System and method of estimating values for commands to cause vehicles to follow a trajectory in a complex track network
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a vehicle in a transportation system, comprising:
- receiving a table that defines a trajectory for the vehicle;
developing a target acceleration for the vehicle based on the trajectory;
determining, for a motor of the vehicle, a first plurality of command estimates for a corresponding plurality of acceleration values; and
using, by a computer associated with the vehicle, the target acceleration and the determined first plurality of command estimates to develop a particular command estimate to cause the vehicle to follow the defined trajectory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to systems and methods that provide a higher degree of precision and a greater coordination of vehicle movement than is possible in conventional systems. A control system is designed to enforce vehicle movement along a route to a position versus time trajectory. The control system includes control equipment on the vehicle that reports its location on the track periodically. The controlling computer receives the report, and knowing where the vehicle should be and how fast it should be traveling at that point in time via a run definition table prepared for the route, calculates a position and velocity error, then calculates and sends a tractive effort adjustment command to the vehicle that attempts to reduce the position and velocity error. The invention includes a method for providing an estimated force command for a given target velocity and acceleration that can be used in the overall control methodology.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a vehicle in a transportation system, comprising:
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receiving a table that defines a trajectory for the vehicle; developing a target acceleration for the vehicle based on the trajectory; determining, for a motor of the vehicle, a first plurality of command estimates for a corresponding plurality of acceleration values; and using, by a computer associated with the vehicle, the target acceleration and the determined first plurality of command estimates to develop a particular command estimate to cause the vehicle to follow the defined trajectory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for controlling a vehicle in a transportation system, comprising:
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a master computer, remote from the vehicle, that creates a table that defines a trajectory for the vehicle; and a computer remote from the master computer that; develops a target acceleration for the vehicle based on the trajectory; determines, for a motor of the vehicle, a first plurality of command estimates for a corresponding plurality of acceleration values; and uses the target acceleration and the determined first plurality of command estimates to develop a particular command estimate to cause the vehicle to follow the defined trajectory. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification