US 2021/0269076 A1Published application

System, method, and apparatus for determining a communication status of locomotives in a distributed power system

AssigneeWestinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

InventorsPaul Gerard Bender, Charles L. Wolf, Richard S. Klemanski

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Abstract

Provided is a computer-implemented method for determining a communication status in a train consist operating in a distributed power system, the train consist including a lead locomotive and a plurality of remote locomotives. The method includes, for each remote locomotive of the plurality of remote locomotives that receives the command message directly from the lead locomotive, setting the message source indicator of the remote locomotive to a first state representative of a direct receipt of the command message, incrementing the message source counter for each response message received by the remote locomotive from other remote locomotives in which the respective message source indicator is set to the first state, generating a response message including a value of the message source indicator and a value of the message source counter, and transmitting the response message. A system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for determining a communication status in a train consist operating in a distributed power system, the train consist comprising a lead locomotive and a plurality of remote locomotives, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting a command message from a lead locomotive to the plurality of remote locomotives, wherein each remote locomotive of the plurality of remote locomotives comprises a message source indicator and a message source counter;
(b) for each remote locomotive of the plurality of remote locomotives that receives the command message directly from the lead locomotive:
(i) setting the message source indicator of the remote locomotive to a first state representative of a direct receipt of the command message;
(ii) incrementing the message source counter for each response message received by the remote locomotive from other remote locomotives in which the respective message source indicator is set to the first state;
(iii) generating a response message comprising a value of the message source indicator and a value of the message source counter;
and
(iv) transmitting the response message;
(c) for each remote locomotive of the plurality of remote locomotives that receives the command message from at least one other remote locomotive but does not receive the command message directly from the lead locomotive:
(i) setting the message source indicator of the remote locomotive to a second state representative of an indirect receipt of the command message;
(ii) incrementing the message source counter for each response message received by the remote locomotive from other remote locomotives in which the respective message source indicator is set to the first state;
(iii) generating a response message comprising a value of the message source indicator and a value of the message source counter;
and
(iv) transmitting the response message;
and
(d) determining, on the lead locomotive, a train-wide communication status based at least partially on each response message received by the lead locomotive.

12 more elements

A system for determining a communication status in a train consist in a distributed power system, the train consist comprising a lead locomotive and a plurality of remote locomotives, the system comprising:

a first on-board control system arranged in the lead locomotive, the first on board control system programmed or configured to transmit a command message to the plurality of remote locomotives;
a plurality of remote on-board control systems arranged in the plurality of remote locomotives, each remote locomotive comprising a remote on-board control system including a message source indicator and a message source counter, wherein each remote on board control system is programmed or configured to:
(a) for each remote locomotive of the plurality of remote locomotives that receives the command message directly from the lead locomotive:
(i) set the message source indicator of the remote locomotive to a first state representative of a direct receipt of the command message;
(ii) increment the message source counter for each response message received by the remote locomotive from other remote locomotives in which the respective message source indicator is set to the first state;
(iii) generate a response message comprising a value of the message source indicator and a value of the message source counter;
and
(iv) transmit the response message;
and
(b) for each remote locomotive of the plurality of remote locomotives that receives the command message from at least one other remote locomotive but does not receive the command message directly from the lead locomotive:
(i) set the message source indicator of the remote locomotive to a second state representative of an indirect receipt of the command message;
(ii) generate a response message comprising a value of the message source indicator;
and
(iii) transmit the response message from the remote locomotive to the at least one other remote locomotive,
wherein the first on-board control system is programmed or configured to determine a communication status for each of the remote locomotives based at least partially on the response messages.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/603,469Filed 3 Apr 2018
Priority: 7 Apr 2017
Published: 2 Sep 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

B61L 15/0027
Communication with or on the vehicle or train: radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
B61C 17/12
Arrangement or disposition of parts; Details or accessories not otherwise provided for; Use of control gear and control systems: control gear;…
B61L 15/0018
Indicators provided on the vehicle or train for signalling purposes: communication with or on the vehicle or train
B61L 15/0072
Indicators provided on the vehicle or train for signalling purposes: on-board train data handling

Family

Application15/481,817Continuation · filed 7 Apr 2017
Application16/603,469Continuation
US 10,479,382 B2Related patent
US 11,584,410 B2Related patent
US 2018/0290674 A1Published application
US 2021/0269076 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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