SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREDICTING A VEHICLE ROUTE USING A ROUTE NETWORK DATABASE

• US 20080154452A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Pagano, Daniel, Vorndran, Eric, Kapp, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/20
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/16 Trackside optimisation of vehicle or train operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A system and method for predicting a route to be authorized by a dispatcher for a vehicle to travel on a route network comprises a computer system that has a database having stored data relative to interconnecting route segments that make up the route network. Data relative to the origination location and the destination location is input into the computer system. The processor accesses the database and generates a predicted route with an origination location and destination location.

Claims

1. A system for predicting a route to be traveled by a vehicle, wherein the route is predicted using a route network database, the system comprising:

a computer system having a memory, the computer system linked with one or more vehicles in a fleet of vehicles that follow one or more routes in a route network and the routes are determined by one or more dispatchers;

a database stored in the memory and having data relative to the route network comprising a series of interconnected route segments and a set of routing rules followed by the dispatcher for determining an authorized route the vehicle shall follow;

an input mechanism for inputting data relative to an origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle; and

,

a processor in the computer system programmed with a route generation algorithm to take the data relative to the origination location and destination location of the vehicle, and access the database to generate a predicted route that is a prediction of a route that a dispatcher may authorize according to the set of routing rules for the vehicle to follow from the origination location to the destination location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the routing rules include speed restrictions for each route segment.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein including identifying each route segment the vehicle is to travel on in the predicted route.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is programmed to provide one or recommended speeds to travel on the predicted route.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to change the predicted vehicle route to an alternate route in the event the vehicle diverges or will diverge from a route segment on the predicted route to an off-route segment, the alternate route defined by connecting a current location of the train to the off-route segment which is then connected to the destination location.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein data relative to the authorized route the vehicle is following, or data relative to route segments the vehicle will follow, is received by the processor to change the predicted route to an alternate predicted route in the event the train diverges or will diverge from a route segment on the predicted route to an off-route segment, the alternate predicted route defined by connecting a current location of the train to the off-route segment which is then connected to the destination location.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the alternate includes a route segment that intersects a route segment of the predicted route and a remaining portion of the alternate route is the same as the remaining portion of the predicted route and the algorithm is configured to copy the remaining portion of the predicted route from the intersection to generate the alternate route.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein data is provided relative to one or more previously generated predicted routes associated with the vehicle, and the processor selects a stored predicted route having the same origination and destination location as entered into the computer system.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein data relative to temporary speed restrictions or route segment maintenance schedules are considered in generating a predicted route.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer system is onboard the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display panel onboard the vehicle for displaying one or more portions of the predicted route generated by the processor.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is linked with computer software configured to provide one or more recommended speeds for the vehicle when following the predicted route to optimize at least one of efficiency of fuel consumption, travel time or emissions output of a vehicle taking into account operating and physical characteristics of the vehicle and physical characteristics of the route segments in the predicted route.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a display panel onboard the vehicle for displaying one or more portions of the predicted route generated by the processor and the recommended speeds for the vehicle along the predicted route.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein data relative to temporary speed restrictions for each route segment is input into the computer system with the data relative the origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle to generate the predicted route.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein data relative to one or more speed limits for each route segment is input into the computer system with the data relative the origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle to generate the predicted route.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein data relative to scheduled maintenance of one or more route segments is input into the computer system with the data relative the origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle to generate the predicted route.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the predicted routed is transmitted to the dispatcher for the dispatcher to accept or reject the predicted route as an authorized route for travel on the route network.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a locomotive of a train having one or more locomotives and a plurality of rail cars, and route network data stored in the database is railroad track network data comprising data representative of a series of interconnected track segments and a set of railroad routing rules used by the dispatcher to determine the authorized route.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the train network data includes data relative to an identifier assigned to each tack segment, for each track segment the identity of connected track segments, the length of each track segment and a location of switches in the track network relative to track segments and a recommended direction of travel over each track segment.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the track network data comprises data relative to the location of train stations along the track network and location of track segments at the stations relative to other track segments in the track network for including in the predicted route an entrance into and an exit out of the stations in the predicted route.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the track network data comprises data relative to restrictions on the physical characteristics of a train that may travel or cargo on a train that may travel on one or more of the track segments.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein on the track network there is track field equipment that transmits signals to the locomotive which signals define a segment of the authorized route that the train has followed or will follow, and the processor is configured to determine to change the predicted route to an alternate predicted route in the event the train diverges or will diverge from a track segment on the train route to an off-route track segment, the alternate predicted route defined by a starting location, which is the the off-route track segment, and the destination.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the system is linked with computer software configured to provide one or more recommended speeds for the train when following the predicted route to optimize at least one of the efficiency of fuel consumption, travel time or emissions output of the locomotive taking into account operating and physical characteristics of the locomotive and physical characteristics of the track segments in the predicted route.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the computer system generates a command responsive to the recommended speeds determined to control the operation of a throttle on the locomotive or a speed of the locomotive.

25. A system for determining one or more recommended speeds or power outputs for a vehicle traveling on an authorized route to optimize the efficiency of fuel consumption, minimize emission output or minimize travel time, wherein the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles in a fleet, which vehicles travel on a route network according to routes authorized by one or more dispatchers, the system comprising:

a computer system having a memory, and the computer system is linked with one or more vehicles in a fleet of vehicles that travel one or more routes in a route network and the routes are determined by one or more dispatchers;

a database stored in the memory and having data relative to the route network comprising a series of interconnected route segments and a set of routing rules followed by the dispatcher for determining an authorized route the vehicle shall follow;

an input mechanism for inputting data relative to an origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle;

a processor in the computer system programmed with a route generation algorithm to take the data relative to the origination location and destination location of the vehicle, and access the database to generate a predicted route that is a prediction of a route that a dispatcher may authorize according to the set of routing rules for the vehicle to follow from the origination location to the destination location; and

,

the computer system having computer software configured to provide one or more recommended speeds for the vehicle when following the predicted route to optimize efficiency of fuel consumption, minimize emission output or minimize travel time of the vehicle taking into account physical or operating characteristics of the vehicle and physical characteristics of the route segments in the predicted route.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the routing rules include speed restrictions for each route segment

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the predicted route includes identifying each route segment the vehicle is to travel and the speed at which vehicle is to travel for each route segment;

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the computer system is onboard the vehicle.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the processor is configured change the predicted vehicle route to an alternate route in the event the vehicle diverges or will diverge from a route segment on the predicted route to an off-route segment, the alternate route defined by connecting a current location of the train to the off-route segment, which is connected to the destination location.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein when the vehicle is following the authorized route data relative to the authorized route, or data relative route segments the vehicle will follow, is received by the processor to if necessary to change the predicted route to an alternate predicted route in the event the train diverges or will diverge from a route segment on the predicted route to an off-route segment, the alternate predicted route defined by connecting a current location of the train to the off-route segment, which is connected to the destination location.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the alternate route includes a route segment that intersects a route segment of the predicted route and a remaining portion of the alternate route is the same as the remaining portion of the predicted route and the algorithm is configured to copy the remaining portion of the predicted route from the intersection to generate the alternate route.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein data is provided relative to one or more previously generated predicted routes associated with the vehicle, and the processor selects a stored predicted route having the same origination and destination location as entered into the computer system.

33. The system of claim 25 further comprising a display panel onboard the locomotive for displaying one or more portions of the predicted route generated by the processor.

34. The system of claim 25 further comprising a display panel onboard the vehicle for displaying one or more portions of the predicted route generated by the processor and the recommended speeds for the vehicle along the predicted route.

35. The system of claim 25 wherein data relative to temporary speed restrictions for each route segment is input into the computer system with the data relative the origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle to generate the predicted route.

36. The system of claim 25 wherein data relative to scheduled maintenance of one or more route segments is input into the computer system with the data relative the origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle to generate the predicted route.

37. The system of claim 25 wherein the predicted route is transmitted to the dispatcher for the dispatcher to accept or reject the predicted route as an authorized route.

38. A method for determining one or more recommended speeds or power outputs for a vehicle traveling on an authorized route to optimize the efficiency of fuel consumption, minimize emission output or minimize travel time wherein the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles in a fleet, which vehicles travel on a route network according to routes authorized by one or more dispatchers, the system comprising;

providing a database having data relative to a route network comprising a series of interconnected route segments and a set of routing rules followed by a dispatcher for determining an authorized route a vehicle shall follow

generating a predicted route that is a prediction of a route a dispatcher may authorize according to the set of routing rules for the vehicle to follow from an origination location to a destination location; and

,

providing one or more recommended speeds for the vehicle when following the predicted route to optimize efficiency of fuel consumption, minimize emission output or minimize travel time of the vehicle taking into account physical operating characteristics of the vehicle and physical characteristics of the route segments in the predicted route.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising changing the predicted vehicle route to an alternate route in the event the vehicle diverges or will diverge from a route segment on the predicted route to an off-route segment, the alternate route defined by connecting a current location of the train to the off-route segment, which is then connected to the destination location.

40. The method of claim 38 receiving at the processor of vehicle data relative to authorized route, or data relative route segments the vehicle will follow, and changing the predicted route to an alternate predicted route in the event the train diverges or will diverge from a route segment on the predicted route to an off-route segment, the alternate predicted route defined by connecting a current location of the train to the off-route segment, which is then connected to the destination location.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the alternate includes a route segment that intersects a route segment of the predicted route and a remaining portion of the alternate route is the same as the remaining portion of the predicted route and the algorithm is configured to copy the remaining portion of the predicted route from the intersection to generate the alternate route.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein data is provided relative to one or more previously generated predicted routes associated with the vehicle, and the processor selects a stored predicted route having the same origination and destination location as entered into the computer system.

43. The method of claim 38 further comprising displaying onboard the locomotive for displaying one or more portions of the predicted route generated by the processor.

44. The method of claim 38 further comprising a display panel onboard the vehicle for displaying one or more portions of the predicted route generated by the processor and the recommended speeds for the vehicle along the predicted route.

45. The method of claim 38 further comprising inputting into the computer system data relative to temporary speed restrictions for each route segment with the data relative the origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle to generate the predicted route.

46. The method of claim 38 further comprising inputting into the computer system data relative to scheduled maintenance of one or more route segments with the data relative the origination location of the vehicle and one or more destinations of the vehicle to generate the predicted route.

47. The method of claim 38 further comprising transmitting data relative to the predicted route to the dispatcher for the dispatcher to accept or reject the predicted route as an authorized route for travel on the route network.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising rejecting the predicted route as an authorized route and generating an authorized route that does not include one or more portions of the predicted route.

49. The method of claim 47 further comprising accepting the predicted route as an authorized route that is the same as the predicted route.