SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF OF AN ENGINE

• US 20140277846A1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Palanti, Robert Carmen, Woo, Derek Kevin, Melster, Mikhail, Gangwal, Pritamkumar, Patnurkar, Narendrasingh Puransingh
• Granted Patent: US 9,145,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0818 Conditions for starting or stopping the engine or for deactivating the idle-start-stop mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method for controlling automatic shut off of an engine includes determining if a control system of a propulsion-generating vehicle is operating in a remote control mode or an onboard control mode. The operations of the vehicle are remotely controlled from an off-board source when the control system is in the remote control mode. The operations of the vehicle are controlled from onboard the vehicle when the control system is in the onboard control mode. The method also includes deactivating an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device responsive to the control system being in or switched to the remote control mode. The AESS device automatically turns off an engine of the vehicle when operations of the engine are below one or more designated thresholds for at least a designated period of time. The AESS device is prevented from automatically turning the engine off when the AESS device is deactivated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining if a control system of a propulsion-generating vehicle is operating in a remote control mode or an onboard control mode, operations of the vehicle being remotely controlled from an off-board source when the control system is in the remote control mode and the operations of the vehicle being controlled from onboard the vehicle when the control system is in the onboard control mode; and

deactivating an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device responsive to the control system being in or switched to the remote control mode, the AESS device configured to automatically turn off an engine of the vehicle when operations of the engine are below one or more designated thresholds for at least a designated period of time,

wherein the AESS device is prevented from automatically turning the engine off when the AESS device is deactivated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein deactivating the AESS device prevents the AESS device from turning off the engine regardless of the operations of the vehicle being below the one or more designated threshold for at least the designated period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the AESS device responsive to the control system switching from the remote control mode to the onboard control mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the control system receiving control signals from the off-board source for remote control of the vehicle, wherein the off-board source comprises a stationary control center of a vehicle yard in which the vehicle travels.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the propulsion-generating vehicle is a locomotive, and the vehicle yard is a rail switching yard.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the control system receiving control signals from the off-board source for remote control of the vehicle, wherein the off-board source comprises a portable handheld remote control unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the propulsion-generating vehicle is a first propulsion-generating vehicle of a vehicle consist comprising the first propulsion-generating vehicle and at least one second propulsion-generating vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises, for each second propulsion-generating vehicle of the at least one second propulsion-generating vehicle:

when the AESS device of the first propulsion-generating vehicle is deactivated responsive to the control system of the first propulsion-generating vehicle being in or switched to the remote control mode, also deactivating a respective automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device of the second propulsion-generating vehicle, wherein the AESS device of the second propulsion-generating vehicle is prevented from automatically turning off a respective engine of the second propulsion-generating vehicle when the AESS device of the second propulsion-generating vehicle is deactivated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first propulsion-generating vehicle is a first locomotive, and each of the at least one second propulsion-generating vehicle is a respective second locomotive, and the vehicle consist is a train.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to deactivating the AESS device responsive to the control system being in or switched to the remote control mode, temporarily reactivating the AESS device despite the control system remaining in the remote control mode, responsive one or more of the vehicle entering a first designated area, the vehicle leaving a second designated area, or receipt of an override signal.

10. A system comprising:

a controller configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system having at least one propulsion-generating vehicle with an engine, the controller configured to determine if the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle is operating in a remote control mode or an onboard control mode, operations of the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle being remotely controlled from an off-board source when the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle is in the remote control mode and the operations of the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle being controlled from onboard the vehicle when the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle is in the onboard control mode,

the controller also configured to deactivate an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device responsive to the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle being in or switched to the remote control mode, the AESS device configured to automatically turn off an engine of the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle when operations of the engine are below one or more designated thresholds for at least a designated period of time,

wherein the AESS device is prevented from automatically turning the engine off when the AESS device is deactivated.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the AESS device to prevent the AESS device from turning off the engine regardless of the operations of the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle being below the one or more designated threshold for at least the designated period of time.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to activate the AESS device responsive to the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle switching from the remote control mode to the onboard control mode.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to receive control signals from the off-board source for remote control of the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle, wherein the off-board source comprises a stationary control center of a vehicle yard in which the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle travels.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle is a locomotive, and the vehicle yard is a rail switching yard.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to receive control signals from the off-board source for remote control of the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle, wherein the off-board source comprises a portable handheld remote control unit.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle includes first and second propulsion-generating vehicles of a vehicle consist, and wherein, when the AESS device of the first propulsion-generating vehicle is deactivated responsive to the first propulsion-generating vehicle being in or switched to the remote control mode, the controller is configured to also deactivate a respective automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device of the second propulsion-generating vehicle, wherein the AESS device of the second propulsion-generating vehicle is prevented from automatically turning off a respective engine of the second propulsion-generating vehicle when the AESS device of the second propulsion-generating vehicle is deactivated.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first propulsion-generating vehicle is a first locomotive, and each of the at least one second propulsion-generating vehicle is a respective second locomotive, and the vehicle consist is a train.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein, subsequent to deactivating the AESS device responsive to the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle being in or switched to the remote control mode, the controller is configured to temporarily reactivate the AESS device despite the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle remaining in the remote control mode, responsive one or more of the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle entering a first designated area, the at least one propulsion-generating vehicle leaving a different, second designated area, or receipt of an override signal.

19. A control system comprising:

a wireless communication device; and

a control unit operably connected to the wireless communication device, the control unit comprising a user interface and a controller, and the control unit configured to remotely control a vehicle having an engine;

wherein the control unit is further configured to generate a first signal for transmission to the vehicle by the wireless communication device for switching the vehicle into a remote control mode for being controlled by the control unit, and wherein at least one of;

the vehicle is configured to deactivate an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device of the vehicle responsive to receiving the first signal, the AESS device configured to automatically turn off the engine when operations of the engine are below one or more designated thresholds for at least a designated period of time, wherein the AESS device is prevented from automatically turning the engine off when the AESS device is deactivated;

or

the control unit is further configured to generate a second signal for transmission to the vehicle by the wireless communication device for deactivating the AESS device.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication device and the control unit are stationary and located in a control center of a vehicle yard in which the vehicle travels.