Incremental train control system
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the movement of a train along a railroad track comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of wayside control units spaced along a route to be traveled by a train, each of which has responsibility for the control of a train in a corresponding local area of the route and monitors track availability and signal status information in its local area,maintaining a data base at each wayside control unit that comprises fixed data defining an operational profile of the associated local area,in a local area through which a train is passing, transmitting the fixed data for that area and dynamic data bearing said information by radio from the associated wayside unit to a receiver on board the train, anddetermining the proper train control instructions from the received fixed and dynamic data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A train control system employs a series of wayside control units spaced along the track, each of which has responsibility for the control of trains in a corresponding local area and monitors track availability and signal status in its local area. Each wayside unit has a data base in memory that comprises fixed data defining an operational profile of the associated local area, and is provided with a data radio for transmitting profile messages containing the fixed data for that area and authority messages containing the dynamic data bearing track availability and signal status information. A data radio in a receive mode on a train receives the data transmissions from the wayside unit or units responsible for its control, and an on-board computer determines the proper train control instructions from the received data. A central control facility may also be provided for storage of master fixed data files that cover the entire route, relevant portions thereof being downloaded to respective wayside units via dispatcher data lines and updated periodically as necessary.
208 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the movement of a train along a railroad track comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of wayside control units spaced along a route to be traveled by a train, each of which has responsibility for the control of a train in a corresponding local area of the route and monitors track availability and signal status information in its local area, maintaining a data base at each wayside control unit that comprises fixed data defining an operational profile of the associated local area, in a local area through which a train is passing, transmitting the fixed data for that area and dynamic data bearing said information by radio from the associated wayside unit to a receiver on board the train, and determining the proper train control instructions from the received fixed and dynamic data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling the movement of a train along a railroad track comprising the steps of:
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providing a central control facility in which fixed data is stored that defines an operational profile of a route to be traveled by a train, providing a plurality of wayside control units spaced along said route, each of which has responsibility for the control of a train in a corresponding local area and monitors track availability and signal status information in its local area, transmitting the fixed data for each local area from the central facility to the corresponding wayside unit for storage at the unit, in a local area through which a train is passing, transmitting the fixed data for that area and dynamic data bearing said information by radio from the associated wayside unit to a receiver on board the train, and determining the proper train control instructions from the received fixed and dynamic data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In a system for controlling the movement of a train along a railroad track, the combination comprising:
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a series of wayside control units adapted to be spaced along a route to be traveled by a train on said track, each of which has responsibility for the control of a train in a corresponding local area of the route and monitors track availability and signal status information in its local area, each of said wayside control units having means for storing a data base that comprises fixed data defining an operational profile of the associated local area, and means for transmitting the fixed data for that area and dynamic data bearing said information by radio to a train within the area, control means adapted to be carried on board a train for receiving transmissions of fixed and dynamic data from the wayside unit or units responsible for control of the train, and said control means having computer means for determining the proper train control instructions from the received fixed and dynamic data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification