Method and Computer Software Code for Determining When to Permit a Speed Control System to Control a Powered System

• US 20080167767A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Brooks, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,007 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

Abstract

A method for determining an operating threshold boundary within which a controller is permitted to control a powered system, the method including calculating a threshold boundary with at least one of information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristics of the controller, and determining whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary.

Claims

1. A method for determining an operating threshold boundary within which a controller is permitted to control a powered system, the method comprising:

calculating a threshold boundary with at least one of information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristics of the controller; and

determining whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is an automatic controller.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprises if the threshold boundary is exceeded at least one of disengaging the controller when the controller is controlling the powered system and prohibiting the controller from controlling the powered system when the controller has not begun controlling the powered system.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating the threshold boundary further comprises determining the threshold boundary continuously for each operational setting of the powered system.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprises determining a maximum notch limit for a controller of the powered system with the threshold boundary.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the maximum notch limit and the maximum speed are communicated to at least one of an operator and a remote monitoring facility during manual operation of the powered system.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprises determining at least one drag force experienced by the powered system and calculating the threshold boundary to include the at least one drag force.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein calculating the threshold boundary further comprises including the at least one drag force iteratively.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the powered system comprises at least one of a speed of the powered system, a braking capacity of the powered system, and a power command of the powered system.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the controller comprises at least one of a power limit and a power rate limit.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the power limit is a function of distance.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprises providing at least one safety buffer when calculating the threshold boundary.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises a railway transportation system having a power generating unit that comprises at least one locomotive powered.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises a marine vessel having a power generating unit that comprises at least one engine.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle having a power generating unit that comprises at least one engine.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises a stationary power generating station having a power generating unit that comprises at least one engine.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations having a power generating unit that comprises at least one engine.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises at least one of a transportation vehicle and an agricultural vehicle having a power generating unit that comprises at least one engine.

19. A computer software code operable within a processor and configured to reside on a computer readable media for determining an operating threshold boundary within which a controller is permitted to control a powered system, the computer software code comprising:

computer software module for calculating a threshold boundary with at least one of information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristics of the controller; and

computer software module for determining whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary.

20. The computer software code of claim 19, further comprising if the threshold boundary is exceeded at least one of a computer software module for disengaging a controller when the controller is autonomously controlling the powered system and a computer software module for prohibiting the controller from controlling the powered system when the controller has not begun controlling the powered system.

21. The computer software code according to claim 19, further comprises a computer software module for calculating the threshold boundary with information about drag experienced by the powered system.

22. The computer software code according to claim 19, further comprises a computer software module for providing at least one buffer when calculating the threshold boundary.

23. A method for determining an operating threshold boundary within which an automatic controller is permitted to control a powered system, the method comprising:

utilizing a power restriction of the controller;

utilizing a power rate restriction of the controller;

predicting a speed trajectory between at least one of a current location and a distant location and for each power setting of the powered system;

determining an overspeed index with the speed trajectory predicted;

determining a maximum speed with at least one of the power restriction, power rate restriction, a speed limit, a reference speed, a reference power, and the overspeed index; and

determining a maximum speed confidence level with at least one of a distance and a time to reaching the overspeed index and an input parameter.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprises determining at least one drag force experienced by the powered system and calculating the threshold boundary to include the at least one drag force.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein calculating the threshold boundary further comprises including the at least one drag force iteratively.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprises providing at least one safety buffer when determining the maximum speed.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one buffer provides for a confidence level assigned to the operating threshold boundary.

28. The method according to claim 23, further comprises notifying at least one of an operator of the powered system and a remote monitoring facility of at least one of an achievable speed range, whether the powered system is in an automatic control mode, whether the powered system is in a manual transition mode, whether the powered system is unable to enter the automatic control mode, and whether to apply a brake.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein whether to apply the brake further comprises notifying at least one of the operator and the remote monitoring facility to apply an airbrake.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the power restriction is determined and the speed trajectory is predicted using information provided from a mission plan.

31. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the power restriction is determined and the speed trajectory is predicted using at least one parameter derived from an environment where the powered system operates.

32. The method according to claim 23, wherein predicting the speed trajectory further comprises predicting the speed trajectory with at least one of the maximum speed and a minimum speed.

33. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the power restriction and power rate restriction is a function of at least one of a speed and a location of the powered system.

34. The method according to claim 23, wherein determining the maximum speed further comprises determining the maximum speed for each power setting of the powered system.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein at least one of the maximum speed and the minimum speed are an operation restriction with respect to the location of the powered system.

36. A method for determining an achievable speed range for a powered system at a future location, the method comprising:

determining at least one of a location of the powered system and a current power of the powered system;

identifying a planned speed; and

determining an achievable speed range for a future location with at least one of a maximum power, a minimum power, a maximum power rate, and a minimum power rate.

37. The method according to claim 36, further comprises notifying at least one of the operator and the remote monitoring facility of the achievable speed range as the speed range is autonomously calculated.