Method and apparatus for automatic selection of alternative routing through congested areas using congestion prediction metrics
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJoel Kickbusch, Joseph Wesley Philp, Mitchell Scott Wills
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Abstract
A scheduling system and method for moving plural objects through a multipath system described as a freight railway scheduling system. The scheduling system utilizes a cost reactive resource scheduler to minimize resource exception while at the same time minimizing the global costs associated with the solution. The achievable movement plan can be used to assist in the control of, or to automatically control, the movement of trains through the system. Alternative routes through congested areas are automatically selected using congestion prediction metrics.
Claims8
A method of scheduling the movement of trains, each over a selected route, by predicting the occurrence of congestion due to the planned movement of the trains over a selected route comprising:
- (a) identifying factors which contribute to congestion;
- (b) assigning a metric for each factor;
- (c) evaluating the metrics associated with a selected route;
- (d) if the evaluate metrics exceed a predetermined threshold, scheduling one or more trains scheduled for the selected route to alternate routes.
A method of scheduling the movement of trains, each over a selected route, by predicting the occurrence of congestion due to the planned movement of the trains over a selected route comprising:
- (a) identifying factors which contribute to congestion;
- (b) assigning a metric for each factor;
- (c) evaluating the metrics associated with a first planned movement of plural trains over a selected route;
- (d) evaluating the metric associated with a second planned movement over a selected route;
- (e) selecting the planned movement having the lowest metric for scheduling the movement of trains over the selected route.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.