US 6,456,937 B1 · Methods and apparatus for locomotive tracking

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention relates to identifying locomotive consists within train consists, and determining the order of the locomotives within the identified locomotive consists. By identifying locomotive consists and the order of locomotives within such consists, a railroad can better manage it locomotive fleet. In one exemplary embodiment, an on-board tracking system for being mounted to each locomotive of a train includes locomotive interfaces for interfacing with other systems of the particular locomotive, and a computer coupled to receive inputs from the interface, and a GPS receiver and a satellite communicator (transceiver) coupled to the computer. Generally, the onboard tracking systems determine the absolute position of the locomotive on which it is mounted and additionally, obtain information regarding specific locomotive interfaces that relate to the operational state of the locomotive. Each equipped locomotive operating in the field determines its absolute position and obtains other information independently of other equipped locomotives. Position is represented as a geodetic position, i.e., latitude and longitude. As locomotives provide location and discrete information from the field, a central data processing facility receives the raw locomotive data. The data center processes the locomotive data and determines locomotive consists.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A data center comprising a computer coupled to a receiver, said computer programmed to:

collect locomotive position messages corresponding to a locomotive assignment point to determine localized groups of locomotives;
identify candidate consists and lead locomotives;
associate trailing locomotives with a single lead locomotive based on geographic proximity;
determine a centroid of a line between each reporting locomotive of a candidate consist and each lead locomotive, and associating those trailing locomotives with centroids that fall within a specified distance of a lead locomotive as a consist member;
and
determine an order of the locomotives in the locomotive consist.

3 more elements

A method for managing locomotives, at least some locomotives having an on-board tracking system comprising a locomotive interface, a computer coupled to said locomotive interface, a GPS receiver coupled to the computer, and a communicator coupled to the computer, the computer programmed determine a position of the locomotive based on a signal received by the receiver and to transmit the position via the communicator, the computer further programmed to obtain locomotive discretes from the locomotive interface and to transmit the locomotive discretes via the communicator, said method comprising the steps of:

operating each on-board system to determine when its respective locomotive departs a locomotive assignment point, and when any of the respective locomotives depart the locomotive assignment point, operating the on-board system of each departing locomotive to determine a departure condition and to send a locomotive position message to a data center at a time corresponding to the locomotive assignment point;
and
at the data center, collecting locomotive position messages corresponding to the locomotive assignment point to determine localized groups of locomotives, identifying candidate consists and lead locomotives, determining a centroid of a line between each reporting locomotive of a candidate consist and each lead locomotive, and associating those trailing locomotives with centroids that fall within a specified distance of a lead locomotive as a consist member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for locomotive tracking

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for locomotive tracking

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11