Template crossing design and programming for highway-rail grade crossings

1. A method of programming application logic in a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system with a set of templates, each template in the set of templates defining a track circuit application for a grade crossing or remote location with different characteristics from other templates in the set of templates, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a template from the set of templates that corresponds to the track circuit at the grade crossing;

said selected template including a set of default programming parameters for programming of the controller;

wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is based upon whether all of the track circuits are at the grade crossing; and

using the default programming parameters for initial programming of the controller.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuits is further based upon whether the track circuits are mixed between the grade crossing and remote locations, and whether all remote locations communicate toward the grade crossing.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is further based upon whether the track circuits are mixed between the grade crossing and remote locations, and whether remote locations communicate in opposite directions.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is further based upon whether all track circuits are remote locations, and whether all remote locations, communicate in same directions.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is further based upon whether all track circuits are remote locations, and whether remote locations communicate in opposite directions.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 , said method comprising the additional step of:

providing a visual representation of a different track circuit application for each template in the set of templates.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 , said method comprising the additional step of:

storing the set of default programming parameters from the selected template in a memory to reduce the number of remaining programming steps.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 , said method comprising the additional step of:

changing certain parameters in the set of default programming parameters provided by the selected template for final programming of the controller.

9. A set of templates for programming of a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system, said set of templates comprising:

each template in the set of templates includes a visual representation of a different track circuit application for a highway-rail grade crossing or for a remote location; and

each template in the set of templates includes default programming parameters relating to the respective different track circuit application.

10. The set of templates for programming of a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 9 , when one of said set of templates is selected, the selected template provides default programming parameters to the controller for a track circuit that corresponds to the selected template.

11. The set of templates for programming of a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 9 , a portion of said set of templates defines a related set of track circuit applications, with all track circuits at the grade crossing.

12. The set of templates for programming of a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 9 , a portion of said set of templates defines a related set of track circuit applications, with track circuits mixed between the grade crossing and remote locations, and with all remote locations communicating toward the grade crossing.

13. The set of templates for programming of a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 9 , a portion of said set of templates defines a related set of track circuit applications, with track circuits mixed between the grade crossing and remote locations, and with remote locations communicating in opposite directions.

14. The set of templates for programming of a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 9 , a portion of said set of templates defines at least one track circuit application, with all track circuits being remote locations, and with all remote locations communicating in the same direction.

15. The set of templates for programming of a controller for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 9 , a portion of said set of templates defines at least one track circuit application, with all track circuits being remote locations, and with remote locations communicating in opposite directions.

16. A method of designing a track circuit application for use by a controller in a highway-rail grade crossing warning system, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a set of templates, each template in the set of templates defining a different track circuit application for a grade crossing or remote location from other templates in the set of templates;

providing a visual representation of the different track circuit application associated with each of the set of templates; and

selecting a template from the set of templates that corresponds to the track circuit at the grade crossing or remote location;

wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is based upon whether all of the track circuits are at the grade crossing;

said selected template including a set of default programming parameters for initial programming of the controller.

17. The method of designing a track circuit application for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 16 , said method comprising the additional step of:

changing certain parameters in the set of default programming parameters provided by the selected template for final programming of the controller.

18. The method of designing a track circuit application for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 16 , said method comprising the additional step of:

storing the set of default programming parameters in the controller to reduce the number of remaining program steps.

19. The method of designing a track circuit application for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is further based upon whether the track circuits are mixed between the grade crossing and remote locations, and whether all remote locations communicate toward the grade crossing.

20. The method of designing a track circuit application for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is further based upon whether the track circuits are mixed between the grade crossing and remote locations, and whether remote locations communicate in opposite directions.

21. The method of designing a track circuit application for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is further based upon whether all track circuits are remote locations, and whether all remote locations communicate in the same direction.

22. The method of designing a track circuit application for a highway-rail grade crossing warning system in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the step of selecting a template that corresponds to the track circuit is further based upon whether all track circuits are remote locations, and whether remote locations communicate in opposite directions.