Methods and systems for data communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144440-B2
Application number	US-201414193987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2014
Priority date	Nov 17, 2010
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A communication system includes a first wireless communication device disposed onboard a vehicle system having two or more propulsion-generating vehicles that are mechanically interconnected with each other. The communication system also includes a controller configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle system and operatively connected with the first wireless communication device in order to control operations of the device. The controller is configured to direct the first wireless communication device to switch between operating in an off-board communication mode and an onboard communication mode. When the first wireless communication device is operating in the off-board communication mode, the device is configured to receive remote data signals from a location that is disposed off-board of the vehicle system. When the first wireless communication device is operating in the onboard communication mode, the device is configured to communicate local data signals between the propulsion-generating vehicles of the vehicle system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication system comprising:
a first wireless communication device configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system having two or more propulsion-generating vehicles that are mechanically interconnected with each other in order to travel along a route together; and
a controller configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle system and operatively connected with the first wireless communication device in order to control operations of the first wireless communication device, the controller configured to direct the first wireless communication device to switch between operating in an off-board communication mode and operating in an onboard communication mode,
wherein, when the first wireless communication device is operating in the off-board communication mode, the first wireless communication device is configured to receive and communicate remote data signals that are received from a location that is disposed off-board of the vehicle system and, when the first wireless communication device is operating in the onboard communication mode, the first wireless communication device is configured to communicate local data signals between the propulsion-generating vehicles of the vehicle system.

2. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the remote data signals that are communicated from the location that is off-board of the vehicle system are control signals, and the first wireless communication device is configured to receive the control signals and convey the control signals to the controller, and the controller is configured to change one or more tractive efforts or braking efforts of the vehicle system in response to the control signals.

3. The communication system of claim 2 , wherein the control signals are positive train control (PTC) signals.

4. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the local data signals that are communicated between the propulsion-generating vehicles are control signals, and the first wireless communication device is configured to receive the control signals and convey the control signals to the controller, and the controller is configured to coordinate one or more tractive efforts or braking efforts of the two or more propulsion-generating vehicles according to the control signals.

5. The communication system of claim 4 , wherein the control signals are distributed power (DP) signals.

6. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to receive both the remote data signals and the local data signals during a common time period, and the controller is configured to cause the propulsion-generating vehicles to operate according to the remote data signals or the local data signals according to priorities assigned to the remote data signals and the local data signals.

7. The communication system of claim 6 , wherein the remote data signals are assigned with higher priorities than the local data signals.

8. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to direct the first wireless communication device to switch from the off-board communication mode to the onboard communication mode after non-receipt of the remote data signals for at least a designated time period.

9. The communication system of claim 1 , further comprising a second wireless communication device configured to communicate the local data signals between the propulsion-generating vehicles of the vehicle system so that the controller can coordinate one or more tractive efforts or braking efforts of the propulsion-generating vehicles with each other, the second wireless communication device having a narrower bandwidth than the first wireless communication device, the controller configured to direct the first wireless communication device to switch to the onboard communication mode to augment an available bandwidth that is used to communicate the local data signals for the vehicle system.

10. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the local data signals include operational control signals and safety control signals, the operational control signals used to direct the one or more tractive efforts or braking efforts of the propulsion-generating vehicles, the safety control signals used to stop movement of the propulsion-generating vehicles when one or more safety regulations are violated, and
wherein the second wireless communication device is configured to communicate the operational control signals and the controller is configured to direct both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to communicate the safety control signals when the first wireless communication device is in the onboard mode of operation.

11. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to direct the first wireless communication device to communicate the local data signals that are larger than a threshold data packet size when the first wireless communication device is in the onboard mode of operation while the second wireless communication device is configured to communicate the local data signals that are no larger than the threshold data packet size.

12. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to direct the first wireless communication device to communicate the local data signals of a first type when the first wireless communication device is in the onboard mode of operation while the second wireless communication device is configured to communicate the local data signals of a different, second type, the first and second types of the local data signals used to control respective different operations of the propulsion-generating vehicles.

13. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to reduce a signal intensity at which the first wireless communication device transmits the local data signals responsive to the first wireless communication device being switched from the off-board communication mode to the onboard communication mode.

14. A method comprising:
directing a first wireless communication device configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system to operate in an off-board communication mode, the vehicle system having two or more propulsion-generating vehicles that are mechanically interconnected with each other in order to travel along a route together, wherein, in the off-board communication mode, the first wireless communication device is configured to receive and communicate remote data signals that are received from a location that is disposed off-board the vehicle system;
switching the first wireless communication device from operating in the off-board communication mode to operating in an onboard communication mode, wherein, in the onboard communication mode, the first wireless communication device is configured to communicate local data signals between the propulsion-generating vehicles of the vehicle system; and
controlling movement of the vehicle system responsive to receipt of the remote data signals and responsive to receipt of the local data signals.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein switching the first wireless communication device to the onboard communication mode augments an available bandwidth that is used to communicate the local data signals for the vehicle system.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein switching the first wireless communication device from the off-board communication mode to the onboard communication mode comprises reducing a signal intensity at which the first wireless communication device transmits the local data signals.

17.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Cooper Jared Klineman
• Foy Robert James
• Peltz David Michael
• Smith Eugene
• Kellner Steven Andrew
• Schroeck Brian William
• Gilbertson Keith
• Noffsinger Joseph Forrest
• Daum Wolfgang

Classifications

• B61L15/0081

  On-board diagnosis or maintenance · CPC title

• B61L27/0005

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B61L15/0027 Primary

  Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R · CPC title

• B61L27/0088

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B61L27/70

  Details of trackside communication · CPC title