Route Grade Error Detection in Vehicle Trip Planning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle systems face inefficiencies and increased emissions due to errors in route grade data, leading to discrepancies between designated and actual grades, which affect fuel consumption and travel performance.

Innovation Solution

A system that identifies differences between designated and actual operational settings, specifically power settings, to determine grade errors and adjust vehicle operations accordingly, using a processor to calculate corrections and update trip plans in real-time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the trip plan is based on incorrect grades of the route, then the vehicle system may travel at speeds that exceed speed limits or arrive delayed, but the vehicle system consumes more fuel and generates more emissions than necessary

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrade data accuracyVSAvoidfuel consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors actual vehicle operational settings and compares them with the trip plan specifications. When discrepancies are detected that indicate grade errors, the system provides feedback to update the trip plan with corrected grade data, enabling real-time optimization of fuel consumption based on actual route conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual or static grade data verification with an automated electronic system that uses processors to analyze operational settings, detect grade errors, and dynamically update trip plans. This substitution of mechanical/data-driven processes with intelligent algorithms enables more precise and adaptive fuel management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If the trip plan is based on incorrect grades of the route, then the vehicle system may travel at operational settings that do not match actual conditions, but this leads to delayed arrival or exceeding speed limits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrade data accuracyVSAvoidtravel time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the trip plan based on detected grade errors and actual vehicle performance. By making the trip plan adaptable rather than static, the system can optimize travel time in real-time by correcting grade data and recalculating optimal speeds and power settings according to actual route conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The continuous monitoring and comparison of actual operational settings with trip plan specifications provides feedback that enables real-time corrections to grade data, allowing the system to maintain optimal travel times even when initial grade information was inaccurate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10902688B2System and method for determining grade errors of a route

Publication Date: 2021.01.26 TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A system includes a vehicle system that is operating in accordance with the operational settings of a trip plan. The operational settings dictate how the vehicle system is to travel at different locations along the route. A processor of the system may identify differences between the operational settings of the trip plan and the operational settings at which the vehicle actually travels. The processor may further identify whether the differences are caused by a grade error.