APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING REMOTE TRAIN OPERATION

• US 20100163687A1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: McManus, Brian, Cooper, Jared Klineman, Hrebek, Gregory, Brand, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/117
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/007 Safety arrangements on railway crossings
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/041 Obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

A method of verifying clearance of a rail crossing includes: (a) detecting the presence of a train near the crossing, the train being equipped with a locomotive control unit; (b) in response to detection of the train near the crossing, generating a unique code; (c) capturing an image of the crossing; (d) transmitting the unique code along with the image to a remote operator control unit; (e) using the locomotive control unit, waiting for a response from the operator control unit containing the unique code; and (f) if the response containing the unique code is received by the locomotive control unit, permitting further operation of the train and, if the unique code is not received by the locomotive control unit, carrying out an automatic response which prevents movement of the train through the crossing.

Claims

1. A method of verifying clearance of a rail crossing, comprising:

(a) detecting the presence of a train near the crossing, the train being equipped with a locomotive control unit;

(b) in response to detection of the train near the crossing, generating a unique code;

(c) capturing an image of the crossing;

(d) transmitting the unique code along with the image to a remote operator control unit;

(e) at the locomotive control unit, waiting for a response from the operator control unit containing the unique code; and

(f) if the response containing the unique code is received by the locomotive control unit, permitting further operation of the train and, if the unique code is not received by the locomotive control unit, carrying out an automatic response which prevents movement of the train through the crossing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating steps (a)-(f) until the train has passed through the crossing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the unique code is combined with the image.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the unique code is generated by the locomotive control unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the image is transmitted wirelessly from a camera disposed near the crossing to the operator control unit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the unique code is formatted as a sequence of commands of the remote operator control unit for movement of the locomotive.

7. The method of claim 1 further including sending an alert signal to the operator control unit when the image is transmitted, the alert signal uniquely identifying the train.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the automatic response is braking the train to a stop.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the locomotive control unit carries out the automatic response unless the unique code is received within a predetermined timeout period after the unique code is transmitted to the operator control unit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the timeout period is dynamically variable depending on at least one of a speed of the train and a distance from the train to the crossing.

11. An apparatus for verifying clearance of a rail crossing, comprising:

a clearance system which comprises;

(a) a camera;

(b) a video combiner operatively coupled to the camera; and

(c) a wireless transmitter operatively coupled to the camera and the video combiner;

(d) wherein the clearance system is programmed to;

(i) detect the presence of a train near the crossing;

(ii) combine one or more images of the crossing captured by the camera with a unique code to create a combined image; and

(iii) transmit the combined image to a remote display.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the clearance system includes a processor programmed to generate the unique code.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the unique code is formatted as a sequence of locomotive commands.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a locomotive control unit carried on board the train which is programmed to:

wait for a message from a remote operator containing the unique code; and

in response to reception of the unique code, permit further operation of the train and in absence of the unique code, carry out an automatic response which prevents movement of the train through the crossing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the automatic response is braking the train to a stop.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the locomotive control unit is programmed to generate the unique code and transmit it to the clearance system.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the clearance system is programmed to transmit an alert signal to an operator control unit when the combined image is transmitted, the alert signal uniquely identifying the train.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the clearance system is carried on-board the train.

19. A method of controlling operation of a train, comprising:

(a) generating a unique code using a locomotive control unit carried on-board the train;

(b) capturing an image of track ahead of the train;

(c) transmitting the unique code along with the image to a remote operator control unit;

(d) at the locomotive control unit, waiting for a response from the operator control unit containing the unique code; and

(e) if the response containing the unique code is received by the locomotive control unit, permitting further operation of the train and, if the unique code is not received by the locomotive control unit, carrying out an automatic response which restricts movement of the train.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising repeating steps (a)-(e) at intervals so long as the train is moving.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the automatic response is braking the train to a stop.