Railway dark territory switch automation

• US 9,586,603 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vossloh Signaling USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vossloh Signaling USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Ruskauff, David, Beaman, Donald Coy
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, MARK T
• Application Number:
  US14/514,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 246/219, 246/220, 246/253, 246/162, 246/176, 246/476, 246/124, 246/122.R, 701/19, 701/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/065 for signalling systems on the vehicle using current conduction
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 7/00 Remote control of local operating means for points, signals, or track-mounted scotch-blocks B61L11/00, B61L13/00 take precedence; interlocking arrangements B61L19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 7/06 using electrical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 7/065 using electromagnetic driving means
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 7/08 Circuitry

Abstract

The system provides a railroad switch for use in un-signaled (dark) territory. In particular, the system includes a plurality of audio messages maintained on a discrete audio board, where a DTMF signal is validated, initializes the control of a switch, and triggers an audio board to report a correspondence condition, where the output of the audio board is checked by a relay status.

Claims

1. In a vital railroad switching system for a dark territory, a system for wirelessly controlling a railroad switch in a track system that includes tracks in a dark territory, comprising:

a device located concurrent with a section of one of said tracks located in the dark territory, wherein the device is configured with following functions;

receiving a wireless dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal sent from a first communications device, and wherein the wireless DTMF signal is generated from a railway vehicle and indicates a desired railroad switch position for a railroad switch,

validating the wireless DTMF signal,

initiating a control of the railroad switch,

checking a relay to determine a relay status, wherein the relay is coupled to the railroad switch, and wherein the railroad switch does not have a switch signal system that in associated with a central dispatch system,

determining in a correspondence condition,

triggering an audio board to report the correspondence condition via an audio message, which is maintained on a discrete audio board, and an output of the audio board is checked by a relay,

reporting the correspondence condition, and

reporting, from a wirelessly controlled switch, a status of the railroad switch in a dark territory.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a plurality of relay contacts coupled to relays, and is configured to calculate a system state and to trigger an output that triggers an audio output of the audio board to route through the plurality of relay contacts, and the audio board is configured to vitally report a correspondence condition as normal, reverse, or loss of correspondence.