Methods and apparatus for locomotive tracking

• US 6,456,937 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Clyne, Kevin N., Doner, John R., Diana, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Louis-Jacques, Jacques H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US09/475,589
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24, 701/25, 701/19, 701/213, 246/115, 246/117, 246/122.R, 246/124, 246/167.R, 246/187.A
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/028 Determination of vehicle position and orientation within a train consist, e.g. serialisation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/40 Handling position reports or trackside vehicle data

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention relates to identifying locomotive consists within train consists, and determining the order of the locomotives within the identified locomotive consists. By identifying locomotive consists and the order of locomotives within such consists, a railroad can better manage it locomotive fleet. In one exemplary embodiment, an on-board tracking system for being mounted to each locomotive of a train includes locomotive interfaces for interfacing with other systems of the particular locomotive, and a computer coupled to receive inputs from the interface, and a GPS receiver and a satellite communicator (transceiver) coupled to the computer. Generally, the onboard tracking systems determine the absolute position of the locomotive on which it is mounted and additionally, obtain information regarding specific locomotive interfaces that relate to the operational state of the locomotive. Each equipped locomotive operating in the field determines its absolute position and obtains other information independently of other equipped locomotives. Position is represented as a geodetic position, i.e., latitude and longitude. As locomotives provide location and discrete information from the field, a central data processing facility receives the raw locomotive data. The data center processes the locomotive data and determines locomotive consists.

Claims

1. A data center comprising a computer coupled to a receiver, said computer programmed to:

collect locomotive position messages corresponding to a locomotive assignment point to determine localized groups of locomotives;

identify candidate consists and lead locomotives;

associate trailing locomotives with a single lead locomotive based on geographic proximity;

determine a centroid of a line between each reporting locomotive of a candidate consist and each lead locomotive, and associating those trailing locomotives with centroids that fall within a specified distance of a lead locomotive as a consist member; and

determine an order of the locomotives in the locomotive consist.

2. A data center in accordance with claim 1 wherein identifying lead locomotives is based on a reverser handle discrete indicating whether a handle is in either a forward or reverse position.

3. A data center in accordance with claim 2 wherein identifying lead locomotives further comprises determining whether a locomotive has an orientation of short-hood forward.

4. A data center in accordance with claim 1 wherein determining an order of locomotives in the locomotive consist comprises determining whether a locomotive is oriented in at least one of short-hood forward and long hood forward.

5. A data center in accordance with claim 4 wherein determining whether a locomotive is oriented in at least one of short-hood forward and long hood forward comprises decoding locomotive discretes.

6. A method for managing locomotives, at least some locomotives having an on-board tracking system comprising a locomotive interface, a computer coupled to said locomotive interface, a GPS receiver coupled to the computer, and a communicator coupled to the computer, the computer programmed determine a position of the locomotive based on a signal received by the receiver and to transmit the position via the communicator, the computer further programmed to obtain locomotive discretes from the locomotive interface and to transmit the locomotive discretes via the communicator, said method comprising the steps of:

operating each on-board system to determine when its respective locomotive departs a locomotive assignment point, and when any of the respective locomotives depart the locomotive assignment point, operating the on-board system of each departing locomotive to determine a departure condition and to send a locomotive position message to a data center at a time corresponding to the locomotive assignment point; and

at the data center, collecting locomotive position messages corresponding to the locomotive assignment point to determine localized groups of locomotives, identifying candidate consists and lead locomotives, determining a centroid of a line between each reporting locomotive of a candidate consist and each lead locomotive, and associating those trailing locomotives with centroids that fall within a specified distance of a lead locomotive as a consist member.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein identifying lead locomotives is based on a reverser handle discrete indicating whether a handle is in either a forward or reverse position.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein identifying lead locomotives further comprises the step of determining whether a locomotive has an orientation of short-hood forward.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising the steps of associating trailing locomotives with a single lead locomotive based on geographic proximity, and determining an order of the locomotives in the locomotive consist.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein determining an order of locomotives in the locomotive consist comprises the step of determining whether a locomotive is oriented in at least one of short-hood forward and long hood forward.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein determining whether a locomotive is oriented in at least one of short-hood forward and long hood forward comprises the step of decoding locomotive discretes.