SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE CONTROL

• US 20130006451A1
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cooper, Jared, Bremmer, Robert, Smith, Eugene, Schroeck, Brian, Veilumuthu, Velmurugan, Murthy, Srinand Sridhara, Narasegowda, Latha Belagumba
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/102 of individual wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/04 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A system includes a first propulsion subsystem and a second propulsion subsystem. The first propulsion subsystem is operable to provide electrical energy to a first communication device when operating in an ON mode. The second propulsion subsystem is operable to provide electrical energy to a second communication device when operating in the ON mode. The first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem are controllable in a mode of operation where if one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem is controlled to be in an OFF mode, the other of the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem provides electrical energy to the respective first communication device or the second communication device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first propulsion subsystem operable to provide electrical energy to a first communication device when operating in an ON mode; and

a second propulsion subsystem operable to provide electrical energy to a second communication device when operating in the ON mode;

wherein

the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem are controllable in a mode of operation where if one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem is controlled to be in an OFF mode, the other of the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem provides electrical energy to the respective first communication device or the second communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem is controlled through instructions received via at least one of the first communication device or the second communication device from a remotely located controller device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem are controllable in a distributed power (DP) operation of the system to define a consist, and the at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem that is controlled in the DP operation remains in the ON mode to supply tractive effort when the other of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem is in the OFF mode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem are configured to provide the electrical energy to the first communication device and the second communication device that are portions of a common communication module.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem are configured to provide the electrical energy to the communication module when at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem are operating in the ON mode, and thereby to provide the electrical energy to the communication module during operation at an electrical energy that is at or above a threshold energy level.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is located on the first propulsion subsystem and the second communication device is located on the second propulsion subsystem, and

the first propulsion subsystem can supply the electrical energy to both the first communication device and the second communication device when the first propulsion subsystem is operating in the ON mode, and

the second propulsion subsystem can supply the electrical energy to both the first communication device and the second communication device when the second propulsion subsystem is operating in the ON mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first propulsion subsystem switches from the ON mode to the OFF mode only after the second propulsion subsystem switches from the OFF mode to the ON mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first propulsion subsystem is operable to propel a first vehicle and the second propulsion subsystem is operable to propel a second vehicle, and the first and second vehicles are mechanically coupled to each other.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem includes a feedback module operable to transmit feedback data related to operation of at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem to a controller device;

and

at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem turns to the OFF mode when instructed by the controller device based on the feedback data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem receives instructions from an energy management system of the controller device, the instructions controlling at least one of tractive effort or braking effort provided by one or more of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem based on the feedback data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem is configured to turn to the ON mode or to the OFF mode based on instructions received from the controller device that interfaces with a transportation network scheduling system that determines movement schedules of a vehicle propelled by one or more of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem and at least one other vehicle traveling within a common transportation network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the feedback data includes at least one of an amount of remaining fuel carried by at least one of the first propulsion subsystem or the second propulsion subsystem, and the controller device determines which of the first propulsion subsystem and the second propulsion subsystem to turn to the ON mode or the OFF mode based on the feedback data.

13. An isolation system for a vehicle system, the isolation system comprising:

an electrical isolation module operable to be communicatively coupled with at least one of plural remote vehicles of the vehicle system that are electrically coupled with each other to define a consist, and

the electrical isolation module is operable to electrically isolate a communication module so as to reduce or eliminate a voltage drop during a defined electro-mechanical event, and thereby to maintain communications of the communication module with a remotely located controller.

14. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is operable to keep at least one of the remote vehicles that is controlled by a lead vehicle in a distributed power (DP) operation of the vehicle system in an ON mode of operation to continue supplying electrical energy to the communication module while one or more other remote vehicles is in an OFF mode of operation.

15. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to maintain communications between the communication module and the remotely located controller such that the remotely located controller controls tractive efforts provided by one or more of the remote vehicles by transmitting control instructions to the communication module.

16. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to maintain a communication link between the consist and the remotely located controller without a communication interruption event occurring that otherwise causes a responsive action be taken by one or more of the remote vehicles.

17. The isolation system of claim 16, wherein the communication link includes at least one of a wireless network or a conductive pathway that extends along the vehicle system.

18. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to be communicatively coupled with at least one of an energy management system or a transportation network scheduling system, the electrical isolation module configured to determine which of the remote vehicles to turn to an OFF mode to withhold supply of electrical energy to the communication module or to turn to an ON mode to supply the electrical energy to the communication module based on instructions received from the at least one of the energy management system or the transportation network scheduling system.

19. The isolation system of claim 18, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to receive feedback data from one or more of the remote vehicles that is related to operations of the one or more of the remote vehicles.

20. The isolation system of claim 19, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to communicate the feedback data to the energy management system so that the energy management system can determine which of the remote vehicles to turn to the OFF mode or the ON mode based on the feedback data.

21. The isolation system of claim 19, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to communicate the feedback data to the energy management system so that the energy management system can employ map data that includes information related to an upcoming terrain over which the vehicle system is to travel in order to determine at least one of upcoming tractive effort requirements, braking requirements, or other propulsion requirements of the vehicle system, and the energy management system determines which of the remote vehicles to turn to the ON mode and which of the remote vehicles to turn to the OFF mode based on the at least one of upcoming tractive effort requirements, braking requirements, or other propulsion requirements.

22. The isolation system of claim 21, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to communicate the feedback data to the energy management system so that the energy management system can determine which of the remote vehicles to turn to the ON mode and which of the remote vehicles to turn to the OFF mode over time to balance or alternate fuel usage by different ones of the remote vehicles such that a plurality of the remote vehicles have sufficient fuel to propel the vehicle system when needed for an upcoming portion of the upcoming terrain.

23. The isolation system of claim 19, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to communicate the feedback data to the energy management system so that the energy management system can determine which of the remote vehicles to turn to the ON mode and which of the remote vehicles to turn to the OFF mode such that one or more of the remote vehicles has sufficient fuel weight to provide at least a threshold grip on a surface that is traversed by the vehicle system.

24. The isolation system of claim 19, wherein the feedback data includes an amount of remaining fuel carried by at least one of the remote vehicles.

25. The isolation system of claim 19, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to communicate the feedback data to the transportation network scheduling system so that the transportation network scheduling system can examine a geographic distance between a location of the vehicle system and a refueling location and examine an amount of remaining fuel carried by one or more of the remote vehicles to at least one of control movement of at least one other vehicle system in a transportation network or determine which of the remote vehicles to turn to an ON mode of operation or which of the remote vehicles to turn to an OFF mode of operation.

26. The isolation system of claim 19, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to communicate the feedback data to the transportation network scheduling system so that the transportation network scheduling system can examine a geographic distance between a location of the vehicle system and a refueling location and examine an amount of remaining fuel carried by one or more of the remote vehicles to determine if the vehicle system can skip refueling at the refueling location.

27. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to switch at least one of the remote vehicles from an ON mode of operation where the at least one of the remote vehicles supplies electrical energy to the communication module to an OFF mode where the at least one of the remote vehicles does not supply the electrical energy to the communication module only after at least one other remote vehicle in the consist switches from the OFF mode to the ON mode.

28. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to determine which of the remote vehicles to turn to an OFF mode where the remote vehicle does not supply electrical energy to the communication module while keeping one or more other remote vehicles in an ON mode where the one or more other remote vehicles supply the electrical energy to the communication module based on at least one of a remaining fuel carried by one or more of the remote powered rail vehicles, a first distribution of the remaining fuel carried by a plurality of the remote powered rail vehicles along a length of the vehicle system, a mass or weight of one or more portions of the vehicle system, or a second distribution of the mass or weight of a plurality of portions of the vehicle system along the length of the vehicle system.

29. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to change which of the remote vehicles is turned to an OFF mode where the remote vehicle does not supply electrical energy to the communication module to achieve a distribution of at least one of fuel or weight carried by the remote powered rail vehicles.

30. The isolation system of claim 13, wherein the electrical isolation module is configured to change which of the remote vehicles is turned to an ON mode to supply electrical energy to the communication module and which of the remote vehicles is turned to an OFF mode to not supply the electrical energy to the communication module based on one or more of fuel efficiencies of the remote vehicles, a terrain of one or more segments of a trip being traversed by the remote vehicles, or tractive efforts produced by the remote vehicles.

31. A method, comprising:

instructing one or more remote powered vehicles in an electrically coupled consist to turn to an OFF mode when at least one other remote powered vehicle in the consist remains in an ON mode.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the instructing step includes instructing the at least one other remote powered vehicle to remain in the ON mode to maintain a communication link between the at least one other remote powered vehicle and a controller that remotely directs tractive efforts provided by one or more of the remote powered vehicles.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the instructing step includes instructing the at least one other remote powered vehicle to remain in the ON mode to continue supplying electrical energy to a communication module that establishes the communication link.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the instructing step includes instructing the one or more remote powered vehicles to turn to the OFF mode of operation only after a communication device of the consist receives sufficient electric current from a source other than the one or more remote powered vehicles to maintain a communication link with a controller that remotely directs tractive efforts provided by one or more of the remote powered vehicles.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the instructing step includes instructing the one or more remote powered vehicles to turn to the OFF mode only after instructing at least one other remote powered vehicles to turn to the ON mode.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving feedback data related to operation of at least one of the remote powered vehicles, wherein the instructing step includes instructing the one or more remote powered vehicles to turn to the OFF mode based on the feedback data.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the feedback data includes at least one of an amount of remaining fuel carried by at least one of the remote powered vehicles.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising determining at least one of tractive effort or braking effort required from one or more of the remote powered vehicles based on the feedback data, wherein the instructing step comprises instructing which of the remote powered vehicles to turn to the OFF mode or to the ON mode based on the tractive effort or the braking effort.

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining movement schedules of one or more vehicle systems in a transportation network, wherein the instructing step includes instructing which of the remote powered vehicles to turn to the ON mode or to the OFF mode based on the movement schedules.

40. A retrofit kit comprising:

an electrical isolation module operable to be installed in at least a lead vehicle that is coupled with one or more remote vehicles that are electrically coupled with each other to define a consist, the electrical isolation module configured to be communicatively coupled with at least one of the remote vehicles and to electrically isolate a communication module of one or more of the remote vehicles so as to reduce or eliminate a voltage drop during a defined electro-mechanical event, and thereby to maintain communications of the communication module with the lead vehicle.