MOVEMENT DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160257309A1
• Filed: 04/22/2015
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: MEYER, BRIAN NEDWARD, KUMAR, AJITH KUTTANNAIR
• Granted Patent: US 9,610,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/181 Preparing for stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A system and method for detecting movement of a vehicle and/or for changing operating modes of the vehicle switch between transitional operating mode of the vehicle at a first vehicle speed and a moving mode of the vehicle at a second vehicle speed. Movement of the vehicle is controlled to maintain a speed and/or location of the vehicle within designated limits during operation of the vehicle in the transitional operating mode. Movement of the vehicle is controlled to keep an operating parameter of the vehicle below a designated limit during operation of the vehicle in the moving mode. The vehicle switches between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode based at least in part on the vehicle speed, a distance from the target stopping location, an environmental condition, a vehicle characteristic, and/or a route occupancy condition.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a controller operable to switch between a transitional operating mode of a vehicle at a first vehicle speed and a moving mode of the vehicle at a second vehicle speed,

wherein the controller is configured to control movement of the vehicle to one or more of maintain a speed of the vehicle within a first designated tolerance range or maintain a location of the vehicle within a second designated tolerance range relative to a target stopping location during operation of the vehicle in the transitional operating mode and the controller is configured to control the movement of the vehicle to control an engine of the vehicle to keep an operating parameter of the vehicle below a designated limit during operation of the vehicle in the moving mode, and

wherein the controller is configured to switch the vehicle between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode based at least in part on one or more of the speed of the vehicle relative to a threshold speed value, a distance of the vehicle from the target stopping location, an environmental condition, a vehicle characteristic, or a route occupancy condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating parameter includes one or more of fuel consumed by the vehicle, emissions generated by the vehicle, or noise generated by the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental condition includes a type of weather condition in which the vehicle is moving.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle characteristic includes one or more of a mass of the vehicle, a number of vehicle units included in the vehicle, or an indication of whether one or more of the vehicle or the vehicle units are loaded with cargo.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to autonomously control a throttle of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle in both the transitional operating mode and the moving mode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, responsive to switching to the transitional operating mode, implement a stopping profile to stop the movement of the vehicle, the stopping profile limiting a rate at which the speed of the vehicle is reduced to stop the movement of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to select the stopping profile that is implemented from plural different stopping profiles based at least in part on a type of the vehicle, a cargo being carried by the vehicle, a type of the target stopping location, or a mass of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to implement the stopping profile by changing a type of brake system used to stop the movement of the vehicle at different times while slowing the movement of the vehicle according to the stopping profile.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to idle the engine of the vehicle responsive to implementing the stopping profile.

10. A method comprising:

switching between a transitional operating mode of a vehicle at a first vehicle speed and a moving mode of the vehicle at a second vehicle speed;

controlling movement of the vehicle to one or more of maintain a speed of the vehicle within a first designated tolerance range or maintain a location of the vehicle within a second designated tolerance range relative to a target stopping location during operation of the vehicle in the transitional operating mode; and

controlling the movement of the vehicle to control an engine of the vehicle to keep an operating parameter of the vehicle below a designated limit during operation of the vehicle in the moving mode;

wherein switching the vehicle between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode occurs based at least in part on one or more of the speed of the vehicle relative to a threshold speed value, a distance of the vehicle from the target stopping location, an environmental condition, a vehicle characteristic, or a route occupancy condition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the operating parameter includes one or more of fuel consumed by the vehicle, emissions generated by the vehicle, or noise generated by the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the environmental condition includes a type of weather condition in which the vehicle is moving.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle characteristic includes one or more of a mass of the vehicle, a number of vehicle units included in the vehicle, or an indication of whether one or more of the vehicle or the vehicle units are loaded with cargo.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the movement of the vehicle is controlled during the transitional operating mode and during the moving mode by autonomously controlling a throttle of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising implementing a stopping profile to stop the movement of the vehicle responsive to switching from the moving mode to the transitional operating mode, wherein the stopping profile limits a rate at which the speed of the vehicle is reduced to stop the movement of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting the stopping profile that is implemented from plural different stopping profiles based at least in part on a type of the vehicle, a cargo being carried by the vehicle, a type of the target stopping location, or a mass of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein implementing the stopping profile includes changing a type of brake system used to stop the movement of the vehicle at different times while slowing the movement of the vehicle according to the stopping profile.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising idling the engine of the vehicle responsive to implementing the stopping profile.

19. A method, comprising:

implementing control of a vehicle, responsive to initiation of movement of the vehicle, according to a transitional operating mode of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is controlled to one or more of maintain a speed of the vehicle within a first designated tolerance range or maintain a location of the vehicle within a second designated tolerance range relative to a target stopping location during operation of the vehicle in the transitional operating mode; and

switching the vehicle from the transitional operating mode to a moving mode responsive to the speed of the vehicle increasing above a designated threshold speed, wherein the vehicle is controlled to control an engine of the vehicle to keep an operating parameter of the vehicle below a designated limit during operation of the vehicle in the moving mode;

wherein switching the vehicle between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode occurs based at least in part on one or more of the speed of the vehicle relative to a threshold speed value, a distance of the vehicle from the target stopping location, an environmental condition, a vehicle characteristic, or a route occupancy condition.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the vehicle includes at least a propulsion-generating vehicle unit and plural non-propulsion-generating vehicle units configured to carry cargo, and further comprising implementing the control of the vehicle according to the transitional operating mode by indexing the vehicle between plural different positions that align the two or more non-propulsion-generating vehicle units with a cargo loading position at times different from each other.