REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING A TOUCHSCREEN FOR CONTROLLING A RAILWAY VEHICLE

• US 20110313596A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hetronic International, Inc. (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hetronic International, Inc. (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ecton, Mark, Rempe, Torsten, Heckl, Max
• Application Number:
  US13/165,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313596A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a remote control system for controlling a railway vehicle. The remote control system including a remote control device for transmitting signals to a first controller module. The first controller is mounted to the railway vehicle and controls and monitors the functions of the railway vehicle. The first controller module also relays information to the remote control device. The remote control system can also include a portable safety switch allowing any individual in proximity to the railway vehicle to send a stop signal to the first controller module to stop the railway vehicle if any unsafe conditions exist.

Claims

1. A remote control system for maintaining a specific velocity of a railway vehicle, the remote control system comprising:

a remote control device for transmitting signals;

a first controller module connected to the railway vehicle and in communication with the remote control device, the first controller module transmitting a signal to a throttle to propel the railway vehicle in a predetermined direction; and

a GPS device in communication with the first controller module to determine the position and velocity of the railway vehicle, the position and velocity of the railway vehicle transmitted to the remote control device via the first controller module, the remote control device transmitting a signal to the first controller module to maintain the velocity of the railway vehicle at a specific velocity once the specific velocity is reached by the railway vehicle as determined by the GPS device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote control device includes a video display for displaying information wherein the video display has a diagonal length that is greater than about 2.5″

.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the video display has a touchscreen;

the touchscreen providing executable command options for the railway vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the video display is provided with backlighting to improve visibility of the displayed information.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the information displayed on the video display can be changed by an operator of the remote control device so as to provide a different set of information and command options actionable via the touchscreen.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote control device is further provided with a GPS device whereby the location of the remote control device can by monitored.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote control system is provided with a plurality of frequencies at which the remote control system is operable.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the remote control system operates at two different frequencies selected from the plurality of frequencies at which the remote control system is operable, the two different frequencies are manually selected by the user of the remote control system or automatically by the remote control system based upon permitted frequencies in a preselected area.

12. A method for maintaining a specific velocity of a railway vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a remote control device for transmitting signals to control the railway vehicle;

providing a first controller module connected to the railway vehicle and in communication with the remote control device;

providing a GPS device attached to the railway vehicle and in communication with the first controller module to determine the position and velocity of the railway vehicle;

transmitting a signal from the remote control device to a throttle via the first controller module to propel the railway vehicle in a predetermined direction

transmitting the position and velocity of the railway vehicle determined by the GPS device to the remote control device via the first controller module; and

transmitting a signal from the remote control device to the first controller module to maintain the velocity of the railway vehicle at a specific velocity once the specific velocity is reached by the railway vehicle as determined by the GPS device.

7. The system of claim 12 wherein the controller module and the remote control device are monitored by a command center.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the command center is provided with a GPS device to provide a reference point for the remote control system.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the GPS unit in communication with the first controller module provides an initial velocity and an initial direction of travel of the railway vehicle to the first controller module, the first controller module transmitting the initial velocity and an initial direction of travel of the railway vehicle to the remote control device thereby initiating a warning signal that the railway vehicle is in motion, the warning signal functioning for a predetermined amount of time before initiating a fault condition, the fault condition causing an application of the brake system to stop the railway vehicle.