Controller for a locomotive

• US 9,932,048 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2016
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jalla, Madan M
• Primary Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US15/044,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20170232977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 3/00 Electric locomotives or railcars characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; electrical features B60L; H02

Abstract

A power system for a locomotive. The power system has a first power unit, a second power unit, a first inverter configured to power the first power unit or the second power unit, a second inverter configured to power the first power unit or the second power unit. Further the power system has a first controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter or the second inverter to control the operation of the first inverter or the second inverter and a second controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter or the second inverter to control the operation of the first inverter or the second inverter.

Claims

1. A power system for a locomotive comprising:

a first power unit;

a second power unit;

a first inverter configured to power the first power unit or the second power unit;

a second inverter configured to power the first power unit or the second power unit;

a first controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter or the second inverter to control the operation of the first inverter or the second inverter; and

a second controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter or the second inverter to control the operation of the first inverter or the second inverter.

2. The power system of claim 1 wherein the first controller and the second controller have a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation.

3. The power system of claim 1 wherein the first controller in the first mode of operation is configured to couple with the first inverter and controls the operation of the first inverter.

4. The power system of claim 1 wherein the first controller in the second mode of operation is configured to couple with the second inverter and control the operation of the second inverter.

5. The power system of claim 1 wherein the second controller in the first mode of operation is configured to couple with the second inverter and control the operation of the second inverter.

6. The power system of claim 1 wherein the second controller in the second mode of operation is configured to couple with the first inverter and control the operation of the first inverter.

7. The power system of claim 1 further comprising a third power unit.

8. The power system of claim 7 further comprising a third inverter configured to power the first power unit, second power unit or third power unit.

9. The power system of claim 8 further comprising a third controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter, second inverter or third inverter to control the operation of the first inverter, second inverter or third inverter.

10. A locomotive comprising:

a power system, the power system comprising;

a first power unit;

a second power unit;

a first inverter configured to power the first power unit or the second power unit;

a second inverter configured to power the first power unit or the second power unit;

a first controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter or the second inverter to control the operation of the first inverter or the second inverter; and

a second controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter or the second inverter to control the operation of the first inverter or the second inverter.

11. The locomotive of claim 10 wherein the first controller and the second controller have a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation.

12. The locomotive of claim 10 wherein the first controller in the first mode of operation is configured to couple with the first inverter and controls the operation of the first inverter.

13. The locomotive of claim 10 wherein the first controller in the second mode of operation is configured to couple with the second inverter and control the operation of the second inverter.

14. The locomotive of claim 10 further comprising a third power unit.

15. The locomotive of claim 14 further comprising a third inverter configured to power the first power unit, second power unit or third power unit.

16. The locomotive of claim 15 further comprising a third controller selectively coupled to one of the first inverter, second inverter or third inverter to control the operation of the first inverter, second inverter or third inverter.

17. A method for operating a locomotive, the locomotive comprising a first controller selectively coupled to one of a first inverter or a second inverter to control the operation of a first inverter or a second inverter, the method comprising:

selecting a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation for a controller, wherein in the first mode of operation the controller couples to the first inverter and controls the operation of the first inverter and in the second mode of operation the controller couples to the second inverter and controls the operation of the second inverter.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising monitoring the controller using plurality of sensors.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising selecting a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation for a second controller.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein in the first mode of operation the second controller couples to the second inverter and controls the operation of the second inverter and in the second mode of operation the controller couples to the first inverter and controls the operation of the first inverter.