SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE CODE FOR OPTIMIZING SPEED REGULATION OF A REMOTELY CONTROLLED POWERED SYSTEM

• US 20080312775A1
• Filed: 05/24/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,295,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/026 Relative localisation, e.g. using odometer
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/006 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation track-side optimisation of operation B61L27/16

Abstract

A system for operating a remotely controlled powered system, the system including a feedfoward gains element configured to provide information to the remotely controlled powered system to establish a velocity, and a feedback gains element configured to provide information from the remotely controlled powered system to the feedforward gains element. A method and a computer software code are further disclosed for operating the remotely controlled powered system.

Claims

1. A system for operating a remotely controlled powered system, the system comprising:

a feedfoward gains element configured to provide information to the remotely controlled powered system to establish a velocity; and

a feedback gains element configured to provide information from the remotely controlled powered system to the feedforward gains element.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an operator input device to control velocity of the remotely controlled powered system in response to information from the feedback gains element.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a terrain database wherein information provided by the feedback gains element is information about terrain.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein information provided by the feedback gains element is provided to at least one of the feedforward gains element and the operator input device.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the information is at least one of visual and audible.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the powered system comprises at least one of a railway transportation system, a marine vessel, an off-highway vehicle, a transportation vehicle, an agricultural vehicle, and a stationary power generating station.

7. A method for operating a remotely controlled powered system, the method comprising:

communicating information from an operator remote from the remotely controlled powered system to the remotely controlled powered system to establish a velocity; and

communicating information in a closed-loop configuration from the remotely controlled powered system to the operator.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising allowing an operator remote from the remotely controlled powered system to control velocity of the remotely controlled powered system in response to information communicated from the remotely controlled power system.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising communicating terrain information from the remotely controlled powered system to the operator.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the information communicated to the operator is communicated at least one of visually and audibly.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the powered system comprises at least one of a railway transportation system, a marine vessel, an off-highway vehicle, a transportation vehicle, an agricultural vehicle, and a stationary power generating station.

12. A computer software code operating within a processor and storable on a computer readable media for operating a remotely controlled powered system, the computer software code comprising:

a computer software module for communicating information from an operator remote from the remotely controlled powered system to the remotely controlled powered system to establish a velocity; and

a computer software module for communicating information in a closed-loop configuration from the remotely controlled powered system to the operator.

13. The computer software code according to claim 12, further comprising a computer software module for allowing an operator remote from the remotely controlled powered system to control velocity of the remotely controlled powered system in response to information communicated from the remotely controlled power system.

14. The computer software code according to claim 12, further comprising a computer software module for communicating terrain information from the remotely controlled powered system to the operator.

15. The computer software code according to claim 12, further comprising a computer software module for communicating information to the operator at least one of visually and audibly.

16. The computer software code according to claim 12, wherein the powered system comprises at least one of a railway transportation system, a marine vessel, an off-highway vehicle, a transportation vehicle, an agricultural vehicle, and a stationary power generating station.