# US 2010/0168941 A1 · System and method for remote control of locomotives > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168941 A1 - Document ID: US20100168941A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/633,810 - Filed: 2009-12-09 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2004-11-01 - Assignees: Microwave Data Systems, Inc. - Inventors: John A. Geiger; Thomas C. Mayo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168941A1 ## CPC - B61L 3/127: {for remote control of locomotives (remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12)} - H04B 7/2606: {Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels} - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract The present invention is directed to the remote control of locomotives, and more particularly to various methods and apparatus employed in implementing systems for such remote control. Contemplated in the present invention are systems and methods for not only reliable remote-control communications, but also the use of repeaters and communications servers to assure reliable, centralized communication between locomotives and operator control units. In another embodiment, there is described a reliable distributed communication mode using an uncorrelated time sequence that does not interfere with a time division multiple access network. Differentiation between the centralized mode and the distributed mode is accomplished by assessing whether a locomotive and control unit is within a rail yard's infrastructure. Moreover, reliability is assured using a coordination server that dynamically routes packets between multiple satellite RCL repeaters based on received signal strength. Lastly, the present invention further contemplates the use of an out-of-band transmission to upgrade and test operator control units, thereby allowing for field maintenance and software upgrades. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for remote control of locomotives, comprising: a highly reliable time division multiple access network; at least one locomotive equipped so as to be operatively controlled by a locomotive control unit suitable for transmitting and receiving information via the network; at least one operator control unit suitable for transmitting and receiving information via the network, wherein the locomotive control unit and operator control unit device will only transmit in a defined period of time; and said network employing both spatial and frequency diversity for remote control using repeater infrastructure, wherein said network further comprises a repeater coordination server to coordinate the communications of multiple repeaters and where said repeater coordination server includes at least one repeater to provide spatial diversity such that a path to any locomotive control unit and operator control unit is different for each repeater, and wherein the repeater calculates a rating for message integrity for each message it receives and sends the message and rating to the repeater coordination server the repeater coordination server using the stored message information to determine which repeater has the best path to the destination unit before forwarding the message to the selected repeater for retransmission. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising at least two operator control units, wherein at least one operator control unit is mobile. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an inter-access point protocol for an off-channel backhaul link, where the message is stored, to control the communication with the repeater coordination server. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the operator control unit comprises: a controller; a radio having an antenna; a display; a brake lever; a throttle lever; and wherein said controller generates signals that are transmitted, via the radio, to the locomotive control unit. ### Claim 5 A system for remote control of locomotives, comprising: a time division multiple access network; at least one locomotive equipped so as to be operatively controlled by a locomotive control unit suitable for transmitting and receiving information via said network; at least one operator control unit suitable for transmitting and receiving information via the network, wherein the locomotive control unit and operator control unit each will only transmit in a defined period of time; and a reliable distributed communication mode link using an uncorrelated time sequence that does not interfere with said time division multiple access network. ### Claim 6 A method for determining if a remotely controllable locomotive is within a region covered by the infrastructure of a rail yard, comprising: determining the locomotive's current geographical position based upon a latitude/longitude signal derived from a navigational device; transmitting, from each repeater in the railroad yard a yard information message; receiving, with a locomotive radio associated with a locomotive control unit, the yard information message; upon completely receiving a yard information message, performing an error check to confirm the integrity of the information; and mathematically processing the data and comparing it to the current geographical position to determine if the locomotive is within the defined area of the yard. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: attempting to operate using the yard's infrastructure upon determining the locomotive is within the rail yard's infrastructure region; otherwise operating in a distributed coordination mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the message is split up into multiple time slots and includes information selected from the group consisting of: a hash number; a yard center; a yard shape; a yard x dimension; a yard y dimension; and a yard rotation. ### Claim 9 A method to improve system reliability for radio controlled, remote operation of locomotives, comprising: providing a repeater coordination server having a plurality of repeaters associated therewith, at least one of said repeaters being in communication with a control unit; determining a received signal strength and producing an indication thereof for each repeater's communication with the control unit; and dynamically routing packets between the plurality of repeaters based on the received signal strength. ### Claim 10 The method of 9, wherein the dynamic routing determines the repeater through which subsequent information packets are transmitted to the control unit, and is controlled as a function the received signal strength of the last message from the control unit. ### Claim 11 The method of 10, wherein the dynamic routing further includes a received signal strength threshold, to select the repeater. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the received signal strength is processed in accordance with the threshold so as to avoid using paths where signal strengths are above the threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the receive circuitry of the repeater coordination server operates in a normal mode when the received signal strength is below a saturation threshold, and in an attenuated mode, where the received signal strength is modified, when above the saturation threshold. ### Claim 14 A method for communicating with an operator control unit in a system for remote control of locomotives, comprising: providing a simulated radio link for communication with an operator control unit, said link using weak, over the air, signals that do not interfere with normally operating units within the system; and transmitting information to the operator control unit over the simulated radio link. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the information transmitted over the simulated radio link comprises upgrade data for upgrading operational data in the operator control unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the information transmitted over the simulated radio link comprises test data for testing the operation of the operator control unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein a time division multiple access transmission scheme is used for the radio link and where a majority of time slots within the scheme are used for transmission of data to the operator control unit. ### Claim at position 18 18-31. (canceled)