COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR A RAIL VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING WITH A RAIL VEHICLE

• US 20120095626A1
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Smith, Eugene A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R

Abstract

A communication system for a rail vehicle includes a transceiver assembly, a selection module, and a monitoring module. The transceiver assembly selectively communicates a data signal over a plurality of communication channels. The data signal is related to distributed power operations of the rail vehicle. The selection module is communicatively coupled with the transceiver assembly and switches the transceiver assembly to any of the communication channels. The monitoring module is communicatively coupled with the selection module and determines a load parameter of one or more of the communication channels. The load parameter is based on a population value of the one or more communication channels. The selection module switches the transceiver assembly to a selected channel of the communication channels based on the load parameter for communicating the data signal over the selected channel.

Claims

1. A communication system for a rail vehicle, the system comprising:

a transceiver assembly for selectively communicating a data signal over a plurality of communication channels, the data signal related to distributed power operations of the rail vehicle;

a selection module communicatively coupled with the transceiver assembly, the selection module capable of switching the transceiver assembly to any of the communication channels; and

a monitoring module communicatively coupled with the selection module, the monitoring module configured to determine a load parameter of one or more of the communication channels, the load parameter based on a population value of the one or more communication channels, wherein the selection module switches the transceiver assembly to a selected channel of the communication channels based on the load parameter for communicating the data signal over the selected channel.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module determines the load parameter based on a number of transmitting vehicles communicating data signals on one or more of the communication channels.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver assembly is configured to be communicatively coupled with a propulsion subsystem of the rail vehicle, the transceiver assembly receiving an instruction over the selected channel with the propulsion subsystem implementing the instruction to change a tractive effort or braking effort of the rail vehicle.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver assembly is a lead transceiver assembly, the selection module is a lead selection module, and the monitoring module is a lead monitoring module each disposed on a lead powered unit of the rail vehicle, and further comprising a remote transceiver assembly, a remote selection module, and a remote monitoring module each disposed on a remote powered unit of the rail vehicle.

5. The communication system of claim 4, wherein the remote selection module switches the remote transceiver assembly between the selected channel and a default channel until the data signal is communicated between the lead and remote transceiver assemblies.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the selection module switches the transceiver assembly to the selected channel based on a priority index associated with the rail vehicle.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module determines the load parameter for a first set of the communication channels that are available in a current geographical zone in which the rail vehicle is traveling and for a different second set of the communication channels that are available in a different geographical zone.

8. The communication system of claim 7, wherein the selection module switches the transceiver assembly to the selected channel in the second set of the communication channels when the rail vehicle enters the different geographical zone.

9. A method for communicating with a rail vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring a population value of one or more communication channels used by a transceiver assembly of the rail vehicle to communicate a data signal related to distributed power operations of the rail vehicle;

determining a load parameter of the one or more communication channels based on the population value; and

switching the transceiver assembly to a selected channel of the communication channels based on the load parameter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the monitoring step includes identifying a number of transmitting vehicles that are communicating data signals over the one or more communication channels.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the transceiver assembly is a lead transceiver assembly of a lead powered unit of the rail vehicle and the switching step includes switching the lead transceiver assembly and a remote transceiver assembly of a remote powered unit of the rail vehicle to the selected channel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the switching step includes switching the remote transceiver assembly of the remote powered unit between the selected channel and a default channel until the data signal is communicated between the lead and remote transceiver assemblies.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the switching step includes switching the transceiver assembly to the selected channel based on a priority index associated with the rail vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring step includes monitoring the population value for a first set of the communication channels that are available in a current geographical zone in which the rail vehicle is traveling and for a different second set of the communication channels that are available in a different geographical zone.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the switching step includes switching the transceiver assembly to the selected channel in the second set of the communication channels when the rail vehicle enters the different geographical zone.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for a rail vehicle having a transceiver assembly, a selection module, and a monitoring module, the computer readable storage medium comprising instructions to:

direct the monitoring module to determine a load parameter of one or more communication channels over which the transceiver assembly communicates a data signal related to distributed power operations of the rail vehicle, the load parameter based on a population value of the one or more communication channels; and

direct the selection module to switch the transceiver assembly to a selected channel of the communication channels based on the load parameter.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions direct the monitoring module to determine the load parameter based on a number of transmitting vehicles communicating data signals on the one or more communication channels.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions direct the selection module to switch the transceiver assembly between the selected channel and a default channel until the data signal is communicated with a different transceiver assembly.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions direct the selection module to switch the transceiver assembly to the selected channel based on a priority index associated with the rail vehicle.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions direct the monitoring module to determine the load parameter for a first set of the communication channels that are available in a current geographical zone in which the rail vehicle is traveling and for a different second set of the communication channels that are available in a different geographical zone.