Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes a controller configured to generate a control signal that dictates operation of a propulsion system of a vehicle having an engine and an electrically driven superturbocharger or a turbo-compounding turbine. Responsive to determining that the vehicle is one or more of entering into or traveling within an airflow restricting area, the controller is configured to change the operation of the propulsion system of the vehicle by reducing a power output by the engine. The controller is configured to reduce the power output by the engine to increase a power output of the electrically driven superturbocharger or the turbo-compounding turbine to propel the vehicle through the airflow restricting area.

Abstract: Systems and methods for correlating wireless communication performance with vehicle system configurations determine wireless message characteristics of wireless messages communicated with vehicles in vehicle systems and locations along a route where the wireless message characteristics were determined. The wireless message characteristics and the locations can be determined during movement of the vehicle systems along a route. Consist configuration information about the one or more vehicle systems is obtained, and a signal propagation profile is determined based on the wireless message characteristics, the locations where the wireless message characteristics were determined, and the consist configuration information. The signal propagation profile can represent one or more relationships between the wireless message characteristics, the consist configuration information, and the locations along the route.

Abstract: A system and method for examining a route and/or vehicle system obtain a route parameter and/or a vehicle parameter from discrete examinations of the route and/or the vehicle system. The system includes a controller and route examination equipment. The route examination equipment obtains a route parameter indicative of a condition of a route over which a vehicle system travels. The controller receives the route parameter, and examines the route parameter to determine the condition of the route. The controller can control at least one operational aspect of the vehicle system in response to the determined condition of the route.

Abstract: A trolley interfacing device for interfacing a traction load to a voltage source is presented. The trolley interfacing device includes a first charging unit coupled in parallel to the voltage source. Further, the trolley interfacing device includes a second charging unit coupled in parallel to the traction load, where the second charging unit includes at least one inductor. Also, the trolley interfacing device includes a pre-charging unit coupled in parallel to the second charging unit and configured to pre-charge the first charging unit with a voltage across the at least one inductor prior to electrically coupling the first charging unit to the voltage source. In addition, the trolley interfacing device includes a voltage converting unit disposed between the first charging unit and the second charging unit and configured to step down a voltage provided by the voltage source to the traction load.

Abstract: A locomotive control system may include first and second robotic machines and a task manager. The first and second robotic machines have respective first and second sets of capabilities for interacting with a surrounding environment. The task manager selects the first and second robotic machines from a group to perform a task based on the first and second sets of capabilities of the robotic machines. The task involves manipulating and/or inspecting a target object of a vehicle. The task manager assigns a first sequence of sub-tasks to be performed by the first robotic machine and a second sequence of sub-tasks to be performed by the second robotic machine. The first and second robotic machines are configured to coordinate performance of the first sequence of sub-tasks by the first robotic machine with performance of the second sequence of sub-tasks by the second robotic machine to accomplish the task.

Abstract: A power converter includes primary and secondary bridges, a transformer, and a controller configured to generate a switching mode map that correlates each of a plurality of switching modes to a respective set of value ranges of system parameters of the power converter. The sets of system parameter value ranges are contiguous and non-overlapping across the switching mode map, each of the plurality of switching modes includes gate trigger voltage timings for commuting at least one of the primary and secondary bridges. The controller is configured to obtain a plurality of measured system parameter values, select from the switching mode map one of the plurality of switching modes that correlates to the set of system parameter values containing the plurality of measured system parameter values, and adjust gate trigger voltage timings of at least one of the primary and secondary bridges, according to the selected switching mode.

Abstract: A system includes one or more processors configured to be operably coupled to a vehicle system configured to travel along a route during a trip. The vehicle system has a vehicle particulate filter (VPF) disposed within an exhaust passage of the vehicle system. The one or more processors are configured to determine, based on trip information about the trip of the vehicle system, one or more regeneration-incompatible (RI) portions of the trip. The RI portions are associated with operating conditions of the vehicle system that are unsuitable for contemporaneous active regeneration of the VPF. The one or more processors are further configured to schedule an active regeneration (AR) event for the vehicle system based on the one or more RI portions of the trip. The AR event occurs during a regeneration portion of the trip.

Abstract: Systems are provided to determine a location of an electrical fault in an electrical system of a vehicle. A test apparatus can include a control unit and a plurality of scan circuits. The control unit is configured to electrically couple the plurality of scan circuits to the electrical system and trigger the plurality of scan circuits to pass electrical signals to the electrical system. Each scan circuit is configured to detect a presence of an electrical fault in the electrical system based on an electrical signal passed. Each scan circuit provides information indicative of a location of the electrical fault in the electrical system, when detected, to the control unit.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to electrical circuits. A system (e.g., inverter current system) is provided. The system includes plural inverters connected to a common bus and at least one capacitor. The inverters are configured to convert a direct current (DC) through the common bus to an alternating current (AC), by alternating different switches of the inverters between open and closed states in a respective switching cycle for each of the inverters. The system includes a controller circuit. The controller circuit is configured to adjust a current conducted onto the common bus to the inverters so that a root mean square of the current meets one or more designated criteria. The controller circuit controls the inverters to apply a frequency shift to the respective switching cycle of one or more of the inverters.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a controller that is configured to generate control signals for moving vehicles in a yard or other facility. The vehicle control system is configured to generate the control signals responsive to a determination that a user selection of vehicle movement is possible within the yard or other facility.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an automation system. The systems and methods calculate a motion trajectory of a manipulator and an end-effector. The end-effector is configured to grasp a target object. The motion trajectory defines successive positions of the manipulator and the end-effector along a plurality of via-points toward the target object. The systems and methods further acquire force/torque (F/T) data from an F/T sensor associated with the end-effector, and adjusts the motion trajectory based on the F/T data.

Abstract: A system and method herein relate to vehicle control by adjusting a torque distribution of the vehicle. The system includes a first motor configured to provide a torque to a first wheel, and a delivery system configured to controllably apply a traction control compound to a route on which the first wheel is configured to travel. The system also includes a controller circuit having one or more processors. The controller circuit is configured to control the delivery system to apply the traction control compound to the route based on a monitored temperature of the first motor.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a control logic circuit that is configured to generate control signals for controlling at least two inverters (e.g., 3-phase inverters) that are coupled in parallel. The control logic circuit is configured to sample output currents present in common load terminals of the inverters, and to compare the sampled currents to generated current references. The output currents may be sampled, and/or the current references generated, at a fixed rate. Errors between the sampled currents and current references are evaluated against hysteresis dead bands around the current references. The control signals are generated based on (i) retrieved modulator output values for a selected one of the inverters and (ii) the errors as evaluated against the hysteresis dead bands. The control logic circuit may implement first and second counters for coordinating the current reference generation, sampling the output currents, retrieving the modulator output values, etc.

Abstract: A vehicle control system controls operation of motors of a vehicle and determines whether there is sufficient stored electric energy to power the vehicle through an unpowered segment of a route. The controller changes operation of the vehicle to ensure that the vehicle can travel completely through the unpowered segment by switching which energy storage device provides energy, changing vehicle speed, changing motor torque, changing which route is traveled on, selecting fewer motors to power the vehicle, requesting rendezvous with a recharging vehicle, running the energy storage devices in a degraded mode, initiating a motor to generate power to aid in propulsion and/or recharge the energy storage devices, selecting a different route, controlling the vehicle to draft or mechanically couple to another vehicle, and/or controlling the vehicle to gain momentum or to generate an overcharge.

Abstract: A monitoring method and system monitor a transmitted current that is injected into conductive components of a route traveled by vehicle systems, monitor a received current that represents a portion of the transmitted current that is conducted through the conductive components of the route, examine changes in the transmitted and/or received current over time to determine when the vehicle systems are on the route between a first location where the transmitted current is injected into the conductive components and a second location where the received current is monitored, and examine the changes in the transmitted and/or received currents. The changes are examined to identify (a) a contaminated portion of a surface on which the route is disposed, (b) a foreign object other than the vehicle systems that is contacting the route, and/or (c) a damaged or broken portion of at least one of the conductive components of the route.

Abstract: A system includes a locator device and one or more processors operably connected to the locator device. The locator device determines a trailing distance between a trailing vehicle system that travels along a route and a leading vehicle system that travels along the route ahead of the trailing vehicle system in a same direction of travel. The one or more processors compare the trailing distance to a first proximity distance relative to the leading vehicle system. In response to the trailing distance being less than the first proximity distance, the one or more processors set a permitted power output limit for the trailing vehicle system to be less than a maximum achievable power output for the trailing vehicle system, the permitted power output limit being set based on a power-to-weight ratio of the leading vehicle system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the invention relate to diagnosing a compressor. A method may include monitoring a pressure of compressed air within a reservoir, actuating a piston within a cylinder of the compressor, and detecting a leak condition of an exhaust valve of the cylinder through recognition of a change in the monitored pressure of the compressed air within the reservoir during a time period in which the piston is actuated. A system is also disclosed including an engine, a compressor operatively connected to the engine, and a controller that is operable to determine a condition of the compressor.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for passively cooling an inverter subsystem within an enclosure. The method and system absorb heat generated by an inverter subsystem within an enclosure through a first heat spreader. The first heat spreader is thermally coupled to in the inverter subsystem and a first interior surface of the enclosure. The system and method transfer a portion of the heat from the first heat spreader to a second heat spreader through a plurality of heat pipes. The plurality of heat pipes are thermally coupled to the first heat spreader and the second heat spreader. The system and method further thermally couple the second heat spreader to a second interior surface of the enclosure.

Abstract: A system is provided having a vehicle. The vehicle includes a chassis, and a first network bus extending from internally in the chassis to a first network port attached externally to the chassis at a first side of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a second network bus extending from internally in the chassis to a second network port attached externally to the first chassis at a second side of the vehicle. The first network bus has a first electrical configuration and the second network bus has a second electrical configuration that is different than the first electrical configuration.