Remote control system for locomotives

• US 6,449,536 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc. (Cattron Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CANAC Incorporated
• Inventors: Szklar, Oleh, Brousseau, Andre, Ethier, Luc, Folkert, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/041,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/19, 701/20, 188/107, 246/167.R, 246/182.R, 246/3, 246/187.R, 246/187.A, 246/122.R, 246/187.C, 303/14, 303/15, 303/18, 303/121, 303/132
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

A system of controller modules allowing to remotely control a train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car is provided. The system of controller modules comprises a first controller module associated to the first locomotive and a second controller module associated to the second locomotive. One of said controller modules has a lead operational status and the other has a trail operational status. The controller module having the lead operational status receives a master control signal for signaling the train to move in a desired direction and releases in response to the master control signal a first local command signal. The first local command signal is operative to cause displacement of the locomotive associated with the controller module having the lead operational status. The controller module having a lead operational status is further operative to transmit to the controller module having a trail operational status a local control signal derived from the master control signal. The controller module having the trail operational status is responsive to the local control signal to generate a second command signal operative to cause displacement of the locomotive associated to the controller module having a trail operational status. The movement of the locomotive associated with the controller module having the lead operational status and the movement of the locomotive associated with the controller module having the trail operational status is such as to cause displacement of the train in the desired direction.

Claims

1. A system of controller modules allowing to remotely control a train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, said system of controller modules comprising:

a) a first controller module associated to the first locomotive;

b) a second controller module associated to the second locomotive;

c) one of said controller modules having a lead operational status;

d) the other of said controller modules having a trail operational status;

e) the controller module having the lead operational status including;

I. an input for receiving a master control signal for signaling the train to move in a desired direction;

II. an output to release in response to the master control signal a first local command signal operative to cause displacement of the locomotive associated with the controller module having the lead operational status;

f) the controller module having the trail operational status including an output, the controller module having a lead operational status being further operative to transmit to the controller module having a trail operational status a local control signal derived from the master control signal, the controller module having the trail operational status is responsive to said local control signal to generate a second command signal operative to cause displacement of the locomotive associated to the controller module having a trail operational status, the movement of the locomotive associated with the controller module having the lead operational status and the movement of the locomotive associated with the controller module having the trail operational status being such as to cause displacement of the train in the desired direction.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a) said first controller module is operative to acquire either one of a lead operational status and a trail operational status;

b) said second controller module is operative to acquire either one of a lead operational status and a trail operational status;

c) when one of said controller modules acquires said lead operational status the other of said controller modules acquires said trail operational status.

3. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over a wireless link.

4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the master control signal is an RF signal.

5. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the master control signal carries information about the desired direction.

6. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the master control signal carries information about a speed of the train in the desired direction.

7. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein the master control signal carries information about a throttle to apply.

8. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the master control signal carries information about a brake to apply.

9. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the master control signal includes a data packet, the data packet including a header portion and a user data portion, the user data portion carrying the information about the speed of the train in the desired direction.

10. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the header portion includes an address information that uniquely identifies said controller module having the lead operational status.

11. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein said first controller module has the lead operational status and said second controller module has the trail operational status, said first controller module being operative to relinquish the lead operational status and acquire the trail operational status, said second controller module being operative to relinquish the trail operational status and to acquire the lead operational status, when said second controller module acquires lead operational status and when said first controller module acquires the trail operational status said second controller module being operative to receive the master control signal and being operative to transmit to the first controller module a local control signal derived from the master control signal.

12. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein each controller module includes a communication unit comprising a receiver unit and a transmitter unit.

13. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein each controller module includes a processing unit coupled to said communication unit.

14. A system as defined in claim 1, said system further comprising a remote control module operative for:

a) generating the master control signal for signaling the train to move in a desired direction;

b) transmitting the master control signal to the controller module having the load operational status.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the remote control module transmits the master control signal over a wireless link.

16. A system as defined in claim 15, wherein the wireless link is a wireless link.

17. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the remote control module is a portable module.

18. A system for remotely controlling a train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, said system comprising:

a) a first controller module associated to the first locomotive;

b) a second controller module associated to the second locomotive;

c) a remote control module;

d) each of said modules having a machine readable storage medium for storage of an identifier, the identifier allowing to uniquely distinguish said modules from one another;

e) each module being operative to transmit messages to another one of said modules over a non-proximity communication link, a message sent by any one of said modules over the non-proximity communication link being sensed by each of the other ones of said modules, each message including an address portion for holding the identifier of the module to which the message is directed;

f) said remote control module and said first controller module being operative to establish a first proximity data exchange transaction such that said remote control module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of said remote control module the identifier of said first controller module and said first controller module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of said first controller module the identifier of said remote control module, the first proximity data exchange transaction excluding said second controller module;

g) said remote control module and said second controller module being operative to establish a second proximity data exchange transaction such that said remote control module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of said remote control module the identifier of said second controller module and said second controller module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of said second controller module the identifier of said remote control module and the identifier of said first controller module, said second proximity data exchange transaction excluding said first controller module;

h) said first control module and said second control module being operative to establish a third data exchange transaction over the non-proximity communication link such that said first controller module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of said first controller module the identifier of said second controller module.

19. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein said non-proximity communication link is a wireless link.

20. A system as defined in claim 19, wherein said wireless link is a radio frequency (RF) link.

21. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein said first proximity data exchange transaction is effected over an infrared link.

22. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein said second proximity data exchange transaction is effected over an infra red link.

23. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein said first proximity data exchange transaction is effected over a link selected from the set consisting of an infra red link, a coaxial cable link, a wire link and an optical cable link.