Movement detection system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9610948-B2
Application number	US-201514693075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2015
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for detecting movement of a vehicle and/or for changing operating modes of the vehicle switch between transitional operating mode of the vehicle at a first vehicle speed and a moving mode of the vehicle at a second vehicle speed. Movement of the vehicle is controlled to maintain a speed and/or location of the vehicle within designated limits during operation of the vehicle in the transitional operating mode. Movement of the vehicle is controlled to keep an operating parameter of the vehicle below a designated limit during operation of the vehicle in the moving mode. The vehicle switches between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode based at least in part on the vehicle speed, a distance from the target stopping location, an environmental condition, a vehicle characteristic, and/or a route occupancy condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a controller including one or more processors, the controller operable to switch between a transitional operating mode of a vehicle and a moving mode of the vehicle,
wherein, during operation of the vehicle in the transitional operating mode, the controller is configured to control movement of the vehicle at a first efficiency level and is able to stop the vehicle within a first stopping range of a target stopping location,
wherein, during operation of the vehicle in the moving mode, the controller is configured to control the movement of the vehicle at a second efficiency level and is able to stop the vehicle within a second stopping range of the target stopping location, the second stopping range being larger than the first stopping range such that stopping the movement of the vehicle is less precise in the moving mode than in the transitional operating mode, the second efficiency level having one or more of a lower fuel consumption, a lower emissions generation, or a lower noise generation than the first efficiency level such that the movement of the vehicle is more efficient in the moving mode than in the transitional operating mode, and
wherein the controller is configured to autonomously switch between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode without operator intervention based at least in part on one or more of a speed of the vehicle relative to a threshold speed value, a distance of the vehicle from the target stopping location, an environmental condition, or a route occupancy condition.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to switch between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode based at least in part on the environment condition, the environmental condition including a type of weather condition in which the vehicle is moving.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to switch between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode based in part on a vehicle characteristic that includes one or more of a mass of the vehicle, a number of vehicle units included in the vehicle, or an indication of whether one or more of the vehicle or the vehicle units are loaded with cargo.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to autonomously control a throttle of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle in both the transitional operating mode and the moving mode.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, responsive to switching from the moving mode to the transitional operating mode as the vehicle moves along a route, implement a stopping profile to stop the movement of the vehicle, the stopping profile limiting a rate at which the speed of the vehicle is reduced to stop the movement of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to select the stopping profile that is implemented from plural different stopping profiles based at least in part on a type of the vehicle, a cargo being carried by the vehicle, a type of the target stopping location, or a mass of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to implement the stopping profile by applying different types of brake systems used to stop the movement of the vehicle at different times while slowing the movement of the vehicle according to the stopping profile.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to idle an engine of the vehicle responsive to implementing the stopping profile such that the engine is in idle as the vehicle slows to a stop.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to switch between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode based at least in part on the distance of the vehicle from the target stopping location, the controller configured to switch to the moving mode responsive to the distance exceeding a designated distance from the target stopping location, the controller configured to switch to the transitional operating mode responsive to the distance falling below the designated distance.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to switch between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode based at least in part on the route occupancy condition, the controller configured to switch to the moving mode from the transitional operating mode responsive to the route occupancy condition indicating that there are no other vehicles on a same route as the vehicle within a threshold distance from the vehicle, the controller configured to switch to the transitional operating mode from the moving mode responsive to the route occupancy condition indicating that at least one other vehicle on the route is within the threshold distance from the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a speed sensor disposed on the vehicle and configured to monitor the speed of the vehicle, the controller configured to receive speed parameters associated with the speed of the vehicle from the speed sensor, the controller further configured to compare the speed of the vehicle relative to the threshold speed value to determine whether to switch between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is disposed on the vehicle.

13. A method comprising:
switching between a transitional operating mode of a vehicle and a moving mode of the vehicle;
controlling movement of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle in the transitional operating mode at a first efficiency level with an ability to stop the vehicle within a first stopping range of a target stopping location; and
controlling the movement of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle in the moving mode at a second efficiency level with an ability to stop the vehicle within a second stopping range of the target stopping location, the second stopping range being larger than the first stopping range such that stopping the movement of the vehicle is less precise in the moving mode than in the transitional operating mode, the second efficiency level having one or more of a lower fuel consumption, a lower emissions generation, or a lower noise generation than the first efficiency level such that the movement of the vehicle is more efficient in the moving mode than in the transitional operating mode;
wherein switching between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode occurs autonomously without operator intervention based at least in part on one or more of a speed of the vehicle relative to a threshold speed value, a distance of the vehicle from the target stopping location, an environmental condition, or a route occupancy condition.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein switching the vehicle between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode occurs based at least in part on the environmental condition, the environmental condition including a type of weather condition in which the vehicle is moving.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein switching the vehicle between the transitional operating mode and the moving mode occurs based in part on a vehicle characteristic that includes one or more of a mass of the vehicle, a number of vehicle units included in the vehicle, or an indication of whether one or more of the vehicle or the vehicle units are loaded with cargo.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the movement of the vehicle is controlled during the transitional operating mode and during the moving mode by autonomously controlling a throttle of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 13 , furth

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kumar Ajith Kuttannair
• Meyer Brian Nedward

Classifications

• B60W50/0097 Primary

  Predicting future conditions · CPC title

• B60W30/143 Primary

  Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W2555/20

  Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain · CPC title

• B60W2556/50

  of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data · CPC title

• B60W30/18027

  Drive off, accelerating from standstill · CPC title