| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 246020000 | BLOCK-SIGNAL SYSTEMS | 13 |
| 246027000 | Automatic | 12 |
| 20120217350 | Method & apparatus for an interlocking control device - A distributed interlocking device, architecture and process are disclosed, and are based on segregating the vital logic for a signal installation by type of signal equipment. A plurality of intelligent signal devices is disclosed, wherein each intelligent signal device is used to control a basic signal unit. In turn, a signal unit includes a set of signal apparatuses that are geographically and logically interrelated. An intelligent signal device receives data related to the states of other signal devices, determines and controls its own operational states, and communicates its own operational states to other devices. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20090230254 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING TRAIN IN THE PRESENCE OF MULTIPLE ALTERNATE ROUTES - A method is provided for operating a train or rail vehicle along a railway which is logically divided into segments, and includes at least one control point presenting at least two possible paths that are exclusive of each other, each path including one or more segments. The method includes: (a) controlling the rail vehicle as it travels along the railway by reference to a one-dimensional representation of the segments prior to the control point; (b) determining which segment located immediately past the control point is to be occupied by the rail vehicle; (c) after the rail vehicle has traveled past the at least one control point, verifying which segment was occupied; (d) interlocking the occupied segment; (e) passing segment information to the rail vehicle; and (f) controlling the rail vehicle as it travels along the railway in reference to a one-dimensional representation of the segments past the control point. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20110108677 | TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM - A train control system that does not allow running by erroneously receiving a signal of a further preceding train toward the front, nor permits a following train approaching another train beyond an allowable range. The system includes an existing signal system controlling running of a preceding train and a following train based on transmission signals from existing signal transmission devices, an inter-train communications system controlling running of the following train by an inter-train communications transmission signal received from the preceding train, and a train-ID transmission/reception system that detects, using a ground-based train-ID transmission/reception device, passing of the preceding train and also acquires train information of the preceding train, and that then detects passing of the following train and also transmits the train information to the following train, thereby controlling the running of the following train utilizing either one of the existing signal system and the inter-train communications system by changing over therebetween based on the train information. | 05-12-2011 |
| 246028000 | Electric | 9 |
| 20110284700 | COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A RAIL VEHICLE CONSIST - A method for communicating data in a rail vehicle consist includes transmitting, at a first rail vehicle in the consist, first data over a running rail to a second, different rail vehicle in the consist, where the running rail guides and supports the rail vehicles of the consist as the rail vehicles travel along the running rail. The method also includes monitoring the running rail for second data and receiving the second data over the running rail for use by a first system onboard the first rail vehicle. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20090266943 | System and Method For Pacing A Powered System Traveling Along A Route - A system is provided for pacing a powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions. Each block region has a respective signal. The system includes a controller configured to receive a status of the signal in an adjacent block region to a current block region of the powered system. The controller is configured to determine a time duration between a change in the status of the signal in an adjacent block region. The controller is further configured to determine an expected status of the signal to be experienced by the powered system in the plurality of block regions, based upon the time duration and a route parameter of the plurality of block regions. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20110284699 | COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A RAIL VEHICLE CONSIST - A method for communicating data in a rail vehicle consist includes transmitting first data at a first rail vehicle of the consist over a power supply conductor to a second, different rail vehicle in the consist, where at least one rail vehicle of the consist receives direct electrical power from the power supply conductor. The method also includes monitoring the power supply conductor for second data at the first rail vehicle and receiving the second data over the power supply conductor at the first rail vehicle for use by a first system onboard the first rail vehicle. In one aspect, the transmitting step comprises transmitting the first data over one or more of a catenary line or a third rail that supplies the electrical power. | 11-24-2011 |
| 246029000 | Radiant energy | 1 |
| 20110186692 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PACING A POWERED SYSTEM TRAVELING ALONG A ROUTE - A system is provided for pacing a powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions. Each block region has a respective signal. The system includes a controller configured to receive a status of the signal in an adjacent block region to a current block region of the powered system. The controller is configured to determine a time duration between a change in the status of the signal in an adjacent block region. The controller is further configured to determine an expected status of the signal to be experienced by the powered system in the plurality of block regions, based upon the time duration and a route parameter of the plurality of block regions. | 08-04-2011 |
| 246034000 | Varying-current track circuit | 4 |
| 20090173842 | METHODS AND SYSTEM OF AUTOMATING TRACK CIRCUIT CALIBRATION - A method for calibrating a track circuit is provided. The track circuit includes a transmit processing unit, a receive processing unit, and a plurality of rails coupled in series to form a track section having a first end and a second end. The transmit processing unit is coupled to the track section adjacent the first end. The receive processing unit is coupled to the track section adjacent the second end. The method includes operating the transmit processing unit so that a first voltage is applied to the track section, operating the receive processing unit to detect a first current signal, and if a parameter of the first current signal is not within a predetermined acceptable range, then communicating with the transmit processing unit so that the transmit processing unit applies a second voltage to the track section, the second voltage having a different magnitude than the first voltage. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20110011985 | TRACK CIRCUIT COMMUNICATIONS - An overlay track circuit is used to transmit information through a block of railroad tracks. In one embodiment, one of a plurality of codes assigned to a receiver/transmitter pair are used to represent each information segment (which may be one or more bits) of an information signal. In another embodiment, bits of the information signal are transmitted between periodic repetitions of a code associated with the transmitter/receiver pair. The modulation may be performed using a frequency shift key technique. Track circuits may be connected to relay information between adjacent blocks of track. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110204189 | ELECTRONIC TRACK RELAY, AND RAILROAD SIGNALING SYSTEM USING THE SAME - In an electronic track relay, electronic relay circuitry receives an input track signal coded at a pre-determined code rate, and regenerates the input track signal at the pre-determined code rate after a predetermined time delay. A driving circuit is coupled to the electronic relay circuitry for receiving the delayed track signal therefrom and conducting, at the predetermined code rate, at least a power source to at least one of various components in a railroad signaling system. A latching circuit is configured for latching the driving circuit into one among a plurality of configurations respectively corresponding to a plurality of different signaling location types, depending on a signaling location type of the railroad signaling system in which the electronic track relay is installed. | 08-25-2011 |
| 246035000 | Propulsion-current return | 1 |
| 246036000 | Double rail | 1 |
| 246037000 | Impedance bond | 1 |
| 20100163686 | DOUBLE IMPEDANCE BOND - A low profile double impedance bond for placement between a pair of rails and for electrical connection to opposite sides of a pair of insulated breaks on the pair of rails, the impedance bond comprising a rectangular enclosure attachable to ties supporting the pair of rails, the enclosure having a pair of ends and a pair of sides, each side for alignment parallel to one of the rails, the impedance bond having four coils each formed of a strip of copper foil with two ends wound in a spiral configuration about a core, the impedance bond having a terminal connection array formed of a plurality of copper conductors, the conductors, cores, and coils are arranged in a low profile manner on a single platform allowing quick installation inbetween rails. | 07-01-2010 |
| 246034000 | Coded circuits | 1 |
| 20090173842 | METHODS AND SYSTEM OF AUTOMATING TRACK CIRCUIT CALIBRATION - A method for calibrating a track circuit is provided. The track circuit includes a transmit processing unit, a receive processing unit, and a plurality of rails coupled in series to form a track section having a first end and a second end. The transmit processing unit is coupled to the track section adjacent the first end. The receive processing unit is coupled to the track section adjacent the second end. The method includes operating the transmit processing unit so that a first voltage is applied to the track section, operating the receive processing unit to detect a first current signal, and if a parameter of the first current signal is not within a predetermined acceptable range, then communicating with the transmit processing unit so that the transmit processing unit applies a second voltage to the track section, the second voltage having a different magnitude than the first voltage. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20110011985 | TRACK CIRCUIT COMMUNICATIONS - An overlay track circuit is used to transmit information through a block of railroad tracks. In one embodiment, one of a plurality of codes assigned to a receiver/transmitter pair are used to represent each information segment (which may be one or more bits) of an information signal. In another embodiment, bits of the information signal are transmitted between periodic repetitions of a code associated with the transmitter/receiver pair. The modulation may be performed using a frequency shift key technique. Track circuits may be connected to relay information between adjacent blocks of track. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110204189 | ELECTRONIC TRACK RELAY, AND RAILROAD SIGNALING SYSTEM USING THE SAME - In an electronic track relay, electronic relay circuitry receives an input track signal coded at a pre-determined code rate, and regenerates the input track signal at the pre-determined code rate after a predetermined time delay. A driving circuit is coupled to the electronic relay circuitry for receiving the delayed track signal therefrom and conducting, at the predetermined code rate, at least a power source to at least one of various components in a railroad signaling system. A latching circuit is configured for latching the driving circuit into one among a plurality of configurations respectively corresponding to a plurality of different signaling location types, depending on a signaling location type of the railroad signaling system in which the electronic track relay is installed. | 08-25-2011 |
| 246062000 | Cab signal or train control | 1 |
| 20100327125 | METHOD FOR SIGNAL-TECHNOLOGY SAFEGUARDING OF RAIL VEHICLES AND SAFEGUARDING SYSTEMS RELATED THERETO - A method and a protection system for signaling protection of rail vehicles connected to at least one central monitoring facility through a data radio system. In order to eliminate cost-intensive and highly complicated protection technology, the vehicles convey instantaneous position data through the data radio system to the monitoring facility. A safety area is defined around each of the vehicles. The safety area depends on a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of the positional data collection method being used. A warning area surrounds the safety area and the monitoring facility determines movement-defining data through the vehicle-specific position data, safety areas and warning areas. In order to avoid collision-related overlaps of safety zones and to counteract collision-related overlaps of warning areas, the movement-defining data are transmitted to the affected vehicles by way of the data radio system in the event of collision-relevant overlaps. | 12-30-2010 |
| 246107000 | Recorders | 1 |
| 20100025545 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER A TRANSPORTATION TRACK IS OCCUPIED - A method for determining whether a defined section of a transportation track is occupied is described. The method includes inducing an audio frequency (AF) signal at a first position on the transportation track and receiving the AF signal at a second position on the transportation track. The defined section of the transportation track is located between the first position and the second position on the transportation track. The method further includes measuring a strength of the AF signal received as a function of time at the second position, and identifying an inflection point of the recorded AF signal strength. The inflection point indicates at least one of a rail vehicle entering the defined section of the transportation track and the rail vehicle exiting the defined section of the transportation track. The method further includes determining an occupancy of the defined section of the transportation track, based on the inflection point. | 02-04-2010 |
