B61L2205/04

Method and system for determining a vertical profile of a rail surface
20170267263 · 2017-09-21 ·

The present invention defines a method of determining a vertical profile signal of a rail surface that includes, obtaining a vertical acceleration signal acc.sub.1, by measuring vertical acceleration of a bogie of a rail vehicle that runs on the rail surface; processing the vertical acceleration signal to obtain a vertical velocity signal; determining the vertical profile signal of the rail surface, by using the vertical acceleration signal and the vertical velocity signal as inputs to a simulation model of the bogie, the model having an unsprung mass connected to a sprung mass, the vertical acceleration signal acc.sub.1 represents the vertical acceleration of the unsprung mass; and measuring a linear velocity signal of the rail vehicle, the linear velocity signal is used in the step of determining to convert the vertical profile signal from the time domain to the distance domain.

VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
20220232350 · 2022-07-21 ·

A vehicle control system includes one or more of a HOV unit or an EOV unit. The HOV unit and/or the EOV unit may include functional devices, one or more processors, and a location signal receiver. The functional devices may perform one or more operations to control operation of a vehicle system on which the HOV unit and/or the EOV unit is disposed. The location signal receiver may receive location signals from an off-board source. The one or more processors may obtain or determine a location of the HOV unit and/or the EOV unit based on the location signals and to change a mode of operation of at least one of the functional devices responsive to the location changing from a first designated area or location to a different, second designated area or location.

Vehicle control system and method

System includes a controller configured to obtain one or more of a route parameter or a vehicle parameter from discrete examinations of one or more of a route or a vehicle system. The route parameter is indicative of a health of the route over which the vehicle system travels. The vehicle parameter is indicative of a health of the vehicle system. The discrete examinations of the one or more of the route or the vehicle system separated from each other by one or more of location or time. The controller is configured to examine the one or more of the route parameter or the vehicle parameter to determine whether the one or more of the route or the vehicle system is damaged. The system also includes examination equipment configured to continually monitor the one or more of the route or the vehicle system responsive to determining that the one or more of the route or the vehicle is damaged.

EXAMINING SYSTEM AND METHOD

An examining system includes one or more application devices onboard a vehicle system. The application devices may electrically conduct an examination signal into one or more conductive bodies extending along a route and may include a catenary, a third rail, and/or a cable. The examining system may include one or more detection units that may be disposed onboard the vehicle system and that may monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the one or more conductive bodies in response to the examination signal being conducted into the one or more conductive bodies. The examining system may include an identification unit that may examine the one or more electrical characteristics of the one or more conductive bodies monitored by the one or more detection units to identify a compromised or damaged section of the one or more conductive bodies.

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR OPERATING LONG VEHICLES

A method for operating a train comprising two or more locomotives, the method comprising the steps of: a) Setting one or more locomotive control levels and choosing a selected route of travel; b) Calculating a target train speed profile and a target in-train force profile over at least a portion of the selected route; c) Measuring one or more operating parameters related to the operation of the train; d) Calculating a future train speed profile and a future in-train force profile for a future period based on at least one of the one or more operating parameters, at least one of the one or more locomotive control levels and one or more pieces of information relating to the selected route; e) Calculating adjusted locomotive speed control levels relating to the one or more operating parameters based on a difference between the target train speed profile and the future train speed profile, the adjusted locomotive control levels being adapted to maintain the target train speed profile over the future period; f) Calculating adjusted in-train force control levels relating to the one or more operating parameters based on a difference between the target in-train force profile and the future in-train force profile, the adjusted in-train force control levels being adapted to maintain the target in-train force profile below a target level over the future period; g) Dividing the adjusted locomotive control levels and the adjusted in-train force control levels between the two or more locomotives to form locomotive-specific locomotive control levels for each of the two or more locomotives, the locomotive-specific locomotive control levels being at least partially adapted to control and/or balance in-train force levels below the target level h) Provide locomotive-specific locomotive control levels for communication to each of the two or more locomotives; and i) Operating each of the two or more locomotives according to the locomotive-specific locomotive control levels.

OBJECT MACROCELLS IN FRAME LOCKED RASTERS FOR REAL-TIME DRIVING, POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL, AND GENERAL PURPOSE ANTI-COLLISION
20220185349 · 2022-06-16 ·

A system for controlling movement of a vehicle that includes a camera system mounted on the vehicle and configured to generate image signals of terrain within the vehicle path of movement of the vehicle, a radar system mounted on the vehicle and configured to generate distance signals to an object in the terrain, and a processor having multiple GPU rasters in a series data processing configuration that are configured to utilize a hypotenuse processing function for drawing lines from pixel to moving entity center (MEC) or from macro cell center to MEC, and a detector configured to test for raster frame lock between the multiple GPU rasters structured to determine a relative speed of the vehicle with respect to the object in the path of movement of the vehicle, and to generate control signals to alter the direction or speed of the vehicle or both to avoid the object.

VEHICLE DRIVING ASSISTANCE METHOD, ONBOARD DEVICE, AND VEHICLE HAVING ONBOARD DEVICE
20220169294 · 2022-06-02 ·

A vehicle driving assistance method includes detecting a speed of a vehicle, obtaining a speed limit of the vehicle in a corresponding section of road based on images when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold, and issuing a warning when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed limit of the vehicle in the corresponding section of road.

Apparatus for Locating a Mobile Railway Asset

In one aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for locating a mobile railway asset is provided that includes a power source, GNSS circuitry configured to utilize electrical power from the power source to receive GNSS data, and a controller operatively coupled to the power source and the GNSS circuitry. The controller has a power saving mode wherein the controller inhibits the GNSS circuitry from receiving GNSS data and a standard accuracy mode wherein the controller permits the GNSS circuitry to receive GNSS data for a first time period. The controller has a higher accuracy mode wherein the controller permits the GNSS circuitry to receive GNSS data for a second time period longer than the first time period, and subsequently across multiple instances, in order to collect more GNSS data that can be qualified, filtered, sorted, and averaged to produce a more accurate result.

TRAIN INTEGRITY DETECTION SYSTEM BASED ON BEIDOU SHORT MESSAGE COMMUNICATION

The invention relates to a train integrity detection system based on Beidou short message communication, which comprises a vehicle-mounted ATP host, a train rear device and a ground RBC device, wherein the vehicle-mounted ATP host communicates with both the train rear device and the ground RBC device, the vehicle-mounted ATP host and the train rear device each comprise a main control unit, and a wind pressure detection module, a wireless communication module, a speed measurement module and a satellite positioning module which are connected with the main control unit, and the vehicle-mounted ATP host and the train rear device also each comprise a Beidou short message communication module connected with the main control unit. Compared with the prior art, the invention has the advantages of strong communication jamming resistance and short response time.

VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

A system and method can include determining a location of a locating device disposed onboard a vehicle system, identify a size of the vehicle system, calculate a duration that the vehicle system has been blocking or will be blocking an intersection between at least two intersecting routes based at least in part on the location of the locating device and on the size of the multi-vehicle system, and implement one or more responsive actions to clear the intersection responsive to the calculation of the duration. Optionally, the system and method can predict or forecast whether a vehicle system approaching or moving through the intersection will come to a stop in a locking that blocks the intersection, and implement one or more responsive actions.