System, Method and Computer Software Code for Remotely Assisted Operation of a Railway Vehicle System

• US 20080128563A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hanze, Carlos L., Davenport, David M., Daum, Wolfgang, Kumar, Ajith K., Hershey, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,120,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/187A
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/127 for remote control of locomotives remote control of locomotives within a train consist B61C17/12

Abstract

A method for operating a train having at least one locomotive vehicle, the method including controlling operation of the train via a first crew member located on-board the locomotive unit, providing information that may be required for operation of the train to a second crew member located remote from the first crew member, and using the information to enable the second crew member to assist the first crew member in the controlling of the train.

Claims

1. A method for operating a train having at least one locomotive vehicle, comprising:

a. controlling operation of the train via a first crew member located on-board the locomotive unit;

b. providing information that may be required for operation of the train to a second crew member located remote from the first crew member; and

c. using the information to enable the second crew member to assist the first crew member in the controlling of the train.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of virtually on-boarding the second crew member by the first crew member.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of virtually on-boarding the second crew member via personnel at allocation remote from the first crew member.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of using an interface module on the locomotive to virtually on-board the second crew member.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of using a “

quick response”

interface to virtually on-board the second crew member.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second crew member controls at least one function of the train.

7. In a train having at least one locomotive, a method for operating the train with assistance from a virtual second crew member located at a remote location, the method comprising:

a. determining real-time information pertinent to operation of the train;

b. communicating the real-time information to a second virtual crew member located at a remote location;

c. reviewing the real-time information by the virtual second crew member; and

d. communicating between the train and the virtual second crew member information to assist in operating the train.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprises determining at least one of whether the second virtual crew member is available, whether a crew member aboard the train is available, and whether communicating between the second virtual crew member and the train is functioning.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of communicating between the train and the virtual second crew member further comprises interfacing the virtual second crew member at least one of directly to a crew member aboard the train, and to controls on the train.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprises determining whether at least one of the step of communicating the real-time information and the step of communicating between the train and the virtual second crew member is available.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprises determining an effectiveness of at least one of the steps of determining real-time information, communicating the real-time information, reviewing the real-time information, and communicating.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprises at least one of audibly and visually providing information from an external source to at least one of the virtual second crew member, the train, and a crew member aboard the train.

13. The method according to claim 7, further comprises providing a crew member aboard the train to operate the train wherein the crew member has less train operation skills than the virtual second crew member.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the remote location comprises at least one of a location remote from the train and a location aboard the train that is remote from operator'"'"'s controls on the train.

15. The method according to claim 7, further comprises controlling at least one function of the train by the virtual second crew member.

16. The method according to claim 7, further comprises determining whether a malfunction is occurring.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprises at least one of safely ceasing assisting operating the train with assistance from a virtual second crew member and slowing the train wherein the virtual second crew member may then perform cross checks to determine the malfunction.

18. In a train having at least one locomotive, a system for operating the train with assistance from a virtual second crew member located at a remote location, the system comprising:

a. a remote location housing the virtual second crew member;

b. a plurality of sensors to monitor real-time information proximate the train; and

c. a communication network that allows for communication of sensor data from the train to the remote monitoring facility and communication of train operation parameters from the virtual second crew member located at the remote location to the train.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprises a dead man protocol for determining whether at least one of whether the second virtual crew member is available, whether a crew member is available aboard the train, and whether the communication network is available.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the communication network further comprises a transceiver proximate at least one of the train and the remote location.

21. The system according to claim 18, further comprises a vital data module for collecting data from the plurality of sensors.

22. The system according to claim 18, further comprises an interface module for the virtual second crew member at the remote location to interface with at least one of a crew member aboard the train and operating controls aboard the train.

23. The system according to claim 18, further comprises a non-vital module for determining an effectiveness of at least one of the plurality of sensors and the communication network.

24. The system according to claim 18, further comprises an external device that collects external data about surrounding conditions of where the train is currently, is approaching, or has passed.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the external data is communicated at least one of audibly and visually to at least one of the virtual second crew member, the train, and a crew member aboard the train

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the external data comprises at least one of wayside inspection device status, wayside inspection device data, track circuit status, train presence data, broken rail detection data, location data about other proximate train consists, crossing activation data, signal lamp test results, and weather conditions.

27. The system according to claim 18, further comprises a crew member aboard the train to operate the train wherein the crew member has less train operation skills than the virtual second crew member.

28. The system according to claim 18, wherein the remote location comprises at least one of a location remote from the train and a location aboard the train that is remote from operator'"'"'s controls on the train.

29. The system according to claim 18, wherein the virtual second crew member controls at least one function of the train.

30. The system according to claim 18, further comprises a module to determine whether a malfunction is occurring.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the module to determine whether a malfunction is occurring further comprises at least one of safely ceasing assisting operating the train with assistance from a virtual second crew member and slowing the train wherein the virtual second crew member may then perform cross checks to determine the malfunction.

32. A system for operating a train with assistance from a virtual second crew member located at a remote location, the system comprising:

a. a vital data module that collects vital data from the train;

b. a communication network allowing communication between the train and the remote location;

c. an interface module for the virtual second crew member at the remote location to interface over the communication network with at least one of the train and a crew member aboard the train; and

d. a control interface module that interfaces over the communication network control linkages between the second crew member and at least one of the train and a crew member aboard the train.

33. The system according to claim 32, further comprises a dead man protocol for determining at least one of whether the second virtual crew member is available and whether a crew member aboard the train is available.

34. The system according to claim 32, comprising a dead man protocol for determining whether the communication network is available.

35. The system according to claim 32, wherein the communication network further comprises a transceiver proximate at least one of the train and the remote location.

36. The system according to claim 32, further comprises a plurality of sensors for determining vital data.

37. They system according to 32, further comprises a non-vital data module that determines effectiveness of at least one of the vital data module, communication network, interface module, and the control interface module.

38. The system according to claim 32, further comprises an external device that collects external data about surrounding conditions of where the train consist is currently, is approaching, or has passed.

39. The system according to claim 32, wherein the external data is communicated at least one of audibly and visually to at least one of the virtual second crew member, the train, and a crew member aboard the train.

40. The system according to claim 38, wherein the external data comprises at least one of wayside inspection device status, wayside inspection device data, track circuit status, train presence data, broken rail detection data, location data about other proximate train consists, crossing activation data, signal lamp test results, and weather conditions.

41. The system according to claim 32, further comprises a crew member aboard the train to operate the train wherein the crew member has less train operation skills than the virtual second crew member.

42. The system according to claim 32, wherein the remote location comprises at least one of a location remote from the train and a location aboard the train that is remote from operator'"'"'s controls on the train.

43. The system according to claim 32, wherein the virtual second crew member controls at least one function of the train.

44. The system according to claim 32, further comprises a module to determine whether a malfunction is occurring.

45. The system according to claim 44, wherein the module to determine whether a malfunction is occurring further comprises at least one of safely ceasing assisting operating the train with assistance from a virtual second crew member and slowing the train wherein the virtual second crew member may then perform cross checks to determine the malfunction.

46. A computer software code for providing information from a remote location for operating a train having at least one locomotive and a computer, the computer software code comprising:

a. a computer software module for controlling operation of the train via a first crew member located on-board the locomotive unit;

b. a computer software module for providing information that may be required for operation of the train to a second crew member located off-board the train; and

c. a computer software module for using the information to enable the second crew member to assist the first crew member in the controlling of the train.

47. The computer software code according to claim 46, further comprising a computer software module for virtually on-boarding the second crew member by the first crew member.

48. The computer software code according to claim 46, further comprising a computer software module for virtually on-boarding the second crew member via personnel at a remote location.

49. The computer software code according to claim 46, further comprising a computer software module for virtually interfacing the locomotive to the second crew member.

50. The computer software code according to claim 49, further comprising a computer software module for providing a “

quick response”

interface to virtually on-board the second crew member.

51. The computer software code according to claim 46, wherein the remote location comprises at least one of a location remote from the train and a location aboard the train that is remote from operator'"'"'s controls on the train.

52. In a train having at least one locomotive and a first computer aboard the train, computer software code for operating the train with assistance from a virtual second crew member located at a remote location with a second computer, the computer software code comprising:

a. a computer software module for determining real-time information pertinent to operation of the train;

b. a computer software module for communicating the real-time information to a second virtual second crew member located at a remote location;

c. a computer software module for reviewing the real-time information by the virtual second crew member; and

d. a computer software module for communicating between the train and the virtual second crew member information to assist in operating the train.

53. The computer software code according to claim 52, further comprises a computer software module for determining whether the second virtual crew member is available.

54. The computer software code according to claim 52, further comprises a computer software module for determining whether a crew member is available aboard the train.

55. The computer software code according to claim 52, wherein the computer software module for communicating between the train and the virtual second crew member further comprises a computer software module for interfacing the virtual second crew member directly to at least one of a crew member aboard the train and operating controls of the train.

56. The computer software code according to claim 52, further comprises a computer software module for determining whether at least one of the computer software module for communicating the real-time information and the computer software module for communicating between the train and the virtual second crew member is available.

57. The computer software code according to claim 52, further comprises a computer software module for collecting external data from an external device about at least one of a current location of the train consist, an approaching location of the train consist, and a previous location of the train consist, which is accessible by the virtual second crew member.

58. The computer software code according to claim 57, further comprises a computer software module for communicating at least one of audibly and visually external data from the external source to at least one of the virtual second crew member, the train, and a crew member aboard the train.

59. The computer software code according to claim 52, further comprises a computer software module for providing a crew member aboard the train an ability to operate the train wherein the crew member has less train operation skills than the virtual second crew member.

60. The computer software code according to claim 52, wherein the remote location comprises at least one of a location remote from the train and a location aboard the train that is remote from operator'"'"'s controls on the train.

61. The computer software code according to claim 52, further comprises a computer software module for determining whether a malfunction is occurring.

62. The computer software code according to claim 61, wherein the computer software module for determining whether a malfunction is occurring further comprises a computer software module for at least one of safely ceasing assisting operating the train with assistance from a virtual second crew member and slowing the train wherein the virtual second crew member may then perform cross checks to determine the malfunction.