SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REGULATING SPEED, POWER OR POSITION OF A POWERED VEHICLE

• US 20100318247A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/20
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/006 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation track-side optimisation of operation B61L27/16

Abstract

A system for regulating the speed, position and/or power of a powered vehicle, which is traveling on a track system according to a planned trip. The system comprises a database having data relative to the planned trip including a plurality of elapsed travel times associated with a planned speed, position and power. One or more controllers provide data including data relative to an operating speed, position and power of the vehicle during the trip and an operating time at which the vehicle is traveling at the operating speed, power or position. A regulator may adjust the operating parameter of the vehicle if the difference between the vehicle operating data and planned trip data exceeds a predetermined threshold speed.

Claims

1. A system for regulating the speed, power, and/or position of a powered vehicle, which is traveling according to a planned trip, the system comprising:

a database having data relating to a plurality of planned parameters, the planned parameters comprising a plurality of planned elapsed travel times relative to a time at which the vehicle started traveling according to the planned trip, wherein for each planned elapsed travel time there is an associated planned speed, planned power, and planned position of the vehicle according to the planned trip;

one or more controllers that provide data relating to operating parameters of the vehicle, said operating parameters comprising a current operating speed, operating power, operating position, and operating elapsed travel time of the vehicle during execution of the planned trip; and

a regulator configured to carry out a comparison of a selected one or more of any of the operating parameters each to a respective one of the planned parameters;

wherein the regulator is further configured to adjust the operating speed and/or operating power of the vehicle based on the comparison.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the regulator is further configured to adjust the operating speed and/or operating power of the vehicle if a difference between an operating parameter and a respective planned parameter of the comparison is beyond a predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the operating speed of the vehicle within a predetermined range of the operating speed of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the database further comprises planned fuel consumption data, said planned fuel consumption data comprising;

a planned amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while traveling according to the planned trip;

a planned amount of fuel remaining for consumption by the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip; and

/or a planned rate at which the vehicle has consumed fuel, said planned amount of fuel consumed, said planned amount of fuel remaining, and/or said planned rate being associated with the planned travel times;

the one or more controllers provide operating fuel consumption data relating to fuel consumption of the vehicle, the operating fuel consumption data comprising;

an operating amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while traveling on the planned trip;

an operating amount of fuel remaining for consumption of the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip; and

/or an operating rate at which the vehicle has consumed fuel while traveling on the planned trip; and

the regulator adjusts the operating speed according to a comparison of the planned fuel consumption data to the operating fuel consumption data.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an estimator controller that updates the planned trip and the database including updating data relative to the planned speed at associated planned travel times.

6. A method for regulating the speed, power, and/or position of a powered vehicle, which is traveling according to a planned trip, the method comprising:

accessing a database having data relating to a plurality of planned parameters, the planned parameters comprising a plurality of planned elapsed travel times relative to a time at which the vehicle started traveling according to the planned trip, wherein for each planned elapsed travel time there is an associated planned speed, planned power, and planned position of the vehicle according to the planned trip;

providing data relating to operating parameters of the vehicle, said operating parameters comprising a current operating speed, operating power, operating position, and elapsed operating time of the vehicle during execution of the planned trip;

carrying out a comparison of a selected one or more of any of the operating parameters each to a respective one of the planned parameters; and

adjusting the operating speed and/or operating power of the vehicle based on the comparison.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the operating speed and/or operating power of the vehicle is adjusted if a difference between an operating parameter and a respective planned parameter of the comparison is beyond a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the comparison comprises a selected one or more of any of a comparison between the operating position and a planned position at an associated planned elapsed travel time, a comparison between the elapsed operating time and an planned elapsed travel time at an associated planned position, a comparison between the operating speed and a planned speed at an associated planned position, and a comparison between the operating power and a planned power at an associated planned position.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of adjusting the operating speed and/or operating power comprises adjusting the operating speed and/or operating power to equal the planned speed and/or planned power within a range of planned speeds and/or planned powers defined by the planned speed and a threshold speed and/or the planned power and a threshold power, respectively.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the database further comprises planned fuel consumption data, said planned fuel consumption data comprising;

a planned amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while traveling according to the planned trip;

a planned amount of fuel remaining for consumption by the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip; and

/or a planned rate at which the vehicle has consumed fuel, said planned amount of fuel consumed, said planned amount of fuel remaining, and/or said planned rate being associated with the planned travel times; and

the method further comprises;

providing operating fuel consumption data relating to fuel consumption of the vehicle, the operating fuel consumption data comprising;

an operating amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while travelling on the planned trip;

an operating amount of fuel remaining for consumption of the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip; and

/or an operating rate at which the vehicle has consumed fuel while traveling on the planned trip; and

adjusting the operating speed according to a comparison of the planned fuel consumption data to the operating fuel consumption data.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

monitoring the operating position of the vehicle and associated elapsed operating time of the vehicle;

providing data relative to a planned position of the vehicle associated with a planned travel time, said planned travel time corresponding to the elapsed operating time;

comparing the operating position to the planned position; and

adjusting the speed of the vehicle if the operating position is not within a predetermined range of the planned position.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising updating the planned trip and the database including updating data relative to the planned parameters at associated planned times or planned positions when the vehicle is traveling according to the planned trip.

13. A system for regulating the speed, power, and/or position of a locomotive linked with a plurality of railcars forming a train, which is traveling on a track system according to a planned trip, the system comprising:

a database having planned trip data relative to the planned trip, wherein the planned trip data includes a plurality of planned elapsed travel times relative to a time at which the locomotive started traveling on the route and for each planned elapsed travel time there is an associated planned speed, planned power, and planned position of the locomotive according to the planned trip;

wherein the database further comprises planned fuel consumption data, said planned fuel consumption data comprising;

a planned amount of fuel consumed by the locomotive while traveling according to the planned trip;

a planned amount of fuel remaining for consumption by the locomotive for traveling on the planned trip; and

/or a planned rate at which the locomotive has consumed fuel, said planned amount of fuel consumed, said planned amount of fuel remaining, and/or said planned rate being associated with the planned elapsed travel times;

one or more controllers that provide locomotive operating data, said operating data comprising data relating to an operating speed of the locomotive, an operating power of the locomotive, and an operating position of the locomotive, said operating speed, operating power, and operation position being associated with an operating elapsed travel time of the locomotive, and the locomotive operating data also includes operating fuel consumption data of the locomotive; and

a regulator that carries out a first comparison of the operating speed, operating power, and/or operating position to the respective planned speed, planned power, and/or planned position at an associated elapsed travel time, and adjusts the operating speed of the locomotive based on the first comparison, and the regulator carries out a second comparison of the planned fuel consumption data to the operating fuel consumption data at the associated elapsed travel time, and adjusts the speed of the locomotive based on the second comparison.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the regulator adjusts the operating speed of the locomotive if the difference between the locomotive operating speed and planned speed of the first comparison is beyond a first predetermined threshold, or if the operating fuel consumption data of the second comparison is beyond a second predetermined threshold.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the regulator will not increase the operating speed of the locomotive if the operating speed is below the first predetermined threshold and the operating fuel consumption data indicates that the operating fuel consumption exceeds the planned fuel consumption.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the regulator adjusts the operating speed of the locomotive if the operating speed is beyond the first predetermined threshold and the operating fuel consumption is within the second predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the regulator adjusts the operating speed of the locomotive if the operating fuel consumption is beyond the second predetermined threshold and the operating speed is within the first predetermined threshold.

18. A programmable computer readable media for regulating the speed of a powered vehicle traveling along a predetermined route including one or more planned speed settings at which the vehicle may travel on the route, the media comprising:

a computer module for storing a database having data relative to the predetermined route including a plurality of elapsed travel times relative to a time at which the vehicle started traveling on the route and for each elapsed travel time there is an associated planned speed of the vehicle;

one or more computer modules for monitoring an operating speed and travel time for the vehicle during the course of traveling the predetermined route;

one or more computer modules for providing vehicle operating data including data relative to the operating speed of the vehicle and the operating elapsed travel time associated with the operating speed;

a computer module for comparing the operating speed to the planned speed at the associated elapsed travel time; and

a computer module for adjusting the operating speed of the vehicle if the difference between the vehicle operating speed and planned speed is beyond a predetermined threshold speed.