System and method for remote device monitoring

A system for monitoring railroad infrastructure, the system comprising:

• a first infrastructure node operably coupled with a first memory and a first computer processor, the first memory having a plurality of data, thresholds, and specifications related to railroad tracks and assets, and the first computer processor operably coupled to the first memory and capable of executing machine-readable instructions to perform first program steps, the first program steps including:
• receiving a first packet having a first payload including railroad asset data;
• determining at least one configured connection type;
• defining the at least one infrastructure node as being of a first node type if a first connection type is not configured on the at least one infrastructure node;
• defining the at least one infrastructure node as being of a second node type if the first connection type is configured on the at least one infrastructure node;
• repeating the first packet via a second connection type if the at least one infrastructure node is of the first node type;
• processing the first packet to generate a second packet having a second payload if the at least one infrastructure node is of the second node type;
• and
• transmitting the second packet via the first connection type if the at least one infrastructure node is of the second node type and the first connection type is available.

A communications system for monitoring railroad infrastructure, the system comprising:

• a plurality of infrastructure nodes, each infrastructure node including one or more node processors operably coupled to a node memory and capable of executing machine-readable instructions;
• a connectivity management system comprising:
• a connectivity monitoring module configured to determine, via the one or more node processors, at least one configured connection type;
• a definition module configured to define, via the one or more node processors, at least one infrastructure node as a first node type or a second node type using the at least one determined configured connection type;
• and
• a transmission module configured to transmit a plurality of data via one or more available connection types;
• a data management system comprising:
• a data collection module configured to receive sensor data and infrastructure node data packets;
• a status monitoring module configured to monitor node health via the one or more node processors;
• and
• an alert module configured to generate alerts using the sensor data;
• and
• a communications management system comprising:
• a data coordination module configured to determine, via the one or more node processors, one or more processing locations for the infrastructure node data packets;
• and
• an acknowledgment handling module configured to generate and request, via the one or more node processors, acknowledgments related to the infrastructure node data packets.

A method of generating and transmitting alerts related to railroad assets, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, via a first infrastructure node, sensor data related to a railroad asset;
• determining, via a first node computer processor, if the sensor data satisfies an alert threshold;
• generating an alert via the first node computer processor if the sensor data satisfies the alert threshold;
• transmitting the alert from the first infrastructure node to a second infrastructure node via a first communication protocol;
• determining, via a second node computer processor, if a second communication protocol is available to the second infrastructure node;
• repeating the alert to a third infrastructure node via the second infrastructure node using the first communication protocol if the second communication protocol is not available to the second infrastructure node;
• and
• transmitting the alert via the second infrastructure node using the second communication protocol if the second communication protocol is available to the second infrastructure node.