COMMUNICATION NETWORK HAVING LOCOMOTIVE EXPANSION MODULE

• US 20170036660A1
• Filed: 08/06/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: HUMPHREY, Stephen Harold, MILLER, Marc David, GOERGEN, Todd Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,868,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B60T 2270/413 Plausibility monitoring, cross check, redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1705 for rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/171 Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance

Abstract

An expansion module is disclosed for use in a communication network. The expansion module may include a housing, an input interface connected to the housing and configured to externally connect with at least one analog device, and an output interface connected to the housing and configured to externally connect with the communication network. The expansion module may also include at least one processor located in the housing and configured to receive analog signals from the input interface, to convert the analog signals to digital signals, and to direct the digital signals to the output interface. The expansion module may also include at least one sensor located in the housing and configured to generate digital signals indicative of a performance parameter associated with a fluid in communication with the housing.

Claims

1. An expansion module for a communication network, comprising:

a housing;

an input interface connected to the housing and configured to externally connect with at least one analog device;

an output interface connected to the housing and configured to externally connect with the communication network;

at least one processor located in the housing and configured to receive analog signals from the input interface, to convert the analog signals to digital signals, and to direct the digital signals to the output interface; and

at least one sensor located in the housing and configured to generate digitals signals indicative of a performance parameter associated with a fluid in communication with the housing.

2. The expansion module of claim 1, wherein the performance parameter is a pressure.

3. The expansion module of claim 2, wherein the fluid is pressurized air used for braking.

4. The expansion module of claim 2, wherein:

the communication network is associated with a train consist having multiple cars connected to each other by a fluid coupling;

the expansion module further includes a conduit connecting the fluid coupling to the housing; and

the at least one sensor is in fluid communication with the conduit.

5. The expansion module of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to read the analog signals at a rate of about once every 20 milliseconds.

6. The expansion module of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes:

a first microprocessor configured to read the analog signals; and

a second microprocessor configured to convert the analog signals to digital signals,

7. The expansion module of claim 6, wherein:

the communication network includes an event recorder; and

the second microprocessor is configured direct the digital signals to the event recorder via the output interface.

8. The expansion module of claim 7, wherein the second microprocessor is configured to output the digital signals to the event recorder only in response to an event triggering condition.

9. The expansion module of claim 7, wherein the second microprocessor is configured to convert the analog signals to digital only in response to an event-triggering condition,

10. A communication network for a consist having a first vehicle connected to a second vehicle by a fluid coupling, the communication network comprising:

a first network component;

an analog device configured to generate analog signals indicative of a performance parameter of the first network component;

a second network component; and

an expansion module having;

a housing;

an input interface connected to the housing and externally connected with the analog device;

an output interface connected to the housing and externally connected with the second network component;

at least one processor located in the housing and configured to receive the analog signals from the input interface, to convert the analog;

signals to digital signals, and to direct the digital signals to the output interface; and

at least one sensor located in the housing and configured to generate digital signals indicative of a performance parameter associated with a fluid in the fluid coupling.

11. The communication network of claim 10, wherein the performance parameter is a pressure.

12. The communication network of claim 11, wherein the fluid is pressurized air used for braking.

13. The communication network of claim 12, further including a conduit connecting the fluid coupling to the housing of the expansion module, wherein the at least one sensor is in fluid communication with the conduit.

14. The communication network of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to read the analog signals at a rate of about once every 20 milliseconds.

15. The communication network of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor includes:

a first microprocessor configured to read the analog signals; and

a second microprocessor configured to convert the analog signals to digital signals.

16. The communication network of claim 15, wherein:

the second network component is an event recorder; and

the second microprocessor is configured to output the digital signals to the event recorder.

17. The communication network of claim 16, wherein the second microprocessor is configured to output the digital signals to the event recorder only in response to an event-triggering condition.

18. The communication network of claim 17, wherein the second microprocessor is configured to convert the analog signals to digital signals only in response to an event-triggering condition.

19. The communication network of claim 10, wherein:

the expansion module is a first expansion module associated with the first vehicle of the consist; and

the communication network further includes a second expansion module associated with the second vehicle of the consist.

20. A train consist, comprising:

a first locomotive;

a second locomotive;

a first access point located on the first locomotive and being configured to control operations of the first locomotive;

a second access point located on one of the second locomotive and being configured to control operations of the second locomotive;

a cable connecting the first and second access points to communicate signals associated with coordinated control over operations of the first locomotive and the second locomotive;

a fluid coupling connecting the first locomotive to the second locomotive;

a first network component located on one of the first and second locomotives;

an analog device configured to generate analog signals indicative of a performance parameter of the first network component;

an event recorder; and

an expansion module having;

a housing;

an input interface connected to the housing and externally connected with the analog device;

an output interface connected to the housing and externally connected with the event recorder;

a processor located in the housing and configured to receive the analog signals from the input interface, to convert the analog signals to digital signals, and to direct the digital signals to the output interface; and

a pressure sensor located in the housing and configured to generate digital signals indicative of a pressure of a fluid in the fluid coupling.