Railway Vehicle Driving Optimization Device for Energy Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optimization systems for rail vehicle driving fail to account for individual driver behavior, leading to disparities in energy consumption due to varying reaction times, action times, and error rates, resulting in energy overconsumption.

Innovation Solution

An optimization device that studies driver behavior to determine a self-adaptive target speed and driving instructions, incorporating parameters such as reaction time, neuromuscular model, and error correction, to minimize energy consumption while adhering to schedules and environmental constraints.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If real-time driving instructions are provided to the driver based on target speed, then energy consumption is reduced, but disparities in energy consumption occur due to varying driver behavior

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidconsistency of energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts driving instructions by changing parameters such as target speed, acceleration rates, and braking forces based on the identified driver's behavioral characteristics. Each driver has a personalized profile that modifies the standard optimization parameters to match their reaction time, acceptance rate, and tendency to follow instructions, thereby achieving consistent energy consumption across different drivers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the driver's actual responses to driving instructions and uses this feedback to refine the behavioral model. By tracking whether the driver follows instructions, their reaction time, and their acceleration/braking patterns, the system updates the driver profile in real-time, improving the accuracy of future instructions and ensuring reliable energy consumption outcomes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If driving instructions are standardized without considering individual driver behavior, then system complexity is reduced, but energy consumption increases due to non-optimized driver responses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically identifies and adapts to each driver's behavioral patterns without requiring manual configuration or complex setup. The behavioral model is built autonomously by monitoring and analyzing the driver's natural responses to standard instructions, allowing the system to self-optimize for each user while maintaining relatively simple operational procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary identification and characterization of driver behavior during an initial adaptation period or through continuous monitoring, building a personalized behavioral model before full optimization is applied. This preliminary action enables the system to prepare driver-specific parameters in advance, ensuring energy optimization is immediately effective when personalized instructions begin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If driver behavior is taken into account to personalize driving instructions, then energy consumption is minimized, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a simplified behavioral model or profile that copies and represents the driver's complex behavior patterns in a manageable format. Instead of attempting to model every nuance of driver behavior, the system captures key characteristics such as reaction time, instruction following tendency, and acceleration preferences into a compact representation that can be efficiently used for optimization without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

4Productivity

If the system adapts to each driver's reaction time and behavior, then driving instructions become more effective, but the time to establish optimal parameters increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of driving instructionsVSAvoidtime to adapt to driver behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a two-phase approach where initially standardized instructions are provided with partial personalization based on readily observable driver characteristics, and full adaptive personalization develops progressively over time. This allows the system to achieve immediate effectiveness while gradually building a complete behavioral model, rather than requiring full adaptation before any optimization occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3375689B2An optimization device for optimizing the driving of a railway vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.10.12 ALSTOM HOLDINGS SA

AI summary

The optimization device (10) includes means (12) for determining a target speed, and means (20) for indicating instructions to modify the instantaneous speed of the railway vehicle in order to approach the target speed, to a driver (22) of the railway vehicle. The determination means (12) include means (30) for studying the behavior of the driver (22), the target speed being determined based on this behavior of the driver (22).