Adaptive brake scheme during a distributed power communication loss
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a remote controller for issuing commands to a brake system of a remote unit of a distributed power rail vehicle, the brake system including a brake pipe having a brake pipe fluid (BPF) pressure, wherein the remote unit is configured to communicate with a lead unit of the distributed power rail vehicle through a communications system to coordinate braking of the distributed power rail vehicle, the remote controller configured to determine that a communication loss exists between the lead and remote units, the remote controller further configured to receive pressure signals from a sensor that detects the BPF pressure at the brake pipe of the remote unit and to identify, during the communication loss, an initiated brake application based on received pressure data, the remote controller also configured to issue commands during the communication loss to the brake system to reduce the BPF pressure of the brake pipe to a default pressure level.
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Abstract
An adaptive brake system for a distributed power train responsive to an interruption in a communication system for the train and a brake application initiated at the lead locomotive, reduces the brake pipe fluid pressure at a lead locomotive and a remote locomotive to a predetermined pressure level to reduce in-train forces that may occur as a result of the pressure differentials in the brake pipe line of the lead and remote locomotives.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
a remote controller for issuing commands to a brake system of a remote unit of a distributed power rail vehicle, the brake system including a brake pipe having a brake pipe fluid (BPF) pressure, wherein the remote unit is configured to communicate with a lead unit of the distributed power rail vehicle through a communications system to coordinate braking of the distributed power rail vehicle, the remote controller configured to determine that a communication loss exists between the lead and remote units, the remote controller further configured to receive pressure signals from a sensor that detects the BPF pressure at the brake pipe of the remote unit and to identify, during the communication loss, an initiated brake application based on received pressure data, the remote controller also configured to issue commands during the communication loss to the brake system to reduce the BPF pressure of the brake pipe to a default pressure level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
a lead controller for issuing commands to a brake system of a lead unit of a distributed power rail vehicle, the brake system including a brake pipe having a brake pipe fluid (BPF) pressure, wherein the lead unit is configured to communicate with a remote unit of the distributed power rail vehicle through a communication system to coordinate braking of the distributed power rail vehicle, the lead controller configured to determine that a communication loss exists between the lead and remote units, the lead controller further configured to identify a brake application from an input command mechanism of the lead unit during the communication loss, the brake application configured to reduce the BPF pressure of the brake pipe to an operative pressure level, the lead controller also configured to issue commands to the brake system to reduce the BPF pressure of the brake pipe to a default pressure level during the communication loss, the default pressure level being different than the operative pressure level. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating a brake system of a lead unit of a distributed power rail vehicle, the brake system including a brake pipe having a brake pipe fluid (BPF) pressure, wherein the lead unit is configured to communicate with a remote unit of the distributed power rail vehicle through a communication system to coordinate braking of the distributed power rail vehicle, the method comprising:
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determining that a communication loss exists between the lead and remote units; identifying a brake application associated with a braking command from an input command mechanism of the lead unit during the communication loss, the brake application configured to reduce the BPF pressure of the brake pipe to an operative pressure level; and reducing the BPF pressure of the brake pipe to a default pressure level during the communication loss, the default pressure level being different than the operative pressure level. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification