초록 ▼

A system for regulating the speed, position and/or power of a powered vehicle, which is traveling on a track system according to a planned trip. The system comprises a database having data relative to the planned trip including a plurality of elapsed travel times associated with a planned speed, pos

A system for regulating the speed, position and/or power of a powered vehicle, which is traveling on a track system according to a planned trip. The system comprises a database having data relative to the planned trip including a plurality of elapsed travel times associated with a planned speed, position and power. One or more controllers provide data including data relative to an operating speed, position and power of the vehicle during the trip and an operating time at which the vehicle is traveling at the operating speed, power or position. A regulator may adjust the operating parameter of the vehicle if the difference between the vehicle operating data and planned trip data exceeds a predetermined threshold speed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system comprising: a database having data relating to a plurality of planned parameters, the planned parameters comprising a plurality of planned elapsed travel times relative to a time at which a powered vehicle started traveling according to a planned trip, wherein the planned elapsed travel

1. A system comprising: a database having data relating to a plurality of planned parameters, the planned parameters comprising a plurality of planned elapsed travel times relative to a time at which a powered vehicle started traveling according to a planned trip, wherein the planned elapsed travel times are associated with at least one of a planned speed, a planned power, or a planned position of the vehicle according to the planned trip;one or more controllers configured to provide data relating to operating parameters of the vehicle, the operating parameters comprising at least one of a current operating speed, a current operating power, a current operating position, or a current operating elapsed travel time of the vehicle during execution of the planned trip; anda regulator configured to carry out a comparison of one or more of the operating parameters to one or more of the planned parameters during the execution of the planned trip;wherein the regulator is further configured to adjust at least one of the operating speed or the operating power of the vehicle based on the comparison. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the regulator is further configured to adjust the at least one of the operating speed or the operating power of the vehicle if a difference between the one or more of the operating parameters and the one or more of the planned parameters of the comparison exceeds a predetermined threshold. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the operating speed of the vehicle to within a predetermined range of the planned speed of the vehicle. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the database further comprises planned fuel consumption data that includes at least one of a planned amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while traveling according to the planned trip, a planned amount of fuel remaining for consumption by the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip, or a planned rate at which the vehicle is to consume fuel, wherein the at least one of the planned amount of fuel consumed, the planned amount of fuel remaining, or the planned rate is associated with the planned elapsed travel times; wherein the one or more controllers are configured to provide operating fuel consumption data relating to fuel consumption of the vehicle, the operating fuel consumption data including at least one of an operating amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while traveling on the planned trip, an operating amount of fuel remaining for consumption by the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip, or an operating rate at which the vehicle has consumed fuel while traveling on the planned trip; andwherein the regulator is configured to carry out a comparison of the planned fuel consumption data and the operating fuel consumption data and to adjust the at least one of the operating speed or the operating power based on the comparison of the planned fuel consumption data and the operating fuel consumption data. 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an estimator controller configured to update the planned trip and the database by updating the data relative to the at least one of the planned speed, the planned power, or the planned position at the planned elapsed travel times that are associated with the at least one of the planned speed, the planned power, or the planned position. 6. A method comprising: accessing a database having data relating to a plurality of planned parameters, the planned parameters comprising a plurality of planned elapsed travel times relative to a time at which a vehicle started traveling according to a planned trip, wherein the planned elapsed travel times are associated with at least one of a planned speed, a planned power, or a planned position of the vehicle according to the planned trip;providing data representative of operating parameters of the vehicle, the operating parameters comprising at least one of a current operating speed, a current operating power, a current operating position, or an elapsed operating time of the vehicle during execution of the planned trip;carrying out a comparison of one or more of the operating parameters to one or more of the planned parameters during the execution of the planned trip; andadjusting at least one of the operating speed or the operating power of the vehicle based on the comparison. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the operating speed or the operating power of the vehicle is adjusted if a difference between the one or more of the operating parameters and the one or more of the planned parameters of the comparison exceeds a predetermined threshold. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein carrying out the comparison comprises comparing at least one of: the operating position and at least one of the planned positions that is associated with at least one of the planned elapsed travel times, the elapsed operating time and the at least one of the planned elapsed travel times, the operating speed and the planned speed associated with the at least one of the planned positions, the operating power and the planned power associated with the at least one of the planned positions. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting the at least one of the operating speed or the operating power comprises controlling the at least one of the operating speed or the operating power to be within a range of a threshold speed that is based on a corresponding one of the planned speeds or a threshold power that is based on a corresponding one of the planned powers, respectively. 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the database further comprises planned fuel consumption data that includes at least one of a planned amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while traveling according to the planned trip, a planned amount of fuel remaining for consumption by the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip, or a planned rate at which the vehicle is expected to consume fuel, wherein the at least one of the planned amount of fuel consumed, the planned amount of fuel remaining, or the planned rate is associated with the planned elapsed travel times; and the method further comprises:providing operating fuel consumption data relating to fuel consumption of the vehicle that includes at least one of an operating amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle while traveling on the planned trip, an operating amount of fuel remaining for consumption of the vehicle for traveling on the planned trip, or an operating rate at which the vehicle has consumed fuel while traveling on the planned trip; andadjusting at least one of the operating speed or the operating power according to a comparison of the planned fuel consumption data to the operating fuel consumption data. 11. The method of claim 6, further comprising: monitoring the operating position of the vehicle and the elapsed operating time of the vehicle that corresponds to the operating position;providing data relative to the planned position of the vehicle that is associated with the planned elapsed travel time;comparing the operating position to the planned position; andadjusting at least one of the operating speed or the operating power of the vehicle when the operating position is outside of a predetermined range of the planned position. 12. The method of claim 6, further comprising updating the planned trip and the data relating to the planned parameters when the vehicle is traveling according to the planned trip. 13. A system comprising: a database having planned trip data for a planned trip of a rail vehicle having at least one powered unit, wherein the planned trip data includes a plurality of planned elapsed travel times relative to a time at which the rail vehicle started traveling on a route and the planned elapsed travel times are associated with at least one of a planned speed, a planned power, or a planned position of the rail vehicle according to the planned trip;wherein the database further comprises planned fuel consumption data that includes at least one of a planned amount of fuel consumed by the rail vehicle while traveling according to the planned trip, a planned amount of fuel remaining for consumption by the rail vehicle for traveling on the planned trip, or a planned rate at which the rail vehicle is expected to consume fuel, wherein the at least one of the planned amount of fuel consumed, the planned amount of fuel remaining, or the planned rate is associated with the planned elapsed travel times;one or more controllers configured to provide operating data that includes data representative of at least one of an operating speed of the rail vehicle, an operating power of the rail vehicle, or an operating position of the rail vehicle, wherein the at least one of the operating speed, the operating power, or the operation position is associated with an operating elapsed travel time of the rail vehicle, and the operating data also includes operating fuel consumption data of the rail vehicle; anda regulator configured to carry out a first comparison of the at least one of the operating speed, the operating power, or the operating position to a corresponding one of the at least one of the planned speed, the planned power, or the planned position at the elapsed travel time associated with the at least one of the planned speed; the planned power, or the planned position, and the regulator is configured to adjust the operating speed of the rail vehicle based on the first comparison,wherein the regulator also is configured to carry out a second comparison of the planned fuel consumption data to the operating fuel consumption data at the elapsed travel time associated with the at least one of the planned speed, the planned power, or the planned position, and the regulator is configured to adjust the operating speed of the rail vehicle based on the second comparison. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the operating speed of the rail vehicle: when a difference between the operating speed and the planned speed of the first comparison exceeds a first predetermined threshold, orwhen a difference between the operating fuel consumption data and the planned fuel consumption data of the second comparison exceeds a second predetermined threshold. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the regulator maintains or decreases the operating speed of the rail vehicle when the difference between the operating speed and the planned speed is below the first predetermined threshold and the operating fuel consumption data indicates that actual fuel consumption of the rail vehicle exceeds the planned fuel consumption. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the operating speed of the rail vehicle when the difference between the operating speed and the planned speed exceeds the first predetermined threshold and the difference between the operating fuel consumption data and the planned fuel consumption data is no greater than the second predetermined threshold. 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the regulator is configured to adjust the operating speed of the rail vehicle when the difference between the operating fuel consumption and the planned fuel consumption exceeds the second predetermined threshold and the difference between the operating speed and the planned speed is no greater than the first predetermined threshold. 18. A non-transitory programmable computer readable media comprising one or more computer modules configured to direct one or more controllers disposed onboard a powered vehicle to: obtain data associated with a predetermined route over which the vehicle is to travel, the data including a plurality of elapsed travel times relative to a time at which the vehicle started traveling on the route and planned speeds of the vehicle that are associated with different elapsed travel times;monitor an operating speed and operating elapsed travel time for the vehicle during travel of the vehicle along the route;compare the operating speed to the planned speed at one or more common elapsed travel times associated with the operating speed and the planned speed; andadjust the operating speed of the vehicle based on a difference between the operating speed and the planned speed. 19. A system comprising: a controller configured to be disposed onboard a powered vehicle and to obtain a trip plan that includes at least one of designated speeds of the vehicle, designated power outputs of the vehicle, or designated positions of the vehicle associated with different travel times of the vehicle along a designated route, the controller also configured to monitor at least one of actual operational speeds, operational power outputs, or operational positions of the vehicle at one or more of the different travel times of the trip plan; anda regulator configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle and to compare the at least one of the operational speeds, the operational power outputs, or the operational positions of the vehicle with the at least one of the designated speeds, the designated power outputs, or the designated positions of the trip plan to identify one or more differences, wherein the regulator is configured to change one or more of the operational speeds or the operational power outputs of the vehicle based on the one or more differences. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the regulator is configured to autonomously change the one or more of the operational speeds or the operational power outputs of the vehicle based on the one or more differences. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the regulator is configured to direct an operator of the vehicle to manually change the one or more of the operational speeds or the operational power outputs of the vehicle based on the one or more differences. 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the regulator is configured to compare the at least one of the operational speeds, the operational power outputs, or the operational positions of the vehicle with the at least one of the designated speeds, the designated power outputs, or the designated positions of the trip plan at common travel times of the different travel times.