Secure vehicle to vehicle ptc communication

Abstract

A method is provided that can include activating at least two wireless communication channels in parallel, between a first wireless transceiver and a second wireless transceiver. Each of the at least two wireless communication channels can operate at a different radio carrier frequency, and the first wireless transceiver may be part of a first vehicle. The method can also include transmitting, by the first wireless transceiver, common information in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels to the second wireless transceiver and deactivating the at least two wireless communication channels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 activating at least two wireless communication channels in parallel, between a first wireless transceiver and a second wireless transceiver, the at least two wireless communication channels operating at different radio carrier frequencies, and wherein the first wireless transceiver is part of a first vehicle;   transmitting, by the first wireless transceiver, common information in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels to the second wireless transceiver; and   deactivating the at least two wireless communication channels.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the second wireless transceiver, the common information transmitted in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 changing one or more of a throttle setting or a brake setting of the first vehicle using the common information that is transmitted.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the common information is first information, and further comprising:
 subsequently activating only one but not multiple of the at least two wireless communication channels; and   transmitting, by the first wireless transceiver to the second wireless transceiver, second information on the one wireless communication channel that is activated.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle is included in a rail vehicle system, the first wireless transceiver is included in a head-of-train (HOT) unit, the second wireless transceiver is part of a second vehicle of the rail vehicle system, and the second wireless transceiver is included in an end-of-train (EOT) unit, and transmitting the common information in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels includes transmitting the common information from the HOT unit to the EOT unit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second wireless transceiver is part of a back-office computer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle is part of a first consist of a vehicle system and the second wireless transceiver is part of a second vehicle that is part of a second consist of the vehicle system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating the at least two wireless communication channels in parallel includes switching at least one of the first wireless transceiver or the second wireless transceiver from a low power, stand-by, or sleep mode to an active or fully operational mode via a carrier frequency associated with at least one of the at least two wireless communication channels. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the different radio carrier frequencies include a center frequency of 450 MHz and a cellular telephone frequency. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a first wireless transceiver configured to be operably disposed onboard a first vehicle and to activate at least two wireless communication channels in parallel between the first wireless transceiver and a second wireless transceiver, the at least two wireless communication channels operating at different radio carrier frequencies,   the first wireless transceiver further configured to transmit common information in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels to the second wireless transceiver, and   the first wireless transceiver further configured to deactivate the at least two wireless communication channels following transmission of the common information in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 one or more processors configured to change one or more of a throttle setting or a brake setting of the first vehicle using the common information that is transmitted.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the common information is first information, and the first wireless transceiver is configured to subsequently activate only one but not multiple of the at least two wireless communication channels and transmit second information to the second wireless transceiver on the one wireless communication channel that is activated. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first vehicle is included in a rail vehicle system and the second wireless transceiver is part of a second vehicle of the rail vehicle system, the first wireless transceiver is a head-of-train (HOT) unit, and the second wireless transceiver is an end-of-train (EOT) unit. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the second wireless transceiver is part of a back-office computer. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first vehicle is part of a first consist of a vehicle system and the second wireless transceiver is part of a second vehicle that is part of a second consist of the vehicle system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first vehicle is a first automobile, and the second wireless transceiver is part of a second vehicle that is a second automobile. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the different radio carrier frequencies include a center frequency of 450 MHz and a cellular telephone frequency. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a wireless head-of-train (HOT) transceiver configured to be operably disposed onboard a first rail vehicle and to activate at least two wireless communication channels in parallel between the HOT transceiver and a wireless transceiver that is part of a remote device, each of the at least two wireless communication channels operating at a different radio carrier frequency,   the HOT transceiver further configured to transmit common information in parallel on the at least two wireless communication channels to the wireless transceiver of the remote device, and   the HOT transceiver further configured to deactivate the at least two wireless communication channels.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the HOT transceiver is configured to deactivate the at least two wireless communication channels by entering a low power, stand-by or sleep mode. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the HOT transceiver is configured to subsequently transmit additional information to the wireless transceiver of the remote device via a single wireless communication channel of the at least two wireless communication channels.