`
`USOOSSSGSZQA
`
`United States Patent
`Gibbs
`
`[19]
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,836,529
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Nov. 17, 1998
`
`[S4] OBJECT BASED RAILROAD
`TRANSWR'I'ATION NE’I‘WORK
`MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Marshall A. Gibbs, Jacksonville, lila.
`
`[73] Assignee: CSX Technology, lnc., Jacksonville,
`Fla.
`
`I21} Appl.No.:550,881
`
`[22
`
`Filed: must, 1995
`
`Int. Cl.”i
`[51]
`[52| U.S. Cl.
`
`...................................................... BfilL 23:22
`.................................. 246t122 R; 246;“167 R;
`364(42401; 364i’424fl4
`Field of Search ..................................... 246.8, 122 R,
`24ar12.., 124, 132, 167 R, 169 R, 176,
`3s4r424nt, 424.02, 424.04, 436
`
`[58]
`
`[56!
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PM‘ENT DOCUMENTS
`
`I’Ltkawa cl al.
`Zil‘JUS
`5,390,880
`..................... 2461’16’? R
`5,429,329 mugs Wallace ct al.
`2461’166
`
`5,445,347
`81’ 1995 Ng ....................................... 246;“169 R
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Onsrud, Harlan J. and Reis, Robert 1., "Law and Information
`Policy For Spatial Databases: A Research Agenda," Juri—
`metriCs Journal, vol. 35, pp. 377—382 (Summer 1995).
`Business Management Data, Inc, "Locomotive Manage—
`ment Systems ill: Detail Design Document,” pp.
`[—14,
`124—131, 521—560 (Aug. 9, 1994).
`
`18
`
`\x
`
`Prirttart' Examinerhs. Joseph Mora no
`Attorney; Agent, or Firm—Carr St Ferrell UP
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`The system of the present invention preferably comprises a
`set of wayside occupancyr detectors, an output device, a
`memory and a processing unit. Each wayside occupancy
`detector preferably generates a set of transport detection
`signals in response to detecting a set of mobile transports.
`the output device is used for displaying information. The
`memory, has a transport object comprising program instruc—
`tions for automatically retrieving the set of transport (leter
`lion signals and for automatically collecting a set of infor-
`mation related to operation of the transportation network.
`The memory also has a service object comprising program
`instructions for generating graphical representations of
`transport locations, transport status statistics, and transport
`performance statistics upon the output device corresponding
`to both the set of mobile transports and a set of fixed
`transports. The processing unit executes the program
`instructions stored in the memory and is coupled to the set
`of wayside oecupa no};r detectors, the output device and the
`memory. The method of the present
`invention preferably
`comprises the steps of monitoring a set of
`real
`time
`identification, position, interconnection and display charac-
`teristics for the set of transports within the transportation
`network and generating an output display characterizing
`relationships between the set of transports based on the
`information collected in the monitoring step.
`
`19 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets
`
`20
`
`22
`
`28
`
`29
`
`
`
`
`Transportation
`Network
`
`Field
`Locations
`
`24
`
`Computer aided
`Dispatching
`System
`
`Customer
` Central
`
`Service
`
`Computer
`
`
`Center
`
`
`
`3|]
`
`Operations
`Center
`
`Transportation
`Workstation
`(TWS) Network
`
`
`
`
`32
`
`34
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 1
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 1
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`
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
`
`Sheet 1 of 15
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`5,836,529
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 2
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 2
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`
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
`
`Sheet 2 of 15
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`5,836,529
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`
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 3
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 3
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
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`Sheet 3 of 15
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`5,836,529
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 4
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 4
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`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 17, 1998
`
`Sheet 4 0f 15
`
`5,836,529
`
`Library
`
`Transport Object
`Library
`
`Service Object
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 5
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 5
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`
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
`
`Sheet 5 0f 15
`
`5,836,529
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` Terminal
`
`Locomotive
`
`Object
`-—-_-—_.‘-_____..——_________-_-__..—__.--———____—_——-——-—
`
`Object
`
`73
`
`Crew
`Object
`
`End of Train
`
`Device Object
`
`Division
`
`Object
`
`Tranportation
`Network Object
`
`72
`
`'76
`
`30
`
`Coal Zone
`
`Computerized
`Train Control
`
`Object
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 6
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 6
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
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`Sheet 6 of 15
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`5,836,529
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`Object (CMO)
`
`Map Object
`Library
`
`Report Object
`Library
`
`92
`
`96
`
`66
`
`_-_—n—-_—w—————_—_____...
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`
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`
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 7
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 7
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc.
`— Exhibit 1006 — Page 8
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 8
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 9
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 9
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
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`Sheet 9 0f 15
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`5,836,529
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`98
`
`
`
`
`100
`
`102
`
`Locational Attributes
`
`Labeling Attributes
`
`
`
`
`104
`
`106
`
`
`
`Timing Attributes
`
`Consist Attributes
`
`FIG. 7
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 10
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 10
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc.
`— Exhibit 1006 — Page 11
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 11
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
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`Sheet 11 0f 15
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 12
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 12
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
`
`Sheet 12 of 15
`
`5,836,529
`
`I——I
`
`tor ALABAMA POWER
`Location Summa
`Customer Selection“
`m3 5-Trains Currently Running
`CPSIL
`O-Trains at Origin
`DUKE POWER
`4-Trains on Line of Road
`ELEszE'CPFCUHEELS
`G
`IA
`P.
`JEA
`MENMILLIN
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`SetSumma
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`5
`ra ”5 Set
`ata not vaIa e
`
`a
`E
`
`I 8 stem Dela Summa
`
`System Delay Summary by Reason
`Total Trains delayed. 79,
`Total Delay Time: 346'47"
`
`Connection Dela I Performance Totals for Trains Disla ed
`
`Dela9ed
`
`Time
`Description
`207' 17" No Power Available
`42' 20“
`No Crew Available
`
`Delayed
`.
`
`Time
`.
`
`Fig. 8d
`
`06' 40"
`00'30"
`
`Train Not Ready
`
`582 Total Trains
`00th
`%
`
`7:24 Average Delay
`
`1 66 {33%) Are more than 4 hours tate.
`A 40
`(8%) Are between- and- hours late.
`296 (59%) Are less than 2 hours late.
`-15-10 -5
`0
`5
`10 15 20 25 30 3540 45 50
`
`Fig. 8e
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 13
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 13
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
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`Sheet 13 0f 15
`
`5,836,529
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`0
`
`Select a Set of Tranportation Network Boundaries
`
`Determine a Tranportation Network Layout w1tl-un the Selected Boundanes
`
`
`
`Determine Fixed Transports‘ Identification, Position, Interconnection and
`Display Characteristics within the Selected Boundaries
`
`Select Fixed Transports' Status and Performance Criteria
`
`
`
`Determine Mobile Transports‘ Identification, Position and Display
`Characteristics within the Selected Boundaries
`
`Select Mobile Transports' Status and Performance Criteria
`
`Define a Set of Status and Performance Warning Criteria
`
`6
`
`00
`
`602
`
`604
`
`606
`
`608
`
`610
`
`612
`
`Fig. 9a
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 14
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 14
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`
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`US. Patent
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`Nov. 17, 1998
`
`Sheet 14 0f 15
`
`5,836,529
`
`Select a Transport
`
`
`
`
` Retrieved
`
`Data Conforming to
`-1ected Criteria?
`
`Retrieve the Transport's Real-Time Status and Performance Data
`
`yes
`
`I
`
`Add Selected Transport's ID to an Output List
`
`6
`
`14
`
`6
`
`16
`
`0
`
`62
`
`618
`
`622
`
`Retrieved
`
`
`Data Conforming to
`
`
`Warning Criteria?
`
`
`
`yes
`
`624
`
`Activate an Alert Signal and Record the Retrieved Real-Time Status and
`Performance Data Which Conforms to the Warning Criteria
`
`
`
`Another Transport?
`
`1'10
`
`626
`
`Fig. 9b
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 15
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 15
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`Nov. 17, 1998
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`Sheet 15 0f 15
`
`5,836,529
`
`Generate a First Output DisPIay Limited by the Selected Boundaries and
`Depicting Relationships Between those Transports Included in the Output List
`
`Generate a Second Output Display Representing the Retrieved Real-Time
`Status and Performance Data for those Transports Included in the Output List
`
`628
`
`630
`
`632
`
`634
`
`0 yes
`
`tatus,
`
`S
`Performance or Warning
`
`. riteria Modified?
`
`no
`
`0
`
`yes
`
`New Set of
`Transportation Network
`
`Boundaries Selected?
`
`I10
`
`Fig. 9c
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 16
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 16
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`
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`5,836,529
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`1
`OBJECT BASED RAILROAD
`TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
`MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the invention
`
`The present invention relates generally to transportation
`management systems. More particularly, the present inven-
`tion relates to an object oriented system and method for
`real-time data management of a railroad transportation net-
`work.
`
`2. Description of the Background Art
`Many types of transportation networks are known to exist
`(i.e. railroad systems, highway systems, air freight systems
`and water-borne systems). Such transportation networks
`typically comprise massive cargo carrying devioes. Loco-
`motives and cars, comprising a train, are one example of
`such cargo carrying devices and make up the backbone of an
`operative, responsive and reliable railroad system. In addi-
`tion to being very capital intensive, railroads are geographi-
`cally distributed over thousands of miles. Goods and corn—
`modities must be moved from one station to the next in an
`etficient, reliable and timely manner, requiring the selection
`of sufficient resources to get a job done and satisfy the
`customer. Meeting the diverse needs of customers requires
`the coordinated efforts of a large number of management
`teams spread throughout a railroad system. Such teams are
`comprised of senior managers,
`line managers,
`train
`managers, locomotive managers, yard masters, dispatchers
`and customer service representatives who need specialized
`yet interrelated sets of railroad system information to per-
`form such tasks as planning, sales, train and car blocking,
`scheduling, revenue collection, execution, customer man—
`agement and reporting. Each of these teams requires infor-
`mation pertinent to their particular sphere of responsibility
`and quite commonly the information needs of these teams
`overlap.
`Typically, each management team manually gathers the
`information they require piecemeal
`from a variety of
`sources. One team might routinely place telephone calls to
`each and every station to determine whether or not they have
`loads to ship that could be “blocked" with loads traveling by
`their train. “Blocking" is the assembling of optimal groups
`and sequences of cars based on their destination or a
`customer. Another team might also need to talk to the train
`master at every terminal so as to create a performance report
`detailing how well each terminal receives and processes
`trains throughout a particular time period. Yet another team
`might need to identify those train yards that have excess
`locomotive capacity and route their excess power to those
`yards needing additional power to move their cars, As a
`result of such direct and laborious pointvtowpoint communi-
`cation between those who need information and those who
`have it, each management team has typically had a only a
`very limited view of the entire railroad transportation net-
`work and has only achieved such a view at a great cost in
`human resources ofien resulting in the duplication ofefiorts.
`As an example of the above labor intensive scenario, if a
`line manager needed to know how many coal trains require
`same day shipping, one set of clerks would be assigned that
`task. If the line manager also needed to know how many
`locomotives to assign to each coal
`train, a second set of
`clerks would be assigned that task. Furthermore, if the line
`manager needed to know which terminals had extra loco-
`motives that could be coupled to coal trains requiring more
`
`IO
`
`15
`
`25
`
`3-0
`
`40
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`power. yet a third set of clerks would be assigned that task.
`As a result, the three different sets of clerks might often be
`consulting the exact same files and talking to the exact same
`yard managers resulting in a wasteful duplication of etIorls.
`Additionally, once all of the reports are generated, the line
`manager would most likely be so inundated with stacks of
`reports as to have serious ditficulty sorting through them all
`in an organized manner. Furthermore, the reports generated
`for the line manager might be useful
`to a second line
`manager who might not normally communicate with the line
`manger and would thus have his own stall" generate the exact
`same set of reports, resulting in another wasteful duplication
`of etforts. Lastly, employing large numbers of clerical per—
`sonnel to gather data and compile unique reports for each
`management layer increases the odds of introducing errors
`each time information is passed between various manage—
`ment levels.
`
`A system and method is needed to address the costly and
`inefficient data gathering and presentation problems men-
`tioned above, since an efficiently run railroad system relies
`upon literally hundreds ofsets of data that must be analyzed
`and organized in a meaningful way. What
`is needed is a
`system and method for automatically monitoring all
`resources within a transportation network, characterizing
`resource status, and determining resource performance char-
`acteristics according to flexible criteria. The required system
`and method would not only provide varying levels of detail
`dependent upon the needs of the particular user, but would
`also automatically generate alerts, warnings andlor alarms
`should a monitored resource deviate from its expected status
`or performance. Such computer implemented alerts, warn—
`ings and alarms are critical
`to the railroad transportation
`networks operation due to the high costs associated with late
`trains, unavailable locomotives and empty cars,just to name
`a few.
`
`SUMMARY 01“ THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is an object based railroad trans-
`portation network management system and method, wherein
`the transportation network is comprised of a set of mobile
`transports and a set of fixed transports. The present invention
`automatically maintains a transportation network database;
`automatically generates transportation network status
`statistics, performance statistics, and warning signals for
`userselectable transports within a userwselectable geo—
`graphic region; and outputs graphical representations of the
`generated statistics and the warning signals. The system and
`method also enables users to select between either a broad
`or a detailed representation of the transportation network’s
`operation.
`The system of the present invention preferably comprises
`a set of wayside occupancy detectors, an output device, a
`memory and a processing unit. Each wayside occupancy
`detector preferably identifies the presence of a mobile trans—
`port and in response transmits a mobile transport detection
`signal
`to the processing unit. The memory, comprises a
`transport object comprising program instructions for auto-
`matically retrieving the set of transport detection signals and
`for automatically collecting a set of information related to
`operation of the transportation network. The memory further
`comprises a service object comprising program instructions
`for generating graphical representations of transport loca-
`tions (based on the set of transport detection signals),
`transport status statistics, and transport performance statis-
`tics upon the output device corresponding to both the set of
`mobile transports and a set of fixed transports. The process-
`ing unit executes the program instructions stored in the
`
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 17
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 17
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`3
`memory and is coupled to the set of wayside occupancy
`detectors, the output device and the memory. The output
`device is used for displaying information.
`The method of the present invention preferably comprises
`the steps of prompting the user to select a set of transpor-
`tation network boundaries, determining a
`transportation
`network layout within the selected boundaries, determining
`a fixed transport's and a mobile transport’s identification,
`position, and display characteristics within the selected
`boundaries, prompting the user to select the fixed and mobile
`transport's status and performance criteria and retrieving
`either a system-defined or user-defined set of status and
`performance warning criteria. The preferred method contin-
`ues by selecting a transport, retrieving the transport’s real-
`time status and performance data, comparing the data
`retrieved with the selected status and performance criteria
`specified earlier and adding the selected transport’s identi-
`fication (ID) to an output list if the real time criteria falls
`within the bounds of the selected criteria. Next, the method
`proceeds to determine whether the data retrieved conforms
`with the warning criteria specified earlier and activating an
`alert signal, on the output device if the retrieved data falls
`within the bounds of the warning criteria. The method then
`proceeds to generating a first output display limited by the
`selected boundaries and depicting relationships between
`those transports included in the output list, described above
`and generating a second output display representing the
`retrieved real-time status and performance data for those
`transporLs included in the output list.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`an object based railroad transportation network management
`system;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a Transportation Workstation (TWS) Network of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a TWS within the TWS Network;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a storage device within the TWS;
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a transport object library within the storage device;
`FIG. 6a is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a service object library within the storage device;
`FIG. 6b is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a map object library within the service object library;
`FIG. 6c is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a report object library within the service object library;
`FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of
`a transport object data structure within the transport object
`library;
`FIGS. 80, 8b, 8c, 8d, Se and 8f are a graphical layout of
`a preferred embodiment of a set of maps, reports and context
`menus as viewed on an output device; and
`FIGS. 9a, 9b and 9c are a flowchart of a preferred method
`for object based railroad transportation network manage-
`merit.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIP'I'ION 01" THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`The present invention is an object based railroad trans-
`portation network management system and method. The
`system and method automatically maintains a highly struc-
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`tured railroad system infon'nation database and generates
`multiply nested maps, tables, charts and alerts for providing
`varying levels of real-time perspective on an operating
`railroad system. These levels of perspective range from a
`“system—wide" view needed by executives, senior managers
`and planners to an individualized and detailed report needed
`by a customer service representative. a train master or a
`dispatcher. In addition, the system automatically generates
`alert signals according to customizable warning criteria
`whenever a variance from planned operation has occurred.
`The present invention generates an easy-to-use, consistent
`user interface that provides graphical characterizations of
`transportation network status conditions and performance
`criteria at multiple levels of detail. The present
`invention
`directly provides railroad personnel with a poWerful set of
`tools for maximizing resource utilization, minimizing
`exceptions and improving on-time delivery to their custom-
`ers. The present invention is particularly advantageous over
`the prior art because of its ability to automatically generate
`graphical status and performance indicators from both his-
`torical and real-time data, thereby aiding users ranging from
`executives to clerks in the areas of planning, sales, optimum
`blocking, scheduling, revenue collection, shipment, cus»
`tomer management and report generation. The present
`invention’s preferred embodiment
`in an object oriented
`programming environment
`is also highly advantageous
`because the real world resources within the transportation
`network (i.e. trains, terminals, crews, locomotives, etc.) lend
`themselves to an object-oriented programming paradigm.
`For instance, a real world train is defined by a large number
`ofdata items (Le. its position, its cargo, its estimated time of
`arrival, etc.) that change as the train progresses along its
`route. Thus, a train object, which references and automati-
`cally updates such train related data items, advantageously
`provides a single source for other objects within the trans-
`portation network to obtain information about
`the train’s
`status and performance.
`Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a preferred
`embodiment of an object based railroad transportation net-
`work management system 18 is shown. The system 18
`comprises a transportation network 20, a wayside occupancy
`detector 22, a computer-aided dispatching system 24, a
`central computer 26, at least one field location 28, an EDI
`29, a customer-service center 30, an operations center 32 and
`a transportation workstation (TWS) network 34. The trans—
`portation network 20 is well known in the art and preferably
`is a railroad system consisting of a layout (i.e. a set of train
`tracks) and a set of transports. The set of transports further
`comprises a set of fixed transports (for example: terminals,
`yards and shops) and a set of mobile transports (for example:
`trains, locomotives, crews, cars, end of train devices). Those
`skilled in the art will
`recognize that
`the transportation
`network 20 could alternatively be a highway system, an
`airline system, a ship system or any other type of geographi—
`cally referenced cargo carrying system. The wayside occu-
`pancy detector 22 is also well known in the art and detects
`when a train has passed a particular geographic latitude and
`longitude on the transportation network 20. A very large
`number of wayside occupancy detectors 22, perhaps on the
`order of ten—thousand or more, are distributed throughout the
`transportation network 20. The wayside occupancy detector
`22 is coupled to the computer aided dispatching system 24
`and transmits a train detection signal to the computer aided
`dispatching system 24. Each time a train passes the wayside
`occupancy detector 22, the train detection signal is sent to
`the computer aided dispatching system 24; otherwise, no
`train detection signal
`is sent. When the computer aided
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. - Exhibit 1006 - Page 18
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`dispatching system 24, also well known in the art, receives
`the train detection signal, the computer aided dispatching
`system 24 stores the train detection signal
`in a register,
`determines a last
`train in an area around the wayside
`occupancy detector 22 and associates the train detection
`signal with the last train in the area. The computer aided
`dispatching system 24 then generates a train location signal
`containing the latitudei’longitude of the wayside occupancy
`detector 22 which thus pinpoints the location of last train in
`the area. The computer aided dispatching system 24 then
`transfers this latitudeflortgitude information to the central
`computer 26. The central computer 26 forms a nexus of a
`local area network preferably configured in a conventionally
`known star network. Those skilled in the art will realize that
`other local area netw0rk configuration are possible. The
`central computer 26 acts as a hub, to which the computerv
`aided dispatching system 24, the set of field locations 28, the
`EDI 29,
`the customer—service center 30,
`the operations
`center 32 and the TWS network 34 are preferably coupled to
`form nodes. The central computer 26 receives:
`a
`train .
`location signal from the computer-aided dispatching system
`24; incident reports, local jobs and yard jobs from the field
`location 28; standard messages between systems from the
`EDI 29; work orders and alerts from the customer-service
`center 30; equipment
`inventories, slowr orders, curfews,
`power assignments, power plan,
`train plan and physical
`plant data from the operations center 32; and information
`requests from the TWS network 34. The central computer 26
`organizes and stores this railroad system information so that
`it can later retransmit
`the information in response to a
`request from any of the nodes 24, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34. The set
`of field locations 28. the EDI 29, the customer—service center
`30 and the operations center 32 are all conventionally known
`in the art.
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`ventional keyboard and mouse for receiving commands
`from a user and translating the commands into signals which
`are sent to the processing unit 48. The output device 52 is
`preferably a conventional display monitor for receiving and
`selectively displaying information to the user in response to
`commands from the processing unit 48. The output device
`52 may also include an audible alert warning capability. the
`network 1X0 port 54 couples the TWS 40 to the token ring
`network 46 and handles message passing functions for the
`'I'WS 40. It is via the network HO port 54 that the TWS 40
`receives railroad system information from the central com-
`puter 26.
`The storage device 56 is a computer useable medium,
`preferably a hard disk drive, storing a set of computer
`readable program instructions for controlling how the pro—
`cessing unit 48 accesses, transforms and outputs data, as
`described in detail below with reference to FIG. 4. Those
`skilled in the art will recognize that in alternate embodiv
`merits the storage device 56 could be replaced with a
`functionally equivalent computer useable medium such as: a
`compact disk and drive; a floppy disk and drive; andior a
`memory card. The volatile memory 58 contains memory
`locations suitable for storing program instructions from
`either the storage device 56 or the non-volatile memory 60
`until execution by the processing unit 48 and for storing the
`intermediate results generated by the processing unit 38. The
`volatile memory 58 is preferably a Random Access Memory
`(RAM) device and includes the 'l‘WS management unit 59
`and the operating system 68.
`The TWS management unit 59 preferably comprises a set
`of executable program instructions for launching and oper-
`ating the 'I'WS 40. A detailed discussion of the TWS
`management unit’s 59 operation is provided below. The
`operating system 68 preferably includes a mu Ititasking
`capability, a graphical user interface and a local area net—
`work interface. 0S2, an operating system sold by Interna»
`tional Business Machines Inc. (IBM), fits the above prefer-
`ences and is preferably employed in the present invention.
`Those skilled in the art will recognize however, that other
`operating systems can also be employed within the 'I'WS 40.
`The non-volatile memory 60 also may contain a set of
`program instructions that control the operation of the pro-
`cessing unit 48 and is preferably a Read Only Memory
`(ROM) device.
`Referring now to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a preferred
`embodiment of the storage device 56 within the ‘l’WS 40 is
`shown. The storage device 56 comprises a transport object
`library 64 and a service object library 66, each coupled to the
`bus 62. The transport object library 64 preferably comprises
`a set of transport objects preferably stored in a dynamic-link
`library (DLL) configuration well known in the art and
`representing various tangible assets within the transportation
`network 20. Additional details regarding each of the trans—
`port objects within the transport object library 64 is provided
`below in reference to FIG. 5. The service object library 66
`preferably comprises a set of service objects which are also
`preferably stored in a DLL configuration and represent
`various user interface, map generation and report generation
`capabilities within the TWS 40 that pertain to the operation
`of the transportation network 20. Additional details discuss-
`ing each of the service objects within the service object
`library 66 is presented below in reference to FIGS. 60, 6b,
`6c. Altemate embodiments of the present invention store the
`transport object library 64 and the service object library 66
`in the volatile memory 58 and avoid the dynamic-link
`library configuration.
`Referring now to FIG. 5, a block diagram of a preferred
`embodiment of the transport object
`library 64 within the
`
`Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagraln of a preferred
`embodiment of the ’I'WS network 34 of the present invention
`is shown. The TWS network 34 comprises a gateway 38 and
`a set of 'IWSs 40, 42, 44 preferably coupled together on a
`token ring network 46. Those skilled in the art, however, will
`realize that other network configurations could be used. The
`gateway 38 is coupled to the central computer 26 via a first
`interface 36. Shown in FIG. 2 are three nodes, TWS#1 40,
`'I'WS#2 42 and TWS#n 44; however, those skilled in the art
`will
`recognize that additional or
`fewer TWSs may be
`coupled to the token ring network 4-6. The gateway 38 is
`conventionally known and provides an interface between the
`central computer 26 and the token ring network 46.
`Preferably, each TWS 40, 42, 44 is identical in capability
`and functionality, as will be discussed in detail below in
`reference to FIG. 3. The token ring network 46 is of a type
`conventionally known in the art.
`Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of a preferred
`embodiment of a representative 'l’WS 40 within the TWS
`network 34 is shown. The TWS 40 comprises a processing
`unit 48, an input device 50, an output device 52, a network
`llO port 54, a storage device 56, a volatile memory 58, a
`TWS management unit 59, an operating system 68 and a
`non-volatile memory 60, all coupled via a bus 62. Elements
`48, 50, 52, 54 and 60 of the TWS 40 are conventionally
`known in the art. The storage device 56 and the volatile
`memory 58, however, due to their stored program instruc-
`tions discussed below, are not conventionally known in the
`art. In the preferred embodiment, the TWS 40 is a stand—
`alone personal computer. The processing unit 48 executes
`programming instructions stored in the storage device 56,
`the volatile memory 58 and the non-volatile memory 48, as
`discussed below. The input device 50 is preferably a con-
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`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc. — Exhibit 1006 — Page 19
`Petitioners Twitter, Inc. and Yelp Inc.