System and method for pacing a powered system traveling along a route
First Claim
Patent Images
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for pacing a powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions. Each block region has a respective signal. The system includes a controller configured to receive a status of the signal in an adjacent block region to a current block region of the powered system. The controller is configured to determine a time duration between a change in the status of the signal in an adjacent block region. The controller is further configured to determine an expected status of the signal to be experienced by the powered system in the plurality of block regions, based upon the time duration and a route parameter of the plurality of block regions.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method comprising:
-
monitoring actual changes in statuses of one or more signals associated with one or more respective first block regions of a route, the statuses indicative of occupancy of the first block regions by powered systems traveling along the route; calculating a time duration between the actual changes in the statuses of the one or more signals when a leading powered system travels through the one or more first block regions associated with the one or more signals; estimating expected movement of the leading powered system through one or more upcoming second block regions of the route that are disposed subsequent to the first block regions along a first direction of travel of the leading powered system along the route; and determining an expected status of an upcoming signal associated with an upcoming block region along a second direction of travel of a trailing powered system, the expected status of the upcoming signal determined based on the expected movement of the leading powered system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A system comprising:
-
an off-board controller disposed off-board of powered systems traveling along a route that includes block regions associated with respective signals, the signals displaying statuses to notify the powered systems of occupancies of the respective block regions of the route, the off-board controller configured to monitor actual changes in the statuses of one or more of the signals and to calculate a time duration between the actual changes in the statuses of the one or more signals when a leading powered system travels through the one or more first block regions associated with the one or more signals, wherein the off-board controller is further configured to estimate expected movement of the leading powered system through one or more upcoming second block regions of the route that are disposed subsequent to the first block regions along a first direction of travel of the leading powered system along the route and to determine an expected status of an upcoming signal associated with an upcoming block region along a second direction of travel of a trailing powered system, wherein the expected status of the upcoming signal is determined based on the expected movement of the leading powered system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification