Patent Publication Number: US-2021194968-A1

Title: Vehicle control system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/671,204 (filed 8 Aug. 2017), which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/396,487 (filed 19 Sep. 2016). The entire disclosures of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for controlling vehicles, such as automobiles, rail vehicles, marine vessels, etc. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Movement of vehicles is controlled by control systems that receive user input and communicate control signals to components of the vehicles to implement actions dictated by the user input. For example, a vehicle operator may depress a pedal, move a lever, or take other action to change a throttle setting of a vehicle or activate a brake of the vehicle. Responsive to this operator input, a control system of the vehicle may communicate signals (e.g., changes in voltages, currents, etc.) to engines, motors, brakes, etc., of the vehicle in order to implement the operator input (and change the throttle or activate the brake, as appropriate). 
     The control systems of some vehicles may be complex in that many components communicate with each other. Not all of these components, however, may communicate signals of the same or similar importance or criticality to operation of the vehicle. For example, components that measure operations of the vehicle (e.g., location, speed, etc.), components that record events occurring during movement of the vehicle, components that measure fuel onboard the vehicle, etc., may communicate signals that are less important to ensuring the safe operation of the vehicle compared to other communications, such as signals communicated with motors of the vehicle, signals communicated with input/output devices, etc. 
     The control systems may use different communication networks within a vehicle to ensure that the more important or critical communications and the less important or less critical communications are all successfully communicated. But, using many different communication networks within a vehicle can present unnecessarily complexity. For example, some components may not be able to communicate with each other without the communications being relayed and/or converted by another component. As the number of networks and components needed to communicate within a vehicle control system increases, the potential points of failure and complexity of ensuring that communications successful occur increase. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     In one embodiment, a control system includes a controller configured to control communication between or among plural vehicle devices that control operation of a vehicle via a network that communicatively couples the vehicle devices. The controller also is configured to control the communication using a data distribution service (DDS) and with the network operating as a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications. 
     In one embodiment, a control system includes a controller configured to control communication between plural vehicle devices that control one or more operations of a vehicle. The controller also is configured to control the communication between or among the vehicle devices through an Ethernet network while the Ethernet network operates as a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications. 
     In one embodiment, a control system includes a controller configured to control communications between plural vehicle devices onboard a vehicle through a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter described herein will be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one example of a vehicle control system; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a vehicle control system according to one embodiment of the inventive subject matter described herein; and 
         FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a method for establishing a communication network between devices of a vehicle control system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one example of a vehicle control system  100 . The vehicle control system  100  may be disposed onboard one or more vehicles of a vehicle system. For example, the control system  100  may be disposed onboard a locomotive of a rail vehicle system formed from the locomotive and one or more other locomotives  102 ,  104 . The locomotives in the vehicle system are communicatively coupled by a wired connection  106 , such as a 27-pin trainline cable. Other control systems identical or similar to the control system  100  shown in  FIG. 1  may be disposed onboard the other locomotives  102 ,  104 , with the various control systems  100  communicatively coupled (e.g., able to communicate with each other via) the wired connection  106 . While the control system  100  is shown as being disposed onboard a locomotive of a rail vehicle system, alternatively, the control system  100  may be disposed onboard another type of vehicle. For example, the control system  100  may be disposed onboard an automobile, a marine vessel, a mining vessel, or another off-highway vehicle (e.g., a vehicle that is not legally permitted or that is not designed for travel along public roadways). 
     The control system  100  communicates via the wired connection  106  via a vehicle system interface device  108  (“EMU” in  FIG. 1 ), such as an Ethernet over a multiple unit (MU) cable interface. The interface device  108  represents communication circuitry, such as modems, routing circuitry, etc. A front end controller  110  (“Customer ACC” in  FIG. 1 ) is coupled with the interface device  108  by one or more wired connections. The controller  110  represents hardware circuitry that couples with (e.g., receives) one or more other circuits (e.g., compute cards) that control operation of the control system  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the controller  110  also may be connected with the second communication network  120 . 
     Several control devices  112 , such as a radio, display units, and/or vehicle system management controllers, are connected with the interface device  108  and the controller  110  via a first communication network  114  (“PTC Ethernet Network” in  FIG. 1 ). The communication network  114  may be an Ethernet network that communicates data packets between components connected to the network  114 . One or more other devices  116  may be connected with the network  114  to provide other functions or control over the vehicle. 
     The networks described herein can be formed from a structure of communication devices and hardware, such as cables interconnecting devices, wireless devices interconnecting other devices, routers interconnecting devices, switches interconnecting devices, transceivers, antennas, and the like. One or more networks described herein can be entirely off-board all vehicles. Optionally, at least part of a network can be disposed onboard one or more vehicles, such as by having one or more hardware components that form the network being onboard a vehicle and communicating in the network as the vehicle is moving. Additionally or alternatively, a network can be disposed entirely onboard a vehicle or vehicle system, such as when the components communicating with each other to form the network are all disposed onboard the same vehicle or onboard multiple vehicles that travel together along routes as a vehicle system. 
     An interface gateway  118  also is connected the first communication network  114 . The interface gateway  118  is referred to as a locomotive interface gateway (“LIG” shown in  FIG. 1 ), but optionally may be referred to by another name depending on the type of vehicle that the interface gateway  118  is disposed upon. The interface gateway  118  represents hardware circuitry that communicatively couples the first network  114  with at least a second communication network  120 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second communication network  120  is referred to as a data Ethernet network, and can represent an Ethernet network similar to the first network  114 . 
     The interface gateway  118  can provide a communication bridge between the two networks  114 ,  120 . For example, the interface gateway  118  can change protocols of communications between the two networks  114 ,  120 , can determine which communications to allow to be communicated from a device on one network  114  or  120  to a device on the other network  120  or  114  (for example, by applying one or more rules to determine which communications may be allowed to pass between the networks  114 ,  120 ), or otherwise control communications between the two networks  114 ,  120 . 
     A dynamic brake modem  122  (“DBM” in  FIG. 1 ) also is connected with the second network  120 . This brake modem  122  also can be referred to as a dynamic brake modem. The dynamic brake modem  122  also may be connected with the wired connection  106 . The dynamic brake modem  122  represents hardware circuitry that receives control signals from one or more other vehicles  102 ,  106  via the wired connection  106  and/or via the second network  120  in order to control one or more brakes of the vehicle. For example, the dynamic brake modem  122  may receive a control signal from the vehicle  102 ,  104  or from an input/output device  124  (“SCIO” shown in  FIG. 1  and described below) that reports the dynamic braking capability of the vehicle so that the braking capacity of the entire consist can be computed. The dynamic brakes can represent traction motors that operate in a regenerative braking mode in order to slow or stop movement of the vehicle. The dynamic brake modem is a FRA (Federal Rail Administration) required item for modern control systems. 
     The input/output device  124  represents one or more devices that receive input from an operator onboard the vehicle and/or that present information to the operator. The input/output device  124  may be referred to as a super centralized input/output device (one device), and can represent one or more touchscreens, keyboards, styluses, display screens, lights, speakers, or the like. The input/output device  124  is connected with the second communication network  120  and also is connected with a third communication network  126 . The third communication network  126  also can be an Ethernet network, and may be referred to as a control Ethernet network, as shown in  FIG. 1 . This network can also be either single path or can be implemented in a redudant network. 
     Several display devices  128  may be connected with the input/output device  124  via the third network  126  and optionally may be connected with the input/output devices  124  and other components via the second communication network  120 . An engine control unit  130  (“ECU” in  FIG. 1 ) represents hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with one or more processors (for example, one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays, and/or integrated circuits) that generate control signals communicated to an engine of the vehicle (for example, based on input provided by the input/output device  124 ) in order to control operation of the engine of the vehicle. 
     An auxiliary load controller  132  (“ALC” in  FIG. 1 ) represents hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with one or more processors (for example, one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays, and/or integrated circuits) that control operation of one or more auxiliary loads of the vehicle. The auxiliary loads may be loads that consume electric current without propelling movement of the vehicle. These auxiliary loads can include, for example, fans or blowers, battery chargers, or the like. 
     One or more traction motor controllers  134  (“TMC” in  FIG. 1 ) control operation of traction motors of the vehicle. The traction motor controllers  134  represent hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with one or more processors (for example, one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays, and/or integrated circuits) that generate control signals to control operation of the traction motors. For example, based on or responsive to a throttle setting selected by an operator input via the input/output devices  124  and communicated to the traction motor controllers  134  via a fourth communication network  136 , the traction motor controllers  134  may change a speed at which one or more of the traction motors operate to implement the selected throttle setting. 
     In the illustrated example, the communication network  136  differs from the communication networks  114 ,  120 ,  126  in that the fourth communication network  136  may be a deterministic communication network. The fourth communication network  136  is an ARCnet control network, which is a deterministic communication network. A deterministic communication network may be a communication network that ensures successful communication between devices communicating with each other through the network by only allowing certain devices to communicate with each other at different times. In one example, a deterministic communication network  136  may only allow a device to communicate with another device during a time period that the device sending the communication has or is associated with a communication token. For example, if the input/output device  124  has the token during a first time period, then the input/output device  124  can send control signals or other signals to the display devices  128 , the traction motor controllers  134 , and/or a protocol translator  138  during the first time period, but none of the display devices  128 , traction motor controllers  134 , or protocol translator  138  may be allowed to send communications to any other device on the fourth location network  136  during this first time period. 
     During a subsequent, non-overlapping second time period, the protocol translator  138  may have the token and is allowed to communicate with other devices. No other components connected with the fourth communication network  136  other than the protocol translator  138  may be allowed to send communications during the second time period. In contrast, the Ethernet communication networks  114 ,  120 ,  126  may allow multiple, or all, devices connected to the respective network  114 ,  120 ,  126  to communicate with each other at the same time. For example, two or more of the components connected to the network  114 ,  120 , and/or  126  can communicate with each other at the same time by concurrently or simultaneously sending data packets in the network  114 ,  120 , and/or  126 . 
     The protocol translator  138  (“PTP” shown in  FIG. 1 ) represents hardware circuitry that converts a protocol of signals communicated by one or more additional devices  140  of the vehicle. These devices  140  may communicate using signals having a different protocol (e.g., a different syntax, a different format, or the like) than signals communicated by the devices communicating on the deterministic communication network  136 . For example, the devices  140  may communicate with the protocol translator  138  over serial connections  142 . The devices  140  may include sensors that monitor operation of the vehicle. Examples of these devices  140  include a location determining device (for example, a global positioning system receiver), an audio alarm panel (“AAP” in  FIG. 1 ), an event recorder or log (“ER” in  FIG. 1 ), a distributed power device (“DP” in  FIG. 1 , such as a device that coordinates operations of the vehicle with the operations of other vehicles  102 ,  104  in the same vehicle system), a head of train/end of train communication device (“HOT/EOT” in  FIG. 1 ), an airbrake controller (“Air brake” in  FIG. 1 ), a signaling controller (“Cab signal” in  FIG. 1 ), a fuel gauge or fuel tank sensor (“FTM” in  FIG. 1 ), or the like. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the control system  100  includes many communication networks  114 ,  120 ,  126 ,  136 , and the serial connections  140  of the devices  140 . These many communication networks add increased cost and complexity to control system  100 , and may provide for additional points of failure in a control system  100 . Simply reducing the number of networks in the control system  100 , however, may present additional problems. For example, merely connecting the devices that control movement of the vehicle (e.g., the input/output device  124 , the display devices  128 , the engine control unit  130 , the auxiliary load controller  132 , and/or the traction motor controllers  134 ) with an Ethernet network (that may or may not be connected with one or more of the devices  140 ) could result in so much information or data being communicated in the network that communications with the devices that control movement of the vehicle being prevented, interrupted, or otherwise interfered with. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a vehicle control system  200  according to one embodiment of the inventive subject matter described herein. Similar to the control system  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , the control system  200  is described in connection with a rail vehicle system, but optionally may be used in connection with another type of vehicle, such as automobile, marine vessel, a mining vehicle, or the like. The control system  200  may be disposed onboard a vehicle in a vehicle system that includes the one or more other vehicles  102 ,  104 . The wired connection  106  may communicatively coupled with the vehicle on which the control system  200  is disposed, as well as the vehicles  102 ,  104 , as described above. The control system  200  includes many of the same components described above in connection with the control system  100 . 
     One difference between the control system  100  and the control system  200  shown in  FIG. 2  is that the devices  140  that do not control movement of the vehicle and the devices that control movement of the vehicle (e.g., the engine control unit  130 , the auxiliary load controller  132 , the traction motor controllers  134 , the display devices  128 , and input/output devices  124 ) are all connected with a common (e.g., the same) communication network  202 . This communication network  202  may be an Ethernet network, such as a control Ethernet network. The network  120  described above in connection with  FIG. 1  may also be present in the control system  200  and also may be connected with the display devices  128  and the input/output devices  124 , as described above and shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Another difference between the control systems  100 ,  200  is that the devices  140  are directly connected with the network  202  without having to be connected with the other devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134  by the protocol translator  138  shown in  FIG. 1 . This allows for the devices  140  to directly communicate with each other and/or with the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134  without having to communicate via the translator  138 . 
     One additional difference between the control systems  100 ,  200  is that the interface gateway  118  is not present between the communication networks  114 ,  120 . Instead, one or more linking gateways  204  are connected with the communication network  202  and or the networks  114 ,  120 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The linking gateways  204  represent hardware circuitry that can control which signals are communicated between the different networks  114 ,  120 ,  202 . For example, the linking gateways  204  can determine whether or not a communication is permitted to pass from one device connected with the network  120  to one or more devices connected to the network  202 . The linking gateways  204  may receive one or more computing cards  206  that provide customizable functionality, such as one or more operations or functions desired by a customer or user of the control system  200 . In contrast, the interface gateway  118  shown in  FIG. 1 , may not be customizable by an end-user, but instead may be instead the operations of the interface gateway  118  may be dictated by the manufacturer of the control system  100 . 
     The devices  140  can provide data or other information that is useful for the monitoring and control of the vehicle system, but this information and data may be less important to the safe operation of the vehicle and vehicle system relative to communications and information communicated between other devices connected to the same network  202  (e.g., the input/output device is  124 , the display devices  128 , the traction motor controllers  134 , auxiliary load controllers  132 , and/or the engine control unit  130 ). For example, while determining the location of the vehicle may be useful from one of the devices  140 , it may be more critical are important to the safe operation of the vehicle to be able to ensure communication between the traction motor controller and the input/output devices  124 . 
     Connecting these more critical devices with less critical devices  140  on the same Ethernet network  202  could present problems with increased risk of communications to and/or from the more critical components not being received or sent to or from these components due to the increased traffic on the network caused by data indicated by the less critical devices  140 . While communications to or from the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134  may be assigned with higher priorities than communications with the devices  140 , the amount of data being communicated on the Ethernet network  202  may, at times, be too large to ensure the communications to or from the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134  are received. 
     In order to ensure these communications with the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  are sent and/or received in time (for example, that a change to a throttle setting received by the input/output devices  124  is received by the traction motor controllers  134  within a designated period of time, such as within a few milliseconds), the communication network  202  may operate as a data distribution service (DDS) running on a time sensitive network (TSN). 
     In one embodiment, the data distribution service is an object management group middleware communication standard for communication between and/or among the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  using the network  202 . The devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  that communicate using the data distribution service may be referred to as publishers and/or subscribers. A publisher is a device  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  that provides data or information for one or more other devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  to obtain. A subscriber is a device  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  that receives or obtains this data or information (and performs some function using that data or information). The same device  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  may be both a publisher of some data and a subscriber to other data. For example, the input/output device  124  may be a publisher of some data (e.g., instructions received from an operator to change a throttle setting) and a subscriber of other data (e.g., sensor data provided by one or more of the devices  140  for display to the operator). 
     In one embodiment, the data distribution service is used by the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  to communicate data through the network  202  that is established according to at least some of the standards developed by the Time-Sensitive Networking Task Group, which may include one or more of the IEEE 802.1 standards. In contrast to an Ethernet network operating without TSN that communicates data frames or packets in a random manner, the TSN network  202  may communicate data frames or packets according to a type or category of the data or information being communication. This can ensure that the data is communicated within designated time periods or at designated times. In other Ethernet networks, some data may not reach devices in sufficient time for the devices to operate using the data. With respect to some vehicle control systems, the late arrival of data can have significantly negative consequences, such as an inability to slow or stop movement of a vehicle in time to avoid a collision. 
     The TSN-based Ethernet network  202 , however, can dictate when certain data communications occur to ensure that certain data frames or packets are communicated within designated time periods or at designated times. Data transmissions within the TSN-based Ethernet network  202  can be based on times or time slots in which the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  communicate being scheduled for at least some of the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140 . The communications between or among some of the devices  124 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  140  may be time sensitive communications or include time sensitive data. Time sensitive communications involve the communication of time sensitive data within designated periods of time. For example, data indicative of a change in a brake setting may need to be communicated from the input/output device  124  to the traction motor controllers  134  within several milliseconds of being sent by the input/output device  124  into the network  202 . The failure to complete this communication within the designated time limit or period of time may prevent the vehicle from braking in time. Other non-time sensitive communications may be communications that do not necessarily need to be communicated within a designated period of time, such as communication of a location of the vehicle from the GPS receiver, a measurement of the amount of fuel from the fuel sensor, etc. These non-time sensitive communications may be best effort communications or rate constrained communications. 
     Best effort communications may be communicated within the network  202  when there is sufficient bandwidth in the network  202  to allow for the communications to be successfully completed without decreasing the available bandwidth in the network  202  below a bandwidth threshold needed for the communication of time sensitive communications between publishers and subscribers. For example, if 70% of the available bandwidth in the network  202  is needed at a particular time to ensure that communications with the engine control unit  130  and traction motor controllers  134  successfully occur, then the remaining 30% of the available bandwidth in the network  202  may be used for other communications, such as best effort communications with the auxiliary load controller  132 . The bandwidth threshold may be a user-selected or default amount of bandwidth. The communication of these best effort communications may be delayed to ensure that the time sensitive communications are not delayed. 
     Rate constrained communications are communications that are communicated using the remaining amount of bandwidth, if any, in the network  202 . For example, a rate constrained communication may be sent between devices using the bandwidth in the network  202  that is not used by the time sensitive communications and the best effort communications. If no bandwidth is available (e.g., the time sensitive and best effort communications consume all the available bandwidth), then the rate constrained communication may not occur until more bandwidth is available. 
     The type of communication with a device may be set by the controller  110  and/or the operator of the system  200 . For example, the controller  110  may designate that all communications to and/or from the engine control unit  132 , the traction motor controllers  134 , and the input/output devices  124  are time sensitive communications, communications to and/or from the display devices  128  and auxiliary load controller  132  are best effort communications, and the communications to and/or from the devices  140  are rate constrained communications. Optionally, the type of information being communicated by these devices may determine the type of communications. For example, the controller  110  may establish that control signals (e.g., signals that change operation of a device, such as by increasing or decreasing a throttle of a vehicle, applying brakes of a vehicle, etc.) communicated to the engine control unit  132  and/or traction motor controllers  134  may be time sensitive communications while status signals (e.g., signals that indicate a current state of a device, such as a location of the vehicle) communicated from the engine control unit  132  and/or traction motor controllers  134  are best effort or rate constrained communications. In one embodiment, different types of communication can be used to send command signals that control movement or other operation of a vehicle. For example, a command signal can be communicated to a vehicle in order to change a throttle of the vehicle, apply brakes of the vehicle, release brakes of the vehicle, or the like, as a time sensitive communication, a rate constrained communication, and/or a best effort communication. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a method  300  for establishing a communication network between devices of a vehicle control system. The method  300  may be used to create the network  202  shown in  FIG. 2 . At  302 , several different vehicle-controlling devices  124 ,  130 ,  134  are communicatively coupled with each other by an Ethernet network. These devices  124 ,  130 ,  134  are components that operate to control a vehicle, such as by changing throttle settings, applying or disengaging brakes, or the like, to control movement of the vehicle. 
     At  304 , several non-vehicle-controlling devices  128 ,  132 ,  140  are communicatively coupled with each other and with the vehicle-controlling devices  124 ,  130 ,  134  by the same Ethernet network as the vehicle-controlling devices  124 ,  130 ,  134 . For example, the devices  128 ,  132 ,  140  may send and/or receive data that is used to monitor and/or diagnose operation of the vehicle, but that is not used to control movement of the vehicle during movement of the vehicle. These devices  128 ,  132 ,  140  may be connected with the same network as the vehicle-controlling devices  124 ,  130 ,  134  without a protocol translator being used to change protocols or other aspects of the communications from and/or to the non-vehicle-controlling devices  128 ,  132 ,  140 . 
     At  306 , the devices and/or communications connected to the same Ethernet network are designated as time sensitive communications, best effort communications, or rate constrained communications. As described above, the time sensitive communications may be communications with devices that need to be completed in a short period of time (e.g., within a designated period of time, such as thirty milliseconds) in order to ensure that the vehicle is safely controlled, while best effort and/or rate constrained communications may not need to be completed within such short periods of time. 
     At  308 , the network is controlled as a data distribution service operating on a time sensitive network. The controller  110  can control communications within the network in this manner to provide a flexible Ethernet network that can have additional devices added to and/or devices removed from the network, without sacrificing or risking the time sensitive communications of some devices on the network. For example, the addition of a device  140  to the network  202  can be completed without the network  202  changing the communications to and/or from the devices  124 ,  130 ,  134  from time sensitive communications to another type of communication. The devices  124 ,  130 ,  134  may continue communicating with each other and/or other devices using the time sensitive communications of the network  202 , while the new and/or other devices can continue communicating as best effort and/or rate constrained communications. 
     In one embodiment, a data distribution service as described herein can operate on a network that is operating as a time sensitive network implementation of the IEE 802.1 Ethernet standards. 
     In one embodiment, a control system includes a controller configured to control communication between or among plural vehicle devices that control operation of a vehicle via a network that communicatively couples the vehicle devices. The controller also is configured to control the communication using a data distribution service (DDS) and with the network operating as a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications. 
     In one example, the network is an Ethernet network at least partially disposed onboard the vehicle. 
     In one example, the vehicle devices include two or more of an input/output device, an engine control unit, a traction motor controller, a display device, an auxiliary load controller, and/or one or more sensors. 
     In one example, one or more of the engine control unit or the traction motor controller is included in the first set of vehicle devices using the time sensitive communications. 
     In one example, the controller is configured to direct the first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using the time sensitive communications such that the time sensitive communications are completed using bandwidth of the network while the second and third set of the vehicle devices communicate the best effort communications and the rate constrained communications using a remaining amount of bandwidth of the network that is not used by the time sensitive communications. 
     In one example, the vehicle is a rail vehicle. 
     In one example, the vehicle is an automobile. 
     In one embodiment, a control system includes a controller configured to control communication between plural vehicle devices that control one or more operations of a vehicle. The controller also is configured to control the communication between or among the vehicle devices through an Ethernet network while the Ethernet network operates as a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications. 
     In one example, the Ethernet network is at least partially disposed onboard the vehicle. 
     In one example, the vehicle devices include two or more of an input/output device, an engine control unit, a traction motor controller, a display device, an auxiliary load controller, or one or more sensors. 
     In one example, one or more of the engine control unit or the traction motor controller is included in the first set of vehicle devices using the time sensitive communications. 
     In one example, the controller is configured to direct the first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using the time sensitive communications such that the time sensitive communications are completed using bandwidth of the Ethernet network while the second and third set of the vehicle devices communicate the best effort communications and the rate constrained communications using a remaining amount of bandwidth of the Ethernet network that is not used by the time sensitive communications. 
     In one example, the vehicle is a rail vehicle. 
     In one example, the vehicle is an automobile. 
     In one embodiment, a control system includes a controller configured to control communications between plural vehicle devices onboard a vehicle through a time sensitive network (TSN). The controller is configured to direct a first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using time sensitive communications, a different, second set of the vehicle devices to communicate using best effort communications, and a different, third set of the vehicle devices to communicate using rate constrained communications. 
     In one example, the TSN network is an Ethernet network that is at least partially disposed onboard the vehicle. 
     In one example, the vehicle devices include two or more of an input/output device, an engine control unit, a traction motor controller, a display device, an auxiliary load controller, or one or more sensors. 
     In one example, one or more of the engine control unit or the traction motor controller is included in the first set of vehicle devices using the time sensitive communications. 
     In one example, the controller is configured to direct the first set of the vehicle devices to communicate using the time sensitive communications such that the time sensitive communications are completed using bandwidth of the TSN network while the second and third set of the vehicle devices communicate the best effort communications and the rate constrained communications using a remaining amount of bandwidth of the TSN network that is not used by the time sensitive communications. 
     In one example, the vehicle is a rail vehicle. 
     It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or examples thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the inventive subject matter without departing from its scope. While the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the inventive subject matter, they are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the inventive subject matter should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose several embodiments of the inventive subject matter and also to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the inventive subject matter, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the inventive subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. 
     The foregoing description of certain embodiments of the inventive subject matter will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. To the extent that the figures illustrate diagrams of the functional blocks of various embodiments, the functional blocks are not necessarily indicative of the division between hardware circuitry. Thus, for example, one or more of the functional blocks (for example, processors or memories) may be implemented in a single piece of hardware (for example, a general purpose signal processor, microcontroller, random access memory, hard disk, and the like). Similarly, the programs may be stand-alone programs, may be incorporated as subroutines in an operating system, may be functions in an installed software package, and the like. The various embodiments are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings. 
     As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the inventive subject matter are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising,” “including,” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.