Computer-implemented method and system for managing conditional authorities in a vehicle network

• US 9,254,855 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Kernwein, Jeffrey D., Grimm, Ann K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/299,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20150353110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/22 for controlling traffic in two directions over the same pair of rails
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/02 Indicating or recording positions or identities of vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/04 Automatic systems, e.g. controlled by train; Change-over to manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/10 Operations, e.g. scheduling or time tables

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for managing conditional authorities in a vehicle network for a target train, including: generating at least one conditional authority for the target train, the at least one conditional authority comprising authority data related to at least one identifying train; establishing at least one direct or indirect communication link between the target train and the at least one identifying train; determining position data for the at least one identifying train; comparing at least a portion of the position data with at least a portion of the authority data; and based at least partially on the comparison, generating at least one indication that the target train is authorized to proceed. Systems for managing conditional authorities in a vehicle network for a target train are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing conditional authorities in a vehicle network for a target train, comprising:

generating at least one conditional authority for the target train, the at least one conditional authority comprising authority data related to at least one identifying train, wherein the authority data comprises at least one of the following;

entry point data, “

at”

location data, train data, identifying train data, condition data, or any combination thereof;

based upon the authority data, determining each identifying train in the at least one conditional authority;

establishing at least one direct or indirect communication link between at least one communication device of the target train and at least one communication device of each identifying train;

directly or indirectly transmitting at least a portion of the position data from the at least one communication device of each identifying train to the communication device of the target train;

comparing, by at least one on-board computer, at least a portion of the position data with at least a portion of the authority data; and

based at least partially on the comparison, generating, by the at least one on-board computer, at least one indication that the target train is authorized to proceed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to at least one back office server, at least a portion of at least one of the following:

authority data, train data, entry point data, “

at”

location data, identifying train data, condition data, target train data, position data, indication data, track data, switch data, heading data, distance data, locomotive data, train data, navigation data, tachometer data, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conditional authority further comprises authority type, including at least one of the following:

direction data, position data, condition data, “

in effect after arrival”

data, “

in effect behind”

data, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the direct or indirect transmission step is responsive to transmitting, from the target train to at least one identifying train, a request for the position data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising directly or indirectly receiving, at the target train, at least a portion of the position data as transmitted from at least one of the following:

at least one identifying train, at least one back office server, at least one other train, at least one wayside device, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the position data comprises at least one of the following:

train leading edge data, train trailing edge data, milepost data, prefix data, suffix data, track name, subdivision identifier, track data, railroad data, block identifier, offset data, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based at least partially on the position data received from each identifying train, determining, by the target train, whether the at least one identifying train meets at least one condition in the authority data;

if the position or location of the at least one identifying train indicates that it meets the at least one condition, generating a “

clear”

indication; and

if the position or location of the at least one identifying train indicates that it does not meet the condition;

(i) maintaining a “

not clear”

indication; and

(ii) requesting, receiving, or determining subsequent position data from the at least one identifying train.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one condition comprises at least one of the following:

at least one entry point, at least one “

at”

location, at least one condition of the at least one identifying train, at least one condition of the target train, at least one position or location of the at least one identifying train, at least one position or location of the target train, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one condition is determined after receipt of the at least one conditional authority.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based at least partially on the position data received from the at least one identifying train, determining, by the target train, the position or location of at least one identifying train;

if the position or location of the at least one identifying train indicates that it meets at least one condition in the authority data, generating a “

clear”

indication; and

if the position or location of the at least one identifying train indicates that it does not meet that at least one condition in the authority data;

(i) maintaining a “

not clear”

indication; and

(ii) requesting, receiving, or determining subsequent position data from the at least one identifying train.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the “

clear”

indication is based at least partially on the identification of an “

in effect after arrival”

indication or an “

in effect behind”

indication in the at least one conditional authority.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the position data comprises position uncertainty data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining position uncertainty data.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the position data is determined by the at least one identifying train, the position data comprising the position or location of the at least one identifying train with respect to at least one condition in the authority data, the method further comprising:

if the position or location of at least one identifying train indicates that it meets the at least one condition in the authority data, generating a “

clear”

indication; and

if the position or location of the at least one identifying train indicates that it does not meet the at least one condition in the authority data;

(i) maintaining a “

not clear”

indication; and

(ii) requesting, receiving, or determining subsequent position data from the at least one identifying train.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the “

clear”

indication is based at least partially on the identification of an “

in effect after arrival”

indication or an “

in effect behind”

indication in the at least one conditional authority.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the at least one identifying train, at least one position or location on its calculated route, wherein the position data directly or indirectly transmitted to the target train comprises the position of the at least one identifying train with respect to the location on its calculated route.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the position data comprises at least one of the following:

the at least one determined position or location is behind the at least one identifying train on its calculated route, the at least one determined position or location is ahead of the at least one identifying train on its calculated route, or the at least one determined position or location is not on its calculated route.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the position data comprises position uncertainty data.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein, if the at least one determined position or location does not appear on the route travelled by the at least one identifying train, the method further comprises at least one of the following:

voiding the at least one conditional authority, issuing at least one non-conditional authority, or any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one direct or indirect communication link between the target train and the at least one identifying train is at least one secured communication link directly between the target train and the at least one identifying train.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising terminating the at least one secured communication link based at least partially on at least one of the following:

a termination command received by the at least one identifying train, a determination that the at least one identifying train has passed a specified position or location, or any combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one direct or indirect communication link between the target train and the at least one identifying train is at least one indirect communication link established between the target train and at least one of the following:

at least one identifying train, at least one back office server, at least one other train, at least one wayside device, or any combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a status of the at least one identifying train; and

displaying the status on at least one visual display device in at least one locomotive of the target train.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that at least one of the target train and the at least one identifying train is not equipped with a specified train control system;

voiding the at least one conditional authority; and

issuing at least one non-conditional authority.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the target train, at least one entry point based at least partially on the authority data in the at least one conditional authority.

26. A system for managing conditional authorities in a vehicle network for a target train, comprising:

receiving at least one conditional authority by the target train, the at least one conditional authority comprising authority data related to at least one identifying train, wherein the authority data comprises at least one of the following;

entry point data, “

at”

location data, train data, identifying train data, condition data, or any combination thereof;

based upon the authority data, determining each identifying train in the at least one conditional authority;

establishing at least one direct or indirect communication link between at least one communication device of the target train and at least one communication device of each identifying train;

receiving, by at least one communication device of the target train, position data of each identifying train;

comparing, by at least one on-board computer of the target train, at least a portion of the position data with at least a portion of the authority data;

based at least partially on the comparison, generating, by the at least one on-board computer of the target train, at least one indication that the target train is authorized to proceed;

based at least partially on the at least one indication, displaying, on a visual display device in at least one locomotive of the target train, an authorization indication.

27. A system for managing conditional authorities in a vehicle network for a target train, comprising:

receiving at least one conditional authority by the target train, the at least one conditional authority comprising authority data related to at least one identifying train, wherein the authority data comprises at least one of the following;

entry point data, “

at”

location data, train data, identifying train data, condition data, or any combination thereof;

directly or indirectly transmitting, by at least one communication device of the target train to at least one communication device of the at least one identifying train, at least a portion of the authority data;

comparing, by at least one on-board computer of the at least one identifying train, position data with at least a portion of the authority data;

directly or indirectly transmitting, by the at least one communication device of the at least one identifying train to the at least one communication device of the target train, the results of the comparison;

based at least partially on the results of the comparison, generating, by at least one on-board computer of the target train, at least one indication that the target train is authorized to proceed; and

based at least partially on the at least one indication, displaying, on a visual display device in at least one locomotive of the target train, an authorization indication.