U.S. patent application number 12/919531 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-30 for method for signal-technology safeguarding of rail vehicles and safeguarding systems related thereto.
This patent application is currently assigned to SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT. Invention is credited to Jens Braband, Bernhard Evers, Stefan Gerken.
Application Number | 20100327125 12/919531 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40651450 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-30 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20100327125 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Braband; Jens ; et
al. |
December 30, 2010 |
METHOD FOR SIGNAL-TECHNOLOGY SAFEGUARDING OF RAIL VEHICLES AND
SAFEGUARDING SYSTEMS RELATED THERETO
Abstract
A method and a protection system for signaling protection of
rail vehicles connected to at least one central monitoring facility
through a data radio system. In order to eliminate cost-intensive
and highly complicated protection technology, the vehicles convey
instantaneous position data through the data radio system to the
monitoring facility. A safety area is defined around each of the
vehicles. The safety area depends on a vehicle speed and a measured
value scatter of the positional data collection method being used.
A warning area surrounds the safety area and the monitoring
facility determines movement-defining data through the
vehicle-specific position data, safety areas and warning areas. In
order to avoid collision-related overlaps of safety zones and to
counteract collision-related overlaps of warning areas, the
movement-defining data are transmitted to the affected vehicles by
way of the data radio system in the event of collision-relevant
overlaps.
Inventors: |
Braband; Jens;
(Braunschweig, DE) ; Evers; Bernhard;
(Braunschweig, DE) ; Gerken; Stefan;
(Braunschweig, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LERNER GREENBERG STEMER LLP
P O BOX 2480
HOLLYWOOD
FL
33022-2480
US
|
Assignee: |
SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Muenchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
40651450 |
Appl. No.: |
12/919531 |
Filed: |
February 23, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
February 23, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP09/52096 |
371 Date: |
August 26, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
246/62 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61L 21/10 20130101;
B61L 2205/04 20130101; B61L 23/24 20130101; B61L 25/025
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
246/62 |
International
Class: |
B61L 25/02 20060101
B61L025/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 29, 2008 |
DE |
10 2008 012 416.8 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A method for signaling protection of rail vehicles, the method
comprising the following steps: linking the rail vehicles over a
data radio system to at least one central monitoring facility;
transmitting instantaneous vehicle-specific position data from the
rail vehicles over the data radio system to the monitoring
facility; defining a safety area around the rail vehicles in
dependence on a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of a
position data recording method being used; defining a warning area
surrounding the safety area around the rail vehicles; determining
movement-defining data in the monitoring facility by using the
vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning
areas, to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to
counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas; and
transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in an event of
collision-relevant overlaps, over the data radio system to relevant
rail vehicles.
9. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises
evaluating the received position data by correlation with track
data for collision relevance.
10. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises
identifying overlaps which are not collision-relevant by a token
method.
11. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises
triggering at least one of audible or visual signaling at the
vehicle, in an event of collision-relevant overlapping of warning
areas.
12. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises
triggering forced braking at the vehicle, in an event of
collision-relevant overlapping of safety areas.
13. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises
determining the position data with a satellite-assisted
position-finding system.
14. A protection system for carrying out the method according to
claim 8, the system comprising: a device for vehicle-specific
position data recording; a transmitting/receiving appliance
disposed in a rail vehicle and having a transmitting component
connected to the device for vehicle-specific position data
recording; a device for determining the safety area around the
vehicle as a function of a vehicle speed and a measured value
scatter of the device for vehicle-specific position data recording
and for determining the warning area surrounding the safety area
around the vehicle; and the monitoring facility having a device for
determining movement-defining data based on the vehicle-specific
position data, the safety areas and the warning areas to avoid
collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to counteract
collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas, and the monitoring
facility transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in the
event of collision-relevant overlaps, over the data radio system to
the relevant rail vehicles.
15. A system for signaling protection of rail vehicles, the system
comprising: a device for vehicle-specific position data recording;
a transmitting/receiving appliance disposed in the rail vehicle and
having a transmitting component connected to said device for
vehicle-specific position data recording; a device for determining
a safety area around the rail vehicle as a function of a vehicle
speed and a measured value scatter of said device for position data
recording and for determining a warning area surrounding the safety
area around the rail vehicle; a monitoring facility having a device
for determining movement-defining data based on the
vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning
areas to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to
counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas; and a data
radio system for transmitting the movement-defining data, at least
in an event of collision-relevant overlaps, from said monitoring
facility to relevant rail vehicles.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method for signaling protection
of rail vehicles which are linked via a data radio system to at
least one central monitoring facility, and to a protection system
for it. Known train protection systems are based on finding the
position of the train by means of trackside position-finding
devices, for example beacons or axial counting devices. These train
protection systems are highly centralized, which means that even
very minor changes, for example to the track plan, require
considerable adaptation effort. A further disadvantage is that the
installation, wiring and maintenance of external elements result in
a major financial penalty. Satellite-based methods currently do not
offer sufficient precision in order to be used for position finding
in the conventional protection method.
[0002] Particularly on single-track lines and branch lines, highly
complex track protection technology is normally not used, for cost
reasons. Movement permission or permission to continue moving is
transmitted by a movement service manager in a control center by
radio to the locomotive engineer on the basis of a movement plan
and the current track occupancy. Incorrect movement permissions or
their misinterpretation by the locomotive engineer can lead to
dangerous, collision-relevant situations. It is therefore
frequently necessary to reserve major sections of little-used track
areas exclusively for individual vehicles, as a result of which
only a very low track flow rate can be achieved.
[0003] The invention is based on the object of providing a method
for signaling protection of rail vehicles and a protection system
for it, which allow technical assistance for identification and
avoidance of a risk of collision using simple means, in particular
without any track elements for position finding.
[0004] According to the method, the object is achieved in that the
vehicles transmit their instantaneous position data via the data
radio system to the monitoring facility in that a safety area,
which is dependent on a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter
of the position data recording method used, and a warning area
which surrounds the safety area are in each case defined around the
vehicles, and in that the monitoring facility uses the
vehicle-specific position data, safety areas and warning areas to
determine movement-defining data, such that collision-relevant
overlaps of safety areas are avoided, and collision-relevant
overlaps of warning areas are counteracted, wherein the
movement-defining data is transmitted, at least in the event of
collision-relevant overlaps, via the data radio system to the
relevant vehicles. According to claim 7, a protection system is
used for this purpose, in which a transmitting/receiving appliance
is provided in the vehicle, whose transmitting component is
connected to a device for position data recording, in which a
device for determining a safety area as a function of a vehicle
speed and a measured value scatter of the device for position data
recording and a warning area, which surrounds the safety area,
around the vehicle is provided, and in which the monitoring
facility has a device for determining movement-defining data on the
basis of the vehicle-specific position data, safety areas and
warning areas such that collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas
are avoided, and collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas are
counteracted, wherein the movement-defining data can be
transmitted, at least in the event of collision-relevant overlaps,
via the data radio system to the relevant vehicles.
[0005] This makes it possible to achieve an increase in the safety
level even without using conventional, costly protection
technology. There is no need for any additional decentralized
trackside devices as a result of which the investment costs are
low, while it is nevertheless possible to achieve a higher safety
level.
[0006] The vehicle is completely embedded, that is to say including
wagons connected to it, in the safety area, wherein the extent, at
least in the direction of travel, must correspond at least to the
speed-dependent braking distance. The size of the safety area is
also dependent on the measured value scatter, that is to say on the
measurement inaccuracy, of the position data recording. It is
desirable to ensure that this safety area can never overlap the
safety area of another vehicle in a collision-relevant manner. For
this purpose, a warning area is placed around the safety area and,
if the warning area overlaps the warning area of another vehicle, a
counter-reaction is introduced at this stage, if this is actually a
collision-relevant overlap.
[0007] In order to make it possible to distinguish between a
collision-relevant overlap and an overlap which is not
collision-relevant, claim 2 provides that the received position
data is evaluated by correlation with track data for collision
relevance. Overlaps which are not safety-relevant are possible, in
particular, when two vehicles are approaching on parallel tracks or
can overtake without meeting. In addition, vehicles which are to be
expected at the identified position on the basis of the timetable,
and which are waiting for movement permission in the case of
single-track sections on an adjacent station track or a bypass
track, can thus be identified as not being critical. The monitoring
facility can use the points position and the instantaneous position
data of the vehicles to assess the danger of overlaps, without any
further information, on the basis of the starting position of each
vehicle.
[0008] In the case of railway tracks with a low operating density
or predominantly single-track operation, it is possible, according
to claim 3, for overlaps which are not collision-relevant to be
identified by a token method. The token method, which is known per
se, ensures that only one vehicle ever moves on the monitored track
section, under the complete responsibility of the locomotive
engineer, and all other vehicles in the overlapping warning area
or, if appropriate, in the overlapping safety area as well, are
stationary. In order to allow a worthwhile sequence of vehicle
movements in this case, the sequence must be manually controllable,
in which case, where necessary, a token can also be handed back
again to the central monitoring facility. While the method
restricts the movement of the vehicles on a token basis, the
locomotive engineer of the moving vehicle is responsible for
ensuring that no collision with a stationary vehicle occurs. The
safety level which can be achieved in this way corresponds to the
previous safety on branch lines.
[0009] Only those overlaps which are identified as
collision-relevant indicate an increased potential danger and,
according to claim 4, lead to a collision warning if the warning
areas overlap, with this being signaled audibly and/or visually to
the locomotive engineer. The locomotive engineer has the obligation
to comply with measures, for example speed reduction, when
implementing the movement-defining data which in this case is
transmitted from the monitoring facility via the data radio
system.
[0010] If an extreme danger situation occurs, in which not only the
warning areas overlap but, in addition, at least one safety area of
a vehicle is also involved, forced braking is envisaged according
to claim 5.
[0011] The position data, to be determined within the vehicle, is
determined with satellite assistance according to the embodiment to
be preferred according to claim 6. If the position data information
fails, for example when moving through tunnels or as a result of
topographically dependent shadowing, the process of determining
position data can be continued on the basis of the most recent
position and the speed for a projectable time. Alternatively or
additionally, it is also possible to use position data determined
by an odometer. The relatively wide scatter width of the
position-finding data, in particular satellite position-finding
data, is used to define the safety area and the warning area, and
therefore no longer represents a problem. Since the vehicles are
moving objects, the safety area and warning area can be defined
individually on a speed-dependent basis for each vehicle. If the
speed is not transmitted together with the position-finding data to
the central monitoring facility, the maximum permissible vehicle
speed applicable on the respective track section can also be used
as the basis for defining the safety area and the warning area.
Different position-finding accuracy scatter widths occur depending
on the position-finding system being used, and these are likewise
included in the definition of the warning areas and safety areas.
Furthermore, the stability of the data radio transmission should
also be taken into account. Because of the use of radio technology,
the data link between a vehicle and a monitoring facility can fail
at any time. The maximum time for a link failure such as this can
additionally be included in the definition of the warning area and
safety area.
[0012] The invention will be explained in the following text with
reference to a FIGURE illustration.
[0013] The single FIGURE shows a safety area 1.1 and 1.2,
respectively, and a warning area 2.1 and 2.2, respectively, for two
vehicles, interacting with a central monitoring facility 3. The
vehicles, which are not illustrated, are completely embedded in the
respective safety area 1.1 or 1.2, while the warning area 2.1 or
2.2 completely surrounds the respective safety area 1.1 or 1.2. The
vehicles are equipped with satellite position-finding receivers,
whose measured value scatter, which can also cover adjacent tracks,
governs the extent of the safety area 1.1 or 1.2, and therefore
also of the respective warning area 2.1 or 2.2. The vehicles use
wireless communication, for example GSM-R, via data radio links 4.1
and 4.2 respectively, for connection to the monitoring facility 3
and continually transmit the position data measured with satellite
assistance, and preferably also the current speed, to the
monitoring facility 3. The monitoring facility 3 uses the
position-finding data, safety areas 1.1 and 1.2 and warning areas
2.1 and 2.2, respectively, to determine whether the warning areas
2.1 and 2.2 overlap and, if yes, whether this overlap is
collision-relevant. The latter is the case only if the vehicles are
moving on the same route, which is specific to the points position.
The points position is known in the monitoring facility 3, as a
result of which the monitoring facility 3 is able to identify
whether there is actually a collision danger or whether the
vehicles are merely moving past one another on adjacent tracks, in
which case safety areas 1.1 and 1.2 can also be involved in the
overlap. Only in the event of a real collision danger does the
monitoring facility 3 transmit warning messages to the vehicles
involved, which are then braked on the responsibility of the
locomotive engineer himself, or are automatically force-braked by
means of an appropriate vehicle appliance. In the end, the
described method allows the use of inaccurate vehicle-internal
position-finding methods, in particular satellite position-finding,
in which case a very high safety level can be achieved even without
using conventional, costly track protection technology.
* * * * *