IP Library Granted Patent US 8,157,218
Granted Patent B2
US 8,157,218 · App. 10/571,487 · Granted Apr 17, 2012

Railway vehicle detection

Assignee: Westinghouse Brake and Signal Holdings Limited
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,157,218
App. No.
10/571,487
Granted
Apr 17, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is disclosed of detecting a railway vehicle, comprising using the time difference between receiving at first and second points a signal sent from the vehicle at a given time to produce an indication of the location of the vehicle.

Claims (26)

1. A system for detection of the location of a railway vehicle, comprising means for using the time difference between reception at first and second points of a only one signal pulse initially sent from the vehicle to the first and second points at a single given time and a single location to produce an indication of that location of the vehicle through navigational triangulation, said first and second points being spaced from the vehicle and separate from each other.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said signal is sent from the front of the leading vehicle of a train of such vehicles and from the rear of the last vehicle in the train.

3. A system according to claim 2 , arranged so that receipt of the signals is used for checking train completeness.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein such a signal is unique to the identity of the railway vehicle.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the signal is used as a token in the system so that the system can act as a token block system.

6. A method of detecting a railway vehicle, comprising sending a only one initial pulse from the vehicle to a first point and a second point at a single time and location, determining the time difference between receiving at the first and second points the signal pulse and using that time difference to produce an indication of that location of the vehicle through navigational triangulation, said first and second points being spaced from the vehicle and separate from each other.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the signal is sent from the front of the vehicle.

8. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the signal is sent from the rear of the vehicle.

9. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the vehicle is the leading vehicle of a train of such vehicles, the signal being sent from the front of the leading vehicle, a further such signal being sent from the rear of the last vehicle in the train.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein receipt of the signals is used for checking train completeness.

11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein receipt of the signals is used for mitigating degradation conditions.

12. A method according to claim 6 , wherein such a signal is unique to the identity of the railway vehicle.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the signal is used as a token for token block operation.

14. A system for detection of a railway vehicle, comprising means for using the time difference between reception at first and second points of only one signal pulse initially sent from the vehicle to the first and second points at a given time, and a reference clock wherein the time difference is measured against the reference clock, wherein said first and second points are spaced from the vehicle and separate from each other so that, through navigational triangulation an indication of the location of the vehicle results.

15. A system according to claim 14 , arranged for using such a signal sent from the front of the leading vehicle of a train of such vehicles and such a signal sent from the rear of the last vehicle in the train.

16. A system according to claim 15 , arranged so that receipt of the signals is used for checking train completeness.

17. A system according to claim 14 , wherein such a signal is unique to the identity of the railway vehicle.

18. A system according to claim 17 , wherein the signal is used as a token in the system so that the system can act as a token block system.

19. A method of detecting a railway vehicle, comprising using the time difference between receiving at first and second points a signal sent from the vehicle at a given time to produce an indication of the location of the vehicle, including the step of measuring the time difference against a reference clock.

20. A method according to claim 19 , wherein the signal is sent from the front of the vehicle.

21. A method according to claim 19 , wherein the signal is sent from the rear of the vehicle.

22. A method according to claim 19 , wherein the vehicle is the leading vehicle of a train of such vehicles, the signal being sent from the front of the leading vehicle, a further such signal being sent from the rear of the last vehicle in the train.

23. A method according to claim 22 , wherein receipt of the signals is used for checking train completeness.

24. A method according to claim 22 , wherein receipt of the signals is used for mitigating degradation conditions.

25. A method according to claim 22 , wherein such a signal is unique to the identity of the railway vehicle.

26. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the signal is used as a token for token block operation.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 19, 2019
From: SIEMENS RAIL AUTOMATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
To: SIEMENS MOBILITY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 051058/0640 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 4, 2013
From: WESTINGHOUSE BRAKE AND SIGNAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
To: SIEMENS RAIL AUTOMATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 031537/0865 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2012
From: RILEY, CHARLES EDWARD; CHAPMAN, MICHAEL KENNETH JOHN
To: WESTINGHOUSE BRAKE AND SIGNAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 027846/0800 →
Priority Claims (2)
GB 0328202.7 · Dec 5, 2003 · national
GB 0408476.0 · Apr 16, 2004 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 60542151 · Feb 5, 2004
Related Publication 20070084972A1 · Apr 19, 2007