Method and apparatus for placing a trainline monitor system in a layup mode

• US 5,317,751 A
• Filed: 03/18/1992
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: AEG Westinghouse Transportation Systems, Inc. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Roberts, Richard D., Novakovich, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHUN, DEBRA
• Application Number:
  US07/853,251
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750, 395/200, 395/325, 364/424.01, 364/424.03
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance

Abstract

A method for placing a multi-car train with a communication network in an energy saving layup mode, the communication network having a master node interconnected to at least one other node via a train bus, the train having a head car for carrying the master node and at least one other car for carrying the at least one other node with an intelligent subsystem unit coupled to the train bus by the other node. The method includes transmitting a shutdown signal to the master node; sending in response to the shutdown signal a shutdown message from the master node to the at least one other node after a predetermined amount of time; and shutting down power to the intelligent subsystem unit in response to receiving the shutdown message at the at least one other node.

Claims

1. A method for placing a multi-car train with a communication network in an energy saving layup mode, the communication network having a master node interconnected to at least one node via a train bus, the train having a head car for carrying the master node and at least one other car for carrying the at least one other node with an intelligent subsystem unit coupled to the train bus by the other node, the intelligent subsystem unit controlling auxiliary systems of the at least one other car, the head car including an operator console for controlling the train through the master node, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a shutdown signal from the operator console to the master node to disable operation of the train;

sending in response to the shutdown signal an shutdown message from the master node to the at least one other node after a delay of a predetermined amount of time, the train being in a layup mode during the predetermined amount of time wherein the train is not operational but auxiliary systems controlled by the intelligent subsystem unit of the train are kept running; and

subsequently shutting down power to the intelligent subsystem unit with the at least one other node in response to receiving the shutdown message at the at least one other node after the expiration of the predetermined amount of time.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises a master/slave communications network and the at least one other node is a slave node responsive to the master node, the method further comprising the steps of:

when a further car containing a second master node able to control any slave node in any car is coupled to the train during the predetermined time that the train is in the layup mode, forming a resultant train by establishing communication between the second master node and the master/slave communications network; and

relinquishing control of any and all slave nodes from the first master node to the second master node.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication network has a plurality of other nodes and respective intelligent subsystem units,

wherein said second step further comprises sending, in response to the shutdown signal, shutdown messages to the plurality of other nodes after said delay of a predetermined amount of time, and

wherein said shutting down step further comprises shutting down power to the plurality of intelligent subsystem unit by the respective other nodes in response to receiving the shutdown messages.

4. An apparatus for placing a muilti-car train with a communication network in an energy saving layup mode, the train including at least a head car and at least one other car, comprising;

a master node on the head car of the train;

a slave node on the at least one other car of the train;

a train bus interconnecting said master node with said slave node;

intelligent subsystem means on the at least one other car of the train and coupled to said slave node for controlling auxiliary systems for providing comfortable conditions in the at least one other car; and

an operator console having a switch and coupled to said master node,

wherein said console includes means for sending a signal to the master node, whereby keying off said switch causes the console to send the signal to said master node,

wherein said master node includes means for sending a message to said slave node in response to the signal after a delay of a predetermined amount of time, the train being in a layup mode during the predetermined amount of time wherein the train is not operational but the auxiliary systems controlled by the intelligent subsystem of the train are kept running, said message to said slave node causing said intelligent subsystem to shut down.

5. An apparatus for laying up a trainline monitor system for a train, the trainline monitor system having a master node interconnected to at least one other node via a train bus, the train having a head car carrying the master node, and at least one other car carrying the at least one other node and carrying an intelligent subsystem unit including at least one of a heating unit, an air conditioning unit, a ventilation unit and a lighting unit, the intelligent subsystem unit being coupled to the train bus by the at least one other node, the apparatus comprising;

a console, coupled to the master node, having a switch for keying off the train with the master node;

shutdown signal output means in the master node coupled to said console for outputting to the at least one other node via the train bus, after a delay of a predetermined amount of time, a shutdown signal in response to keying off said console, the train being a in a layup mode during the predetermined amount of time wherein the train is not operational but the auxiliary systems controlled by the intelligent subsystem unit of the train are kept running; and

shutting down means in the at least one other node, coupled to said shutdown signal output means via the train bus and to the intelligent subsystem unit, for receiving the shutdown signal and for shutting down power to the intelligent subsystem unit in dependence on the shutdown signal.

6. A method for placing a multi-car train in an energy saving layup mode in which selected subsystems of each car of the train remain powered-up while other subsystems of each car are powered off,

the train having a communication network which includes a communications node on each car of the train, a vehicle bus on each car of the train coupled to the respective subsystems on the car and to the communications node of the car, and a train bus running through the train interconnecting the communications node and communicating with the vehicle buses by way of the communication nodes, the method comprising:

transmitting a layup mode message over the communication network from one of the nodes to other of the nodes instructing the other of the nodes to maintain power for a predetermined period of time to the selected subsystems of each car of the train and to disconnect power from the other subsystems of each car of the train to thereby place the train in a layup mode.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the communications network comprises a master/slave communications network in which the one node constitutes a first master node and each other node in each other car of the train constitutes a slave node responsive to the master node, said method further comprising:

when a further car containing a second master node able to control any slave node in any car is coupled to the train during the predetermined time that the train is in the layup mode, forming a resultant train by establishing communication between the second master node and the master/slave communications network; and

relinquishing control of any and all slave nodes from the first master node to the second master node.