VEHICLE CONSIST CONFIGURATION CONTROL

• US 20130261842A1
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: KUMAR, AJITH KUTTANNAIR, COOPER, JARED KLINEMAN, SMITH, EUGENE, NAGRODSKY, NICK DAVID, SCHOONMAKER, WILLIAM CHERRICK, GOODERMUTH, TODD WILLIAM
• Granted Patent: US 9,956,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/12 Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0063 Multiple on-board control systems, e.g. "2 out of 3"-systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/028 Determination of vehicle position and orientation within a train consist, e.g. serialisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance

Abstract

A method includes obtaining data relating to operation of a first vehicle in a vehicle consist that includes the first vehicle and a second vehicle communicatively coupled with each other by a communication channel. The first vehicle includes a first electronic component performing functions for the first vehicle using the first data. The method also includes communicating the first data over the communication channel from the first vehicle to a second electronic component disposed onboard the second vehicle responsive to the first electronic component being unable to perform the one or more functions for the first vehicle using the first data. The method further includes performing the functions of the first electronic component with the second electronic component using the first data that is received from the first vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining first data relating to operation of a first vehicle in a vehicle consist that includes the first vehicle and at least a second vehicle mechanically interconnected with each other in the vehicle consist, the first and second vehicles communicatively coupled with each other by a communication channel, the first vehicle including a tangible and non-transitory first electronic component configured to perform one or more functions for the first vehicle using the first data;

communicating the first data over the communication channel from the first vehicle to a tangible and non-transitory second electronic component disposed onboard the second vehicle, the first data communicated responsive to the first electronic component being unable to perform the one or more functions for the first vehicle using the first data; and

performing the one or more functions of the first electronic component for the first vehicle with the second electronic component of the second vehicle, the one or more functions performed by the second electronic component using the first data that is received from the first vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is communicated from the first vehicle to the second electronic component of the second vehicle over a multiple unit (MU) cable bus that conductively couples the first electronic component with the second electronic component.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the first electronic component is in a failure state when the first electronic component is unable to perform the one or more functions, wherein the first data is communicated to the second electronic component responsive to the first electronic component being determined to be in the failure state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second electronic components are a common type of electronic component and configured to perform the same one or more functions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more functions of the first electronic component with the second electronic component generates return data from the second electronic component, and further comprising communicating the return data to one or more tangible and non-transitory third electronic components disposed onboard the first vehicle for performing one or more control functions for control of the operation of the first vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining at least one of a vehicle separation distance or a component separation distance, the vehicle separation distance representative of a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the component separation distance representative of another, different distance between the first electronic component and the second electronic component; and

modifying the first data using the at least one of the vehicle separation distance or the component separation distance prior to the second electronic component performing the one or more functions using the first data that is modified.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first data represents location data indicative of a location of at least one of the vehicle consist or the first vehicle and modifying the first data includes changing the location of the at least one of the vehicle consist or the first vehicle that is represented by the location data prior to the second electronic component performing the one or more functions to generate the return data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is communicated through the communication channel as high bandwidth network data and the communication channel is a conductive cable bus interconnecting the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is communicated over the communication channel that includes an existing electrical cable bus being used in the vehicle consist for transferring non-network control information between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

10. A system comprising:

a second router transceiver unit configured to be disposed onboard a second vehicle of a vehicle consist that includes the second vehicle and at least a first vehicle mechanically interconnected with each other in the vehicle consist, the second router transceiver unit configured to be communicatively coupled with a first router transceiver unit disposed onboard the first vehicle by a communication channel;

a second electronic component configured to be disposed onboard the second vehicle and to be communicatively coupled with the second router transceiver unit,

wherein the second router transceiver unit also is configured to receive first data from the first vehicle over the communication channel responsive to a first electronic component of the first vehicle being unable to perform one or more designated functions of the first electronic component using the first data,

wherein the second electronic component is configured to perform the one or more functions of the first electronic component using the first data that is received by the second router transceiver unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second electronic component is configured to receive the first data over a multiple unit (MU) cable bus that conductively couples the first electronic component with the second electronic component.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second electronic component is configured to receive the first data for performing the one or more functions for the first vehicle responsive to determining that the first electronic component is in a failure state when the first electronic component is unable to perform the one or more functions.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second electronic components are a common type of electronic component and configured to perform the same one or more functions.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the second electronic component is configured to generate return data from the performing the one or more functions using the first data, and the second router transceiver unit is configured to communicate the return data to one or more tangible and non-transitory third electronic components disposed onboard the first vehicle for performing one or more control functions for control of the operation of the first vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second electronic component is configured to obtain at least one of a vehicle separation distance or a component separation distance, the vehicle separation distance representative of a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the component separation distance representative of another, different distance between the first electronic component and the second electronic component, the second electronic component also configured to modify the first data using the at least one of the vehicle separation distance or the component separation distance prior to the second electronic component performing the one or more functions using the first data that is modified.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first data represents location data indicative of a location of at least one of the vehicle consist or the first vehicle, and wherein the second electronic component is configured to modify the first data by changing the location of the at least one of the vehicle consist or the first vehicle that is represented by the location data prior to the second electronic component performing the one or more functions to generate the return data.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the router transceiver unit is configured to receive the first data as high bandwidth network data communicated over a conductive cable bus interconnecting the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the router transceiver unit is configured to receive the first data over the communication channel that includes an existing electrical cable bus being used in the vehicle consist for transferring non-network control information between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

19. A method comprising:

obtaining operational data related to operation of a vehicle consist that includes at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle mechanically interconnected with each other;

processing the operational data using one or more first processors disposed onboard the first vehicle to generate first return data, the first return data usable to control upcoming operation of the vehicle consist;

responsive to the one or more first processors entering a failure state where the one or more first processors can no longer process the operational data to generate the return data, communicating the operational data to one or more second processors disposed onboard the second vehicle; and

processing the operational data using the one or more second processors disposed onboard the second vehicle to generate second return data, the second return data usable to control upcoming operation of the vehicle consist.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the operational data is communicated to the one or more second processors through a multiple unit (MU) cable bus of the vehicle consist.