System and method for remote device monitoring

Abstract

A railroad infrastructure communication network is presented. The network can include a plurality of infrastructure nodes distributed proximate a railroad track, such as near railroad equipment and/or assets. Infrastructure nodes can be configured to receive data from equipment sensor and/or assets and transmit such data via the network. Infrastructure nodes can further generate alert and/or alert packets based on such received data. Infrastructure nodes can self-define in a network infrastructure depending on configured connection types, and can for example, serve as repeater nodes (to promulgate a transmission to additional infrastructure nodes) and/or collector nodes (to collect data for a centralized server node). A server node can be configured to receive data and/or packet from infrastructure nodes and generate requests for additional systems, personnel, etc. to address such requests. The network can limit the data transmission size and leverage distributed processing capabilities to enable transmissions over long ranges, such as by reducing the bandwidth required to transmit packets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railroad mesh network, comprising:
 a fixed asset;   an interface configured to receive signals from the fixed asset and output the signals;   one or more repeater nodes configured to receive signals from the interface or each other;   a collector node configured to communicate with a railroad communications infrastructure; and   an interoperable train control system management (ITCSM) adapter configured to allow the one or more repeater nodes and the collector node to communicate with another network constituent via an interoperable train control messaging (ITCM) communications protocol.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed asset is crossing equipment, a bridge, a signaling house, a crossing house, slide fences, high water areas, avalanche detection equipment, or equipment associated with the railroad and configured to utilize electrical signals. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the signals are output to signals to an infrastructure node. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the repeater nodes are configured to repeat a message or data received from other repeater nodes in a network. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the repeater nodes and the collector node are infrastructure nodes, and each of these nodes can communicate with each other via a first communications protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the collector node is configured to communicate with the communications infrastructure via a second communications protocol. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the collector node is configured with a specialized algorithm to determine whether to repeat messages or forward such reception to a server. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a collector node has cell or ITCM connectivity and a repeater node has LoRa connectivity. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more repeater nodes and the collector node implement a mesh network integration system configured to self-define. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more repeater nodes and the collector node self-define such that hardware or connections available to the one or more repeater nodes or the collector node can enable the node to decide how it should act within the network. 
     
     
         11 . A connectivity management system configured to capture data and define a node's role, comprising:
 a memory having a system log; and   a processor operably coupled to the memory and capable of executing machine-readable instructions to perform program steps, the program steps comprising:
 capturing data from an infrastructure node on which it is implemented, including available or configured connections on the infrastructure node; 
 transmitting messages and data throughout a system based on captured data; 
 determining which connections are configured for the infrastructure node to utilize; 
 determine whether configured connection protocols are available; 
 define an infrastructure node's role; and 
 determine which connections are configured on a given infrastructure node to prioritize a communication protocol by which to transmit information. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the infrastructure node is configured with two separate connection types, but only one of which may be available. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 continuously checking configured connections on the infrastructure node.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the infrastructure node is configured with two separate connection types, but only one of which may be available. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , the program steps further comprising determining that because a particular connection type is not configured on the infrastructure node, that the node should therefore have a particular role. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , the program steps further comprising determining that if a particular connection type is configured on an infrastructure node, the infrastructure node's first role should be to utilize such particular configured connection type and should only utilize a different connection type if such connection type is unavailable. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , the program steps further comprising determining how to transmit a given message or data based on the captured data. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein connections are configured on a given infrastructure node. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , the program instructions further establishing a configured connection hierarchy to decide how to transmit information via the available or configured connection with the highest priority. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , the program instructions further comprising determining how the infrastructure node is defined to prioritize how information is transmitted based on such definition.