Trainline communication network access point including filter

• US 9,463,816 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fanara, Mark Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US13/974,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20150057847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate

Abstract

A trainline communication network access point has an intra-consist electrical cable connection point coupled to a transmission path and an intra-consist electrical cable, a processor, and a filter arrangement. The processor generates a data signal capable of transmitting network data over the intra-consist electrical cable. The processor determines from a plurality of possible transmit frequencies masked frequencies and non-masked frequencies and communicate the data signal on the transmission path on at least one of the non-masked frequencies and prevents communication of the data signal on the transmission path at the masked frequencies. The filter arrangement is disposed on the transmission path between the processor and the intra-consist electrical cable connection point and filters at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path.

Claims

1. A trainline communication network access point comprising:

a transmission path;

an intra-consist electrical cable connection point coupled to the transmission path and configured to couple to an intra-consist electrical cable;

a processor configured to;

generate a data signal capable of transmitting network data over the intra-consist electrical cable,

determine, from a plurality of possible transmit frequencies, masked frequencies and non-masked frequencies,

communicate the data signal on the transmission path on at least one of the non-masked frequencies, and

prevent communication of the data signal on the transmission path at the masked frequencies; and

a filter arrangement disposed on the transmission path between the processor and the intra-consist electrical cable connection point, the filter arrangement configured to filter at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path.

2. The trainline communication network access point of claim 1 further including an analog front end amplifier connected to the transmission path and configured to amplify the data signal.

3. The trainline communication network access point of claim 2 wherein the filter arrangement is disposed on the transmission path between the processor and the analog front end amplifier.

4. The trainline communication network access point of claim 2 wherein the filter arrangement is disposed on the transmission path between the analog front end amplifier and the intra-consist electrical cable connection point.

5. The trainline communication network access point of claim 1 wherein the filter arrangement includes a plurality of filters.

6. The trainline communication network access point of claim 1 wherein the filter arrangement includes a programmable filter.

7. The trainline communication network access point of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to command the filter arrangement to filter the at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path.

8. The trainline communication network access point of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to determine the masked frequencies and the non-masked frequencies based on an amplitude map.

9. The trainline communication network access point of claim 1 wherein the filter arrangement is configured to filter the at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path based on an amplitude map.

10. The trainline communication network access point of claim 1 wherein the trainline communication network access point is disposed within a locomotive.

11. A method of transmitting a signal using a trainline communication network access point, the method comprising:

generating a data signal capable of transmitting network data over an intra-consist electrical cable,

determining, from a plurality of possible transmit frequencies, masked frequencies and non-masked frequencies,

communicating the data signal on the transmission path on at least one of the non-masked frequencies,

preventing communication of the data signal on the transmission path at the masked frequencies; and

filtering, with a filter arrangement disposed on a transmission path between a trainline communication processor and an intra-consist electrical cable connection point connected to the intra-consist electrical cable, at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path.

12. The method of claim 11 further including amplifying the data signal using an analog front end amplifier.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the filter arrangement is disposed on the transmission path between the trainline communication processor and the analog front end amplifier.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the filter arrangement is disposed on the transmission path between the analog front end amplifier and the intra-consist electrical cable connection point.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the filter arrangement includes a plurality of filters.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the filter arrangement includes a programmable filter.

17. The method of claim 16 further including commanding, with the trainline processor, the filter arrangement to filter the at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the masked frequencies and the non-masked frequencies are determined based on an amplitude map.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the filter arrangement is configured to filter the at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path based on an amplitude map.

20. A locomotive consist comprising:

a locomotive;

an intra-consist electrical cable;

a trainline communication network access point disposed within the locomotive and connected to the intra-consist electrical cable, the trainline communication network access point comprising;

an intra-consist electrical cable connection point coupled to a transmission path and the intra-consist electrical cable;

a processor configured to;

generate a data signal capable of transmitting network data over the intra-consist electrical cable,

determine, from a plurality of possible transmit frequencies, masked frequencies and non-masked frequencies,

communicate the data signal on the transmission path on at least one of the non-masked frequencies, and

prevent communication of the data signal on the transmission path at the masked frequencies; and

a filter arrangement disposed on the transmission path between the processor and the intra-consist electrical cable connection point, the filter arrangement configured to filter at least one of the masked frequencies from the transmission path.