Train status presentation based on aggregated tracking information

• US 9,711,046 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shubs, Jr., Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US14/947,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20170148323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 701 19, 246 15
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• 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 25/048 using programmable tags
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/10 Operations, e.g. scheduling or time tables
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/40 Handling position reports or trackside vehicle data
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/08 controlling electrically
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/13 the indicator being in the form of a map

Abstract

A control system presents a configurable virtual representation of at least a portion of a train and associated train assets, including a real-time location, configuration, and operational status of the train and associated train assets traveling along a railway. The control system may include a train position determining system, and a train configuration determining system. The control system may further include a train asset operational parameter sensing device, and a controller configured to receive data produced by the train position determining system, the train configuration determining system, and the train asset operational parameter sensing device. The controller may also process and aggregate the received data to provide a real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets including the actual real-time position and configuration of the train assets relative to each other and to a geographical location, and coordinate a presentation of the aggregated data such that implementation of a select presentation process to the aggregated data results in a simultaneous implementation of the same select presentation process to at least one of electronic map data associated with the real-time location of the train and the train asset operational parameter data. A graphical user interface (GUI) may be configured to display in one or more display areas the real-time virtual representation of the train including a coordinated and configurable presentation of at least a portion of the aggregated data and the train asset operational parameter data.

Claims

1. A control system for presenting a configurable virtual representation of at least a portion of a train and associated train assets, including a real-time location, configuration, and operational status of the train and associated train assets traveling along a railway, the control system comprising:

a train position determining system including at least two of a GPS device mounted on the train, an automatic equipment identification (AEI) device including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag mounted on the train and a fixed position RFID reader positioned adjacent to the railway, a video feed capture device configured for capturing images showing the real-time position of the train, and an automatic train protection (ATP) device including an ATP reader mounted on the train and a fixed position warning signal generating device positioned adjacent to the railway;

a train configuration determining system including at least two of an electronically controlled pneumatic braking (ECPB) system in communication with each of the train assets, an up-to-date database configured to provide real-time train and train asset scheduled deployment information, a plurality of GPS devices mounted on each of the train assets, the AEI device, and the video feed capture device;

a train asset operational parameter sensing device; and

a controller configured to;

receive data produced by at least two of the devices, system, and database that are included with the train position determining system and the train configuration determining system;

receive train asset operational parameter data from the train asset operational parameter sensing device;

process and aggregate the received data to provide a real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets including the actual real-time position and configuration of the train assets relative to each other and to a geographical location;

coordinate a presentation of the aggregated data such that implementation of a select presentation process to the aggregated data results in a simultaneous implementation of the same select presentation process to at least one of electronic map data associated with the real-time position of the train and the train asset operational parameter data; and

a graphical user interface (GUI) configured to display in one or more display areas the real-time virtual representation of the train including a coordinated and configurable presentation of at least a portion of the aggregated data and the train asset operational parameter data.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to process real-time and pre-recorded data by using tagged metadata comprising a universal time stamp associated with the real-time and pre-recorded data to synchronize the data.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller and the GUI are further configured to coordinate the presentation of the aggregated data providing the real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets relative to at least one of a geographical feature or man-made infrastructure presented on an electronic map in one or more display areas of the GUI.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller and the GUI are further configured to modify the display of the real-time virtual representation of the train to display only a selected portion of the train including one or more train assets selected on the display by a user.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the controller and the GUI are further configured to display the modified real-time virtual representation of the selected portion of the train in a separate display area from a display area including a real-time virtual representation of the train superimposed on an electronic map.

6. The control system of claim 4, wherein the controller and the GUI are further configured to coordinate the presentation of the selected portion of the train with a presentation of at least a portion of the aggregated data and the train asset operational parameter data associated with the selected portion of the train.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the controller and the GUI are further configured to coordinate a presentation of the selected portion of the train in a first display area of the GUI with the presentation of the train asset operational parameter data in a separate, second display area of the GUI.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller and the GUI are further configured to coordinate the presentation of the aggregated data such that implementation of a select presentation process to the aggregated data includes scrolling at least a portion of the real-time virtual representation of the train in a display area of the GUI in order to display successive train assets in accordance with the actual real-time configuration of the assets in the train.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to interpolate at least one of a predicted real-time position and a predicted real-time configuration of the train assets relative to each other and to a geographical location in between receiving data from the train position determining system and the train configuration determining system by implementing statistical analysis of previously received and pre-recorded train position and configuration data.

10. A computer-implemented method of presenting a configurable virtual representation of at least a portion of a train and associated train assets, including a real-time location, configuration, and operational status of the train and associated train assets traveling along a railway, the method comprising:

receiving, at a controller, real-time data indicative of the real-time position of the train produced by at least two of;

a GPS device mounted on the train;

an automatic equipment identification (AEI) device including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag mounted on the train and a fixed position RFID reader positioned adjacent to the railway;

a video feed capture device configured for capturing images showing the real-time position of the train; and

an automatic train protection (ATP) device including an ATP reader mounted on the train and a fixed position warning signal generating device positioned adjacent to the railway;

receiving, at the controller, real-time data indicative of the real-time configuration of the train assets produced by at least two of;

an electronically controlled pneumatic braking (ECPB) system in communication with each of the train assets;

an up-to-date database configured to provide real-time train and train asset scheduled deployment information;

a plurality of GPS devices mounted on each of the train assets;

the AEI device; and

the video feed capture device;

receiving, at the controller, train asset operational parameter data from a train asset operational parameter sensing device;

processing and aggregating the received data with the controller to provide a real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets including the actual real-time position and configuration of the train assets relative to each other and to a geographical location;

coordinating, with the controller, a presentation on a GUI of the aggregated data such that implementation of a select presentation process to the aggregated data results in a simultaneous implementation of the same select presentation process to at least one of electronic map data associated with the real-time location of the train and the train asset operational parameter data; and

displaying on the GUI in one or more display areas the real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets including a coordinated and configurable presentation of at least a portion of the aggregated data and the train asset operational parameter data.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further including:

processing real-time and pre-recorded data by using tagged metadata comprising a universal time stamp associated with the real-time and pre-recorded data to synchronize the data.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further including coordinating the presentation of the aggregated data providing the real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets relative to at least one of a geographical feature or man-made infrastructure presented on an electronic map in the one or more display areas of the GUI.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further including modifying a display of the real-time virtual representation of the train to display only a selected portion of the train including one or more train assets selected on the display by a user.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further including displaying the modified real-time virtual representation of the selected portion of the train in a separate display area from a display area including a real-time virtual representation of the train superimposed on an electronic map.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further including coordinating the presentation of the selected portion of the train with a presentation of at least a portion of the aggregated data and the train asset operational parameter data associated with the selected portion of the train.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further including coordinating a presentation of the selected portion of the train in a first display area of the GUI with the presentation of the train asset operational parameter data in a separate, second display area of the GUI.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further including coordinating the presentation of the aggregated data such that implementation of a select presentation process to the aggregated data includes scrolling at least a portion of the real-time virtual representation of the train in a display area of the GUI in order to display successive train assets in accordance with the actual real-time configuration of the assets in the train.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further including interpolating at least one of a predicted real-time position and a predicted real-time configuration of the train assets relative to each other and to a geographical location in between receiving the real-time data by implementing statistical analysis of previously received and recorded train position and configuration data.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program code operable to cause a controller and a GUI to perform operations to present a configurable virtual representation of at least a portion of a train and associated train assets on an electronic map, including a real-time location, configuration, and operational status of the train and associated train assets traveling along a railway, the operations comprising:

receiving, at the controller, real-time data indicative of the real-time position of the train produced by at least two of;

a GPS device mounted on the train;

an automatic equipment identification (AEI) device including a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag mounted on the train and a fixed position RFID reader positioned adjacent to the railway;

a video feed capture device configured for capturing images showing the real-time position of the train; and

an automatic train protection (ATP) device including an ATP reader mounted on the train and a fixed position warning signal generating device positioned adjacent to the railway;

receiving, at the controller, real-time data indicative of the real-time configuration of the train assets produced by at least two of;

an electronically controlled pneumatic braking (ECPB) system in communication with each of the train assets;

an up-to-date database configured to provide real-time train and train asset scheduled deployment information;

a plurality of GPS devices mounted on each of the train assets;

the AEI device; and

the video feed capture device;

receiving, at the controller, train asset operational parameter data from a train asset operational parameter sensing device;

processing and aggregating the received data with the controller to provide a real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets including the actual real-time position and configuration of the train assets relative to each other and to a geographical location;

coordinating, with the controller, a presentation on the GUI of the aggregated data such that implementation of a select presentation process to the aggregated data results in a simultaneous implementation of the same select presentation process to at least one of electronic map data associated with the real-time location of the train and the train asset operational parameter data; and

displaying on the GUI the real-time virtual representation of the train and the train assets including a coordinated and configurable presentation of at least a portion of the aggregated data and the train asset operational parameter data.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, the operations further including coordinating the presentation of the aggregated data such that implementation of a select presentation process to the aggregated data includes scrolling at least a portion of the real-time virtual representation of the train in a display area of the GUI in order to display successive train assets in accordance with the actual real-time configuration of the assets in the train.