Locomotive Consist Redundancy via Cross-Vehicle Data Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Locomotive systems face challenges in maintaining reliable data communication and redundancy without the need for multiple redundant components, as existing technologies often require costly redundant equipment and can still fail if both primary and redundant components fail.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for communicating data within a vehicle consist, where data from a failed electronic component is transmitted to a similar component in another vehicle, allowing it to perform the unavailable function, thereby eliminating the need for multiple redundant components within a single vehicle and enhancing system reliability and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant electronic components are installed in each locomotive, then system reliability is improved, but equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the redundancy function across multiple locomotives in a consist by transmitting data between vehicles. Instead of each locomotive having redundant components, the system combines resources across the consist, allowing any locomotive to provide backup functionality for another through data transmission over the existing communication network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes electronic components universal across the locomotive consist by enabling any component to potentially serve multiple functions. Through data transmission, a component in one locomotive can perform the function of a failed component in another locomotive, making each component multi-functional across the entire consist rather than dedicated to a single vehicle.
2Reliability
If redundant electronic components are installed in each locomotive, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the redundancy function across multiple locomotives in a consist by transmitting data between vehicles. Instead of each locomotive having redundant components, the system combines resources across the consist, allowing any locomotive to provide backup functionality for another through data transmission over the existing communication network.
3Reliability
If data transmission between vehicles is implemented, then redundancy is achieved without additional components, but communication system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by utilizing the existing communication infrastructure within the locomotive consist. The system leverages already-deployed data networks and communication protocols to transmit redundancy information, rather than requiring separate dedicated communication channels. This allows the existing system to serve the additional function of redundancy without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In a system and method for communicating data in a locomotive consist or other vehicle consist (comprising at least first and second linked vehicles), a first electronic component in the first vehicle of the vehicle consist is monitored to determine if the component is in (or enters) a failure state. In the failure state, the first electronic component is unable to perform a designated function. Upon determining the failure state, data is transmitted from the first vehicle to a second electronic component on the second vehicle, over a communication channel linking the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The second electronic component is operated based on the transmitted data, with the second electronic component performing the designated function that the first electronic component is unable to perform.