Railroad telemetry and control systems
First Claim
1. An End of Train (EOT) and Head of Train (HOT) railroad telemetry system wherein an EOT unit includes means for transmitting a signal to a HOT unit when an Undesired Emergency (UDE) brake event due to venting of air in a train brake pipe to atmosphere is detected at the EOT unit, and further comprising at the HOT unit:
- means for storing different propagation constants representing differences in propagation rates in directions from a front to a rear of the train and from the rear to the front of the train due to air flow in said brake pipe;
means for detecting the UDE at the HOT unit;
means for measuring a time differential between times when the UDE is detected at the EOT and HOT units;
means, using the measured time differential and the stored different propagation constants, for automatically calculating an approximate location where the UDE originated.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improvements relating to railroad telemetry and control system address problems in compatibility between HOT and EOT units, implement an automatic UDE location procedure, and automate calibration of EOT units. An improved two way protocol that allows EOT units having different code formats to be used with a HOT unit. A method is implemented by a HOT unit, cooperating with an EOT unit, for locating a fault which causes a UDE brake operation. An automatic calibration procedure for the EOT unit that does not require the operator to have access to the electronic circuitry.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. An End of Train (EOT) and Head of Train (HOT) railroad telemetry system wherein an EOT unit includes means for transmitting a signal to a HOT unit when an Undesired Emergency (UDE) brake event due to venting of air in a train brake pipe to atmosphere is detected at the EOT unit, and further comprising at the HOT unit:
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means for storing different propagation constants representing differences in propagation rates in directions from a front to a rear of the train and from the rear to the front of the train due to air flow in said brake pipe; means for detecting the UDE at the HOT unit; means for measuring a time differential between times when the UDE is detected at the EOT and HOT units; means, using the measured time differential and the stored different propagation constants, for automatically calculating an approximate location where the UDE originated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method used in End of Train (EOT) and Head of Train (HOT) railroad telemetry systems in which an EOT unit includes means for transmitting a signal to a HOT unit in the event of an Undesired Emergency (UDE) brake event due to venting of air in a train brake pipe to atmosphere, said method performed by said HOT unit and comprising the steps of:
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storing different propagation constants representing differences in propagation rates in directions from a front to a rear of the train and from the rear to the front of the train due to air flow in said brake pipe; detecting at said HOT unit a UDE brake event; measuring a time differential between times when the UDE is detected at the EOT and HOT units; and computing from the measured time differential and the stored different propagation constants an approximate location where the UDE originated. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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Specification