The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 2026
Filed:
Jul. 25, 2023
Transportation Ip Holdings, Llc, Norwalk, CT (US);
Jennifer Sobierajski, Erie, PA (US);
Jeffrey John Wolff, Erie, PA (US);
Timothy Warren Brown, Erie, PA (US);
Henry Todd Young, Erie, PA (US);
Ibrahim Kacar, Erie, PA (US);
Transportation IP Holdings, LLC, Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for controlling operation of a vehicle system are provided. This vehicle system can be at least partially powered by electric current conducted to a collector device of the vehicle system from a conductive pathway extending along a route traveled by the vehicle system. A voltage level of the conductive pathway may be monitored, and a conduction impaired location of the conductive pathway may be identified based at least in part on the voltage level of the conductive pathway that is monitored. The collector device or a removal device may be controlled to remove a contaminant from the conductive pathway at the conduction impaired location, the vehicle system may be controlled to compensate for the conduction impaired location, and/or an off-board facility and/or another vehicle system may be notified of the conduction impaired location responsive to identifying the conduction impaired location.