# US 2017/0282942 A1 · Multiple vehicle control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0282942 A1 - Document ID: US20170282942A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/086,403 - Filed: 2016-03-31 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Harry Kirk Mathews, JR.; Brian Nedward Meyer; James D. Brooks; Joseph Daniel Wakeman; Dan Dai; Anup Menon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170282942A1 ## CPC - B61L 15/0062: {On-board target speed calculation or supervision} - B61L 15/0058: {On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation} - B61L 15/0072: {On-board train data handling} - B61L 15/0081: {On-board diagnosis or maintenance} - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) ## Abstract A system includes an energy management system disposed onboard a vehicle system configured to travel on a route during a trip. The energy management system is configured to receive trip information that includes one or more constraints including at least one of speed, distance, or time restrictions for the vehicle system along the route. The energy management system is further configured to generate a trip plan for controlling movement of the vehicle system along the route during the trip. The trip plan is generated based on the one or more constraints. The trip plan has a plan speed profile that designates speeds for the vehicle system according to at least one of distance or time during the trip. The energy management system is further configured to control movement of the vehicle system during the trip according to the plan speed profile of the trip plan. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: an energy management system disposed onboard a first vehicle system configured to travel on a route during a trip, the energy management system having one or more processors, the energy management system being configured to receive trip information that is specific to the trip, the trip information including one or more constraints including at least one of speed, distance, or time restrictions for the first vehicle system along the route, the energy management system being further configured to generate a trip plan for controlling movement of the first vehicle system along the route during the trip, the trip plan being generated based on the one or more constraints, the trip plan having a plan speed profile that designates speeds for the first vehicle system according to at least one of distance or time during the trip, the energy management system further configured to control movement of the first vehicle system during the trip according to the plan speed profile of the trip plan. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the trip information is received by the energy management system from at least one of an external coordinator, a second vehicle system, or an operator of the first vehicle system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the trip information includes a pacing speed profile that is based on movement of a second vehicle system on the route, the one or more constraints being based on the pacing speed profile. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more constraints include an upper time-distance boundary and a lower time-distance boundary, the upper time-distance boundary having a positive offset in at least one of distance or time relative to the pacing speed profile, the lower time-distance boundary having a negative offset in at least one of distance or time relative to the pacing speed profile, the upper and lower time-distance boundaries defining a movement window therebetween, the trip plan being generated such that the plan speed profile is generally maintained within the movement window during the trip. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the energy management system is configured to partition the trip into multiple segments based on at least one of distance or time along the route, the one or more constraints including matching an average speed of the plan speed profile with an average speed of the pacing speed profile at ends of the segments. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the energy management system is configured to generate the trip plan to reduce a difference in instantaneous speeds between the pacing speed profile and the plan speed profile of the trip plan at multiple times or locations during the trip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more constraints include a designated minimum speed limit, the energy management system configured to generate the trip plan such that the plan speed profile is above the minimum speed limit during the trip. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more constraints include multiple arrival times associated with corresponding designated locations along the route during the trip, the energy management system configured to generate the trip plan such that the first vehicle system moving according to the plan speed profile arrives at the designated locations at least one of before, after, or within a designated time range of the corresponding arrival times. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the designated locations are at least one of block signal locations, block segment boundaries, siding locations, or station locations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy management system is configured to generate the trip plan to control movement of the first vehicle system during the trip to at least one of reduce fuel consumption, reduce travel time, reduce wear on the vehicle, reach a destination at a predefined time, increase throughput on a vehicle network, reduce emissions, or reduce noise relative to manual control of the first vehicle system during the trip. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more constraints of the trip information are based on movement of a second vehicle system on the route that is moving in a same direction as the first vehicle system, the trip plan being generated based on the one or more constraints and the movement of the first vehicle system being controlled according to the trip plan such that the first vehicle system maintains at least a designated separation from the second vehicle system during the trip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more constraints of the trip information are based on movement of a second vehicle system at least one of on the route and moving in an opposite direction as the first vehicle system or on a different route that intersects the route traveled by the first vehicle system, the trip plan being generated based on the one or more constraints and the movement of the first vehicle system being controlled according to the trip plan such that the first vehicle system at least one of passes the second vehicle system on the same route or crosses an intersection between the route and the different route at a time range that does not require the first vehicle system or the second vehicle system to stop. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the system further includes a communication circuit that communicates the trip plan that is generated based on the one or more constraints to the second vehicle system for the second vehicle system to update movement of the second vehicle system based on the trip plan generated for the first vehicle system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more constraints of the trip information are based on a scheduled arrival time for the first vehicle system at a cargo transfer location where cargo is at least one of loaded onto the first vehicle system or unloaded from the first vehicle system, the trip plan being generated based on the one or more constraints and the movement of the first vehicle system being controlled according to the trip plan such that the first vehicle system arrives at the cargo transfer location at least one of before, after, or within a designated time range of the scheduled arrival time. ### Claim 15 A system comprising: one or more processors configured to receive trip information from a communication circuit onboard a first vehicle system that is configured to travel on a route during a trip, the trip information including a pacing speed profile that is based on movement of at least a second vehicle system on the route, the one or more processors further configured to generate a trip plan for controlling movement of the first vehicle system along the route during the trip, the trip plan having a plan speed profile that designates speeds for the first vehicle system according to at least one of distance or time during the trip, the trip plan being generated using one or more constraints that are based on the pacing speed profile, the one or more processors further configured to control movement of the first vehicle system during the trip according to the plan speed profile of the trip plan to ensure that the first vehicle system maintains at least a designated separation from the second vehicle system during the trip. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are disposed on the first vehicle system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more constraints include an upper time-distance boundary and a lower time-distance boundary, the upper time-distance boundary having a positive offset in at least one of distance or time relative to the pacing speed profile, the lower time-distance boundary having a negative offset in at least one of distance or time relative to the pacing speed profile, the upper and lower time-distance boundaries defining a movement window therebetween, the trip plan being generated such that the plan speed profile is generally maintained within the movement window during the trip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors partition the trip into multiple segments based on at least one of distance or time along the route, the one or more constraints including matching an average speed of the plan speed profile with an average speed of the pacing speed profile at ends of the multiple segments. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the trip plan to reduce a difference in instantaneous speeds between the pacing speed profile and the plan speed profile of the trip plan at multiple times or locations during the trip. ### Claim 20 A method comprising: receiving trip information specific to a trip of a first vehicle system that is configured to travel on a route during a trip, the trip information including one or more constraints including at least one of speed, distance, or time restrictions for the first vehicle system along the route; generating a trip plan for controlling movement of the first vehicle system along the route during the trip, the trip plan generated based on the one or more constraints, the trip plan having a plan speed profile that designates speeds for the first vehicle system according to at least one of distance or time during the trip; and controlling movement of the first vehicle system during the trip according to the plan speed profile of the trip plan. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more constraints include an upper time-distance boundary and a lower time-distance boundary that define a movement window therebetween, the trip plan being generated such that the plan speed profile is generally maintained within the movement window during the trip. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the method further includes communicating the trip plan that is generated to a different, second vehicle system that is configured to travel on at least one of the route traveled by the first vehicle system or another route that intersects the route traveled by the first vehicle system, the trip plan being communicated to the second vehicle system for the second vehicle system to update movement of the second vehicle system based on the received trip plan generated for the first vehicle system.