Remote control system for a locomotive with solid state tilt sensor
First Claim
1. A portable master controller for a locomotive remote control system, the locomotive remote control system having a slave controller mounted on-board a locomotive, said portable master controller comprising:
- a) a user interface for receiving commands to control a movement of the locomotive from a human operator, said user interface being responsive to the commands from the human operator to generate control signals;
b) a processing unit in communication with said user interface for receiving the control signals to generate digital command signals for directing the movement of the locomotive;
c) a transmission unit in communication with said processing unit for receiving the digital command signals and for generating an RF transmission conveying the digital command signals to the slave controller;
d) a solid-state tilt sensor in communication with said processing unit for supplying to said processing unit inclination information about said portable master controller, said processing unit;
i) being operative to determine at least in part on the basis of the inclination information if said portable master controller is in a safe operational condition or in an unsafe operational condition;
ii) when said processing unit determines that the portable master controller is in an unsafe operational condition said processing unit is operative to generate an emergency digital command signal to said transmission unit without input from the operator, for directing the locomotive to acquire a secure condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable master controller for a locomotive remote control system. The portable master controller has a user interface for receiving commands to control the movement of the locomotive. The user interface is responsive to operator commands to generate control signals. A processing unit receives the control signals from the user interface to generate digital command signals directing the movement of the locomotive. A transmission unit receives the digital command signals and generates a RF transmission conveying the digital command signals to the slave controller. A solid-state tilt sensor in communication with the processing unit communicates inclination information to the processing unit about the portable master controller. The processing unit receives and processes the inclination information. If the inclination information indicates that the portable master controller is in an unsafe operational condition, the processing unit generates an emergency digital command signal to the transmission unit, without input from the operator, for directing the locomotive to acquire a secure condition.
78 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A portable master controller for a locomotive remote control system, the locomotive remote control system having a slave controller mounted on-board a locomotive, said portable master controller comprising:
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a) a user interface for receiving commands to control a movement of the locomotive from a human operator, said user interface being responsive to the commands from the human operator to generate control signals;
b) a processing unit in communication with said user interface for receiving the control signals to generate digital command signals for directing the movement of the locomotive;
c) a transmission unit in communication with said processing unit for receiving the digital command signals and for generating an RF transmission conveying the digital command signals to the slave controller;
d) a solid-state tilt sensor in communication with said processing unit for supplying to said processing unit inclination information about said portable master controller, said processing unit;
i) being operative to determine at least in part on the basis of the inclination information if said portable master controller is in a safe operational condition or in an unsafe operational condition;
ii) when said processing unit determines that the portable master controller is in an unsafe operational condition said processing unit is operative to generate an emergency digital command signal to said transmission unit without input from the operator, for directing the locomotive to acquire a secure condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A remote control system for a locomotive, comprising:
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a) a portable master controller, including;
i) a user interface for receiving commands to control movements of the locomotive from a human operator, said user interface being responsive to the commands from the human operator to generate control signals;
ii) a processing unit in communication with said user interface for receiving the control signals to generate digital command signals for directing the movement of the locomotive;
iii) a transmission unit in communication with said processing unit for receiving the digital command signals and for generating a RF transmission conveying the digital command signals to the slave controller;
b) a solid-state tilt sensor in communication with said processing unit for supplying to said processing unit inclination information about said portable master controller, said processing unit;
i) being operative to determine at least in part on the basis of the inclination information if said portable master controller is in a safe operational condition or in an unsafe operational condition;
ii) when said processing unit determines that the portable master controller is in an unsafe operational condition said processing unit is operative to generate an emergency digital command signal to said transmission unit without input from the operator, for directing the locomotive to acquire a secure condition;
c) a slave controller for mounting on-board the locomotive, said slave controller including;
i) a receiver module for sensing the RF transmission;
ii) a processing module in communication with said receiver module, said processing module being responsive to digital command signals conveyed by the RF transmission to generate local signals controlling the locomotive. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A portable master controller for a locomotive remote control system, the locomotive remote control system having a slave controller mounted on-board a locomotive, said portable master controller comprising:
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a) a user interface for receiving commands to control a movement of the locomotive from a human operator, said user interface being responsive to the commands from the human operator to generate control signals;
b) a processing unit in communication with said user interface for receiving the control signals to generate digital command signals for directing the movement of the locomotive;
c) a transmission unit in communication with said processing unit for receiving the digital command signals and for generating an RF transmission conveying the digital command signals to the slave controller;
d) an accelerometer in communication with said processing unit for supplying to said processing unit inclination information about said portable master controller, said processing unit;
i) being operative to determine at least in part on the basis of the inclination information if said portable master controller is in a safe operational condition or in an unsafe operational condition;
ii) when said processing unit determines that the portable master controller is in an unsafe operational condition said processing unit is operative to generate an emergency digital command signal to said transmission unit without input from the operator, for directing the locomotive to acquire a secure condition.
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34. A remote control system for a locomotive, comprising:
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a) a portable master controller, including;
i) a user interface for receiving commands to control movements of the locomotive from a human operator, said user interface being responsive to the commands from the human operator to generate control signals;
ii) a processing unit in communication with said user interface for receiving the control signals to generate digital command signals for directing the movement of the locomotive;
iii) a transmission unit in communication with said processing unit for receiving the digital command signals and for generating a RF transmission conveying the digital command signals to the slave controller;
b) an accelerometer in communication with said processing unit for supplying to said processing unit inclination information about said portable master controller, said processing unit;
i) being operative to determine at least in part on the basis of the inclination information if said portable master controller is in a safe operational condition or in an unsafe operational condition;
ii) when said processing unit determines that the portable master controller is in an unsafe operational condition said processing unit is operative to generate an emergency digital command signal to said transmission unit without input from the operator, for directing the locomotive to acquire a secure condition;
c) a slave controller for mounting on-board the locomotive, said slave controller including;
i) a receiver module for sensing the RF transmission;
ii) a processing module in communication with said receiver module, said processing module being responsive to digital command signals conveyed by the RF transmission to generate local signals controlling the locomotive.
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Specification