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| Summary / Description | From the Abstract: '... A geographic position determination unit generates locomotive location information. Data recording instruments process and record information concerning locomotive engine and auxiliary engine activity for monitoring geographical position, emissions, and fuel levels of the locomotive engine and its corresponding auxiliary unit. ' |
| Type of Prior Art | Issued Patents - US |
| Country | United States of America |
| Patent/Application # | 6636798 |
| Kind Code | United States (US) - United STATES Patent - A |
| Patentee Name | Biess, Lawrence J; Stewart, Ted E.; CSXT Intellectual Properties Corporation |
| Relevant Pages, Columns, or Lines | Col. 7 Lines 37 - 65 |
| URL | http://www.freepatentsonline.co... |
| Filing Date | April 30, 2001 |
| Additional Information | |
| Notes | |
Excerpt Col. 7 Lines 37 - 65:Referring to FIG. 3, each locomotive 300 includes a tracking system that records and report the unit's exact location. A tracking system consistent with the present invention is described in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/845,564 entitled LOCOMOTIVE DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD BASED ON MONITORED LOCATION (included herein by reference), now abandoned. Such tracking system may comprise a global positioning system (GPS) utilizing satellites such as 310. A signal is transmitted to antenna 312 and position determination receiver 315 to establish position information regarding locomotive 300. Other positioning systems known in the art may be used. Generally, the position determination receiver 315 generates position information via equipment on board locomotive 10. Therefore, the emission reductions for each locomotive calculated for each ozone season can be assigned to a specific regional or state location. These data for all locomotives can be aggregated by yard and state. Such position determination signals are preferably relayed to a data recorder 320 to be processed for regional or state specific emission credits. Referring to FIG. 4, each locomotive includes data recorder instruments that measure, record, and store main engine and APU run hours and operating data. A locomotive computer 325 preferably processes such information for use by a locomotive operator or for transmission to a base user 327 (FIG. 3) for monitoring the geographical position, emission levels, and fuel levels of the locomotive engine and its corresponding auxiliary unit. |
A system for monitoring and controlling locomotive engine emissions comprising:
a location determination unit for determining a geographic location of a locomotive;
memory for storing a plurality of predetermined engine emission profiles, one profile for each of a plurality of geographic locations;
a processor in communication with the memory for accessing the engine emission profile for the determined location of the locomotive and generating an engine control command responsive to respective engine emission profile and engine operating parameters;
a control unit on board the locomotive controlling an operation of the locomotive responsive to the engine control command to limit the production of engine emissions to the corresponding emission profile;
a monitor unit monitoring values of an emission parameter of the locomotive indicative of the emissions produced by the engine; and
memory storing the values of the emission parameter of the locomotive and at least one of the time and the location of the locomotive when the engine emission was monitored.
| Relevance | See the Excerpt. |
A method of monitoring locomotive engine emissions:
determining a location of a locomotive;
determining an emission profile of the locomotive as a function of the location of the locomotive;
controlling an operation of the locomotive in response to the emission profile;
monitoring values of an emission parameter of the locomotive corresponding to the emissions profile; and
storing the values of the emission parameter.
| Relevance | See the Excerpt. |
United States