Granted Patent B2

US 9,271,190 · App. 14/307,064 · Granted Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. A remotely managed data radio comprising:

first and second data radio modules, wherein each data radio module comprises an antenna module, a front end module, a processor, and storage;

wherein the first data radio module communicates on a first network;

wherein the first network comprises a train control network;

wherein the second data radio module communicates on a second network; wherein the remotely managed data radio communicates mission-critical data utilizing the first data radio module,

wherein the mission critical data comprises train control data;

measures performance data of the first network using the first data radio module;

generates non-mission-critical data using the second data radio module, where the non-mission-critical data comprises the measured performance data and data selected from the group consisting of management data, firmware version data, configuration version data, and update history data; and

communicates the non-mission-critical data utilizing the second data radio module.

2. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein the first and second data radio modules are implemented using a data radio module communicating on multiple networks.

3. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein:

each data radio module further comprises a communications module; and

the second data radio module and the first data radio module communicates utilizing the communication modules.

4. The remotely managed data radio of claim 3 , wherein the second radio module manages the first data radio module.

5. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein the remotely managed data radio:

receives an update utilizing the second radio module via the second network;

receives at least one instruction to apply the update via the second network using the second radio module; and applies the update to the first data radio module in response to the received at least one instruction.

6. The remotely managed data radio of claim 5 , wherein the remotely managed data radio reports the result of the update to the first radio module using the second radio module via the second network.

7. The remotely managed data radio of claim 6 , wherein the remotely managed data radio: determines if the second network is available using the second radio module; buffers the result of the update when the second network is unavailable; and reports the result of the update when the second network is available using the second radio module.

8. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein the remotely managed data radio:

determines the availability of the first network using the first radio module;

when the first network is unavailable, communicates mission-critical data via the second network using the second radio module; and

when the first network is available, communicates mission-critical data via the first network using the first radio module.

9. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein:

the train control network comprises a positive train control network; and

the train control data comprises positive train control data.

10. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein the second network is a public cellular network.

11. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein the non-mission critical data is synchronized across a plurality of remotely managed data radios.

12. The remotely managed data radio of claim 1 , wherein:

the remotely managed data radio communicates with a data center communicating data on both the first network and the second network;

the data center and the remotely managed data radio communicate mission critical data utilizing the first network; and the data center and the remotely managed data radio communicate non-mission critical data utilizing the second network.

13. A method for operating a remotely managed data radio, comprising:

communicating mission critical data on a first network using a remotely managed data radio, where the remotely managed data radio comprises:

first and second data radio modules, where each data radio module comprises an antenna module, a front end module, a processor, and storage;

wherein the first data radio module communicates on the first network, wherein the first network comprises a train control network;

wherein the second data radio module communicates on a second network; wherein the remotely managed data radio communicates mission-critical data utilizing the first data radio module, wherein the mission-critical data comprises train control data;

measuring performance data of the first network using the first data radio module;

generating non-mission-critical data using the second data radio module, where the non-mission-critical data comprises the measured performance data and data selected from the group consisting of management data, firmware version data, configuration version data, and update history data; and

communicating the non-mission-critical data utilizing the second data radio module.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving an update utilizing the second radio module in the remotely managed data radio via the second network;

receiving an instruction via the second network using the second radio module to apply the update; applying the update to the first data radio module in the remotely managed data radio; and reporting the result of the update to the first radio module using the second radio module via the second network.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining if the second network is available using the second radio module; buffering the result of the update if the second network is unavailable;

and reporting the result of the update when the second network is available using the second radio module.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the result of the update comprises the measured performance of the first network.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

communicating mission critical data to a data center via the first network using the remotely managed data radio, where the data center communicates data on both the first network and the second network; and

communicating non-mission critical data to the data center via the second network using the remotely managed data radio.

Assignments (9)