BACKGROUND

Technical Field

Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to vehicle handling systems and methods.

Discussion of Art

Some known vehicle systems include multiple vehicles connected together so that the vehicles can travel together. Such vehicle systems can be referred to as consists. Some rail vehicle systems can include multiple consists that include locomotives (or other powered rail vehicles) providing propulsive force. This coupling can be mechanical in nature, and/or can be communicative or logical in nature. Logical coupling involves vehicle to vehicle and/or vehicle to wayside communication along with a vehicle control system. Wayside refers to systems that are located offboard of the particular vehicle being referenced.

A vehicle handling system can control parts of a group of vehicles that are moving in a controlled fashion. The group can include vehicles in the front, middle, and rear sections, and/or the group can include vehicles that move left, middle, and right (in the direction of travel), and/or the group can include vehicles that are high, middle, and low when referring to, for example, air, land, and submersible vehicles. While the separate components of the group are communicatively connected together, a variable distance exists between the component vehicles. For example, as the group moves along a path, the distance between vehicles may stretch and contract to maintain assured safe stopping distance. Accordingly, slack may exist between various components of a group. The resulting slack may lead to run-ins or run-outs in relation to the components of the group. This may not be optimal system efficiency.

Slack occurs when the rear section of a group stretches or otherwise extends away from a front section. The rear section of the group may accelerate to a speed faster than the front section, which may cause a collision between vehicles of the group. Conversely, when the rear section of the group moves closer to the front section such that vehicles of the group may be bunched together, a possibility of a run-out exists in that the front section of the group may accelerate to a speed faster than the rear section. During a run-out, a whipping action may cause group vehicles to break apart from one another.

Certain vehicle systems include multiple vehicles that travel together along a route or path. Suitable vehicles systems may include vehicles such as on road trucks, trams, mining equipment, passenger vehicles, marine vessels, aircraft, and the like. The multiple vehicles in one or more vehicle system may travel generally in a line, similar to rail vehicles. However, as the vehicle system travels along a curve in the route, second vehicles that are behind a first vehicle in a direction of movement of the vehicle system may deviate from a travel path or trajectory undertaken by the first vehicle. For example, since the vehicles are not restricted laterally between two lanes of a path, one or more of the second vehicles may take a smaller turning radius or a larger turning radius than the first vehicle around a curve. The one or more second vehicles that deviate from the travel path of the first vehicle may cross a boundary along the route, potentially causing a collision with an object, such as another vehicle system, a tree, a building, an embankment, a telephone pole, a pedestrian, or the like. Such a collision may be undesirable. It may be desirable to have a system or method that differs from those that are currently available.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a handling unit comprising a communication device and a controller. The communication device receives first position data at least for a first vehicle of a vehicle system and second position data for a second vehicle of the vehicle system relative to a route on which the vehicle system is traveling. The communication device can send and receive data to and from at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The controller determines that at least the first vehicle is entering into a curved portion of the route through which the vehicle system is traveling. A control signal is generated based at least in part on the first and second position data as the first vehicle approaches or travels through the curved portion of a route. The first and second vehicles are spaced apart from each other by a separation distance. The controller can change an operating parameter of at least one of the first and second vehicles to control at least one of the separation distance and a deviation distance between a travel path taken by the first vehicle and a travel path taken by the second vehicle through the curved portion of the route.

In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a system comprising a communication device and a controller. The communication device receives first position data at least for a first vehicle of a vehicle system and second position data for a second vehicle of the vehicle system relative to a route on which the vehicle system is traveling. The communication device can send and receive data to and from at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The controller determines that at least the first vehicle is entering into a curved portion of the route through which the vehicle system is traveling. A control signal is generated based at least in part on route specific information and on the first and second position data as the first vehicle approaches or travels through the curved portion of a route, and the first and second vehicles are spaced apart from each other by a separation distance. The controller can change an operating parameter of at least one of the first and second vehicles to control at least one of the separation distance and a deviation distance between a travel path taken by the first vehicle and a travel path taken by the second vehicle through the curved portion of the route.

In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving first position data at least for a first vehicle of a vehicle system and second position data for a second vehicle of the vehicle system relative to a route on which the vehicle system is traveling. The method determines that at least the first vehicle is entering into a curved portion of the route through which the vehicle system is traveling. A control signal is generated based at least in part on the first and second position data as the first vehicle approaches or travels through the curved portion of a route, and the first and second vehicles are spaced apart from each other by a separation distance. An operating parameter of at least one of the first and second vehicles is changed to control at least one of the separation distance and a deviation distance between a travel path taken by the first vehicle and a travel path taken by the second vehicle through the curved portion of the route.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system that may include a vehicle system including a plurality of vehicles. The vehicle system may travel along a route. Multiple location determination devices are onboard vehicles that form the vehicle system. The location determination devices may output generate position data regarding a location of at least one of the plurality of vehicles. A handling unit is in communication with the plurality of location determination devices. The handling unit may receive the position data from the plurality of location determination devices and control separation distances between the plurality of vehicles based on the position data.

The handling unit may control at least two of the plurality of vehicles as the vehicle system travels through a curved portion of the route. The handling unit may maintain one or more of the separation distances within a determined safe separation range. The determined separation range may be between a lower safe separation distance threshold and an upper safe separation distance threshold.

A vehicle system including a plurality of vehicles along a route may be operated by receiving (by a handling unit) position data regarding the plurality of vehicles from a plurality of location determination devices onboard vehicles in the vehicle system, and controlling (by the handling unit) separation distances between one or more of the plurality of vehicles based on the position data. With the handling unit, separation distances between the plurality of vehicles may be controlled or adjusted based at least in part on features of the route as determined by a route guidance unit that is part of, or in communication with, the handling unit.

In one embodiment, the handling unit may control at least two of the plurality of vehicles as the vehicle system travels through a curved portion of the route. The method may include using the handling unit to maintain one or more of the separation distances within a determined safe separation range. The determined safe separation range may be between a lower safe separation distance threshold and an upper safe separation distance threshold.

