CONTACTLESS DATA COMMUNICATIONS COUPLING
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A rail car data signal coupling structure, comprising:
- a first electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a first rail car;
a second electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a second rail car, the mechanical coupler of the first rail car able to couple to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car;
a first data coupling unit located in the first electrical coupler head;
a second data coupling unit located in the second electrical coupler head, wherein, when the mechanical coupler of the first rail car is coupled to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car, the first data coupling unit and the second data coupling unit are located in non-contact proximity to one another to provide non-ohmic coupling of data signals; and
at least one signal equalization circuit, electrically connected to at least one of the first data coupling unit and the second data coupling unit, the at least one signal equalization circuit operating to provide frequency equalization to support baseband data communications up to a specified data rate through the non-ohmic coupling.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a high-speed contactless data coupling that is adaptable to use with mechanical rail car couplers. The exemplary embodiments utilize a primarily magnetic field coupling to communicate either baseband data or RF signals through a pair of signal coupling units that do not need to contact either other, which can be easily housed in two heads attached to each of two mechanical rail car couplers.
27 Citations
5 Claims
-
1. A rail car data signal coupling structure, comprising:
-
a first electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a first rail car; a second electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a second rail car, the mechanical coupler of the first rail car able to couple to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car; a first data coupling unit located in the first electrical coupler head; a second data coupling unit located in the second electrical coupler head, wherein, when the mechanical coupler of the first rail car is coupled to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car, the first data coupling unit and the second data coupling unit are located in non-contact proximity to one another to provide non-ohmic coupling of data signals; and at least one signal equalization circuit, electrically connected to at least one of the first data coupling unit and the second data coupling unit, the at least one signal equalization circuit operating to provide frequency equalization to support baseband data communications up to a specified data rate through the non-ohmic coupling. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A rail car data signal coupling system, comprising:
-
a first electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a first rail car; a second electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a second rail car, the mechanical coupler of the first rail car able to couple to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car; a first data coupling unit located in the first electrical coupler head; a second data coupling unit located in the second electrical coupler head, wherein, when the mechanical coupler of the first rail car is coupled to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car, the first data coupling unit and the second data coupling unit are located in non-contact proximity to one another to provide non-ohmic coupling of data signals; at least one radio frequency transceiver capable of impressing baseband data onto a radio frequency carrier; and a network adaptor for permitting Ethernet data to be communicated to the radio frequency transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (4)
-
-
5. A method for coupling data signals across rail cars, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a first electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a first rail car; providing a second electrical coupler head attached to a mechanical coupler of a second rail car, the mechanical coupler of the first rail car able to couple to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car; providing a first data coupling unit located in the first electrical coupler head; providing a second data coupling unit located in the second electrical coupler head, wherein, when the mechanical coupler of the first rail car is coupled to the mechanical coupler of the second rail car, the first data coupling unit and the second data coupling unit are located in non-contact proximity to one another to provide non-ohmic coupling of data signals; and connecting at least one signal equalization circuit to at least one of the first data coupling unit and the second data coupling unit, the at least one signal equalization circuit operating to provide frequency equalization to support baseband data communications up to a specified data rate through the non-ohmic coupling.
-
Specification