Remote control system for a locomotive

Abstract

A locomotive control system comprising a remote transmitter issuing RF binary coded commands and a slave controller mounted on the locomotive that decodes the transmission and operates is dependence thereof various actuators to carry into effect the commands of the ground based operator.

1. A remote control system for a locomotive, comprising:
 a first transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function;    a second transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command from the set of said second transmitter signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function; and    a slave controller receiving RF commands from said first transmitter and from said second transmitter and assigning to each one of said first and second transmitters one of a command authority holder operational status and a command authority non-holder operational status, said slave controller being responsive: 
 i) to at least one RF signal command generated by said first transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,  
 ii) to at least one RF signal command generated by said second transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,  
 iii) to an RF signal command other than said at least one RF signal command generated by a selected one of said first and second transmitters to cause the locomotive to perform a certain function,  
 iv) an RF signal command other than said at least one frequency signal command solely generated by a transmitter having a command authority holder operational status, and  
 v) to a command authority relinquish RF signal command generated by one of said first and second transmitters having a command authority holder operational status to assign the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters;  
   wherein said slave controller rejects an RF command, other than said at least one RF signal command, issued from a non-selected one of said first and second transmitters.    
     
     
       2. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in claim  1    14 , wherein said at least one RF signal command signals said slave controller to effect application of braking power. 
     
     
       3. A remote control system for a locomotive, comprising:
 a first transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function;  
 a second transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command from the set of said second transmitter signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function; and  
 a slave controller receiving RF commands from said first transmitter and from said second transmitter and assigning to each one of said first and second transmitters one of a command authority holder operational status and a command authority non-holder operational status, said slave controller being responsive: 
 i) to at least one RF signal command generated by said first transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,  
 ii) to at least one RF signal command generated by said second transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,  
 iii) to an RF signal command other than said at least one RF signal command generated by a selected one of said first and second transmitters to cause the locomotive to perform a certain function,  
 iv) to an RF signal command other than said at least one frequency  RF signal command solely generated by a transmitter having a command authority holder operational status,  
 v) to a command authority relinquish RF signal command generated by one of said first and second transmitters having a command authority holder operational status, and  
 vi) to a command authority acceptance RF signal command generated by the other of said first and second transmitters having a command authority non-holder operational status, to assign the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters;  
 
 wherein said slave controller rejects an RF command, other than said at least one RF signal command, issued from a non-selected one of said first and second transmitters.  
 
     
     
       4. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said at least one RF signal command signals said slave controller to effect application of braking power. 
     
     
       5. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said at least one RF signal command is a signaling command. 
     
     
       6. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said at least one RF signal command signals said slave controller to sound a bell or horn. 
     
     
       7. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said slave controller initiates a safety check prior to assigning the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters. 
     
     
       8. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said safety check includes determining if the locomotive is stopped. 
     
     
       9. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said safety check includes a brake safety check. 
     
     
       10. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said slave controller maintains a list of two or more identifiers of transmitters permitted to assume the command authority holder operational status. 
     
     
       11. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the other of said first and second transmitters acknowledges acceptance within a predetermined time period in order for the slave controller to transfer the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters. 
     
     
       12. A remote control system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said first and second transmitters generate RF signal commands on a common carrier frequency. 
     
     
       13. A remote control system for a locomotive, comprising:
   a first transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function;        a second transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command from the set of said second transmitter signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function; and        a slave controller receiving RF commands from said first transmitter and from said second transmitter and assigning to each one of said first and second transmitters one of a command authority holder operational status and a command authority non - holder operational status, said slave controller being responsive:      i )  to at least one RF signal command generated by said first transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,        ii )  to at least one RF signal command generated by said second transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,        iii )  to an RF signal command other than said at least one RF signal command generated by a selected one of said first and second transmitters to cause the locomotive to perform a certain function,        iv )  to an RF signal command other than said at least one RF signal command solely generated by a transmitter having a command authority holder operational status, and        v )  to a command authority relinquish RF signal command generated by one of said first and second transmitters having a command authority holder operational status to assign the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters;          wherein said slave controller rejects an RF command, other than said at least one RF signal command, issued from a non - selected one of said first and second transmitters; and        wherein said slave controller maintains a list of two or more identifiers of transmitters permitted to assume the command authority holder operational status and said slave controller checks said list for an identifier designating the other of said first and second transmitters prior to assigning the command authority holder operation status to the other of said first and second transmitters.     
     
     
       14. A remote control system for a locomotive, comprising:
   a first transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function;        a second transmitter generating a set of RF signal commands, each RF signal command from the set of said second transmitter signalling the locomotive to execute a certain function; and        a slave controller receiving RF commands from said first transmitter and from said second transmitter and assigning to each one of said first and second transmitters one of a command authority holder operational status and a command authority non - holder operational status, said slave controller being responsive:      i )  to at least one RF signal command generated by said first transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,        ii )  to at least one RF signal command generated by said second transmitter causing the locomotive to execute a predetermined function,        iii )  to an RF signal command other than said at least one RF signal command generated by a selected one of said first and second transmitters to cause the locomotive to perform a certain function,        iv )  to an RF signal command other than said at least one RF signal command solely generated by a transmitter having a command authority holder operational status, and        v )  to a command authority relinquish RF signal command generated by one of said first and second transmitters having a command authority holder operational status to assign the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters;          wherein said slave controller rejects an RF command, other than said at least one RF signal command, issued from a non - selected one of said first and second transmitters; and        wherein the other of said first and second transmitters acknowledges acceptance of the command authority holder operational status prior to the slave controller assigning the command authority holder operation status to the other of said first and second transmitters.     
     
     
       15. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said at least one RF signal command is a signaling command. 
     
     
       16. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said at least one RF signal command signals said slave controller to sound a bell or horn. 
     
     
       17. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said slave controller initiates a safety check prior to assigning the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters. 
     
     
       18. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said safety check includes determining if the locomotive is stopped. 
     
     
       19. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said safety check includes a brake safety check. 
     
     
       20. A remote control system for a locomotive as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the other of said first and second transmitters acknowledges acceptance within a predetermined time period in order for the slave controller to transfer the command authority holder operational status to the other of said first and second transmitters.