Method and apparatus for determining relative locomotive position in a train consist
First Claim
1. A system for determining a relative position of locomotives within a same train consist, the system comprising:
- a receiver mounted to a remote locomotive within said same train consist, said receiver receiving a signal from which a position of said remote locomotive is determined; and
a processor operatively coupled to said receiver, said processor determining a relative position of said remote locomotive in said same train consist with respect to another locomotive in said same train consist based on the received signal from which the position of said remote locomotive is determined.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the position of one or more locomotives in a train consist is disclosed. A receiver is mounted to each locomotive in a train consist. The receiver receives a signal such as a reference signal from a global positioning system determines a coordinate position for that locomotive. A processor determines a relative position for the locomotive in the train consist based on its determined coordinate position. This process is periodically repeated for each locomotive in the train consist so that the configuration of locomotives in the train consist may be tracked or verified as cars are added or removed from the train.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for determining a relative position of locomotives within a same train consist, the system comprising:
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a receiver mounted to a remote locomotive within said same train consist, said receiver receiving a signal from which a position of said remote locomotive is determined; and a processor operatively coupled to said receiver, said processor determining a relative position of said remote locomotive in said same train consist with respect to another locomotive in said same train consist based on the received signal from which the position of said remote locomotive is determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for determining a position of locomotives in a same train consist, said apparatus comprising:
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means for determining a position for each of one or more locomotives in said same train consist utilizing a reference signal received from a global positioning system; and means for calculating a relative position for each of said one or more locomotives in said same train consist based on the position of said locomotive determined from the reference signal received from a global positioning system, said calculating means further tracking relative locations of said locomotives within said same train consist. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for determining a relative position of a locomotive in a same train consist comprising the steps of
determining a position for a first locomotive in said same train consist utilizing a reference signal received from a global positioning system; -
communicating the determined position to a processor; and calculating a relative position for the first locomotive with respect to a second locomotive within said same train consist based on the received reference signal from which the position of said first locomotive is determined.
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Specification