Train Communication Status Verification via Relay Count
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Solution Overview
Problem
In railroad distributed power communication systems, lead locomotives face challenges in determining whether remote locomotives have received command messages due to temporary communication failures, leading to potential erroneous conclusions and inefficient train operations, especially in areas with poor radio communication.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where the lead locomotive transmits a command message, and remote locomotives send status reply messages with a current status reply count, allowing the lead locomotive to determine communication status without additional radio messages, and providing an expanded status reply message to confirm receipt and maintain efficient train performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lead locomotive waits for status reply messages from all remote locomotives to determine communication status, then communication reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to waiting periods and potential train stoppages
Solution Approach 1:
Other remote locomotives act as intermediaries to relay status reply count information to the lead locomotive. When a remote locomotive receives a command message, it increments its status reply count and includes this count in messages it transmits to the lead locomotive, allowing the lead to verify receipt without direct two-way communication
Solution Approach 2:
Remote locomotives preliminarily increment and maintain their status reply count whenever they receive command messages, so that when the lead locomotive needs verification, the information is already prepared and available in transmitted messages
2Measurement precision
If additional radio messages are transmitted to verify remote locomotive status, then measurement precision of communication status is improved, but use of energy increases due to additional radio traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The status reply count information is merged into existing message traffic between remote locomotives and the lead locomotive. The count is included in command messages and status messages that are already being transmitted for operational purposes, eliminating the need for separate verification messages
Solution Approach 2:
Existing radio messages serve multiple functions: they transmit operational commands, status information, and communication verification data (via the status reply count) all in a single transmission, maximizing the utility of each radio message
3Ease of operation
If the lead locomotive assumes communication failure when no status reply is received, then ease of operation is improved through automated response, but loss of information occurs by incorrectly determining remote locomotive status
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through the status reply count mechanism. Remote locomotives provide feedback about command message receipt by incrementing and reporting their count, allowing the lead locomotive to accurately determine status rather than relying on assumptions from missing replies
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for determining at a lead locomotive in a train consist a communications status of at least one remote locomotive of a plurality of remote locomotives of the train consist, and a system for determining, at a lead locomotive in a train consist, a communications status of at least one remote locomotive of the train consist.