U.S. patent application number 12/036366 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-27 for system and method for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle.
Invention is credited to Ajith Kuttannair Kumar.
Application Number | 20090212168 12/036366 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40997364 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090212168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kumar; Ajith Kuttannair |
August 27, 2009 |
System and Method for Transporting Wayside Data on a Rail
Vehicle
Abstract
A system is provided for transporting wayside data on a rail
vehicle. The system includes a wayside device positioned adjacent
to a rail, where the rail vehicle travels along the rail. The
system includes a transceiver coupled to the wayside device to
transmit and receive data relating to the operation of the wayside
device. Additionally, the system includes a transceiver coupled to
the rail vehicle in communication with the wayside device
transceiver upon the rail vehicle passing within a proximate
distance of the wayside device. The rail vehicle transceiver
transmits or receives the data based upon the communication with
the wayside device transceiver. The rail vehicle transports the
data between the wayside device and a secondary location along a
pre-existing route of the rail vehicle prior to the communication
with the wayside device transceiver. A method is also provided for
transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle.
Inventors: |
Kumar; Ajith Kuttannair;
(Erie, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BEUSSE WOLTER SANKS MORA & MAIRE, P.A.
390 NORTH ORANGE AVENUE, SUITE 2500
ORLANDO
FL
32801
US
|
Family ID: |
40997364 |
Appl. No.: |
12/036366 |
Filed: |
February 25, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
246/167R |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61L 27/0088
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
246/167.R |
International
Class: |
B61L 3/02 20060101
B61L003/02 |
Claims
1. A system for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle,
comprising: a wayside device positioned adjacent to a rail, said
rail vehicle configured to travel along said rail; a transceiver
coupled to said wayside device configured to transmit and receive
data relating to the operation of said wayside device; and a
transceiver coupled to said rail vehicle in communication with said
wayside device transceiver upon said rail vehicle passing within a
proximate distance of said wayside device along said rail, said
rail vehicle transceiver is configured to one of transmit and
receive said data based upon said communication with said wayside
device transceiver; said rail vehicle is configured to transport
said data between said wayside device and a secondary location
along a pre-existing route of said rail vehicle determined prior to
said communication with said wayside device transceiver.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rail vehicle is a train
having a plurality of locomotives.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication between said
wayside device transceiver and said rail vehicle transceiver is a
wireless communication.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication between said
wayside device transceiver and said rail vehicle transceiver is a
wired communication.
5. The system of claim 4, further comprising: a processor
positioned on said rail vehicle, said processor coupled to said
rail vehicle transceiver; said processor having a programmable
memory for said rail vehicle transceiver to transport said data of
at least one selective wayside device among a plurality of wayside
devices along said pre-existing route of said rail vehicle.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said data is at least one of
diagnostic data, operational data and statistical data relating to
the operation of said wayside device.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein for said at least one selective
wayside device, said programmable memory includes one of said rail
vehicle transceiver to transmit said data to said wayside device
transceiver and said rail vehicle transceiver to receive said data
from said wayside device transceiver.
8. The system of claim 6, wherein upon said rail vehicle
transceiver receiving data from said wayside device transceiver,
said rail vehicle transceiver is configured to store said data in a
memory of said processor during said transport of said data between
said wayside device and said secondary location.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein a monitoring center is positioned
at said secondary location, a transceiver is coupled to said
monitoring center; said monitoring center transceiver is in
communication with said rail vehicle transceiver upon said rail
vehicle passing within a proximate distance of said monitoring
center.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein said data is retrieved from said
processor and transmitted from said rail vehicle transceiver to
said monitoring center transceiver.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein said monitoring center is
configured to evaluate said at least one of diagnostic data,
operational data and statistical data relating to the operation of
said wayside device to determine an onset of failure of said
wayside device.
12. The system of claim 9, said monitoring center transceiver is
configured to transmit said data of said wayside device to said
rail vehicle transceiver, said data is stored in said memory, said
rail vehicle is configured to transport said data to said wayside
device along said pre-existing route and transmit said data from
said memory to said rail vehicle transceiver and to said wayside
device transceiver.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein said data is configuration data
of said wayside device.
14. The system of claim 5, wherein said programmable memory is
programmed such that said rail vehicle is configured to transport
data from at least one failed wayside device among said plurality
of wayside devices along said pre-existing route.
15. The system of claim 5, wherein said rail vehicle includes a
plurality of transceivers, said processor being coupled to said
plurality of transceivers; upon one of said transceivers
transmitting or receiving said data from said wayside device
transceiver, said processor is configured to deactivate the
remaining of said transceivers from communicating with said wayside
device transceiver.
16. A communication system for transporting wayside data on a rail
vehicle, comprising: a rail vehicle traveling along a rail, said
rail vehicle having a transceiver; a wayside device positioned
adjacent to a rail, said wayside device having a transceiver in
communication with said rail vehicle transceiver upon said rail
vehicle passing within a proximate distance of said wayside device
along said rail; said rail vehicle transceiver is configured to one
of transmit and receive said data based upon said communication
with said wayside device transceiver, said rail vehicle is further
configured to transport said data between said wayside device and a
secondary location along a pre-existing route of said rail vehicle
determined prior to said communication with said wayside device
transceiver.
17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein the rail vehicle
is a train having a plurality of locomotives.
18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the communication
between said wayside device transceiver and said rail vehicle
transceiver is a wired communication.
19. The communication system of claim 18, further comprising: a
processor positioned on said rail vehicle, said processor coupled
to said rail vehicle transceiver; said processor having a
programmable memory for said rail vehicle transceiver to transport
said data of at least one selective wayside device among a
plurality of wayside devices along said pre-existing route of said
rail vehicle.
20. A method for transporting wayside software data on a rail
vehicle, comprising: positioning a wayside device adjacent to a
rail, said rail vehicle configured to travel along said rail;
coupling a transceiver to said wayside device, said transceiver
being configured to transmit and receive software data relating to
the operation of software within said wayside device; coupling a
transceiver to said rail vehicle in communication with said wayside
device transceiver upon said rail vehicle passing within a
proximate distance of said wayside device along said rail;
configuring said rail vehicle transceiver to one of transmit and
receive said software data based upon said communication with said
wayside device transceiver; and transporting said software data
between said wayside device and a secondary location along a
pre-existing route of said rail vehicle determined prior to said
communication with said wayside device transceiver.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the rail vehicle is a train
having a plurality of locomotives.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the communication between said
wayside device transceiver and said rail vehicle transceiver is a
wired communication.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising: providing a
processor on said rail vehicle, said processor coupled to said rail
vehicle transceiver; said processor having a programmable memory
for said transporting said software data between at least one
selective wayside device among a plurality of wayside devices along
said pre-existing route of said rail vehicle.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising: programming said
programmable memory such that said rail vehicle is configured to
transport said software data from at least one failed wayside
device among said plurality of wayside devices along said
pre-existing route.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Wayside devices, such as railroad signals, for example, are
positioned adjacent to a railroad track, and serve distinct
functions relating to a rail vehicle passing along the railroad
track. It is important to ensure that these wayside devices are
operating correctly, as if one fails to operate correctly, this may
affect the proper operation of the rail vehicle or create a safety
concern. There are several conventional systems which attempt to
monitor the operation of these wayside devices. However, these
conventional systems typically do not notify a remote monitoring
center or a remote party until the wayside device has actually
failed to operate correctly. The conventional systems may
accomplish this in a number of ways, such as by sending a
maintenance worker out to the wayside device periodically to check
for failure of the wayside device, or by communicating a failure
signal along a land line from the wayside device to the remote
monitoring center, for example. Additionally, satellite
communication may be utilized to communicate a failure condition of
the wayside device.
[0002] Additionally, such conventional systems may communicate
necessary software to wayside devices which utilize universal
software, for example. These conventional systems may communicate a
new software package to the wayside device, or communicate an
updated software configuration of an existing software within the
wayside device, for example.
[0003] Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system
capable of monitoring the operation of these wayside devices, both
prior to and subsequent to a failure in the correct operation of
the wayside device. Additionally, it would be advantageous to
provide a system capable of utilizing a more cost effective means
of communication for delivering information relating to the
monitoring of these wayside devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In one embodiment of the present invention, a system is
provided for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle. The
system includes a wayside device positioned adjacent to a rail,
where the rail vehicle travels along the rail. The system further
includes a transceiver coupled to the wayside device to transmit
and receive data relating to the operation of the wayside device.
Additionally, the system includes a transceiver coupled to the rail
vehicle in communication with the wayside device transceiver upon
the rail vehicle passing within a proximate distance of the wayside
device along the rail. The rail vehicle transceiver transmits or
receives the data based upon the communication with the wayside
device transceiver. The rail vehicle transports the data between
the wayside device and a secondary location along a pre-existing
route of the rail vehicle prior to the communication with the
wayside device transceiver.
[0005] In another embodiment of the present invention, a
communication system is provided for transporting wayside data on a
rail vehicle. The communication system includes a rail vehicle
traveling along a rail, where the rail vehicle has a transceiver.
The communication system further includes a wayside device
positioned adjacent to a rail, where the wayside device has a
transceiver in communication with the rail vehicle transceiver upon
the rail vehicle passing within a proximate distance of the wayside
device along the rail. The rail vehicle transceiver transmits or
receives the data based upon the communication with the wayside
device transceiver. The rail vehicle transports the data between
the wayside device and a secondary location along a pre-existing
route of the rail vehicle prior to the communication with the
wayside device transceiver.
[0006] In another embodiment of the present invention, a method is
provided for transporting wayside software data on a rail vehicle.
The method includes positioning a wayside device adjacent to a
rail, where the rail vehicle travels along the rail. The method
further includes coupling a transceiver to the wayside device,
where the transceiver transmits or receives software data relating
to the operation of software within the wayside device. The method
further includes coupling a transceiver to the rail vehicle in
communication with the wayside device transceiver upon the rail
vehicle passing within a proximate distance of the wayside device
along the rail. The method further includes configuring the rail
vehicle transceiver to transmit or receive the software data based
upon the communication with the wayside device transceiver. The
method further includes transporting the software data between the
wayside device and a secondary location along a pre-existing route
of the rail vehicle prior to the communication with the wayside
device transceiver.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] A more particular description of the invention briefly
described above will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended drawings.
Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments
of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be
limiting of its scope, the embodiments of the invention will be
described and explained with additional specificity and detail
through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment
of a system for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle in
accordance with the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a
system for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle in
accordance with the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an end perspective view of an exemplary embodiment
of a wayside device positioned adjacent to a rail in accordance
with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of
a system for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle in
accordance with the present invention; and
[0012] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment
of a method for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle in
accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments
consistent with the invention, examples of which are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference
numerals are used throughout the drawings and refer to the same or
like parts.
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system 10
for transporting wayside data on a rail vehicle 12, such as a train
having a locomotive, for example. The system 10 includes a wayside
device 14 positioned adjacent to a rail 16. In the illustrated
exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the wayside device 14 is a crossing
signal positioned adjacent to the intersection of the rail 16 and a
roadway 17, as appreciated by one of skill in the art, for example.
In another exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a wayside
device 15 may be a railroad signal positioned adjacent to the rail
16, where the railroad signal includes a plurality of light signals
21 to indicate one of a number of upcoming conditions along the
rail 16, for example. Although FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate a crossing
signal and railroad signal as two types of wayside devices, the
exemplary embodiments of the present invention apply to any type of
wayside device appreciated by one of skill in the art.
[0015] The rail vehicle 12 travels along the rail 16. A controller
19 of the wayside device 14 is coupled to the wayside device 14,
and is in communication with the wayside device 14 to transmit and
receive data relating to the operation of the wayside device 14.
Such data may include diagnostic data, operational data,
statistical data, and/or data indicating a failure condition of the
wayside device, for example. The controller 19 may control the
operation of the wayside device 14 through the transmission and
reception of data relating to the operation of the wayside device
14. A transceiver 18 connected to the controller 19 is coupled to
the wayside device 14 through the controller 19, and thus is
capable of transmitting and receiving data relating to the
operation of the wayside device 14. Additionally, a transceiver 20
is coupled to the top 21 of the rail vehicle 12 in communication
with the wayside device transceiver 18 upon the rail vehicle 12
passing within a proximate distance 22 of the wayside device 14
along the rail 16. When the transceiver 18 and transceiver 20 are
in communication, the rail vehicle transceiver 20 either transmits
the data relating to the operation of the wayside device 14, which
is in-turn received by the transceiver 18 coupled to the wayside
device 14, or the rail vehicle transceiver 20 receives the data
relating to the operation of the wayside device 14, which was
transmitted by the transceiver 18 coupled to the wayside device 14.
Although the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrates a wayside
device 14 having a transceiver 18 positioned on a controller
positioned adjacent to the wayside device 14, the transceiver 18
may be directly positioned on the wayside device 14, for example.
Although the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrates a
transceiver 20 positioned on the top 21 of the rail vehicle 12,
many but not all locomotives are already equipped with the
necessary equipment, such as the transceiver 20, to perform the
wireless communication of data relating to the operation of the
wayside device 14. Additionally, in an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, several locomotives may pass by a single wayside
device during a day, and thus even if locomotive #1 fails to
properly communicate with the wayside device to receive the data
relating to the operation of the wayside device, locomotive
#2,3,etc. can effectively communicate with the wayside device.
Thus, there is no necessity to upgrade every locomotive which
travels by the wayside devices to be capable of communicating with
the wayside devices and transmit/receive data relating to the
operation of the wayside devices, as several locomotives which
travel by the wayside devices may be so upgraded. Additionally, in
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a single
locomotive may pass by several wayside devices over a pre-existing
route 26, and thus even if locomotive #1 fails to properly
communicate with wayside device #1 along the pre-existing route to
receive data relating to the operation of wayside device #1, that
locomotive #1 can succeed in communicating with wayside #2,3,etc.
along the pre-existing route to receive data relating to the
operation of wayside #2,3,etc, for example.
[0016] As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the
rail vehicle 12 transports the data relating to the operation of
the wayside device 14 between the wayside device 14 and a secondary
location, such as a railroad operating center 24, along a
pre-existing route 26 of the rail vehicle 12. The pre-existing
route 26 of the rail vehicle 12 was predetermined prior to the
communication between the rail vehicle transceiver 20 and the
wayside device transceiver 18 adjacent to the wayside device 14.
Thus, the rail vehicle 12 effectively acts as a transport medium
for the data relating to the operation of the wayside device 14,
between the wayside device 14 and the railroad operation center 24,
along its pre-existing route 26, and the rail vehicle 12 behaves no
differently based on whether there is or is not communication
between the rail vehicle transceiver 20 and the wayside device
transceiver 18. A number of different facilities may be positioned
at the secondary location, such as the previously mentioned
railroad operation center 24, or a monitoring center, both of which
may receive the data relating to the operation of the wayside
device 14, and analyze the data in order to assess the performance
of the wayside device 14 and/or determine the onset of any possible
failure in the operation of the wayside device 14, for example.
Additionally, a yard or service shop 25 may be positioned at or
adjacent to the secondary location, and the rail vehicle 12 may
receive or transmit the data respectively from or to the yard
service shop 25 upon arriving at the secondary location, for
example.
[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the rail vehicle transceiver 20
may obtain the data from the railroad operation center 24 at the
secondary location, and in-turn transport the data to the wayside
device 14, after which the data may be transmitted from the rail
vehicle transceiver 20 to the wayside device transceiver 18. For
example, such data which is transported from the railroad operation
center 24 to the wayside device 14 may include configuration data
to configure the wayside device 14, as discussed in greater detail
below. Alternatively, the rail vehicle transceiver 20 may obtain
the data at the wayside device 14 from the wayside device
transceiver 18 and transport the data to the railroad operation
center 24 at the secondary location, after which the data may be
transmitted to one of the railroad operation center 24 or
monitoring center, for example, as discussed above. For example,
such data which is transported from the wayside device 14 to the
railroad operation center 24 may include data indicating a failure
condition of the wayside device 14. As illustrated in the exemplary
embodiment of FIG. 4, the system 10 may include rail vehicles 12,13
having a plurality of respective transceivers 20,23 for
transmitting or receiving the data relating to the operation of the
wayside device 14.
[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the communication between the
wayside device transceiver 18 and the rail vehicle transceiver 20
may be a wireless form of communication. Examples of such modes of
wireless communication include IEEE 802.11, for example.
Alternatively, in an exemplary embodiment, the communication
between the wayside device transceiver 18 and the rail vehicle
transceiver 20 may be a wired form of communication. Examples of
such modes of wired communication include Ethernet, RS-422, or
ANSI/TIA/EIA-422-B, for example.
[0019] As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the
system 10 further includes a processor 32 positioned on the rail
vehicle 12. The processor 32 is coupled to the rail vehicle
transceiver 20, and has a programmable memory 34 for the rail
vehicle transceiver 20 to transport the data of a selective wayside
device 14 among a plurality of wayside devices 14,15 along the
pre-existing route 26 of the rail vehicle 12. Although FIGS. 1 and
3 illustrate two wayside devices 14,15 along the pre-existing route
26, more than two wayside devices may be positioned along the
pre-existing route 26 adjacent to the rail 16. Thus, in the
illustrated exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3, the
programmable memory 34 may be programmed (typically at the
beginning of a route, such as at the railroad operation center 24
at the secondary location, for example) to transmit or receive the
data respectively to or from the wayside device transceiver 18 of
the selective wayside device 14, but to not transmit or receive the
data respectively to or from the wayside device transceiver 27 of
the wayside device 15 (FIG. 3) when the rail vehicle 12 passes
within the proximate distance 22 of the wayside device 15. The
programming of the programmable memory 34 may be based on a desire
to monitor the performance of a particular group of wayside devices
among the plurality of wayside devices along the pre-existing route
26, or to only receive data respectively from wayside devices which
have reached a failure condition, for example. The programmable
memory 34 stores whether, for each selective wayside device 14, the
rail vehicle transceiver 20 is to transmit the data to the wayside
device transceiver 18 or the rail vehicle transceiver 20 is to
receive the data from the wayside device transceiver 18. For
example, the programmable memory 34 may be programmed so that the
rail vehicle 12 transports data from a failed wayside device 14
among the plurality of wayside devices 14,15 along the pre-existing
route 26, for example. Upon the railroad operation center 24
receiving the data indicating the failed wayside device 14, the
railroad operation center 24 may arrange for repairs and/or
maintenance of the wayside device 14, in addition to safety
precautions, such as rescheduling the routes of trains passing in
the vicinity of the failed wayside device 14, for example.
[0020] As further illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG.
2, upon the rail vehicle transceiver 20 having received data from
the wayside device transceiver 18, the rail vehicle transceiver 20
stores the data in a memory 36 of the processor 32 during the
transport of the data between the wayside device 14 and the
secondary location, such as the railroad operation center 24. As
discussed above, a railroad operation center 24 may be positioned
at the secondary location, and a transceiver 40 is coupled to the
railroad operation center 24, which is in communication with the
rail vehicle transceiver 20 when the rail vehicle 12 passes within
a proximate distance of the railroad operation center 24. The data
is retrieved from the processor 32 and transmitted from the rail
vehicle transceiver 20 to the railroad operation center transceiver
40. In an exemplary embodiment, the railroad operation center 24
evaluates the diagnostic data, operational data, statistical data,
and/or data indicating a failure condition of the wayside device,
to analyze the data and/or to determine an onset of failure of the
wayside device 14. The railroad operation center 24 may communicate
the results of its analysis with several outside parties, including
the railroad, a dispatch unit, a maintenance unit and/or the
manufacturer of the wayside device 14, for example. In an exemplary
embodiment, the railroad operation center transceiver 40 transmits
the data of the wayside device 14 to the rail vehicle transceiver
20, and the data is stored in the memory 36. The rail vehicle 12
then transports the data to the wayside device 14 along the rail 16
on the pre-existing route 26 and subsequently transmits the data
from the memory 36 to the rail vehicle transceiver 20 to the
wayside device transceiver 18. For example, such data which is
transported from the railroad operation center 24 to the wayside
device 14 may be configuration data which is utilized to
re-configure the wayside device 14, such as new timing data for
when the crossing signal should rise/fall, for example, or
configuration software data for the software used to operate the
wayside device 14, for example.
[0021] As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the
system 10 includes a plurality of rail vehicles 12,13 having a
plurality of transceivers 20,23, and the processor 32 of the rail
vehicle 12 is coupled to the plurality of transceivers 20,23. Upon
one 20 of the transceivers 20,23 transmitting or receiving the data
from the wayside device transceiver 18, the processor 32
deactivates the remaining 23 transceiver of the plurality of
transceivers 20,23 from communicating with the wayside device
transceiver 18.
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method 100
for transporting wayside software data on a rail vehicle 12. The
method 100 begins at 101 by positioning 102 a wayside device 14
adjacent to a rail 16, where the rail vehicle 12 travels along the
rail 16. The method 100 further includes coupling 104 a transceiver
18 to the wayside device 14, where the transceiver 18 transmits or
receives software data relating to the operation of software within
the wayside device 14. The method 100 further includes coupling 106
a transceiver 20 to the rail vehicle 12 in communication with the
wayside device transceiver 18 upon the rail vehicle 12 passing
within a proximate distance 22 of the wayside device 14 along the
rail 16. The method 100 further includes configuring 108 the rail
vehicle transceiver 20 to transmit or receive the software data
based upon the communication with the wayside device transceiver
18. The method 100 further includes transporting 110 the software
data between the wayside device 14 and a railroad operation center
24 at a secondary location along a pre-existing route 26 of the
rail vehicle 12 prior to the communication with the wayside device
transceiver 18, before ending at 111.
[0023] This written description uses examples to disclose
embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to
enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the
embodiments of the invention. The patentable scope of the
embodiments of the invention is defined by the claims, and may
include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such
other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if
they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal
language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural
elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages
of the claims.
* * * * *