data transmission. The wireless data link 944 may, for example, be a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless wide area network (WMAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a wireless virtual private network (WVPN), a cellular telephone network, or any another means of transferring data from the data writer 902, in this example, to the remote data manager 946. The process of retrieving data remotely from asset 964 requires a wireless connection between asset 964 and data center 966. When a wireless data connection is not available, the data is stored and queued until the wireless connection is restored.

[0097] In parallel with the data recording, the data writer 902 continuously and autonomously replicates the data to the remote data repository 948 . The replication process has two modes, real-time mode and near real-time mode. In real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 10 every second. In near real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 15 every five minutes. The frequency used for near real-time mode is configurable, and the frequency used for real-time mode can be adjusted to maintain high resolution data by replicating data to the remote data repository 15 every 0.10 seconds. Near real-time mode is used during normal operation, under most conditions, to improve the efficiency of the data replication process.

[0098] The real-time mode can be initiated based on events that occur on board the asset 964, or through a request initiated from the center 966 data processing and storage. A typical data center-initiated 966 real-time request is triggered when a remote user 968 requests real-time information from a web client 962. A typical reason for real-time originating on board an asset 964 is to detect an event or an incident involving an asset 964, such as an initiation, by the driver, of an emergency stop request, emergency braking activity, rapid acceleration or deceleration on any axis, or loss of power input to data recorder 902. When transitioning from near real time to real time, all data not yet replicated to the remote data repository 948 is replicated and stored in the remote data repository 948, and then live replication is initiated. The transition between near real time and real time typically occurs in less than five seconds. After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the event or occurrence, after a predetermined amount of inactivity time, or when the user 968 no longer requires real time information from the asset 964, the data recorder 902 returns to near real time. The predetermined amount of time required to initiate the transition is configurable and is typically set to ten minutes.

[0099] When the data recorder 902 is in real time, the airborne data manager 906 attempts to continuously empty its queue to the remote data manager 946, storing the data in the shockproof storage module 940 and optionally in the optional non-shockproof removable data storage device of the sixth embodiment, and sending data to the remote data manager 946 at the same time.

[00100] When receiving video data, audio data, internal and/or external state determination, object detection and location information, obstacle detection information, and any other data or information that needs to be replicated from the data recorder 902, the remote data manager 946 stores the data , which it receives from the onboard data manager 906, such as encoded data and detected event data, to a remote data repository 948 in the data center 966 . Remote data repository 948, for example, may be a cloud data store or any other suitable remote data store. When data is received, a process is initiated that instructs the data decoder 954 to decode the latest replicated data from the remote data repository 948 and send the decoded data to the track/object detection/location information component 950, which checks the stored data for additional "post-processed" events. The track/object detection/location information component 950 includes an object/obstruction detection component for determining definitions of an internal and/or external state, object detection and location information, and obstacle detection information, in this implementation. When detecting internal and/or external information, object detection and location information and/or obstacle detection information, track/object detection/location information component 950 stores the information in a remote data repository 948 .

[00101] The remotely located user 968 can access video data, audio data, internal and/or external state determination, object detection and location information, obstacle detection information, and any other information stored in the remote data repository 948, including track information. , asset information, and cab occupancy information associated with a particular asset 964 or multiple assets using a standard web client 962 such as a web browser or a virtual reality style device (not shown) such as a virtual reality style device 828 reality in Fig. 8 which, in this implementation, may display thumbnail images of the selected cameras. The web client 962 transmits the user's request 968 for information to the web server 958 via the network 960 using common web standards, protocols and technologies. Network 960, for example, may be the Internet. Network 960 may also be a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), a cellular telephone network, or any other means of communication from web server 958, to in this example, to the web client 962. The web server 958 requests the required data from the remote data repository 948, and the data decoder 954 retrieves the requested data associated with a particular asset 964 from the remote data repository 948 when requested from the web server 958. Decoder The data 954 decodes the requested data and sends the decoded data to the localizer 956. The localizer 956 identifies the profile settings specified by the user 968 by accessing the web client 962 and uses the profile settings to prepare information sent to the web client 962 for presentation to the user 968, as raw encoded data, and the detected information is updated The gauge/object location/arrangement is stored in the remote data repository 948 using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the International System of Units (SI units). The localizer 956 converts the decoded data into the format required by the user 968, such as the user 968's preferred unit of measure and language. The localizer 956 sends the localized data in the user 968's preferred format to the web server 958 upon request. The web server 958 then sends the localized data to the web client 962 for viewing and analysis, providing real-time playback and display of standard and 360-degree video, along with internal and/or external state determination, detection and location information. objects and obstacle detection information such as track and/or object detection (FIG. 16A), track and turnout detection (FIG. 16B), track and/or object detection, track count and signal detection (FIG. 16C), level crossings and gauges and/or objects (FIG. 16D), double air signal detection (FIG. 16E), multiple gauge and/or multiple object detection (FIG. 16F), turnout and gauge and/or object detection (FIG. 16G) and arrow detection (FIG. 16H).

[00102] The web client 962 is enhanced by a software application that provides playback of 360-degree video and/or other video in a variety of different modes. The user 968 can select the mode in which the software application presents video playback, such as, for example, fisheye view, distortion-free view, panoramic view, dual panoramic view, and square view.

[00103] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a process 970 for determining the internal state of an asset 964 in accordance with an implementation of this disclosure. Video analytics system 910 receives data signals from various input components (972), such as cameras 940, including but not limited to 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, fisheye cameras with 360 degree view, radar, lidar, and/or other cameras, on, at, or near the asset 964, vehicle data processing component 934, weather component 936, and route/declaration and GIS data processing component 938. The video analytics system 910 processes the data signals using a supervised learning and/or stimulated learning component (974) and determines an internal state (976), such as the driver's house is occupied.

[00104] FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a process 980 for object detection/location and obstruction detection occurring externally and internally to an asset 964 in accordance with an implementation of this disclosure. Video analytics system 910 receives data signals from various input components (982), such as cameras 940, including but not limited to 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, fisheye cameras with 360 degree view, radar, lidar, and/or other cameras, on, at, or near the asset 964, vehicle data processing component 934, weather component 936, and route/declaration and GIS data processing component 938. The video analytics system 910 processes the data signals using a supervised learning and/or stimulated learning component 924, an object detection/location component 926, and an obstacle detection component 928 984 and determines obstacle detection (986) and object detection and location (988), such as the presence of a rut.

[00105] For ease of explanation, process 970 and process 980 are illustrated and described as a series of steps. However, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed in other orders and/or in parallel. Additionally, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed with other steps not shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated steps may be required in order to implement technologies in accordance with the claimed subject matter.

[00106] A data sharing system for real-time data acquisition and recording operates in conjunction with a real-time data acquisition and recording system and a viewer that provide real-time or near-real-time access to a wide range of data, such as event and operational data, video and audio data of a high-value asset such as a locomotive, for example, to remote users such as asset owners, machinists and investigators. The data acquisition and recording system records data associated with an asset and streams the data to a remote data repository and remote users before, during and after an incident occurs. Data is streamed to a remote data repository in real time or near real time, ensuring information is available at least up to the time of the incident or emergency, thereby virtually eliminating the need to find and download a "black box" to investigate an incident containing an asset, and eliminating the need to interact with the data acquisition and recording system on the asset to request the download of specific data, find and transfer files, and use a user application to view data. The real-time data acquisition and recording system retains the typical recording capability and adds the ability to stream data to a remote data repository and remote end users before, during and after an incident.

[00107] A remotely located user, such as an asset owner, engineer, and/or investigator, may access a common web browser to navigate to live and/or historical data related to a selected asset to view and analyze operational performance and asset security in real time or near real time. The ability to view transactions in real time or near real time allows for rapid evaluation and adjustment of behavior. During an incident, for example, real-time information and/or data can make it easier to triage the situation and provide valuable information to emergency responders. In normal operation, for example, near real-time information and/or data can be used to audit team performance and promote network-wide situational awareness.

[00108] A remotely located user may access a common web browser to use a viewer and navigate to desired data associated with a selected asset to view and analyze asset performance and safety in real time or near real time. The viewer provides the ability to view operations and/or 360-degree real-time or near-real-time operations and/or video for quick assessment and adjustment of crew behavior. Owners, operators, and investigators can view and analyze operational efficiency, safety of people, vehicles, and infrastructure, and can investigate or inspect an incident. During an incident, for example, a 360-degree video can make it easier to sort through the situation and provide valuable information to emergency responders and investigators. In normal operation, for example, 360-degree video can be used to audit team performance and promote network-wide situational awareness. Additionally, remotely located users can view 360-degree video with the viewer in various modes through the use of a VR-style device such as the VR-style device 828 in FIG. 8, or through a standard web client such as a web browser, thereby eliminating the need to download and use external applications in order to view videos.

[00109] The data sharing system allows a user to share data obtained from a data acquisition and recording system with remotely located users. The User may share data with remote recipient end users who have access to the Internet and a modern web browser in a secure, managed, monitored and auditable manner. The user, instead of sharing files, shares a URL for data. URL-based data sharing allows the user to manage, monitor, and audit sensitive data. The user must be able to share data in order to improve the security of the world's transportation systems without the risk of unauthorized disclosure of data. Data can be shared between investigators using a web client with remote users without having to find and download the black box.

[00110] The data may include, but is not limited to, analog and frequency parameters such as speed, pressure, temperature, current, voltage, and acceleration that originate from an asset and/or nearby assets, boolean data such as needle positions, actuator position, warning lights and actuator control commands, global positioning system (GPS) data and/or geographic information system (GIS) data such as position, speed and altitude, internally generated information such as regulatory speed limits for of the asset based on its current position, video and image information from cameras located at various locations in, on or near the asset, audio information from microphones located at various locations in, on or near the asset, information regarding the operational plan for the asset that is sent to an asset from the data center, such as route information, statements and cargo manifests, information regarding environmental conditions, including current and forecast weather conditions for the area in which the asset is currently operating or planned to operate, status data and asset management operating data generated through systems such as a fine control system train traffic (PTC) in locomotives, and data derived from a combination of any of the above, including, but not limited to, additional data, video and audio analysis and analytics.

[00111] FIG. 19 and 20 illustrate a field implementation of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, respectively, of an exemplary real-time data acquisition and recording (DARS) system 100, 200 in which disclosure aspects may be implemented. DARS 100, 200 includes a data recorder 154, 254 that is mounted on a vehicle or mobile asset 148, 248 and communicates with any number of different sources of information via any combination of onboard wired and/or wireless links 170, 270 for transmission. data, such as a wireless gateway/router, or off-board information sources via the DARS data processing and storage center 150, 250 100, 200 via data links, for example, via wireless data links 146. The data recorder 154, 254 comprises an onboard data manager 120, 220, a data encoder 122, 222, a vehicle event detector 156, 256, a queued repository 158, 258, and a wireless gateway/router 172, 272. Additionally, in this implementation, , the data writer 154, 254 may include a ruggedized memory module 118, 218 and/or an Ethernet switch 162, 262 with/without Power over Ethernet (POE). An exemplary secure memory module 118, 218, for example, may be a crash-resistant event recorder memory module that complies with the Code of Federal Regulations and Fed. requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration, an impact resistant memory module in accordance with any applicable Code of Federal Regulations, or any other suitable secure storage device known in the art. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and 20, the data recording means 254 may further include an optional non-impact removable data storage device 219.

[00112] Wired and/or wireless data links 170, 270 may include any one or combination of discrete signal inputs, standard or proprietary Ethernet, serial, and wireless connections. Ethernet-connected devices may use an Ethernet switch 162, 262 write means 154, 254 and may use POE. Ethernet switch 162, 262 may be internal or external and may support POE. Additionally, data from remote data sources such as the mapping component 164, 264, the route/crew declaration processing component 124, 224, and the weather component 126, 226 in the implementation of FIG. 1, 2, 19 and 20 are available to the onboard data manager 120, 220 and vehicle event detector 156, 256 from the data processing and storage center 150, 250 via the wireless data link 146, 246 and the wireless gateway/router 172, 272 .

[00113] Data recorder 154, 254 collects data or information from a wide variety of sources, which can vary widely based on asset configuration, via on-board data links 170, 270. Data encoder 122, 222 encodes at least a minimal set of data, which is typically specified by a regulator. In this implementation, data encoder 122, 222 receives data from a wide variety of asset sources 148, 248 and data center sources 150, 250. Information sources may include any number of components in the asset 148, 248, such as any of the analog inputs 102, 202, digital inputs 104, 204, I/O module 106, 206, vehicle controller 108, 208, controller 110, 210 engine, inertial sensors 112, 212, global positioning system (GPS) 114, 214, camera 116, 216, signal data 166, 266 system of precise control of train traffic, data 168, 268 fuel system, cellular detectors (not shown) , internally managed data and any additional data signals, and any of a certain number of components in the data processing and storage center 150, 250, for example, any of the route/crew declaration processing component 124, 224, the weather component 126, 226, the mapping component 164, 264 and any additional data signals. Cameras 116, 216 or image and/or video measurement devices include, but are not limited to, 360-degree cameras, fixed cameras, narrow-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree fisheye cameras, and /or other cameras inside and outside the asset 148. The data encoder 122, 222 compresses or encodes the data and time synchronizes the data in order to facilitate efficient real-time transmission and replication to the remote data repository 130, 230. The data encoder 122, 222 transmits the encoded data to the onboard data manager 120, 220, which then stores the encoded data in the impact storage module 118, 218 and the repository 158, 258, queuing for replication to the remote data repository 130, 230 via the remote manager 132 , 232 data located in the center 150, 250 data processing and storage. Optionally, the airborne data manager 120, 220 may store a tertiary copy of the encoded data in the non-impact removable data storage device 219 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and 20. The onboard data manager 120, 220 and the remote data manager 132, 232 work in concert to manage the data replication process. One remote data manager 132, 232 at data center 150, 250 can manage data replication from multiple assets 148, 248.

[00114] Data from various input components and data from the audio/graphical user interface (GUI) 160, 260 in the driver's booth are sent to the vehicle event detector 156, 256. The vehicle event detector 156, 256 processes the data to determine whether or not an event, incident, or other predefined situation involving the asset 148, 248 occurs. When the vehicle event detector 156, 256 detects signals that indicate that that the preset event occurs, the vehicle event detector 156, 256 sends processed data that the preset event occurs, along with confirmation data accompanying the preset event, to the on-board data manager 120, 220. Vehicle event detector 156, 256 detects events based on data from a wide range of sources such as analog inputs 102, 202, digital inputs 104, 204, I/O module 106, 206, vehicle controller 108, 208, controller 110, 210 engines, inertial sensors 112, 212, GPS 114, 214, cameras 116, 216, route/team declaration processing component 124, 224, weather component 126, 226, mapping component 164, 264, PTC signal data 166, 266 and data 168, 268 fuel system, which may vary based on asset configuration. When the vehicle event detector 156, 256 detects an event, the detected asset event information is stored in a queued repository 158, 258 and may optionally be presented to the asset crew 148, 248 via an audio/graphical user interface (GUI) 160, 260 in the driver's booth. .

[00115] The airborne data manager 120, 220 also sends data to the queued repository 158. In near real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 stores the encoded data received from the data encoder 122, 222 and any event information in the impact storage module 118, 218 and in the queued repository 158, 258. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and 20, the onboard data manager 220 may optionally store the encoded data in a non-shock resistant removable data storage device 219. After five minutes of encoded data has been accumulated in the queued repository 158, 258, the airborne data manager 120, 220 stores five minutes of encoded data to the remote data repository 130, 230 via the remote data manager 132, 232 at the processing center 150, 250 and data storage over the wireless data link 146, 256 available through the wireless gateway/router 172, 272. In real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 stores the encoded data received from the data encoder 122, 222 and any information events to the shockproof storage module 118, 218 and optionally to the non-shockproof removable data storage device 219 of FIG. 2 and 20 and to a remote data repository 130, 230 via a remote data manager 132, 232 at a data center 150, 250 over a wireless data link 146, 246 accessible via a wireless gateway/router 172, 272. On-board dispatcher 120, 220 data and remote manager 132, 232 data can communicate over a variety of wireless links, for example, via Wi-Fi, cellular, satellite and private wireless systems using a wireless gateway/router 172, 272. Wireless link 146, 246 data communications, for example, may be a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless wide area network (WMAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a private wireless system, a cellular telephone network, or any other means of transmitting data from a means of 154, 254 records data from DARS 100, 200, in this example, to remote controller 130, 230 data from DARS 100, 200. When a wireless data connection is not available, the data is stored in storage and queued at the queuing repository 158, 258 until the wireless connection is restored and the data replication process cannot be resumed.

[00116] In parallel with the data recording, the data writer 154, 254 continuously and autonomously replicates the data to the remote data repository 130, 230. The replication process has two modes, real-time mode and near real-time mode. In real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 130, 230 every second. In near real time, data is replicated to the remote data repository 130, 230 every five minutes. The frequency used for near real time is configurable, and the frequency used for real time can be adjusted to maintain high resolution data by replicating data to the remote data repository 130, 230 every 0.10 seconds. When the DARS 100, 200 is in near real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 queues the data in the queued repository 158, 258 before replicating the data to the remote data manager 132, 232. The onboard data manager 120, 220 also replicates the vehicle event detector information queued in the queued repository 158, 258 to the remote data manager 132, 232. Near real-time mode is used during normal operation, under most conditions, to improve the efficiency of the data replication process.

[00117] The real-time mode may be initiated based on events occurring and detected by the vehicle event detector 156, 256 on board the asset 148, 248, or by a request initiated from the data center 150, 250. A typical data center 150, 250 initiated real-time request is initiated when a remote user 152, 252 requests real-time information from a web client 142, 242. A typical reason for real-time originating on board an asset 148, 248, is to detect an event or incident by means of the vehicle event detector 156, 256, such as initiation, by the driver, of an emergency stop request, emergency braking activity, rapid acceleration or deceleration on any axis, or loss of power input to the means 154, 254 data records. When changing from near real time to real time, all data not yet replicated to the remote data repository 130, 230 is replicated and stored in the remote data repository 130, 230, and then live replication is initiated. The transition between near real time and real time typically occurs in less than five seconds. After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the event or occurrence, after a predetermined amount of time of inactivity, or when the user 152, 252 no longer requires real-time information from the asset 148, 248, the data recorder 154, 254 returns to the almost real time. The predetermined amount of time required to initiate the transition is configurable and is typically set to ten minutes.

[00118] When the data recorder 154, 254 is in real time, the airborne data manager 120, 220 attempts to continuously empty its queue to the remote data manager 132, 232, storing the data in the shock-resistant storage module 118, 218 and optionally in a non-shock-resistant removable device. 219 data storage of FIG. 2 and 20 and sending data to the remote data manager 132, 232 at the same time. The onboard data manager 120, 220 also sends the detected vehicle information queued in the queued repository 158, 258 to the remote data manager 132, 232.

[00119] When receiving the data to be replicated from the data recorder 154, 254, along with the data from the mapping component 164, 264, the route/crew declaration processing component 124, 224, and the weather component 126, 226, the remote controller 132, 232 data stores the compressed data to a remote data repository 130, 230 at the DARS data processing and storage center 150, 250 100, 200. The remote data repository 130, 230, for example, may be a cloud data store or any other suitable remote data store. When data is received, a process is initiated that instructs the data decoder 136, 236 to decode the latest replicated data to/from the remote data repository 130, 230 and send the decoded data to the remote event detector 134, 234. The remote data manager 132, 232 stores vehicle event information in the remote data repository 130, 230. When the remote event detector 134, 234 receives the decoded data, it processes the decoded data to determine whether or not an event of interest has been detected in the decoded data. The decoded information is then used by the remote event detector 134, 234 to detect events, incidents, or other predefined situations, in the data occurring with the asset 148, 248. Upon detecting an event of interest from the decoded data previously stored in the remote repository 130, 230 data, the remote event detector 134, 234 stores event information and confirmation data in the remote data repository 130, 230. When the remote data manager 132, 232 receives information from the remote event detector 134, 234, the remote data manager 132, 232 stores the information in the remote data repository 130, 230.

[00120] A remotely located user 152, 252 can access information including vehicle event detector information associated with a particular asset 148, 248 or multiple assets using a standard web client 142, 242, such as a web a browser or a VR-style device (not shown), such as the VR-style device 828 in FIG. 8 which, in this implementation, can display thumbnail images from selected cameras. The web client 142, 242 transmits the user's request 152, 252 for information to the web server 140, 240 via the network 144, 244 using common web standards, protocols, and technologies. Network 144, 244, for example, may be the Internet. The network 144, 244 may also be a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a virtual private network (VPN), a cellular telephone network, or any other means of communication from the web server 140 , 240, in this example, to the web client 142, 242. The web server 140, 240 requests the required data from the data decoder 136, 236. The data decoder 136, 236 receives the requested data associated with a particular asset 148, 248 or multiple assets from a remote data repository 130, 230 when requested from a web server 140, 240. The data decoder 136, 236 decodes the requested data and sends the decoded data to the localizer 138, 238. Localization is the process of converting data into formats required by the end user, such as converting the data into the user's preferred language and units of measurement. The localizer 138, 238 identifies the profile settings set by the user 152, 252 by accessing the web client 142, 242 and uses the profile settings to prepare information sent to the web client 142, 242 for presentation to the user 152, 252 , as raw encoded data, and the detected event information is stored in the remote data repository 130, 230 using Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and International System of Units (SI units). The localizer 138, 238 converts the decoded data into the format required by the user 152, 252, such as the preferred language and units of the user 152, 252. The localizer 138, 238 sends the localized data in the preferred format of the user 152, 252 to the web server 140, 240 via request. The web server 140, 240 then sends the localized data of the asset or multiple assets to the web client 142, 242 for viewing and analysis, allowing standard and 360 degree video playback and display in real time through the viewer. The web client 142, 242 can display and the user 152, 252 can view data, video, and audio for a single asset, or view data, video, and audio for multiple assets at the same time. The web client 142, 242 can also provide synchronous playback and real-time display of data along with a variety of video and audio data from both standard and 360-degree video sources on, at, or near the asset, nearby assets, and/or remotely. located sites. The web client 142, 242 may display the video data on a viewer for the user 152, 252, which may interact with the video for viewing and analysis. The user 152, 252 may also upload video data using the web client 142, 242 and may then use a VR style device such as the VR style device 828 in FIG. 8 in order to interact with the video data on the viewer for viewing and analysis.

[00121] The web client 142, 242 is enhanced by a software application that provides playback of video data and/or 360-degree video in a variety of different modes. The user 152, 252 can select the mode in which the software application presents video playback, such as, for example, fisheye view, distortion-free panoramic view, distortion-free double panoramic view, and distortion-free square view.

[00122] The user 152, 252 can optionally share data with remotely located recipient end users that have access to the Internet and a modern web browser in a secure, managed, monitored, and auditable manner using the data sharing system of the present disclosure. User 152, 252, instead of sharing files, shares a URL for data. URL-based data sharing allows the user to manage, monitor, and audit sensitive data. The user must be able to share data in order to improve the security of the world's transportation systems without the risk of unauthorized disclosure of data. The administrator has permission to increase and/or decrease the own permissions of the user 152, 252 and each remotely located recipient end user. The native permission of the user 152, 252 and each remote recipient end user determines the permissions that a particular remote recipient end user has in order to view data on the web client 142, 242. The data sharing system is used by asset owners 148, 248 , drivers and investigators to share real-time data on vehicle performance and safety. Sharing data enables rapid assessment and regulation of behavior.

[00123] FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a process 1000 for sharing data and/or information from an asset 148, 248 via a web browser 142, 242 or a virtual reality style device such as the virtual reality style device 828 of FIG. 8. Typically, the user 152, 252 would request that the data center 150, 250 share the data of the assets 148, 248 using the web client 142, 242 (1002) (FIG. 3). The typical reason for data sharing is the detection of an incident such as an initiation by the driver, an emergency stop request, emergency braking activity, rapid acceleration or deceleration on any axis, and/or loss of input power in DARS 100, 200. Files should not be downloaded or be sent to a remote recipient end user. The user 152, 252 should not be able to share more than the native permission on the web client 142, 242 allows. sharing is registered through the web client 142, 242 in the center 150, 250 data processing and storage. The administrator is able to share data with multiple users 152, 252 who do not initially have access to the data through the web client 142, 242 using permission escalation. Such permission escalation activity should be logged by the web client 142, 242 at the data center 150, 250.

[00124] As explained above, the user 152, 252 accesses information including vehicle event detector 156, 256 information using a web client 142, 242. Using common web standards, protocols, and technologies such as Internet or private network 144, 244, the web client 142, 242 communicates with the web server 140, 240 information required by the user 152, 252. The web server 140, 240 requests the required data from the data decoder 136, 236. The data is retrieved by the data decoder 136, 236 and then the data is localized by the localizer 138, 238 converting the data into formats required by the user 152, 252 as described above. The web server 140, 240 then sends the localized data to the web client 142, 242 for viewing and analysis (1004) (FIG. 21).

[00125] The sharing end user 152, 252 can share this information with a plurality of remotely located recipient end users, including vehicle event detector 156, 256 information and video data, using the web client 142, 242, regardless of whether whether or not the recipient end user has a pre-registered account on the web client 142, 242. The sharing end user 152, 252 can share information and data with multiple remote recipient end users, whether or not the end user has - the recipient has a pre-registered account on the web client 142, 242. During this process, the web client 142, 242 generates an email message with a URL that points to data in the data center 150, 250 data processing and storage (1006) ( Fig. 21). The remotely located recipient end user receives a mail message with a URL in order to access the data. The URL is not a link to files. Files are not shared with recipient end users. The data is not a discrete file, but a range of data retrieved from a remote data repository 15 based on a shared link to a web viewer. The URL sent via the mailing is a link to a web viewer that enables the recipient end user to view a particular segment of data synchronized with still images and videos through the web viewer. When a remotely located recipient end user clicks on a URL, it should be able to access the shared information using its own web client 142, 242, and sharing activity should be registered through the web client 142, 242 in the center 150, 250 data processing and storage.

[00126] For ease of explanation, process 1000 is illustrated and described as a sequence of steps. However, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed in other orders and/or in parallel. Additionally, the steps in accordance with this disclosure may be performed with other steps not shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated steps may be required in order to implement technologies in accordance with the claimed subject matter.

[00127] When used in this application, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" and not an exclusive "or". Thus, unless otherwise noted or evident from the context, "X uses A or B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. In other words, if X includes A; X includes B; or X includes both A and B, then "X includes A or B" is satisfied in any of the above cases. In addition, "X includes at least one of A and B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. In other words, if X includes A; X includes B; or X includes both A and B, then "X includes at least one of A and B" is satisfied in any of the above cases. The articles "a" and "an" as used in this application and the appended claims are generally to be construed to mean "one or more" unless otherwise indicated or evident from the context, which is intended to form the singular numbers. In addition, the use of the term "implementation" or "one implementation" throughout the application is not intended to mean an identical implementation, aspect or implementation, unless actually described.

[00128] Although the present disclosure has been described in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, wherein this scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so that it covers all such modifications and equivalent structures to the extent permitted by law.

Claims (65)

1. A method for providing access to data browsing from at least one mobile asset, comprising the steps of: receiving, using a data recorder on board the mobile asset, data based on at least one data signal from at least one of: - at least one data source on board the mobile asset, and - at least one data source remote from the mobile asset; encoding, using a data encoder of the data writer, a predetermined amount of data into encoded data; adding, using the onboard data manager of the data recorder, encoded data to the data segment; storing, using the onboard data manager, at least one of the encoded data and the data segment at a configurable first predetermined rate in at least one of the local storage component of the data recorder and the data recorder queuing repository; sending, using the onboard data manager, at least one of the encoded data and the data segment at a configurable second predefined frequency, the second predefined frequency being in the range of zero seconds to five minutes, inclusive; storing, using the remote data manager, at least one of the encoded data and the data segment in the remote data repository; receiving, using a web server, a request from a first user, the request comprising at least one of an email address of at least a second user and said data selected by the first user stored in a remote data repository; identifying said data in the remote data repository; determining a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) containing a shared link on a web viewer adapted to provide access to view the specified data under the first condition that the first user has first native permissions allowing access to view the specified data; generating an email containing the URL; sending, using the web server, an email to at least one email address; and displaying said data in a web browser of at least one second user when the second user selects a URL presented in the electronic message under the second condition that the second user has second native permissions allowing access to view said data. 2. The method according to p. 1, also containing the steps, in which: requesting, using the web server, said data from the data decoder; and decoding, using the data decoder, said data. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of processing, using a localizer, said data into processed said data containing a predetermined language and at least one predetermined unit of measure. 4. The method according to p. 1, containing also the stage at which storing, using the web client, an entry in the remote data repository, the entry containing at least one of the mail message, the URL, the specified data, the first user, and the second user. 5. The method according to claim 1, in which: at least one data source on board the mobile asset includes at least one of analog inputs, digital inputs, input and output modules, a vehicle controller, an engine controller, inertial sensors, a global positioning system of at least one camera, fuel system, signal data of a precise train control system, a 360-degree camera, a fixed camera, a narrow-angle camera, a wide-angle camera, and a 360-degree fisheye camera, and at least one data source remotely from a mobile asset, includes at least one of a mapping component, a route and crew declaration processing component, a weather component, a 360-degree camera, a fixed camera, a narrow-angle camera, a wide-angle camera, and a fisheye camera with a view in 360 degrees; and data includes at least one of speed, pressure, temperature, current, voltage, acceleration from mobile asset, acceleration from remote mobile assets, arrow positions, actuator positions, warning lights, actuator control commands, position, altitude , internally generated information, video information, audio information, route information, timetables, cargo manifests, environmental conditions, current weather conditions and forecasted weather conditions. 6. The method of claim. 1, in which the administrator has the ability to at least one of increase and decrease the first native permissions of the first user and the second native permissions of at least one second user. 7. The method according to p. 1, in which at least one of: the first user has the ability to request the specified data, provided that the administrator increases the first native permission of the first user; and at least one second user has the ability to view the specified data, provided that the administrator increases the second own permissions of at least one second user. 8. The method according to p. 1, also containing the steps, in which: sending a request for said data from the first web client of the first user to the web server; requesting, using the web server, the specified data from the data decoder; decoding, using the data decoder, said data into decoded said data; and processing, using the localizer, the decoded specified data into the processed specified data containing a predetermined language and at least one predetermined unit of measure. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user is able to share a URL with a plurality of remotely located recipient end users. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one second user does not need to have a pre-registered account. 11. A system for providing access to view data from at least one mobile asset, comprising: a data writer on board the mobile asset, comprising at least one local storage component, a data encoder, an onboard data manager, and a queued repository, the data writer being adapted to receive data based on at least one data signal from at least least one of: - at least one data source on board the mobile asset, and - at least one data source remote from the mobile asset; and wherein the data encoder is adapted to encode a predetermined amount of data into encoded data, and the onboard data manager is adapted for: - adding encoded data to the data segment; storing at least one of the encoded data and a data segment at a configurable first predetermined rate in at least one of the at least one local storage and repository component and queuing the data; and - sending at least one of the encoded data and the data segment to the remote data manager via a wireless communication link at a configurable second predefined frequency, while the second predefined frequency is in the range from zero seconds to five minutes inclusive, the remote data manager is adapted to save at least one of the encoded data and the data segment in the remote data repository; a web server adapted to receive a request from a first user, determine a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) containing a shared link in a web viewer, adapted to provide access to view said data selected by the first user, under a first condition that the first user has first native permissions allowing access to view said data, generate an email containing a URL, and send an email to at least one email address of at least one second user, the request comprising at least one email address of at least one second user; and said data stored in a remote data repository. 12. The system according to claim 11, also containing a remote data decoder adapted to decode said data into decoded data. 13. The system according to claim 11, also containing a localizer adapted to process said data into processed said data containing a predefined language and at least one predefined unit of measurement. 14. The system according to claim 11 also containing a web client adapted to store a record in a remote data repository, wherein the record contains at least one of a URL, said data, a first user, a first user's email address, at least one second user, and at least one address e-mail of at least one second user. 15. The system according to claim 11, which also contains: a first web client adapted to send a request for said data to a web server; a web server adapted to request said data from the data decoder; a data decoder adapted to decode said data into decoded said data; and a localizer adapted to process the decoded said data into processed said data containing a predetermined language and at least one predetermined unit of measure. 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user is able to share a URL with a plurality of remotely located recipient end users. 17. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one second user does not need to have a pre-registered account. 18. The system according to claim 11, also containing at least one second web client adapted to display said data in the web browser of at least one second user, when at least one second user selects the URL indicated in the email, under the second condition that at least one second user has second native permissions that allow access to view the specified data. 19. The system of claim. 18, in which the administrator has the ability to at least one of: increase and decrease the first native permissions of the first user and the second native permissions of at least one second user. 20. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of: the first user has the ability to request the specified data, provided that the administrator increases the first native permission of the first user; and at least one second user has the ability to view the specified data, provided that the administrator increases the second own permissions of at least one second user.

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