Fugro has been granted a patent for a method and system that inspects and maps railway tracks. The process involves acquiring geo-referenced rail geometry and 3D point cloud data, deriving track profiles, and generating enhanced data through comparative analysis. GlobalData’s report on Fugro gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Fugro, Marine seismic data acquisition was a key innovation area identified from patents. Fugro's grant share as of June 2024 was 45%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Railway track inspection and mapping method and system
The patent US12012134B2 outlines a comprehensive method and system for mapping railway tracks, focusing on the acquisition and processing of both two-dimensional (2D) images and three-dimensional (3D) laser ranging data. The method involves using a positioning device to gather orientation and position data at multiple locations along the track. A first acquisition device captures 2D images of the rail outlines, while a second device collects 3D laser data, which includes point data of the rails and their surroundings. This data is then processed to generate geo-referenced rail geometry data and 3D point cloud data, which are used to derive track profiles. The method further includes comparing these profiles to produce enhanced geo-referenced data, thereby improving the accuracy of the mapping process.
Additionally, the patent details the generation of various track profiles, including centerline profiles and distance profiles between adjacent tracks. The system is designed to adjust geo-reference correspondences based on weighted contributions from overlapping data sets, ensuring that the profiles converge accurately. The method also allows for the integration of data from adjacent tracks, enhancing the overall mapping capabilities. The system can be mounted on a railway vehicle, facilitating efficient data collection during movement. Furthermore, the patent includes provisions for storing instructions on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, enabling automated processing of the acquired data to generate comprehensive track mapping outputs.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
