Vehicle Crew Hours Control for Fatigue Limit Enforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for tracking and enforcing crew working hours in vehicle operations rely on manual self-reporting, which can be inaccurate and lead to fatigue-related safety risks due to the potential for crew members to exceed prescribed service limits, resulting in increased travel times and reduced network throughput.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that uses processors to track crew working hours, providing notifications and automatically controlling the vehicle to prevent movement when limits are reached, ensuring crew safety and network efficiency by suggesting safe stopping locations and managing extended travel authorities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual self-reporting is used to track crew working hours, then the system complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability of working hours tracking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle system's existing processors and communication infrastructure to automatically track and report working hours, eliminating the need for separate dedicated tracking devices while maintaining automated monitoring capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical/time-based tracking methods with electronic automated tracking using vehicle processors, communication systems, and digital data processing to monitor crew working hours accurately
2Reliability
If automated tracking and enforcement is implemented, then the reliability of working hours monitoring is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's existing processors and communication infrastructure for multiple purposes including working hours tracking, vehicle control, and communication, eliminating the need for dedicated separate tracking devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines working hours tracking, notification, and enforcement functions into the existing vehicle control system, merging multiple functions into a unified system that reduces overall complexity
3Productivity
If crew members are allowed to exceed service limits, then the productivity is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to fatigue-related risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides advance notification to crew members before they reach service limits and automatically prevents vehicle movement at the limit, taking preventive action before fatigue-related safety risks can materialize
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors working hours, provides real-time feedback to crew members through notifications, and automatically enforces limits by controlling vehicle movement, creating a closed-loop safety mechanism
4Loss of time
If replacement crew coordination is delayed due to inaccurate hours information, then the loss of time increases, but the productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The automated tracking system provides accurate real-time feedback on working hours to offboard locations, enabling timely coordination of replacement crew and preventing delays caused by inaccurate or missing information
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively communicates working hours status to offboard locations before service limits are reached, allowing replacement crew to be coordinated in advance and minimizing vehicle downtime
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes one or more processors configured to track working hours of one or more crew members of a vehicle system as the vehicle system travels. The one or more processors are configured to control the vehicle system to one or more of stop movement of the vehicle system, slow movement of the vehicle system, prevent movement of the vehicle system from a stationary position, or control movement of the vehicle system to an alternative location, responsive to one or more of (i) determining that the working hours of the one or more crew members exceed a prescribed service limit, (ii) determining that the working hours are projected to exceed the prescribed service limit before the vehicle system reaches a designated location, or (iii) determining that the working hours are within a designated time window before the prescribed service limit.