SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AND POWERING A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A control system comprising:
- a controller configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle that includes one or more motors that propel the vehicle along a route during a trip and an onboard energy storage device for storing at least some of the electric energy used to power the one or more motors, the controller configured to control operations of the one or more motors according to a trip plan that designates operational settings of the one or more motors during the trip; and
an energy management system configured to;
calculate estimated electric loads of powering the one or more motors over one or more segments of the trip according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan;
determine a demanded amount of electric energy for powering the vehicle based on one or more of the estimated electric loads, the demanded amount of electric energy based on a stored amount of electric energy in the onboard energy storage device; and
communicate the demanded amount of electric energy to one or more of plural wayside stations disposed along the route so that the wayside stations have sufficient electric energy to charge the onboard energy storage device with the electric energy to meet the one or more of the estimated electric loads.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system includes a controller and an energy management system. The controller is onboard a vehicle that includes motors and an onboard energy storage device that powers the motors. The energy management system calculates estimated electric loads of powering the motors over one or more segments of a trip according to designated operational settings of a trip plan. The energy management system also determines a demanded amount of electric energy for powering the vehicle based on the estimated electric loads. The demanded amount of electric energy is based on a stored amount of electric energy in the onboard storage device. The energy management system communicates the demanded amount of electric energy to one or more of plural wayside stations disposed along the route so that the wayside stations have sufficient electric energy to charge the onboard energy storage device with the electric energy to meet the estimated electric loads.
74 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A control system comprising:
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a controller configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle that includes one or more motors that propel the vehicle along a route during a trip and an onboard energy storage device for storing at least some of the electric energy used to power the one or more motors, the controller configured to control operations of the one or more motors according to a trip plan that designates operational settings of the one or more motors during the trip; and an energy management system configured to; calculate estimated electric loads of powering the one or more motors over one or more segments of the trip according to the designated operational settings of the trip plan; determine a demanded amount of electric energy for powering the vehicle based on one or more of the estimated electric loads, the demanded amount of electric energy based on a stored amount of electric energy in the onboard energy storage device; and communicate the demanded amount of electric energy to one or more of plural wayside stations disposed along the route so that the wayside stations have sufficient electric energy to charge the onboard energy storage device with the electric energy to meet the one or more of the estimated electric loads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A control system comprising:
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a controller configured to be disposed at a wayside station having an off-board energy storage device that charges an onboard energy storage device of a vehicle traveling along a route during a trip, the controller also configured to communicate with the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the route in order to determine a demanded amount of electric energy from the vehicle; and a charge storage system configured to be communicatively coupled with the controller and the off-board energy storage device at the wayside station, the charge storage system configured to at least one of generate or modify an energy storage plan that designates how much of the electric energy is to be stored in the off-board energy storage device during different time periods based on the demanded amount of electric energy that is received from the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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calculating estimated electric loads of powering one or more motors of a vehicle with electric energy stored in an onboard energy storage device over one or more segments of a trip according to designated operational settings of a trip plan; determining a demanded amount of the electric energy for powering the vehicle based on one or more of the estimated electric loads, the demanded amount of electric energy based on a stored amount of electric energy in the onboard energy storage device; and communicating the demanded amount of electric energy to one or more of plural wayside stations disposed along a route of the trip so that at least a selected station of the wayside stations has sufficient electric energy to charge the onboard energy storage device with the electric energy to meet the one or more of the estimated electric loads when the vehicle arrives at the selected station. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system comprising:
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a controller configured to be disposed onboard first vehicle that includes one or more motors that propel the vehicle along a route during a trip, an onboard energy storage device for storing at least some of the electric energy used to power the one or more motors, and a power interface device that receives electric current from at least one of a catenary or an electrified rail; and an energy management system configured to be communicatively coupled with the controller, the energy management system also configured to determine a stored amount of electric energy that is stored in the onboard energy storage device and to receive a requested amount of electric energy from a second vehicle, wherein the energy management system is further configured to compare the stored amount of electric energy with the requested amount of electric energy and, based on this comparison, transmit at least some of the stored amount of electric energy to the second vehicle through the power interface device and the at least one of the catenary or electrified rail. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A control system comprising:
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a controller configured to be disposed at a wayside station having an off-board energy source that charges an onboard energy storage device of a vehicle traveling along a route during a trip, the controller also configured to communicate with the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the route in order to determine a demanded amount of electric energy from the vehicle; and a charge management system configured to be communicatively coupled with the controller and the off-board energy source of the wayside station, the charge management system configured to at least one of generate or modify an energy allocation plan that designates how much of the electric energy is to be allocated in association with the off-board energy source, for use in charging the onboard energy storage device of the vehicle, at one or more different time periods.
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Specification