Vehicle brake control system and method
AssigneeTransportation IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsSrivallidevi Muthusami, Mahesh Babu Natarajan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle control system includes a controller disposed onboard a first vehicle system and comprising one or more processors. The controller is operably connected to a propulsion and braking subsystem of the first vehicle system. The controller is configured to analyze a notification message received from an off-board source as the first vehicle system travels on a route. The notification message identifies an unplanned brake application made by a second vehicle system. In response to the notification message, the controller is configured to control the propulsion and braking subsystem to modify movement of the first vehicle system based at least in part on a location of the second vehicle system to avoid the second vehicle system.
Claims20
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a controller configured to be operably connected to a propulsion and braking subsystem of a first vehicle system, the controller configured to receive a notification message from an off-board source as the first vehicle system travels on a route, the notification message identifying an unplanned brake application made by a second vehicle system that causes the second vehicle system to stop and a location of the second vehicle system,
- in response to receiving the notification message, the controller is configured to determine a rate at which to slow the first vehicle system based at least in part on the location of the second vehicle system to avoid stopping the first vehicle system and to avoid colliding with the second vehicle system, the controller further configured to control the propulsion and braking subsystem to slow the first vehicle system at the rate that is determined.
A method comprising:
- receiving, via one or more processors, a notification message at a first vehicle system from an off-board source as the first vehicle system travels on a route, the notification message identifying an unplanned brake application made by a second vehicle system that causes the second vehicle system to stop and a location of the second vehicle system;
- and
- responsive to receiving the notification message, controlling a propulsion and braking subsystem of the first vehicle system via the one or more processors to slow the first vehicle system at a rate that is based at least in part on the location of the second vehicle system to avoid stopping the first vehicle system and to avoid colliding with the second vehicle system.
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a controller disposed onboard a first vehicle system and comprising one or more processors, the controller operably connected to a propulsion and braking subsystem of the first vehicle system;
- and
- a communication device disposed onboard the first vehicle system and operably connected to the controller, the communication device configured to receive a notification message from an off-board source as the first vehicle system travels on a route, the notification message identifying an unplanned brake application made by a second vehicle system that causes the second vehicle to stop,
- wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on a location of the second vehicle system, that the second vehicle system occupies an upcoming segment of the route on which the first vehicle system is traveling, and, in response, to control the propulsion and braking subsystem, independent of input from a human operator of the first vehicle system, to stop the first vehicle system at a stopping location that is outside of a restricted safety buffer zone of the second vehicle system and within a designated proximity boundary of the second vehicle system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.