Methods and systems for achieving vital ultra-wideband (UWB) based train control

A system for achieving train control vitality, the system comprising:

• a wayside device configured for deployment on or near tracks within a railway network for supporting achieving train control vitality, the wayside device comprising:
• at least two independent ranging radios, each ranging radio comprising one or more antennas, configured for transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals;
• and
• circuitry configured to control operations of the wayside device, wherein the circuitry is configured to at least process signals transmitted and/or received via the at least two independent ranging radios;
• wherein the at least two independent ranging radios and the circuitry are configured to maintain isolation during communication of signals, wherein:
• the wayside device is configured for supporting use of a plurality of different exclusive channels,
• at least two of the plurality of different exclusive channels use a same frequency,
• maintaining the isolation during the communication of signals comprises assigning to each of the at least two independent ranging radios different channel from the plurality of different exclusive channels, and
• when channels assigned to the at least two independent ranging radios use a same frequency, the maintaining of the isolation comprises applying one or more measures to account for use of a same frequency;
• and
• wherein the wayside device is configured to communicate with any train-mounted unit, configured for use within a train to support achieving train control vitality, when the train-mounted unit comes within communication range of the train-mounted unit.

A system for supporting achieving train control vitality in a railway network, the system comprises:

• a plurality of wayside units, each configured for deployment on or near tracks in the railway network;
• and
• one or more train-mounted units, each configured for deployment on a train operating in the railway network;
• wherein each of at least one train-mounted unit and one or more of the plurality of wayside units:
• comprises at least two independent ranging radios, each ranging radio comprising one or more antennas, configured for transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals;
• configured for supporting use of a plurality of different exclusive channels, with at least two of the plurality of different exclusive channels using a same frequency;
• and
• configured to maintain isolation during communication of signals, wherein:
• maintaining the isolation during the communication of signals comprises assigning to each of the at least two independent ranging radios different channels from the plurality of different exclusive channels;
• and
• when channels assigned to the at least two independent ranging radios use a same frequency, the maintaining of the isolation comprises applying one or more measures to account for use of a same frequency;
• and
• wherein the at least one train-mounted unit is configured to, during operation of the train within the railway network:
• communicate with any wayside unit that comes within communication range of the train-mounted unit;
• processing the communicated signals;
• and
• when communicating with any of the one or more of the plurality of wayside units, generate based on the processing of the communicated signals, at least two separate and independent measurement data, corresponding to communication via the at least two independent ranging radios.