Communication system for a rail vehicle and method for communicating with a rail vehicle
First Claim
1. A communication system for a rail vehicle, the system comprising:
- a transceiver assembly configured to communicate a data signal over a plurality of communication channels; and
one or more processors configured to switch the transceiver assembly to communicate over one or more of the communication channels, the one or more processors also configured to, while the rail vehicle is traveling in a first geographic zone, determine load parameters of communication channels available for communication in a different, second geographic zone that the rail vehicle is traveling toward but has not yet reached, the load parameters based on population values of the communication channels in the different, second geographic zone, wherein the one or more processors also are configured to select a selected channel of the communication channels available for communication in the different, second geographic zone based on the load parameter and to switch the transceiver assembly to the selected channel when the rail vehicle travels in the different, second geographic zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system for a rail vehicle includes a transceiver assembly, a selection module, and a monitoring module. The transceiver assembly selectively communicates a data signal over a plurality of communication channels. The data signal is related to distributed power operations of the rail vehicle. The selection module is communicatively coupled with the transceiver assembly and switches the transceiver assembly to any of the communication channels. The monitoring module is communicatively coupled with the selection module and determines a load parameter of one or more of the communication channels. The load parameter is based on a population value of the one or more communication channels. The selection module switches the transceiver assembly to a selected channel of the communication channels based on the load parameter for communicating the data signal over the selected channel.
75 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A communication system for a rail vehicle, the system comprising:
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a transceiver assembly configured to communicate a data signal over a plurality of communication channels; and one or more processors configured to switch the transceiver assembly to communicate over one or more of the communication channels, the one or more processors also configured to, while the rail vehicle is traveling in a first geographic zone, determine load parameters of communication channels available for communication in a different, second geographic zone that the rail vehicle is traveling toward but has not yet reached, the load parameters based on population values of the communication channels in the different, second geographic zone, wherein the one or more processors also are configured to select a selected channel of the communication channels available for communication in the different, second geographic zone based on the load parameter and to switch the transceiver assembly to the selected channel when the rail vehicle travels in the different, second geographic zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 20)
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9. A method for communicating with a rail vehicle, the method comprising:
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monitoring, with one or more processors while the rail vehicle is in a first geographic zone, population values of communication channels available for communication in a different, second geographic zone that the rail vehicle is traveling toward; determining, with the one or more processors, load parameters of the communication channels available for communication in the different, second geographic zone based on the population values; and switching, with the one or more processors, the transceiver assembly of the rail vehicle to a selected channel of the communication channels based on the load parameters when the rail vehicle travels in the different, second geographic zone. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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16. A communication system comprising:
one or more processors configured to be disposed onboard a rail vehicle during travel of the rail vehicle in a current geographic zone, the one or more processors also configured to determine load parameters of different communication channels available for communication in a different, approaching geographic zone that the rail vehicle is traveling toward while the rail vehicle is in the current geographic zone, wherein the one or more processors also are configured to switch a transceiver assembly disposed onboard the rail vehicle to a selected channel of the different communication channels based on the load parameters when the rail vehicle reaches the different, approaching geographic zone. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
Specification