Vehicle coast control system

Claim 2

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing a first signal coded to indicate the distance said vehicle should travel under tractive effort from a reference position to a coast position at which tractive effort is interrupted; means for providing a second signal indicative of how far said vehicle has traveled at a given instant of time; means for comparing the distances represented by said first and second signals on a time dependent basis; and means for interrupting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast at the time said means for comparing senses that the distances represented by Said first and second signals are equal.

Claim 3

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing a first signal having a frequency indicative of the distance said vehicle should travel under tractive effort from a reference position to a coast position at which tractive effort is interrupted; means for providing a second signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle; counter means responsive to the provision of said first signal for counting from a reference count level to a final count level indicative of said distance, and for counting down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said second signal; and means for interrupting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said counter means counting down to said reference count level.

Claim 4

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing a first signal having a frequency indicative of the distance said vehicle should travel under tractive effort from a reference position to a coast position at which tractive effort is interrupted; means for providing a second signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle; counter means responsive to the provision of said first signal for counting from a reference count level to a final count level indicative of said distance, and for counting down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said second signal; and means for interrupting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said counter means counting down to said reference count level.

Claim 5

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing a first signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from a reference position to a coast position; means for providing a second signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle during said time interval; counter means responsive to the provision of said first signal for counting from a reference count level to a final count level indicative of said time interval, and for counting down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said second signal; and means for interrupting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said counter means counting down to said reference count level.

Claim 6

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing a first signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from a reference position to a coast position; means for providing a second signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle during said time interval; counter means responsive to the provision of said first signal for counting from a reference count level to a final count level indicative of said time interval, and for counting down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said second signal; and means for interrupting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said counter means counting down to said reference count level.

Claim 7

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing for a limited time period a first signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from a reference position to a coast position; means for providing a second signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle during said time interval; frequency divider means responsive to the provision of said second signal, during a time following said limited time period during which said first signal is provided, for providing a third signal having a frequency proportional to the speed of said vehicle; an up/down counter which counts up from a reference count level to a final count level indicative of said time interval in response to the provision of said first signal, and for counting down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said third signal; and means for inhibiting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said up/down counter counting down to said reference count level.

Claim 8

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing for a limited time period a first signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from a reference position to a coast position; means for providing a second signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle during said time interval; frequency divider means responsive to the provision of said second signal, during a time following said limited time period during which said first signal is provided, for providing a third signal having a frequency proportional to the speed of said vehicle; an up/down counter which counts up from a reference count level to a final count level indicative of said time interval in response to the provision of said first signal, and for counting down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said third signal; and means for inhibiting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said up/down counter counting down to said reference count level.

Claim 9

The combination claimed in claim 4, wherein said means for inhibiting tractive effort is operative only in response to detecting said vehicle is traveling at least at a given speed of travel.

Claim 10

The combination claimed in claim 5, including: means for resetting said counter in response to detecting said vehicle has reached a defined zero speed of travel.

Claim 11

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing a first signal in response to sensing when said vehicle leaves a reference position; means for storing a second signal indicative of the time said vehicle is scheduled to leave said reference position; means for comparing said first and second signals for providing a third signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from said reference position to a coast position where tractive effort is inhibited on said vehicle; an antenna situated adjacent said reference position, said antenna being excited by said third signal for provIding a wayside signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from said reference position to a coast position where tractive effort is inhibited on said vehicle; signal receiving means on said vehicle for receiving said wayside signal during the time said vehicle passes said antenna; means for providing a speed signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle; an up/down counter which counts up from a reference count level to a final count level during the time said signal receiving means receives said wayside signal, and which counts down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said speed signal; a speed detector which provides an output signal in response to sensing said vehicle is traveling at least at a given rate of speed; a speed decoder which decodes speed commands for said vehicle for providing decoded speed commands; a code detector which provides an output signal in response to said speed decoder providing a selected speed command; and means for inhibiting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said up/down counter counting down to said reference count concurrent with said speed detector and said code detector providing output signals.

Claim 12

In a vehicle coast control system, the combination comprising: means for providing a first signal in response to sensing when said vehicle leaves a reference position; means for storing a second signal indicative of the time said vehicle is scheduled to leave said reference position; means for comparing said first and second signals for providing a third signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from said reference position to a coast position where tractive effort is inhibited on said vehicle; an antenna situated adjacent said reference position, said antenna being excited by said third signal for provIding a wayside signal having a frequency indicative of the time interval required for said vehicle to travel under tractive effort from said reference position to a coast position where tractive effort is inhibited on said vehicle; signal receiving means on said vehicle for receiving said wayside signal during the time said vehicle passes said antenna; means for providing a speed signal having a frequency indicative of the speed of travel of said vehicle; an up/down counter which counts up from a reference count level to a final count level during the time said signal receiving means receives said wayside signal, and which counts down from said final count level to said reference count level in response to the provision of said speed signal; a speed detector which provides an output signal in response to sensing said vehicle is traveling at least at a given rate of speed; a speed decoder which decodes speed commands for said vehicle for providing decoded speed commands; a code detector which provides an output signal in response to said speed decoder providing a selected speed command; and means for inhibiting tractive effort on said vehicle for causing said vehicle to coast in response to said up/down counter counting down to said reference count concurrent with said speed detector and said code detector providing output signals.