Systems and methods for monitoring and validating status of switch devices

Abstract

Methods and systems for determining a status of switch devices in a classification yard. In particular embodiments, a set of switch event data associated with a switch may be analyzed to determine the performance of the switch during operations of each switch event. A status of the switch may be determined from the analysis of the performance of the switch during operations of each switch event. In embodiments, the analysis may include thresholding analysis that may be configured to determine a relationship (e.g., a deviation relationship) between real-world measurements during the switch events and expected measurements during the switch events for each switch event associated with the switch. In embodiments, the status of the switch may be used to ensure corrective action is taken on the switch (e.g., deploy maintenance personnel, report the status of the switch, send a control signal to the switch to deactivate, etc.).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of determining a status of switch devices in a classification yard, comprising:
 compiling a plurality of switch events associated with a switch in a classification yard, wherein each switch event represents a request to throw the switch device from a first position to a second position, and wherein each car event includes real-world metrics including one or more of:
 actual measurements associated with the switch device during each switch event of the plurality of switch events: 
 utilization metrics including measurements associated with a usage of the switch device; and 
 failure metrics including indications of failure events incurred during one or more switch events of the plurality of switch events; 
   generating a set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device based on the plurality of switch events associated with the switch device;   applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device to determine a status of the switch device; and   generating a corrective action signal including one or more of:
 an indication of the status of the switch device; and 
 a corrective action to be taken on the switch device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes generating one or more of:
 a set of throw time differences associated with the switch device; and   a set of utilization metrics associated with the switch device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device includes:
 calculating, for each switch event in the plurality of switch events associated with the switch device, a throw time difference by calculating a difference between an expected throw time associated with a respective switch event and the actual throw time measured at the switch device during the respective switch event; and   aggregating each calculated throw time difference for each switch event into the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes applying one or more of a set of time differential rules to the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device, wherein the set of time differential rules includes one or more of:
 a first time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a threshold percentage of the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device is outside a range defined by plus or minus a time threshold;   a second time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether an average of the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device is within a range defined by plus or minus an average threshold;   a third time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a spread range of throw time values within a middle percentage of a set of throw time values associated with the switch device is less than a spread threshold, wherein the middle percentage of the set of throw time values is defined by a range of throw time values including a top percentile threshold of the set of throw time values and a bottom percentile threshold of the set of throw time values; and   a combination time differential rule that includes a weighted combination of the results of one or more of the first time differential rule, the second time differential rule, and the third time differential rule.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes applying one or more of a set of utilization rules to the set of utilization metrics associated with the switch device, wherein the set of utilization rules includes one or more of:
 a first utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a percentage of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate that the switch incurred a kickback event exceeds a first threshold percentage;   a second utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a percentage of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate that the switch incurred a no-movement event exceeds a second threshold percentage;   a third utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a number of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate a lost position exceeds a threshold number; and   a fourth utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a total throw count associated with the switch device exceeds a threshold throw count.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device to determine the status of the switch device includes:
 obtaining a percentage result for the switch device, the percentage result indicating a percentage status of the switch device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining the status of the switch device includes flagging a status flag of the switch device with one or more of:
 a bad status indication when the percentage status of the switch device is at least 100%;   a warning status indication when the percentage status of the switch device is greater than a threshold percentage and less than 100%;   a good status indication when the percentage status of the switch device is less than the threshold percentage.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying that the indication of the status of the switch device found to be bad has previously been reset a number of times;   determining that the number of times exceeds a threshold amount; and   flagging the switch device as a potential misidentification of a bad switch device.   
     
     
         9 . A system for determining a status of retarder devices in a classification yard, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a memory operably coupled to the at least one processor and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor, is configured to perform operations including:
 compiling a plurality of switch events associated with a switch in a classification yard, wherein each switch event represents a request to throw the switch device from a first position to a second position, and wherein each car event includes real-world metrics including one or more of: 
 actual measurements associated with the switch device during each switch event of the plurality of switch events: 
 utilization metrics including measurements associated with a usage of the switch device; and 
 failure metrics including indications of failure events incurred during one or more switch events of the plurality of switch events; 
   generating a set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device based on the plurality of switch events associated with the switch device;   applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device to determine a status of the switch device; and   generating a corrective action signal including one or more of:
 an indication of the status of the switch device; and 
 a corrective action to be taken on the switch device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein generating the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes generating one or more of:
 a set of throw time differences associated with the switch device; and   a set of utilization metrics associated with the switch device.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein generating the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device includes:
 calculating, for each switch event in the plurality of switch events associated with the switch device, a throw time difference by calculating a difference between an expected throw time associated with a respective switch event and the actual throw time measured at the switch device during the respective switch event; and   aggregating each calculated throw time difference for each switch event into the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes applying one or more of a set of time differential rules to the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device, wherein the set of time differential rules includes one or more of:
 a first time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a threshold percentage of the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device is outside a range defined by plus or minus a time threshold;   a second time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether an average of the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device is within a range defined by plus or minus an average threshold;   a third time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a spread range of throw time values within a middle percentage of a set of throw time values associated with the switch device is less than a spread threshold, wherein the middle percentage of the set of throw time values is defined by a range of throw time values including a top percentile threshold of the set of throw time values and a bottom percentile threshold of the set of throw time values; and   a combination time differential rule that includes a weighted combination of the results of one or more of the first time differential rule, the second time differential rule, and the third time differential rule.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes applying one or more of a set of utilization rules to the set of utilization metrics associated with the switch device, wherein the set of utilization rules includes one or more of:
 a first utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a percentage of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate that the switch incurred a kickback event exceeds a first threshold percentage;   a second utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a percentage of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate that the switch incurred a no-movement event exceeds a second threshold percentage;   a third utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a number of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate a lost position exceeds a threshold number; and   a fourth utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a total throw count associated with the switch device exceeds a threshold throw count.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein applying the thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device to determine the status of the switch device includes:
 obtaining a percentage result for the switch device, the percentage result indicating a percentage status of the switch device.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein determining the status of the switch device includes flagging a status flag of the switch device with one or more of:
 a bad status indication when the percentage status of the switch device is at least 100%;   a warning status indication when the percentage status of the switch device is greater than a threshold percentage and less than 100%;   a good status indication when the percentage status of the switch device is less than the threshold percentage.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 identifying that the indication of the status of the switch device found to be bad has previously been reset a number of times;   determining that the number of times exceeds a threshold amount; and   flagging the switch device as a potential misidentification of a bad switch device.   
     
     
         17 . A computer-based tool for determining a status of retarder devices in a classification yard, the computer-based tool including non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon computer code which, when executed by a processor, causes a computing device to perform operations comprising:
 compiling a plurality of switch events associated with a switch in a classification yard, wherein each switch event represents a request to throw the switch device from a first position to a second position, and wherein each car event includes real-world metrics including one or more of:
 actual measurements associated with the switch device during each switch event of the plurality of switch events: 
 utilization metrics including measurements associated with a usage of the switch device; and 
 failure metrics including indications of failure events incurred during one or more switch events of the plurality of switch events; 
   generating a set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device based on the plurality of switch events associated with the switch device;   applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device to determine a status of the switch device; and   generating a corrective action signal including one or more of:
 an indication of the status of the switch device; and 
 a corrective action to be taken on the switch device. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer-based tool of  claim 17 , wherein generating the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes generating one or more of:
 a set of throw time differences associated with the switch device; and   a set of utilization metrics associated with the switch device.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-based tool of  claim 18 , wherein applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes applying one or more of a set of time differential rules to the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device, wherein the set of time differential rules includes one or more of:
 a first time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a threshold percentage of the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device is outside a range defined by plus or minus a time threshold;   a second time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether an average of the set of throw time differences associated with the switch device is within a range defined by plus or minus an average threshold;   a third time differential rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a spread range of throw time values within a middle percentage of a set of throw time values associated with the switch device is less than a spread threshold, wherein the middle percentage of the set of throw time values is defined by a range of throw time values including a top percentile threshold of the set of throw time values and a bottom percentile threshold of the set of throw time values; and   a combination time differential rule that includes a weighted combination of the results of one or more of the first time differential rule, the second time differential rule, and the third time differential rule.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-based tool of  claim 18 , wherein applying thresholding analysis to the set of deviation metrics associated with the switch device includes applying one or more of a set of utilization rules to the set of utilization metrics associated with the switch device, wherein the set of utilization rules includes one or more of:
 a first utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a percentage of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate that the switch incurred a kickback event exceeds a first threshold percentage;   a second utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a percentage of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate that the switch incurred a no-movement event exceeds a second threshold percentage;   a third utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a number of utilization metrics associated with the switch device that indicate a lost position exceeds a threshold number; and   a fourth utilization rule specifying that the status of the switch device is based on whether a total throw count associated with the switch device exceeds a threshold throw count.