Patent ID: 8903573

Claim:
A method for determining a mission plan for a powered system having at least one primary power generating unit when a desired parameter of the mission plan is at least one of unobtainable and exceeds a predefined limit, the method comprising: identify a desired parameter prior to creating a mission plan which is at least one of unobtainable by a powered system or which is in violation of a predefined limit, the mission plan created for the powered system having at least one power generating unit, wherein the desired parameter comprises at least one of a throttle limit, a brake rate limit, a start speed for at least one of a mission and a segment of the mission, an end speed for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, an operation time for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, a desired speed setting at a defined point in the mission, a start notch setting for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, an end notch setting for at least one of the mission and the segment of the mission, or application of dynamic braking; notifying , via a display, at least one of an operator of the powered system or a remote monitoring facility of the desired parameter being at least one of unobtainable or in violation of the predefined limit; determining whether the predefined limit is at least one of a first limit or a second limit, the first limit being a limit for which an obtainable parameter that is proximate to the desired parameter can be used by the powered system without exceeding the first limit, the second limit being a limit that can be temporarily exceeded by the powered system; and determining at least one of a time period or a condition to temporarily exceed the predefined limit when the predefined limit is the second limit.