System and method for generating a fuel-optimal reference velocity profile for a rail-based transportation handling controller

• US 6,243,694 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1997
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Khedkar, Pratap Shankar, Bonissone, Piero Patrone, Houpt, Paul Kenneth, Schneiter, John Lewis, Chen, Yu-To
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STARKS, WILBERT L
• Application Number:
  US08/999,199
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 706/4, 706/2, 706/3, 706/8
• US Class Current: 706/4
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0275 using fuzzy logic only

Abstract

In this invention there is disclosed a system and method for generating a fuel-optimal reference velocity profile for a rail-based transportation handling controller. The fuel-optimal reference velocity profile is used to reduce the amount of fuel consumption. The fuel-optimal reference velocity profile is generated to take into account the speed that a train must travel at in order to satisfy a given schedule, speed constraints that will minimize fuel consumption, and recommended speeds that will prevent train breaks, derailments, cargo damage and violation of safety rules. In this invention, the fuel-optimal reference velocity profile is generated by using a genetic algorithm.

Claims

1. A system for generating an optimized velocity profile in a rail-based transportation handling controller, comprising:

a train simulator for simulating an operation of a rail-based transportation system over a specified track profile;

a velocity profile generator for generating a velocity profile for operating the rail-based transportation system over the specified track profile;

a fuzzy logic controller for controlling the operation of the train simulator in accordance with the velocity profile provided by the velocity profile generator, the fuzzy logic controller tracking error and change in error between the train simulator operation and the velocity profile and providing a control action to the train simulator that minimizes the error; and

a velocity profile optimizer, coupled to the train simulator and the velocity profile generator, for optimizing the generated velocity profile in accordance with the operation of the train simulator, wherein the velocity profile optimizer comprises at least one fitness function.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the velocity profile optimizer further comprises a genetic algorithm for optimizing the velocity profile according to the evaluations determined by the fitness function.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fuzzy logic controller comprises a fuzzy logic knowledge base comprising scaling factors, membership functions, and rule sets defined for the error, the change in error, and the control action.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the fuzzy logic controller further comprises an interpreter for relating the error and the change in error to the control action according to the scaling factors, membership functions, and rule sets in the fuzzy logic knowledge base.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the control action is used to modify throttle notch and brake settings for the train simulator.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the fuzzy logic controller is a fuzzy logic proportional integral controller.

7. A method for generating an optimized velocity profile in a rail-based transportation handling controller, comprising the steps of:

simulating an operation of a rail-based transportation system over a specified track profile;

providing a velocity profile for operating the rail-based transportation system over the specified track profile;

providing a fuzzy logic controller for controlling the simulated operation in accordance with the velocity profile, the fuzzy logic controller tracking error and change in error between the simulated operation and the velocity profile and providing a control action to the simulated operation that minimizes the error; and

optimizing the velocity profile in accordance with the simulated operation, wherein the optimizing comprises using at least one fitness function.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of optimizing further comprises using a genetic algorithm for optimizing the velocity profile according to the evaluations determined by the fitness function.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of providing the fuzzy logic controller comprises providing a fuzzy logic knowledge base comprising scaling factors, membership functions, and rule sets defined for the error, the change in error, and the control action.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of providing the fuzzy logic controller further comprises providing an interpreter for relating the error and the change in error to the control action according to the scaling factors, membership functions, and rule sets in the fuzzy logic knowledge base.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of using the control action to modify throttle notch and brake settings for the simulated operation.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of providing a fuzzy logic controller comprises providing a fuzzy logic proportional integral controller.

13. A system for generating a fuel optimized velocity profile for a rail-based transportation handling controller, comprising:

a train simulator that simulate s an operation of a rail-based transportation system over a specified track profile;

a velocity profile generator that generates a velocity profile for operating the rail-based transportation system over the specified track profile;

a fuzzy logic controller that controls the operation of the train simulator in accordance with the velocity profile provided by the velocity profile generator, the fuzzy logic controller tracking error and change in error between the train simulator operation and the velocity profile and providing a control action to the train simulator that minimizes the error; and

a velocity profile optimizer, coupled to the train simulator and the velocity profile generator, that optimizes the generated velocity profile in accordance with the operation of the train simulator and reduces fuel consumption, wherein the velocity profile optimizer comprises at least one fitness function.

14. A method for generating a fuel optimized velocity profile for a rail-based transportation handling controller, comprising the steps of:

simulating an operation of a rail-based transportation system over a specified track profile;

providing a velocity profile for operating the rail-based transportation system over the specified track profile;

providing a fuzzy logic controller for controlling the simulated operation in accordance with the velocity profile, the fuzzy logic controller tracking error and change in error between the simulated operation and the velocity profile and providing a control action to the simulated operation that minimizes the error; and

optimizing the velocity profile in accordance with the simulated operation to reduce fuel consumption, wherein the optimizing comprises using at least one fitness function.