Patent ID: 9415756
Filing Date: 2016-08-16
CPC Classification: B60T

Claim Text:
1. A method for controlling a braking function of a distributed power vehicle system having a first vehicle and at least one remote vehicle linked to the first vehicle, the method comprising: subsequent to failure of a primary communication link between a braking system of the first vehicle and a distributed power control system of the first vehicle, transmitting information from the braking system to the distributed power control system over a secondary communication wherein the information relates to a penalty brake application in the vehicle system and includes a designated brake level of the penalty brake application; transmitting the information of the designated brake level to the at least one remote vehicle; and initiating respective braking applications at the first vehicle and at the at least one remote vehicle based on the designated brake level of the penalty brake application; wherein the information transmitted from the braking system to the distributed power control system over the secondary communication link is conveyed in a binary signal having a first signal condition and a second, different signal condition, wherein the first signal condition represents a full brake level for the penalty brake application and the second signal condition represents a limited brake level for the penalty brake application, the limited brake level being less than the full brake level and greater than no application of the braking system.