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| Summary / Description | Railroad traffic control system that links each locomotive to a control center for communicating data and control signals. Trains have onboard computers, sensors and two-way communication devices, information from sensors are transmitting to the control center and schedule are transmitted to trains. Although the sensor are lacking in variety compared to the application, the whole architecture and concept of a network-centric railroad system are almost identical. |
| Type of Prior Art | Issued Patents - US |
| Country | United States of America |
| Patent/Application # | 2003/0236598 |
| Kind Code | United States (US) - Patent Appl. Publ. within the ... - A1 |
| Patentee Name | Marco Antonio Villarreal Antelo, Luiz Steinberg, Tak Tong Chan |
| Relevant Pages, Columns, or Lines | All |
| URL | http://www.freepatentsonline.co... |
| Filing Date | June 24, 2002 |
| Additional Information | |
| Notes | I think the main difference of the prior art and the patent application, the fewer variety of sensor type and hence information gathered, is rather trivial, because someone who is skilled in the art of railroad traffic system can easily integrate new type |
Excerpt A railroad traffic control system that links each locomotive to a control center for communicating data and control signals. Using on-board computers, GPS and two-way communication hardware, rolling stock continuously communicate position, vital sign data, and other information for recording in a data base and for integration in a comprehensive computerized control system. The data base includes train schedules for real time display on train monitors. The current position of each train is compared to its planned schedule online to provide immediate information to the dispatcher to determine whether a corrective action is necessary. When a train's deviation from its planned schedule exceeds a predetermined parameter, the system automatically calculates alternative schedules for all trains in the system according to preselected operational constraints as necessary to minimize the effect of the deviation. |
A system for providing at least one of train information and track characterization information for use in train performance, the system comprising:
a. a first element to determine at least one of a location of a train on a track segment and a time from a beginning of the trip;
b. a track characterization element to provide track segment information;
c. a sensor for measuring an operating condition of at least one of the locomotives in the train;
d. a database for storing at least one of track segment information and the operating condition of at least one of the locomotives; and
e. a processor to correlate information from the first element, the track characterization element, the sensor, and the database, so that the database may be used for creating a trip plan that optimizes train performance in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the train.
| Relevance | Very similar to the system described in the prior art in general. |
The system according to claim 3, wherein the communications element provides at least one of the track segment information and operating conditions of at least one of the locomotives to a remote site, and wherein at the remote site the track segment information is used to create a trip plan for other trains traversing the track segment.
| Relevance | This is similar to the notion in the prior art of communicating with the central dispatch centre and updating train schedules accordingly. |
The system according to claim 3, wherein the communications element comprises a wayside communications element for providing the track segment information to other trains via the wayside communications element.
| Relevance | Figure 3 in prior art shows wayside communication in the same fashion as suggested by application. |
A system for operating a train during a trip along a track segment, the train comprising one or more locomotive consists with each locomotive consist comprising one or more locomotives, the system comprising:
a. a first element to determine at least one of a location of the train on the track segment and a time from a beginning of the trip;
b. a track characterization element to provide track segment information;
c. a sensor for measuring an operating condition of at least one of the locomotives;
d. a database for storing at least one of track segment information and the operating condition of at least one of the locomotives; and
e. a processor operable to receive information from at least one of the first element, the sensor, the track characterization element, and the database for creating a trip plan that optimizes locomotive performance in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the train.
| Relevance | Very similar to the system described in the prior art in general. |
The system according to claim 7, wherein during the trip the track characterization element provides at least one of updated track segment information and updated train information to the database.
| Relevance | The train does gathers track information and sends them back to the database in the central dispatch center. |
The system according to claims 7, wherein an operator directs the train in accordance with the trip plan.
| Relevance | This sounds like a given, what is the use of the trip plan if it is not followed by the operator? |
The system according to claim 7, wherein the processor creates an updated trip plan during the trip responsive to the updated track segment information.
| Relevance | This is similar to the concept of getting the central dispatch center to update train schedule in respond to any updated signal received from the trains. |
The system according to claim 13, wherein the communications element provides at least one of the track segment information and operating conditions of at least one of the locomotives to a remote site, and wherein at the remote site the track segment information is used to create a trip plan for other trains traversing the track segment.
| Relevance | This is similar to the notion in the prior art of communicating with the central dispatch centre and updating train schedules accordingly. |
The system according to claim 13, wherein the communications element comprises a wayside communications element for providing the track segment information to other trains via the wayside communications element.
| Relevance | Figure 3 in prior art shows wayside communication in the same fashion as suggested by application. |
A method for operating a train during a trip along a track segment, the train comprising one or more locomotive consists with each locomotive consist comprising one or more locomotives, the method comprising:
a. determining a location of the train on a track or a time from a beginning of the trip;
b. determining track segment information;
c. storing the track segment information;
d. determining at least one operating condition of at least one of the locomotives; and
e. creating a trip plan responsive to at least one the location of the train, the track segment information, and at least one operating condition to optimize locomotive performance in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the train.
| Relevance | Very similar to the method described in the prior art in general. |
The method according to claim 19, further comprising revising the trip plan during a trip based on at least one of track segment information and at least one operating condition of at least one of the locomotives collected during the trip.
| Relevance | The claims in the prior art also clearly states the calculation of alternative schedule or modified schedule based on information gathered. |
The method according to claim 19, further comprising revising the trip plan responsive to track segment information collected by other trains traversing the track segment.
| Relevance | The claims in the prior art also clearly states the calculation of alternative schedule or modified schedule based on information gathered. |
A computer software code for operating a train having a computer processor, the code for operating the train during a trip along a track segment, the train comprising one or more locomotive consists with each locomotive consist comprising one or more locomotives, the software code comprising:
a. a software module for determining track segment information;
b. a software module for storing the track segment information;
c. a software module for determining at least one operating condition of one of the locomotives; and
d. a software module for creating a trip plan responsive to at least one of the location of the train, the track segment information and at least one operating condition to optimize locomotive performance in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the train.
| Relevance | The system in the prior art has computer system that does the exact same thing. |
The computer software code according to claim 25, further comprising a software module for revising the trip plan during a trip based on at least one of track segment information and at least one operating condition of at least one of the locomotives collected during the trip.
| Relevance | The claims in the prior art also clearly states the calculation of alternative schedule or modified schedule based on information gathered. |
The computer software code according to claim 25, further comprising revising the trip plan responsive to track segment information collected by other trains traversing the track segment.
| Relevance | The claims in the prior art also clearly states the calculation of alternative schedule or modified schedule based on information gathered. |
The computer software code according to claim 25, further comprising a software code module for informing a train operator of the trip plan, wherein the operator can control the train according to the trip plan.
| Relevance | The system discussed in the prior art can also transmit the revised schedule back to trains, and implicitly the train operator can then control the train with the updated schedule. |
United States