Abstract: A resonant sensor probe assembly includes a substrate formed from one or more dielectric materials and free-standing electrodes coupled with the substrate. The free-standing electrodes are configured to be placed into the fluid and to generate an electric field between the free-standing electrodes. A controller measures an impedance response of the sensor to the fluid between the electrodes to determine an aging effect of the sensor.

Abstract: A communication system and method receive, at an energy management system disposed onboard a vehicle system formed from a lead vehicle and one or more remote vehicles, trip data that represents one or more characteristics of an upcoming trip of the vehicle system along a route. A selected portion of the trip data is communicated from the energy management system to a distributed power system disposed onboard the vehicle system. The selected portion includes identifying information and one or more orientations of the one or more remote vehicles. Using the distributed power system, communication links between the lead vehicle and the one or more remote vehicles are established using the identifying information and the one or more orientations.

Abstract: A system and method examine positional data signals onboard a vehicle to identify one or more variations in positioning data of the positional data signals. The system and method identify inaccurate positioning data in the positional data signals based on the one or more variations in the positioning data that are identified.

Abstract: A system and method includes a secondary energy storage system (SESS) and a control system. The SESS is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and conductively connected via switch devices to a primary battery and a cranking device of the vehicle. The control system is configured to control the switch devices to close a conductive path to discharge electric current from the SESS for powering the cranking device to rotate an engine shaft during a cranking operation. The control system is configured to control the switch devices to open the conductive path and prevent discharge of electric current from the SESS after the cranking operation is complete.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for maintaining combustion stability in a multi-fuel engine. In one example, a system may include first and second fuel systems to deliver liquid and gaseous fuels, respectively, to at least one cylinder of the engine, and a controller. The controller may be configured to supply the gaseous fuel to the at least one cylinder, inject the liquid fuel to the at least one cylinder to compression ignite the liquid fuel and combust the gaseous fuel in the at least one cylinder, and retard an injection timing of the injection of the liquid fuel based on a measured parameter associated with auto-ignition of end gases subsequent to the compression-ignition of the liquid fuel. In some examples, the controller may further be configured to adjust an amount of the gaseous fuel relative to an amount of the liquid fuel based on the measured parameter.

Abstract: A monitoring device detection system may include a mounting assembly disposed onboard a vehicle system. The mounting assembly couples a vehicle signaling and monitoring device to the vehicle system. One or more sensors may obtain information related to one or more of the mounting assembly or the vehicle system. One or more processors may determine a state of the mounting assembly based on the information obtained by the one or more sensors.

Abstract: A system and a method include an onboard communication system configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system and comprising one or more processors. The one or more processors may generate a session key that includes a shared secret key that is known by the onboard communication system and an off-board communication system, generate one or more encryption keys by hashing the session key with an identifier based on a cycle time that is known by the onboard communication system and the off-board communication system, generate one or more encrypted messages by encrypting one or more messages associated with one or more of the vehicle system or a route over which the vehicle system moves based on the one or more encryption keys, and communicate the one or more encrypted messages from the onboard communication system to the off-board communication system.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a determined operating condition of a first power converter that is one of a plurality of first power converters in a power generating unit, and the power generating unit is one of a plurality of power generating units. The method further includes responding to detection of the determined operating condition by: controlling, via at least one remaining first power converter of the plurality of first power converters, a load current flowing through a power bus coupled to the plurality of power generating units, and altering one or more droop characteristics corresponding to one or more second power converters disposed in other power generating units based at least in part on the controlled load current flowing through the power bus, wherein the one or more second power converters disposed in other power generating units are coupled to the power bus.

Abstract: A filter system and method include a filter configured to receive a first fluid mixture via an inlet. The first fluid mixture includes a first fluid and debris. The filter is shaped to separate a portion of the debris from the first fluid. A fluid control device is fluidly coupled with the filter. The fluid control device receives the first fluid from the filter and changes a characteristics of the first fluid. A conduit is fluidly coupled with the filter and a second fluid source. The conduit receives the debris from the filter and a second fluid from the second fluid source. The conduit combines the debris with the second fluid to form a second fluid mixture within the conduit. The conduit is shaped to control one or more of a pressure or a velocity within the conduit to direct the second fluid mixture through the conduit toward an outlet.

Abstract: An assembly may be provided that includes a controller configured to be coupled with at least one blower drive that operates a blower motor to cool resistive elements that dissipate electrical power as heat. The controller may be configured to determine whether the electrical power is no longer received by the resistive elements and operate the at least one blower drive to operate the blower motor to cool the resistive elements responsive to the electrical power no longer being received by the resistive elements.

Abstract: An electronics shelving assembly and a method of assembling includes an electronics shelving assembly includes vertical support members that can be coupled with a wall of a vehicle. The vertical support members are conductively coupled with an electrical ground. The electronics shelving assembly also includes shelves, each having a horizontal support member and at least one vertical coupling member coupled with each other. Fastener assemblies mechanically and conductively couple the shelves with the vertical support members. Each of the fastener assemblies includes plural conductive plates sandwiched together and extending around a conductive fastener. The conductive fasteners may be coupled with each of the conductive plates and may be secured to the shelves to create a conductive pathway between the shelves and the electrical ground via the conductive plates and at least one of the vertical support members.

Abstract: A method is provided that may include receiving a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal for a moving vehicle and obtaining a position estimation of the vehicle by inputting values of observable characteristics into an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model and receiving the position estimation as an output from the AI-based model. The AI-based model applies different coefficients to the values of the observable characteristics to output the position estimation. The method may also include calculating an error between a location derived from the GNSS signal that may be received and the position estimation obtained from the AI-based model, and changing one or more of the coefficients applied to the observable characteristics in the AI-based model based on the error that is calculated.

Abstract: A system is provided that may include a first communication controller that may communicate with a vehicle system formed from two or more vehicles. The first communication controller may operate in different modes, including a first mode to control movement of the vehicle system without repeating any control signals communicated between the vehicles, and in a second mode to monitor different frequencies for receipt of the control signals, receive and repeat a first control signal of the control signals at a first frequency, and receive and repeats a second control signal of the control signals at a second frequency. The first communication controller may also operate in a third mode in which the first communication controller may monitor the first frequency but not the second frequency for the first control signal, receives the first control signal at the first frequency, and repeats the first control signal at the first frequency.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a motor of a vehicle system monitor operating conditions of the vehicle system and determine whether the operating conditions of the vehicle system match designated operating conditions. Responsive to determining that the operating conditions of the vehicle system that are monitored match the designated operating conditions, an electrical signature representative of an electric current supplied to the motor of the vehicle system is examined and damage to one or more of the motor of the vehicle system or a mechanical coupling of the motor to one or more of a wheel or axle of the vehicle system is identified based on the electrical signature that is examined.

Abstract: A system includes a robotic vehicle having a propulsion and a manipulator configured to perform designated tasks. The system also including a local controller disposed onboard the robotic vehicle and configured to receive input signals from an off-board controller. Responsive to receiving an input signal for moving in an autonomous mode, the local controller is configured to move the robotic vehicle toward one of the different final destinations by autonomously and iteratively determining a series of waypoints until the robotic vehicle has reached the one final destination. For each iteration, the local controller is configured to determine a next waypoint between a current location of the robotic vehicle and the final destination, determine movement limitations of the robotic vehicle, and generate control signals in accordance with the movement limitations.

Abstract: A communication system includes multiple nodes of a time-sensitive network and a scheduler device. At least one of the nodes is configured to obtain a first signal that is represented in a frequency domain by multiple frequency components. The scheduler device generates a schedule for transmission of signals including the first signal within the time-sensitive network. The schedule defines multiple slots assigned to different discrete frequency sub-bands within a frequency band. The slots have designated transmission intervals. The nodes are configured to transmit the first signal through the time-sensitive network to a listening device such that the first signal is received at the listening device within a designated time window according to the schedule. At least some of the frequency components of the first signal are transmitted through the time-sensitive network within different slots of the schedule based on the frequency sub-bands assigned to the slots.

Abstract: Systems are provided for an air compressor system. In one example, a system includes a housing, a piston arranged in the housing, and a crankshaft arranged in the housing, the crankshaft coupled to a connecting rod of the piston, and the crankshaft forces the piston to oscillate from a first end of the housing to a second end, the piston pressurizing air in the housing to a first pressure at the first end and to a second pressure at the second end, the second pressure greater than the first.

Abstract: A battery management system thermally conditions a battery assembly prior to a determined upcoming time or the battery assembly's arrival at an upcoming location, and selects a source of the power used for the thermal conditioning.