Systems and methods with route charts for traffic control systems

• US 8,862,402 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Chomal, Sangeeta Atmaram
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUSHABER, FREDERICK M
• Application Number:
  US13/671,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 701/400, 701/537
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 17/00 Switching systems for classification yards
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance

Abstract

Systems and methods of the invention relate to including switch settings for various routes within a route chart for a vehicle. Embodiments of the invention include collecting route information between locations and switch information for each route via a data aggregation component. A map route component is configured to configure a setting for each switch associated with a route to allow a path of navigation from a first selected location to a second selected location. Additionally, the map route component is configured to include two or more switch settings into an indicia for each route of a route chart.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

evaluating a vehicle route chart to identify a set of switches that are operable to activate a path of navigation for a selected route between a first location and a second location, wherein the switches include respective settings to enable the path of navigation;

creating a data structure that includes a first data packet representative of the selected route and a second data packet representative of the respective settings for the switches;

controlling the settings for the set of switches for the selected route based at least in part on the data structure from the vehicle route chart; and

controlling settings for wayside signaling devices associated with the set of switches for the selected route based at least in part on the data structure from the vehicle route chart.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the vehicle route chart to include the data structure, wherein the data structure included with the vehicle route chart is isolated from a route selection within the vehicle route chart.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising communicating a signal to configure the settings for the set of switches, wherein the signal is based on the data structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data structure is a first data structure, and the method further comprises creating plural second data structures for plural additional routes between a plurality of third locations associated with the vehicle route chart.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting at least one of the selected route, the first location, or the second location from the vehicle route chart.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising communicating a portion of the data structure.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a portion of the data structure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of switches includes at least two signal-switches that control respective junctions included with the path of navigation for the selected route.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the data structure to at least one of a centralized traffic control territory or a track warrant control territory based on a geographic location of at least one switch of the set of switches or the path of navigation for the selected route.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the settings for the switches for the selected route.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating a control signal to the set of switches based on the second data packet of the data structure.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the first data packet of the data structure with a first system for route validation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising using the second data packet of the data structure with a second system for controlling the set of switches for the selected route.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data packet indicates at least one of a left direction, a right direction, or a straight direction for each switch in the set of switches for the selected route.

15. A system, comprising:

a vehicle route chart that includes a plurality of routes between a plurality of locations, and each route respectively includes a set of switches with respective settings that enable a path of navigation between a first location and a second location of the plurality of locations; and

a processor coupled to a memory, the processor configured to execute the following computer-executable components stored in the memory;

a data aggregation component that is configured to create a data structure for a selected route of the plurality of routes from the vehicle route chart, wherein the data structure includes a data packet with settings for the set of switches of the selected route;

a map route component that is configured to employ a portion of the data structure to adjust the settings of the set of switches of the selected route from the vehicle route chart; and

a vehicle dispatch component that is configured to communicate a signal to configure the settings for the set of switches, wherein the signal is based on the data structure, and configured to control settings for wayside signaling devices associated with the set of switches for the selected route based at least in part on the data structure.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle dispatch component is configured to select at least one of the selected route, the first location, or the second location.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data aggregation component is configured to create the data structure independent and isolated from a validation of the selected route from the vehicle route chart.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a component configured to receive the signal.

19. A system, comprising:

means for evaluating a vehicle route chart to identify a set of switches used with a route that activate a path of navigation for the route between a first location and a second location, wherein each switch of the set of switches includes a respective setting to enable the path of navigation;

means for creating a data structure that includes a first data packet representative of the route and a second data packet representative of the respective setting for each switch of the set of switches used with the route;

means for communicating the data structure to implement the respective setting for each switch of the set of switches for the route from the vehicle route chart and for communicating the data structure to implement settings for wayside signaling devices associated with the set of switches for the route from the vehicle route chart.