US 12,420,848 B2
Methods and systems for achieving vital ultra-wideband (UWB) based train control
Richard Carlson, Palatine, IL (US); John Albert Plutt, Jr., Arlington Heights, IL (US); and Kurt Gunther, Woodstock, IL (US)
Assigned to METROM RAIL, LLC, Crystal Lake, IL (US)
Filed by Metrom Rail, LLC, Crystal Lake, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/629,051.
Application 18/629,051 is a continuation of application No. 16/843,148, filed on Apr. 8, 2020, granted, now 11,952,028.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/830,780, filed on Apr. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0246582 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B61L 3/12 (2006.01); B61L 15/00 (2006.01); B61L 25/02 (2006.01); B61L 27/00 (2022.01); B61L 27/20 (2022.01); B61L 27/70 (2022.01); B61L 25/04 (2006.01); G01S 5/14 (2006.01)
CPC B61L 3/125 (2013.01) [B61L 15/0027 (2013.01); B61L 15/0063 (2013.01); B61L 25/026 (2013.01); B61L 27/00 (2013.01); B61L 27/20 (2022.01); B61L 27/70 (2022.01); B61L 25/04 (2013.01); B61L 2027/204 (2022.01); G01S 5/14 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for achieving train control vitality, the system comprising:
a train-mounted device configured for use within a train to achieve train control vitality, the train-mounted device comprising:
at least two independent ranging radios, each ranging radio comprising one or more antennas, configured for transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals; and
circuitry configured to control operations of the train-mounted device, wherein the circuitry is configured to at least process signals transmitted and/or received via the at least two independent ranging radios;
wherein the at least two independent ranging radios and the circuitry are configured to maintain isolation during communication of signals, wherein:
one or both of the at least two independent ranging radios are configured to utilize spatial diversity to maintain isolation during communication of signals with at least one wayside unit,
use of spatial diversity comprises use of one or more combinations of at least two independent signal processing paths, at least two independent radios, and at least two independent antennas, and
the circuitry comprises at least two separate processing paths, wherein each processing path is configured for processing signals associated with different one of the at least two independent ranging radios, and wherein the circuitry further comprises one or more isolation features to isolate the at least two separate processing paths; and
wherein the train-mounted device is configured to, during operation of the train within a railway network:
communicate with any wayside unit that comes within communication range of the train-mounted device;
process the communicated signals; and
generate based on the processed communicated signals, at least two separate and independent data measurements, corresponding to communication via the at least two independent ranging radios.