System for remotely overriding locomotive controls

• US 9,834,235 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Melas, Dennis, Traylor, Isaac Suwa, Kupiec, Gregory Raymond, Jezior, Paul P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOLAN, PETER D
• Application Number:
  US14/526,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/12 Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/00 Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/023 Engine temperature

Abstract

A control system is disclosed for use with a locomotive. The control system may have a component located onboard the locomotive, the component having a first state and a second state. The control system may also have an operator input device located onboard the locomotive and used to manually toggle operation of the component between the first and second states, and at least one sensor located onboard the locomotive and configured to generate a signal associated with a condition of the locomotive. The control system may also have an offboard controller located remotely from the locomotive and being configured to selectively override the operator input device and toggle operation of the component between the first and second states based on the signal.

Claims

1. A control system for a machine, comprising:

a component located onboard the machine and having a first state and a second state;

an operator input device located onboard the machine and used to manually toggle operation of the component between the first and second states;

at least one sensor located onboard the machine and configured to generate a signal associated with a condition of the machine;

an offboard controller located remotely from the machine and being configured to selectively override the operator input device and toggle operation of the component between the first and second states based on the signal,

wherein the component is an engine, the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a coolant temperature of the engine, and the operator input device is a first operator input device;

a display associated with the offboard controller and configured to receive the signal and display a representation of the coolant temperature; and

a second operator input device associated with the offboard controller and the display, the offboard controller is further configured to receive a command from the second operator input device indicative of a desire to override the first operator input device and cause startup of the component.

2. The control system of claim 1, further including an onboard controller connected with the component, the first operator input device, and the at least one sensor is in wireless communication with the offboard controller.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first and second states include an activated state and a deactivated state, respectively.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the first operator input device is a switch moveable from a run position that allows startup of the engine from onboard the machine, to an isolation position that inhibits startup of the engine from onboard the machine; and

the offboard controller is configured to selectively cause startup of the engine regardless of a position of the switch.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the offboard controller is configured to automatically cause startup of the engine based on the coolant temperature being less than a threshold temperature.

6. The control system of claim 1, further including a warning device located onboard the machine, wherein the offboard controller is configured to selectively activate the warning device before overriding the first operator input device and toggling operation of the component.

7. The control system of claim 1, further including a lockout switch selectively activated by an operator of the machine to inhibit the offboard controller from remotely toggling operation of the component.

8. A control system for a locomotive, comprising:

an engine located onboard the locomotive;

a switch located onboard the locomotive and manually moveable between a run state allowing startup of the engine from onboard the locomotive, and an isolation state inhibiting startup of the engine from onboard the locomotive;

a temperature sensor configured to generate a signal associated with a coolant temperature of the engine;

a warning device located onboard the locomotive;

an offboard controller located remotely from the locomotive and being configured to selectively activate the warning device, override the switch, and allow startup of the engine when the coolant temperature is below a threshold temperature; and

a lockout switch located onboard the locomotive and selectively activated by an operator of the locomotive to inhibit the offboard controller from starting the engine.