SYSTEM FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION TO A VEHICLE ON RAILS

• US 3,714,419 A
• Filed: 07/01/1970
• Issued: 01/30/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jacques Andre Charles Fosse, Joel Albert Pelletier
• Original Assignee: Jacques Andre Charles Fosse, Joel Albert Pelletier
• Inventors: Fosse, Jacques Andre Charles, Pelletier, Joel Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Forlenza, Gerald M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Libman, George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/051,574
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310,216 246/34R,187B,63C 179/15BM
• US Class Current: 246/63.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/246 using coded current

Abstract

A system for transmitting additional information throughout a railroad communication system that uses unmodulated signals representing signalling information transmitted through the rails by superimposing pulses having pulse repetition periods representing additional information on the unmodulated signals. A vehicle is provided with means for picking up the signals from the rails, decoding the pulse signals and displaying the additional information.

Claims

1. A system for the transmission of information throughout a railroad system having a plurality of adjacent rail sections for the transmission of unmodulated signals, said signals having frequencies representing signalling information, each section being electrically isolated for operation at a different frequency, said information systems comprising transmitting means coupled to said sections for producing pulses synchronously with the frequency of said signals, said pulses being superimposed upon said signals and having variable pulse repetition periods representing additional information and receiving means within railroad vehicles for picking up and decoding said additional information.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transmitting means is coupled to remote terminals of said sections viewed in the direction of travel of said railroad vehicle and comprises an oscillator for producing an unmodulated signal at a frequency representing said section, and a pulse code modulator coupled to said oscillator for producing pulses synchronously with the frequency of said oscillator, said unmodulated signal providing the clock signals to said modulator so that the distances between pulses representing said additional information to be transmitted is derived by counting the periods of the unmodulated signal.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein section receiving means coupled to proximate terminals of said sections viewed in the direction of travel of said railroad vehicle, comprises means for actuating a signal and means for controlling the transmitter of the adjacent rail section proximate to said receiving means thereby transmitting said signals with pulses superimposed thereon to adjacent sections.

4. A system for the transmission of information throughout a railroad system having a plurality of adjacent rail sections for the transmission of unmodulated signals, said signals having frequencies representing signalling information, each section being electrically isolated for operation at a different frequency, said information systems comprising transmitting means coupled to said sections for producing pulses synchronously with the frequency of said signals, said pulses being superimposed upon said signals and having pulse repetition periods representing additional information, said transmitting means further comprising means for controlling said modulator from remote sections viewed in the direction of travel of said vehicle by varying the frequency of said pulses, and receiving means within railroad vehicles for picking up and decoding said additional information.

5. A system for the transmission of information throughout a railroad system having a plurality of adjacent rail sections for the transmission of unmodulated signals, said signals having frequencies representing signalling information, each section being electrically isolated for operation at a different frequency, said information systems comprising transmitting means coupled to said section for producing pulses synchronously with the frequency of said signals, said pulses being superimposed upon said signals and having pulse repetition periods representing additional information and receiving means within railroad vehicles for picking up and decoding said additional information, said receiving means comprising pick-up means for detecting said unmodulated signals with pulses superimposed thereon and separating said pulses from said unmodulated signals, and decoding means comprising a shift register and logic circuits coupled to said shift register for identifying said additional information derived by converting delayed pulse positions within said shift register into voltages proportional to said positions.