System and method for wireless remote control of locomotives

• US 20040100938A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc. (Cattron Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CATTRON THEIMEG Incorporated (Laird PLC)
• Inventors: Evans, Richard, Lordo, Scott, Ducklin, William, Aiken, Robert C. II, Verholek, Carl L., Rader, Robert, Conner, Dana, McDonald, Steve, Bellotti, Curt
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/346
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

A system and method for remotely controlling an increased number of subsystems having an onboard locomotive control unit (LCU) and two associated operator control units (OCUs) on a single wireless channel. A time slot is assigned to each subsystem for making two-way transmissions to control the locomotive. A signal from an external timing source synchronizes each subsystem to minimize interference between transmissions from different subsystems. Time slots are assigned manually or automatically over a wireless network or by the LCU after monitoring the channel. The LCU automatically selects the direct or repeater transmission path depending upon whether or not it receives polling message responses from its associated OCUs. A GPS receiver in each subsystem receives the synchronization signal and provides geographic positioning data so the LCU can determine when to execute predefined, position-based commands. The secondary OCU may be turned off and rejoined to the subsystem without ceasing operation.

Claims

1. A system for remotely controlling a locomotive over a single wireless channel divided into a plurality of time slots, comprising:

a first controller onboard said locomotive; and

a first control unit associated with said first controller, wherein said first controller is assigned a first time slot of said plurality of time slots to transmit polling messages to said first control unit and receive responsive transmissions therefrom over said single wireless channel.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second controller; and

a second control unit associated with said second controller, wherein said second controller is assigned a second time slot of said plurality of time slots to transmit polling messages to said second control unit and receive responsive transmissions therefrom over said single wireless channel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first controller further comprises means for synchronizing said first controller with an external timing source.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said means for synchronizing comprises a means for receiving a synchronization signal from said external timing source and a timing means.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a GPS receiver.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises an infrared receiver.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a radio receiver.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a wireless network card.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein said timing means comprises a delay logic circuit.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein said timing means comprises a clock.

11. A system for remotely controlling a locomotive over a single wireless communications channel, comprising:

a first controller on said locomotive; and

a first control unit associated with said first controller, wherein said first controller transmits a polling message to said first control unit and receives a responsive transmission therefrom over said single wireless channel.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a second controller and

a second control unit associated with said second controller, wherein said second controller transmits a polling message to said second control unit and receives a responsive transmission therefrom over said single wireless channel, and further wherein said transmissions of said polling messages and receptions of responsive transmissions of said first and second controllers are time division multiplexed.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said first controller further comprises means for synchronizing said first controller with an external timing source.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for synchronizing comprises a means for receiving a synchronization signal from said external timing source and a timing means.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a GPS receiver.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises an infrared receiver.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a radio receiver.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a wireless network card.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein said timing means comprises a delay logic circuit.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein said timing means comprises a clock.

21. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a secondary control unit associated with said first controller, wherein said secondary control unit is communicatively connected to said first controller via said single wireless channel.

22. The system of claim 11 wherein said control unit comprises a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving signals over said single wireless channel.

23. The system of claim 11 wherein said single wireless communication channel is time division multiplexed.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said time division multiplexed wireless channel is divided into a plurality of unique time slots and said transmissions and receptions associated with said controller are assigned to one of said plurality of time slots.

25. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

at least one repeater which uses a second wireless communications channel to extend the area of the remote control system.

26. A system for remotely controlling a locomotive over a single wireless channel, comprising:

a first controller on-board said locomotive comprising means for synchronizing said first controller with an external timing source; and

a first control unit associated with said first controller wherein said first controller is capable of two-way communication with said control unit over said single wireless channel.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said means for synchronizing comprises a means for receiving a synchronization signal from said external timing source and a timing means.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a GPS receiver.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises an infrared receiver.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a radio receiver.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a wireless network card.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein said timing means comprises a delay logic circuit.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein said timing means comprises a clock.

69. The system of claim 27 wherein said given frequency equals one every five seconds.

34. A system for remotely controlling a locomotive over a single wireless channel, comprising:

a first controller on-board said locomotive; and

a first control unit associated with said first controller, said first control unit comprising means for synchronizing said first control unit with an external timing source.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein said means for synchronizing comprises a means for receiving a synchronization signal from said external timing source and a timing means.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a GPS receiver.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises an infrared receiver.

38. The system of claim 35 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a radio receiver.

39. The system of claim 35 wherein said means for receiving a synchronization signal comprises a wireless network card.

40. The system of claim 35 wherein said timing means comprises a delay logic circuit.

41. The system of claim 35 wherein said timing means comprises a clock.

42. A system for remotely controlling a plurality of locomotives on a single wireless communications channel comprising:

a controller including a timing means on-board of each locomotive; and

a control unit associated with each controller, wherein each timing means is synchronized by a common clock and wherein each controller transmits a polling message to said control unit and receives a responsive transmission therefrom over said single wireless communications channel within a time slot.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein each controller comprises a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving signals over said single wireless communications channel.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein each controller selects said time slot in which to transmit said polling message and to receive said responsive transmission after monitoring said single wireless communications channel.

45. The system of claim 42 wherein said common clock is carried on a satellite which transmits a synchronization signal once every second for synchronizing said timing means.

46. The system of claim 42 wherein a primary control unit and a secondary control unit are associated with each controller.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the primary control unit and the secondary control unit are assigned predetermined time slices for responding to said polling message from said associated controller.

48. The system of claim 42 wherein each controller transmits said polling message to said control unit once every second and each time slot has a duration of a tenth of a second.

49. The system of claim 45 wherein each controller transmits said polling message to said primary and secondary control units once every second and each time slot has a duration of a tenth of a second.

50. The system of claim 45 wherein each controller transmits said polling message to said primary and secondary control units once every second and each predetermined time slot has a duration of a tenth of a second.

51. The system of claim 42 wherein said responsive transmission from said control unit comprises operating commands to the controller to control the locomotive.

52. The system of claim 42 wherein each control unit comprises a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving signals over said single wireless communications channel.

53. The system of claim 42 wherein each time slot is divided into a plurality of time slices.

54. The system of claim 46 wherein the responsive transmission of said primary control unit contains more data bits than the responsive transmission from said secondary control unit.

55. The system of claim 46 wherein the responsive transmission of said secondary control unit may only contain one or more of the following operating commands:

activate horn;

activate bell and emergency stop.

56. The system of claim 44 wherein said controller monitors said single wireless communications channel for a predetermined period of time.

57. The system of claim 42 wherein each controller includes a shutdown timer to shutdown its respective locomotive if said shutdown timer is not reset by receipt of a given frequency of polling message responses from its associated control unit.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein said given frequency equals one every five seconds.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein said controller transmits a signal to cause said control unit to emit an alarm when said shutdown timer is not reset by receipt of said polling message responses of said given frequency.

60. The system of claim 42 wherein each control unit includes an alarm timer to initiate an alarm emitted by said control unit if said alarm timer is not reset by receipt of a given frequency of said polling messages from its respective controller.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein said given frequency equals one every five seconds.

62. The system of claim 60 wherein said alarm is an audible alarm.

63. The system of claim 60 wherein said alarm is a visual alarm.

64. The system of claim 46 wherein each controller includes a primary shutdown timer and a secondary shutdown timer to shutdown its respective locomotive if either of said primary or secondary shutdown timers is not reset by receipt of a given frequency of polling message responses from said primary and secondary control units, respectively.

65. The system of claim 64 wherein said controller transmits a signal to cause each of said primary and secondary control units to emit an alarm when either of said primary or secondary said shutdown timers is not reset by receipt of said polling message responses of said given frequency.

66. The system of claim 46 wherein said polling message includes a reset bit which is set to a high state when said controller receives a given frequency of polling message responses from each of said primary and secondary control units.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein each of said primary and secondary control units includes an alarm timer to initiate an alarm to be emitted by each of said primary and secondary control units if said alarm timers are not reset by receipt of said polling message of said given frequency with said reset bit in said high state.

68. The system of claim 66 wherein said given frequency equals one every five seconds.

70. The system of claim 47 wherein an order of the time slices assigned to the primary and secondary control units does not change after a transfer of primary command authority between said control units.

71. The system of claim 42 wherein a signal comprising an output from said common clock is broadcast at regular intervals to synchronize said clocks.

72. The system of claim 71 wherein said signal is broadcast once per second.

73. The system of claim 71 wherein said common clock comprises an atomic clock.

74. The system of claim 64 wherein each controller comprises means for deactivating its respective secondary shutdown timer and thereby preventing said controller from deactivating its respective locomotive in the absence of receiving polling message responses from said secondary controller.

75. The system of claim 64 wherein each controller comprises means for activating/deactivating its respective secondary shutdown timer.

76. The system of claim 42 wherein each controller further comprises a GPS receiver capable of receiving a signal from said common clock onboard a GPS satellite which allows said GPS receiver to output a time signal to said controller to synchronize said timing means.

77. The system of claim 42 wherein the control unit comprises switches for selecting settings for speed, direction of travel, brakes.

78. The system of claim 46 wherein each of the primary and secondary control units comprises switches for selecting settings for speed, direction of travel, brakes.

79. The system of claim 78 wherein a first set of indicators on each control unit shows the switch settings of the primary control unit and a second set of indicators shows the switch settings of the secondary control unit.

80. The system of claim 78 wherein each of the primary and secondary control units comprises means for displaying the switch settings of the primary control unit and the switch settings of the secondary control unit.

81. A system for remotely controlling a plurality of locomotives via first and second half duplex wireless channels comprising:

a controller comprising a transmitter and a receiver and a timing means on-board of each of the locomotives,

first and second control units each comprising a transmitter and a receiver associated with each of said controllers for transmitting operating commands for controlling the locomotive, wherein each timing means is synchronized by a common clock and wherein each controller is assigned a time slot for sending a polling message to said associated control units and receiving responsive transmissions therefrom; and

a repeater which receives signals from said controllers and control units on said second half duplex wireless channel and transmits signals to said controllers and control units on said first half duplex wireless channel.

82. The system of claim 81 wherein said common clock is carried on a satellite which transmits a synchronization signal to synchronize said timing means of each controller.

83. The system of claim 81 wherein each controller transmits said polling message to its associated control units once every second and each time slot has a duration of a tenth of a second.

84. The system of claim 81 wherein an initial polling message is sent by each controller directly to said associated control units over said first half duplex wireless channel.

85. The system of claim 81 wherein each controller transmits said polling message and its associated control units respond thereto over said first half duplex wireless channel so long as said controller receives a valid response from each of its associated control units.

86. The system of claim 81 wherein each controller, upon not receiving a valid response to its last polling message from one or more of its associated control units within said time slot transmits its next polling message over said second half duplex wireless channel to said repeater to be re-transmitted by said repeater over said first half duplex wireless channel to said associated control units, wherein said next polling message contains a bit instruction which causes each associated control unit to transmit its response over said second half duplex wireless channel to said repeater to be re-transmitted by said repeater over said first half duplex wireless channel to said controller.

87. The system of claim 81 wherein each controller, upon not receiving a valid response to its last polling message, transmitted over said second half duplex wireless channel, from one or more of its associated control units within said time slot, transmits its next polling message over said first half duplex wireless channel, wherein said next polling message contains a bit instruction which causes each associated control unit to transmit its response over said first half duplex wireless channel to said controller.

88. A system for remotely controlling a plurality of locomotives on a single wireless channel comprising:

a locomotive control unit onboard of each locomotive comprising a transceiver for transmitting a command request signal to an operator control unit associated with said controller and for receiving a response to said command request signal over said single wireless channel within a time slot, wherein the time slot for each locomotive is part of an order of time slots.

89. The system of claim 88 wherein said order of time slots comprises ten time slots.

90. The system of claim 89 wherein each time slot has a duration of one-tenth of a second.

91. A method for remotely controlling a plurality of locomotives on a single wireless communications channel, wherein each locomotive comprises a controller having a transceiver and said controller is associated with an operator control unit, comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality of sequential, recurring time slots;

assigning one of said time slots to each of said plurality of locomotives wherein each of said locomotives sends a polling request to its respective operator control unit and receives a response thereto within its assigned time slot.

92. The method of claim 91 further comprising the step of:

providing each controller with a timing device which notifies the controller of the arrival of its respective time slot.

93. The method of claim 92 further comprising the step of:

synchronizing each of the timing devices using a common time source.