Blink Detection Method for Obstruction Warning Signals

Abstract

An obstruction warning signal is a type of wayside signal that is sent only in case of an emergency at level crossings. In this signal, a bright red flash is emitted, which notifies the driver via visual confirmation. However, the warning system primarily depends on the attention of the driver, and this leads to a risk of oversights and accidents. In this paper, we propose a blink detection method for obstruction warning signals using an in-vehicle camera to improve safety of train operation.

We use bit shift function in our method, which enables us to detect blinking within a second. An evaluation test was conducted under static and dynamic testing conditions, which confirmed that the proposed method can detect blinks as far as 600 meters with an accuracy of approximately 90 percent. In addition, zero false detection was confirmed on the data recorded form operating commercial lines.