MX2008003365A - Trip optimization system and method for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for operating a vehicle including an engine operating on at least one type of fuel is provided. The system includes a locator element to determine a location of the vehicle, a characterization element to provide information about a terrain of the vehicle, a database to store characteristic information for each type of fuel, and a processor operable to receive information from the locator element, the characterization element, and the database. An algorithm is embodied within the processor with access to the information for creating a trip plan that optimizes performance of the vehicle in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the vehicle.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPTIMIZATION OF TRAVEL FOR A VEHICLE Cross Referencing Related Requests This application claims priority and refers again to the also pending US Request No. 60 / 870,562 filed on December 18, 2006. In addition, this request is a continuation of part of the North American Request Also Pending Not 11 / 385,354 filed March 20, 2006. Field of the Invention The field of the present invention relates to optimizing vehicle operations, and more particularly, to monitoring and controlling the operations of a vehicle to improve efficiency, satisfying the same time programming constraints. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Locomotives are complex systems with numerous subsystems, each sub-system being interdependent with other subsystems. An operator is on board a locomotive to ensure proper operation of the locomotive, and its associated wagon load. In addition to ensuring the proper operations of the locomotive the operator is also always responsible for determining the operating speeds of the train and the forces within the train that are part of the locomotives In order to carry out this function, the operator generally must have great experience with the operation of the locomotive and several trains on a specific terrain. This knowledge is necessary to comply with prescribable operating speeds that can vary with the location of the train along the railway. In addition, the operator is also responsible for ensuring that forces within the train remain within acceptable limits. However, even with the knowledge to ensure safe operation, the operator can not normally operate the locomotive in a way that minimizes fuel consumption on each journey. For example, other factors that must be considered may include emission output, environmental conditions of the noise / vibration type operator, a weighted combination of fuel consumption and emissions output, etc. This is difficult to do, since, as an example, the size and load of the trains vary, the locomotives and their emission / fuel characteristics are different, and the weather and traffic conditions vary. Operators can operate a train more effectively if they are supplied with a means to determine the best way to operate the train on a given day, to comply with a required program (arrival time), while using as little fuel as possible. , despite the sources of variability.

In addition to trains having locomotives that operate on a single type of fuel, it might be convenient to use a train / locomotive and other vehicles including OHV vehicles (off-road vehicles) and marine vehicles that have engines that operate on a plurality of fuels , including at least one diesel fuel and at least one alternative fuel. In addition to the cost and availability benefits of alternative fuels, the characteristics of each type of fuel and its relative mixtures in the operation of each vehicle can be incorporated in determining the best way to operate each vehicle, to comply with a program required by minimizing at the same time the total amount of fuel used or minimizing the total emission output, for example. Brief Description of the Invention One embodiment of the present invention describes a system for operating a train having one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives. In an example embodiment, the system comprises a locator element for determining the location of the train. A railroad characterization element is also provided to provide information regarding a railroad. The system also has a processor that operates to receive information from the locator element, and the railway characterization element.

An algorithm that is represented within the processor that has access to the information is also provided to create a route plan that optimizes the performance of the locomotive groups according to one or more operating criteria for the train. Another embodiment of the present invention also describes a method for operating a train having one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives. The method comprises determining a location of the train on a railway. The method also determines a characteristic of the railway. The method also creates a route plan based on the location of the train, the characteristic of the railway, and the operating condition of the locomotive groups according to at least one operating criterion for the train. Another embodiment of the present invention also describes a computer software code for operating a train having a computer processor and one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives. The computer software code comprises a software module to create a route plan based on the location of the train, the railroad characteristic and the operating condition of the locomotive groups, according to at least one criterion of train operation.

Another embodiment of the present invention further describes a method for operating a train having one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives where a route plan for the train has been considered. The method comprises determining a power configuration for locomotive groups based on the route plan. The method also operates the locomotive groups in the power configuration. The actual speed of the train, the actual energy configuration of the locomotive groups and / or the location of the train are collected. The actual train speed, the actual power configuration of the locomotive groups and / or a train location are compared to the power configuration. Another embodiment of the present invention further describes a method for operating a train having one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives, where a route plan for the train has been considered based on parameters of alleged operation of the train and / or groups of locomotives. The method includes estimating the operating parameters of the train and / or for operating methods of the locomotive. The method further comprises comparing the estimated train operating parameters and / or the operating parameters of the locomotive groups for the assumed train operating parameters and / or the operating parameters of the groups of locomotives. locomotives Another embodiment of the present invention, further describes a method for operating a train having one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives, wherein a route plan for the train has been considered based on a desired parameter. The method comprises determining operating parameters of the train and / or group of locomotives, determining a desired parameter based on determined operating parameters, and comparing the determined parameter with the operating parameters. If there is a difference in comparing the determined parameter with the operation parameters, the method also includes adjusting the route plan. Another embodiment of the present invention further describes a method for operating a railway system having one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives. The method involves determining the location of a train on the railway and determining a characteristic of the railway. The method further comprises generating a driving plan for at least one of the locomotives based on the locations of the rail system, and the characteristic of the railway track and / or the operating condition of the locomotive groups, in order to minimize fuel consumption by the rail system.

Another embodiment of the present invention further describes a method for operating a rail system having one or more groups of locomotives, each group of locomotives comprising one or more locomotives. For this purpose, the method comprises determining a location of the train on the railway, and determining a characteristic of the railway. The method further comprises providing propulsion control for the groups of locomotives, in order to minimize fuel consumption by the rail system. In another embodiment of the present invention, a system for operating a vehicle is provided, wherein the vehicle includes a motor that operates on at least one type of fuel. The system includes a locator element for determining a vehicle location, and a railroad characterization element for providing information regarding the terrain of a vehicle. More particularly, the system includes a database for storing information characteristic of each type of fuel and a processor that operates to receive information from the locator element, the railway characterization element and the database. An algorithm is presented inside the processor with access to information to create a route plan that optimizes the performance of the vehicle according to one or more criteria of vehicle operation. In another embodiment of the present invention, provides a method for operating a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an engine that operates on at least one type of fuel. The method includes determining the location of the vehicle, providing information regarding the terrain of a vehicle, and storing information characteristic of each type of fuel. More particularly, the method includes creating a route plan that optimizes vehicle performance according to one or more criteria of vehicle operation. In another embodiment of the present invention, computer-readable media containing program instructions of a method for operating a vehicle are provided. The vehicle includes an engine that operates on at least one type of fuel. The method includes determining the location of the vehicle, providing information regarding the terrain of the vehicle and storing information characteristic of each type of fuel. More particularly, the computer-readable medium includes a computer program code to create a route plan that optimizes the performance of the vehicle according to one or more criteria of vehicle operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more particular description of the present invention will be made, which was briefly described above, with reference to specific modalities thereof. they are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present invention, and will therefore not be considered as limiting their scope, the present invention will be described and explained with specificity and additional details through the use of the accompanying drawings in the drawings. which: Figure 1 shows an example illustration of a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a simplified train module that can be employed; Figure 3 illustrates an example embodiment of the elements of the present invention; Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a fuel-use / travel time curve; Figure 5 illustrates an example mode of segmentation decomposition of the route planning; Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a segmentation example; Figure 7 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 shows an example illustration of a dynamic display to be used by the operator; Figure 9 shows another example illustration of a dynamic deployment to be used by the operator; Figure 10 shows another example illustration of a dynamic display to be used by the operator; Figure 11 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of elements of the present invention; Figure 12 shows an example illustration of a dynamic display to be used by the operator; Figure 13 shows another example illustration of a dynamic display to be used by the operator; and Figure 14 shows another example illustration of a dynamic display to be used by the operator; Figure 15 is an example embodiment of a method of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments consistent with the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. The embodiments of the present invention solve the problems in the art by providing a system, method and method implemented in computer to determine and implement a strategy of driving a train that has a group of locomotives, determining a method to monitor and control the operations of a train to determine certain parameters requirements of objective operation, while satisfying the programming and speed restrictions. The embodiments of the present invention also operate when the locomotive groups are in distributed power operations. Those skilled in the art will recognize an apparatus such as a data processing system, including a CPU, memory, I / O, program storage, a bus connection and other suitable components, can be programmed or otherwise designed to facilitate the practice of the method mode of the present invention. Said system may include suitable program means for executing the modality of the method of the present invention. Likewise, an article of manufacture, such as a pre-recorded disc or other similar computer program product, for use with a data processing system, may include a storage medium and program means recorded thereon to direct the data processing system to facilitate the practice of the method mode of the present invention. Said apparatus and articles of manufacture are also within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present invention. Broadly speaking, the embodiments of the present invention provide a method, apparatus and program for determining and implementing a driving strategy of a train that has a group of locomotives, determining a method to monitor and control the operation of a train to improve certain requirements of parameters of objective operation criteria, satisfying at the same time restrictions of programming and speed. To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, a description will be made below with reference to specific implementations thereof. The embodiments of the present invention are described within the general context of computer executable instructions, such as program modules, which are executed by a computer. Generally, the modules of the program include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that carry out particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. For example, software programs comprising the embodiments of the present invention can be encoded in different languages, for use with different platforms. In the description that follows, examples of modalities of the present invention are described within the context of a web portal that employs a web browser. However, it will be appreciated that the principles comprising the embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented with other types of computer software technologies. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present invention may be practiced with other configurations of the computer system, including portable devices, multiprocessor systems, programmable or microprocessor-based consumer electronics, minicomputers, central computers and the like. The embodiments of the present invention can also be practiced in distributed computing environments, where tasks are carried out by remote processing apparatuses that are linked through a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, the program modules can be located on both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. These local and remote computing environments are contained entirely within the locomotive, or adjacent locomotives, or outboard in the outside or central offices, where wireless communication is used. Throughout this document, the term group of locomotives is used. As used in the present invention, a group of locomotives can be described as having one or more locomotives in succession, connected together to provide a motorization and / or braking capability. The locomotives are connected together when there are no train cars between the locomotives. The train can have more than one group in its composition. Specifically, you can there is a main group, and more than one remote group, such as half in the line of wagons and another remote group at the end of the train. Each group of locomotives can have a first locomotive and locomotive (s) of drag. Although a group is usually seen as successive locomotives, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that a group of locomotives can also be recognized as a group, even when at least one wagon separates the locomotives, such as when the group is configured for operation. of distributed power, where the acceleration and braking commands of the main locomotive to the remote trailers are relieved by means of a radio link or physical cable. For this purpose, the term locomotive group should not be considered as a limiting factor when describing multiple locomotives within the same train. Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in various forms, including as a system (including a computer processing system), a method (including a computerized method), an apparatus, a computer-readable medium, a computer program product. , a graphical user interface, including a web portal, or a data structure tangibly fixed in a computer readable memory. Below are several embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1 shows an example illustration of a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the instructions are specific entries for planning a trip either on board or from a remote location, such as a dispatch center 10. Such entry information includes, but is not limited to, train position, description of the group (such as locomotive models), locomotive power description, locomotive traction transmission performance, engine fuel consumption as a function of output power, cooling characteristics, projected route (Effective rail grade and curvature as a function of a marker or a component of "effective grade" to reflect the curvature following the practices of the standard railroad), the train represented by the marking and loading of the wagon with coefficients of effective drag, parameters of desired routes including, but not limited to, start time and location, final location, desired travel time, iden Credential (use and / or operator) expiration time of crew change, and route. This data can be provided to the locomotive 42 in a number of ways, such as, but not limited to, an operator manually input this data into the locomotive 42 through an on-board display, inserting an apparatus memory such as a hard card and / or USB drive containing the data in a receptacle on board the locomotive, and transmitting the information via wireless communication from a central or contiguous location 41, such as a railway signaling apparatus and / or adjacent device, to the locomotive 42. The characteristics of the locomotive 42 and the train 31 (for example, drag) may also change in the route (for example, with altitude, ambient temperature and condition of the rails and wagons), and The plan may be updated to reflect such changes as necessary, through any of the methods described above and / or through autonomous real-time collection of the conditions of the locomotive / train. This includes, for example, changes in locomotive or train characteristics detected by monitoring equipment in or outboard of locomotive (s) 42. The railway signal system determines the train's allowable speed. There are many types of railroad signal systems and the operating rules associated with each of the signals. For example, some signals have a single light (on / off), some signals have a single lens with multiple colors, and some signals have multiple lights and colors. These signals can indicate that the railway is clear and that the train can proceed at the maximum permissible speed. They may also indicate that a reduced speed or stop is required. This reduced speed it may need to be achieved immediately, or at a certain location (for example, before the next signal or crossing). The state of the signal is communicated to the train and / or operator through various means. Some systems have circuits in the railway and inductive lifting coils in the locomotives. Other systems have wireless communication systems. Signal systems may also require the operator to visually inspect the signal and take appropriate actions. The signaling system can interface with the on-board signal system and adjust the speed of the locomotive according to the inputs and the appropriate operating rules. For signal systems that require the operator to visually inspect the signal status, the operator's display will present the appropriate signal options for the operator to enter based on the location of the train. The type of signal systems and operation rules, as a function of the location, can be stored in an on-board database 63. Based on the specification data entered in an embodiment of the present invention, an optimal plan that minimizes the use of fuel and / or produced emissions subject to restrictions of speed limits along the route with desired start and end times is computed to produce a route profile 12. The profile contains the optimal speed and power settings (notch) that the train must follow, expressed as a function of distance and / or time, and said operating limits of the train, including, but not limited to, maximum notch braking and power settings, and the speed limits as a function of the location, and the expected fuel used and emissions generated. In an example embodiment, the value of the notch configuration is selected to obtain acceleration change decisions every 10 to 30 seconds. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that acceleration change decisions can occur over a longer or shorter duration, if it is needed and / or one wishes to follow an optimum speed profile. In a broad sense, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the profiles provide power settings for the train, whether at the train level, group level and / or individual train level. Power includes braking power, motor power and air brake power. In a preferred embodiment, instead of operating in the traditional independent notch power configurations, the embodiment of the present invention has the ability to select a continuous power configuration determined to be optimal for the selected profile. Therefore, for example, if an optimum profile specifies a notch configuration of 6.8, instead of operating in a notch configuration of 7, the Locomotive 42 can operate in 6.8. By allowing such intermediate power configurations, additional efficiency benefits can be provided, as will be described below. The method used to computerize the optimum profile can be any number of methods to computerize a power sequence that drives the train 31 to minimize fuel and / or restrictions on operation and programming of the locomotive, as summarized below. In some cases, the required optimum profile may be close enough to a previously determined one, due to the similarity of the train configuration and environmental conditions. In these cases it may be sufficient to search the driving path within the database 63 and try to follow it. When a previously computerized plan is not adequate, methods to computerize a new one include, but are not limited to, direct calculation of the optimal profile using differential equation models that approximate the physical motion of the train. The configuration involves selecting a quantitative objective function, commonly a weighted sum (integral) of model variables that correspond to the range of fuel consumption and generation of emissions plus a term to penalize the variation in excessive acceleration. An optimal control formulation is configured to minimize the quantitative objective function subject to restrictions including, but not limited to, speed limits and minimum and maximum power settings (acceleration). Depending on the planning objectives at any time, the problem may be flexible configuration to minimize fuel subject to restrictions or emissions and speed limits, or to minimize emissions, subject to restrictions on fuel usage and time of arrival. It is also possible to configure, for example, a goal to minimize the total travel time without restrictions on total emissions or fuel usage, where such relaxation in the restrictions may be permitted or required for the mission. Throughout the document, objective equations and objective functions are presented to minimize the fuel consumption of the locomotive. These equations and functions are for illustration only, since other objective equations and functions can be used to optimize fuel consumption and optimize other operating parameters of the locomotive / train. Mathematically, the problem that will be solved can be manifested more precisely. The basic physics are expressed by: dt 1 (= Tt (u, v) -Ge (x) -? (?);? (0) = 0.0; v (7 >) = 0.0 Where x is the position of the train, v is the speed and t is the time (in miles, miles per hour and minutes or hours, as appropriate) and u is the input of the notch (acceleration) command. In addition, D denotes the distance that will be traveled, Tf the desired arrival time in distance D along the railway, Te is the pulling force produced by the locomotive group, Ga is the gravitational drag that depends on the Train length, train marking and terrain in which the train is located, R is the net speed that depends on the drag of the combination of locomotive and train group. The initial and final speeds can also be specified, but without loss of generality, they are taken here as zero (train stopped at the beginning and at the end). Finally, the model is easily modified to include other important dynamics such as space between a change in acceleration, u, and the resultant or braking tensile force. Using this model, an optimal control formulation is configured to minimize the quantitative target function subject to restrictions including, but not limited to, speed limits and minimum and maximum power settings (acceleration). Depending on the planning objectives at any time, the problem may be the flexible configuration for minimize fuel subject to restrictions on emissions and speed limits, or minimize emissions, subject to restrictions on fuel usage and time of arrival. It is also possible to configure, for example, a goal to minimize the total travel time without restrictions on total emissions or fuel usage, wherein said relaxation of the restrictions may be permitted or required for the mission. All of these performance measures can be expressed as a linear combination of any of the following: 2. ™ tn Tf - Minimize Travel Time 3- min ^ í "-« † ~ Minimize notch handling (constant entry in the form of pieces) '') min [ { Duldtfdt - Minimize notch handling (continuous input) Replace the term fuel F in (1) with a term that corresponds to the production of emissions, for example, for emissions mn ÍE (u (t)) dt - Minimize consumption of total emissions In this equation, E is the amount of emissions in gm / hphr for each of the notches (or power configurations) .In addition, a minimization can be performed based on a weighted total of fuel and emissions.

A commonly used and representative objective function is therefore mine, jF (u (t)) dt + aTf + a2 (duldt) 2dt (OP) o o The coefficients of the linear combination will depend on the importance (weight) determined for each of the terms. When the vehicle operates on multiple types of fuel, the fuel term F is a combination of linear sum of the fuel efficiencies of each type of fuel used by the vehicle, as described in more detail below. It should be noted that in the equation (OP), u (t) is the optimization variable which is the continuous notch position. If an independent notch is required, for example, for older locomotives, the solution can be separated from the equation (OP), which can result in less fuel savings. The discovery of a minimum time solution is used (ai and a2 are set to zero) to find a minor link, the preferred mode is to solve the equation (OP) for various values of Tf with (3 set to zero. are familiar with solutions such as optimal problems, it may be necessary to join constraints, for example, speed limits along the path: 0 <v = SL (x) O when a minimum time is used, the goal, as an endpoint restriction must be maintained, for example, the total fuel consumed must be less than the one in the tank, for example, through: Where WF is the remaining fuel in tank Tf. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the equation (OP) may be in other forms as well and that what is presented above is an exemplary equation for use in the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the emissions within the context of the example embodiment of the present invention, it is actually directed towards cumulative emissions produced in the form of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon oxides (COx), unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter (PM), etc. However, other emissions may include, but are not limited to, a maximum value of the electromagnetic emission, such as a limit of radio frequency (RF) power output, measured in watts, for the respective frequencies emitted by the locomotive. Still another form of emission is the noise produced by the locomotive, normally measured in decibels (dB). An emission requirement may be variable based on the time of day, a season of the year and / or atmospheric conditions such as weather or level of air pollution. The emission regulations may vary geographically through a train system. For example, an area of operation such as a city or state may have specific emission objectives, and an adjacent area may have different emission targets, for example, a lower amount of allowable emissions or a higher payment charged by a given emission level. Therefore, an emission profile for a certain geographic area can be designed to include maximum emission variables for each of the regulated emissions, including in the profile to meet a predetermined emission target required for that area. Normally, for a locomotive, these emission parameters are determined by, but not limited to, power configuration (notch), environmental conditions, engine control method, etc. Through design, each locomotive must comply with EPA emission standards and therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention which optimizes emissions, this may refer to total mission emissions, for which there is no specification Current EPA. The operation of the locomotive according to the optimized route plan is always complying with EPA emission standards. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that because diesel engines are used in other applications, other regulations may also apply. For example, C02 emissions are considered in international treaties. If a key objective during the mission of travel is to reduce emissions, the formulation of optimal control, equation (OP), can be amended to consider this goal of travel. A key flexibility in the optimization configuration is that any or all of the travel objectives may vary by geographic region or mission. For example, for a high priority train, the minimum time may be the only target on a route due to its high priority traffic. In another example broadcast, the output may vary from state to state throughout and from the planned train route. To solve the resulting optimization problem, in an exemplary embodiment the present invention transcribes a problem of optimal dynamic control in the time domain to a problem of static mathematical programming, equivalent to decision variables N, where the number 'N' It depends on the frequency at which acceleration and braking adjustments are made and the duration of the journey. For typical problems, this N can be in thousands. For example, in an example mode, it is assumed that a train is traveling a section of railroad 172 miles in the southwestern United States. By using an embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary 7.6% saving can be made in the fuel used, as compared to a given path and followed using an embodiment of the present invention. versus a history of acceleration / speed of the real driver, where the route was determined by an operator. The improved savings are considered due to the optimization considered using the embodiment of the present invention that produces a driving strategy, both with less drag loss and little or no loss of braking, compared to the operator's travel plan. To elaborate the above-described computationally manageable optimization, a simplified train model can be employed, such as in Figure 2 and the equations described above. A key refinement to the optimal profile is produced by conducting a more detailed model with the optimal power sequence generated, to test if other thermal, electrical and mechanical constraints are being violated, leading to a modified profile with speed versus distance that is closest to a run that can be achieved without endangering the equipment of the locomotive or train, that is, satisfaction of the additional restrictions involved, such as thermal and electrical limits on the locomotive and inter-rail forces on the train. Referring again to Figure 1, once start 12 is started, power commands 14 are generated to set the plan in motion. Depending on the operation configuration of the embodiment of the present invention, a command is for the locomotive to follow the Optimized power command 16, in this way achieve the optimum speed. One embodiment of the present invention obtains real speed and power information from the locomotive groups of train 18. Due to the inevitable approximations in the models used for the optimization, a calculation of closed circuit corrections for optimized power can be obtained for Track the desired optimal speed. Said corrections of the operating limits of the train can be elaborated automatically or through the operator, who always has the final control of the train. In some cases, the model used in optimization may differ significantly from the actual train. This can happen for many reasons, including but not limited to, taking or leaving extra cargo, locomotives that fail on the route and errors in the initial database 63 or data entry by the operator. For these reasons, a monitoring system that is in place that uses data from the real-time train, estimates the locomotive and / or train parameters in real time 20. The estimated parameters are subsequently compared with the assumed parameters used when the route it was initially created 22. Based on any differences in the assumed and estimated values, the route can be planned again 24, there should be significant enough savings through the new plan. Other reasons why a tour can be planned again, it includes guidelines for a remote location, such as request by the dispatcher and / or operator for a change in objectives that are consistent with more global movement planning objectives. The more global movement planning objectives may include, but are not limited to, other train programs, allowing tunnel exhaust emissions, maintenance operations, etc. to dissipate. Another reason may be due to a failure on board a component. The strategies for planning again can be grouped into incremental and larger adjustments depending on the severity of the interruption, as described in more detail below. In general, a "new" plan must be derived from a solution of the optimization problem (OP) equation described above, although often faster approximate solutions can be found, as described in the present invention. In operation, the locomotive 42 will continuously monitor the efficiency of the system and will continuously update the route plan based on the real measured efficiency, provided that said update can improve the performance of the route. Newly planned computations can be carried out entirely within the locomotive (s) or completely or partially moved to a remote location, such as dispatch processing facilities or annexes, in where wireless technology is used to communicate the plans to the locomotive 42. A mode of the present invention can also generate efficiency trends that can be used to develop data from the locomotive fleet with respect to efficiency transfer functions. The data of the entire fleet can be used when the initial route plan is determined, and can be used for a wide network optimization negotiation when considering locations of a plurality of trains. For example, the travel time fuel usage negotiation curve, as illustrated in Figure 4, reflects the capacity of a train on a particular route at a current time, updated from assembly averages collected for many. Similar trains on the same route. Therefore, a central dispatch facility that collects Figure 4 curves of many locomotives can use that information to better coordinate general train movements to achieve a system-wide advantage in fuel use or performance. Many cases in daily operations can lead to the need to generate or modify a moment execution plan, when it is desired to maintain the same travel objectives, for when a train is not in program to comply with what was planned, or passes to another train and need to cover the time. Using the speed, power and real location of the locomotive, a comparison is made between a planned arrival time and the estimated arrival time of that moment (anticipated) 25. Based on a difference in the times, as well as the difference in parameters (detected or changed by the dispatcher or the operator), the plan 26 is adjusted. This adjustment can be made automatically following the wish of a railroad company how these departures from the plan should be handled or propose alternatives manually so that the operator or dispatcher on board decides in a united way, the best way to return to the plan. Whenever a plan is updated, but when the original objectives, such as but not limited to, arrival time, remain the same, additional changes may be factored concurrently, for example, new future speed limit changes, which may affect the feasibility of recovering the original plan at any time. In such cases, if the original route plan can not be maintained, or in other words the train does not have the capacity to meet the objectives of the original route plan, as described above, another plan (s) may be presented. travel to the operator and / or remote installation, or dispatcher. A new plan can also be made when you want to change the original objectives. Said new planning can be carried out either in previously fixed planned times, manually according to the operator or dispatcher, or autonomously when the previously defined limits are exceeded, such as operating limits of the train. For example, if the plan execution at that time is running late for more than a specified threshold value, such as thirty minutes, one embodiment of the present invention can reschedule the run to accommodate the delay with the cost of Increased fuel, as described above, or give notice to the operator and dispatcher of how long it can be done (for example, what is the minimum time to arrive or the maximum fuel that can be saved within a time constraint). Other triggers may also be considered for re-planning based on the fuel consumed or the status of the power groups, including but not limited to, time of arrival, loss of horse power due to a failure in the equipment and / or temporary equipment malfunction (such as operation with too much heat or too cold), and / or detection of burgos configuration errors, such as in the assumed train load. That is, if the change reflects damage in the performance of the locomotive for the course of that moment, this can be factorized in the models and / or equations used in the optimization. Changes in plan objectives may also arise from the need to coordinate events, where the plan for a train it compromises the ability of another train to meet objectives and arbitrage at a different level, for example, the dispatch office is required. For example, the coordination of fulfillments and passes can be optimized in an additional way through train-to-train communications. Therefore, as an example, if a train knows that it is delayed in the meeting time and / or pass, the communications of the other train can notify the train's delay (and / or dispatch). The operator can then enter information pertaining to the delay, in a modality of the present invention, which will recalculate the train's travel plan. The embodiment of the present invention can also be used at a high level, or network level, to allow a dispatcher to determine which train should slow down or accelerate it if a meeting time restriction and / or scheduled pass may not be met. . As described in the present invention, this is accomplished by transmitting data from the train to the dispatcher to organize in order of priorities how each train should change its planning objective. A lesson should depend either on the program or fuel savings benefits, depending on the situation. For any of the new plans initiated manually or automatically, the example mode of the present invention may present more than one plan to the operator. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention will present Different profiles to the operator, allowing the operator to select the arrival time and understand the impact on fuel and / or corresponding emission. Said information can be provided to the dispatcher for a similar consideration, either as a list of simple alternatives or as a plurality of negotiation curves, as illustrated in Figure 4. The example embodiment of the present invention has the ability to to learn and adapt the key changes in train composition and power that can be incorporated into either the current plan and / or future plans. For example, one of the activators described above is a loss of horsepower. When horsepower builds up over time, either after a loss of horsepower or when a run is started, a transition logic is used to determine when the desired horse power is achieved. This information can be stored in the locomotive database 61 to be used to optimize either future routes or the course of that moment if a loss of horsepower occurs again. Figure 3 illustrates an example embodiment of elements of the present invention. A locating element 30 is provided to determine the location of the train 31. The locating element 30 may be a GPS sensor, or a system of sensors, which determine the location of the train 31.

Examples of such other systems may include, but are not limited to, roadside devices, such as Radio Frequency Equipment (RF AEI) identification labels, dispatches, and / or video determination. Another system may include the tachometer (s) on board a locomotive and distance calculations from a reference point. As described above, the wireless communication system 47 can also be provided to allow communications between trains and / or to a remote location, such as a dispatch. Information regarding travel locations can also be transferred from other trains.

A railroad characterization element 33 is also provided to provide information regarding a railway track, primarily information regarding grade and elevation and curvature. The track characterization element 33 may include an onboard rail integrity data base 36. Sensors 38 are used to measure the pulling force 40 being drawn by what is contained in the locomotive 42, throttle configuration from the group of locomotives 42, information on the configuration of the locomotive group 42, speed of the locomotive group 42, configuration of the individual locomotive, capacity of the individual locomotive, etc. In an example embodiment, the configuration information of the locomotive group 42 can be loaded without the use of a sensor 38, although it is entered by other methods as described above. In addition, the health of the locomotives in all their components can be considered as well. For example, if a locomotive in the assembly does not have the ability to operate above a notch level of power 5, this information is used when optimizing the route plan. The locator element information can be used to determine an adequate arrival time of the train 31. For example, if there is a train 31 that moves along railway 34 to a destination, and there is no train following it after, and the train does not have a fixed fixed arrival time to adhere to, the locator element, including but not limited to the identification labels of the automatic radio frequency equipment (RF AEI), dispatch and / or video determination, can be used to calibrate the exact location of the train 31. In addition, the inputs of these signaling systems can be used to adjust the train speed. Using the on-board railroad database, which is described below, and the locator element, such as GPS, the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the operator interface to reflect the state of the signaling system at the location of the determined locomotive. In a situation where the signal states may indicate restrictive speeds, the glider may choose to slow down the train to conserve fuel consumption.

The information of the locator element 30 can also be used to change planning objectives, as a distance function for the destination. For example, due to the inevitable uncertainties with respect to congestion along the route, "faster" time objectives can be used in the early part of a route, in the form of a protection against delays that will occur statistically later. . If it happens in a particular route that there are no delays, the objectives can be modified in the final part of the trip to exploit the time of little activity accumulated previously, and in this way recover some fuel efficiency. A similar strategy can be invoked with respect to emission-restricted targets, for example, arrival in an urban area. As an example of the protection strategy, if a trip from New York to Chicago is planned, the system may have the option to operate the train more slowly at the beginning of the journey, or in the middle part of the route, or at the end of the route. The embodiment of the present invention can optimize the route plan to allow the slower operation at the end of the route due to unknown restrictions, such as but not limited to, climatic conditions, railroad maintenance, etc., which can be developed and go meet during the tour. As another consideration, if you know traditionally congested areas, the plan it is developed with an option to have more flexibility around these traditionally congested regions. Accordingly, the embodiment of the present invention may also consider the weighting / penalty as a function of time / distance in the future and / or based on known / past experience. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that such planning and re-planning take into consideration climatic conditions, railroad conditions, other railroad trains, etc., which can be taken into consideration at any time during the journey, where the travel plan will be adjusted accordingly. Figure 3, further describes other elements that may be part of the embodiment of the present invention. A processor 44 is provided which operates to receive information from locator element 30, railroad characterization element 33 and sensors 38. An algorithm 46 operates within processor 44. Algorithm 46 is used to computerize an optimized route plan based on parameters involving the locomotive 42, the train 31, the railway 34, and mission objectives, as described above. In an example embodiment, the route plan is established based on train performance models as the train 31 moves along the railway 34 as a solution of non-linear differential equations derived from physics with simplification assumptions that are provided in the algorithm. The algorithm 46 has access to the information of the locating element 30, railway characterization element 33 and / or sensors 38 to create the route plan that minimizes the fuel consumption of which a locomotive 42 is composed, minimizing the emissions of the vehicle. group of locomotives 42, establishing the desired travel time, and / or ensuring an adequate crew operating time on board the locomotive group 42. In an example embodiment, an operator or controller element 51 is also provided. As described in the present invention, the controlling element 51 is used to control the train as it follows the travel plan. In an exemplary embodiment described further in the present invention, the controlling element 51 autonomously makes decisions regarding the operation of the train. In another example mode, the operator may be involved in directing the train to follow the route plan. A requirement of the embodiment of the present invention is the ability to initially create and quickly modify in flight any plan that is being executed. This includes creating the initial plan when a long distance is involved, due to the complexity of the plan's optimization algorithm. When a total length of the travel profile follows a certain distance, a algorithm 46 to segment the mission, where the mission can be divided by coordinates to locate reference points. Although only a simple algorithm 46 is described, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that more than one algorithm can be used, wherein the algorithms can be connected together. The coordinates for locating landmarks may include natural locations where the train 31 stops, such as, but not limited to, dead lanes where an encounter with opposite traffic is scheduled, or pass with a train coming from behind that train, to occur in the rail of a single railway, or a dead lane of fields or industries where the wagons will be taken and left, and the locations of the planned operation. In said coordinates, the train 31 may be required to be in the location at a programmed time and be stopped or moved with a speed in a specified range. The duration of time from arrival to departure at the coordinates is called the stop time. In an exemplary embodiment, the embodiment of the present invention has the ability to break a long path into small segments in a special systematic way. Each segment can be somewhat arbitrary in length, although it is usually chosen in a natural location, such as a restriction of stop or significant speed, or in key markers that define the connections with other routes. Due to a division, or segment, selected in this way, a conduction profile is created for each segment of the railway as a function of time of travel taken as an independent variable, as shown in figure 4. The negotiation of used fuel / travel time associated with each segment, can be computerized before the train 31 reaches that segment of the railway. You can create a total route plan based on the driving profiles created for each segment. The example of the present invention distributes the travel time between all the segments of the route in an optimal way, so that the total required travel time is satisfied and the total fuel consumed in all the segments is as small as possible. In Figure 6, as described below, an example segment route 3 is described. Those skilled in the art will recognize however, although segments are described, that the route plan may comprise a single segment representing the route full. Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a fuel-usage / travel time curve. As mentioned above, said curve 50 is created when an optimum path profile is calculated for several travel times for each segment. That is, for a determined travel time 51, the fuel used 52 is the result of the detailed computerized driving profile as described above. Once travel times are assigned for each segment, a power / speed plan for each segment is determined from the previously computed solutions. If there are any speed restrictions of the coordinates between the segments, such as, but not limited to, a change in the speed limit, they are caused to coincide during the creation of the optimum path profile. If the speed restrictions change only in a single segment, the fuel usage / travel time curve 50 has to be re-computed only for the changed segment. This reduces the time to recalculate more parts, or segments, of the route. If the train or set of locomotives changes significantly along the route, for example, by the loss of a locomotive or take or leave of wagons, then the driving profiles for all subsequent segments must be re-computed creating new cases from curve 50. These new curves 50 can subsequently be used together with new program objectives to plan the remaining route. Once a route plan is created as described above, a trajectory of speed and power versus distance is used to reach a destination with minimum fuel and / or emissions in the required travel time.

There are several ways in which the route plan is executed. As provided in more detail below, in an exemplary embodiment, an instruction mode of the embodiment of the present invention displays information to the operator to continue and achieve the required speed power determined in accordance with the travel plan. optimum. In this mode, the operation information is required, operating conditions that the operator must use. In another exemplary embodiment, the acceleration and maintenance of a constant velocity are carried out through the embodiment of the present invention. However, when the train 31 is to be slowed down, the operator is responsible for applying a braking system 52. In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention commands power and braking as required to continue the speed path. desired distance. Feedback control strategies are used to provide corrections to the power control sequence in the profile to correct events such as, but not limited to, train load variations caused by fluctuation in the forward windings and / or rear windings. Another such error can be caused by an error in the parameters of the train, such as, but not limited to, mass and / or train drag, when compared with assumptions in the optimized route plan. It can happen a third type of error with the information contained in the railroad database 36. Another possible error may involve differences in non-modeled performance due to the engine, thermal decrease of the traction motor and / or other factors. The feedback control strategies compare the actual speed as a function of the position, with the speed in the desired optimal profile. Based on this difference, a correction is added to the optimal power profile to drive the actual speed towards the optimum profile. To ensure stable regulation, a compensation algorithm can be provided in which it filters the feedback velocities in the power corrections to ensure performance stability. Compensation may include standard dynamic compensation such as that used by experts in the design of control systems to meet performance objectives. The mode of the present invention allows the simplest, and therefore quickest, means to adapt changes in travel objectives, which is the rule, rather than the exception in train track operations. In an example mode to determine the optimal-fuel route from point A to point B, where there are stops along the way, and to update the route for the rest of the route once it has begun, you can use a sub-optimal decomposition method to find a optimal travel profile. Using modeling methods, the computation method can find the route plan with a specified travel time and initial and final speeds, to satisfy all speed limits and locomotive capacity restrictions when there are stops. Although the description below is aimed at optimizing the use of fuel, it can also be applied to optimize other factors, such as, but not limited to, emissions, schedule, crew comfort and cargo impact. The method can be used in the development of a route plan, and more importantly, to adapt to changes in objectives after a course has been started. As described above, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may employ a configuration such as illustrated in the example flow chart of Figure 5, and in the form of an example segment 3, illustrated in detail in FIG. Figure 6. As illustrated, the path can be broken into two or more segments, T1, T2 and T3. Although as described in the present invention, it is possible to consider the path as a single segment. As described in the present invention, segment boundaries may not result in equal segments. Rather, the segments use natural or mission specific limits. The optimal route plans are computerized previously for each segment. If the use of fuel versus travel time is the object of the route to be met, the fuel curves versus the travel time are constructed for each segment. As described in the present invention, the curves can be based on other factors, where the factors are objectives that will be fulfilled with a route plan. When the travel time is the parameter that is being determined, the travel time for each segment is computerized while satisfying all the general travel time restrictions at the same time. Figure 6 illustrates the speed limits of an example segment 3, of a distance of 200 miles 97. It also illustrates degree changes in the 200-mile route 98. A combined graph 99 is also shown illustrating curves for each segment of the fuel path used with respect to travel time. Using the optimal control configuration described above, the computational method of the present invention can find the route plan with a specified travel time and initial and final speeds, to thereby satisfy all speed limits and capacity constraints. the locomotive where there are stops. Although the detailed description below is aimed at optimizing fuel use, it can be applied to optimize other factors as described in the present invention, such as, but not limited to, emissions. A key flexibility is to adapt the desired stopping time at stops and to consider restrictions on earlier arrival and departure at a location such as may be required, for example, on simple railroad operations where the time to stay or arrive at a deadline is important. The modality of the present invention finds a fuel-optimal distance travel from D0 to DM, travel in time T, compared intermediate M-1 in Di, ..., DM- and with arrival and departure times in these stops restricted by fmln (/ ') = íarr (D¡) = fmax (/) -? G, farr (D¡) + ??, < fdep (D¡) = fmax () / = 1 M - 1 where farr (Di), fdep (D¡), and ??, are the arrival, exit and minimum stop time at stop / ', h, respectively. Assuming that fuel optimization involves minimizing the stoppage time, therefore tdep (D¡) = rarr (D¡) + Atj, which eliminates the second previous lack of equality. It is assumed for each = 1 M, that the fuel-optimal path from D / .1 to D¡ for the travel time t, Tm¡n (i) = t = 7 ~ max (/ '), is known. Let F, (f) be the use of a fuel that corresponds to this route. If the travel time from D, -1 to Dj is denoted T, then the arrival time in Dj is determined by í "" (ü,) = ¿(ry + Aí) where? G0 is defined as zero. The fuel-optimal path from D0 to DM of the travel time 7 is subsequently obtained by finding T i,? =, ...,?, Which minimizes subject to (0 =? (J +?, _,) < tm () - ??,. / = L, ..., M - 1 '? (7' / +? / > _?) = G Once the route is in progress, the aspect is to determine again the fuel-optimal solution for the rest of a route (originally O0 to DM in time 7) as the route is carried out, although the disturbances are exclude after the fuel-optimal solution. Let the running distance and speed be x and v, respectively, where D, .i < x = D¡ Likewise, let the current time from the beginning of the route be ract- Subsequently, the fuel-optimal solution for the rest of the route of DM, which retains the original time of arrival in DM, is obtained by finding T, T ¡, J = / + 1, ... / W, which minimizes subject to (m = tttCI + Ti = trrm (i) -Mi k '??. < * > = tac + 7+ j (7V +? /,.,) < ímax (*) -? / j * = í + l M tocl + T ~ +? (TJ + AtH) = T Here, Fj (t x, v) is the fuel-used for the optimal path from x to D ,, traveled at time t, with an initial velocity at x of v. As described above, an example form to allow a more efficient new planning is to build the optimal solution for a stop-to-stop route from split segments. For the path of D (-1 to Dit with the travel time T, we choose a set of intermediate points Du, j = 1 N, -1, leaving D, 0 = DM and DiN = D ,.

Then express the fuel-use for the optimal path of D (- to D ,, as: where fij (t, vi, ^, v, j) is the fuel-use for the optimal path of a, D, traversed at time t, with initial and final velocities of y v,. Also, t¡¡ is the time in the optimal path that corresponds to the distance Djj. Through the definition tiN¡ - tl0 = T¡. Since the train stops at Di0 and DiNi, vi0 = viNi = 0. The above expression allows the function Fj (t) to be determined in an alternative way by first determining the functions f, y (), 1 < j = N, subsequently finding t,?, 1 < j = N¡ and v¡j, 1 < j < N, which minimizes A Fi. { t) = lJfii. { riJ, vi¡j_l, vil) subject to ('.i') = VJ) J = l-, N, ~ 1 0 By choosing D¡¡ (for example, in speed restrictions or meeting points), vmax - vmin can be minimized. { i, i), minimizing in this way the domain through which you need to know f¡¡. { ). Based on the previous division, a simpler sub-optimal re-planning form than that described above, is to restrict the re-planning to the times in which the train is at distance points D,;, 1 < / < M, 1 < j = N¡. At the point Djjt the new optimal path from D, 7 to DM can be determined by finding xik, j < k = N¡, vik, j < k < N¡, and xmn, ¡< m = M, 1 < n = Nm, vmn, i < m = M, 1 = n < Nm, which minimizes subject to '«*, (? =' < ,, +? Tik +? (Tm + Afm_,) <tm («) - t "n = i +?.,.,? - 1 where An additional simplification is obtained by waiting in the re-computation of Tm, i < m = M, until the distance point Dj is reached. In this form, the points D i, between DM and D, the previous minimization needs to be carried only through T / FR, j < k = N¡, vik, j < k < N¡ T i is incremented as necessary to accommodate any real travel time longer than D (- to D, to the planned.This increment is subsequently compensated, if possible, by the re-computation of Tm, / < m < M, at distance point D¡ With respect to the closed loop configuration described above, the total input energy required to move a train 31 from point A to point B, consists of the sum of four components, specifically the difference in kinetic energy between points A and B, the difference in potential energy between points A and B, the loss of energy due to friction and other drag losses, and the energy dissipated by the application of braking. Assuming that the start and voltage velocities are equal (for example, stationary), the first component is zero. In addition, the second component is independent of the seizure strategy. Therefore, it is sufficient to minimize the sum of the last two components. After a constant speed profile, the loss of drag is minimized. After a constant speed profile, the total energy input is also minimized when there is no need to brake to maintain a constant speed. However, if braking is required to maintain a constant speed, applying braking just to keep the speed constant will probably increase the total required energy due to the need to renew the energy dissipated by the brakes. There is a possibility that some braking can actually reduce the use of total energy, if the additional braking loss is greater than the compensation for the resulting reduction in drag loss caused by braking, reducing the speed variation. After completing a new plan from the collection of the cases described above, a new optimal notch / speed plan can be followed using the closed-loop control described here. However, in some situations there may not be enough time to carry out the decomposed planning by segment described above, and particularly when there are critical speed restrictions that must be respected, an alternative is needed. The embodiment of the present invention achieves this with an algorithm referred to as "intelligent crossover control". The intelligent crossover control algorithm is an effective way to generate, in flight, a sub-optimal prescription of energy efficient (hence efficient fuel) to operate the train 31 through a known terrain. This algorithm assumes knowledge of the position of the train 31 along the railway track 34 at all times, as well as knowledge of the grade and curvature of the railway track versus position. The method depends on a mass-point model of the movement of the train 31, whose parameters can be estimated in the form of adaptation of line measurements of the train movement, as described above. The intelligent crossover control algorithm has three main components, specifically a modified speed limit profile that serves as an energy-efficient guide around the speed limit reductions; an ideal accelerator or dynamic braking configuration profile that attempts to balance when minimizing speed and braking variation; a mechanism for combining the last two components to produce a notch command, employing a speed feedback circuit for compensate for the mismatches of the modeled parameters when compared with real parameters. Smart crossover control can accommodate strategies in the embodiment of the present invention, which do not activate the braking (that is, the driver is signaled and it is assumed that the requirement braking is provided) or a variant that activates the braking. With respect to the crossover control algorithm which does not control dynamic braking, the three example components are a modified speed limit profile that serves as an efficient energy guide around speed limit reductions, a directed notification signal to notify the operator when braking should be applied, an ideal accelerator profile that attempts to balance between speed variation minimization and notification to the operator to apply braking, a mechanism that employs a feedback loop to compensate for mismatches of model parameters with real parameters. Also included in the embodiment of the present invention is a method for identifying key parameter values in the train 31. For example, with respect to the mass estimate of the train, a Kalman filter and a least squares method can be used of resource to detect errors that can develop over time. Figure 7 illustrates an example flow chart of the embodiment of the present invention. As previously described, a remote installation, such as a dispatch 60 may provide information to the embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, said information is provided to an executive control element 62. The executive control element 62 is also provided with the modeling information database of the locomotive 63, the information of a railway track database 36. , such as, but not limited to, railway grade information and speed limit information, estimated train parameters such as, but not limited to, train weight and drag coefficient, and fuel range tables from of a fuel range estimator 64. The executive control element 62 supplies information to the glider 12, which is described in greater detail in figure 1. Once a route plan has been calculated, the plan is provided to a driving annunciator, driver or controlling element 51. The route plan is also provided to the executive control element 62, so that it can compare the route when they are provided or new data. As described above, the driving advertiser 51 can automatically adjust a notch power, either a pre-set notch configuration or an optimal, continuous notch power. In addition to supplying a speed command to the locomotive 31, provides a screen 68 so that the operator can see what the glider has recommended. The operator also has access to a control panel 69. Through the control panel 69 the operator can decide to apply the recommended notch power. For this purpose, the operator can limit a directed or recommended power. That is, at any time the operator always has final authority with respect to which power configuration the locomotive set will operate on. This includes deciding the braking application if the route plan recommends decreasing the speed of the train 31. For example, if the operation is in a dark territory, or when the information of the equipment on the edge of the road can not transmit information electronically to a train, and rather the operator observes visual signals from the team on the edge of the road, the operator enters commands based on the information contained in the railway's database and the visual signals of the team at the edge of the road. Based on how the train 31 is operating, information regarding the fuel measurement is provided to the fuel range estimator 64. Since the direct measurement of fuel flows is not normally available in a set of locomotives, all the information regarding the fuel consumed within a route and future projections following the optimal plans, is carried out using calibrated physical models, such as those used in the development of optimal plans. For example, such predictions may include, but are not limited to, the use of measured horse power embroiders and known fuel characteristics to derive the cumulative fuel used. The train 31 also has a locator apparatus 30 such as a GPS sensor, as described above. The information is supplied to the train parameter estimator 65. Such information may include, but is not limited to, GPS sensor data, traction / braking force data, braking status data, speed and any changes in data from speed. With the information relating to the grade and speed limit information, information of the weight and drag coefficients of the train is provided to the executive control element 62. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the use of continuously variable power throughout the optimization planning, and implementation of closed circuit control. In a conventional locomotive, the power is normally quantified at eight independent levels. Modern locomotives can perform a continuous variation in horsepower, which can be incorporated in the optimization methods described above. With continuous power, the locomotive 42 can further optimize the operating conditions, for example, by minimizing auxiliary loads and transmission losses of power, and fine-tuning the horsepower regions of the engine for optimal efficiency, and to points of emission margins implemented. The example includes, but is not limited to, minimizing cooling system losses, adjusting alternator voltages, adjusting engine speeds and reducing the number of energized axles. In addition, the locomotive 42 can utilize the on-board rail track database 36 and the predicted performance requirements to minimize auxiliary loads and power transmission losses to provide optimum efficiency for the fuel consumption / target emissions. Examples include, but are not limited to, reducing a number of energized axles in a flat terrain and pre-cooling the engine of the locomotive before entering a tunnel. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention also utilizes the on-board rail track database 36 in the expected performance to adjust the performance of the locomotive, such as to ensure that the train has sufficient speed as it arrives at a mountain and / or tunnel. For example, it can be expressed as a speed restriction in a particular location that becomes part of the generation of the optimal plan created to solve the equation (OP). In addition, the embodiment of the present invention may incorporate train handling rules, such as, but not limited to, traction force ramp ranges, power ramp ranges of maximum braking. These can be incorporated directly into the formulation for an optimum path profile or alternatively incorporated into the closed-loop regulator used to control the application of power to achieve the target velocity. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said mode is installed only on a front locomotive of the train assembly group. Even though the embodiment of the present invention does not depend on data or interactions with other locomotives, it can be integrated with a group administrator, such as described in US Patent No. 6,691,957 and in Patent Application No. 10 / 429,596 ( that belong to the Assignee and both are incorporated as reference), functionality and / or functionality of the group optimizer to improve efficiency. The interaction with multiple trains is not excluded as illustrated in the example of the arbitration of the dispatch of two trains "independently optimized" described here. Trains with distributed power systems can operate in different modes. One mode is where all the locomotives in the train operate in the same notch command. Therefore, if the main locomotive is commanding the conduction - N8, all the units in the train will be commanded to generate the driving power - N8. Another mode of operation is "independent" control. In this mode, The locomotives or groups of locomotives distributed along the train can be operated in different powers of driving or braking. For example, as a train passes over the top of a mountain, the main locomotives (on the descending slope of the mountain) can be placed in braking, while the locomotives in the middle or at the end of the train (in the ascending slope of the mountain) may be in conduction. This is done to minimize the tensile forces to the mechanical couplers that connect the wagons and the locomotives. Traditionally, the operation of the distributed power system in the "independent" mode requires that the operator will manually command each locomotive or set of remote locomotives through a screen in the main locomotive. Using the physics-based planning model, ten configuration information, on-board railroad database, on-board operation rules, location determination system, real-time closed-circuit power / braking control and sensor feedback, the system must automatically operate the distributed power system in "independent" mode. When operating in the distributed power, the operator in a main locomotive can control the operating functions of the remote locomotives in the remote set through a control system, such as an element of distributed power control. Therefore when operating in a distributed power, the operator can command each set of locomotives to operate at a different notch power level (or one set can be in driving and the other can be in braking) where each individual locomotive in the set of locomotives operates in the same notch power. In an exemplary embodiment, with the embodiment of the present invention installed in the train, preferably in communication with the distributed power control element, when a notch power level of a set of remote locomotives is desired as recommended by the optimized route plan, the modality of the present invention will communicate this power configuration to the set of remote locomotives for its implementation. As described below, the same is true with respect to braking. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be used with assemblies in which the locomotives are not contiguous, for example, with 1 or more locomotives in front, others in the middle and in the rear part of the train. These configurations are called distributed power, where the standard connection between the locomotives are replaced by radio link or an auxiliary cable to externally link the locomotives. When operating in distributed power, the operator in a main locomotive it can control the operating functions of the remote locomotives in the group through a control system, such as a distributed power control element. In particular, when operating in distributed power, the operator can command each group of locomotives to operate at a different notch power level (or one group may be driving and the other may be in braking), where each individual locomotive in the locomotive group operates in the same notch power. In an example embodiment of the present invention installed in the train, preferably in communication with the distributed power control element, when a notch power level is desired for a group of remote locomotives as recommended by the optimized route plan , the embodiment of the present invention will communicate this power configuration to the group of remote locomotives for its implementation. As described below, the same is true with respect to braking. When operating with distributed power, the optimization problem described above can be improved to allow additional degrees of freedom, in that each of the remote units can be controlled independently from the main unit. The value of this is that additional objectives or constraints that relate to in-train forces can be incorporated into the performance function, assuming that The model is also included to reflect the forces in-train. Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention may include the use of multiple throttle controls to better manage in-train forces, as well as fuel consumption and emissions. In a train that uses a group manager, the main locomotive in a group of locomotives can operate in a different notch power configuration than the other locomotives that are in the group. The other locomotives in the group operate in the same notch power configuration. The embodiment of the present invention can be used together with the group administrator to command the notch power settings for the locomotives in the group achieved. Therefore, based on the embodiment of the present invention, since the group administrator divides a group of locomotives into two groups, the main locomotive and the towing units, the main locomotive will be commanded to operate at a certain power of notch and the drag locomotives will be commanded to operate in another certain notch power. In an exemplary embodiment, the distributed power control element may be the system and / or apparatus in which this operation is housed. Similarly, when using a group optimizer with a group of locomotives, the mode of this invention can be used together with the group optimizer to determine the notch power for each locomotive in the locomotive group. For example, it is assumed that a route plan recommends a notch power setting of 4 for the locomotive group. Based on the location of the train, the group optimizer will take this information and subsequently determine the notch power setting for each locomotive in the group. In this implementation, the efficiency of the configuration of the notch power configurations with respect to the intra-rail communication channels is improved. In addition, as described above, the implementation of this configuration can be carried out using the distributed control system. In addition, as described above, the embodiment of the present invention can be used for continuous corrections and re-planning with respect to when the train group uses braking based on input aspects of interest, such as but not limited to, railroad crossings, grade changes, arrival at dead roads, arrival at deposit fields and arrival at fuel stations where each locomotive in the group may require a different braking option. For example, if the train is reaching a mountain, the main locomotive may have to enter a braking condition while the remote locomotives, which have not Arrived at the peak of the mountain they may have to remain in a driving state. Figures 8, 9 and 10 show exemplary illustrations of dynamic displays for use by the operator. As provided, in Figure 8, a travel profile 72 is provided. A location 73 of the locomotive is provided within the profile. Information such as train length 105 and carriage number 106 is provided on the train. Elements are also provided with respect to the grade of rail 107, curve and elements on board road 108, including location of bridge 109 and speed of train 110. Screen 68 allows the operator to see such information and also see when the train It is along the route. Information corresponding to distance and / or estimated time of arrival is provided to locations such as intersections 112, signals 114, speed changes 116, landmarks 118 and destinations 120. A time-of-arrival management tool 125 is also provided to allow the user to determine the fuel savings that are being made during the trip. The operator has the ability to vary arrival times 127 and witness how this affects fuel savings. As described in the present invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that fuel savings is an example of only one objective that can be reviewed with a management tool.

For this purpose, depending on the parameter that is being seen, other parameters can be seen, described here and evaluated with a management tool that is visible to the operator. The operator is also supplied with information regarding how much the train is being operated by the crew. In example modalities, the time and distance information can be illustrated as the time and / or distance until a particular event and / or location can provide a total elapsed time. As illustrated in FIG. 9, an example screen provides information regarding group data 130, a graph of events and situations 132, a time-of-arrival management tool 134, and action keys 136. It is also provided on this screen, information similar to the one described above. This screen 68 also provides action keys 138 to allow the operator to plan again, as well as disengage 140 from the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 illustrates another example mode of the screen. Typical data of a modern locomotive including air brake condition 72, analog speedometer with digital inserts 74 and information regarding the tensile force in pounds force (or traction amperes for CD locomotives) are visible. An indicator 74 is provided to show the current optimum speed in the plan that is being executed, as well as an accelerometer chart to supplement the reading in mph / minute. The new important data for an optimal plan execution is in the center of the screen, including a rolling strip graph 76 with optimal velocity and notch configuration versus distance compared to the history of that moment of these variables. In this example mode, the train location is derived using the locator element. As illustrated, the location is provided by identifying how far the train is from its final destination, an absolute position, an initial destination, an intermediate point and / or an operator input. The graph of the tape provides a top view of the changes in speed required to follow the optimal plan, which is useful in manual control, and monitors the plan versus the real during automatic control. As described in the present invention, such as when in the steering mode, the operator can either follow the notch or the speed suggested by the embodiment of the present invention. The vertical bar provides a graph of a real desired notch, which is also displayed digitally below the ribbon graph. When continuous notch power is used, as described above, the screen will simply round off the nearest independent equivalent, the screen can be an analog screen so that an analog equivalent or a percentage or horses of force / real traction will be deployed. Critical information is displayed on the route status on the screen, and shows the grade in which the train is at that moment, either by the main locomotive 88, a location anywhere along the train or an average in the length of the train. Also described is a distance traveled in plan 90, cumulative fuel used 92, where the distance to the next stop is planned 94, the expected arrival time of that moment and projected 96 will be at the next stop. Screen 68 also shows the maximum possible time to the possible destination with the available computerized plans. If a later arrival is required, a new plan can be carried out. The delta plan data shows the state of expenses for fuel and programming or corresponding to the optimal plan at that moment. Negative numbers mean less fuel or an early arrival compared to the plan, positive numbers show more fuel or a late arrival compared to the plan, and usually in the negotiation in opposite directions (when you slow down to save fuel you will causes the train to arrive late and vice versa). Every time you are screens 68 provide the operator with a screenshot of where you are with with respect to the division plan instituted at that time. This plan is for illustrative purposes only, since there are many other ways to deploy / transport this information to the operator and / or dispatch. For this purpose, the information described above can be intermixed to provide a different deployment to those described. Other features that may be included in the embodiment of the present invention include, but are not limited to, allowing the generation of records and data reports. This information can be stored on the train and downloaded to an outboard system at some point in time. Downloads can occur through manual and / or wireless transmission. This information can also be seen by the operator through the locomotive screen. The data may include information such as, but not limited to, operator inputs, the time system is operational, fuel saved, fuel imbalance through the locomotives on the train, off-course train journeys, diagnostic emissions from the system such as the GPS sensor is working well. Since the route plan must take into consideration the operating time of the allowable crew, the modality of the present invention may take such information into consideration as a planned route. For example, if the maximum time a crew can operate is After eight hours, then the route should be modeled to include a detention location for a new crew to take the place of that crew. Said locations of specified stops may include, but are not limited to, train stations, meeting / passing locations, etc. If, as the travel progresses, the travel time may be exceeded, the mode of the present invention may be mastered by the operator to meet the criteria as determined by the operator. Finally, regardless of the operating conditions of the train, such as but not limited to a high level load, low speed, train expansion conditions, etc., the operator remains in control to command a speed and / or operation condition. of the train. Using the embodiment of the present invention, the train can operate in a plurality of operations. In an operation concept, the embodiment of the present invention can provide commands to command the proportion, dynamic braking. Subsequently, the operator manages all other train functions. In another operation concept, the embodiment of the present invention can provide commands to command only the propulsion. The operator then handles dynamic braking and all other functions. In yet another operating concept, the embodiment of the present invention can provide commands to command propulsion, dynamic braking and application of air brakes. He operator subsequently handles all other train functions. Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described with respect to rail vehicles, specifically trains and locomotives having diesel engines, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are also applicable for other uses, such as but not limited to passenger vehicles. motorways, marine vehicles and stationary units, which each can use a diesel engine. For this purpose, when a specific mission is described, this includes a task or requirement to be carried out by the diesel-powered system. Subsequently, with respect to railway, marine or motorway vehicle applications, this may refer to the movement of the system from a present location to a destination. In the case of stationary applications such as but not limited to a stationary power generating station or network of power generation stations, a specific mission may refer to a wattage amount (eg, MW / hr) or other parameter or requirement to be satisfied by the system energized with diesel. Likewise, the operating condition of the unit that generates the energy with diesel fuel, may include one or more of speed, load, fuel load value, synchronization, etc.

In an example involving marine vessels, a plurality of trailers may be operating together, where all are moving the same larger vessel, where each trailer is linked in time to accomplish the mission of moving the larger vessel. In another example, a marine vessel may have a plurality of engines. Off-road vehicles (OHV) can involve a fleet of vehicles that have the same mission to move on land, from location A, to location B, where each OHV is linked in time to achieve the mission. The mode of the present invention can also be used to notify the operator of the next items of interest of the actions that will be taken. Specifically, the forecasting logic of the mode of the present invention, the continuous corrections and re-planning to the optimized route plan, the tracking database, the operator can be notified of upcoming junctions, signals, changes of grade, braking actions, dead lanes, train stations, fuel stations, etc. This notification may occur in audible form and / or through the operator interface. Specifically, using the physics-based planning model, the train configuration information, the on-board tracking database, the on-board operation rules, the location determination system, the control of energy / closed circuit brake in real time and sensor feedback, the system must submit and / or notify the operator of the required actions. The notification can be visual and / or audible. Examples include notifying intersections that require the operator to activate the locomotive's horn and / or bell, notification of "silent" crossovers that do not require the operator to activate the locomotive's horn or bell. In another example mode, using the physics-based planning model described above, the train configuration information, the on-board tracking database, the on-board operation rules, the location determination system, the control Power / real-time closed loop braking and sensor feedback, the embodiment of the present invention can present the operator with information (eg, a gauge on the screen) that allows the operator to see when the train will arrive at the various locations such as illustrated in figure 9. The system should allow the operator to adjust the route plan (target arrival time). This information (actual estimated arrival time or information needed for outboard derivation) can also be communicated to the dispatch center to allow the dispatcher or dispatch system to adjust the target arrival times. This allows the system to adjust quickly and optimized for the appropriate objective function (for example, speed and fuel usage negotiation). Figure 11 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, including a system 10 'for operating a vehicle 31'. The vehicle may include a train 31 'with one or more locomotive groups 42', as illustrated in Figure 11, an off-highway vehicle (OHV), a marine vehicle, or any similar vehicle that includes an engine that operates in a plurality of types of fuel. The plurality of fuel types include one or more diesel-based fuels and one or more alternative fuels. More particularly, each alternative fuel may include one of biodiesel, palm oil and rapeseed oil. Accordingly, although Figures 1 to 14 illustrate the system 10 'for operating the train 31' with one or more groups of locomotives 42 ', the system can similarly apply to OHV and marine vehicles. Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with respect to rail vehicles, specifically trains and locomotives having diesel engines, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention also apply to other uses, such as, but not limited to, off-highway vehicles. road, marine vessels and stationary units, each of which can use a diesel engine. For this purpose, when a mission is described Specifies, this includes a task or requirement to be carried out through the diesel-powered system. Therefore, with respect to the railway line, applications for marine or off-highway vehicles, this may refer to the movement of the system from a present location to a destination. In the case of stationary applications, such as but not limited to a station or network for generating stationary power from power generating stations, a specific mission may refer to a wattage amount (eg, MW / hr) or other parameter or requirement to be satisfied through the diesel-powered system. Likewise, the operating condition of the diesel-powered power generation unit may include one or more of speed, load, fuel value, synchronization, etc. In an example comprising marine vessels, a plurality of trailers can operate together, when all are moving the same larger vessel, where each trailer is linked in time to accomplish the mission of moving the larger vessel. In another example, a simple marine vessel may have a plurality of engines. Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) may involve a fleet of vehicles that have the same mission to move land, from location A to location B, where each OHV is linked in time to accomplish the mission.

The system includes a locator element 30 'to determine a location of the locomotive group 42'. The locator element 30 'may be a GPS sensor, or a system of sensors, which determine a location of the train 31'. Examples of such other systems may include, but are not limited to, roadside devices, such as automatic radio frequency identification (RF AEI) identification labels, dispatch and / or video determination. Another system may include the tachometer (s) on board a locomotive and distance calculations from a reference point. A wireless communication system 47 'may also be provided to allow communication between trains and / or to a remote location, such as a dispatch. You can also transfer information about route locations from other trains. The system 10 'further includes a characterization element 33' for providing information with respect to the terrain 34 '(for example railway) of the group of locomotives 42'. The track characterization element 33 'may include an on-board integrity database of the railway track 36'. Sensors 38 'are used to measure the pulling force 40' which is being carried by the locomotive group 42 ', the accelerator configuration of the locomotive group 42', the configuration information of the locomotive group 42 ', group speed of locomotives 42 ', configuration of the individual locomotive, capacity of the individual locomotive, etc. In an example embodiment, the configuration information of a group of locomotives 42 'can be loaded without the use of a sensor 38', in which case the configuration information can be loaded by an input device. The input apparatus can be coupled with the processor 44 'to transfer the characteristic information of each type of fuel among the plurality of fuel types to the processor, including at least the fuel efficiency, emission characteristics, respective tank volume, availability of cost or availability of location. The input apparatus can provide the characteristic information of each plurality of fuel types through either the remote location, an on-road apparatus, or a manual entry through the user. In addition to the characteristic information of each plurality of fuel types, the strength of the locomotives in the group can also be considered. For example, if a locomotive in the group does not have the ability to operate above a notch level of power 5 (when a specific type of fuel is used) this information is used when optimizing the route plan. The information of the locator element 30 'can also be used to determine an adequate arrival time on the train 31'. For example, if there is a train 31 'that moves along the railway 34' towards a destination, and there is no train following behind, and the train does not have a fixed arrival time limit to which to adhere, locator element 30 ', including but not limited to identification labels of automatic radio frequency equipment (RF AEI) dispatch and / or determination of video, can be used to calibrate the exact location of train 31 '. In addition, the inputs of this signaling system can be used to adjust the train speed. By using the on-board tracking database, as described below, and locating element, such as GPS, the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the operator interface to reflect the state of the signaling system at the location of the determined locomotive. In a situation where the signal states may indicate costs of restrictive speeds, the glider may choose to slow down the train to conserve fuel consumption. The information of the locator element 30 'can also be used to change the planning objectives as a function of distance to destination. For example, due to the unavoidable uncertainties with respect to congestion along the route, "faster" time objectives may be employed in the anticipated part of a route as a protection against delays that statistically may occur later. If it happens on a particular tour that there are no delays, the objectives in one part Delayed travel can be modified to exploit the low activity time previously accumulated, and in this way recover some fuel efficiency. A similar strategy can be invoked with respect to targets with emission restrictions, for example, when arriving in an urban area. As an example of the protection strategy, if a trip from New York to Chicago is planned, the system may have the option to operate the train at slower speed either at the beginning of the route or at the middle of it or at the end of it . The mode of the present invention can optimize the route plan to allow a slower operation at the end of the route, since unknown restrictions can be developed, or know during the course, such as but not limited to climatic conditions, maintenance of the railways, etc. As another consideration, if traditionally congested areas are known, the plan is developed with an option to have more flexibility around these traditionally congested regions. Accordingly, the embodiment of the present invention may also consider the weight / penalty as a function of time / distance in the future and / or based on known / past experience. Those skilled in the art will recognize that such planning and re-planning take into consideration climatic conditions, road conditions. railway, other trains on the railway, etc., which can be taken into consideration at any time during the route when the route plan is adjusted accordingly. The database 36 'illustrated in Figure 11 can be used additionally to store characteristic information for each plurality of fuel types. Said information characteristic of each type of fuel for each group of locomotives includes one or more of fuel efficiency, emission range, tank volume respect, availability of cost, location availability and any other characteristics of each type of fuel relevant in optimizing the performance of the locomotive group. Figure 11 further illustrates a processor 44 'that can operate to receive information from the locator element 30', the track characterization element 33 ', and the database 36'. At the moment when the processor 44 'receives the information, an algorithm 46' embedded within a processor 44 'with access to the information creates a route plan that optimizes the performance of the group of locomotives 42', according to one or more operating criteria of the locomotive group. Said operating criteria may include the departure time, arrival time, speed limit restrictions along the locomotive group railroad, emission range restrictions and mileage range throughout of the railroad tracks of the locomotive group and any other criteria relevant to the route. Algorithm 46 'is used to computerize an optimized route plan based on parameters involving the locomotive 42', the train 31 ', the railway 34' and objectives of the mission. The algorithm 46 'can create a route plan based on models for the behavior of the train, as the train 31' moves along the railway 34 ', as a solution of non-linear differential equations derived from physics with assumptions of simplification that are provided in the algorithm. The algorithm 46 'has access to the information of the locator element 30', the characterization element 33 ', the database 36' and / or sensors 38 '. For marine vehicles, the processor 44 'may not consider information from a railroad characterization element, since the topography of the railway is not applied to the path of the marine vehicle. However, database 36 'may include sound emission restrictions of each location, including port areas and no port, based on location information of locator element 30'. The algorithm 46 'for marine vehicles can employ a route plan to minimize the total fuel consumed for all types of fuels subject to sound emission restrictions in each region, for example. For off-road vehicles, the characterization element 33 'may providing information on the topography of the predetermined course of the off-road vehicle and the database 36 'may include emission and mileage restrictions at each location, as with the locomotives described above. In an example embodiment, the algorithm 46 'creates a route plan that minimizes the total fuel consumed of all types of fuel of the group of locomotives 42', subject to operating criteria of the locomotive group, including emission range limits during the tour, for example. For example, the algorithm 46 'can create a route plan to minimize the total fuel consumed for each fuel type of the plurality of fuel types of the locomotive group 42', subject to a maximum emission range of 5.5 g / HP -hr, in addition to other operating criteria described above. More particularly, the algorithm 46 'creates a route plan that minimizes the total fuel consumed for each type of fuel of the plurality of fuel types, where the total fuel consumed includes a weighted sum with weighted coefficients of each respective fuel consumed by each type of respective fuel. According to the equations described in the above modalities, the total fuel consumed can be calculated using an equation for the total fuel mileage range, expressed as: F = ki * F + k2 * F2 + ... where F is the total fuel efficiency (time range) for all the plurality of fuel types, and F2 are the respective fuel efficiencies for fuels # 1 and # 2, and ki and k2 are the respective weighted coefficients of fuels # 1 and # 2. Although the fuel efficiency time range is determined above, it can be converted to a fuel efficiency distance range and the total fuel consumed can be computed correspondingly by integrating F through the distance that constitutes the overall travel. In the minimization of the total fuel consumed by each fuel type, the algorithm 46 'determines each respective weighted coefficient for each respective fuel type for the route plan, which minimizes the total fuel consumed for the plurality of fuel types of the fuel group. locomotives 42 '. For example, when the locomotive group 42 'fuels # 1 and # 2 are operated, the algorithm 46' can employ a route plan that minimizes the total fuel consumed by the group of locomotives 42 ', determining a weighted coefficient so that the fuel # 1 is 0.3, and a weighted coefficient for fuel # 2 is 0.7. Each weighted coefficient for each type of fuel depends on several factors including, the respective fuel emission range, season of the year, availability of cost, reliability of the system when it operates in each type of fuel, volume of tank of respective volume and availability of location. The weighted coefficient varies with the fuel emission range, since the particular criteria of travel and operation may involve low or high limits of the particular emission range based on the location, and consequently the fuel emission range is considered respective when the weighted coefficient is evaluated. Since a particular fuel may be in full during a particular season or a particular region, even if it is diminished in another season or region. As illustrated in Figure 3, the respective tank volume is considered, since each respective fuel is maintained in the respective fuel tanks 27,37 and its respective volume levels 29,39 in said tanks, coupled with the rancid tanks. of mileage, which indicates the rest of the fuel range for the respective fuel. Algorithm 46 'compares whether the remaining range of a particular fuel with the distance to a future stop of the locomotive group, when each weighted coefficient is computed, and whether that fuel is available to be refilled at each particular stop.

In an exemplary embodiment, algorithm 46 'creates a route plan that minimizes the total emission output of each fuel type from the plurality of fuel types. fuel of the group of locomotives 42 ', subject to operating criteria of the group of locomotives, including limits of mileage range during the route, for example. For example, the algorithm 46 'can create the route plan to minimize the emission output of each fuel type from the plurality of fuel types of the locomotive group 42', subject to a maximum mileage range of 10 mpg, in addition of the other operation criteria described above. More particularly, the algorithm 46 'creates a route plan that minimizes the total emission output of each fuel type from the plurality of fuel types, where the total emission output includes a weighted sum with weighted coefficients of each output of the fuel. respective emission of each respective type of fuel. According to the equations described in previous modalities, the total emission output can be calculated using an equation for the total emission range, expressed as: E = * E + l2 * E2 + ... where E is the range of total emission (time range or distance range) of all the plurality of fuel types, and E2 are the respective emission ranges of fuels # 1 and # 2, and and l2 are the respective weighted coefficients of fuels # 1 and #2. In the minimization of the emission output of each type of fuel, the algorithm 46 'determines each coefficient weighted respective for each respective fuel type of the route plan, which minimizes the total emission output of the plurality of fuel types of the group of locomotives 42 '. For example, when the locomotive group 42 'fuels # 1 and # 2 are operated, the algorithm 46' can create a route plan that minimizes the total emission output of the locomotive group 42 ', determining a weighted coefficient so that fuel # 1 is 0.8, and a weighted coefficient for fuel # 2 is 0.2. Each weighted coefficient of each type of fuel depends on several factors, including the respective fuel mileage range, season of the year, cost availability, fuel reliability, respective fuel tank volume and location availability, in terms of its availability gross in each of the location and region restrictions, including emission restrictions in each location. The weighted coefficient varies with the fuel mileage range since the particular criteria of travel and operation may involve particular low or high fuel mileage limits, and consequently the mileage range of the respective fuel is considered when evaluating the weighted coefficient . It considers the availability of location and the season of the year, since a particular fuel may be in full during a particular season or region in particular, although decreased in another season or region. As illustrated in Figure 11, the respective tank volume is considered, since each respective fuel is maintained in respective fuel tanks 27 ', 37' and their respective volume levels 29 ', 39' in said tanks, coupled with the mileage ranges, indicates the remaining range of a respective fuel. Algorithm 46 'compares the remaining range of a particular fuel with the distance to a future stop of the locomotive group, when each weighted coefficient is computed, and if that fuel is available for filling at each particular stop. Although Figure 11 illustrates respective fuel tanks 27 ', 37, for respective fuel types, each fuel tank 27', 37 'can be used to maintain different types of fuel at different times during the course of a locomotive. Each fuel tank 27 ', 37 can include sensors of each type of fuel. In an exemplary embodiment, each sensor can be used to identify what type of fuel is inside each fuel tank 27 ', 37 at different times. The sensors may include sensors that identify a type of fuel within each fuel tank 27 ', 37, based on the information provided by the locomotive 10', including manual sensors, fuel type information transmitted in a form electronics from a fuel source, such as an adjacent railroad or locomotive, and location information where the fuel tank 27 ', 37 is filled. The processor 44 'may include fuel type information for each location where the filling takes place. The sensors can further identify a type of fuel within each fuel tank 27 ', 37, based on properties of the type of fuel within each tank 27', 37, detected by the locomotive. Such properties may include physical properties of each type of fuel, including viscosity and density, for example, in chemical properties of each type of fuel, including fuel value, for example. These properties for each type of fuel can be detected by sensors or devices inside the locomotive. The sensors can identify a type of fuel within each fuel tank 27 ', 37 based on the performance characteristics of the locomotive, such as, for example, the engine performance of the locomotive, while evaluating the input and output properties of the locomotive. output of each type of fuel to the engine. For example, for the engine of the locomotive to produce 1000 HP, the fuel regulator may include an entry requirement of stored fuel A of 200 gallons, although a requirement of fuel B of 250 gallons. Correspondingly, the type of fuel within each tank 27 ', 37 can be identified by evaluating the input and output characteristics of the stored fuel, for example, the characteristics of the engine of the locomotive. In an algorithm 46 'which creates a route plan and determines each weighted coefficient for each fuel in particular of the plurality of fuel types, each weighted coefficient can be stored in the database 36' for subsequent recovery when the group of locomotives 42 'starts the journey again. In addition, the weighted coefficients can be shared with other groups of similar locomotives with the same plurality of fuels that take part in similar routes to minimize the total fuel consumed. In addition, the algorithm 46 'can create a route plan that establishes a desirable travel time and / or ensure an adequate crew operating time on board the group of locomotives 42'. In an exemplary embodiment, a driver, or controller element 51 ', is also provided. As described in the present invention, the controlling element 51 'is used to control the train as it follows the route plan. In an exemplary embodiment further described in the present invention, the controlling element 51 'autonomously takes decisions regarding the operation of the train. In another example mode, the operator may be involved with the train address for follow up on the route plan. A feature of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is the ability to initially create and quickly modify on the flight any plan that is being executed. This includes creating the initial plan when a long distance is involved, due to the complexity of the plan's optimization algorithm. When a total length of the travel profile exceeds a certain distance, an algorithm 46 'can be used to segment the mission where the mission can be divided into coordinates to locate reference points. Although only a simple algorithm 46 'is described, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that more than one algorithm can be used, when the algorithms can be connected together. The coordinate for locating reference points may include natural locations where the train 31 'stops such as, but not limited to, dead lanes where the encounter with opposite traffic is scheduled to occur on a rail of a single railroad, or a pass with a train that is behind the train at that time, or on dead rails of stations or industries where the cars will be taken and left, and the planned operations locations. In said coordinates for locating reference points, it may be required that the train 31 'be in the location at a programmed time and stop or move with a speed in a specific range. The duration of time from arrival to departure at coordinates to locate reference points, it is called stop time. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention also has the ability to break a longer path into smaller segments in a special systematic way. Each segment can be somewhat arbitrary in length, although it is usually taken in a natural location such as a stop or a significant speed restriction, or in key landmarks that define junctions with other routes. In the algorithm 46 'that creates a path profile within each segment, the weight coefficients for the total fuel consumed or the total emission output of each fuel that the plurality of fuels in each respective segment, varies with the length of the segment . In addition, as illustrated in Figures 12 to 14, a user interface element 68 'is connected to the processor and selectively displays the volume of each respective fuel type of the plurality of fuel types. In Figure 12, the user interface element 68 'can select between the various types of fuels using a selection button 123', and see the cost savings of each particular fuel in a part of arrival time management 125 'of screen 68'. In Figure 13, the user can select between different types of fuel using the 139 'selection button and see the savings in cost projected for each particular fuel in the arrival time management part 134 'of the screen 68'. In addition, in Figure 14, the user can select which fuel among the plurality of fuel types is primary and secondary. After designating the primary and secondary fuels, the user can press the primary fuel selection button 79 'to see the projected remaining 81' miles of the primary fuel in their respective tank, and the amount of primary fuel below / above the plan of travel, in the fuel part delta 82 '. In addition, the user can press the secondary fuel selection button 80 'to see the projected remaining miles 81' of the secondary fuel in his respective tank, and similarly, the amount of secondary fuel below / above the route plan, in the fuel part delta 82 '. To see the projections of the mix of primary and secondary fuels, the user can press the fuel mix selection button. The other elements of the system 10 'not described in the present invention, indicated with the premium annotation, are similar to the elements of the above embodiments, and do not require additional description. The other elements, not described in the embodiment of the system 10 'of the present invention, are similar to the elements of the embodiment of the system 10' of the present invention. invention described above, with the premium notation, and do not require additional description. Another embodiment of the present invention describes a method for operating a vehicle. The vehicle may include a train 31 'with one or more groups of locomotives 42', as illustrated in Figure 11, an off-road vehicle (OHV), a marine vehicle or any similar vehicle that includes an engine that operates in a plurality of types of fuel. The plurality of fuel types includes one or more diesel-based fuels and one or more alternate fuels. More particularly, each alternative fuel may include either biodiesel, palm oil or rapeseed oil. According to the method for operating the train 31 'with one or more locomotive groups 42', it can apply similarly to OHV's and marine vehicles. Each group of locomotives 42 'includes an engine that operates on a plurality of fuel types. The method includes determining the location of the group of locomotives 42 ', providing information regarding a terrain (for example railway) 34' of the group of locomotives 42 ', and storing information characteristic of each type of fuel. More particularly, the method includes creating a route plan that optimizes the performance of the locomotive group according to one or more operating criteria of the locomotive set.

The characteristic information of each type of fuel for each locomotive group includes at least one fuel efficiency, emission efficiency, respective tank volume, availability of cost and location availability. The creation of a route plan includes minimizing the total fuel consumed by each type of fuel of the locomotive group. More particularly, minimizing the total fuel consumed of each type of fuel includes minimizing a weighted sum that has weighted coefficients of each respective fuel consumed of the plurality of fuel types. In addition, the method includes determining the respective weighted coefficients of the route plan that minimize the total fuel consumed for each fuel type of the locomotive assembly. Figure 15 illustrates one embodiment of a method 200 for operating at least one vehicle 31 ', wherein each vehicle 31' includes a motor that operates on at least one type of fuel. The method begins (block 201) by determining (block 202) the location of the vehicle, followed by providing (block 204) information regarding the terrain of each vehicle. In addition, the method 200 includes sto (block 206) information characteristic of each type of fuel, and creating (block 208) a route plan that optimizes the performance of each vehicle according to one or more operating criteria of the vehicle. vehicle, before finalizing (block 210). Based on the above specification, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be implemented using programming techniques and computer enginee including software, firmware, computer hardware or any combination or subgroup thereof, wherein the technical effect is optimize the performance of a vehicle according to one or more operating criteria. Any resulting program, having computer readable code means, may be represented or provided within one or more computer-readable media, thereby making a computer program product, i.e., an article of manufacture, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The computer-readable medium can be, for example, a fixed (hard) disk drive, floppy disk, optical disk, magnetic tape, semi-conductor memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), etc., or any means of transmission / reception such as the Internet or another network or communication link. The article of manufacture containing the computer code can be elaborated and / or used by executing the code directly from a medium, copying the code from one medium to another medium, or transmitting the code through a network. An expert in the computer science technique, will have the ability to easily combine the software created as described with a computer hardware for general purposes or suitable special purposes, such as a microprocessor, to create a computer system or compute subsystem that represents the method of one embodiment of the present invention. An apparatus for making, using or selling an embodiment of the present invention may be one or more processing systems including, but not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), memory, storage apparatus, device links of communication, servers, I / O devices, or any subcomponents of one or more processing systems, including software, firmware, hardware or combinations or groups thereof which represents in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in what is currently considered to be a preferred embodiment, many variations and modifications may be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the embodiment of the present invention not be limited to the specific illustrative embodiment, but be interpreted within the spirit and total scope of the appended claims.

Claims (30)

1. CLAIMS 1. A system for operating at least one vehicle, each vehicle including an engine that operates on at least one type of fuel, wherein the system comprises: a database for storing information characteristic of each of at least one type of gas; a processor that operates to receive information from the database; and an algorithm represented within the processor that has access to the database information of each of at least one type of fuel, to create a route plan that optimizes the performance of at least one vehicle according to one or more criteria of operation of the at least one vehicle;
2. 2. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: a locating element for determining the location of the vehicle; a characterization element for providing information regarding the terrain of the at least one vehicle; wherein the processor operates to receive information from the database, the locator element and the characterization element; and where the algorithm represented within the processor has access to the information of the database, the locator element and the characterization element for create the route plan that optimizes the performance of the at least one vehicle according to one or more operating criteria of the at least one vehicle.
3. The system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the vehicle comprises one of a train having one or more locomotive groups, an off-road vehicle (OHV) and a marine vehicle.
4. The system as described in claim 3, characterized in that the characteristic information of each of at least one type of fuel of each vehicle, comprises at least one fuel efficiency, emission efficiency, respective tank volume, availability of cost and availability of location.
5. The system as described in claim 4, characterized in that the algorithm creates a route plan to minimize the total fuel consumed of at least one type of fuel of the at least one vehicle.
6. The system as described in claim 5, characterized in that the route plan minimizes the total fuel consumed of at least one type of fuel according to an operating criterion of at least one vehicle comprising at least one limit of emission range.
7. The system as described in claim 5, characterized in that the minimization of the total fuel consumed at least one type of fuel comprises minimizing a weighted sum having weighted coefficients of each respective fuel consumed of at least one type of fuel; and wherein the algorithm determines each respective weighted coefficient of the route plan that minimizes the total fuel consumed by each of at least one type of fuel of at least one vehicle.
8. The system as described in claim 7, characterized in that the at least one weighted coefficient of each of at least one respective type of fuel depends on at least one of a range of emission, cost availability, fuel reliability , volume of respective fuel tank and availability of location of each type of respective fuel.
9. 9. The system as described in the claim 8, characterized in that at least one weighted coefficient of a particular path and at least one vehicle is stored in the database for subsequent recovery when at least one vehicle starts the journey again.
10. 10. The system as described in the claim 9, characterized in that the path comprises a plurality of segments, and wherein at least one weight coefficient in each respective segment varies with the length of the segment.
11. 11. The system as described in the claim 4, characterized in that the algorithm creates a route plan to minimize the total emission output of at least one type of fuel of the at least one vehicle.
12. The system as described in claim 11, characterized in that the route plan minimizes the total emission output of each of at least one type of fuel according to an operating criterion of at least one vehicle comprising the minus a fuel mileage range limit.
13. 13. The system as described in the claim 11, characterized in that the minimization of the total emission output of the at least one type of fuel comprises minimizing a sum having weighted coefficients of each respective emission output of each fuel of at least one type of fuel; and wherein the algorithm determines each respective weighted coefficient of the route plan that minimizes the total emission output of each of at least one type of fuel of at least one vehicle.
14. 14. The system as described in the claim 13, characterized in that each of at least one weighted coefficient of each of at least one respective fuel type, depends on at least one fuel efficiency, cost availability, fuel reliability, respective fuel tank volume and availability of fuel. Location of each type of respective fuel.
15. 15. The system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the at least one type of fuel comprises at least one fuel based on diesel and at least one alternate fuel.
16. 16. The system as described in claim 15, characterized in that the at least one alternative fuel comprises biodiesel, palm oil or rapeseed oil.
17. 17. The system as described in the claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises an input device in communication with the processor for transferring the characteristic information of at least one type of fuel to the processor, the characteristic information comprising at least one of fuel efficiency, emission efficiency, respective tank volume. , availability of cost, availability of location.
18. The system as described in claim 17, characterized in that the input apparatus comprises information characteristic of the at least one type of fuel provided by at least one of a remote location, an on-board apparatus of the road, and a user .
19. 19. The system as described in claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises a user interface element connected to the processor.
20. 20. The system as described in claim 19, characterized in that the user's interface element selectively displays the volume of each of the at least one respective type of fuel already used during the journey, and the remaining future anticipated mileage for each at least one type of respective fuel.
21. 21. The system as described in claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises a controlling element for independently directing the train to follow the route plan.
22. 22. The system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the operator directs the train to follow the route plan.
23. 23. The system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the algorithm autonomously updates the route plan as the train progresses in one path.
24. 24. A method for operating at least one vehicle, each vehicle including an engine that operates on at least one type of fuel, wherein the method comprises: a) determining the location of the vehicle; b) provide information with respect to a plot of the at least one vehicle; c) storing characteristic information of each of at least one type of fuel; d) create a route plan based on the information regarding the terrain and the information characteristic of each type of fuel that optimizes the performance of at least one vehicle according to one or more operating criteria of the at least one vehicle.
25. 25. The method as described in the claim 24, characterized in that the vehicle comprises a train having one or more groups of locomotives, an off-road vehicle (OHV) or a marine vehicle.
26. 26. The method as described in the claim 25, characterized in that the characteristic information of each of at least one type of fuel of each vehicle, comprises at least one fuel efficiency, emission efficiency, respective tank volume, availability of cost and location availability.
27. 27. The method as described in the claim 26, characterized in that the creation of a route plan comprises minimizing the total fuel consumed of at least one type of fuel of the at least one vehicle.
28. 28. The method as described in the claim 27, characterized in that the minimization of the total fuel consumed of at least one type of fuel comprises minimizing a weighted sum that has weighted coefficients of each respective fuel consumed of at least one type of fuel.
29. 29. The method as described in claim 28, characterized in that it comprises determining the respective weight coefficient of the route plan that minimizes the total fuel consumed by each of at least one type of fuel of the at least one vehicle.
30. 30. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions for a method for operating at least one vehicle, each vehicle including an engine that operates on at least one type of fuel, the method comprising determining the location of the vehicle, providing information regarding to the terrain of the at least one vehicle, storing characteristic information of each of at least one type of fuel, wherein the computer readable medium comprises: a computer program code to create a route plan that optimizes the performance of at least a vehicle according to an operating criterion of at least one type of fuel of the at least one vehicle.