AUTOMATIC ESTIMATION OF TRAIN CHARACTERISTICS
First Claim
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1. A locomotive system, comprising:
- a locomotive control system comprising instructions disposed on a computer readable medium, the instructions comprising;
instructions for estimating a total weight of a series of vehicles based on a change in a total tractive effort and a resulting change in an acceleration of the series of vehicles;
instructions for estimating a tractive effort based on a change in the tractive effort and a resulting change in an acceleration of the series of vehicles;
instructions for estimating a weight distribution of the series of vehicles based on a change in a tractive effort over a known grade; and
instructions for optimizing parameters of a trip of the series of vehicles based on estimations of the total weight, the tractive effort, and the weight distribution.
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Abstract
A system is provided for controlling a series of vehicles. In certain embodiments, the system includes a self-analysis/estimation system configured to control a first parameter of the series of vehicles to impart a resulting changing in a second parameter of the series of vehicles. The self-analysis/estimation system is configured to estimate a third parameter based on the first and second parameters, wherein the third parameter comprises weight, weight distribution, tractive effort, grade, or a combination thereof, associated with the series of vehicles.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A locomotive system, comprising:
a locomotive control system comprising instructions disposed on a computer readable medium, the instructions comprising; instructions for estimating a total weight of a series of vehicles based on a change in a total tractive effort and a resulting change in an acceleration of the series of vehicles; instructions for estimating a tractive effort based on a change in the tractive effort and a resulting change in an acceleration of the series of vehicles; instructions for estimating a weight distribution of the series of vehicles based on a change in a tractive effort over a known grade; and instructions for optimizing parameters of a trip of the series of vehicles based on estimations of the total weight, the tractive effort, and the weight distribution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for trip optimization of a series of vehicles, comprising:
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estimating a total weight of a series of vehicles based on a change in a total tractive effort and a resulting change in an acceleration of the series of vehicles;
orestimating a tractive effort based on a change in the tractive effort and a resulting change in an acceleration of the series of vehicles;
orestimating a weight distribution of the series of vehicles based on a change in a tractive effort over a known grade;
orestimating a grade change based on a change in a tractive effort;
ora combination of one or more of these steps. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for controlling a series of vehicles, comprising:
a self-analysis/estimation system configured to control a first parameter of the series of vehicles to impart a resulting changing in a second parameter of the series of vehicles, and estimate a third parameter based on the first and second parameters, wherein the third parameter comprises weight, weight distribution, tractive effort, grade, or a combination thereof, associated with the series of vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
Specification