Rail system having a wired communication zone

• US 9,100,838 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lundquist, Steve D., Lamba, Harinder Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US13/953,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20150031306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/22, 246/2.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 3/00 Feeding power to supply lines in contact with collector on vehicles; Arrangements for consuming regenerative power controlling rail vehicles by varying voltage of power fed to vehicle B60L; power distribution in general H02J
• 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 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/70 Details of trackside communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/60 Systems for communication between relatively movable stations, e.g. for communication with lift H04B3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance

Abstract

A rail system is disclosed. The rail system may have a track including a wireless communication zone and a wired communication zone. The rail system may also have an electrical contact that extends along the wired communication zone. The electrical contact may be configured to transmit electrical energy and a data communication. The rail system may further have a power source electrically connected to the electrical contact. The rail system may additionally have a controller selectively electrically connectable to the electrical contact and a wireless network. The power source may be configured to transmit electrical energy through the electrical contact. The controller may be configured to switch between data communication transmission via the wireless network and via the electrical contact, based at least in part on a location of a rail vehicle within the rail system.

Claims

1. A rail system, comprising:

a track including a wireless communication zone, a wired communication zone, and a dead zone that is within the wired communication zone;

an electrical contact that extends along the wired communication zone and is configured to transmit electrical energy and a data communication;

a power source electrically connected to the electrical contact;

a controller selectively electrically connectable to the electrical contact and a wireless network;

wherein;

the power source is configured to transmit electrical energy through the electrical contact; and

the controller is configured to;

determine that a rail vehicle is approaching the dead zone, and

switch from data communication transmission via the wireless network to data communication transmission via the electrical contact, based at least in part on the determination that the rail vehicle is approaching the dead zone.

2. The rail system of claim 1, wherein the track further includes a powered section and an unpowered section, wherein the electrical contact extends along the powered section.

3. The rail system of claim 2, wherein the powered section and the wired communication zone are coextensive portions of the track.

4. The rail system of claim 3, wherein the unpowered section and the wireless communication zone are coextensive portions of the track.

5. The rail system of claim 3, wherein the wireless communication zone is made up of a portion of the track that includes at least a portion of the unpowered section and at least a portion of the powered section.

6. The rail system of claim 2, wherein the dead zone is a tunnel through which the track extends.

7. The rail system of claim 1, further including an energy exchange station electrically connected to the electrical contact.

8. The rail system of claim 7, wherein the energy exchange station is configured to:

initiate power transmission between the energy exchange station and a rail vehicle, through the electrical contact, when the rail vehicle is on the powered section of the track; and

discontinue power transmission between the energy exchange station and the rail vehicle when the rail vehicle leaves the powered section of the track.

9. The rail system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is one of an electrified rail and an overhead catenary.

10. A method of operating a rail system, comprising:

selectively connecting a controller to a wireless network;

transmitting a first data communication to or from the controller over the wireless network;

selectively connecting an electrical contact to a rail vehicle while the rail vehicle travels on a powered section of a track;

initiating power transmission to or from the rail vehicle via the electrical contact at selected times when the rail vehicle is traveling on the powered section of the track;

determining that the rail vehicle is approaching a dead zone; and

transmitting a second data communication to or from the controller via the electrical contact, based at least on the determination that the rail vehicle is approaching the dead zone.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrical contact is one of an electrified rail and an overhead catenary.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting the second data communication to or from the controller via the electrical contact includes transmitting the second data communication between two rail vehicles which are both electrically connected to the electrical contact.

13. The method of claim 10, further including discontinuing power transmission to or from the rail vehicle via the electrical contact when the rail vehicle leaves the powered section of the track and travels on an unpowered section of the track.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first data communication is transmitted when the rail vehicle is traveling on the unpowered section of the track.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first data communication is transmitted when the rail vehicle is traveling on the powered section of the track.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the second data communication is transmitted when the rail vehicle is traveling in the dead zone.

17. The method of claim 10, further including at least one of:

forwarding the first data communication through the electrical contact; and

forwarding the second data communication through the wireless network.

18. A rail system comprising:

a track including a wireless communication zone, a wired communication zone, a powered section, an unpowered section, and a dead zone that is within the wired communication zone;

an electrical contact that extends along the powered section and the wired communication zone;

an energy exchange station electrically connected to the electrical contact;

a rail vehicle configured to travel on the track and be electrically connected to the electrical contact;

a controller selectively electrically connectable to the electrical contact and a wireless network;

wherein;

the energy exchange station is configured to;

initiate power transmission between the energy exchange station and the rail vehicle, through the electrical contact, when the rail vehicle is on the powered section of the track; and

discontinue power transmission between the energy exchange station and the rail vehicle when the rail vehicle leaves the powered section of the track; and

the controller is configured to;

determine that the rail vehicle is approaching the dead zone, and

switch from data communication transmission via the wireless network to data communication transmission via the electrical contact, based at least in part on the determination that the rail vehicle is approaching the dead zone.