Dual-mode transmitter for railroad crossings

• US 20050009497A1
• Filed: 04/16/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brad R. Butterworth, George E. Derome, Thomas Macone
• Original Assignee: Brad R. Butterworth, George E. Derome, Thomas Macone
• Inventors: Macone, Thomas, Butterworth, Brad R., Derome, George E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,164,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/351
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/22 electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/246 Signals or brake- or lighting devices mounted on the road vehicle and controlled from the vehicle or train
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes

Abstract

A transmitter receivable by broadcast band receivers in nearby vehicles, comprising a first signal generator for simultaneously providing a plurality of selectively spaced carriers having frequency spacings corresponding to the individual channels of the band to be covered and selectively providing amplitude modulation when used for the AM broadcast band, and a second signal generator providing an FM modulated signal, which when combined with the signal from the first signal generator, covers various portions of the FM broadcast band to provide complete coverage thereof. A plurality of signals are generated in a portion of a selected band and modulated, according to the selected band mode, with a pre-stored and selectable voice alarm message.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use at railroad crossings comprising:

a control receiver for detecting activation and completion signals from a control transmitter;

a multi-signal generator for simultaneously providing a plurality of signals within a portion of a selected frequency band and having a center frequency and relative frequency spacing of said simultaneous plurality of signals, wherein said multi-signal generator is a variable multi-signal generator for selectively adjusting said center frequency to cause said plurality of signals to cover a differing of the selected frequency band;

a modulator connected to said multi-signal generator for selectively and simultaneously modulating said plurality of signals;

a control unit for selectively controlling said multi-signal generator center frequency; and

wherein the transmitter begins transmission upon receipt of the activation signal and ceases transmission upon receipt of the completion signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said multi-signal generator further includes a wave memory for reproducing a selected waveform output signal providing said plurality of signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said wave memory output signal comprises a plurality of signals corresponding to a different portion of said selected band.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said control unit provides prestored waveforms selectively transferred to said wave memory to provide said plurality of signals on a corresponding portion of said selected band.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further including a waveform converter connected to receive said reproduced selected waveform output signal and provide a converted output signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the activation and completion signals originate from a control transmitter located onboard a locomotive.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of signals comprises an audio message warning of an approaching locomotive.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, further including a programmable signal generator providing a programmable output signal and a mixer receiving said programmable output signal and said converted output signal and providing a mixer output therefrom, wherein said programmable output signal is selectively varied to provide a plurality of signals at different portions of a selected band.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said programmable signal generator is controlled by said control unit to selectively provide different output signals, which when received by said mixer, provides said plurality of signals corresponding to substantially all of said selected frequency band.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a frequency modulator connected to said programmable signal generator for frequency modulating the output signal thereof according to an audio signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further including a power amplifier selectively receiving from one of said mixer output signal and said converted signal, and providing a transmitter output signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said multi-signal generator further includes a wave memory for reproducing a selected waveform output signal providing said plurality of signals.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said wave memory output signal comprises a plurality of signals corresponding to a different portion of said selected band.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said control unit provides prestored waveforms selectively transferred to said wave memory to provide said plurality of signals on a corresponding portion of said selected band.

12. A dual-mode transmitter for use at railroad crossing, comprising:

a first signal generator for simultaneously providing a plurality of carrier signals within a frequency band and having a relative frequency spacing, and including an amplitude modulator of said plurality of said plurality of signals according to a modulation signal;

a second signal generator for selectively providing a selectable frequency signal, and including a frequency modulator of said selectable frequency according to a modulation signal;

a mixer receiving the output signals of said first and second signal generators, and providing an output signal;

a power amplifier for selectively receiving said signals corresponding to said plurality of signals from said first signal generator and said mixer output signal, providing a signal to an antenna according to said selectively received signal;

a control means for selectably enabling said first signal amplitude modulator in a first mode, and said second signal generator frequency modulator in a second mode; and

means for detecting an activation signal and a completion signal; and

means for activating the dual-mode transmitter in response to receipt of the activation signal and for deactivating the dual-mode transmitter in response to receipt of the completion signal.

13. The transmitter of claim 12 further comprising an audio source comprising one of an audio memory for providing a prestored audio signal selected by said control unit, and a microphone, said audio source being selectively connected to said amplitude modulator and said frequency modulator.

14. The transmitter of claim 12, wherein said first signal generator comprises means for providing a plurality of signals in selected portions of said frequency band according to said control unit wherein said selected portions substantially comprise said frequency band.

15. The transmitter of claim 12, wherein said first signal generator comprises means for providing a plurality of signals in at least one selected portion of said frequency band according to said control unit, and said second signal generator provides said selectable frequency signal according to said control unit, wherein said mixer output signals comprise selected portions which substantially comprise said frequency band.

16. A method for transmitting an alert of an approaching locomotive, the method comprising the steps of:

sending, by a control transmitter located on the locomotive, an activation signal to a control receiver;

activating, by a control module operatively interconnected with the control receiver, a dual-mode transmitter adapted to transmit a warning message across one or more broadcast bands;

deactivating, by the control module upon receipt of a completion signal from the control transmitter, the dual-mode transmitter

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the warning message is stored as a prestored waveform in a wave memory in a wave memory of the dual-mode transmitter.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of activating the dual-mode transmitter further comprises the steps of:

(a) loading a predetermined waveform;

(b) tuning a phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer to an appropriate frequency;

(c) activating a power amplifier;

(d) playing the warning message over a portion of the one or more broadcast bands;

(e) selecting a next portion of the one or more broadcast bands; and

(f) looping to step (a).

19. An apparatus for use at railroad crossings comprising:

a control receiver;

a multi-signal generator;

a modulator connected to said multi-signal generator;

for selectively and simultaneously modulating said plurality of signals;

a control unit;

for selectively controlling said multi-signal generator center frequency; and

wherein the multi-signal generator simultaneously provides a plurality of signals within a portion of a selected frequency band and having a center frequency and relative frequency spacing of said simultaneous plurality of signals and wherein said multi-signal generator is a variable multi-signal generator for selectively adjusting said center frequency to cause said plurality of signals to cover a differing of the selected frequency band.

wherein the transmitter begins transmission upon receipt of the activation signal and ceases transmission upon receipt of the completion signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the control receiver is adapted to detect an activation signal and a completion signal from a control transmitter;

and

wherein the apparatus begins transmission upon receipt of the activation signal and ceases transmission upon receipt of the completion signal.