General Electric Company

Other

Mark Wayne Wheeler

Mark Bradshaw Kraeling

David Michael Peltz

Eugene Andrew Smith

Robert James Foy

Brian Lee Staton

Robert C Palanti

Rabi N Ratnesar

John J Allen

Ronald O Newton

Kevin B Root

James Glen Corry

Dale Henry Delaruelle

Glen Paul Peltonen

Daniel Joseph Rush

Maurice Stanley Hutchins

James G Kelley

Brett A Pierce

Gregory Paul Hrebek

Scot Stewart

Premal Desai

Lawrence R Waldo

Don Herndon

A system and method communicate a command message from a lead vehicle in a vehicle consist having remote vehicles and the lead vehicle. The command message includes a directive for controlling operations of the remote vehicles. The command message is received at the remote vehicles and reply messages are communicated in response thereto. The reply messages include statuses of the remote vehicles. Responsive to determining that the lead vehicle does not receive the reply message from one or more of the remote vehicles, the statuses of the one or more remote vehicles from which the reply messages are not received at the lead vehicle are sent and/or combined into an individual or concatenated relayed message. The individual or concatenated relayed messages are communicated to the lead vehicle such that the lead vehicle receives the statuses of the one or more remote vehicles.

System and method for communicating in a vehicle consist

A brake control system for a distributed power vehicle system includes a brake system and a distributed power control system in a first vehicle, and first and second separate communication links between the brake system and the distributed power control system. In operation, upon the initiation of a penalty brake application, the brake system transmits information about the brake level of the penalty brake application to the distributed power control system, over at least the first communication link. However, if the first communication link fails, the brake system redundantly transmits the information about the level of the penalty brake application to the distributed power control system over the second communication link. The information is transmitted from the distributed power control system in the first vehicle to remote vehicles for carrying out the penalty brake application.

System and method for braking system control in distributed power vehicles

A railway communication system () includes a transmitter () receiving an input and producing a communication signal (). The communication signal () includes at least two different portions () for separately encoding respective indications () of the input. The system also includes a receiver () coupled to a controlled device, the receiver () extracting at least one of the respective indications () from the communication signal (). The receiver controls the device responsive to the at least one extracted indications ().

Method and system for providing redundancy in railroad communication equipment

A method for linking together three or more powered systems to operate as a single distributed power system, the method includes identifying a first linking protocol between at least a first powered system and a second powered system, determining whether at least a third powered system is compatible with the first linking protocol, if not compatible, switching to at least a second linking protocol to find a common linking protocol between the first powered system, the second powered system, and at least the third powered system, and linking the first powered system, the second powered system, and at least the third power system to operate in a distributed power configuration when the common linking protocol is found. A system and a computer software code linking together two or more powered systems to operate as a single distributed power system are also disclosed.

System, method, and computer software code for linking a plurality of powered systems having different linking protocols to operate as a single powered system

A remote control system () for a locomotive () includes a sensor (e.g.) on-board the locomotive for providing locomotive information. The system also includes a transmitter () for transmitting the locomotive information from the locomotive to an operator control unit (OCU) () off-board the locomotive. A graphical display () is associated with the OCU for displaying the locomotive information in a graphical format to an operator of the OCU. A locomotive control unit (LCU) () in communication with the OCU is operable to control the locomotive in response to a manipulation of the OCU by the operator.

Locomotive remote control system

A method for providing wireless communications between a locomotive control unit (LCU) () on board a locomotive () and a portable operator control unit (OCU) () for use in controlling operation of the locomotive from an off-board location includes calculating a transmit bit error check value for a wireless message. The wireless message includes an explicit sequence number assigned to the message so that the explicit sequence number is implicitly encoded in the transmit bit error check value. The method also includes transmitting an encoded message between the OCU and the LCU with the transmit bit error check value and without the explicit sequence number effective to reduce a total amount information needed to be transmitted compared to a message including the explicit sequence number.

Implicit message sequence numbering for locomotive remote control system wireless communications

A train control system includes a plurality of control subsystems for installation in respective locomotives. At least one of the control subsystems is configurable as a lead control subsystem, and at least one other control subsystem is configurable as a remote control subsystem. Each control subsystem preferably comprises a radio transceiver, a first processor connected to the radio transceiver for communicating with at least one other control subsystem, an electronic brake valve connected to the first processor, and an electro-pneumatic controller connected to the first processor and the electronic brake valve, for interfacing to the air brake system of the train. The first processor preferably comprises a locomotive computer interface for performing both distributed power and electronic air brake functions in cooperation with the locomotive control computer. The distributed power functions may comprise at least one of tractive effort and dynamic braking functions. The electronic air brake functions preferably comprise at least one of automatic service braking, independent braking, and emergency braking.

Distributed power and electronic air brake control system for a train and associated methods

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Melbourne, FL, United States of America

Mark Wayne Wheeler