Intelligent communications, command and control system for a land-based vehicle

• US 20050143874A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dale Henry Delaruelle, David M. Peltz, Don Keith Johnson, Eugene A. Smith, Glen Paul Peltonen, Mark Kraeling, Robert Francis Bryant, Robert James Foy, Steven Andrew Kellner
• Original Assignee: Dale Henry Delaruelle, David M. Peltz, Don Keith Johnson, Eugene A. Smith, Glen Paul Peltonen, Mark Kraeling, Robert Francis Bryant, Robert James Foy, Steven Andrew Kellner
• Inventors: Smith, Eugene A., Kellner, Steven Andrew, Foy, Robert James, Kraeling, Mark, Peltonen, Glen Paul, Delaruelle, Dale Henry, Bryant, Robert Francis, Johnson, Don Keith, Peltz, David M.
• Application Number:
  US11/061,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20050143874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2201/02 Fuzzy control
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/02 Global system for mobile communication - railways [GSM-R]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/021 Measuring and recording of train speed
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/023 Determination of driving direction of vehicle or train
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/028 Determination of vehicle position and orientation within a train consist, e.g. serialisation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/70 Details of trackside communication
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/125 using short-range radio transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/227 using electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Method and communication system for a railroad train having at least one locomotive for automatically adjusting the communication system to provide effective communication of command data to control operation of the locomotive are provided. The system includes a transceiver on the locomotive. The system further includes at least one transceiver remote from the locomotive. A database may be provided for storing data relative to a plurality of communication schemes available to the communication system. A first monitor may be used for sensing a parameter indicative of the quality of the communications between the transceivers when the transceivers are operating under a first one of the available communication schemes and generating data indicative of communications quality. A processor in communication-with the monitor and the database may be configured to select a second communication scheme when the quality of the communications provided by the first communication scheme is not satisfactory to ensure that the command data will be reliably communicated with respect to the locomotive.

Claims

1-61. -61. (canceled)

62. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable code therein for automatically adjusting a train communication system to provide effective communication of command data for control of the operation of a train, the communication system comprising a transceiver on a locomotive and at least one transceiver remote from the locomotive, the computer-readable code comprising:

a software code module for directing command data via the communication system;

a software code module comprising data indicative of a plurality of communication schemes available to the communication system;

a software code module responsive to a parameter indicative of the quality of the communications sent via the communications system;

a software code module for generating data indicative of communications quality; and

a software code module for selecting a second communication scheme when the quality of the communications provided by the first communication scheme is not satisfactory to ensure that the command data will be reliably communicated with respect to the locomotive.

63. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module including data indicative of predetermined choices for selecting each available communications scheme.

64. The computer program product of claim 62 wherein the software code module for selecting the second communications scheme comprises software code for evaluating the communications quality of the first communication scheme.

65. The computer program product of claim 62 wherein the software code module for selecting the second communications scheme comprises software code for evaluating the communications quality of the first communications scheme relative to the communications quality of the second communications scheme.

66. The computer program product of claim 62 wherein the software code module for selecting the second communications scheme comprises code for evaluating the communications quality of the second communications scheme.

67. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module for selecting another communications scheme likely to provide satisfactory communications quality when the second communications scheme is unable to provide satisfactory communication quality.

68. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative of a plurality of distinct communication protocols available to the communication system, and configured for selecting a first communication protocol from the plurality of distinct communication protocols based on the likelihood of the first protocol to provide satisfactory communication quality.

69. The computer program product of claim 68 further comprising a software code module for selecting a second communication protocol when the quality of the communications provided by the first communication protocol is not satisfactory.

70. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative data indicative of a plurality of distinct frequencies available to the communication system, and configured for selecting a first one of the available frequencies based on the likelihood of the first frequency to provide satisfactory communication quality.

71. The computer program product of claim 70 further comprising a software code module selecting a second one of the available frequencies when the quality of the communications provided by the first frequency is not satisfactory.

72. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative of multiple communication devices distributed throughout the train, and configured for selecting a first communication device from the multiple communication devices distributed throughout the train, wherein said selection is based on determining which respective communication device is likely to provide satisfactory communication quality.

73. The computer program product of claim 72 further comprising a software code module selecting a second one of the multiple communication devices when the quality of the communications provided by the first communication device is not satisfactory.

74. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative of a plurality of distinct message-repeating techniques, and configured for selecting a first one of the plurality of distinct message-repeating techniques based on the likelihood of the first message-repeating technique to ensure reception of the command data.

75. The computer program product of claim 74 further comprising a software code module for selecting a second one of the message-repeating techniques when the quality of the communications provided by the first message-repeating techniques is not satisfactory.

76. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative of a plurality of distinct message-reply techniques available to the transceivers, and configured for selecting a first one of the plurality of distinct message-reply techniques based on the likelihood of the first message-reply technique to ensure reception of the command data.

77. The computer program product of claim 76 further comprising a software code module for selecting a second one of the message-reply techniques when the quality of the communications provided by the first message-reply technique is not satisfactory.

78. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative of a plurality of distinct types of data communicable by the communication system, and configured for selecting a first type of data to be communicated by the transceivers, the first type of data being selected from the plurality of distinct types of data based on the likelihood of the first type of data in being satisfactorily communicated by the communication system.

79. The computer program product of claim 78 further comprising a software code module for selecting a second type of data when the quality of the communications obtained by the first type of data is not satisfactory.

80. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative of a plurality of distinct types of data sources available to the communication system, and configured for selecting a first one of the distinct types of data sources based on the likelihood of the first type of data source to obtain satisfactory communication quality by the communication system.

81. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module comprising data indicative of a plurality of distinct types of data targets available to the communication system, and configured for selecting a first one of the distinct types of data targets based on the likelihood of the first type of data target to obtain satisfactory communication quality by the communication system.

82. The computer program product of claim 81 further comprising a software code module selecting a second type of data source when the quality of the communications obtained by the first type of data source is not satisfactory.

83. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module for monitoring at least one environmental condition in the vicinity of the train, and configured for associating the communication schemes with environmental conditions of the train, said module being further configured for determining whether to change to a more appropriate communications scheme in view of the monitored environmental conditions.

84. The computer program product of claim 62 further comprising a software code module for monitoring at least one operational condition in the vicinity of the train, and configured for associating the communication schemes with operational conditions of the train, said module being further configured for determining whether to change to a more appropriate communications scheme in view of the monitored operational conditions.