Bnsf Railway Company

Meteorcomm LLC

Jerry Wade Specht

Kent Robert Shue

Mitchell Wayne Beard

Ralph E Young

Marcus Parrott

Carlos Aguilera

Perry Peden, Jr

Wipawee Siriwongpairat

Thanongsak Himsoon

Michael J Neeson

Tim Potter

Steve Brog

Bruce Simon

William Mark Allen

Paul Chiyang Shih

Paul Aaron Weidle

A railroad infrastructure communication network is presented. The network can include a plurality of infrastructure nodes distributed proximate a railroad track, such as near railroad equipment and/or assets. Infrastructure nodes can be configured to receive data from equipment sensor and/or assets and transmit such data via the network. Infrastructure nodes can further generate alert and/or alert packets based on such received data. Infrastructure nodes can self-define in a network infrastructure depending on configured connection types, and can for example, serve as repeater nodes (to promulgate a transmission to additional infrastructure nodes) and/or collector nodes (to collect data for a centralized server node). A server node can be configured to receive data and/or packet from infrastructure nodes and generate requests for additional systems, personnel, etc. to address such requests. The network can limit the data transmission size and leverage distributed processing capabilities to enable transmissions over long ranges, such as by reducing the bandwidth required to transmit packets.

System and method for remote device monitoring

A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.

Railroad virtual track block system

A railroad infrastructure communication network is presented. The network can include a plurality of infrastructure nodes distributed proximate a railroad track, such as near railroad equipment and/or assets. Infrastructure nodes can be configured to receive data from equipment sensor and/or assets and transmit such data via the network. Infrastructure nodes can further generate alert and/or alert packets based on such received data. Infrastructure nodes can self-define in a network infrastructure depending on configured connection types, and can for example, serve as repeater nodes (to promulgate a transmission to additional infrastructure nodes) and/or collector nodes (to collect data for a centralized server node). A server node can be configured to receive data and/or packet from infrastructure nodes and generate requests for additional systems, personnel, etc. to address such requests. The network can limit the data transmission size and leverage distributed processing capabilities.

A Wireless Slide Fence utilizing signal reflection technology to detect rockslides and can determine the size and location of fallen rocks/objects impeding travel along a train track is presented. The present disclosure solves the technological problem of determining rock size and location to validate rockslide/fall alarms to reduce false alarms, while minimizing repairs required by conventional systems through the use of obstacle detection units and vital logic controllers. The present disclosure improves the performance of the system by, generating validated alarms when fallen rocks/objects satisfy the size criteria and are located in an area hazardous to train operations. In one exemplary embodiment, a loitering time can be implemented to validate object detections to reduce false positives due to transient objects such as migrating animals.

Wireless slide fence system and method

A method of exchanging application messages generated by an applications with a format specified by a predetermined protocol and then encapsulating the message with a railroad edge messaging protocol (EMP) header and a railroad Class D messaging transport header to form a packet for transmission across a railroad communications system.

Systems and methods for interfacing a railroad centralized traffic control wayside and a railroad centralized traffic control office using interoperable train control messaging

A method of exchanging centralized train control (CTC) messages in a railroad communication system includes generating a message having a format defined by a protocol with an application running on a sending one of a railroad wayside system and a railroad dispatch system. A railroad edge messaging protocol (EMP) header and a railroad Class D messaging transport header are appended to the message to generate a packet. The packet is transmitted to a receiving one of the railroad dispatch system and the railroad wayside system across the railroad communications system.

Growing community of inventors

Overland Park, KS, United States of America

Jerry Wade Specht