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US 8,620,553 B2Granted
System and method for establishing a network across a locomotive consist or other vehicle consist
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMark Bradshaw Kraeling, Jared Cooper, Todd Goodermuth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for establishing a network across a plurality of locomotives in a consist includes designating one locomotive of the plurality of locomotives as a network lead locomotive and designating the other of the plurality of locomotives as network trail locomotives.
Claims20
A communication method for a consist comprising a plurality of locomotives, the method comprising:
- linking the plurality of locomotives to establish a data network;
- designating a first locomotive of the plurality of locomotives as a network lead locomotive of the data network;
- designating a second locomotive of the plurality of locomotives as a network trail locomotive of the data network;
- communicating network data between the plurality of locomotives based at least in part on the first locomotive designated as the network lead locomotive and the second locomotive designated as the network trail locomotive;
- responsive to the designation of the first locomotive as the network lead locomotive, configuring plural services available to entities in the data network by creating and storing at least one master routing table of services;
- and
- updating the master routing table of services by periodically scanning the data network for available services.
4 more elements
A communication method for a consist comprising a plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:
- linking the plurality of vehicles to establish a data network;
- designating a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles as a network lead vehicle of the data network;
- designating a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles as a network trail vehicle of the data network;
- communicating network data between the plurality of vehicles based at least in part on the first vehicle designated as the network lead vehicle and the second vehicle designated as the network trail vehicle;
- configuring plural services available to entities in the data network by creating and storing at least one master routing table of services provided by a plurality of devices on board the vehicles;
- and
- determining which of said devices can be failed over to other of said devices.
4 more elements
A communication system comprising:
- a first controller unit configured for operative coupling in a first locomotive;
- wherein the first controller unit is configured, when the first locomotive is linked with one or more second locomotives in a data network of a consist, to designate one of the first locomotive or one of the one or more second locomotives as a network lead locomotive of the data network and to designate all other locomotives in the consist as network trail locomotives of the data network;
- wherein the first controller unit is configured to control communications of network data between the first locomotive and the one or more second locomotives based at least in part on the network lead locomotive and network trail locomotive designations;
- and
- wherein the first controller is configured to designate the network lead locomotive and the network trail locomotives after the consist beings moving according to at least one parameter of the consist, the at least one parameter including a direction of movement of the consist.
2 more elements
A communication system comprising:
- a first controller unit configured for operative coupling in a first locomotive;
- wherein the first controller unit is configured, when the first locomotive is linked with one or more second locomotives in a data network of a consist, to enter a first designated mode of operation responsive to communications between the first locomotive and the one or more second locomotives for selecting the first locomotive to operate in the first designated mode of operation and the one or more second locomotives to operate in a different, second designated mode of operation;
- wherein the first controller unit is configured, when in the first designated mode of operation, to at least one of:
- coordinate data traffic in the data network of the consist;
- or configure and manage services available to plural entities of the data network of the consist;
- and
- wherein the first controller unit is configured, when in the first designated mode of operation, to transition a service provided by a first entity of the data network to a second entity of the data network in response to a determination that the service provided by the first entity is unavailable.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.