System and method for communicating in a vehicle consist

• US 8,983,759 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Smith, Eugene A., Palanti, Robert Carmen, Havicon, Robert Edwin Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERRIGAN, MICHAEL V
• Application Number:
  US13/537,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence

Abstract

A method for communicating includes transmitting a command message from a lead vehicle to remote vehicles in a vehicle consist. Reply messages are transmitted from the remote vehicles to the lead vehicle. The reply messages include statuses of the remote vehicles that transmitted the reply messages. The status of a first remote vehicle but not of the second remote vehicle is received at the lead vehicle and the status of a second remote vehicle is received at the first remote vehicle. The status of the second remote vehicle is stored at the first remote vehicle a retry message is transmitted from the lead vehicle to the remote vehicles. The retry message is received at the first remote vehicle and a repeat message is transmitted from the first remote vehicle to the lead vehicle that includes the status of the second remote vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating, with a lead transceiver onboard a lead vehicle, a command message from the lead vehicle in a vehicle consist having two or more remote vehicles coupled with the lead vehicle, the command message including a directive for controlling one or more operations of the remote vehicles;

receiving, with remote transceivers onboard the remote vehicles, the command message and communicating, with the transceivers onboard the remote vehicles, reply messages to the lead vehicle from the remote vehicles, the reply messages including statuses of the remote vehicles that communicated the reply messages;

receiving, with the lead transceiver, the reply message sent from a first remote vehicle of the two or more remote vehicles at the lead vehicle and receiving, with a first remote transceiver of the remote transceivers, the reply message sent from a second remote vehicle of the two or more remote vehicles at the first remote vehicle, wherein the reply message sent from the second remote vehicle is not received by the lead transceiver at the lead vehicle;

storing the status of the second remote vehicle at the first remote vehicle by recording the status in a memory disposed onboard the first remote vehicle;

communicating, with the lead transceiver, a retry message from the lead vehicle to the remote vehicles, the retry message including an identity of the second remote vehicle; and

receiving, with the first remote transceiver, the retry message at the first remote vehicle and communicating, with the first remote transceiver, a repeat message from the first remote vehicle to the lead vehicle in response to receiving the retry message, the repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle which was not previously received by the lead transceiver of the lead vehicle in response to one or more of the command message or the retry message. the repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle only if the status of the second remote vehicle is previously received by the first remote transceiver onboard the first remote vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the retry message that is communicated from the lead vehicle additionally includes the directive previously communicated in the command message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-communicating the command message from the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle responsive to receiving the command message from the lead vehicle at the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the directive that is included in the command message directs the remote vehicles to change at least one of moving speeds of the remote vehicles, power outputs of the remote vehicles, tractive efforts provided by propulsion subsystems of the remote vehicles, or braking efforts provided by the propulsion subsystems of the remote vehicles.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the statuses that are included in the reply messages represent at least one of current operational states of the remote vehicles, currently implemented tractive efforts provided by the remote vehicles, currently implemented braking efforts provided by the remote vehicles, or operational errors of the remote vehicles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the remote vehicles is assigned a time slot during which the remote vehicle communicates with the lead vehicle, and wherein communicating the repeat message from the first remote vehicle that includes the status of the second remote vehicle occurs during the time slot assigned to the first remote vehicle.

7. A method comprising:

communicating, with a lead transceiver onboard a lead vehicle in a vehicle consist having two or more remote vehicles coupled with the lead vehicle, a command message that includes a directive for controlling one or more operations of the remote vehicles;

receiving, with the lead transceiver, a first reply message from a first remote vehicle of the two or more remote vehicles in the vehicle consist responsive to the command message, the first reply message including a status of the first remote vehicle; and

if a second reply message is not received from a second remote transceiver onboard a second remote vehicle of the remote vehicles responsive to the command message;

communicating, with the lead transceiver., a retry message from the lead vehicle to the remote vehicles, the retry message including an identity of the second remote vehicle; and

receiving, with the lead transceiver, a first repeat message from a first remote transceiver onboard the first remote vehicle in response to the retry message, the first repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle which was not previously received by the lead transceiver of the lead vehicle in response to one or more of the command message or the retry message, the first repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle only if the status of the second remote vehicle is received at the first remote vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein communicating the retry message is repeated until the status of the second remote vehicle is received or until the retry message is re-communicated a designated number of times.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein additional reply messages are not received from a missing set of two or more of the remote vehicles that includes the second remote vehicle, and communicating the retry message includes communicating the retry message with identities of each of the remote vehicles in the missing set of the remote vehicles.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the first repeat message includes receiving at least one second repeat message from one or more of the remote vehicles, the second repeat message including the status of one or more of the remote vehicles in the missing set of the remote vehicles.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein communicating the retry message is repeated until the statuses of the remote vehicles in the missing set of remote vehicles are received in the first repeat message or the at least one second repeat message.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, responsive to receiving the statuses of one or more of the remote vehicles in the missing set of remote vehicles, removing the identities of the one or more of the remote vehicles for which the identities are received, and communicating the retry message without the identities that are removed.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the directive that is included in the command message directs the remote vehicles to change at least one of moving speeds of the remote vehicles, power outputs of the remote vehicles, tractive efforts provided by propulsion subsystems of the remote vehicles, or braking efforts provided by the propulsion subsystems of the remote vehicles.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the status that is included in the second reply message represents at least one of a current operational state of the second remote vehicle, a currently implemented tractive effort provided by the second remote vehicle, a currently implemented braking effort provided by the second remote vehicle, or an operational error of the second remote vehicle.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the remote vehicles is assigned a time slot during which the remote vehicle communicates with the lead vehicle, and wherein the first repeat message that is received from the first remote vehicle and that includes the status of the second remote vehicle is communicated during the time slot assigned to the first remote vehicle.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, with a remote transceiver onboard a first remote vehicle in a vehicle consist having a lead vehicle, the first remote vehicle, and a second remote vehicle coupled with one another, a command message from the lead vehicle that includes a directive from the lead vehicle for controlling one or more operations of the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle;

communicating, with the remote transceiver, a reply message to the lead vehicle from the first remote vehicle, the reply message including a first status of the first remote vehicle;

receiving, with the remote transceiver., a second status of the second remote vehicle at the first remote vehicle;

storing the second status of the second remote vehicle in a memory onboard the first remote vehicle;

receiving, with the remote transceiver, a first retry message communicated from the lead vehicle at the first remote vehicle, the first retry message including an identity of the second remote vehicle; and

communicating, with the remote transceiver, a first repeat message from the first remote vehicle to the lead vehicle in response to receiving the first retry message, the first repeat message including the second status of the second remote vehicle that is stored at the first remote vehicle which was not previously received by the lead vehicle in response to one or more of the command message or the first retry message, the first repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle only if the second status of the second remote vehicle is previously received by the remote transceiver onboard the first remote vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second status of the second remote vehicle is not received at the lead vehicle prior to receiving the first retry message from the lead vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising re-communicating the command message from the first remote vehicle responsive to receiving the command message from the lead vehicle at the first remote vehicle.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing the second status from storage at the first remote vehicle responsive to communicating the first repeat message that includes the second status.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the second status includes receiving one or more additional statuses of one or more additional remote vehicles in the vehicle consist and storing the second status includes storing the one or more additional statuses at the first remote vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving at least one second retry message including the identity of the one or more additional remote vehicles and communicating at least one second repeat message that includes the one or more additional statues of the one or more additional remote vehicles responsive to receiving the at least one second retry message.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle are assigned respective time slots to communicate with the lead vehicle, and wherein communicating the first repeat message that includes the second status of the second remote vehicle from the first remote vehicle occurs during the time period assigned to the first remote vehicle.

23. A system comprising:

a lead communication unit configured to be disposed onboard a lead vehicle in a vehicle consist having at least first and second remote vehicles coupled with the lead vehicle, the lead communication unit configured to communicate a command message to the remote vehicles for controlling one or more operations of the first and second remote vehicles; and

first and second remote communication units configured to be disposed onboard the first and second remote vehicles of the vehicle consist, respectively, the first and second remote communication units configured to receive the command message and to broadcast first and second reply messages to the lead vehicle that include first and second statuses of the first and second remote vehicles, respectively, wherein the lead communication unit is configured to receive the first status of the first remote vehicle and the first remote communication unit is configured to receive the second status of the second remote vehicle,

wherein the lead communication unit is configured to communicate a retry message that includes an identity of the second remote vehicle responsive to the second reply message to the command message not being received at the lead vehicle from the second remote vehicle, and

wherein the first remote communication unit is configured to receive the retry message and to communicate a repeat message to the lead vehicle in response to receiving the retry message, the repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle which was not previously received by the lead communication unit in response to one or more of the command message or the retry message, the repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle only if the status of the second remote vehicle is previously received by the first remote communication unit.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the retry message that is communicated by the lead communication unit includes the identity of the second remote vehicle and a directive previously communicated in the command message.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the first remote communication unit is configured to re-communicate the command message to the second remote vehicle responsive to receiving the command message from the lead vehicle.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the command message directs the first and second remote vehicles to change at least one of moving speeds of the first and second remote vehicles, power outputs of the first and second remote vehicles, tractive efforts provided by propulsion subsystems of the first and second remote vehicles, or braking efforts provided by the propulsion subsystems of the first and second remote vehicles.

27. A system comprising:

a lead communication unit configured to be disposed onboard a lead vehicle in a vehicle consist having two or more remote vehicles coupled with the lead vehicle, the lead communication unit also configured to communicate a command message having a directive for controlling one or more operations of the remote vehicles and to receive a first reply message from a first remote vehicle of the remote vehicles in the vehicle consist, the first reply message communicated by the first remote vehicle responsive to the command message and including a status of the first remote vehicle,

wherein, responsive to a second reply message not being received by the lead communication unit from a second remote vehicle of the remote vehicles in the vehicle consist responsive to communication of the command message, the lead communication unit is configured to communicate a retry message from the lead vehicle to the remote vehicles that includes an identity of the second remote vehicle and to receive a first repeat message from the first remote vehicle in response to the retry message, the first repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle which was not previously received by the lead communication unit in response to one or more of the command message or the retry message, the first repeat message including the status of the second remote vehicle only if the status of the second remote vehicle is previously received by the first remote vehicle.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein, responsive to a reply message not being received from a missing set of two or more of the remote vehicles that includes the second remote vehicle, the lead communication unit is configured to communicate the retry message with identities of each of the remote vehicles in the missing set of the remote vehicles.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the lead communication unit is configured to receive at least a second repeat message from one or more of the remote vehicles, the second repeat message including the status of one or more of the remote vehicles in the missing set of the remote vehicles.

30. A system comprising:

a first remote communication unit configured to be disposed onboard a first remote vehicle of a vehicle consist having a lead vehicle and at least one second remote vehicle coupled with the first remote vehicle, the first remote communication unit configured to receive a command message from the lead vehicle for controlling one or more operations of the first remote vehicle and the at least one second remote vehicle and to communicate a reply message to the lead vehicle from the first remote vehicle that includes a first status of the first remote vehicle, wherein the first remote communication unit is configured to receive a second status of the at least one second remote vehicle that is communicated by a second remote communication unit responsive to the command message, and

wherein the first remote communication unit also is configured to receive a first retry message from the lead vehicle that includes an identity of the at least one second remote vehicle and to communicate a first repeat message to the lead vehicle in response to receiving the first retry message, the first repeat message including the second status of the at least one second remote vehicle that is stored at the first remote vehicle and which was not previously received by the lead vehicle in response to one or more of the command message or the first retry message, the first repeat message including the second status of the at least one second remote vehicle only if the second status was previously received by the first remote communication unit.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first remote communication unit is configured to remove the second status from storage in a memory of the first remote vehicle responsive to communicating the first repeat message that includes the second status.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the first remote communication unit is configured to receive one or more additional statuses of one or more additional remote vehicles in the vehicle consist.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the first remote communication unit is configured to receive at least a second retry message including the identity of the one or more additional remote vehicles, and the first remote communication unit is configured to communicate at least a second repeat message that includes the one or more additional statues of the one or more additional remote vehicles responsive to receiving the at least a second retry message.