Method and Computer Software Code for Determining a Mission Plan for a Powered System When a Desired Mission Parameter Appears Unobtainable

• US 20080183345A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• 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: Thiyagarajan, Saravanan, Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Chandra, Ramu Sharat
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation

Abstract

A method for determining a mission plan for a powered system having at least one primary power generating unit when a desired parameter of the mission plan unobtainable and/or exceeds a predefined limit, the method includes identifying a desired parameter prior to creating a mission plan which may be unobtainable and/or in violation of a predefined limit, and notifying an operator of the powered system and/or a remote monitoring facility of the desired parameter.

Claims

1. A method for determining a mission plan for a powered system having at least one primary power generating unit when a desired parameter of the mission plan is at least one of unobtainable and exceeds a predefined limit, the method comprising:

creating a mission plan;

identifying a desired parameter in the mission plan that is at least one of unobtainable and exceeds a predefined limit;

determining whether to at least one of temporarily exceed the predefined limit, identify an obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter, alert at least one of an operator and a remote monitoring facility for feedback on a course of action to take.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least two of creating the mission plan, identifying the desired parameter, and determining are performed using a closed loop control implementation without operator intervention.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprises revising the mission plan based on whether to at least one of temporarily exceed the predefined limit and identify an obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprises determining whether the desired parameter has at least one of a hard limit and a soft limit.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprises temporarily exceeding the predefined limit when the desired parameter has a soft limit.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprises determining at least one of a time period and a condition to temporarily exceed the desired parameter when the desired parameter has the soft limit.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprises when the hard limit is present determining an obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter without exceeding the hard limit.

8. The method according to claim 3, further comprises identifying at least one of a second desired parameter in the mission plan and a function of a component of the diesel powered system to adjust when the desired parameter in the mission plan that is at least one of unobtainable and exceeds a predefined limit, and adjusting the at least one of the second desired parameter in the mission plan and the function of a component of the diesel powered system to accomplish the mission plan.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein the desired parameter comprises at least one character associated with at least one of the powered system and a parameter associated with a mission being performed by the mission plan.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the desired parameter comprises at least one of a throttle limit, a brake rate limit, a start speed for at least one of a mission and a segment of the mission, an end speed for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, an operation time for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, a desired speed setting at a defined point in the mission, a start notch setting for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, an end notch setting for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, and dynamic braking.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein revising the mission plan results in a mission plan that is less optimized than an original mission plan.

12. 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

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises a marine vessel having a power generating unit.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle having a power generating unit.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises a stationary power generating station having a power generating unit.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations having a power generating unit.

17. 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.

18. A method for determining a mission plan for a powered system having at least one primary power generating unit when a desired parameter of the mission plan is at least one of unobtainable and exceeds a predefined limit, the method comprising:

identifying a desired parameter prior to creating a mission plan which may be at least one of unobtainable and in violation of a predefined limit; and

notifying at least one of an operator of the powered system and a remote monitoring facility of the desired parameter.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprises determining whether to at least one of exceed the predefined limit and identify an obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprises creating the mission plan.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the at least one of the operator and the remote monitoring facility are notified about whether further to at least one of exceed the predefined limit and identify an obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprises allowing the at least one of the operator and the remote monitoring facility to at least one of remove the predefined limit so that the mission plan is feasible and modify at least one other parameter to make the mission plan feasible.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein notifying further comprises advising at least one of the operator and remote monitoring facility that exceeding the predefined limit is inevitable in a certain region of a mission.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein notifying further comprises advising at least one of the operator and the remote monitoring facility of at least one parameter to modify to produce the mission plan.

25. The method according to claim 20, further comprises implementing the mission plan created where at least one of the predefined limit is exceeded and the obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter is used.

26. The method according to claim 18, further comprises determining whether to at least one of exceed the predefined limit and identify an obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter when the mission plan may be accomplished proximate an intended objective of the mission plan.

27. The method according to claim 18, further comprises determining whether the desired parameter has at least one of a hard limit and a soft limit.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprises temporarily exceeding the predefined limit when the desired parameter has the soft limit.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprises determining at least one of a time period and a condition to temporarily exceed the desired parameter when the desired parameter has the soft limit.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprises determining the obtainable parameter proximate the desired parameter without exceeding the hard limit.

31. The method according to claim 18, wherein the desired parameter comprises at least one character associated with at least one of the powered system and a parameter associated with a mission being performed by the mission plan.

32. The method according to claim 18, wherein the desired parameter comprises at least one of a throttle limit, a brake rate limit, a start speed for at least one of a mission and a segment of the mission, an end speed for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, an operation time for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, a desired speed setting at a defined point in the mission, a start notch setting for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, an end notch setting for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, and dynamic braking.

33. A computer software code operable within a processor and configured to reside on a computer readable media for identifying a desired parameter in a mission plan that at least one of is unobtainable and exceeds a predefined limit, the computer software code comprising:

computer software module for alerting at least one of an operator and a remote monitoring facility that the desired parameter is at least one of unobtainable and exceeds a predefined limit;

computer software module for receiving a feedback command from at least one of the operator and the remote monitoring facility; and

at least one of a computer software module for revising the mission plan and re-planning the mission plan based on the feedback command.