System and method for controlling an electrified vehicle

• US 20060108872A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Original Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation (Knorr-Bremse GmbH)
• Inventors: Marra, Jon, Matusiak, Richard, McLaughlin, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/00 Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles current collectors in general H01R41/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/00 Power supply lines for contact with collector on vehicle collectors therefor B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/00 Power lines or rails specially adapted for electrically-propelled vehicles of special types, e.g. suspension tramway, ropeway, underground railway
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A control system and method which includes storing the geographic location of the neutral sections along the path onboard the vehicle. A GPS system on the vehicle determines the geographic location of the vehicle. A program of the control system determines the position of the vehicle relative to the position of the neutral section from memory using the GPS to determine the location of the vehicle. Next, it provides a control for maintaining the circuit breaker of the vehicle open as the source collector passes through the neutral section.

Claims

1. An electrified vehicle for traveling over path having a sectionalized electrified conductor running along the path, the electrified sections being separated by neutral sections, the vehicle including a source collector and a circuit breaker which is opened by a control system when the control system determines that source collector is passing through the neutral section;

the control system comprising;

a memory storing the geographic location of the neutral sections along the path;

a GPS system for determining the geographic location of the vehicle; and

a program for determining the position of the vehicle relative to the position of the neutral section from the memory device using the GPS determined location of the vehicle and provides controls for maintaining the circuit breaker open as the source collector passes through the neutral section.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system further includes a sensor for sensing movement of the vehicle, and the program determines the distance traveled by the vehicle and uses the distance traveled with the GPS determined location to determine the location of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is part of a train of vehicles;

another vehicles in the train include a source collector and a circuit breaker which is opened by a control system when the control system determines the source collector of the another vehicle is passing through the neutral section; and

the control system on the vehicle and the another vehicle is the control system of claim 1.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is part of a train of vehicles;

another vehicle includes a source collector and a circuit breaker which is opened by a control system;

the vehicle has a master control system of claim 1 wherein the program determines the position of each vehicle of the train relative to the neutral section and signals the remote control systems of the another vehicle to maintain its circuit breaker open as the source collector of the another vehicle passes through the neutral section.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the master control system predetermines the position within the train of each vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system opens the circuit breaker before the vehicle enters the neutral section.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the control system adds a tolerance distance to the location in determining when to open the circuit breaker before the source collector enters the neutral section.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the control system idles electrical subsystems to reduce current load before the source collector enters the neutral section.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the memory includes the length of the neutral section, and the program determines that the source collector has left the neutral section from the stored length and provides controls to close the circuit breaker.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system determines re-establishment of electrical contact with an electrified section and verifies position of the source collector on an electrified section with the GPS determined location before closing the circuit breaker.

11. A method of controlling an electrified vehicle traveling over path having a sectionalized electrified conductor running along the path, the electrified sections being separated by neutral sections, the vehicle including a source collector cooperating with the electrified conductor and a circuit breaker which is opened by a control system when the control system determines that source collector is passing through the neutral section;

the method comprising;

determining the geographic location of the vehicle using a GPS system;

determining the position of the vehicle relative to the position of the neutral section from the geographic location of the neutral section stored on the vehicle and the GPS determined location of the vehicle; and

opening the circuit breaker before the source collector enters the neutral section and closing the circuit breaker after the source collector leaves the neutral section.

12. The method of claim 11, including sensing movement of the vehicle, determining the distance traveled by the vehicle, and using the distance traveled with the GPS determined location to determine the location of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, including adding a tolerance distance to the location in determining when to open the circuit breaker before the source collector enters the neutral section.

14. The method of claim 11, including idling electrical subsystems to reduce current load before the vehicle enters the neutral section.

15. The method of claim 11, including storing the length of the neutral section and determining that the vehicle has left the neutral section from the stored length.

16. The method of claim 11, including determining re-establishment of electrical cooperation with an electrified section and verifying the position of the source collector on an electrified section with the GPS determined location before closing the circuit breaker.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle is part of a train of vehicles;

another vehicles in the train include a source collector and a circuit breaker which is opened when the source collector passes through the neutral section; and

the method is performed on the vehicle and the another vehicle.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle is part of a train of vehicles;

another vehicle includes a source collector and a circuit breaker which is opened when the source collector passes through the neutral section;

the vehicle has a master control system which determines the position of each vehicle of the train relative to the neutral section and signals remote control system of the another vehicle to maintain its circuit breaker open as the source collector of the another vehicle passes through the neutral section.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the master control system predetermines the position within the train of each vehicle.