Control system and method for remotely isolating powered units in a rail vehicle system

US8538608B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Mikhail Meltser · Buffalo Grove, US
• Timothy John Medema · Arlington Heights, US
• John William Brand · Melbourne, US
• Jared Klineman Cooper · Melbourne, US
• Todd William Goodermuth · Melbourne, US
• David Allen Eldredge · Melbourne, US
• Robert James Foy · Melbourne, US
• Christopher McNally · Traverse City, US
• Joseph Forrest Noffsinger · Lee's Summit, US
• David Lowell McKay · Melbourne, US
• Patricia Sue Lacy · McKean, US
• Kristopher Ryan Smith · Melbourne, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 9, 2009
• Grant date: Sep 17, 2013
• Expiry date: Mar 20, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B61L15/0058
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A control system for a rail vehicle system including a lead powered unit and a remote powered unit is provided. The system includes a user interface, a master isolation module and a slave controller. The user interface is disposed in the lead powered unit and is configured to receive an isolation command to turn on or off the remote powered unit. The master isolation module is configured to receive the isolation command from the user interface and to communicate an instruction based on the isolation command. The slave controller is configured to receive the instruction from the master isolation module. The slave controller causes the remote powered unit to supply tractive force to propel the rail vehicle system when the instruction directs the slave controller to turn on the remote powered unit. The slave controller causes the remote powered unit to withhold the tractive force when the instruction directs the slave controller to turn off the remote powered unit.