Remote update in locomotive distributed control systems

• US 8,868,267 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Deitz, Michael Patrick, Brown, Dale Alexander, Przybylski, Lawrence Stanley, Rudolph, Wayne Allen, Wiemeyer, James Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US13/691,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/12 Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a distributed control system for a locomotive. The distributed system may include a network and a plurality of electronic modules distributed within a locomotive. The plurality of electronic modules are communicatively coupled to the network in a standardized scalable architecture and implementing distributed control of the locomotive. A first electronic module of the plurality of electronic modules may include a first configurable controller and a memory that stores a configuration file received via the network. The first configurable controller may be reconfigurable based on the configuration file stored in the memory.

Claims

1. A distributed control system for a locomotive, comprising:

a network disposed within the locomotive;

a plurality of electronic modules distributed within the locomotive, communicatively coupled to the network in a standardized scalable architecture, and implementing distributed control of the locomotive,

wherein a first electronic module of the plurality of electronic modules comprises a first configurable controller and a memory that stores a configuration file received via the network, and the first configurable controller is reconfigurable based on the configuration file stored in the memory, and

wherein an internal circuitry of the first configurable controller is internally reconnectable in different configurations based on the configuration file stored in the memory to implement at least one of a plurality of control functions associated with the distributed control of the locomotive.

3. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the first configurable controller includes a second configurable controller, and the first configurable controller is configured by the second configurable controller based on the configuration file stored in the memory.

4. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic module further includes a programmable controller in communication with the first configurable controller and the memory, and the first configurable controller is configured by the programmable controller based on the configuration file stored in the memory.

5. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the network is an Ethernet based network, and the first electronic module includes an Ethernet switch.

6. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the first configurable controller is a field programmable gate array.

7. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the first configurable controller is configured based on the configuration file when a reconfiguration instruction is received.

8. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the configuration file is transmitted from a server disposed outside the locomotive.

9. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the configuration file is transmitted from a second electronic module of the plurality of electronic modules in the locomotive.

10. The distributed control system of claim 1, wherein the memory is included in the first configurable controller.

2. The distributed control system of claim herein the first configurable controller is configured to reconfigure itself based on the configuration file.

11. A method for controlling a locomotive, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor in an electronic module of a plurality of electronic modules, a configuration the via a network, the plurality of electronic modules being distributed within the locomotive and communicatively coupled to the network in a standardized scalable architecture, and the electronic module comprising a first configurable controller that is reconfigurable to implement distributed control of the locomotive;

storing, by the processor, the configuration the in a memory in the electronic module; and

configuring, by the processor, the first configurable controller by reconnecting an internal circuitry of the first configurable controller in a configuration based on the configuration file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the processor is included in the first configurable controller.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the processor is included in a second configurable controller which is included in the electronic module.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the processor is included in a programmable controller which is included in the electronic module.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the network is an Ethernet based network, and the electronic module includes an Ethernet switch.

16. The method of claim 11, further including receiving, by the processor, an instruction to configure the first configurable controller.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the configuration file is transmitted from a server disposed outside the locomotive.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the configuration the is transmitted from another electronic module in the locomotive.

19. A consist, comprising:

a plurality of locomotives, each locomotive comprising;

a network disposed within the locomotive;

a plurality of electronic modules distributed within the locomotive, communicatively coupled to the network in a standardized scalable architecture and implementing distributed control of the locomotive,

wherein a first electronic module of the plurality of electronic modules comprises a first configurable controller and a memory that stores a configuration file received via the network, and the first configurable controller is reconfigurable based on the configuration file stored in the memory, and

wherein an internal circuitry of the first configurable controller is internally reconnectable in different configurations based on the configuration file to implement at least one of a plurality of control functions associated with the distributed control of the locomotive.