US 7,021,588 B2Granted

System and method for managing two or more locomotives of a consist

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsGerald James Hess, Jr., Jan Alan Nagle, Shuo Chen, Randall Slomski, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The system and method for controlling a consist of at least first and second locomotives having discrete operating modes. The method comprises receiving a control command and determining a power operating mode of the first locomotive and a power operating mode of the second locomotive as a function of the control command and an optimization parameter. The power operating mode of the second locomotive is different as compared to the power operating mode of the first locomotive in at least one mode of operation of the method. The method further comprises controlling the first locomotive responsive to the power operating mode of the first locomotive and controlling the second locomotive responsive to the power operating mode of second locomotive.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A system for controlling a consist of at least first and second locomotives each having discrete operating modes, said first and second locomotives being configured for receiving control signals via a communication link, said system comprising:

a locomotive control for indicating a desired operating mode;
a controller electrically coupled to the first locomotive and responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the locomotive control for determining a mode of operation of the first locomotive according to a first power operating mode and for determining a mode of operation of the second locomotive according to a second power operating mode, wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the first power operating mode is different as compared to the second power operating mode;
wherein said controller is coupled to the communication link for providing information corresponding to the first power operating mode to the first locomotive and for providing information corresponding to the second operating mode to the second locomotive;
and
wherein the controller determines that the power operating modes of the first and second locomotives are selected as a function of a sensed fuel consumption rate of at least one of the first and second locomotives.

2 more elements

a locomotive control for indicating a desired operating mode;
a controller electrically coupled to the first locomotive and responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the locomotive control for determining a mode of operation of the first locomotive according to a first power operating mode and for determining a mode of operation of the second locomotive according to a second power operating mode, wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the first power operating mode is different as compared to the second power operating mode;
wherein said controller is coupled to the communication link for providing information corresponding to the first power operating mode to the first locomotive and for providing information corresponding to the second operating mode to the second locomotive;
and
wherein the controller determines that the power operating modes of the first and second locomotives are selected as a function of a sensed power consumption rate of at least one of the first and second locomotives.

2 more elements

a locomotive control for indicating a desired operating mode;
a controller electrically coupled to the first locomotive and responsive to the desired operating mode as indicated by the locomotive control for determining a mode of operation of the first locomotive according to a first power operating mode and for determining a mode of operation of the second locomotive according to a second power operating mode, wherein, in at least one mode of operation of the system, the first power operating mode is different as compared to the second power operating mode;
wherein said controller is coupled to the communication link for providing information corresponding to the first power operating mode to the first locomotive and for providing information corresponding to the second operating mode to the second locomotive;
and
wherein the controller determines that the power operating modes of the first and second locomotives are selected as a function of a known performance profile of each of the first and second locomotives in the consist, said performance profile defining one or more of the following for each of the first and second locomotives over a previous period of time:
a fuel level characteristic;
a fuel flow rate;
or
a power usage rate.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/429,596Filed 5 May 2003 · continuation in part
Priority: 21 Jun 2001
Published: US 2003/0034423 A120 Nov 2003
Granted: 4 Apr 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

B61L 25/021
Indicating or recording positions or identities of vehicles or trains: measuring and recording of train speed
B61C 17/12
Arrangement or disposition of parts; Details or accessories not otherwise provided for; Use of control gear and control systems: control gear;…
B61L 15/0027
Communication with or on the vehicle or train: radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
B61L 15/0036
Communication with or on the vehicle or train: conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres

Family

Application60/299,932Us provisional application · filed 21 Jun 2001
Application10/177,547Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 21 Jun 2002
US 2003/0213875 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Nov 2003
US 6,691,957 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2003/0034423 A1Published application
US 7,021,588 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.