Patent ID: 8565946

Claim:
A system, comprising: a first propulsion subsystem operable to provide electrical energy to a first communication device when operating in an ON mode; an a second propulsion subsystem operable to provide electrical energy to a second communication device when operating in the ON mode; wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are used to communicate with each other to coordinate control tractive efforts of the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem, and wherein the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem are controllable in a mode of operation where if one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem is controlled to be in an OFF mode, the other of the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem provides electrical energy to the respective first communication device or the second communication device such that the first communication device and the second communication device can continue to communicate with each other to continue coordination of the control of the tractive efforts of the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem.