Remote control system for locomotives

• US 6,789,004 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc. (Cattron Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Beltpack Corporation (Cattron Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brousseau, André, Horst, Folkert, Szklar, Oleh, Ethier, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/201,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/20, 701/70, 105/61, 105/26.05, 340/825.52, 340/5.61, 340/5.8, 340/538, 340/870.11, 340/825.72, 246/167.R, 246/182.R, 246/187.C, 246/187.A, 246/182.A
• 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 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 for mounting in the first locomotive;

b) a second controller module for mounting in 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 distinguish said modules from one another;

e) each module being operative to transmit messages to another one of said modules over an RF communication link, a message sent by any one of said modules over the RF 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 engage in a first data exchange transaction over a communication link other than the RF communication link 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;

g) said remote control module and said second controller module being operative to engage in a second data exchange transaction over a communication link other than the RF communication link 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;

h) said first controller module and said second controller module being operative to engage in a third data exchange transaction over the RF 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.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first data exchange transaction is effected over an infra red communication link.

3. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said second data exchange transaction is effected over an infra red communication link.

4. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first data exchange transaction is effected over a communication link selected from the set consisting of an infra red communication link, a coaxial cable communication link and an optical cable communication link.

5. A method for initializing a remote control system for a train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, said remote control system including:

a) a first controller module for mounting in the first locomotive;

b) a second controller module for mounting in the second locomotive;

c) a remote control module each of the first controller module, the second controller module and the remote control module having a machine readable storage medium for storage of respective identifiers, the identifiers allowing to distinguish the first controller module, the second controller module and the remote controller module from one another, said method including;

i. establishing a first data exchange transaction between the remote control module and the first controller module such that the remote control module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of the remote control module the identifier of the first controller module and the first controller module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of the first controller module the identifier of the remote control module;

ii. establishing a second data exchange transaction between the remote control module and the second controller module such that the remote control module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of the remote control module the identifier of the second controller module and the second controller module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of the second controller module the identifier of the remote control module and the identifier of the first controller module;

iii. establishing a third data exchange transaction between the first controller module and the second controller module such that the first controller module acquires and stores in the machine readable storage medium of the first controller module the identifier of the second controller module, the third data exchange transaction being effected over an RF communication link;

iv. the first data exchange transactions being effected over a communication link other than the RF communication link;

v. the second data exchange transaction being effected over a communication link other than the RF communication link.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the first data exchange transaction is effected over a communication link selected in the group consisting of IR communication link, coaxial cable communication link and optical cable communication link.

7. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the second data exchange transaction is effected over a communication link selected in the group consisting of IR communication link, coaxial cable communication link and optical cable communication link.

8. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said second data exchange transaction is effected over an infra red communication link.

9. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said first data exchange transaction is effected over an infra red communication link.

10. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the remote control module is portable.

11. A system for remotely controlling a train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, the system including:

a) a first controller module for mounting in the first locomotive, the first controller module having a lead operational status;

b) a second controller module for mounting in the second locomotive, the second controller module having a trail operational status;

c) a remote control module operative to issue a master control signal to the first controller module indicative of a switch in the lead operational status;

d) wherein the first controller module is operative to;

i. receive the master control signal issued from the remote control module; and

ii. forward to the second controller module, over an RF communication link, a local command signal instructing the second controller module to acquire the lead operational status;

e) said second controller module being responsive to said local command to relinquish the trail operational status and to acquire the lead operational status;

f) in response to the second controller module acquiring the lead operational status, said first controller module relinquishing the lead operational status and acquiring the trail operational status.

12. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the second controller module transmits to the first controller module an acknowledgement signal confirming that the second controller module has acquired the lead operational status.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the second controller module is operative to transmit to the remote control module a control signal indicating that the second controller module has acquired the lead operational status.

14. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over a wireless communication link.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over an RF communication link.

16. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about the desired direction of the train to either one of the first and second controller modules which has the lead operational status.

17. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein the master control signal carries information about a desired speed of the train.

18. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the master control signal carries information about a throttle setting to apply.

19. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the master control signal carries information about a brake setting to apply.

20. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the master control signal includes an address information that identifies the controller module having the lead operational status.

21. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the first controller module and the second controller module each include a communication unit comprising a receiver unit and a transmitter unit.

22. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein each controller module includes a processing unit coupled to said communication unit.

23. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the remote control module is portable.

24. A method for controlling a train using a remote control system, the train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, the remote control system including:

a) a remote control module operative to transmit a master control signal;

b) a first controller module for mounting in the first locomotive, the first controller module having a lead operational status;

c) a second controller module for mounting in a second locomotive, the second controller module having a trail operational status;

said method comprising;

receiving at the first controller module a master control signal, the master control signal being indicative of a switch in the lead operational status;

forwarding from the first controller module to the second controller module, over an RF communication link, a local command signal instructing the second controller module to acquire the lead operational status, thereby causing the second controller module to relinquish the trail operational status and acquire the lead operational status;

in response to the second controller module acquiring the lead operational status, relinquishing at the first controller module the lead operational status and acquiring the trail operational status.

25. A method as defined in claim 24, said method further comprising transmitting from the second controller module to the first controller module an acknowledgement signal confirming that the second controller module has acquired the lead operational status.

26. A method as defined in claim 25, said method further comprising transmitting from the second controller module to the remote control module a control signal indicating that the second controller module has acquired the lead operational status.

27. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over a wireless communication link.

28. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over an RF communication link.

29. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about the desired direction of the train.

30. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about a desired speed of the train in a desired direction.

31. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about a throttle setting to apply.

32. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about a brake setting to apply.

33. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the master control signal includes an address information that identifies the controller module having the lead operational status.

34. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the first controller module and the second controller module each include a communication unit comprising a receiver unit and a transmitter unit.

35. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein each controller module includes a processing unit coupled to said communication unit.

36. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein the remote control module is portable.

37. A system for remotely controlling a train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, the system including:

a) a first controller module for mounting in the first locomotive, the first controller module having a lead operational status;

b) a second controller module for mounting in the second locomotive, the second controller module having a trail operational status;

c) a remote control module operative to issue a master control signal to said first controller module for signaling the train to move in a desired direction;

wherein the remote control module is operative to initiate a switch in operational status between the first controller module and the second controller module by redirecting the master control signal to the second controller module, in response to said master control signal said second controller module being operative for;

forwarding to the first controller module, over an RF communication link, a local command signal indicative of a switch in operational status, thereby causing the first controller module to relinquish the lead operational status and to acquire the trail operational status;

relinquishing the trail operational status and acquiring the lead operational status.

38. A system as defined in claim 37, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over a wireless communication link.

39. A system as defined in claim 38, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over an RF communication link.

40. A system as defined in claim 39, wherein master control signal carries information about the desired direction of the train to a controller module having the lead operational status.

41. A system as defined in claim 40, wherein the master control signal carries information about a desired speed of the train in the desired direction.

42. A system as defined in claim 39, wherein the master control signal carries information about a throttle setting to apply.

43. A system as defined in claim 39, wherein the master control signal carries information about a brake setting to apply.

44. A system as defined in claim 37, wherein the first controller module and the second controller module each include a communication unit comprising a receiver unit and a transmitter unit.

45. A system as defined in claim 44, wherein each controller module includes a processing unit coupled to said communication unit.

46. A system as defined in claim 37, wherein the remote control module is portable.

47. A method for controlling a train using a remote control system, the train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, the remote control system including:

a) a remote control module operative to transmit a master control signal;

b) a first controller module for mounting in the first locomotive, the first controller module having a lead operational status;

c) a second controller module for mounting in the second locomotive, the second controller module having a trail operational status;

said method comprising;

receiving at the second controller module a master control signal originating from the remote control module;

forwarding from the second controller module to the first controller module, over an RF communication link a local command signal indicative of a switch in operational status, thereby causing the first controller module to relinquish the lead operational status and to acquire the trail operational status;

at the second controller module, relinquishing the trail operational status and acquiring the lead operational status.

48. A method as defined in claim 47, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over a wireless link.

49. A system as defined in claim 48, wherein the master control signal is transmitted over an RF communication link.

50. A system as defined in claim 49, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about the desired direction of the train to a controller module having the lead operational status.

51. A system as defined in claim 50, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about a desired speed of the train in the desired direction.

52. A system as defined in claim 49, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about a throttle setting to apply.

53. A system as defined in claim 49, wherein the remote control module is further operative to issue a master control signal carrying information about a brake setting to apply.

54. A system as defined in claim 47, wherein the first controller module and the second controller module each include a communication unit comprising a receiver unit and a transmitter unit.

55. A system as defined in claim 54, wherein each controller module includes a processing unit coupled to said communication unit.

56. A system as defined in claim 47, wherein the remote control module is portable.

57. A remote control unit for remotely controlling a train having a first locomotive and a second locomotive separated from one another by at least one car, the first locomotive being associated with a first controller module having a machine readable storage medium for storage of an identifier, the second locomotive being associated with a second controller module having a machine readable storage medium for storage of an identifier, the identifiers allowing to distinguish the first controller module and the second controller module from one another, said remote control unit comprising:

a) a machine readable storage medium for storage of a remote unit identifier, the remote unit identifier allowing to distinguish the remote control unit from the first and second controller modules;

b) said remote control module being operative to engage in a first data exchange transaction with the first controller module to;

acquire and store in the machine readable storage medium of said remote control module the identifier of the first controller module;

transmit to the first controller module the remote control unit identifier;

c) said remote control module being operative to engage in a second data exchange transaction with the second controller module to;

acquire and store in the machine readable storage medium of said remote control module the identifier of said second controller module;

transmit to the second controller module the remote control unit identifier and the identifier of the first controller module;

d) said remote control unit being operative to each module being operative to transmit messages to either one of the first and second controller modules an RF communication link, each message including an address portion for holding the identifier of the controller module to which the message is directed.

58. A remote control unit as defined in claim 57, wherein said first data exchange transaction is effected over an infra red communication link.

59. A remote control unit as defined in claim 57, wherein said second data exchange transaction is effected over an infra red communication link.

60. A remote control unit as defined in claim 57, wherein said first proximity data exchange transaction is effected over a communication link selected from the set consisting of an infra red communication link, a coaxial cable communication link and an optical cable communication link.

61. A remote control unit as defined in claim 57, wherein the remote control module is portable.