Method and system for upgrading software for controlling locomotives
First Claim
1. A method of upgrading control software on a first locomotive having a first locomotive interface, wherein a first computer is coupled to the first locomotive interface, and a first communicator is coupled to the first computer, and wherein the first computer is programmed for operation on the first locomotive, said method comprising:
- loading a first version of control software onto the first computer;
loading a second version of control software onto the first computer; and
using data included in a link message to determine whether the first version or the second version of the control software is used wherein the link message is received from a second locomotive having a second locomotive interface, a second computer coupled to the second locomotive interface, and a second communicator coupled to the second computer, with the second computer programmed to control operation on the second locomotive.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of upgrading control software on a first locomotive. The first locomotive includes a first locomotive interface. A first computer is coupled to the first locomotive interface, and a first communicator is coupled to the first computer. The first computer is programmed for operation on the first locomotive. The method includes loading a first version of control software onto the first computer, loading a second version of control software onto the first computer, and using data included in a link message to determine whether the first version or the second version of the control software is used.
31 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of upgrading control software on a first locomotive having a first locomotive interface, wherein a first computer is coupled to the first locomotive interface, and a first communicator is coupled to the first computer, and wherein the first computer is programmed for operation on the first locomotive, said method comprising:
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loading a first version of control software onto the first computer;
loading a second version of control software onto the first computer; and
using data included in a link message to determine whether the first version or the second version of the control software is used wherein the link message is received from a second locomotive having a second locomotive interface, a second computer coupled to the second locomotive interface, and a second communicator coupled to the second computer, with the second computer programmed to control operation on the second locomotive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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- 6. A system for controlling a first locomotive, said system comprising a first locomotive interface, a first computer coupled to said locomotive interface, and a first communicator coupled to said first computer, said first computer programmed to control the first locomotive, said first computer further programmed to use at least one of a first version of control software and a second version of control software wherein said first computer is programmed to receive a link message from a second locomotive, said system further comprising a second locomotive interface, a second computer coupled to said locomotive interface, and a second communicator coupled to said second computer, said second computer programmed to control the second locomotive, said second computer further programmed to use a first version of control software or a second version of control software.
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11. A fleet of locomotives comprising at least one locomotive equipped with a system for controlling said at least one locomotive, said system comprising a first locomotive interface, a second locomotive interface, a first computer coupled to said first locomotive interface, a second computer coupled to said second locomotive interface, a first communicator coupled to said first computer, and a second communicator coupled to said second computer, said first computer programmed to:
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control said at least one locomotive;
use a first version of control software and a second version of control software; and
receive a link message from a second locomotive, said second computer programmed to;
control the second locomotive, and use a first version of control software or a second version of control software. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of upgrading control software on a first locomotive having a first locomotive interface, a first computer coupled to the first locomotive interface, and a first communicator coupled to the first computer, the first computer programmed for operation on the first locomotive, said method comprising:
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providing the control software with functionality to operate with a plurality of locomotive control system configurations;
receiving a link message from a second locomotive, and using data included in the link message to determine which version of the control software is used, said second locomotive having a second locomotive interface, a second computer coupled to the second locomotive interface, and a second communicator coupled to the second computer, wherein the second computer programmed for operation on the second locomotive. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of coordinating the use of a common version of software from potentially different versions of software installed on a plurality of linked pieces of railroad control equipment, wherein at least one of the pieces of railroad control equipment, constituting a first piece of railroad equipment, comprises a railroad locomotive that includes a computer coupled to a communication link and a locomotive interface coupled to the computer for controlling operation of the locomotive, and at least one of the other pieces of railroad control equipment, constituting a second piece of railroad control equipment, includes a computer coupled to a communication link, said method comprising:
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installing at least one version of software on at least the first of the plurality of pieces of railroad control equipment;
installing at least one version of software on at least the second of the plurality of pieces of railroad control equipment; and
using data included in a link message transmitted between the first and second pieces of railroad control equipment to determine a version of software that is common between the first and second pieces of railroad control equipment; and
utilizing the version of software that is common to the first and second pieces of railroad control equipment. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for coordinating the use of a common version of software from potentially different versions of software installed on a plurality of linked pieces of railroad control equipment, said program comprising:
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a code segment on a first piece of railroad control equipment that receives data included in a link message indicative of versions of software installed on a second piece of railroad control equipment and received from the second piece of railroad control equipment and then;
a code segment that determines the version of software executing on the first piece of railroad equipment;
a code segment that determines the version of software executing on the second piece of railroad equipment;
a code segment that transfers the link message between the first and second pieces of railroad control equipment to determine a version of the software that is common to both pieces of equipment; and
a code segment that selects the version of software for execution on the first and second pieces of railroad equipment. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A system for coordinating use of a common version of software from potentially different versions of software installed on a plurality of linked pieces of railroad control equipment, wherein at least one of the pieces of railroad control equipment, constituting a first piece of railroad equipment, comprises a railroad locomotive that includes a computer coupled to a communication link and a locomotive interface coupled to said computer for controlling operation of the locomotive, and at least one of the other pieces of railroad control equipment, constituting a second piece of railroad control equipment, includes a computer coupled to a communication link, said system configured to:
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execute at least one version of software installed on said first computer, said computer further configured to have a plurality of versions of software installed simultaneously;
execute at least one version of software installed on said second computer, said computer further configured to have a plurality of versions of software installed simultaneously; and
determine a version of software that is common between the first and second pieces of railroad control equipment using data included in a link message transmitted between the first and second pieces of railroad control equipment to; and
utilize a version of software that is common to the first and second pieces of railroad control equipment. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification