Automatic train serialization with car orientation

• US 6,172,619 B1
• Filed: 02/23/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Original Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Inventors: Stevens, Dale R., Lumbis, Anthony W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/255,339
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/531, 340/825.05, 340/825.13, 340/825.06, 246/1.C, 246/2.E, 246/2.R, 246/3-6, 246/122.R, 246/124, 246/166.1, 246/167.R, 104/88.02, 104/88.03, 104/88.04, 104/88.05, 104/88.06, 104/297, 701/19
• US Class Current: 340/933
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/028 Determination of vehicle position and orientation within a train consist, e.g. serialisation

Abstract

A method of serialization including establishing a parameter along a length of the train between a node on one of the cars and one end of the train. The presence or absence of the parameter at each node is determined and the parameter is removed. The sequence is repeated for each node on the train. Finally, serialization of the cars is determined as a function of the number of either determined presences or absences of the parameter for each node. The parameter can be established by providing at the individual node, one at a time, an electric load across an electric line running through the length of the train and measuring an electrical property, either current or voltage, at each node. The same process is used to determine the orientation of a car. The operability of each node is determined by counting the presence and then the absence of a parameter along the whole train.

Claims

1. In a train including at least one locomotive and a plurality of cars, each car being serially connected to an adjacent car and having a local communication node, and a controller in a network with said communication nodes, a method of serializing said cars comprising:

a) establishing a parameter along a length of said train between one node and one end of said train;

b) determining presence or absence of said parameter at each node;

c) removing said parameter;

d) repeating steps a, b and c for each node on said train; and

e) serializing said cars and determining orientation of at least one car as a function of the number of either the determined presences or absences of said parameter for each node.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

establishing said parameter includes providing at said one node an electrical load across an electrical line running the length of the train; and

determining presence or absence of said parameter includes measuring an electrical property of said line at each node.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein measuring an electrical property includes measuring the current of said line at each node.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein measuring an electrical property includes measuring the voltage of said line at each node.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein each node counts the number of absences of the parameter determined at its node and transmits the count with a node identifier on said network for serialization.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein each node counts the number of presences of the parameter determined at its node and transmits the count with a node identifier on said network for serialization.

7. The method according to claim 6, including:

prior to the first step a, obtaining a count of the number cars in said train and an identification of each car in said train; and

after the last step c, comparing the count of the number of cars in the train with the number of nodes which transmit a count.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining presence or absence of said parameter includes determining presence or absence of said parameter at each node except said one node.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said local communication node of at least one car includes a primary and a secondary node adjacent a respective end of said at least one car;

and for said at least one car, establishing said parameter for said at least one car using at least said primary node and determining presence or absence of said parameter using both said primary and secondary nodes.

10. The method according to claim 9, including determining the orientation of said at least one car in said train as a function of the number of either the determined presences or absences of said parameter for said primary and secondary nodes.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein establishing said parameter for said at least one car using said primary node only and determining the presence or absence of said parameter using both said primary and secondary nodes.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein establishing said parameter for said at least one car using said primary and secondary nodes sequentially and determining presence or absence of said parameter using both said primary and secondary nodes.

13. The method according to claim 1 including determining from the determination of presence or absence of said parameter at the one node from which the parameter is established, the orientation of the car for the one node.

14. In a train including at least one locomotive and a plurality of cars, each car being serially connected to an adjacent car and having local communication node, and a controller in said locomotive in a network with said communication nodes, wherein:

said controller sequentially requests the local node of each car, one at a time, to establish a parameter along a length of said train between the node and one end of said train;

each node includes means for determining and counting the number of either presences or absences of said parameter at the node during the sequence of requests and means for transmitting the count on said network; and

means on the network for serialization of said cars and orientation of at least one car as a function of said transmitted counts.

15. The train according to claim 14, wherein:

each node connects an electrical load at each node across an electrical line running the length of the train to establish said parameter; and

each node includes means for measuring an electrical property of said line at each node.

16. The train according to claim 15 wherein each node includes means for measuring the current of said line at each node.

17. The train according to claim 15 wherein each node includes means for measuring the voltage of said line at each node.

18. The train according to claim 14, wherein:

prior to the sequencing, the controller obtains a count of the number cars in said train and an identification of each car in said train; and

after the sequencing, the controller compares the count of the number of cars in the train with the number of nodes which transmit a count.

19. The train according to claim 14, wherein each node counts the number of presences or absences of said parameter determined during the sequence except when the node establishes said parameter.

20. The train according to claim 14, wherein each node transmits its count with a node identifier.

21. The train according to claim 14, wherein said local communication node of at least one car includes a primary and a secondary node adjacent a respective end of said at least one car;

and for said at least one car, said parameter for said at least one car is established by at least said primary node and presence of said parameter is determined by both said primary and secondary nodes.

22. The train according to claim 21, including means on said network for determining the orientation of said at least one car in said train as a function of the number of determined presences or absences of said parameter for said primary and secondary nodes.

23. The train according to claim 21, wherein said parameter for said at least one car is established by said primary node only and presence or absence of said parameter is determined by both said primary and secondary nodes.

24. The train according to claim 21, wherein said parameter for said at least one car is established by said primary and secondary nodes sequentially and presence or absence of said parameter is determined by both said primary and secondary nodes.

25. The train according to claim 14, wherein the one node from which the parameter is established determines orientation of the car for the one node from the determination of presence or absence of said parameter.

26. In a train including at least one locomotive and a plurality of cars, each car being serially connected to an adjacent car and having a local communication node, and a controller in a network with said communication nodes, a method of serializing said cars comprising:

a) establishing a parameter along a length of said train between one node and one end of said train;

b) determining presence or absence of said parameter at each node;

c) determining the orientation of the car for the one node from the determination of presence or absence of said parameter at the one node from which the parameter is established;

d) removing said parameter;

e) repeating at least steps a, b and d for each node on said train; and

f) serializing said cars and determining orientation of at least one car as a function of the number of either the determined presences or absences of said parameter for each node.