System, Method, and Computer Readable Media for Adaptively Determining a Brake Application Level for Signaling a Remote Locomotive of a Train During a Communication Loss

• US 20070241610A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Smith, Eugene A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,340,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/22.600
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/66 Electrical control in fluid-pressure brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles

Abstract

In a railroad train having a brake system including a fluid carrying brake pipe (14) having an exhaust (52) and connecting a lead locomotive (12) and at least one remote locomotive, the train further comprising a communication system (24) for communicating between the lead locomotive and the remote locomotive, a method for adaptively determining a brake application for signaling a remote locomotive of a train during a communication loss includes determining a brake system operating condition of the train (72). The method also includes determining an operability condition of the communication system (74) and identifying an operator commanded brake application level at the lead locomotive during a communication system inoperability condition (76). The method further includes determining a signaling brake application level sufficient for signaling the remote locomotive via the brake pipe responsive to the monitored brake system operating condition (78).

Claims

1. In a railroad train having a brake system including a fluid carrying brake pipe having an exhaust and connecting a lead locomotive and at least one remote locomotive, the train further comprising a communication system for communicating between the lead locomotive and the remote locomotive, a method for adaptively determining a brake application level for signaling a remote locomotive of the train during a communication loss comprising:

determining a brake system operating condition of the train;

determining an operability condition of the communication system;

identifying an operator commanded brake application level at the lead locomotive during a communication system inoperability condition, and

determining a signaling brake application level sufficient for signaling the remote locomotive via the brake pipe responsive to at least one of the brake system operating condition, the operability condition of the communication system, and the operator commanded brake application level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically applying an additional amount of brake application when the signaling brake application level is more than the operator commanded brake application level.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying an operator of the lead locomotive that an additional amount of brake application is needed when the signaling brake application level is more than the operator commanded brake application level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a brake system operating condition of the train comprises sensing at least one of a brake pipe fluid flow, a brake pipe fluid pressure, a fluid reservoir pressure, and a brake system exhaust flow.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the operator commanded brake application level indicates a brake release state, generating the signaling brake application level responsive to a sensed brake pipe fluid flow.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, when the sensed brake pipe fluid flow is less than about 20 cubic feet per minute, generating a signaling brake application level of about 7 pounds per square inch.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising, when the sensed brake pipe fluid flow is between about 20 cubic feet per minute and about 60 cubic feet per minute, generating a signaling brake application level of about 15 pounds per square inch.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising, when the sensed brake pipe fluid flow is more than about 60 cubic feet per minute, generating an emergency brake application level.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the operator commanded brake application level indicates a brake application state, generating a signaling brake application level responsive to at least one of a level of brake application commanded by the operator, a time elapsed since brake application, and a brake pipe exhaust flow.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a time elapsed since initiation of the operator commanded brake application level when the communication system inoperability condition is identified.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sensing a brake pipe exhaust flow.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, when the operator commanded brake application level is less than about 16 pounds per square inch, a determined time elapsed since initiation of the operator commanded brake application level is more than about 90 seconds, and a sensed brake pipe exhaust flow is about 0 cubic feet per minute, generating an additional brake application level of about 10 pounds per square inch.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising, when less than about 90 seconds has elapsed since initiation of the operator commanded brake application level, generating an emergency brake application.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising, when the brake pipe flow is greater than about 0 cubic feet per minute, generating an emergency brake application level.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising, when the operator commanded brake application level is greater than about 16 pounds per square inch, generating an emergency brake application level.

16. In a railroad train having a brake system including a fluid carrying brake pipe having an exhaust and connecting a lead locomotive and at least one remote locomotive, the train further comprising a communication system for communicating between the lead locomotive and the remote locomotive, a system for adaptively determining a brake application level for signaling a remote locomotive of the train during a communication loss comprising:

a first sensor for determining a brake system operating condition of the train;

a second sensor for determining an operability condition of the communication system;

a third sensor for identifying an operator commanded brake application level at the lead locomotive during a communication system inoperability condition, and

a controller in communication with the first, second, and third sensors and configured for determining a signaling brake application level sufficient for signaling the remote locomotive via the brake pipe responsive to at least one of the brake system operating condition, the operability condition of the communication system, and the operator commanded brake application level.

18. Computer readable media containing program instructions for adaptively determining a brake application level for signaling a remote locomotive of a railroad train during a communication loss, the railroad train having a brake system including a fluid carrying brake pipe having an exhaust and connecting a lead locomotive and at least one remote locomotive, the railroad train further comprising a communication system for communicating between the lead locomotive and the remote locomotive, the computer readable media comprising:

a computer program code for determining a brake system operating condition of the train;

a computer program code for determining an operability condition of the communication system;

a computer program code for identifying an operator commanded brake application level at the lead locomotive during a communication system inoperability condition, and

a computer program code for determining a signaling brake application level sufficient for signaling the remote locomotive via the brake pipe responsive to at least one of the brake system operating condition, the operability condition of the communication system, and the operator commanded brake application level.

17. The system of claim 18, further comprising a memory in communication with the controller for storing a braking schedule of comprising predetermined signaling brake application levels corresponding to at least one of brake system operating conditions, operator commanded brake application levels, and time elapsed since a brake application when a communication system inoperability condition is identified.