Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

Transportation IP Holdings, LLC

Wabtec Holding Corporation

Padam Dhoj Swar

Carl L Haas

Brian E Kurz

Danial Rice

Daniel McGee

Richard S Klemanski

Benjamin L Henniges

Michael B Colson

Tim Gibson

David Andrew Gloyd

James Cowan

Robert Hoffman

James Allen Oswald

Ann K Grimm

Joseph W Gorman

Kendrick W Gawne

Kevin J Angel

Christopher Claussen

Phillip A Burgart

James Edward Trainor

Sathya Vagheeswar Venkatasubramanian

John E Halowell

A device adapted for attachment to a coupler of a trailing railcar of a train includes an enclosure defining an internal compartment, a port adapted for connection to an air brake hose receiving air from a brake pipe of the train, a handle extending from the enclosure, a communication device disposed within the internal compartment of the enclosure, and at least one antenna connected to the communication device and extending at least partially through the internal compartment of the enclosure and into an internal cavity of the handle.

End of train device with integrated antenna

A method of communication between first and second controllers positioned in spaced relation along a length of a vehicle system includes establishing first and second wireless, parallel communication channels between the first and second controllers. The channels operate at different carrier frequencies. The first controller transmits common information in parallel on the first and second wireless communication channels to the second controller, and the second controller receives the information transmitted in parallel on first and second wireless communication channels. The first and second wireless communication channels are then deactivated Subsequently, a single communication channel is established for communicating other, different information between the controllers.

Vehicle communication via multiple wireless communication links

A system and a method includes a monitoring device disposed onboard a first vehicle of a vehicle system. The monitoring device may obtain information about one or more of the monitoring device, the first vehicle, the vehicle system, or a route along which the vehicle system moves. The system includes a communication system having one or more processors configured to wirelessly activate and communicate with the monitoring device. The communication system is configured to wirelessly activate the monitoring device by controlling the monitoring device to establish a communication link between the monitoring device and a control system disposed onboard another vehicle of the vehicle system. The communication system is separate from and disposed a distance away from the monitoring device and the vehicle system.

Communication system and method

A vehicle monitoring device includes a camera or other optical sensor configured to be disposed at a trailing end of a first vehicle system. The camera or other optical sensor is configured to output one or more images or video of a field of view behind the first vehicle system. The monitoring device also includes a controller configured to receive output from one or more sensors and to activate the camera or other optical sensor to output the one or more images or video based on the output from the one or more sensors. The output from the one or more sensors indicates one or more of a change in movement of the first vehicle system, a temperature, an acoustic sound, or movement of a second vehicle system.

Monitoring and communication device of a vehicle

A system is provided that may include a first communication controller that may communicate with a vehicle system formed from two or more vehicles. The first communication controller may operate in different modes, including a first mode to control movement of the vehicle system without repeating any control signals communicated between the vehicles, and in a second mode to monitor different frequencies for receipt of the control signals, receive and repeat a first control signal of the control signals at a first frequency, and receive and repeats a second control signal of the control signals at a second frequency. The first communication controller may also operate in a third mode in which the first communication controller may monitor the first frequency but not the second frequency for the first control signal, receives the first control signal at the first frequency, and repeats the first control signal at the first frequency.

Vehicle and route monitoring system

A communication assembly includes a housing, a communication device, an extendable mast, and a control circuit. The housing is configured to be mounted on a vehicle. The communication device includes an antenna and is disposed at least partially within the housing. The extendable mast is mechanically coupled to the housing and supports the antenna. The control circuit is operably coupled to the mast and is configured to generate a signal to raise the mast from a first position of a distal end of the mast to a second position of the distal end in response to determining occurrence of a designated raise event. The antenna extends a greater distance from the housing in the second position of the mast than in the first position.

Communication assembly with extendable antenna

A communication device and method may include at least one tuner circuit that monitors at least a first frequency channel and a second frequency channel. A controller of the radio receiver may measure a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value over time for the first frequency channel and a second RSSI value over time for the second frequency channel. The first and second RSSI values are based on a signal strength of radio frequency (RF) energy received on the first and second frequency channels, respectively. The controller may detect a leader portion of a message on the first frequency channel responsive to a change in the first RSSI value exceeding a step change threshold. The controller may extract, via a detector circuit, message data from a carrier wave of the RF message.

Communication device for detecting messages based on signal strength

A system includes a housing operably coupled with a vehicle system, and a vehicle monitoring system disposed within the housing comprising a wireless communication device including an antenna configured to wirelessly communication data signals. One or more ground radials are electrically coupled with the wireless communication device and conduct the data signals from the wireless communication device. The one or more ground radials form a ground plane of the antenna while the vehicle system is moving and the antenna is wirelessly communicating the data signals.

End of vehicle device with integrated antenna

A system may be provided that may include an end of vehicle device, and an antenna coupled to an exterior of the end of vehicle device. The antenna may be configured to communicate signals to or from the end of vehicle device, and may include a conductive member configured to communicate the signals to or from the end of vehicle device, and a flexible support member disposed within the conductive member and configured to receive, absorb, and displace force from the conductive member.

Antenna for an end of vehicle device

A system for determining a location of a rail vehicle based on an radio frequency (RF) signal that includes at least one processor programmed or configured to determine that a first RF communication signal transmitted by a head of train (HOT) unit of a plurality of rail vehicles is received by an end of train (EOT) unit of the plurality of rail vehicles, determine whether a second RF communication signal transmitted by the HOT unit is received by the EOT unit during a time interval after a time at which the first RF communication signal was determined to be received by the EOT unit, and determine one or more locations of the plurality of rail vehicles based on determining that the second RF communication signal transmitted by the HOT unit is not received by the EOT unit during the time interval. A method and computer program product are also disclosed.

Determining loss of communication between rail vehicles

A method of communication between first and second controllers positioned in spaced relation along a length of a train includes forming between the first and second controllers, first and second wireless communication channels operating at different carrier frequencies and causing the first and second wireless communication channels to be in communication in parallel, whereupon the first and second controllers are in communication via both the first and second wireless communication channels. The first controller then causes information to be transmitted in parallel on the first and second wireless communication channels to the second controller and the second controller receives the information transmitted in parallel on first and second wireless communication channels. The first and second wireless communication channels are then caused to be inactive, whereupon the first and second controllers are out of communication.

A system, method, and apparatus for certifying an end-of-train device pressure calibration is provided. The system includes an end-of-train device including a brake pipe interface adapted to be removably connected to a brake pipe system of a train and to receive air having a pressure from the brake pipe system, and a pressure sensing device configured to measure the air pressure received in the brake pipe interface to obtain a measured pressure. The system also includes a pressure calibration device adapted to be removably connected to the brake pipe interface when the end-of-train device is removed from the train, the pressure calibration device configured to output air at a regulated pressure to the brake pipe interface, and at least one controller programmed or configured to determine a calibration certification result based at least partially on a difference between the measured pressure and the regulated pressure.

System, method, and apparatus for certifying a brake pressure calibration for an end-of-train device

A system, method, and apparatus for certifying an end-of-train device pressure calibration is provided. The system includes a pressure calibration device configured to output a regulated pressure; and an end-of-train device comprising: a brake pipe interface adapted to receive the regulated pressure from the pressure calibration device; and a pressure sensing device configured to obtain a measured pressure by measuring the regulated pressure. At least one of the pressure calibration device and the end-of-train device comprises at least one controller configured to determine a calibration certification result based at least partially on a difference between the measured pressure and the regulated pressure.

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Clarksburg, MD, United States of America

Padam Dhoj Swar