Abstract: Autonomous and manually operated vehicles are integrated into a cohesive, interactive environment, with communications to each other and to their surroundings, to improve traffic flow while reducing accidents and other incidents. All vehicles send/receive messages to/from each other, and from infrastructure devices, enabling the vehicles to determine their status, traffic conditions and infrastructure. The vehicles store and operate in accordance with a common set of rules based upon the messages received and other inputs from sensors, databases, and so forth, to avoid obstacles and collisions based upon current and, in some cases, future or predicted behavior. Shared vehicle control interfaces enable the AVs to conform to driving activities that are legal, safe, and allowable on roadways. Such activities enable each AV to drive within safety margins, speed limits, on allowed or legal driving lanes and through allowed turns, intersections, mergers, lane changes, stops/starts, and so forth.

Abstract: A system includes a transceiver for receiving one or more communications from a communication device in a railway vehicle; a microcontroller that is configured for communication with the transceiver and that is configured to control a position of a switch in the railway; and an electronic subsystem for interfacing with the microcontroller and with the switch; wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit to the microcontroller at least one of the one or more communications received from the railway vehicle; wherein the microcontroller is further configured to extract a command from the parsed contents; wherein the microcontroller is further configured to transmit the command to the electronic subsystem to cause the electronic subsystem to transition the switch to a position specified by the command; and wherein transitioning of the switch to the specified position enables the railway vehicle to cross the switch.

Abstract: A code bit level redundancy method for a computer interlocking system is provided. The method includes: (1) controlling the output in parallel, and (2) sharing the collected information.

Abstract: A method for controlling a model railroad stationary switch machine comprising sensing whether a train occupies a main track section near a track switch that connects between said main track section and at least two diverging track sections. An automatic switch control function for the track switch is inhibited in response to sensing that a train occupies the main track section near the track switch when a train is determined to be approaching the track switch on at least one of the diverging track sections. In addition, a method is provided for controlling a model railroad track switch comprising changing a position of the track switch, and automatically returning the track switch to a home position after expiration of a time interval following the changing of the track switch position.

Abstract: A railroad interlocking control system utilizing a plurality of programmable controllers to regulate flow of train traffic through an interlocking track layout in which a number of track routes converge and overlap into a bottleneck area. Control of switch and signal devices in the bottleneck area is shared by multiple programmable controllers which may reduce redundancy requirements of prior art arrangements.

Abstract: Insulated joint failure detectors are placed at each controlled signal location in the railroad interlocking to detect the condition of the insulated joints and also the passage of each truck of a train moving in either direction past that signal. Contacts individually responsive to detector operation serially control the lockout of cab signal transmitters to inhibit the transmission of cab signal commands within the interlocking if an insulated joint fails or an unauthorized train overruns a controlled signal. These detector contacts are individually bypassed by parallel circuit paths, controlled either by the corresponding home signal relay or cab signal control relays properly energized along an established route, in order to prevent lockout when the train is authorized to pass that signal location.

Abstract: A control system including apparatus for the transmission of information for the control of vehicles travelling in one direction on a guideway. The guideway is broken down into a plurality of groups of uniquely identified sequential blocks. Each block has at least one vehicle detector for detecting the presence of a vehicle and having an operated condition responsive to vehicle detection. Each block further includes a transmitter for providing, to a vehicle within the block, information concerning the block it is in as well as information regarding the identity of the next downstream occupied or unavailable block. To this end, each block has associated with it a word generator for producing a signal identifying the block; the word generator is coupled to the block transmitter, which transmitter is only enabled when the vehicle detector is in its operated condition.

Abstract: A route oriented interlocking control system with only entrance, exit, and alternate route selectors on the control machine console. No track switch controllers or indications are provided at the control location. Operation of entrance and exit selectors in sequence establishes desired route storage within the control machine, after the absence of any conflicting route and the non-occupancy of involved track sections are checked. This route control is then transmitted to the field location to select the field route relay, position the track switches, and clear the proper wayside movement indicator to authorize train movement through the route when all switches are positioned and the track within the interlocking is unoccupied. Indications of the registry of the route control and operation of the movement indicator are returned to the office display console. Route release occurs by secondary circuit controllers when the train occupies the final track section.

Abstract: Separate traffic and block clear indication line circuits control either direction train movements through a stretch of track under cab signal indications without intermediate wayside signals. Reversible phase sensitive track circuits provide train detection and cab signal energy. A block clear, opposing locking repeater relay and a traffic route request relay at the selected entrance end of the stretch control the traffic line circuit to initiate traffic reversal operations. The magnetic stick traffic relays are shunted by a back contact of a neutral line relay to protect against lock out of the traffic line circuit by external voltage surges. The direction of the block clear line circuit is established by the traffic relay position. This second line circuit also checks the track sections unoccupied, the opposing signal, and traffic locking conditions before energizing a block or super-clear relay at the entrance end of the traffic stretch.

Abstract: Trains approaching the junction switch for two converging rail lines are detected by separate approach relays which repeat one or more track sections along each approach line. Each approach relay is reset when the train from the corresponding branch, as designated by switch correspondence relays, occupies the switch detector track section. The approach relays control the position of a magnetic stick sequencing relay. The reset of each approach relay by switch section occupancy assures the alternate positioning of the sequencing relay when successive trains simultaneously approach on both branches. The sequencing relay position selects a corresponding interlocking route relay which prepares and initiates the establishment of the route over the junction switch for the next train. Since the sequencing relay alternately operates to each of its positions, the route relays are alternately selected and trains thus alternately move from each approach branch line into the single track.

Abstract: A single relay serves to register route request selections for both traffic directions over each track route through a railroad interlocking layout. This single route request relay is jointly controlled by the route selection push buttons for both directions, the actuated push button being also repeated by a traffic direction relay. The route request relay pick up checks that no conflicting route request is active, and that the same or opposing route is not already established and locked. The route request and direction repeater relays are held by stick circuits to store the request until the route is locked. A single relay serves to provide the clear and lock function for all possible traffic routes originating at each entry point into the interlocking.