Train schedule repairer

• US 6,459,964 B1
• Filed: 05/22/1998
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GE Harris Railway Electronics, LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Julich, Paul, Vu, Thu V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US09/083,157
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 246/122.R, 246/167.R, 246/2.R, 701/19, 701/20, 701/117, 701/204, 705/8
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/12 Preparing schedules
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/14 Following schedules
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/16 Trackside optimisation of vehicle or train operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

The present invention relates to a predictive train scheduler that continually adjusts train routes and controls in real time so that train throughput on the railway system is optimized. The schedule repairer makes intelligent decisions through the collection of real time data as well as the use of predictive algorithms which are able to estimate potential conflicts, resolve the conflicts and leave the rest of the movement plan undisturbed in a very short amount of time.

Claims

1. A method of revising the movement plan which controls the schedule of plural trains over a predetermined layout comprising the steps of

(a) determining deviations from the movement plan, by evaluating real time train performance data against the move plan;

(c) predicting an earliest conflict between one or more trains based on said deviations;

(d) enumerating at least one option which eliminates said earliest conflict;

(e) evaluating said at least one enumerated option by determining an impact on the movement plan; and

(f) revising said movement plan by selecting an option which impacts the movement plan the least without consideration of any conflicts which may result from the selected option.

2. The method of claim 1 where said predicting comprises advancing the simulated system time until two trains occupy the same location for a given track segment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said enumerating comprises the identification of alternate paths for the trains.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of evaluating is performed without executing simulations of the trains along the predetermined layout.

5. A system for revising a movement plan of plural trains along a network of track comprising:

means for evaluating an adherence of each train to the movement plan;

means for predicting an earliest conflict in schedules due to any train not

adhering to the movement plan;

means for enumerating options to resolve said earliest conflict;

means for evaluating the enumerated options; and

means for revising said movement plan by selecting one of said options without consideration of any conflicts which may result from the selected option.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising the means for predicting conflicts due to the revision of said movement plan.

7. A system for scheduling and controlling the operation of plural trains over a predetermined control area comprising:

a system scheduler which generates a coarse grain schedule applicable to each train within the control area during a predetermined period of time;

a movement planner which generates a fine grain movement plan, said movement planner simulating the times of transit of each train over the applicable segments of track within the control area during said predetermined period of time;

a dispatch subsystem which controls the trains within the control area in accordance with the current fine grain movement plan;

a conflict predicter which monitors the progress of the trains against the fine grain schedule and identifies conflicts between trains in the use of the track;

a conflict resolver which identifies and selects from optional resolutions to the identified conflict without consideration of any conflicts which may result from the selected option;

movement plan update subsystem which updates the movement plan to implement the selected optional resolution.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said conflict resolver comprises:

an options enumerator which determines alternative routing which a train may utilize to achieve its desired destination;

an options evaluator which evaluates the options enumerated by the options enumerator; and

an options selector which selects the option evaluated as being the best.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said options evaluator evaluates the options using previously determined train performance data and business rules.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said options evaluator evaluates the options without executing simulations of the trains running over track segments.

11. In a method for revising a movement plan for plural trains over a predetermined layout by the steps of monitoring real-time train performance, detecting deviations from the movement plan, predicting scheduling conflicts caused by the detected deviations from the movement plan, identifying options for resolving the conflicts, evaluating the impact of each identified option on the movement plan and selecting an identified option on the basis of the impact evaluation, the improvement comprising the limiting of the evaluation to consideration of only a first predicted conflict to thereby select an option for the first predicted conflict without consideration of any conflicts which may result from the selection of the option.

12. In a method for revising a movement plan of plural trains due to expected deviations caused by an inability of the plural trains to adhere to a schedule by the steps of monitoring real-time train performance, detecting deviations from the movement plan, predicting scheduling conflicts caused by the detected deviations from the movement plan, identifying options for resolving the predicted conflicts, evaluating the impact of each identified option on the movement plan and selecting an identified option on the basis of the impact evaluation, the improvement wherein the step of evaluating is limited to consideration of the predicted conflicts sufficiently proximate to the time of evaluation to insure the selection of an option for the first predicted conflict within a predetermined time interval.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the predetermined time interval is a function of the computational speed available and the proximity of an anticipated conflict resulting from (i) the implementation of the selected option, and (ii) expected further deviations from the movement plan.

14. A method of resolving conflicts in the scheduling of the movement of plural trains over plural tracks comprising the steps of:

a. providing an optimized global movement plan consisting of a schedule of train movements;

b. monitoring real-time performance data for each train as the trains move over the plural tracks;

c. estimating a future location of each train based on a movement plan and the monitored real-time performance data;

d. translating the estimated location of each train of each train into a track usage interval;

e. identifying an earliest occurring overlapping track usage interval between trains;

f. determining available options for eliminating the identified earliest occurring overlapping track usage interval;

h. evaluating each of the determined options to determine an impact on the movement plan;

i. selecting an option which impacts the movement plan the least without consideration of any conflicts which may result from the implementation of selected option; and

j. modifying the movement plan to implement the selected option.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of determining available options includes identifying an alternate train route for each train associated with the selected overlapping track usage.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of modifying the movement plan includes adjusting the schedule of train movements of one or more of the trains associated with the selected overlapping track usage.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of evaluating available options considers previously determined train performance data and business rules.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of sequentially eliminating overlapping track usage intervals by repeating steps (b) through (j) until no overlapping track usage intervals exist for a predetermined planning horizon.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising the farther step of selecting a different one of the determined options for the previously selected track usage overlap if there are no determined options for the currently selected track usage overlap.