Wabtec Holding Corporation

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

James L Fenske

Kristofer M Ruhland

Karen Ann Shaw

Jeffrey Donald Kernwein

Benjamin L Henniges

Joshua M Bramucci

Peter Tilly

Michael Bratcher

John A Raid

Karen A Shaw

Kendrick W Gawne

A system is provided that include at least one positioning system that can detect a location or position of a vehicle or a portion of a vehicle group that includes the vehicle, at least one sensor positioned on or associated with the vehicle that can generate sensor data of a determined parameter or condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning system. The controller can determine that a hazard event has occurred based at least partially on sensor data, and can communicate a hazard event notification based at least in part on the location data and the sensor data to a remote server.

Alerting system and method

A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a vehicle control (VC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from vehicle systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the VC system and/or an on-board system of a vehicle. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a vehicle control (VC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a vehicle are also disclosed.

Method and system for transmitting enforceable instructions in vehicle control systems

A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a positive train control (PTC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from railroad systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the PTC system and/or an on-board system of a locomotive. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a positive train control (PTC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a train are also disclosed.

Method and system for transmitting enforceable instructions in positive train control systems

A system, method, and apparatus for generating vital messages on an on-board system of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes generating a plurality of vital messages with each processor of a plurality of different processors of the on-board system based on train data available to each processor, transmitting the plurality of vital messages from the plurality of different processors to a separate processor, and generating, by the separate processor, a final vital message based on at least two vital messages of the plurality of vital messages. A system and an apparatus for implementing the aforementioned method includes appropriately communicatively connected hardware components.

System, method, and apparatus for generating vital messages on an on-board system of a vehicle

A braking system, including a brake control arrangement in operational communication with a braking arrangement for braking a vehicle, and a penalty power source to deliver current or power to the brake control arrangement through a brake interface circuit. The brake interface circuit includes a main positive current switch urged to a closed position and configured to open upon loss or interruption of a penalty hold-off signal, and a main negative current switch urged to a closed position and configured to open upon loss or interruption of a penalty hold-off signal. Upon opening of either of the main positive current switch or the main negative current switch, the braking arrangement will automatically brake the vehicle as controlled by the brake control arrangement.

Braking system

A brake interface module for an electronic air brake (EAB) or a magnet valve that incorporates positive train control digital commands with additional fail-safe, discrete train control spare inputs into a single, fail safe output via redundant power supplies. The brake interface module comprises a positive train control circuitry including a first microcontroller and a second microcontroller operatively coupled to each other. The brake interface module also includes spare discrete inputs that utilize fail-safe principles and are continuously monitored by the second microcontroller to achieve fail-safe performance. Each power supply contains redundant, independent means of shutting down to facilitate self test.

Growing community of inventors

Marion, IA, United States of America

James L Fenske