Computer control of railroad train brake system operation
First Claim
1. A locomotive and end of train telemetry apparatus wherein a Locomotive Control Unit includes means for transmitting signals to an End of Train Unit, and the End Train Unit has means for transmitting signals to the Locomotive Control Unit each under the control of a microprocessor located respectively in said Units, the microprocessor in said Locomotive Control Unit being provided with memory that stores brake pipe and equalizing reservoir pressure values occurring over a predetermined period of time as received from an equalization pressure reservoir and from a brake pipe extending continuously from the locomotive through a railway train of cars to a remote car of the train, the apparatus comprising:
- a System Interface Unit interfacing the microprocessor of the Locomotive Control Unit with the brake pipe and the equalizing reservoir for providing the microprocessor in the Locomotive Control Unit with said brake pipe and equalizing pressure values,a pressure transducer interfacing the brake pipe with the microprocessor in the End of Train Unit for providing said microprocessor with brake pipe pressure values, andthe means for transmitting information between the Locomotive and End of Train Units includes respective radio transceivers electrically connected to the microprocessors located in the Locomotive and End of Train Units.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Radio-based control of railroad train brakes is effected in which brake systems are computer controlled. An End of Train (EOT) system is used in which microprocessor circuits of a Locomotive Control Unit (LCU) and an EOT unit are programmed to perform these and other functions. The computer system has several states. On power on, the system enters the Setup state during which the system stores about one minutes worth of both brake pipe and equalizing reservoir pressure data. This data is later used to determine the rate of change of these pressures to determine stability. Once setup is complete, the system enters the Stability state during which operating pressures are determined. When the equalizing reservoir pressure, the brake pipe pressure and the brake pipe pressure at the end of the train are stable, the EOT unit is commanded to update operating pressures stored in its microprocessor control circuit. Once the several pressures have been found to be stable, the system goes to the Release state. The system makes transitions between the Release state and the Stability state until a predetermined decrease in brake pipe pressure is detected. At this point, the system makes a transition to the Application state. In this state, determinations are made as to whether to transmit brake commands to the EOT unit from the LCU or to return to one of the Stability or Release states. In any of these states, the system can immediately enter the Emergency state to the Setup state, if setup has not been completed, or to the Release state if setup has been completed.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A locomotive and end of train telemetry apparatus wherein a Locomotive Control Unit includes means for transmitting signals to an End of Train Unit, and the End Train Unit has means for transmitting signals to the Locomotive Control Unit each under the control of a microprocessor located respectively in said Units, the microprocessor in said Locomotive Control Unit being provided with memory that stores brake pipe and equalizing reservoir pressure values occurring over a predetermined period of time as received from an equalization pressure reservoir and from a brake pipe extending continuously from the locomotive through a railway train of cars to a remote car of the train, the apparatus comprising:
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a System Interface Unit interfacing the microprocessor of the Locomotive Control Unit with the brake pipe and the equalizing reservoir for providing the microprocessor in the Locomotive Control Unit with said brake pipe and equalizing pressure values, a pressure transducer interfacing the brake pipe with the microprocessor in the End of Train Unit for providing said microprocessor with brake pipe pressure values, and the means for transmitting information between the Locomotive and End of Train Units includes respective radio transceivers electrically connected to the microprocessors located in the Locomotive and End of Train Units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer implemented method for radio-based Electro-Pneumatic (EP) control of railroad train brakes, said method being implemented on microprocessor control circuits of a Locomotive Control Unit (LCU) and an End of Train (EOT) Unit in an end of train system, the method comprising the steps of:
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on the occurrence of powering the end of train system, storing brake pipe and equalizing reservoir pressure data for a predetermined time period, said data later being used to determine a rate of change of brake operating pressures, measuring rates of change of operating pressures to determine when equalizing reservoir pressure, brake pipe pressure and brake pipe pressure at the end of the train are stable; when the equalizing reservoir pressure, the brake pipe pressure and the brake pipe pressure at the end of the train are stable, commanding the EOT unit to update operating pressures stored in its microprocessor control circuit; detecting a predetermined amount and rate of decrease in brake pipe pressure indicating application of brakes; and transmitting brake commands from the LCU to the EOT Unit in response to detecting said predetermined decrease in brake pipe pressure. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method of implementing a setup state on a microprocessor located in a Locomotive Control Unit and in anEnd of Train Unit in an end of train system having a brake pipe extending between a locomotive and the last car of a train of cars connected to the locomotive, comprising:
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commencing a setup state on the occurrence of powering the end of train system to establish brake pipe pressure and a brake release state when brake pipe pressure is established and stable by determining the magnitude and a rate of change in brake pipe pressure, detecting an emergency condition if the magnitude in brake pipe pressure decreases at a predetermined rate, and completing the setup state if brake pipe pressure increases to a predetermined magnitude after a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of determining a state of stability in brake pipe pressure values in a train of cars connected to a locomotive, the locomotive and cars having a brake pipe extending from the locomotive to and through the cars to a car remote from the locomotive, comprising:
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determining a change in pressure values in a brake pipe at the locomotive and at a car of the train remote from the locomotive, as well as a change in the pressure value of a equalization reservoir connected to the brake pipe, determining if the brake pipe and equalization reservoir pipe pressure values are at or below a predetermined rate of change, in which case a state of stability exists for releasing the brakes of the train, and updating said pressure values using software associated with a microprocessor respectively located in the locomotive and in the car remote from the locomotive, and respectively connected to the brake pipe at the locomotive and in the car remote from the locomotive for receiving pressure values existing in said brake pipe.
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12. A method of providing a state of release for the brakes of a train of cars connected to a locomotive, comprising:
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determining a rate of change in the magnitude of pressure in a brake pipe extending from the locomotive to and through said cars, providing a state of pressure stability if said rate of change is less than a predetermined value, using said pressure stability to release the brakes of said train, and to thereinafter apply said brakes when needed.
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13. A method of qualifying the brakes of a train of railroad cars for minimum brake application, said train having a brake pipe and an equalizing pressure reservoir, the method comprising:
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determining pressure and a rate of pressure change in the brake pipe and equalizing pressure reservoir, determining pressure in the equalizing pressure reservoir if the rate of change in brake pipe pressure is less than the predetermined amount over said predetermined period of time, forwarding a minimum brake application command to a car located at an end of the train remote from a lead locomotive connected to the train of cars if the pressure in the equalizing pressure reservoir has increased more than a predetermined amount in a predetermined period of time, and decreasing brake pipe pressure at the remote end of the train upon receipt of the command in the remote car.
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14. A method of qualifying service application of the brakes of a train of railroad cars comprising:
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measuring a rate of change in the magnitudes of equalization reservoir pressure and brake pipe pressure, and sending service brake commands to an End of Train Unit of railroad cars if there has been a predetermined decrease in equalizing reservoir pressure in a predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of effecting a self-test procedure for determining pneumatic conditions at the end of train of railroad cars having an End of Train Unit containing a microprocessor and associated memory, said associated memory containing self-test software, the method comprising:
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initiating the self-test procedure by running the software, using said software to provide a self-test pressure value and to set the same to a service brake pressure value, determining if the value of the service brake pressure is less than the self-test pressure value by a predetermined amount, and indicating a FAIL condition if the service brake pressure value is less than the self-test pressure valve by the predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of making minimum incremental reductions in brake pipe pressure at an End-of-train Unit in proportion to a decrease in pressure in an equalizing pressure reservoir connected to a brake pipe at the locomotive end of the train, which pipe extends to the End-of-train Unit, the method comprising:
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sending electronic instructions from the locomotive end of the train to the End-of-Train Unit concerning the reduction in reservoir pressure before a reduction in brake pipe pressure takes place at the locomotive end of the train and propagates to the End-of-Train Unit from the locomotive end, and reducing brake pipe pressure at the locomotive end of the train based on the reduction in reservoir pressure. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification