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US 11,142,871 B2Granted
Vehicle management system
AssigneeWestinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
InventorsJeffrey D. Kernwein, James H. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle management system communicates with monitor devices coupled with a path control device at an intersection between route segments. The path control device switches positions to connect different combinations of the route segments. The system receives signals from the monitor devices to determine which of the route segments are coupled with each other and receives an authority signal from a travel authority system that indicates which of the route segments that the vehicle is authorized to travel. The system directs the vehicle through the path control device responsive to a combination of: (a) receipt of the authority signal and (b) receipt of at least one of the monitor signals or failure to receive one or more of the monitor signals.
Claims24
A vehicle path control system, comprising:
- a first monitor device configured to communicate with a path control device and to generate at least a first signal responsive to the path control device being in a first position, the path control device coupling a first route segment with a second route segment while the path control device is in the first position;
- a second monitor device configured to communicate with the path control device and to generate at least a second signal responsive to the path control device being in a different, second position, the path control device coupling the first route segment with a third route segment while the path control device is in the second position;
- and
- a vehicle management system configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle configured to travel along a route that includes the path control device, the vehicle management system configured to communicate with a travel authority system and to direct at least one vehicle control action based at least in part on one or more of the following:
- at least a portion of the first signal or an absence of the first signal from the first monitor device;
- at least a portion of the second signal or an absence of the second signal from the second monitor device;
- or
- at least a portion of a third signal received from the travel authority system.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a vehicle management system configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle traveling along a first route segment and to communicate with monitor devices operatively coupled with a path control device at an intersection between the first route segment, a second route segment, and a third route segment, the path control device configured to switch positions to connect different combinations of the first route segment, the second route segment, and the third route segment,
- the vehicle management system configured to receive monitor signals from the monitor devices to determine which of the first route segment, the second route segment, and the third route segment are coupled with each other, the vehicle management system configured to receive an authority signal from a travel authority system that indicates which of the second route segment or the third route segment that the vehicle is authorized to travel,
- the vehicle management system configured to direct control of the vehicle through the path control device responsive to a combination of:
- (a) receipt of the authority signal and (b) receipt of at least one of the monitor signals or failure to receive one or more of the monitor signals,
- wherein the vehicle management system is configured to receive a first signal from a first monitor device of the monitor devices responsive to the path control device being in a first position to couple the first route segment with the second route segment, the vehicle management system also configured to receive a second signal from a second monitor device of the monitor devices responsive to the path control device being in a second position to couple the first route segment with the third route segment.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- a vehicle management system configured to communicate with monitor devices operatively coupled with a path control device at an intersection between route segments, the vehicle management system configured to receive signals from the monitor devices indicative of which of the route segments are coupled with each other by the path control device, wherein a first signal from the monitor device indicates the path control device being in a first position to couple a first route segment with a second route segment of the route segments, and a second signal from the monitor device indicates the path control device being in a second position to couple the first route segment with a third route segment of the route segments,
- the vehicle management system configured to monitor for the signals from the monitor devices and to monitor for an authority signal from an off-board source indicative of which of the route segments that a vehicle has authority to travel, the vehicle management system configured to automatically control movement of the vehicle responsive to and based on receipt of the authority signal and a failure to receive the signals from one or more of the monitor devices.
A method comprising:
- receiving monitor signals onboard a vehicle traveling along a first route segment, the monitor signals received from monitor devices operably coupled with a path control device at an intersection between the first route segment, a second route segment, and a third route segment, a first signal indicative the path control device being in a first position to couple the first route segment with the second route segment, and a second signal indicative of the path control device being in a second position to couple the first route segment with the third route segment;
- determining which of the first route segment, the second route segment, and the third route segment are coupled with each other based on one or more of the monitor signals;
- receiving an authority signal onboard the vehicle from a travel authority system that indicates which of the second route segment or the third route segment that the vehicle is authorized to travel;
- and
- directing control of the vehicle through the path control device responsive to a combination of:
- (a) receipt of the authority signal and (b) receipt of at least one of the monitor signals or failure to receive one or more of the monitor signals.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.