Methods and apparatus for locomotive consist determination
AssigneeGE Harris Railway Electronics, LLC
InventorsDavid L. Diana, John R. Doner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for identifying locomotive consists within train consists determines an order and orientation of the locomotives within the identified locomotive consists. An on-board tracking system is mounted to each locomotive and includes locomotive interfaces for interfacing with other systems of the particular locomotive, a computer for receiving inputs from the interface, a GPS receiver, and a satellite communicator (transceiver). As locomotives provide location and discrete information from the field, a central data processing facility receives the raw locomotive data. The data center processes the locomotive data and determines locomotive consists.
Claims56
A method for determining an order and orientation of locomotives within a locomotive consist using a system including, at least one on-board tracking system, at least one first satellite, and a data center, the locomotive consist including at least one locomotive, each said tracking system mounted to a respective locomotive in the consist, each locomotive including at least one sub-system related to the operation of the respective locomotive, said method comprising the steps of:
- simultaneously transmitting from the at least one first satellite to each tracking system a set of locomotive location coordinates (LLC) identifying a location of the respective locomotive;
- transmitting a data message to the data center;
- determining which locomotive in the consist is a lead locomotive;
- determining which locomotives in the consist are trailing locomotives;
- determining the orientation of each trailing locomotives;
- and
- determining the order of the trailing locomotives in the consist.
A system for determining the order and orientation of locomotives within a locomotive consist, said system comprising:
- a locomotive consist comprising at least one locomotive;
- at least one on-board tracking system, each said tracking system mounted to a respective locomotive in said consist;
- a first satellite configured to exchange communications with said at least one on-board tracking system;
- and
- a data center configured to determine a location of, an orientation of, and a positional relationship between each said locomotive in said consist.
A system for determining the order and orientation of vehicles within vehicle consist, said system comprising:
- a vehicle consist comprising at least one vehicle;
- at least one one-board tracking system, each said tracking system mounted to a respective vehicle in said consist;
- at least one first satellite configured to exchange communications with said at least one on-board tracking system;
- and
- a data center configured to determine the location of and orientation of each of vehicle in said consist and a positional relationship between each vehicle in said consist.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.