Method and computer software code for determining when to permit a speed control system to control a powered system
First Claim
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1. A method for determining an operating threshold boundary within which an automatic controller is permitted to control a powered system, the method comprising:
- calculating, on-board the powered system, a threshold power and/or speed boundary of the powered system with at least one of real-time information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristic of the automatic controller;
determining, on-board the powered system, whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary while the powered system is performing a mission; and
if the threshold boundary is exceeded automatically at least one of disengaging, on-board the powered system, the automatic controller when the automatic controller is controlling the powered system and prohibiting, on-board the powered system, the automatic controller from controlling the powered system when the automatic controller has not begun controlling the powered system.
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Abstract
A method for determining an operating threshold boundary within which a controller is permitted to control a powered system, the method including calculating a threshold boundary with at least one of information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristics of the controller, and determining whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for determining an operating threshold boundary within which an automatic controller is permitted to control a powered system, the method comprising:
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calculating, on-board the powered system, a threshold power and/or speed boundary of the powered system with at least one of real-time information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristic of the automatic controller; determining, on-board the powered system, whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary while the powered system is performing a mission; and if the threshold boundary is exceeded automatically at least one of disengaging, on-board the powered system, the automatic controller when the automatic controller is controlling the powered system and prohibiting, on-board the powered system, the automatic controller from controlling the powered system when the automatic controller has not begun controlling the powered system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer software code operable within a processor, located on-board a powered system, and configured to reside on a computer readable media for determining an operating threshold boundary within which a controller is permitted to control the powered system, the computer software code comprising:
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computer software module for calculating, on-board the powered system, a threshold boundary with at least one of real-time information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristic of the controller, wherein the controller is an automatic controller; computer software module for determining, on-board the powered system, whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary while the powered system is performing a mission; and computer software module for disengaging, on-board the powered system, the controller when the controller is autonomously controlling the powered system and for prohibiting, on-board the powered system, the controller from controlling the powered system when the controller has not begun controlling the powered system, if the threshold boundary is exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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predicting, on-board the powered system, a speed trajectory between at least one of a current location and a distant location and for each power setting of the powered system real-time as the powered system is operating; determining, on-board the powered system, an overspeed index with the speed trajectory predicted; determining, on-board the powered system, a maximum speed with at least one of a power restriction of the controller, a power rate restriction of the controller, a speed limit, a reference speed, a reference power, and the overspeed index real-time as the powered system is operating; determining, on-board the powered system, a maximum speed confidence level with at least one of a distance and a time to reach the overspeed index and an input parameter real-time as the powered system is performing a mission; and determining an operating threshold boundary within which the automatic controller is permitted to control the powered system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for determining an achievable speed range for a powered system at a future location, the method comprising:
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determining, on-board the powered system, at least one of a current location of the powered system and a current power of the powered system while the powered system is performing a mission; identifying, on-board the powered system, a planned speed; and determining, on-board the powered system, an achievable speed range for a future location with at least one of a maximum power, a minimum power, a maximum power rate, and a minimum power rate while the powered system is operating at or immediately after the current location and/or current power of the powered system is determined. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method for determining when an automatic controller may safely control a powered system, the method comprising:
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determining current location and available power levels for a powered system during a mission; determining characteristics of the powered system; determining characteristics of a route including calculating an overspeed index to ensure that the powered system does not exceed a speed limit used by the powered system during the mission; calculating a threshold power and/or speed boundary of the powered system in real-time based on the current location, the available power, the powered system characteristics and the route characteristics; determining whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary while the powered system is performing the mission; and automatically controlling the powered system using the automatic controller to perform the mission before the threshold boundary is exceeded; wherein once the threshold boundary is exceeded, if the controller is controlling the powered system, disengaging the automatic controller, or prohibiting the controller from controlling the powered system when the controller has not begun controlling the powered system.
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Specification