Method and apparatus for planning the movement of trains using dynamic analysis
First Claim
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1. A method of planning the movement of trains over a rail network, comprising:
- (a) receiving a schedule for the planned movement of a train along a route;
(b) monitoring and accessing a database including current train characteristics selected from the group of train length, hazmat content, high/wide restrictions, horsepower, speed, stopping distance, acceleration, and combinations thereof;
(c) detecting a change to any train characteristic in the database;
(d) predicting a train characteristic of the train at plural locations along the route as a function of the detection of the change; and
(e) planning the movement of the train as a function of the predicted train characteristic at ones of the plural locations along the route.
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Abstract
A method of planning the movement of plural trains through a rail network using a database of dynamic planning attributes reflecting the current conditions of the train and rail network.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of planning the movement of trains over a rail network, comprising:
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(a) receiving a schedule for the planned movement of a train along a route; (b) monitoring and accessing a database including current train characteristics selected from the group of train length, hazmat content, high/wide restrictions, horsepower, speed, stopping distance, acceleration, and combinations thereof; (c) detecting a change to any train characteristic in the database; (d) predicting a train characteristic of the train at plural locations along the route as a function of the detection of the change; and (e) planning the movement of the train as a function of the predicted train characteristic at ones of the plural locations along the route. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of planning the movement of trains over a rail network, comprising:
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(a) receiving a schedule for the planned movement of a train along a route; (b) maintaining a database of train characteristics; (c) planning the movement of the train as a function of the train characteristics; (d) updating the database with information received from a railroad management information system; (e) monitoring the database to detect a change to any train characteristic; (f) predicting a train characteristic of the train at plural locations along the route as a function of the detected change; and (g) planning the movement of the train as a function of the predicted train characteristic at ones of the plural locations along the route. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for controlling the movement of plural trains over a rail network, the computer program comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for planning the movement of trains; a computer readable first program code module for receiving a schedule for the planned movement of a train along a route; a computer readable second program code module for monitoring and accessing a database including current train characteristics selected from the group of train length, hazmat content, high/wide restrictions, horsepower, speed, stopping distance, acceleration, and combinations thereof; a computer readable third program code module for detecting a change to any train characteristic in the database; a computer readable fourth program code module for predicting a train characteristic of the train at plural locations along the route as a function of the detection of the change; and a computer readable fifth program code module for planning the movement of the train as a function of the predicted train characteristic at ones of the plural locations along the route. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification