Control and method for optimizing the operation of two or more locomotives of a consist
First Claim
1. A system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes, said system comprising:
- an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode;
a first controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
a communication link interconnecting the first and second controller and providing information corresponding to the desired operating mode to the first and second controller; and
wherein the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is selected to optimize braking capacity of the first and second locomotives.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling, a response to an operator, a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes. The system and method comprises an operator control, a first controller, a second controller, and a communication link. Alternatively, the system and method includes control modules which may be retrofitted to an existing consist control. The power operating modes of the locomotives within a consist are selected to optimize the operation of the consist. The operation of the consist may be optimized for any number of factors including optimizing for braking capacity, as a function of the location, base on a performance parameter which is a function of a performance profile or the location of a crew member.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes, said system comprising:
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an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode;
a first controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
a communication link interconnecting the first and second controller and providing information corresponding to the desired operating mode to the first and second controller; and
wherein the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is selected to optimize braking capacity of the first and second locomotives. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes, said system comprising:
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an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode;
a first controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
a communication link interconnecting the first and second controller and providing information corresponding to the desired operating mode to the first and second controller; and
a link to a GPS indicating a position of the consist and wherein the power operating mode is optimized as a function of the position of the consist as indicated by the GPS. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes, said system comprising:
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an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode;
a first controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
a communication link interconnecting the first and second controller and providing information corresponding to the desired operating mode to the first and second controller; and
wherein the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is a performance parameter, wherein a performance profile of the first and second locomotives is known and wherein the first and second operating modes are selected to optimize the performance parameter as a function of the performance profile. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes, said system comprising:
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an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode;
a first controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the operator control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
a communication link interconnecting the first and second controller and providing information corresponding to the desired operating mode to the first and second controller; and
wherein an operating parameter of a locomotive in which a crew member is riding is reduced as compared to an operating parameter of a locomotive in which a crew member is not riding. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for controlling a consist of at least a first locomotive having a first locomotive control and a second locomotive having a second locomotive control in response to operator input provided to a master control for the consist, said system comprising:
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a communication link providing command information from the master control;
a first processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the first locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the second locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
wherein the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is selected to optimize, braking of the first and second locomotives. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for controlling a consist of at least a first locomotive having a first locomotive control and a second locomotive having a second locomotive control in response to operator input provided to a master control for the consist, said system comprising:
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a communication link providing command information from the master control;
a first processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the first locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the second locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
a link to a GPS indicating a position of the consist and wherein the power operating mode is optimized as a function of the position of the consist as indicated by the GPS. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A system for controlling a consist of at least a first locomotive having a first locomotive control and a second locomotive having a second locomotive control in response to operator input provided to a master control for the consist, said system comprising:
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a communication link providing command information from the master control;
a first processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the first locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the second locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
wherein the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is a performance parameter, wherein a performance profile of the first and second locomotives is known and wherein the first and second operating modes are selected to optimize the performance parameter as a function of the performance profile. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for controlling a consist of at least a first locomotive having a first locomotive control and a second locomotive having a second locomotive control in response to operator input provided to a master control for the consist, said system comprising:
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a communication link providing command information from the master control;
a first processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the first locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second processing module for receiving the command information from the communication link and providing control information to the second locomotive control for controlling a power operating mode of the second locomotive wherein, in at least one mode of operation, the power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive; and
wherein an operating parameter of a locomotive in which a crew member is riding is reduced as compared to an operating parameter of a locomotive in which a crew member is not riding. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. In a system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives, wherein the system includes:
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an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode of the consist;
a first controller for controlling a discrete power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller for controlling a discrete power operating mode of the second locomotive;
a communication link for communicating the desired operating mode of the consist to the first and second controllers;
further comprising;
a first module between the operator control and the first control, the first module receiving the desired operating mode via the communication link and selectively providing a first modified operating mode to the first controller;
a second module between the operator control and the second control, the second module receiving the desired operating mode via the communication link and selectively providing a second modified operating mode to the second controller;
wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the consist, the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is different as compared to the desired operating mode of the consist; and
wherein the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is selected to optimize braking capacity of the first and second locomotives. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. In a system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives, wherein the system includes:
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an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode of the consist;
a first controller for controlling a discrete power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller for controlling a discrete power operating mode of the second locomotive;
a communication link for communicating the desired operating mode of the consist to the first and second controllers;
further comprising;
a first module between the operator control and the first control, the first module receiving the desired operating mode via the communication link and selectively providing a first modified operating mode to the first controller;
a second module between the operator control and the second control, the second module receiving the desired operating mode via the communication link and selectively providing a second modified operating mode to the second controller;
a link to a GPS indicating a position of the consist and wherein the power operating mode is optimized as a function of the position of the consist as indicated by the GPS; and
wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the consist, the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is different as compared to the desired operating mode of the consist. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. In a system for controlling in response to an operator a consist of at least first and second locomotives, wherein the system includes:
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an operator control for use by the operator to indicate a desired operating mode of the consist;
a first controller for controlling a discrete power operating mode of the first locomotive;
a second controller for controlling a discrete power operating mode of the second locomotive;
a communication link for communicating the desired operating mode of the consist to the first and second controllers;
further comprising;
a first module between the operator control and the first control, the first module receiving the desired operating mode via the communication link and selectively providing a first modified operating mode to the first controller;
a second module between the operator control and the second control, the second module receiving the desired operating mode via the communication link and selectively providing a second modified operating mode to the second controller;
wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the consist, the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is different as compared to the desired operating mode of the consist; and
wherein the power operating mode of the first and second locomotives is a performance parameter, wherein a performance profile of the first and second locomotives is known and wherein the first and second operating modes are selected to optimize the performance parameter as a function of the performance profile. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification