Claims
- 1. A method of controlling the movement of plural trains over a network of tracks using a network wide computer-based movement planner which creates a movement plan for planning the movement of the trains traveling over the network, the network having at least one control area, with a dispatcher being assigned to manage the movement of trains for a control area in accordance with the movement plan, comprising:
(a) predicting the occurrence of events along the network based on the movement plan; and (b) prompting the respective dispatcher to take specific actions as a function of the predicted events.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said prompting includes requesting the dispatcher to provide information relating to the predicted event.
- 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising updating the movement plan as a function of the information provided by the dispatcher.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said prompting comprises interacting with the dispatcher via an interactive display enabling the dispatcher to request modifications to the movement plan.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said prompting comprises enabling the dispatcher to request an analysis of a hypothetical modification to the movement plan via an interactive display.
- 6. The method of claim 4 wherein said prompting comprises requesting the dispatcher to select a new way point for a train.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said prompting comprises:
(i) generating a task list of activities to be performed by the dispatcher as a function of the predicted occurrence of events; and (ii) monitoring the completion of the activities specified on the task list by the dispatcher.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said prompting is a function of non-compliance of actual events with the predicted events.
- 9. The method of claim 2 wherein said requesting includes providing the dispatcher with forms pre-filled with known information.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said predicting includes accessing historical performance information to predict future compliance with movement plan.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said accessing comprises accessing information relating to configuration of work locations for trains performing specific types of activities.
- 12. The method of claim 10 wherein said accessing comprises accessing crew performance statistics.
- 13. The method of claim 10 wherein said accessing comprises accessing dispatcher statistics.
- 14. The method of claim 10 wherein said accessing comprises accessing yard capacity and work flow in the yard.
- 15. The method of claim 1 wherein said predicting includes determining train performance as a function of train characteristics.
- 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said determining comprises evaluating information relating to the type of train.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said determining comprises evaluating information relating to horsepower capacity and weight of the train.
- 18. The method of claim 1 wherein said prompting includes displaying indicia of track location for predicted occurrences as a function of time.
- 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said displaying comprises showing a graph of train location.
- 20. The method of claim 18 wherein said displaying comprises showing planning arrows for the planned route of a selected train on a graphical trackline display.
- 21. The method of claim 18 wherein said displaying comprises showing indicia of track location for predicted occurrences as a function of time at a display location remote from the display location of the dispatcher.
- 22. The method of claim 18 wherein said displaying comprises showing information about trains which are approaching the dispatcher's control area.
- 23. The method of claim 18 wherein said displaying comprises alerting the dispatcher of trains requiring issuance of a new movement authority.
- 24. A method of controlling the movement of plural trains over a network of tracks using a network wide computer-based movement planner which creates a movement plan for planning the movement of the trains traveling over the network, the network having at least one control area with a dispatcher being assigned to manage the movement of trains for a control area in accordance with the movement plan, comprising:
(a) generating a task list of activities to be performed by the respective dispatcher as a function of the movement plan; (b) monitoring the execution of the activities specified on the task list by the dispatcher; and (c) prompting the dispatcher to provide information relating to the execution of activities identified on the task list.
- 25. The method of claim 24 further comprising updating the network-wide movement plan as a function of the execution of the activities by the dispatcher.
- 26. The method of claim 24 wherein said generating further comprises:
(i) monitoring the movement of trains through the control area, and (ii) prompting a desired activity of the dispatcher as a function of the movement of the trains.
- 27. The method of claim 24 wherein said generating comprises:
(i) receiving movement reports regarding the trains in the control area, and (ii) prompting a desired activity by the dispatcher on the basis of the non-receipt of a movement report.
- 28. The method of claim 24 wherein said prompting includes transmitting forms to the dispatcher that are required to be submitted as a function of the movement of the trains.
- 29. The method of claim 28 wherein said prompting includes automatically loading the forms with information related to the activity known at the time the forms are presented to the dispatcher.
- 30. The method of claim 29 wherein said loading comprising entering the appropriate track authority information for the train.
- 31. The method of claim 29 wherein said transmitting comprises communicating a dynamically configurable form of the appropriate authority type.
- 32. The method of claim 24 wherein said prompting comprises notifying the dispatcher to assign a helper locomotive.
- 33. A method of controlling the movement of plural trains over a network of tracks using a network wide computer-based movement planner which creates a movement plan for planning the movement of the trains traveling over the network, the network having at least one control area with a dispatcher being assigned to manage the movement of trains for a control area in accordance with the movement plan, comprising:
(a) monitoring the movement of trains in accordance with the movement plan; (b) identifying incidents of non-conformance with the movement plan; and (c) alerting the respective dispatcher of an identified incident.
- 34. The method of claim 33 wherein said monitoring includes receiving periodic movement reports from the train and wherein said identifying includes determining non-receipt of an expected movement report.
- 35. The method of claim 33 wherein said alerting includes the step of prompting the dispatcher to provide information related to the identified incident.
- 36. The method of claim 35 wherein said prompting includes automatically providing the dispatcher with a form prefilled with information to report information relating to the identified incident known at the time the form is presented to the dispatcher.
- 37. The method of claim 36 wherein said providing comprises communicating a delay report
- 38. The method of claim 33 further comprising informing dispatchers of other control areas of the identified incident.
- 39. The method of claim 33 wherein said alerting includes communicating information relating to an identified incident for at least one train of a linked activity.
- 40. A computer program product for use with a railway computer assisted train dispatching system for controlling the movement of plural trains over a network of tracks; the dispatching system using a network-wide computer-based movement planner which creates a network-wide movement plan for planning the movement of the trains traveling over the network, the network having at least one control area with a dispatcher assigned to a control area to manage the movement of trains in accordance with the movement plan, said computer program product comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for assisting the dispatcher in controlling the movement of trains; said computer readable program code modules comprising: computer readable first program code module for causing a computer to predict the occurrence of events based on the provided portion of the movement plan; and computer readable second program code module for causing a computer to prompt the dispatcher to take specific actions as a function of the predicted events.
- 41. A computer program product for use with a railway computer assisted train dispatching system for controlling the movement of plural trains over a network of tracks; the dispatching system having a computer-based movement planner which creates a network-wide schedule for each of the trains traveling over the network, the network having at least one control area with a dispatcher assigned to a control area to control the movement of trains in accordance with the movement plan, said computer program product comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in said medium for assisting the dispatcher in controlling the movement of trains; said computer readable program code modules comprising: computer readable first program code module for causing a computer to monitor the execution of the activities specified on the task list by the dispatcher.; and computer readable second program code module for causing a computer to prompt the dispatcher to take specific actions as a function of the predicted events.
- 42. A method of controlling the movement of plural trains over a network of tracks using a network wide computer-based movement planner which creates a movement plan for planning the movement of the trains traveling over the network, the network having at least one control area, with a dispatcher being assigned to manage the movement of trains for a control area in accordance with the movement plan, comprising:
(a) predicting the occurrence of events along the network based on the movement plan; (b) providing an interactive display of the predicted events; and (c) receiving information inputted through the interactive display related to the predicted occurrence of events.
- 43. The method of claim 42 wherein said receiving includes communicating a request for the reservation of track resources.
- 44. The method of claim 43 wherein said communicating includes requesting an issuance of a movement authority at a time in the future.
- 45. The method of claim 42 wherein said receiving includes communicating information from other than a dispatcher.
- 46. The method of claim 42 wherein said receiving includes communicating a train bulletin having a bulletin item recognizable to a computer based movement planner.
- 47. The method of claim 42 wherein said receiving includes communicating a change of the train operating rules recognizable to a computer based movement planner.
- 48. The method of claim 42 further comprising establishing a communications link with a train as a function of the information received from the interactive display.
- 49. The method of claim 46 wherein said communicating comprises communicating a configurable bulletin item recognizable to a computer based movement planner.
- 50. The method of claim 46 wherein said communicating comprises communicating a planning constraint recognizable to a computer based movement planner.
- 51. The method of claim 50 comprising the further step of updating the movement plan using said communicated planning restraint.
- 52. The method of claim 42 further comprising establishing a communications link with a train as a function of the location of the train.
- 53. The method of claim 1 wherein said predicting comprises determining the appropriate time to issue a train bulletin and the appropriate train route for the train bulletin.
- 54. The method of claim 53 wherein said prompting comprises tasking the dispatcher to issue the train bulletin at the appropriate time.
- 55. The method of claim 54 wherein said prompting further comprises automatically issuing the train bulletin at the appropriate time.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/449,849 filed on Feb. 27, 2003.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60449849 |
Feb 2003 |
US |