METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING A REMOTE DISTRIBUTED POWER LOCOMOTIVE AS A REPEATER IN THE COMMUNICATIONS LINK BETWEEN A HEAD-OF-TRAIN DEVICE AND AN END-OF-TRAIN DEVICE
First Claim
1. A method for communicating messages between an HOT device in a lead locomotive and an EOT device at an end-of-train position of a railroad train, the railroad train further comprising a remote locomotive between the lead locomotive and the EOT device, the method comprising:
- tuning a DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive to a frequency of an HOT/EOT communications channel;
transmitting a message from the EOT device intended for the HOT device or a message from the HOT device intended for the EOT device;
receiving the message at the DP transceiver;
if the message was transmitted from the EOT device;
transmitting the message from the DP transceiver to the HOT device; and
receiving and executing the message at the HOT device; and
if the message was transmitted from the HOT device;
transmitting the message from the DP transceiver to the EOT device; and
receiving and executing the message at the EOT device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Communicating messages between an HOT device (48L) in a lead locomotive (14) and an EOT device (40) at an end-of-train position. The method comprises tuning a DP transceiver (28L) onboard a remote locomotive (12A) to an HOT/EOT communications channel frequency, transmitting a message from the EOT device (40) intended for the HOT device (48L) or transmitting a message from the HOT device (48L) intended for the EOT device (40), and receiving the message at the DP transceiver (28L). If the message was transmitted from EOT device (40), transmitting the message from the DP transceiver (28L) to HOT device (48L) and receiving and executing the message at the HOT device (48L). If the message was transmitted from the HOT device (48L), transmitting the message from the DP transceiver (28L) to the EOT device (40) and receiving and executing the message at the EOT device (40).
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for communicating messages between an HOT device in a lead locomotive and an EOT device at an end-of-train position of a railroad train, the railroad train further comprising a remote locomotive between the lead locomotive and the EOT device, the method comprising:
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tuning a DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive to a frequency of an HOT/EOT communications channel; transmitting a message from the EOT device intended for the HOT device or a message from the HOT device intended for the EOT device; receiving the message at the DP transceiver; if the message was transmitted from the EOT device; transmitting the message from the DP transceiver to the HOT device; and receiving and executing the message at the HOT device; and if the message was transmitted from the HOT device; transmitting the message from the DP transceiver to the EOT device; and receiving and executing the message at the EOT device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for communicating messages between an HOT device comprising an HOT transceiver and an EOT device comprising an EOT transceiver, the HOT device at a head-end position of a railroad train and the EOT device at an end-of-train position of the railroad train, the railroad train further comprising a remote locomotive between the head-end position and the end-of-train position, the method comprising:
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tuning a first DP transceiver on the remote locomotive to a frequency of a DP communications channel; tuning a second DP transceiver on the remote locomotive to a frequency of an HOT/EOT communications channel; receiving at the first DP transceiver a DP message on the DP communications channel; from the first DP transceiver, inputting a signal to the second DP transceiver, the signal responsive to the DP message; and from the second DP transceiver, sending an HOT/EOT message over the HOT/EOT communications channel, the HOT/EOT message responsive to the signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for transferring an HOT message to a DP communications channel of a railroad train, the method comprising:
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tuning a lead locomotive DP transceiver to a frequency of a DP communications channel; generating the HOT message at an HOT device in the lead locomotive; sending the HOT message to the lead locomotive DP transceiver; from the lead locomotive DP transceiver, transmitting a DP message, the DP message responsive to the HOT message; and receiving the DP message at a DP transceiver onboard a remote locomotive of the railroad train. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for transferring an EOT message to a DP communications channel of a railroad train, the method comprising:
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tuning a first DP transceiver onboard a remote locomotive of the railroad train to a frequency of a DP communications channel; tuning a second DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive to a frequency of an HOT/EOT communications channel; generating the EOT message at an EOT device; transmitting the EOT message from the EOT device; receiving the EOT message at the second DP transceiver; generating a DP message responsive to the EOT message; conveying the DP message to the first DP transceiver; and transmitting the DP message from the first DP transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for communicating HOT/EOT messages between an HOT transceiver onboard a lead locomotive and an EOT transceiver at an end-of-train position of a railroad train, and for communicating DP messages between a lead locomotive at a head end of the train and a remote locomotive, the method comprising:
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tuning a DP transceiver onboard the lead locomotive and a DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive to a frequency of a DP communications channel; tuning an HOT transceiver onboard the remote locomotive to a frequency of an HOT/EOT communications channel; sending and receiving DP messages on the DP communications channel at the DP transceiver onboard the lead locomotive and the DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive; and sending and receiving HOT/EOT messages on the HOT/EOT communications channel by operating the HOT transceiver onboard the remote locomotive as a relay between the HOT transceiver onboard the lead locomotive and the EOT transceiver at the end-of-train position.
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24. A method for communicating HOT/EOT messages between an HOT device and an EOT device of a railroad train, the railroad train further comprising a lead locomotive and a remote locomotive, the method comprising:
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generating a first EOT message at the EOT device; transmitting the first EOT message; receiving the first EOT message at an HOT transceiver onboard the remote locomotive; communicating a signal responsive to the first EOT message from the HOT transceiver onboard the remote locomotive to a DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive; the DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive transmitting a DP message to a DP transceiver onboard the lead locomotive, the DP message responsive to the first EOT message; the DP transceiver onboard the lead locomotive receiving the DP message; the DP transceiver onboard the lead locomotive generating a second EOT message responsive to the DP message; and communicating the second EOT message to an HOT transceiver onboard the lead locomotive. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method for communicating an HOT message from an HOT device onboard a lead locomotive to an EOT device of a railroad train, the railroad train further comprising a lead locomotive and a remote locomotive, the method comprising:
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generating a first HOT message at the HOT device; conveying the first HOT message to a DP transceiver onboard the lead locomotive; converting the first HOT message to a DP message; transmitting the DP message from the DP transceiver onboard the lead locomotive; receiving the DP message at a DP transceiver onboard the remote locomotive; converting the DP message to a second HOT message at the remote locomotive; conveying the second HOT message to an HOT transceiver onboard the remote locomotive; transmitting the second HOT message from the HOT transceiver onboard the remote locomotive; and receiving the second HOT message by the EOT device. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for communicating HOT/EOT messages over an HOT/EOT communications channel of a railroad train, and for communicating DP messages over a DP communications channel of the railroad train, the method comprising:
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generating DP messages according to a DP message format; generating HOT/EOT messages according to an HOT/EOT message format with a DP header; receiving the DP messages at a DP transceiver, the DP messages carried by a signal at a first frequency; and receiving the HOT/EOT messages at a DP transceiver or receiving the HOT/EOT messages at an EOT device, the HOT/EOT messages carried by a signal at the first frequency. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for communicating HOT/EOT messages and for communicating DP messages along a railroad train, the HOT/EOT messages and the DP messages transmitted on the same frequency, the method comprising:
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generating the DP messages according to a DP message format; generating the HOT/EOT messages according to the DP message format; receiving DP and HOT/EOT messages at a DP transceiver; executing the DP messages at a remote locomotive of the railroad train or at the lead locomotive; and executing the HOT/EOT messages at an HOT device onboard the remote or the lead locomotive or executing the HOT/EOT messages at an EOT device at an end of the railroad train.
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35. An apparatus for communicating messages between an HOT/EOT communications system and a DP communications system of a railroad train, the apparatus comprising:
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a first DP transceiver onboard a locomotive of the railroad train, the first DP transceiver tuned to a frequency of a DP communications channel; a second DP transceiver onboard the locomotive tuned to a frequency of an HOT/EOT communications channel; and a signal path between the first and the second DP transceivers, wherein responsive to a first DP message received by the first DP transceiver a first signal is carried to the second DP transceiver over the signal path, and responsive to a first HOT/EOT message received by the second DP transceiver a second signal is carried to the first DP transceiver over the signal path; wherein the first DP transceiver transmits a second DP message over the DP communications channel, the second DP message responsive to the second signal; and wherein the second DP transceiver transmits a second HOT/EOT message over the HOT/EOT communications channel, the second HOT/EOT message responsive to the first signal. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for communicating DP messages and HOT/EOT messages on a railroad train, the apparatus comprising:
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a first and a second transceiver on a remote locomotive tuned to a frequency of a DP communications channel for communicating DP messages; and a third transceiver on the remote locomotive tuned to a frequency of an HOT/EOT communications channel for communicating HOT/EOT messages.
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Specification