SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING DATA IN LOCOMOTIVE CONSIST OR OTHER VEHICLE CONSIST

• US 20100241295A1
• Filed: 01/07/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Goodermuth, Todd William, COOPER, Jared Klineman, Smith, Eugene A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,532,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/665 the systems being specially adapted for transferring two or more command signals, e.g. railway systems B60T13/662 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40293 the transportation system being a train

Abstract

A locomotive consist includes a lead locomotive, one or more trail locomotives, and a multiple unit (MU) cable bus interconnecting the first locomotive and the trail locomotives, which is used in the locomotive consist for transferring non-network control information between the lead vehicle and the trail locomotives. In a system and method for communicating data in the locomotive consist, network data is transmitted from the lead locomotive in the locomotive consist to one or more of the trail locomotives in the locomotive consist. The network data is transmitted over the MU cable bus. Each locomotive may include a computer unit or other electronic component, which along with the MU cable bus form a network in the train, e.g., an Ethernet network.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data in a locomotive consist, the method comprising:

transmitting network data between locomotives within a locomotive consist, wherein each locomotive is adjacent to and mechanically coupled with one or more other locomotives in the consist;

wherein the network data is transmitted over a locomotive multiple unit (MU) cable bus interconnecting at least adjacent locomotives in the consist, the MU cable bus being an existing cable bus used in the locomotive consist for transferring non-network control information between locomotives in the consist.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, at each of one or more locomotives in the locomotive consist:

converting the network data into modulated network data for transmission over the MU cable bus, wherein the modulated network data is orthogonal to the non-network control information transferred over the MU cable bus; and

de-modulating the modulated network data received over the MU cable bus for use by on-board electronic components of the locomotives.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising controlling at least one of the locomotives in the consist based at least in part on the network data.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the locomotive consist is part of a train comprising the locomotive consist and a plurality of railcars; and

the non-network control information comprises train control information that is transmitted over the MU cable bus according to a designated voltage carrier signal.

5. A communication system for communicating data in a locomotive consist, the system comprising:

a respective router transceiver unit positioned in each of at least two locomotives of a locomotive consist, wherein each locomotive within the locomotive consist is adjacent to and mechanically coupled with one or more other locomotives in the consist;

wherein each router transceiver unit is coupled to a locomotive multiple unit (MU) cable bus in the locomotive consist that interconnects adjacent locomotives, the MU cable bus being an existing cable bus used in the locomotive consist for transferring non-network control information between locomotives within the locomotive consist; and

wherein each router transceiver unit is configured to transmit and/or receive network data over the MU cable bus.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein each router transceiver unit is configured to convert the network data into modulated network data for transmission over the MU cable bus, the modulated network data being orthogonal to the non-network control information transferred between locomotives over the MU cable bus, and to de-modulate the modulated network data received over the MU cable bus for use by electronic components in the locomotives of the locomotive consist.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein:

the locomotive consist is part of a train comprising the locomotive consist and a plurality of railcars; and

the non-network control information comprises train control information that is transmitted over the MU cable bus according to a designated voltage carrier signal.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the network data is high bandwidth network data.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the locomotive consist comprises first, second, and third locomotives, the second locomotive being disposed between the first locomotive and the third locomotive;

first and second router transceiver units are positioned in the first and third locomotives, respectively;

the second locomotive does not have a router transceiver unit or other functionality for transmitting and/or receiving network data over the MU cable bus; and

the network data is transmitted between the first and third locomotives through the second locomotive, the network data passing through a portion of the MU cable bus located in the second locomotive but not being transmitted or received by the second locomotive.

10. A communication system for communicating data in a locomotive consist, the system comprising:

a respective router transceiver unit positioned in each of at least two of a plurality of locomotives in the consist; and

in each of the at least two of the plurality of locomotives, a respective electronic component positioned in the locomotive and operably coupled to the router transceiver unit in the locomotive;

wherein the router transceiver units are electrically coupled to a locomotive multiple unit (MU) cable bus, the MU cable bus being an existing cable bus used in the consist for transfening non-network control information between the plurality of locomotives; and

wherein the router transceiver units are configured to transmit and/or receive network data over the MU cable bus, the network data originating at one of electronic components and being addressed to another of the electronic components.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein each router transceiver unit is configured to convert the network data into modulated network data for transmission over the MU cable bus, the modulated network data being orthogonal to the non-network control information transferred between locomotives over the MU cable bus, and to de-modulate the modulated network data received over the MU cable bus for use in one of the electronic components.

12. A communication system for communicating data in a locomotive consist, the system comprising:

a computer network in the consist, the computer network comprising a respective electronic component positioned in each of at least two of a plurality of locomotives in the consist and a locomotive multiple unit (MU) cable bus, the MU cable bus interconnecting the electronics components and being an existing cable bus used in the consist for transfening non-network control information between the locomotives;

wherein the electronic components are configured to communicate by transmitting network data over the MU cable bus, the network data originating at one of the electronic components and being addressed to another of the electronic components.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the network is an Ethernet network.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the network data is high bandwidth network data.

15. A method for retrofitting a locomotive for network data communications, the method comprising:

outfitting the locomotive with a router transceiver unit;

interfacing the router transceiver unit with an electronic component of the locomotive; and

interfacing the router transceiver unit with a multiple unit (MU) cable bus of the locomotive, the MU cable bus being an existing cable bus used for transferring non-network control information between locomotives in a consist;

wherein the router transceiver unit is configured to transmit and/or receive network data over the MU cable bus.

16. A method for communicating data in a vehicle consist, the method comprising:

transmitting network data from a first vehicle in the vehicle consist to a second vehicle in the vehicle consist, the first vehicle being adjacent to and mechanically coupled with the second vehicle;

wherein the network data is transmitted over an existing electrical cable bus interconnecting the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the existing electrical cable bus being used in the vehicle consist for transferring non-network and/or low bandwidth control information between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

at the first vehicle, converting the network data into modulated network data for transmission over the existing electrical cable bus, wherein the modulated network data is orthogonal to the non-network control information transferred between the first and second vehicles over the existing electrical cable bus; and

at the second vehicle, de-modulating the modulated network data received over the existing electrical cable bus for use by a computer unit in the second vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the vehicle consist is a train, the first vehicle is a first locomotive, and the second vehicle is a second locomotive;

the existing electrical cable bus is a locomotive multiple unit (MU) cable bus interconnecting the first locomotive and the second locomotive; and

the non-network control information comprises train control information that is transmitted over the MU cable bus according to a designated voltage carrier signal.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the network data is high bandwidth network data.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the existing electrical cable bus is an ECP train line.