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System and method for pacing a powered system traveling along a route

  • US 8,442,708 B2
  • Filed: 04/11/2011
  • Issued: 05/14/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:

  • a control center remotely positioned from a route defined by plural block regions having respective signals for controlling movement of powered systems through the block regions along the route, the control center configured to wirelessly communicate with at least a trailing powered system of the powered systems that is traveling behind at least a leading powered system of the powered systems along the route in a direction of travel;

    the control center including an off-board controller configured to determine an expected status of an upcoming signal that the trailing powered system is traveling toward based on a time duration between changes in an actual status of one or more other signals, the changes in the actual status of the one or more other signals being caused by actual travel of the leading powered system through the block regions associated with the one or more other signals, the off-board controller configured to estimate expected movement of the leading powered system through the block region associated with the upcoming signal based on the time duration between the changes in the actual status of the one or more other signals and to determine the expected status of the upcoming signal based on the expected movement that is estimated,wherein the off-board controller also is configured to determine a first arrival time range for the trailing powered system to travel to the block region associated with the upcoming signal based on the expected status of the upcoming signal such that a performance characteristic of the trailing powered system is improved relative to the trailing powered system traveling to the block region associated with the upcoming signal at a different, second arrival time range;

    wherein the trailing powered system includes an onboard controller configured to receive the first arrival time range for the trailing powered system to travel to the block region associated with the upcoming signal.

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