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TIDS, PIDS and Station Safety
Protect passengers at the platform edge and keep riders informed in real-time. Track Intrusion Detection using patented LiDAR and Time of Flight sensors — detecting track intrusions, accidental falls, and fouling area hazards.
General Info
Track Intrusion Detection & Platform Safety
Passenger stations present two distinct safety and operational challenges: keeping people safe at the platform edge, and keeping riders informed about train arrivals.
Piper addresses both with purpose-built solutions that draw on the same sensor platform proven across major US rail networks — including the MTA New York City subway system.
StandClear™ is Piper’s Track Intrusion Detection System (TIDS) — using patented TrackSight™ LiDAR and proprietary Time of Flight (ToF) sensors to continuously monitor the platform edge and track fouling area, detecting intrusions and hazards in real-time. Because StandClear™ is fully deterministic — comparing live sensor data against a fixed geometric model rather than relying on AI inference — the system generates alerts only when the fouling area boundary is genuinely breached. This geometry-only approach is what eliminates nuisance alarms: no training data means no false positives from unfamiliar objects or changing conditions.
Piper’s PIDS solution uses train positioning data to power real-time passenger information displays across station screens and digital signage — with no additional infrastructure required beyond what is already installed for train control.
TIDS & PIDS Solutions
StandClear™ — Track Intrusion Detection
01Piper’s StandClear™ system uses advanced wayside sensors at passenger stations to detect malicious track intrusions, accidental passenger falls from the platform, and objects in the fouling area of the track — in real-time and in all lighting and weather conditions.
The system combines two complementary sensor technologies. Piper’s patented TrackSight™ LiDAR sensors are positioned at the ends of platforms, facing down the tunnels and along station tracks, providing precise detection of objects up to 100 meters away and covering tunnel approaches beyond the immediate platform area. TrackSight™ LiDAR is SIL-4 safety certifiable and is in the process of being certified — the highest safety integrity level in the rail industry. Piper’s proprietary high-definition Time of Flight (ToF) sensors are mounted on ceilings above platform edges, facing downward — detecting hazards at the platform edge with a range of up to 16 meters, including in complete darkness and between berthed trains.
Both sensor systems operate within Piper’s proprietary Virtual Tunnel framework — a digital model of the track’s dynamic clearance envelope built from a survey of the station geometry. The system responds only to genuine breaches of the fouling area boundary, with no image processing latency and no AI inference. This means alerts are generated only when and where they should be, eliminating the nuisance alarms that cause alarm fatigue and erode operator confidence in lesser systems.
When a hazard is detected, simultaneous alerts are delivered through multiple channels: audible and visible signals from the right of way, integration with track lighting, direct alerts to the Piper Vehicle Operator Display (VOD) in the approaching train cab, and communication links into the train control system.
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Piper StandClear
Track Intrusion Detection
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Piper StandClear
Track Intrusion Detection
Time of Flight sensors measure distance by calculating the round-trip time of reflected light signals — making them ideal for detecting objects in areas of limited depth such as platform edges. Unlike visual cameras, ToF technology performs effectively in low-light and no-light conditions, is unaffected by shadows and lighting changes, and does not require AI training data to operate. ToF sensors can also detect intrusions between berthed trains — a coverage gap in single-sensor LiDAR-only systems. This makes ToF the ideal sensor for detection of human intrusion and accidental falls at subway station platforms.
StandClear™ sensor coverage provides complete platform edge and tunnel entrance detection.
PIDS — BLUETOOTH ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE
02Piper Networks’ Passenger Information Display System (PIDS) powers the next generation of New York City Subway Countdown Clocks.
Piper’s Passenger Information Display System (PIDS) uses train positioning data to calculate and display real-time arrival and departure information across station screens, kiosks, and digital signage — giving riders accurate, real-time information to plan their journeys.
Piper developed the technology behind the MTA’s B Division countdown clocks — the most prominent PIDS deployment in the United States. Four high-performance Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) beacon transmitters are installed on the first and last cars of each New York City subway train. As trains pass through stations, Piper’s receivers placed within Wi-Fi access points at either end of the station pick up the signal and forward data securely to MTA’s servers. There, data points are calculated and shared with MTA’s iTrack location software to pinpoint train location and trigger real-time arrival information on LCD screens throughout the station.
Piper delivered this fully custom, integrated solution on time and on budget. A custom high-performance and secure BLE signal was developed specifically for the system, with custom PoE form factors for beacons and real-time BLE sensing receivers, and a custom application for MTA field teams to track and identify trains in real-time.
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Piper PIDS
Train Arrival_Departure
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Piper PIDS
Train Arrival_Departure
The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) adopted Piper Networks’ Bluetooth beacon technology on over 4,000 train cars to calculate and predict train arrival information. Today, nearly 2,000 signs across 269 stations on the lettered lines rely on Piper’s beacon solution — giving riders accurate, real-time arrival information every day.
MTA train arrival times are based on Piper's technology.
Benefits
Benefits of StandClear™ Track Intrusion Detection
Track Intrusion Detection
Detects accidental passenger falls, malicious track intrusions, and debris in the guideway fouling area — with reliable distinction between animate and inanimate objects in all lighting and weather conditions.
Low-Light and No-Light Capable
Time of Flight cameras and LiDAR perform reliably in total darkness, low light, fog, and rain — unaffected by headlights, shadows, or visual obstructions that defeat camera-based AI systems.
Meets Rail Standards
Compliant with CENELEC, AREMA, and IEEE standards. AEC-Q100 certified LiDAR used in both transit and automotive applications. OTA remote management for system health monitoring and maintenance.
Multi-Channel Alerting
Simultaneous alerts to approaching train operators, passengers on the platform, and train control systems — through visible signals, track lighting integration, in-cab VOD display, and audible platform warnings.
Deterministic — No AI Training Required
A fully deterministic system with no training data period. Performance is consistent and predictable from day one. Safety-certifiable to SIL-4 — the highest rail safety standard.
Experienced Systems Integrator
Piper manages installation, commissioning, and ongoing support. Compatible with existing station power, communications infrastructure, and train control systems.
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