Systems and Methods for Determining Route Location
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a communication module configured to be located onboard a first vehicle that is configured to travel along a route, the route comprising plural sub-routes, the communication module configured to receive route occupancy information from an off-board wayside module disposed along the route, the route occupancy information corresponding to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each of the sub-routes within a geographic range of a route detection system configured to be operably coupled to the wayside module; and
a determination module configured to be located onboard the first vehicle, the determination module configured to obtain position information from one or more onboard detection units disposed onboard the first vehicle, the one or more onboard detection units comprising at least one detector configured to detect a position of the first vehicle, the determination module configured to determine a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information obtained from the one or more onboard detection units with the route occupancy information received from the off-board wayside module.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a communication module and a determination module. The communication module is configured to be located onboard a vehicle configured to travel along a route including plural sub-routes. The communication module is configured to receive route occupancy information from an off-board wayside module disposed along the route. The route occupancy information corresponds to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each sub-route within a range of a route detection system operably coupled to the wayside module. The determination module is configured to be located onboard the vehicle, and to obtain position information from one or more onboard detection units disposed onboard the vehicle. The determination module is configured to determine a particular sub-route on which the vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information obtained from the one or more onboard detection units and the occupancy information received from the off-board wayside module.
27 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a communication module configured to be located onboard a first vehicle that is configured to travel along a route, the route comprising plural sub-routes, the communication module configured to receive route occupancy information from an off-board wayside module disposed along the route, the route occupancy information corresponding to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each of the sub-routes within a geographic range of a route detection system configured to be operably coupled to the wayside module; and a determination module configured to be located onboard the first vehicle, the determination module configured to obtain position information from one or more onboard detection units disposed onboard the first vehicle, the one or more onboard detection units comprising at least one detector configured to detect a position of the first vehicle, the determination module configured to determine a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information obtained from the one or more onboard detection units with the route occupancy information received from the off-board wayside module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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3. (canceled)
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4. (canceled)
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9. A system comprising:
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a wayside module, the wayside module configured to be disposed along a route along which a first vehicle is configured to travel, the route comprising plural sub-routes, the wayside module comprising; an occupancy identification module configured to be operably coupled to a route detection system, the occupancy identification module configured to obtain occupancy information corresponding to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each of the sub-routes within a geographic range of the route detection system, the occupancy information including vehicle occupancy information representative of the presence or absence of the first vehicle on one of the sub-routes; and a communication module configured to communicatively couple the wayside module to the first vehicle, the communication module configured to transmit the occupancy information to the first vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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obtaining, at a determination module disposed onboard a first vehicle, position information corresponding to a location of the first vehicle from one or more detection units disposed onboard the first vehicle, the one or more onboard detection units comprising at least one detector configured to detect a position of the first vehicle, wherein the first vehicle is configured to travel along a route, the route comprising plural sub-routes; obtaining, via a communication module disposed onboard the first vehicle, route occupancy information from a wayside module disposed along the route, the route occupancy information corresponding to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each of the sub-routes within a geographic range of a route detection system configured to be operably coupled to the wayside module; and determining, onboard the first vehicle, a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information with the route occupancy information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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16. (canceled)
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21. A system comprising:
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a communication module configured to be located onboard a first vehicle that is configured to travel along a route, the route comprising plural sub-routes, the communication module configured to receive route occupancy information from an off-board wayside module disposed along the route, the route occupancy information corresponding to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each of the sub-routes within a geographic range of a route detection system configured to be operably coupled to the wayside module; and a determination module configured to be located onboard the first vehicle, the determination module configured to obtain position information from one or more onboard detection units disposed onboard the first vehicle, the determination module configured to determine a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information obtained from the one or more onboard detection units with the route occupancy information received from the off-board wayside module, wherein the determination module is configured to direct an operator of the first vehicle to change velocity of the first vehicle if the determination module is not able to distinguish between sub-route occupancy information corresponding to two or more of the sub-routes.
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22. A system comprising:
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a communication module configured to be located onboard a first vehicle that is configured to travel along a route, the route comprising plural sub-routes, the communication module configured to receive route occupancy information from an off-board wayside module disposed along the route, the route occupancy information corresponding to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each of the sub-routes within a geographic range of a route detection system configured to be operably coupled to the wayside module; a determination module configured to be located onboard the first vehicle, the determination module configured to obtain position information from one or more onboard detection units disposed onboard the first vehicle, the determination module configured to determine a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information obtained from the one or more onboard detection units with the route occupancy information received from the off-board wayside module; and an automatic control module configured to autonomously alter velocity of the first vehicle responsive to the determination module being unable to distinguish between sub-route occupancy information corresponding to two or more of the sub-routes.
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23. A method comprising:
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obtaining, at a determination module disposed onboard a first vehicle, position information corresponding to a location of the first vehicle from one or more detection units disposed onboard the first vehicle, wherein the first vehicle is configured to travel along a route, the route comprising plural sub-routes; obtaining, via a communication module disposed onboard the first vehicle, route occupancy information from a wayside module disposed along the route, the route occupancy information corresponding to a presence or absence of vehicular traffic on each of the sub-routes within a geographic range of a route detection system configured to be operably coupled to the wayside module; determining, onboard the first vehicle, a particular sub-route of the plural sub-routes on which the first vehicle is disposed using a comparison of the position information with the route occupancy information; and directing a change of velocity of the first vehicle if sub-route occupancy information corresponding to two or more of the sub-routes is sufficiently similar to prevent determining which of the sub-routes the first vehicle is disposed on.
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Specification