General Electric Company

Transportation IP Holdings, LLC

Ge Global Sourcing LLC

Joseph Daniel Wakeman

James D Brooks

David Allen Eldredge

Brian Nedward Meyer

Kaitlyn Ann Hrdlicka

Saravanan Thiyagarajan

Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr

Robert James Foy

John William Brand

William Cherrick Schoonmaker

Ankit Sharma

Kevin Kapp

Anup Menon

Dan Dai

Prakarsh Paritosh

Jeffrey A Twichel

Juli-Ann Luther

Swapna Rameshbabu Gaikwad

Ajith Kuttannair Kumar

Eric Vorndran

William Martin

James Andrew Napolitano

Matthew Price

A control system includes a controller that may determine whether a second speed limit, which is less than or equal to a first speed limit, is in effect for a segment of the route. The controller may switch one or more operational settings of a vehicle from the first speed limit to the second speed limit, and may operate the vehicle at the first speed limit outside of the segment of the route and operate the vehicle at or below the second speed limit while the vehicle is approaching or within the segment of the route.

Vehicle control system

System includes a controller comprising one or more processors configured to generate alertness requests to an operator of a vehicle system during a trip. The alertness requests are generated according to a determined routine. The controller is further configured to receive reactive inputs from the operator that are responsive to the alertness requests. The controller is further configured to determine whether the trip includes a permissible route segment for suspending the determined routine. The permissible route segment has a route characteristic of one or both of: a reduced likelihood of operator-required events occurring or a predicted workload for the operator that is less than a defined workload threshold.

Vehicle control system and method

A system includes one or more processors that are configured to obtain a constraint on movement for a first vehicle system along a route. The constraint is based on movement of a separate second vehicle system that is concurrently traveling along the same route. The processor(s) are configured to determine a speed profile that designates speeds for the first vehicle system according to at least one of distance, location, or time based on the constraint such that the first vehicle system maintains a designated spacing from the second vehicle system along the route.

Vehicle travel planning constrained by probe vehicle data

A control system dictates operational settings of a rail vehicle system based a transitory second speed limit that is no faster than a current first speed limit and which is issued for a determined segment of the track for a determined time period. The control system obtains a current time, determines whether the transitory second speed limit has started, is in effect, or has expired based on the current time relative to the determined time period, and, in response to such determination, performs one or more of (a) generate a prompt to indicate that the determined time period has expired, (b) operate the rail vehicle system at the first speed limit, and/or (c) modify the operational settings of the rail vehicle system to exceed the second speed limit in the determined segment but not exceed the first speed limit for the determined segment.

Multiple vehicle control system

A method includes generating a trip plan that dictates operational settings to be implemented by a vehicle system moving along a route. The trip plan is based on a temporary work order issued for a restricted segment of the route. The work order provides a maximum speed through the restricted segment for a limited time period that is expressed using a time standard. One or more of the operational settings of the trip plan specify movement of the vehicle system through the restricted segment at a vehicle speed that is less than or equal to the maximum speed. In response to determining that the temporary work order has expired, the method includes at least one of prompting an operator of the vehicle system to confirm that the work order has expired or generating a new trip plan in which the vehicle system exceeds the maximum speed through the restricted segment.

System for controlling or monitoring a vehicle system along a route

A system includes an energy management system disposed onboard a vehicle system configured to travel on a route during a trip. The energy management system is configured to receive trip information from a second vehicle system that includes one or more constraints including at least one of speed, distance, or time restrictions for the vehicle system along the route. The energy management system is further configured to generate a trip plan for controlling movement of the vehicle system along the route during the trip. The trip plan is generated based on the one or more constraints. The trip plan has a plan speed profile that designates speeds for the vehicle system according to at least one of distance or time during the trip. The energy management system is further configured to control movement of the vehicle system during the trip according to the plan speed profile of the trip plan.

An energy management system and method for a vehicle system operate the vehicle system according to a current trip plan as the vehicle system travels along a route during a trip. The current trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system. The system and method also revise the current trip plan into a revised trip plan responsive to current, actual operation of the vehicle system differing from the current trip plan by at least a designated threshold amount. The revised trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system and includes an initial designated operational setting that matches the current, actual operation of the vehicle system.

Energy management system and method for vehicle systems

A system including a vehicle control module configured to control a vehicle system according to an operating plan. The operating plan designates one or more first tractive operations or braking operations to be implemented by the vehicle system along a trip. The system also includes a planning module for generating a transition plan in response to a deviation from the operating plan. The transition plan designates one or more second tractive operations or braking operations to be implemented by the vehicle system as the vehicle system travels toward an approaching location from a second location where the vehicle system deviates from the operating plan. The planning module is further configured to generate a prospective plan in response to the deviation. The prospective plan is configured to be implemented by the vehicle system when the vehicle system at least one of moves past the approaching location or completes the transition plan.

Systems and methods for operating a vehicle system in response to a plan deviation

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Joseph Daniel Wakeman