Method and apparatus for assigning addresses to components in a control system

• US 7,126,985 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc. (Cattron Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cattron Intellectual Property Corporation
• Inventors: Horst, Folkert, Szklar, Oleh, Brousseau, Andre, Ethier, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, PHUONG M
• Application Number:
  US10/163,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20020146082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 375/259, 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 701/19, 701/20, 340/5.5, 340/825.69, 359/154, 359/142, 359/144, 359/145
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for remotely controlling device, more particularly to a system and method for controlling locomotives in a railway environment using radio frequency signals. This invention makes use of a remote operator programming unit (OPP) to set address information in the transmitter unit via a communication channel such as an infrared link. The use of the operator programming unit allows eliminating the need to open the casing of the transmitter during programming thereby reducing the probability of damaging the electrical components of the transmitter. The invention also allows assigning a unique address to a transmitter/receiver pair in a remote control system. The invention further provides an apparatus for remotely programming a transmitter unit.

Claims

1. A device for performing address synchronization between a transmitter and a slave controller of a remote control system for a locomotive, said device comprising a storage device operative to:

communicate with one of the transmitter and slave controller via a wireless communication link to receive and store an identifier of the one of the transmitter and slave controller;

communicate with the other of the transmitter and slave controller to;

transmit to the other of the transmitter and slave controller the stored identifier of the one of the transmitter and slave controller;

receive and store an identifier of the other of the transmitter and slave controller;

communicate with the one of the transmitter and slave controller to transmit to the one of the transmitter and slave controller the stored identifier of the other of the transmitter and slave controller.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said device further comprises an interface in communication with said storage device via which said storage device can communicate with the one of said transmitter and slave controller via the wireless communication link.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said interface is a first interface, said device further comprising a second interface in communication with said storage device through which said storage device can communicate with the other of said transmitter and slave controller.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said first interface is an IR interface and the wireless communication link is an IR link.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said second interface is a serial interface.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, comprising a CPU for controlling the communication between the storage device, the transmitter and the slave controller.

7. A device as defined in claim 1, comprising a user interface for receiving commands from an operator.

8. A device for use in a remote control system for a locomotive, the remote control system having a transmitter and a slave controller for mounting on board the locomotive, said device comprising:

a first interface for communication with the transmitter for receiving an identifier of the transmitter;

a second interface for communication with the slave controller for receiving an identifier of the slave controller;

one of said first and second interfaces communicating with the respective transmitter or receiver via a wireless communication link;

a data storage in communication with said first and second interfaces for storing the identifier of the transmitter and the identifier of the slave controller;

said data storage being operative to;

output the identifier of the slave controller for transmission to the transmitter via said first interface;

output the identifier of the transmitter for transmission to the slave controller via said second interface.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, wherein said first interface is an IR interface.

10. A device as defined in claim 8, wherein said second interface is a serial interface.

11. A device as defined in claim 8, including a user interface for receiving commands from an operator.

12. In combination:

a) a transmitter for remotely controlling a locomotive in which is mounted a slave controller, said transmitter comprising;

i) an interface for receiving an identifier of the slave controller via a first communication link, the first communication link being a wireless link;

ii) a data storage in communication with said interface for storing the identifier of the slave controller received via said first communication link, the data storage of said transmitter being further operative to store an identifier of said transmitter;

iii) a signal transmitting unit for transmitting a signal over a second communication link, the second communication link being a wireless RF communication link, the signal being indicative of at least one command for causing an action to be performed by the locomotive, the signal conveying information derived from the identifier of the slave controller received via the first communication link;

b) a device having a data storage for holding the identifier of the slave controller, said device being operative to communicate with said transmitter via the first communication link and said interface to transmit the identifier of the slave controller to said transmitter, wherein said transmitter is operative to release the identifier of said transmitter for transmission to said device via said interface and the first communication link.

13. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein the data storage of said device is operative to store the identifier of said transmitter transmitted to said device via said interface and the first communication link.

14. A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein the first communication link is an IR link.

15. In combination:

a) a slave controller for mounting on-board a locomotive having a controller module, said slave controller having;

i) an interface for receiving an identifier of a transmitter via a first communication link, the first communication link being a wireless communication link;

ii) a data storage in communication with said interface for storing the identifier of the transmitter, the data storage of said slave controller being further operative to store an identifier of said slave controller;

iii) a signal receiver unit for receiving a signal from the transmitter over a second communication link, the second communication link being a wireless RF communication link, the signal conveying a message including a command portion indicative of at least one command for causing at least one action to be performed by the locomotive;

b) a device having a data storage for holding the identifier of the transmitter, said device operative to communicate with said slave controller to transmit the identifier of the transmitter to said slave controller, wherein the data storage of said slave controller is operative to release the identifier of said slave controller for transmission to said device.

16. A combination as defined in claim 15, wherein the data storage of said device is operative to store the identifier of said slave controller.

17. A combination as defined in claim 16, wherein said device communicates with said slave controller via a serial interface.

18. A method for performing synchronization between a transmitter and a slave controller of a remote control system for a locomotive, said method comprising:

a) communicating with the transmitter for receiving an identifier of the transmitter;

b) storing the received identifier of the transmitter in a data storage;

c) communicating with the slave controller for receiving an identifier of the slave controller;

d) storing the received identifier of the slave controller in the data storage;

e) outputting the identifier of the slave controller from the data storage for transmission to the transmitter;

f) outputting the identifier of the transmitter from the data storage for transmission to the slave controller;

g) wherein the communicating with one of the transmitter and the slave controller is effected over a wireless communication link.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the communicating with the transmitter is effected over an IR link.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the communicating with the slave controller is effected over a serial communication link.