Method and apparatus for controlled braking in fixed guideway transportation systems

A braking method for a fixed guideway vehicle, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of braking mechanisms to a single axle of the vehicle;
• respectively coupling a plurality of controllers to independently control the braking mechanisms;
• communicating information between the plurality of controllers;
• independently monitoring, by a feedback control function in each of the plurality of controllers, the combined operation of the braking mechanisms so as to determine error information comprising a difference value between a targeted braking rate for the vehicle for each of the braking mechanisms and combining the error information, the combined error information and an actual measured braking rate for the vehicle;
• and
• configuring each of the controllers to use the difference value in the error information from the feedback control function to independently calculate a braking force value to be applied by the respective braking mechanisms that will cause the targeted braking rate for the vehicle.

A method of controlling movement of fixed guideway vehicles in a system, comprising:

• providing a plurality controllers for each of the respective braking apparatuses in each of the vehicles;
• configuring the controllers to cause a targeted braking rate for each of the vehicles based on a command from a master controller, wherein the controllers cause the braking apparatuses to apply a calculated amount of braking force that will cause the targeted braking rates for each of the vehicles, wherein the targeted braking rates are calculated based on a combined operation of the braking apparatuses for each vehicle and combined error information from the respective error information of each braking apparatus;
• monitoring separation between the vehicles;
• calculating the targeted braking rate based on the monitored separation;
• generating the command based on the calculated targeted braking rate;
• and
• calculating a stopping distance delta between the vehicles based on the monitored separation and the targeted braking rate, wherein calculating includes determining a best case stopping distance of a leading vehicle and the worst case stopping distance of a following vehicle whose path includes the leading vehicle.