System and method for automated, wireless short range reading and writing of data for interconnected mobile systems, such as reading/writing radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on trains
First Claim
1. An RFID apparatus for a train, comprising:
- a communication line extending through at least one of a plurality of railcars of the train;
an RFID tag coupled to at least a portion of the communications line, wherein the RFID tag is secured to one of the railcars, and wherein the RFID tag includes;
a communications unit coupled to the portion of the communications line and providing data exchange between the RFID tag and the communications line;
an antenna;
a memory having data stored therein; and
a logic circuit coupled to the antenna and to the memory, wherein the logic circuit includes transmit and receive sections configured to enable the tag to respectively transmit and receive data; and
wherein the logic circuit is configured to selectively transmit the data stored in the memory both over the communications line and via the antenna.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and corresponding method include an RF tag coupled to a communications backbone running through a mobile system such as a train. The communications backbone can form part of an electrically controlled pneumatic braking system of the train, which includes a head end unit in the locomotive, and car control units in each railcar of the train. The RF tag includes a communications unit that permits data exchange between the head end unit and other tags within the train, via the communications backbone. The RF tag also includes a processor and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having memory for storing data therein. The RF tag furthermore includes an antenna to permit the tag to exchange data wirelessly with external readers, such as hand-held readers and wayside readers.
61 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An RFID apparatus for a train, comprising:
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a communication line extending through at least one of a plurality of railcars of the train;
an RFID tag coupled to at least a portion of the communications line, wherein the RFID tag is secured to one of the railcars, and wherein the RFID tag includes;
a communications unit coupled to the portion of the communications line and providing data exchange between the RFID tag and the communications line;
an antenna;
a memory having data stored therein; and
a logic circuit coupled to the antenna and to the memory, wherein the logic circuit includes transmit and receive sections configured to enable the tag to respectively transmit and receive data; and
wherein the logic circuit is configured to selectively transmit the data stored in the memory both over the communications line and via the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An automated data collection apparatus, comprising:
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a memory having data stored therein;
an antenna; and
a logic and communications unit coupled to the memory, and coupled to an external communications line to provide data exchange between the automated data collection apparatus and the external communications line, wherein the logic and communications unit is further coupled to the antenna and provides data exchange external to the automated data collection via the antenna, and wherein the communications and logic unit is configured to enable the automated data collection apparatus to exchange data stored in the memory both over the external communications line and via the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of providing data with respect to an interconnected mobile system, comprising:
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storing data in an RFID tag;
securing the RFID tag to a portion of the interconnected mobile system and coupling a communications port of the RFID tag to a communications line in the mobile system; and
transmitting data stored in the RFID tag to a processing unit in the mobile system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An automated data collection apparatus, comprising:
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memory means for storing data;
antenna means; and
logic and communications means, coupled to the memory and antenna means, and coupled to an external communications line, for providing data exchange between the automated data collection apparatus and the external communications line, and for providing data exchange external to the automated data collection via the antenna means, and wherein the communications and logic means is configured for enabling the automated data collection apparatus to exchange data stored in the memory means both over the external communications line and via the antenna means.
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20. A method of controlling a train, comprising:
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providing a train having a head end unit in a locomotive, at least one railcar coupled to the locomotive and having an RF tag, and a communications line extending through a least a portion of the train and intercoupling the RF tag with the head end unit;
at the RF tag, receiving data from at least one wayside reader;
transmitting the received data to the head end unit over the communications line; and
controlling an operation of the train based on the data transmitted over the communications line. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A data structure stored in a machine-readable memory usable on a railcar of a train, the data structure comprising:
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a tag ID portion containing read-only data identifying the machine-readable memory; and
a tag data portion comprising;
position field indicating a position of the railcar in the train;
a status field indicating a status of at least one sensor in the railcar;
a contents field indicating a contents of the railcar; and
wherein data may be written to and read from the fields of the tag data portion. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification