SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PACING A POWERED SYSTEM TRAVELING ALONG A ROUTE

• US 20110186692A1
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Glenn Robert Shaffer
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Shaffer, Glenn Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,442,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/29.R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/16 Trackside optimisation of vehicle or train operation

Abstract

A system is provided for pacing a powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions. Each block region has a respective signal. The system includes a controller configured to receive a status of the signal in an adjacent block region to a current block region of the powered system. The controller is configured to determine a time duration between a change in the status of the signal in an adjacent block region. The controller is further configured to determine an expected status of the signal to be experienced by the powered system in the plurality of block regions, based upon the time duration and a route parameter of the plurality of block regions.

Claims

1. A system for pacing at least one powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions, each block region having a respective signal, the system comprising:

a control center positioned remotely from the route, said control center is in wireless communication with said at least one powered system; and

said control center includes a controller to determine an arrival time range for said at least one powered system to travel to a respective block region, such that a performance characteristic of the powered system is maximized;

said at least one powered system includes a respective onboard controller configured to receive the arrival time range for the powered system to travel to the respective block region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said control center includes a transceiver in communication with a transceiver coupled to said at least one powered system;

and said powered system controller is coupled to said powered system transceiver to receive said arrival time range for the powered system to travel to the respective block region.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one powered system further includes a position determination device coupled to the controller to provide location information of the powered system to the controller;

and said powered system controller includes a memory configured to store a parameter of the powered system and a parameter of the route.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a plurality of powered systems are traveling along the route;

said powered system transceiver is configured to transmit the stored powered system parameter, the stored route parameter, and the location information of the respective powered system to the control center transceiver; and

said control center controller is configured to determine said arrival time range for the respective powered systems to travel to the respective block region.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the maximized performance characteristic of the powered system is at least one of a minimal amount of fuel consumed along the route, a minimum amount of energy consumed along the route, and a consistent green status of the signals in the plurality of block regions along the route.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein upon arrival of the powered system at a respective block region along the route during the respective arrival time range of the respective block region, said signal within the respective block region is configured with a green status.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said onboard controller is configured to receive a status of a signal in the block region adjacent to a current block region of the powered system;

and wherein said onboard controller is configured to determine a time duration relating to a change in the status of the signal in the adjacent block region; and

wherein said onboard controller is configured to determine an expected status of each of one or more of the signals to be experienced by the powered system in the plurality of block regions, based upon the time duration and at least one route parameter of one or more of the plurality of block regions.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said powered system is one of an off-highway vehicle, a marine propulsion vehicle, or a rail vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the onboard controller includes a memory configured to store the at least one route parameter of the one or more of the plurality of block regions.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said onboard controller receives the status of the signal in the adjacent block region from a camera positioned on the powered system, an input provided by an operator of the powered system, and/or a communication received from a remote center.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said determination of the expected status of each of the one or more signals in the plurality of block regions includes a determination of an expected movement of a leading powered system on the route in said adjacent block region.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said determination of the expected movement of the leading powered system on the route is based upon:

a first change in the status of the signal in the adjacent block region being indicative of the leading powered system entering said adjacent block region; and

a second change in the status of the signal in the adjacent block region being indicative of the leading powered system leaving said adjacent block region;

wherein the time duration relating to a change in status is based on the time difference between the first change and the second change in the status.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said onboard controller is configured to determine an estimated speed of the leading powered system in the adjacent block region based upon the time duration and a route parameter of the adjacent block region stored in the memory.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said route parameter of the adjacent block region is one of a length of the adjacent block region, or a grade of the adjacent block region.

15. A method for pacing a powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions, each block region having a respective signal, the method comprising:

storing one or more route parameters of the plurality of block regions;

measuring a time duration relating to a change in the status of the signal in a block region adjacent to a current block region of the powered system; and

determining an expected status of the signal to be experienced by the powered system in the adjacent block region, based upon the time duration and a stored route parameter of the adjacent block region.