Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation

Wabtec Holding Corporation

Transportation IP Holdings, LLC

Karen Ann Shaw

James L Fenske

Kristofer M Ruhland

Jeffrey Donald Kernwein

Thomas Paul Spiegelhalter, Jr

Ajith Kuttannair Kumar

Glenn Robert Shaffer

James Allen Oswald

Andrew Ryan Staats

Benjamin L Henniges

Michael Bratcher

Joshua M Bramucci

Keith E Smith

Stuart John Barr

Thomas Paul Spiegelhalter

A vehicle control system and method include processors that determine that an energy storage device of a vehicle will have insufficient energy to power a propulsion system of the vehicle under a first set of operational settings to move the vehicle from a first location within a powered segment to a designated second location that is outside of an unpowered segment of a route. Responsive to determining that the energy storage device will have insufficient energy, the processors change one or more settings of the vehicle to operate the vehicle under a second set of operational settings while the vehicle moves within the powered segment of the route to charge the energy storage device to a greater extent relative to operating of the vehicle according to the first set of operational settings.

Vehicle control system and method

A system is provided that include at least one positioning system that can detect a location or position of a vehicle or a portion of a vehicle group that includes the vehicle, at least one sensor positioned on or associated with the vehicle that can generate sensor data of a determined parameter or condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning system. The controller can determine that a hazard event has occurred based at least partially on sensor data, and can communicate a hazard event notification based at least in part on the location data and the sensor data to a remote server.

Alerting system and method

A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a vehicle control (VC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from vehicle systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the VC system and/or an on-board system of a vehicle. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a vehicle control (VC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a vehicle are also disclosed.

Method and system for transmitting enforceable instructions in vehicle control systems

A system includes a phase break input unit, one or more vehicle location detectors, and one or more processors. The phase break input unit is configured to obtain phase break location information indicating a location of a phase break along a route to be traversed by a vehicle. The one or more vehicle location detectors are configured to obtain vehicle location information indicating at least one of location of the vehicle or movement of the vehicle. The one or more processors are configured to determine an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the phase break using the phase brake location information and the vehicle location information, and send a phase break control signal to a control system of the vehicle responsive to the estimated arrival time satisfying a threshold.

Systems and methods for controlled traversal of phase breaks

Provided is a computer-implemented method for verifying electronic work zone instructions with an on-board system of a vehicle system. The method includes receiving at least one electronic work zone instruction message from an employee-in-charge device, generating at least one visual instruction diagram based at least partially on the electronic work zone instruction message, communicating the at least one visual instruction diagram from the on-board system of the vehicle system to the employee-in-charge device, receiving a verification of the at least one visual instruction diagram from the employee-in-charge device, and enforcing at least one work zone instruction parameter of the electronic work zone instruction message by the on-board system of the vehicle system in response to receiving the verification. A system and computer program product are also provided.

Work zone instruction verification system

A vehicle control system and method include one or more processors that determine that a vehicle has or will have insufficient energy to power a propulsion system of the vehicle under a first set of operational settings to move the vehicle from a first location to a designated second location that is outside of an unpowered segment of a route along which the vehicle moves. Responsive to determining that the vehicle has or will have insufficient energy, the one or more processors change one or more of a throttle setting or a brake setting of the vehicle to operate the vehicle under a second set of operational settings while the vehicle moves within a powered segment of the route.

A system is provided that includes a first communication device located at or associated with a determined zone and can accept field data; a second communication device located on or associated with at least one vehicle approaching or traversing the determined zone; and at least one controller or a control system. The controller or control system can receive the field data from the first communication device; convert at least a portion of the field data to a message comprising vehicle data; and provide the vehicle data to a vehicle controller or a vehicle operator, and thereby can control or operate the at least one vehicle based using the provided vehicle data.

Disclosed is a system, method, and apparatus for communicating instructions to at least one locomotive approaching or traversing a predetermined zone. The system includes a first communication device located at or associated with the predetermined zone, configured to communicate audio data from a field operator, and a second communication device located on or associated with the at least one locomotive. The system includes at least one processor that is programmed or configured to receive the audio data from the first communication device, convert at least a portion of the audio data to text data, and directly or indirectly transmit at least one message to the second communication device. The system further includes a locomotive display device in the at least one locomotive configured to display at least a portion of the at least one message received by the second communication device to an operator of the at least one locomotive.

System, method, and apparatus for providing backup of electronic instruction to a locomotive or train

A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a positive train control (PTC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from railroad systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the PTC system and/or an on-board system of a locomotive. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a positive train control (PTC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a train are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Karen Ann Shaw