Vehicle control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016159381-A1
Application number	US-201615044592-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2006
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method for examining a route and/or vehicle system obtain a route parameter and/or a vehicle parameter from discrete examinations of the route and/or the vehicle system. The system includes a controller and route examination equipment. The route examination equipment obtains a route parameter indicative of a condition of a route over which a vehicle system travels. The controller receives the route parameter, and examines the route parameter to determine the condition of the route. The controller can control at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system in response to the determined condition of the route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
route examination equipment configured to obtain a route parameter indicative of a condition of a route over which a vehicle system travels; and a controller configured to receive the route parameter, the controller further configured to examine the route parameter to determine the condition of the route, and the controller further configured to control at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system in response to the determined condition of the route.

2 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the route examination equipment comprises one or both of a stationary wayside unit or a mobile route inspection unit.

3 . The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the stationary wayside unit comprises one or more of a visible light video sensor unit, an infrared sensor unit, or an electrical current sensor that is configured to determine if an electrical break or an electrical short has occurred in a monitored segment of the route.

4 . The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the vehicle system is a first one of a plurality of like vehicle systems, and the mobile route inspection unit comprises an inspection system mounted on another, second vehicle system of the plurality of vehicle systems operating over the segment of the route prior to the first vehicle system.

5 . The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the mobile route inspection unit comprises one or more of:
a drone or unmanned vehicle; an inspection system secured to the vehicle system at it travels over a segment of the route; or an inspection system mounted on an inspection vehicle having the primary purpose of inspecting the route.

6 . The system as defined in claim 5 , wherein the drone is configured to obtain images of the route using one or more of visible light video, infrared, Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar), ultrasound, or radar.

7 . The system as defined in claim 6 , wherein the drone is an aerial drone.

8 . The system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the stationary wayside unit is configured to provide substantially continuous signals indicating the condition of the route and the mobile route inspection unit is configured to provide substantially periodic signals indicating the condition of the route, and the controller is further configured to determine the condition of the route based at least in part on both the substantially continuous signals and on the substantially periodic signals.

9 . The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising vehicle examination equipment that is configured to generate a vehicle parameter that is indicative of an operational condition of the vehicle system, and
the controller is configured to receive the vehicle parameter, the controller further configured to determine an operational condition of the vehicle system, and the controller further configured to control at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system in response to both the determined condition of the route and the operational condition of the vehicle system.

10 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system is vehicle system speed, and the controller is operable to control the vehicle system speed over the route if the determined condition is below a determined threshold value.

11 . The system as defined in claim 10 , wherein the controller is operable to control the vehicle system speed to be zero or to stop the vehicle system prior to the vehicle system arriving at a segment of the route that has the determined condition below a determined threshold value.

12 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system is the route, and
the controller is operable to control the vehicle system to change at least a portion of the route from a first route portion to a second route portion, if the first route portion has a segment that has the determined condition below a determined threshold value and if the second route portion does not include the segment with the determined condition.

13 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the determined condition comprises a broken rail and the vehicle system is a locomotive.

14 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the determined condition comprises a rockslide or mudslide over the route.

15 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the determined condition comprises a washout of the route.

16 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the determined condition comprises a snow drift over the route.

17 . The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the route examination equipment configured to monitor a condition of a route is a drone, and the drone is configured to switch operating modes, the switch comprising shifting from a first operating mode of identifying the segment of the route having a determined condition to a second operating mode that comprises at least one of signaling a location of the segment, signaling a type of determined condition, signaling a location of the route examination equipment, signaling information about the segment of the route, performing additional sensing tests or procedures that are different from those used in the identifying of the segment, or controlling the route examination equipment movement,
wherein controlling the route examination equipment movement comprises one or more of the drone hovering for a determined period proximate to the segment, landing proximate to the segment, parking the route proximate to the segment, changing positions to obtain additional perspectives of the segment, or obtaining at least one of higher definition or closer images of the segment.

18 . A method, comprising:
obtaining one or more route parameters indicative of a condition of a segment of a route over which a vehicle system travels; determining the condition of the segment of the route based on the one or more route parameters; and controlling at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system in response to the determined condition of the route.

19 . The method as defined in claim 18 , wherein controlling at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system comprises:
slowing, stopping, or rerouting the vehicle system in response to the condition of the route segment being below a determined threshold prior to or during the vehicle system traversing the segment.

20 . The method as defined in claim 18 , further comprising:
obtaining a status of the vehicle system; wherein the at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system is further controlled responsive to the status of the vehicle system.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Fahmy Sameh

Classifications

• B61L27/0094

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B61L27/0088

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B61L15/0081

  On-board diagnosis or maintenance · CPC title

• B61L27/0038 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B61L23/044

  Broken rails · CPC title