Patent ID: 8370007

Claim:
A method for determining an operating threshold boundary within which an automatic controller is permitted to control a powered system, the method comprising: calculating, on-board the powered system, a threshold power and/or speed boundary of the powered system with at least one of real-time information about at least one of a route and a load encountered by the powered system as a function of at least one of time or distance, a characteristic of the powered system, and a characteristic of the automatic controller; determining, on-board the powered system, whether the powered system exceeds the threshold boundary while the powered system is performing a mission; and if the threshold boundary is exceeded automatically at least one of disengaging, on-board the powered system, the automatic controller when the automatic controller is controlling the powered system and prohibiting, on-board the powered system, the automatic controller from controlling the powered system when the automatic controller has not begun controlling the powered system.