System and method for displaying planned speed values

• US 9,778,056 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kapp, Kevin L., Golden, Samuel William
• Primary Examiner(s): KLEINMAN, LAIL A
• Application Number:
  US14/501,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20160091320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0062 On-board target speed calculation or supervision
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/00 Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/005 Automatic control or safety means for points for operator-less railway, e.g. transportation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/00 Recording or indicating positions or identities of vehicles or trains or setting of track apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/02 Indicating or recording positions or identities of vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/021 Measuring and recording of train speed
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/16 Continuous control along the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers

Abstract

A method and system are provided to obtain, with one or more processors, a speed profile of a vehicle system for a designated route traveled by the vehicle system. The designated route includes a plurality of segments, and the speed profile includes a planned segment speed for each segment. One or more planned segment speeds are identified that correspond to a point of interest, and respective priorities are assigned to the identified segment speeds based on the point of interest forming prioritized segment speeds. First discrete numeral values are displayed on a display, representing the planned segment speeds of the prioritized segments that are within a predetermined distance forward of a motion of the vehicle system. Second discrete numeral values are displayed on the display, corresponding to remaining segment speeds that are within the predetermined distance, until a predetermined threshold of discrete numeral values is reached.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, with one or more processors, a speed profile of a rail vehicle system for a route traveled by the rail vehicle system, the route includes a plurality of segments, wherein the speed profile includes planned segment speeds for one or more of the segments;

identifying, with the one or more processors, the planned segment speeds that correspond to a point of interest;

assigning, with the one or more processors, respective priorities to the planned segment speeds that are identified based on the point of interest to form prioritized segment speeds and non-prioritized segment speeds, wherein the prioritized segment speeds represent at least one of a change in segment speed, a grade incline of the route, or a manual control zone;

displaying, on a display, first discrete numeral values representing the prioritized segment speeds that are within a predetermined distance forward of a motion of the rail vehicle system;

determining second discrete numeral values corresponding to the non-prioritized segment speeds;

displaying, on the display, a subset of the second discrete numeral values, wherein a number of the first and second discrete numeral values displayed on the display is based on a predetermined threshold of discrete numeral values, and the subset of the second discrete numeral values is displayed if a number of the first discrete numeral values is less than the predetermined threshold of discrete numeral values; and

altering a tractive effort of the rail vehicle system to adjust the predetermined distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in segment speed corresponds to a second segment of the plurality of segments having an allowed segment speed lower than the planned segment speed of an adjacent first segment of the plurality of segments that is travelled by the rail vehicle system before the second segment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of the second discrete numeral values that define the subset displayed is further based on a distance from the forward motion of the rail vehicle system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tractive effort is adjusted automatically based on at least one of the first discrete numeral values or the second discrete numeral values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first discrete numeral values are displayed at least one of a different color with respect to the second discrete numeral values or flashing.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a level of priority to the prioritized segment speeds based on a type of the point of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second discrete numeral values are backfilled onto the display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the speed profile is obtained off board the rail vehicle system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a trip plan that includes the speed profile of the rail vehicle system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second discrete numeral values are at predetermined increments from a position on the display corresponding to a location of the rail vehicle system.

11. A system comprising:

a display;

a non-transitory memory configured to store a speed profile for a designated route, the designated route includes a plurality of segments, wherein the speed profile includes planned segment speeds for each segment;

a controller having one or more processors, wherein the controller is programmed to operation, in response to instructions stored on the non-transitory memory to;

identify the planned segments speeds from the speed profile that corresponds to a point of interest;

assign respective priorities to the planned segment speeds that correspond to the point of interest to form prioritized segment speeds, wherein the prioritized segment speeds represents at least one of a change in segment speed, a grade incline of the route, or a manual control zone;

instruct the display to display first discrete numeral values representing the planned segment speeds of the prioritized segments that are within a predetermined distance forward of a motion of the rail vehicle system;

determining second discrete numeral values corresponding to the non-prioritized segment speeds;

instruct the display to display a subset of the second discrete numeral values, wherein a number of the first and second discrete numeral values displayed on the display is based on a predetermined threshold of discrete numeral values, and the subset of the second discrete numeral values is displayed if a number of the first discrete numeral values is less than the predetermined threshold of discrete numeral values; and

alter a tractive effort of the rail vehicle system to adjust the predetermined distance.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the change in segment speed corresponds to a second segment of the plurality of segments having an allowed segment speed lower than the planned segment speed of an adjacent first segment of the plurality of segments that is travelled by the rail vehicle system before the second segment.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the amount of the second discrete numeral values that define the subset displayed is further based on a distance from the forward motion of the rail vehicle system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further programmed to alter the tractive effort automatically based on at least one of the first discrete numeral values or the second discrete numeral values.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first discrete numeral values are displayed at least one of a different color with respect to the second discrete numeral values or flashing.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further programmed to assign a level of priority to the prioritized segments based on a type of the point of interest.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the second discrete numeral values are backfilled onto the display.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the speed profile is obtained off board the rail vehicle system.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further programmed to generate a trip plan that includes the speed profile of the rail vehicle system.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, using one or more processors, a trip plan that includes a speed profile for a rail vehicle system, wherein the speed profile includes two or more segments each having a planned segment speed and an allowed segment speed;

iteratively comparing, using the one or more processors, the planned segment speed of a first segment and the allowed segment speed of an adjacent second segment to identify segments having allowed segment speeds lower than the planned speed of an adjacent segment;

assigning, using the one or more processors, a priority to the planned segment speeds of the identified segments;

displaying, using the one or more processors, the prioritized planned segment speeds within a predetermined distance forward of a motion of the rail vehicle system as discrete numerals on a graphical representation of the trip plan on a display;

backfilling, using the one or more processors, the graphical representation of the trip plan with a subset of the remaining planned segment speeds of the speed profile, wherein an amount of the remaining planned segment speeds of the subset are backfilled based on a predetermined threshold, and the subset of the remaining planned segment speeds is displayed if a number of the prioritized planned segment speeds is less than the predetermined threshold; and

automatically altering a tractive effort of the rail vehicle system based on one of the prioritized planned segment speeds to adjust the predetermined distance.