Railroad communication system

• US 20030151520A1
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Foy, Robert James, Kraeling, Mark Bradshaw, Peltonen, Glen Paul, Lee, Robert Dwain Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,854,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0063 Multiple on-board control systems, e.g. "2 out of 3"-systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/70 Details of trackside communication
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

An improved railroad communication system configurable to comply with newly proposed FRA regulations and further configurable to addresses the concern of communications conflicts is provided. The railroad communication system includes a first radio communication system operating in a first frequency band of about 450 MHz band for communication with a locomotive. The system further includes a second radio communication system operating in a second frequency band selected to be different from the first frequency so as to avoid interference with the first radio communication system for communication with the locomotive. A processor on the locomotive enables the locomotive to selectively respond to the designated control signals so that operation of the locomotive will respond only to the appropriate control signals.

Claims

1. A railroad communication system for controlling operation of a locomotive by at least two different locomotive control units, with the communication system comprising:

a first locomotive control unit, mounted on and operably connected to the locomotive, the first locomotive control unit comprising a first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem capable of communicating with a first remote control unit at a first frequency band of about 450 MHz band for controlling operation of the locomotive;

a second locomotive control unit, mounted on and operably connected to the locomotive, the second locomotive control unit comprising a second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem capable of communicating with a second remote control unit at a second frequency band different from the first frequency band and selected to avoid interference with the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem for communication with the locomotive;

a first processor, operably connected to the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem for responding to the first remote control unit for controlling the operation of the locomotive in response to control signals from the first remote control unit;

a second processor, operably connected to the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem for responding to the second remote control unit for controlling the operation of the locomotive in response to control signals from the second remote control unit; and

whereby operation of the locomotive can be selectively controlled by one of the remote control units without causing interference with communications with the other locomotive control unit or other locomotives, with the locomotive responding to only the selected remote control unit.

2. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem, the first processor, the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem, and the second processor are integrated and combined in a single locomotive control unit.

3. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the first processor and the second processor are integrated into a single processor.

4. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem and the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem are integrated and combined in a single radio transmitter and receiver subsystem capable of transmitting and receiving on at least two different frequencies.

5. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is part of a wireless communication link for communicating between locomotives in different consists in a multi-consist train, constituting inter-consist communications.

6. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is part of a wireless communication link for communicating between the locomotive and a location remote to the locomotive..

7. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem comprises a radio frequency (RF) power output less than a radio frequency (RF) power output of the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem.

8. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem comprises a radio frequency (RF) power output less than maximum allowable power to be free from regulatory approval.

9. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem comprises a radio frequency (RF) band that is usable without regulatory approval.

10. The railroad communication system of claim 7, wherein the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem comprises an RF power output of approximately 30 watts and the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem comprises an RF power output of approximately 1 watt.

11. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second frequency band comprises an ISM band.

12. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second remote control unit comprises a portable control unit adapted to be carried by an operator for remote control operation of the locomotive.

13. The railroad communication system of claim 12, wherein the second remote control unit further comprises a first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem and a second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem for selectively communicating with the first and the second locomotive control units.

14. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second remote control unit is mounted in a train control tower.

15. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the second remote control unit is mounted on another locomotive in a multi-locomotive consist for intraconsist communication.

16. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein information passed between the second remote control unit and the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem comprises locomotive status data.

17. The railroad communication system of claim 16, wherein the locomotive status data comprises data required by the Federal Railroad Administration.

18. The railroad communication system of claim 1, wherein the first remote locomotive control unit is mounted on another locomotive in a different consist in a multi-consist train for inter-consist communications.

19. A railroad communication system comprising:

a first radio communication system for communicating control signals to control the operation of a locomotive in a train operating at a first power level and in a first frequency band of about 450 MHz band for communication with a locomotive; and

a second radio communication system for communicating control signals to control the operation of a locomotive in a train operating at a second power level lower than the first and in a second frequency band different from first band selected to avoid interference with the first radio communication system for communication with the locomotive, and wherein the second frequency band and power level thereof are each chosen to be free from regulatory approval.

20. A method for controlling operation of a locomotive by at least two different locomotive control units comprising:

providing a first locomotive control unit mounted on and operably connected to the locomotive;

configuring the first locomotive control unit to communicate by way of a first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem with a first remote control unit at a first frequency band of about 450 MHz band for controlling operation of the locomotive;

providing a second locomotive control unit mounted on and operably connected to the locomotive;

configuring the second locomotive control unit to communicate by way of a second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem with the second remote control unit at a second frequency band different from the first frequency band and selected to avoid interference with the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem for communication with the locomotive;

operating the first locomotive control unit in response to the first remote control unit for controlling the operation of the locomotive in response to control signals from the first remote control unit;

operating the second locomotive control unit in response to the second remote control unit for controlling the operation of the locomotive in response to control signals from the second remote control unit; and

selectively controlling operation of the locomotive without causing interference with communications with other locomotive control units or other locomotives, with the locomotive responding to only the selected remote control unit.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising combining in a single locomotive control unit the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem, the first processor, the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem, and the second processor.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising combining in a single processor the first processor and the second processor.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising combining in a single radio transmitter and receiver subsystem capable of transmitting and receiving on at least two different selectable frequencies the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem and the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is part of a wireless communication link for communicating between locomotives in different consists in a multi-consist train, constituting inter-consist communications.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is part of a wireless communication link for communicating between the locomotive and a location remote to the locomotive.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is operable at a radio frequency (RF) power output less than a radio frequency (RF) power output of the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is operable a radio frequency (RF) power output less than maximum allowable power to be free from regulatory approval.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is operable at a radio frequency (RF) band that is usable without regulatory approval.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is operable at an RF power output of approximately 30 watts and the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem is operable at an RF power output of approximately 1 watt.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the second frequency band comprises an ISM band.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the second remote control unit comprises a portable control unit adapted to be carried for remote control operation of the locomotive.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the second remote control unit further comprises a first radio transmitter and receiver subsystem and a second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem for selectively communicating with the first and the second locomotive control units.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the second remote control unit comprises a remote control unit mounted in a train yard control tower.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the second remote control unit comprises a locomotive control unit mounted on another locomotive in a multi-locomotive consist for intraconsist communication.

35. The method of claim 20, further comprising communicating information indicative of locomotive status data between the second remote control unit and the second radio transmitter and receiver subsystem.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the locomotive status data comprises data required by the Federal Railroad Administration.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein the first remote control unit comprises a locomotive control unit mounted on another locomotive in the train.