US 5,823,481 A · Method of transferring control of a railway vehicle in a communication based signaling system

A method of transferring control of a first railway vehicle having a head and a tail from a first wayside controller that controls a first zone within which the railway vehicle is positioned, to a second wayside controller that controls a second zone separated from the first zone by a boundary in a communication based signaling system, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a final target path that provides clearance in the communication based signaling system that utilizes moving blocks to provide improved positioning of the first railway vehicle, said final target path to be relayed by the first wayside controller to the first railway vehicle as the first railway vehicle approaches the boundary;
(b) relaying a message from the first wayside controller to the first railway vehicle;
(c) transferring control from the first wayside controller to the second wayside controller after both the head and the tail of the first railway vehicle crosses the boundary.

A method of transferring control of a first railway vehicle having a head and a tail from a first wayside controller that controls a first zone within which the railway vehicle is positioned, to a second wayside controller that controls a second zone separated from the first zone by a boundary in a communication based signaling system, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a final target path to be relayed by the first wayside controller to the first railway vehicle as the first railway vehicle approaches the boundary;
(b) relaying a message from the first wayside controller to the first railway vehicle;
(c) transferring control from the first wayside controller to the second wayside controller after both the head and the tail of the first railway vehicle crosses the boundary;
wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of:
(d) generating a preliminary target path from the tail of the first railway vehicle to the nearer of either the boundary or a predetermined sighting distance;
(e) determining when said predetermined sighting distance extends from the first zone, past the boundary, and into the second zone;
(f) requesting an updated adjacent zone target path from the second wayside controller if said predetermined sighting distance extends into the second zone;
(g) receiving said updated adjacent zone target path from the second wayside controller;
and
(h) appending said updated adjacent zone target path to the preliminary target path.

7 more elements

A method of transferring control of a first railway vehicle having a head and a tail from a first wayside controller that controls a first zone within which the railway vehicle is positioned, to a second wayside controller that controls a second zone separated from the first zone by a boundary in a communication based signaling system, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a final target path to be relayed by the first wayside controller to the first railway vehicle as the first railway vehicle approaches the boundary;
(b) relaying a message from the first wayside controller to the first railway vehicle;
(c) transferring control from the first wayside controller to the second wayside controller after both the head and the tail of the first railway vehicle crosses the boundary;
wherein step (c) further comprises the steps of:
(d) relaying a hand-off request message from the first wayside controller to the second wayside controller;
(e) relaying a first acknowledgment message from the second wayside controller to the first wayside controller, wherein said first acknowledgment message is a positive acknowledgment when control of the first railway vehicle may be transferred to the second wayside controller and otherwise, said acknowledgment message is a negative acknowledgment;
(f) releasing control of the first railway vehicle and canceling said adjacent zone target path by the first wayside controller upon receipt of said positive acknowledgment from said second wayside controller;
(g) relaying a second positive acknowledgment message from the first wayside controller to the second wayside controller after the first wayside controller has released control of the first railway vehicle;
(h) initiating control of the first railway vehicle by the second wayside controller upon receipt of said second positive acknowledgment message from the first wayside controller;
and
(i) canceling said adjacent zone target path by the second wayside controller.

8 more elements

A method of transferring control of a first railway vehicle, from a first wayside controller that controls a first zone within which the railway vehicle is positioned, to a second wayside controller that controls a second zone that is adjacent the first zone and separated from the first zone by a predetermined boundary in a communication based signaling system, comprising the steps of:

(a) periodic monitoring by the first wayside controller of a position of the first railway vehicle, in parallel with periodic monitoring by the second wayside controller for receipt of a first transmission from the first wayside controller, in parallel with periodic monitoring by the first railway vehicle for receipt of a second transmission from the first wayside controller;
(b) generating by the first wayside controller of a final target path;
(c) transmitting said final target path to the railway vehicle;
and
(d) transferring control of the first railway vehicle from the first wayside controller to the second wayside controller when said position of the first railway vehicle is outside the first zone and within the second zone.

2 more elements

A method of transferring control of a first railway vehicle that is traveling in a first direction and has a head and a tail, from a first wayside controller that controls a first zone within which the railway vehicle is positioned, to a second wayside controller that controls a second zone that is adjacent the first zone and separated from the first zone by a predetermined boundary in a communication based signaling system, comprising the steps of:

(a) periodic monitoring by the first wayside controller of a position and a sighting distance of the first railway vehicle, to determine if the first railway vehicle has a vehicle position within the first zone and if said sighting distance extends from the first zone, past the predetermined boundary and into the second zone;
(b) in parallel with step (a), monitoring by the second wayside controller to determine if a transmission to the second wayside controller has been received;
(c) in parallel with steps (a) and (b), monitoring by the railway vehicle to determine if a transmission to the railway vehicle has been received;
(d) generating and transmitting a final target path to the first railway vehicle;
and
(e) transferring control of the first railway vehicle to the second wayside controller.

3 more elements

A method of transferring control of a first railway vehicle that is traveling in a first direction, from a first wayside controller that controls a first zone, to a second wayside controller that controls a second zone that is adjacent the first zone and separated from the first zone by a predetermined boundary in a communication based signaling system, comprising the steps of:

(a) waiting a predetermined period of time by the first wayside controller;
(b) determining that the first wayside controller that controls the first zone has control of the first railway vehicle;
(c) generating a final target path for transmission to the first railway vehicle;
(d) transmitting said final target path to the first railway vehicle;
(e) determining that the first railway vehicle is positioned outside of the first zone;
and
(f) transferring control of the first railway vehicle to the second wayside controller;
wherein step (c) further comprises the steps of:
(g) generating by the first wayside controller of a preliminary target path;
(h) determining by the first wayside controller that a sighting distance of the first railway vehicle crosses the predetermined boundary and extends into the second zone;
(i) determining by the first wayside controller that an adjacent zone target path is reserved for the first railway vehicle;
(j) transmitting by the first wayside controller a first request for an updated adjacent zone target path;
(k) determining by the first wayside controller that said updated adjacent zone target path has been received;
and
(l) generating by the first wayside controller of a final target path, by concatenating said preliminary target path with said updated adjacent zone target path.

12 more elements

A method of transferring control of a first railway vehicle that is traveling in a first direction, from a first wayside controller that controls a first zone, to a second wayside controller that controls a second zone that is adjacent the first zone and separated from the first zone by a predetermined boundary in a communication based signaling system comprising the steps of:

(a) waiting a predetermined period of time by the first wayside controller;
(b) determining that the first wayside controller that controls the first zone has control of the first railway vehicle;
(c) generating a final target path for transmission to the first railway vehicle;
(d) transmitting said final target path to the first railway vehicle;
(e) determining that the first railway vehicle is positioned outside of the first zone;
and
(f) transferring control of the first railway vehicle to the second wayside controller;
wherein step (f) further comprises the steps of:
(g) transmitting by the first wayside controller of a hand-off request;
(h) determining by the first wayside controller that a positive reply to said hand-off request has been received by the first wayside controller;
(i) releasing control of the first railway vehicle by the first wayside controller;
(j) transmitting by the first wayside controller of an acknowledgment to the second wayside controller;
and
(k) retaining control of the first railway vehicle by the second wayside controller.

11 more elements

Method of transferring control of a railway vehicle in a communication based signaling system

Life of this patent

Method of transferring control of a railway vehicle in a communication based signaling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36