DIGITAL RAILROAD SYSTEM

• US 20100153419A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rose, Gerald, Hess, Gerald JR., Hershey, John E., Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Daum, Wolfgang, Shaffer, Glenn, Otsubo, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor

Abstract

Systems are provided for efficiently managing the effects of a change to a transportation system'"'"'s state. One example system comprises a plurality of distributed data input and data output terminals, the distributed data input terminal configured to automatically generate data related to a first aspect of transportation system operation, at least one of a distributed database and a synchronized database configured to store data, a plurality of distributed computational engines configured to receive data from at least one database, and based on the data received, automatically manage operations of a second, different aspect of the transportation system operations, and a communications network linking the data input terminals, the data output terminals, the databases, and the computational engines, wherein the change to the transportation system'"'"'s state is initiated by the data generated at the distributed input terminals.

Claims

1. A system for managing effects of a change to a transportation system'"'"'s state comprising:

a plurality of distributed data input and data output terminals, the distributed data input terminal configured to automatically generate data related to a first aspect of transportation system operations;

at least one of a distributed database and a synchronized database configured to store data;

a plurality of distributed computational engines configured to receive data from at least one database, and based on the data received, automatically manage operations of a second, different aspect of the transportation system operations; and

a communications network linking the data input terminals, the data output terminals, the databases, and the computational engines, wherein the change to the transportation system'"'"'s state is initiated by the data generated at the distributed input terminals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the transportation system'"'"'s state is represented as a multi-dimensional state vector, wherein the automatically generated data related to the first aspect of transportation system operations is input thereto and changes the multi-dimensional state vector, and wherein the automatic management operations of the second, different aspect of the transportation system operations, is based on the changed multi-dimensional state vector.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the change to a transportation system'"'"'s state comprises a change in infrastructure and a change in cargo.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein at least one of the data input terminals comprises at least one of a manual data entry station, an electronic data entry station, a sensor, and a data interface to another data communications network.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein at least one of the data output terminals comprises at least one of a visual data display, an acoustic output device, an electronic data output portal, and a data interface to another data communications network.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the communications network provides for at least one of message encryption and message authentication.

7. The system of claim 2 further comprising a centralized message journaling facility configured to log encrypted and/or authenticated messages communicated through the communications network.

8. The system of claim 2 comprising distributed and synchronized databases.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one of a distributed database and the synchronized database includes a current database and the distributed computational engines are configured to receive data from the current database before a synchronization event.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the distributed computational engines are configured to receive data from a predicted database following the synchronization event.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the transportation system is a railroad system.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the distributed computational engine automatically managing operations of the second aspect of the transportation system operations includes at least one of directly controlling transportation system elements or transmitting data to one or more data output terminals relevant to the second aspect of transportation system operations.

13. A locomotive, comprising:

a control system having computer readable storage medium with code therein, the code being reconfigurable responsive to information generated automatically and transmitted through a railroad system, the information received by the control system from sources external to the locomotive, the information related to a first aspect of the locomotive'"'"'s operations, wherein the reconfigured code automatically changes a second aspect of the locomotive'"'"'s operations through a multi-dimensional state vector in the control system, the multi-dimensional state vector including a plurality of states of the railroad system.

14. The locomotive of claim 13 wherein the reconfigured code changes a maximum allowed speed of the locomotive.

15. The locomotive of claim 13 wherein the reconfigured code changes a communication mode of the locomotive when communicating with a remote device.

16. The locomotive of claim 15 wherein the communication mode is changed from rail signaling to cellular signaling.

17. The locomotive of claim 13 wherein the control system further includes a schedule optimizing code, and wherein the reconfigured code changes data inputs to the schedule optimizing code, the schedule optimizing code being configured to recalculate a schedule responsive to the change in mode of operation of the locomotive.

18. The locomotive of claim 13 wherein the control system operates on a current database.

19. The locomotive of claim 18 wherein, following a synchronization event, the control system shifts operation to a predicted database.

20. A method for managing effects of a change to a railroad system'"'"'s state, the railroad system'"'"'s state represented as a multi-dimensional state vector, the method comprising:

automatically generating data related to a first aspect of the railroad system'"'"'s operation in at least one of a plurality of distributed data input terminals, wherein the automatically generated data related to the first aspect of the railroad system changes the multi-dimensional state vector;

storing the data generated in the distributed data input terminal in at least one of a distributed database and a synchronized database;

receiving the data in at least one of a plurality of distributed computational engines;

adjusting operation of a second aspect of the railroad system'"'"'s operation based on the data received regarding the change in the multi-dimensional state vector, said second aspect being different from said first aspect; and

communicating the adjusted operation to at least one of a plurality of data output terminals to thereby enable a change in the railroad system'"'"'s state.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising a centralized message journaling facility for logging encrypted and/or authenticated messages communicated between the distributed input and output terminals.