System and method for wireless remote control of locomotives

• US 20040120305A1
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc. (Cattron Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CATTRON THEIMEG Incorporated (Laird PLC)
• Inventors: Evans, Richard, Lordo, Scott, Ducklin, William, Aiken, Robert C. II, Verholek, Carl L., Rader, Robert, Conner, Dana, McDonald, Steve, Bellotti, Curt
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/347
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

A system and method for remotely controlling an increased number of subsystems having an onboard locomotive control unit (LCU) and two associated operator control units (OCUs) on a single wireless channel. A time slot is assigned to each subsystem for making two-way transmissions to control the locomotive. A signal from an external timing source synchronizes each subsystem to minimize interference between transmissions from different subsystems. Time slots are assigned manually or automatically over a wireless network or by the LCU after monitoring the channel. The LCU automatically selects the direct or repeater transmission path depending upon whether or not it receives polling message responses from its associated OCUs. A GPS receiver in each subsystem receives the synchronization signal and provides geographic positioning data so the LCU can determine when to execute predefined, position-based commands. The secondary OCU may be turned off and rejoined to the subsystem without ceasing operation.

Claims

1. A system for remotely controlling a locomotive comprising:

a controller onboard said locomotive;

a control unit associated with said controller, said control unit capable of transmitting commands to and receiving data from said controller over a wireless communications channel; and

geographic position determining means, operably connected with said controller, for periodically providing coordinates of the geographic position of said locomotive to said controller.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said geographic position determining means comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver disposed on said locomotive.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said GPS receiver provides said coordinates to said controller once every second.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising speed measuring means for measuring the speed of the locomotive, disposed on said locomotive and operatively connected with said controller.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said controller commands an application of a braking system of said locomotive when said controller determines, using said coordinates, that an indication from said speed measuring means that said locomotive is not moving is not accurate.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising direction determination means for determining the direction of travel of said locomotive, disposed on said locomotive and operatively connected with said controller.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said controller commands an activation of a braking system of said locomotive when said controller determines, using said coordinates, that an indication from said direction determination means that said locomotive is traveling in a first direction is not accurate.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said geographic position determining means provides said coordinates to said controller once every second.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein a memory of said controller contains coordinates of at least one geographic zone.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said controller uses said coordinates to determine whether said locomotive is in said at least one geographic zone.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said controller is programmed to execute a predetermined command when said controller determines that said locomotive is in said at least one geographic zone.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said predetermined command is a braking command.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said predetermined command is a stop command.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said predetermined command is an activate horn command.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said predetermined command is an activate bell command.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein said predetermined command is an emergency stop command.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein said wireless communications channel is selected, based upon whether or not said locomotive is in said geographic zone, from a plurality of wireless communications channels stored in said memory.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein said controller commands an application of a braking system of said locomotive upon a determination by said controller using said coordinates that said locomotive is outside of said at least one geographic zone.

19. The system of claim 9 wherein said controller commands an activation of a braking system of said locomotive upon a determination by said controller using said coordinates that said locomotive will travel outside of said at least one geographic zone within a predetermined period of time.

20. The system of claim 9 wherein said controller commands an activation of a braking system of said locomotive upon a determination by said controller using said coordinates that said locomotive is within a predetermined distance of a border of said at least one geographic zone and is traveling toward said border.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein a memory of said controller contains coordinates of at least one geographic zone and a speed limit for said locomotive within said at least one geographic zone.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said controller overrides a signal transmitted by said control unit commanding a speed in excess of said speed limit and limits the speed of said locomotive to said speed limit when said controller determines, using said coordinates, that said locomotive is within said at least one geographic zone.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein a memory of said controller contains coordinates for a plurality of geographic zones.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein at least two of said plurality of geographic zones partially overlap.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein said controller is programmed to execute a first predetermined command when said controller determines that said locomotive is in a first zone of said plurality of geographic zones and to execute a second predetermined command when said controller determines that said locomotive is in a second zone of said plurality of geographic zones.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said second zone is disposed completely within said first zone and said second predetermined command is given priority and is executed by said controller when said second predetermined command conflicts with said first predetermined command.

27. A controller for use in a system for remotely controlling a locomotive via a wireless channel comprising:

transmitter, a receiver, a timing means and a memory containing the coordinates of at least one geographic zone.

28. The controller of claim 27 wherein said timing means is synchronized by a GPS receiver operably connected to said controller.

29. The controller of claim 27 wherein said memory also contains a speed limit for said locomotive within said at least one geographic zone.

30. The controller of claim 27 wherein said memory contains coordinates for a plurality of geographic zones.

31. The controller of claim 30 wherein at least two of said plurality of geographic zones partially overlap.

32. The controller of claim 30 wherein a second zone of said plurality of geographic zones is disposed completely within a first zone of said plurality of geographic zones.

33. A system for remotely controlling a plurality of locomotives on a single wireless channel comprising:

a locomotive control unit onboard of each locomotive comprising a transmitter for transmitting a command request signal to an operator control unit associated with said controller and a receiver for receiving a response to said command request signal over said single wireless channel within one of a sequence of recurring time slots, and means for synchronizing said controller with an external timing source, and

wherein each operator control unit comprises a microprocessor, a timing device and a plurality of switches for issuing commands to be transmitted to its associated controller within its respective time slot.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein said timing means periodically initiates the reading by said microprocessor of said switches.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein said one recurring time slot recurs once per second.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein said timing means initiates a reading of said switches by said microprocessor once every 250 ms.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein said timing means initiates a reading of said switches by said microprocessor once every 250 ms.

38. The system of claim 35 wherein the function of one of said plurality of switches on each operator control unit is to issue commands for controlling a horn.

39. A system for remotely controlling a plurality of locomotives on a single wireless communications channel comprising:

a controller on-board of each locomotive; and

a primary control unit and a secondary control unit associated with each controller wherein each of the primary and secondary control units comprises a transmitter and a receiver for sending and receiving signals from said controller, switches for selecting settings for speed, direction of travel, brakes and wherein each control unit comprises dual-colored LEDs which exhibit a first color to show the switch settings of the primary control unit as transmitted to the controller.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein said dual-colored LEDs exhibit a second color upon receiving a confirmation signal from said controller that the switch settings transmitted by the primary control unit were received and implemented by the controller.