Computing and tracking locomotive health

• US 9,836,893 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Union Pacific Railroad Company (Union Pacific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Union Pacific Railroad Company (Union Pacific Corporation)
• Inventors: Chundru, Srinivas, Fenn, Kathleen Ann, Millar, Glenn Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Gerrad A
• Application Number:
  US14/678,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20160292931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/00 Central railway traffic control systems; Trackside control; Communication systems specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Herein described is at least a system, method, and/or non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for computing locomotive health based on input parameters such as locomotive defect data and locomotive inspection data. Examples of locomotive health attributes for which values may be computed include an overall health attribute, a power level health attribute, a defect severity health attribute, a trail only health attribute, and a health reason attribute. Furthermore, various events may be defined that may trigger computation of the locomotive health attribute values.

Claims

1. A train control system based on locomotive health comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in which a plurality of processor-executable instructions are stored, the instructions being configured, upon execution by the processor, to cause the train control system to;

process data about a plurality of locomotives, the processed data comprising defect data for the locomotives and inspection schedule data for the locomotives,

compute health data for each of a plurality of the locomotives based on the processed defect data and the processed inspection schedule data applicable to those locomotives (i) based on a common standard for locomotive health and (ii) on a real-time basis as at least one of new defect data and new inspection schedule data for the locomotives becomes available to the processor, and

assign at least one of (1) a plurality of the locomotives to a plurality of train consists based on the computed locomotive health data, and (2) locomotive power to a plurality of locomotives for a plurality of train consists based on the computed locomotive health data;

wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions.

2. The train control system of claim 1 further comprising:

a database configured to store data about a locomotive pool comprising the locomotives;

wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors, the processors including a first processor that is part of a defect data computer system, a second processor that is part of an inspection data computer system, a third processor that is part of a locomotive health computer system, and a fourth processor that is part of a locomotive assignment computer system;

the defect data computer system configured to process defect data for a plurality of the locomotives in the pool;

the inspection schedule data computer system configured to process inspection schedule data for a plurality of the locomotives in the pool; and

wherein the locomotive health computer system is configured for communication with the database, the defect data computer system, the inspection schedule data computer system, and the locomotive assignment computer system.

3. The train control system of claim 2 wherein the defect data computer system is further configured to generate, on a real-time basis, a health event message as new defect data becomes available within the defect data computer system that is used by the common standard for locomotive health;

wherein the inspection schedule data computer system is further configured to generate, on a real-time basis, a health event message as new inspection schedule data becomes available within the inspection schedule data computer system that is used by the common standard for locomotive health; and

wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to, on a real-time basis, (1) receive the health event messages generated by the defect data computer system and the inspection schedule data computer system, and (2) trigger new locomotive health computations for a plurality of locomotives based on the received health event messages.

4. The train control system of claim 3 wherein a plurality of the health event messages exhibit different formats based on a source for the health event message;

and

wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to (1) determine a source for a received health event message, and (2) parse each received health event message based on its determined source.

5. The train control system of claim 2

wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured for communication with the locomotive assignment computer system such that changes in computed locomotive health for locomotives are communicated to the locomotive assignment computer system on a real-time basis;

and

wherein the locomotive assignment computer system is further configured to (1) assign at least one of (i) a plurality of locomotives to a plurality of train consists based on input from a user, and (ii) locomotive power to a plurality of locomotives for a plurality of train consists based on input from a user, and (2) on a real-time basis, automatically adjust a locomotive assignment based on a communicated change in computed locomotive health for a locomotive.

6. The train control system of claim 2 wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to compute a plurality of different health attribute values for a plurality of the locomotives based on the defect data and the inspection schedule data, wherein the computed health attribute values comprise the computed locomotive health data.

7. The train control system of claim 6 wherein the defect data comprises open defect data, and wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to compute an overall health attribute value for a plurality of the locomotives based on the open defect data and the inspection schedule data.

8. The train control system of claim 7 wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to compute a defect severity health attribute value for a plurality of the locomotives based on the open defect data.

9. The train control system of claim 7 wherein the processed data further comprises power level data for a plurality of the locomotives, and wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to compute a power level health attribute value for a plurality of the locomotives based on the inspection schedule data and the power level data.

10. The train control system of claim 7 wherein the processed data further comprises power level data for a plurality of the locomotives, and wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to compute a trail only locomotive health attribute value for a plurality of the locomotives based on the open defect data, the inspection schedule data, and the power level data.

11. The train control system of claim 7 wherein the computed health attribute values further comprise at least two members of the group consisting of (1) a defect severity health attribute value, (2) a power level health attribute value, (3) a health reason attribute value, and (4) a trail only health attribute value.

12. The train control system of claim 6 wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to automatically perform the locomotive health data computation operation in response to an event trigger, the event trigger comprising at least one member of the group consisting of (1) a change in the defect data corresponding to a new open defect, (2) a change in the defect data corresponding to a closing of a formerly open defect, (3) a change in the inspection schedule data, (4) a mileage threshold for the locomotive being reached, and (5) a maintenance threshold for the locomotive being reached.

13. The train control system of claim 2 wherein the computed locomotive health data is configured to exhibit any of a plurality of values that are indicative of varying levels of health severity, wherein the processed data comprises power level data for a plurality of the locomotives, and wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to define a health value for a locomotive that is indicative of a high severity in response to the power level data indicating no power for that locomotive.

14. The train control system of claim 2 wherein the computed locomotive health data is configured to exhibit any of a plurality of values that are indicative of varying levels of health severity, and wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to define a health value for a locomotive that is indicative of a high severity in response to the inspection data for that locomotive indicating that an inspection for that locomotive is past due.

15. The train control system of claim 2 wherein the computed locomotive health data is configured to exhibit any of a plurality of values that are indicative of varying levels of health severity, wherein the defect data comprises open defect data, the open defect data corresponding to an open defect for a locomotive and including a severity indicator for that locomotive'"'"'s open defect, and wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to define a health value for that locomotive that is indicative of a severity that is based on the open defect severity indicator.

16. The train control system of claim 2 wherein the computed locomotive health data is configured to exhibit any of a plurality of values that are indicative of varying levels of health severity, wherein the locomotive health computer system is further configured to define a plurality of values for a plurality of the locomotives with respect to a plurality of health attributes based on a plurality of associations in a mapping table, the mapping table configured to associate a plurality of values for inspection schedule data and defect data with a plurality of values for the health attributes.

17. The train control system of claim 1 wherein the computed locomotive health data is configured to exhibit any of a plurality of values that are indicative of varying levels of health severity, wherein the received locomotive data further comprises power level data for a plurality of the locomotives, wherein the defect data comprises open defect data, the open defect data corresponding to a plurality of open defects for a plurality of locomotives and including a plurality of severity indicators for same, and wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, are further configured to cause the train control system to:

determine a power level for a locomotive based on the received power level data;

determine whether the power level for the locomotive indicates no power for the locomotive;

in response to a determination that the power level for the locomotive indicates no power for the locomotive, define a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a high severity;

in response to a determination the power level for the locomotive does not indicate no power for the locomotive, determine based on the inspection schedule data for the locomotive whether an inspection is past due for the locomotive;

in response to a determination that an inspection is past due for the locomotive, define a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a high severity;

in response to a determination that an inspection is not past due for the locomotive, determine whether there is at least one open defect for the locomotive;

in response to a determination that there is at least one open defect for the locomotive, define a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a severity that is based on a most severe of the at least one open defect severity indicators for the locomotive; and

in response to a determination that there are no open defects for the locomotive, (1) determine a next inspection date for the locomotive and (2) define a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a severity based on an imminence of the determined next inspection date such that the defined health value severity increases as a function of increasing next inspection imminence.

18. The train control system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, are further configured to cause the train control system to:

determine, for each of a plurality of the locomotives, changes in computed locomotive health data values;

de-assign a locomotive with respect to a train consist that has not yet departed a station in response to a determination that the change in computed locomotive health data values for that locomotive corresponds to a downgrade in locomotive health that satisfies a condition; and

generate a notification for a user about the de-assignment.

19. The train control system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, are further configured to cause the train control system to:

determine, for each of a plurality of the locomotives, changes in computed locomotive health data values; and

remove a locomotive from a pool of locomotives eligible for assignment to train consists in response to a determination that the change in computed locomotive health data values for that locomotive corresponds to a downgrade in locomotive health that satisfies a condition; and

perform the assignment operation based on the locomotives in the pool.

20. The train control system of claim 1 wherein the instructions, upon execution by the processor, are further configured to cause the train control system to:

determine, for each of a plurality of the locomotives, changes in computed locomotive health data values; and

add a locomotive to a pool of locomotives eligible for assignment to train consists in response to a determination that the change in computed locomotive health data values for that locomotive corresponds to an upgrade in locomotive health that satisfies a condition; and

perform the assignment operation based on the locomotives in the pool.

21. A method of controlling train operations comprising:

a processor receiving defect data for a plurality of locomotives and inspection schedule data for the locomotives;

the processor computing health data for each of a plurality of the locomotives according to a common standard for locomotive health and based on the defect data and the inspection schedule data applicable to those locomotives, wherein the processor performs the computing step in real-time as at least one of new defect data and new inspection schedule data becomes available for the locomotives;

the processor assigning at least one of (1) a plurality of the locomotives to a plurality of train consists based on the computed locomotive health data, and (2) locomotive power to a plurality of locomotives for a plurality of train consists based on the computed locomotive health data; and

operating the train consists in accordance with the assigning.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

the processor determining, for each of a plurality of the locomotives, changes in computed locomotive health data values;

the processor de-assigning a locomotive with respect to a train consist that has not yet departed a station in response to a determination that the change in computed locomotive health data values for that locomotive corresponds to a downgrade in locomotive health that satisfies a condition; and

the processor generating a notification for a user about the de-assignment.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

the processor determining, for each of a plurality of the locomotives, changes in computed locomotive health data values; and

the processor removing a locomotive from a pool of locomotives eligible for assignment to train consists in response to a determination that the change in computed locomotive health data values for that locomotive corresponds to a downgrade in locomotive health that satisfies a condition; and

wherein the assigning step comprises the processor performing the assigning step based on the locomotives in the pool.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

the processor determining, for each of a plurality of the locomotives, changes in computed locomotive health data values; and

the processor adding a locomotive to a pool of locomotives eligible for assignment to train consists in response to a determination that the change in computed locomotive health data values for that locomotive corresponds to an upgrade in locomotive health that satisfies a condition; and

wherein the assigning step comprises the processor performing the assigning step based on the locomotives in the pool.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the computed locomotive health data exhibits any of a plurality of values that are indicative of varying levels of health severity, wherein the received locomotive data further comprises power level data for a plurality of the locomotives, wherein the defect data comprises open defect data, the open defect data corresponding to a plurality of open defects for a plurality of locomotives and including a plurality of severity indicators for same, and wherein the computing step comprises, for each of a plurality of the locomotives, the processor:

determining a power level for a locomotive based on the received power level data;

determining whether the power level for the locomotive indicates no power for the locomotive;

in response to a determination that the power level for the locomotive indicates no power for the locomotive, defining a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a high severity;

in response to a determination the power level for the locomotive does not indicate no power for the locomotive, determining based on the inspection schedule data for the locomotive whether an inspection is past due for the locomotive;

in response to a determination that an inspection is past due for the locomotive, defining a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a high severity;

in response to a determination that an inspection is not past due for the locomotive, determining whether there is at least one open defect for the locomotive;

in response to a determination that there is at least one open defect for the locomotive, defining a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a severity that is based on a most severe of the at least one open defect severity indicators for the locomotive; and

in response to a determination that there are no open defects for the locomotive, (1) determining a next inspection date for the locomotive and (2) defining a health value for the locomotive that is indicative of a severity based on an imminence of the determined next inspection date such that the defined health value severity increases as a function of increasing next inspection imminence.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the processors include a first processor and a second processor, the first processor performing the computing step and the second processor performing the assigning step.