Method and System for a Track Signaling System Without Insulated Joints

• US 20080173770A1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fries, Jeffrey Michael, Ruggiero, Andrew Lawrence, Church, Benjamin Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/167R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/182 Use of current of indifferent sort or a combination of different current types

Abstract

In a railroad track system that provides for communications through a track rail without insulated joints between a specific transmitter and a specific receiver when a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers are communicating using the track rail, a method including emitting a unique signal from the specific transmitter during a specific time. The unique signal is transmitted through a railway rail, which is without an insulated joint between successive rails and is the medium through which the unique signal travels, wherein the unique signal is detectable but not readable by the plurality of receiver. The specific receiver is activated to read the unique signal during the specific time.

Claims

1. In a railroad track system that provides for communications through a track rail without insulated joints between a specific transmitter and a specific receiver when a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers are communicating using the track rail, a method comprising:

a) emitting a unique signal from the specific transmitter during a specific time;

b) transmitting the unique signal through a railway rail, that is without an insulated joint between successive rails and is the medium through which the unique signal travels, wherein the unique signal is detectable but not readable by the plurality of receivers;

c) activating the specific receiver to read the unique signal during the specific time.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unique signal further comprises at least one of frequency modulating and phase modulating the unique signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein emitting the unique signal further comprises emitting the unique signal as a rail vehicle passes over a certain track segment.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprises detecting the rail vehicles as it passes over the certain track segment with an audio frequency track circuit.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprises synchronizing the transmitter and receiver to a same time.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein emitting the unique signal further comprises emitting the unique signal at a low frequency sufficient to carry code information in the unique signal to the receiver while limiting signal propagation to minimize interference of other receivers in the plurality of receivers.

7. A railway track signaling system for communicating between wayside signal devices, the system comprises:

a) a transmitter that emits a unique signal based on at least one of emitting the unique signal during a defined time, frequency modulating the unique signal, and phase modulating the unique signal;

b) a railway track rail, proximate the transmitter, that is without an insulated joint between successive rails and is the medium through which the unique signal travels;

c) a receiver proximate the railway track rail to receive the unique signal based on being able to receive at least one of a signal during the defined time the unique signal is emitted, frequency de-modulating the unique signal, and phase de-modulating the unique signal.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprises a plurality of transmitters and receivers wherein a specific transmitter and a specific receiver may send and receive the unique signal provided that the unique signal is compatible to the specific transmitter and the specific receiver.

9. The system according to claim 7, further comprises a signaling device that has at least a transmitter and a receiver.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the transmitter comprises at least one of a code generator, a phase modulator, a phase signal generator, and a local oscillator, used to create the unique signal.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the receiver comprises at least one of a phase de-modulator, a local oscillator, and a phase signal detector, used to read the unique signal.

12. The system according to claim 7, further comprises a clock source to synchronize operating time of the transmitter and the receiver.

13. The system according to claim 7, further comprises a detector to determine when a rail vehicles passes over a specific track segment.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the detector comprises an audio frequency track circuit.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the audio frequency track circuit has a frequency that is adjustable for a specific detection distance.

16. In a railroad track signaling system having a computer processor that provides for communications through a track rail without insulated joints between a specific transmitter and a specific receiver when a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers are communicating using the track rail, a computer software code comprising:

a) a computer software module for emitting a unique signal from the specific transmitter during a specific time;

b) a computer software module for transmitting the unique signal through a railway rail, that is without an insulated joint between successive rails and is the medium through which the unique signal travels, wherein the unique signal is detectable but not readable by the plurality of receivers;

c) a computer software module for activating the specific receiver to read the unique signal during the specific time.

17. The computer software code according to claim 16, wherein the unique signal further comprises at least one of emission of the unique signal at a defined time, frequency modulating the unique signal, and phase modulating the unique signal.

18. The computer software code according to claim 16, wherein the computer software module for emitting the unique signal further comprises a computer software module for emitting the unique signal as a rail vehicle passes over a certain track segment.

19. The computer software code according to claim 16, further comprises a computer software module for synchronizing the transmitter and receiver to a same time.

20. The computer software code according to claim 18, further comprise a computer software module for activating the transmitter when a rail vehicle passes over a certain track segment.

21. The computer software code according to claim 16, wherein computer software module for emitting the unique signal further comprises a computer software module for emitting the unique signal at a low frequency sufficient to carry code information in the unique signal to the receiver while limiting signal propagation to minimize interference of other receivers in the plurality of receivers.