SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A vehicle control system comprising:
- a controller configured to determine an upper non-zero limit on deceleration of a vehicle, the controller configured to determine the upper non-zero limit to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle, the upper non-zero limit on deceleration determined by the controller based on a payload carried by the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle,wherein the controller is configured to monitor the deceleration of the vehicle, the controller configured to automatically prevent the deceleration of the vehicle from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by controlling one or more of a brake or a motor of the vehicle, andwherein the controller configured to one or more of actuate the brake or supply current to the motor of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle control system determines an upper non-zero limit on deceleration of a vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle. The upper non-zero limit on deceleration is determined by the controller based on a payload carried by the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle. The controller is configured to monitor the deceleration of the vehicle, and to automatically prevent the deceleration of the vehicle from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by controlling one or more of a brake or a motor of the vehicle. The controller also is configured to one or more of actuate the brake or supply current to the motor of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed.
34 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A vehicle control system comprising:
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a controller configured to determine an upper non-zero limit on deceleration of a vehicle, the controller configured to determine the upper non-zero limit to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle, the upper non-zero limit on deceleration determined by the controller based on a payload carried by the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the deceleration of the vehicle, the controller configured to automatically prevent the deceleration of the vehicle from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by controlling one or more of a brake or a motor of the vehicle, and wherein the controller configured to one or more of actuate the brake or supply current to the motor of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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determining an upper non-zero limit on deceleration of a vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle, the upper non-zero limit on deceleration determined based on a payload carried by the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle; monitoring the deceleration of the vehicle; and automatically preventing the deceleration of the vehicle from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by controlling one or more of a brake or a motor of the vehicle, wherein deceleration of the vehicle is prevented from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by one or more actuating the brake or supplying current to the motor of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A vehicle control system comprising:
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a controller configured to determine a selected direction of travel of a vehicle, an operational direction of a motor of the vehicle, and an operational speed of the motor, the controller configured to identify a rollback condition of the vehicle responsive to the operational direction of the motor of the vehicle being different from the selected direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the controller also is configured to automatically slow or stop movement of the vehicle by automatically actuating a brake of the vehicle responsive to the rollback condition being identified and the operational speed of the motor exceeding a designated, non-zero speed threshold. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A vehicle control system comprising:
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a controller configured to determine a lower limit on speed of a vehicle, the controller configured to determine the lower limit to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle, the lower limit determined by the controller based on a payload carried by the vehicle and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to monitor the speed of the vehicle and to automatically prevent the speed of the vehicle from falling below the lower limit by actuating a brake of the vehicle, the controller configured to actuate the brake based on the speed of the vehicle and independent of acceleration of the vehicle, and wherein the controller configured to actuate the brake of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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receiving a throttle command representative of an operator-requested increase in a throttle setting of a vehicle while a brake of the vehicle is engaged; increasing a torque generated by one or more motors of the vehicle responsive to receiving the throttle command; and releasing the brake of the vehicle responsive to one or more of the torque generated by the one or more motors reaching a maximum available torque, the torque generated by the one or more motors reaching a target release acceleration, or expiration of a predetermined non-zero duration of time.
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26. A method comprising:
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determining whether a brake of a vehicle is released while the vehicle is in a stopped state on a grade of a route; responsive to determining that the brake is released, one or more of allowing the vehicle to roll back down the grade by no more than a designated, non-zero threshold distance or rapidly accelerating the vehicle using torque generated by one or more motors of the vehicle; and smoothly transitioning movement of the vehicle up the grade by adjusting the torque generated by the one or more motors subsequent to the one or more of allowing the vehicle to roll down the grade or rapidly accelerating the vehicle.
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27. A method comprising:
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while one or more brakes of a vehicle in a stationary position on a grade are engaged, repeatedly determining whether an operator input to release the one or more brakes is received during a blanking interval; releasing the one or more brakes of the vehicle responsive to not receiving the operator input to release the one or more brakes during the blanking interval; and automatically generating torque with one or more motors of the vehicle to propel the vehicle up the grade.
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Specification