DK2849985T3

DK2849985T3 - Determination of track vehicles

Info

Publication number: DK2849985T3
Application number: DK13729672.9T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Jens Braband
Original assignee: Siemens Ag
Priority date: 2012-06-29
Filing date: 2013-06-11
Publication date: 2017-10-30
Also published as: EP2849985A1; DE102012211333A1; ES2645623T3; RU2014147689A; EP2849985B1; RU2638052C2; WO2014001080A1

Description

The invention relates to a method for generating location data, which indicates the position of a rail vehicle on a system of railway tracks.

Systems of railway tracks can be equipped in a known manner with what are known as balises, for example so-called Eurobalises or ETCS balises, which operate as fixed location markers and generate radio signals, which can be received by rail vehicles and evaluated to determine the location. The use of such balises, however, is not always desirable due to reasons of cost.

Furthermore, it is known to equip systems of railway tracks with track vacancy detection equipment, which can be based on so-called track circuits or axle counters, in order to capture the occupied state of track sections. A method for generating location data which indicates a position of a rail vehicle on a system of railway tracks is known from the patent specification US 5,129,605 A, in which occupied signals are generated by track vacancy detection equipment in the form of track circuits. The occupied signal of track vacancy detection equipment of this kind indicates the occupancy of the track section, monitored by the track vacancy detection equipment, by the rail vehicle, as soon as the rail vehicle occupies the track section. Here, the occupied siqnals of the track vacancy detection equipment, in conjunction with a speed signal of a wheel tachometer of a rail vehicle, serves to correct a distance value, in particular if there is no GPS.

The object of the invention is to enable a locating of rail vehicles on a system of railway tracks in a simple and cost-effective manner.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a method having the features according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the inventive method are disclosed in dependent claims .

According to the invention, provision is then made for an occupied signal to be generated by means of track vacancy detection equipment, which occupied signal indicates the occupancy of the track section by the rail vehicle, as soon as the rail vehicle occupies the track section monitored by the track vacancy detection equipment, the occupied signal is provided with a time stamp to form a time-based occupied signal, which indicates the point in time of the occupancy of the track section, the time-based occupied signal is transmitted to a conductor system monitoring the track vacancy detection equipment, the time-based occupied signal is forwarded to the rail vehicle by the conductor system and the current position of the rail vehicle is calculated on the rail vehicle using the time-based occupied signal and the location data is formed. A significant advantage of the inventive method consists in it being possible to dispense with the use of balises for transmitting location signals. According to the invention, there is namely provision taking into account any available track vacancy detection equipment for the locating, whose actual objective consists in monitoring the occupied state of a track section of the system of railway tracks. The track vacancy detection equipment is thus used twice according to the invention, namely for establishing the occupancy state of the track section as well as additionally for generating signals to the rail vehicle, with which the rail vehicle can determine its current position itself. The track vacancy detection equipment is thus used as a type of virtual balise, which transmits a signal to the rail vehicle via a conductor system, whereby a rail vehicle-side locating is enabled.

In a particularly simple and thus advantageous manner, the current position can be determined and the location data can be formed on the rail vehicle side, if a computer facility of the rail vehicle calculates the position of the rail vehicle at the point in time indicated by the time-based occupied signal using a saved route map and using the time-based occupied signal.

As the transmission of the time-based occupied signal from the track vacancy detection equipment via the conductor system to the rail vehicle can occasionally have a not inconsiderable time delay, it is considered to be advantageous if the computer facility calculates the distance, using the speed of the rail vehicle in the time interval between the point in time indicated by the time-based occupied signal and the point in time of the determination of the current position, which the rail vehicle has covered in said time interval and calculates the current position of the rail vehicle by adding the distance covered to the position at the point in time indicated by the time-based occupied signal. In this embodiment of the method, a correction is thus performed, which takes into consideration the distance which the rail vehicle has covered in the time between entering the track section and the calculation of the current position.

To form the time stamp, it is considered to be advantageous if the track vacancy detection equipment takes into account an item of time information broadcast by a global satellite navigation system to calculate the point in time of the occupancy of the track section and forms the time stamp with the time information.

In order to verify or assess the location data formed by means of the time-based occupied signal, it is considered to be advantageous if the rail vehicle comprises locating equipment supported by a global satellite navigation system, second location data is formed with the satellite-supported locating equipment and the second location data is compared with the current position of the rail vehicle calculated using the time-based occupied signal. In this embodiment, two items of location data are thus formed, which are compared with one another in order to avoid a false locating.

It is considered to be particularly advantageous, if the locating equipment of the rail vehicle uses the same global satellite navigation system as the track vacancy detection equipment to form the time stamp. A fault signal is preferably generated if the deviation between the current position of the rail vehicle calculated using the time-based occupied signal and the second location data reaches or exceeds a predefined threshold.

Furthermore, it is considered to be advantageous if the conductor system conveys the time-based occupied signal together with a train identifier, which designates the train that has driven into the track section. The transmission of a train identifier makes it possible for the rail vehicles receiving the time-based occupied signal to assess whether this signal should in fact be evaluated or not. If the rail vehicle establishes in the context of the evaluation of the train identifier that the occupied signal is not intended for the distinct rail vehicle, then it can avoid the further evaluation of the occupied signal.

The invention furthermore relates to a system of railway tracks with a conductor system and track vacancy detection equipment which is connected to the conductor system, which equipment is configured such that it generates an occupied signal which indicates the occupancy of a track section monitored by the track vacancy detection equipment by a rail vehicle, as soon as the rail vehicle occupies the track section .

According to the invention, provision is made in this respect for the track vacancy detection equipment to comprise time determination equipment, which is configured such that it provides the occupied signal with a time stamp to form a time-based occupied signal, which indicates the point in time of the occupancy of the track section, and for the conductor system to be configured such that it forwards the time-based occupied signal to the rail vehicle following receipt by the track vacancy detection equipment. With regard to the advantages of the inventive system of railway tracks, reference is made to the above embodiments in conjunction with the inventive method, since the advantages of the inventive system of railway tracks correspond substantially to those of the inventive method.

Moreover, the invention relates to a rail vehicle with locating equipment. According to the invention, there is provision is respect of the rail vehicle for the locating equipment to have receiving equipment for receiving an occupied signal, provided with a time stamp, of track vacancy detection equipment of an inventive system of railway tracks and to have a computer facility, which is programmed such that it calculates the position of the rail vehicle at the point in time indicated by the time-based occupied signal using a saved route map and using the time-based occupied signal. With regard to the advantages of the inventive rail vehicle, reference is made to the above embodiments in conjunction with the inventive method, since the advantages of the inventive method correspond substantially to those of the inventive rail vehicle .

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments, in which, by way of example:

Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a system of railway tracks according to the invention, which is equipped with a conductor system and track vacancy detection equipment,

Figure 2 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a conductor system, as can be used in the system of railway tracks according to Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a conductor system according to the invention for the system of railway tracks according to Figure 1,

Figure 4 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a rail vehicle, which can evaluate time-based occupied signals of the track vacancy detection equipment of the system of railway tracks according to Figure 1, and

Figure 5 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a rail vehicle according to the invention, which can evaluate time-based occupied signals of track vacancy detection equipment.

For the sake of clarity, the same reference characters are always used for identical or comparable components in the figures .

Figure 1 shows a system of railway tracks 10, of which a track section 15 is monitored by track vacancy detection equipment 20. The track vacancy detection equipment 20 comprises, in the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1, two or more sensors 21 and 22, which generate sensor signals SI and S2, on the basis of which the track vacancy detection equipment 20 can calculate the occupancy state of the track section 15. The sensors can be formed by axle counting equipment or by crossing points of track circuits. In particular in the case of the sensors of the track vacancy detection equipment 20 being formed by crossing points of one or more track circuits, it is considered to be advantageous if the track circuit (s) extend(s) over the entire track section 15 and a plurality of crossing points are provided.

The track vacancy detection equipment 20 has a connection to a conductor system 30, which is equipped with radio equipment.

The system of railway tracks 10 can be operated, for example, as follows:

If a rail vehicle 40 enters the track section 15 of the system of railway tracks 10 along the arrow direction P, then this is captured by the sensor 21 of the track vacancy detection equipment 20 and reported by means of the sensor signal SI.

The track vacancy detection equipment 20 will identify the occupancy state of the track section 15 using the sensor signal SI and generate a corresponding occupied signal. This occupied signal will provide the track vacancy detection equipment 20 with a time stamp while forming a time-based occupied signal SBZ. The time stamp indicates the point in time at which the track section 15 is occupied by the rail vehicle 4 0 .

The time-based occupied signal SBZ reaches the conductor system 30, which conveys this to the rail vehicle 40 as a radio signal SBZF by means of radio equipment. The radio signal SBZF can, in addition to the time-based occupied signal SBZ, also contain a train identifier, which designates the train that must have entered the track section 15 according to the predefined schedule. The transmission of such a train identifier is advantageous, but not necessarily required.

Following receipt of the radio signal SBZF and the time-based occupied signal SBZ contained therein, the rail vehicle 40 will calculate its position using a saved route map and using the time-based occupied signal SBZ. Such a position calculation is readily possible if the saved route map features the track section 15 of the system of railway tracks 10 .

When calculating the current position and when forming the location data, the rail vehicle 40 can furthermore also take into consideration its own speed and can calculate the distance, using the speed in the time interval between the point in time indicated by the time-based occupied signal SBZ and the respective point in time of the determination of the current position, which the rail vehicle 40 has travelled in said time interval. The current position of the rail vehicle 40 can subsequently be calculated by adding the distance to the position which is indicated by the time-based occupied signal SBZ.

In summary, it is made possible for the time-based occupied signal SBZ formed by the track vacancy detection equipment 20, which is forwarded to the rail vehicle 40 by the conductor system 30, to determine the current position for the rail vehicle 40 and to form corresponding location data.

Figure 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of track vacancy detection equipment 20, as can be used in the system of railway tracks 10 according to Figure 1. The track vacancy detection equipment 20 according to Figure 2 has occupancy recognition eguipment 100, which is connected to the sensors 21 and 22 according to Figure 1 and evaluates theirs sensor signals SI and S2. The occupancy recognition eguipment 100 can be conventional equipment with which the occupancy state of a track section can be calculated. The occupancy recognition equipment 100 can, for example, evaluate the signals of axle counters, DC circuits or the like. During the calculation of the occupancy state of the track section 15, the occupancy recognition eguipment 100 can therefore draw on conventional methods for occupation recognition.

The occupancy recognition equipment 100 generates an occupied signal SB at the output side, which is transmitted to a controller 110 of the track vacancy detection equipment 20.

The controller 110 is connected to time determination equipment 120, which transfers the item of time information SZ to the controller 110. Using the time information SZ of the time determination equipment 120, the controller 110 is in a position to provide the occupied signal SB with a time stamp, which indicates the point in time of the occupancy of the track section 15, as soon as a rail vehicle 40 enters the track section 15 and occupies said track section 15. The occupied signal SB provided with the time stamp or the time information SZ is output as a time-based occupied signal SBZ at the output A20 of the track vacancy detection equipment 20 (see Figure 1).

In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 2, the time determination equipment 120 is satellite-supported time determination equipment, which evaluates navigation signals of a global satellite navigation system 200 (only shown schematically in Figure 2) and forms the respective time or the time information SZ while drawing on the time base of the global satellite navigation system 200. The navigation signals are designated with the reference character GPS in Figure 2 by way of example.

With this time information SZ derived from the navigation signals GPS, the time-based occupied signal SBZ is subsequently formed by the controller 110, as has already been explained above.

Figure 3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of track vacancy detection equipment 20, as can be used in the system of railway tracks 10 according to Figure 1. Unlike the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 2, the time determination equipment is not satellite-supported time determination equipment, but rather a synchronised radio clock 130, which is synchronised by a time signal ZS broadcast by radio. The time signal ZS can, for example, be the time signal which is broadcast by the longwave transmitter DZF77 stationed at Frankfurt am Main. The longwave transmitter is designated with the reference character 300 in Figure 3.

The time information (time of day) SZ formed by the synchronised radio clock 130 is evaluated by the controller 110 in order to provide the occupied signal SB of the occupancy recognition equipment 100 with a time stamp and to generate the time-based occupied signal SBZ at the output A20 of the track vacancy detection equipment 20.

Figure 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a rail vehicle 40, which is suitable for evaluating a time-based occupied signal SBZ of track vacancy detection equipment and, using said signal SBZ to determine its own current position.

The rail vehicle 40 comprises a computer facility 410, which is connected to receiving equipment 420 as well as to a memory 430. Saved in the memory 430 is a route map SP, which comprises data D concerning the system of railway tracks 10 according to Figure 1 as well as concerning the track section 15 monitored by the track vacancy detection equipment 20 according to Figure 1.

The receiving equipment 420 is in a position to receive the radio signal SBZF broadcast by the conductor system 30 by radio according to Figure 1 and to extract the time-based occupied signal SBZ contained therein. The extracted time-based occupied signal SBZ is transferred to the computer facility 410.

The computer facility 410 is programmed by means of a software module SMI such that it uses the time-based occupied signal SBZ and the data D of the route map SP to calculate the current position of the rail vehicle 40. In doing so, the computer facility 410 can take into consideration the time interval which has passed between the time indicated in the time stamp and the respective current time, by using the speed of the rail vehicle 40 in this time interval to determine the distance which the rail vehicle 40 has travelled in the meantime. Following this, the computer facility 410 can calculate the current position of the rail vehicle 40 by adding said distance to the position which results from the time-based occupied signal SBZ and the route map SP.

After calculating the current position of the rail vehicle 40, the computer facility 410 generates location data OA at the output side, which indicates the current position of the rail vehicle 4 0 .

Figure 5 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a rail vehicle 40, which can be operated on the system of railway tracks 10 according to Figure 1 and is in a position to evaluate the radio signal SBZF of the conductor system 30 according to Figure 1 for the purpose of calculating the current position.

The rail vehicle 40 according to Figure 5 comprises, in addition to the computer facility 410, the receiving eguipment 420 and the memory 430, which have already been explained in conjunction with Figure 4, additionally satellite-supported locating equipment 440, which can receive navigation signals GPS from a global satellite navigation system 200. With the navigation signals GPS, the satellite-supported locating equipment 440 forms second locating data OA2 which reaches the computer facility 410.

In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 5, the computer facility 410 is programmed with two software modules SMI and SM2. The first software module SMI serves to evaluate the time-based occupied signal SBZ of the receiving equipment 420 as well as the data D of the route map SP and to form first location data OA1.

The second software module SM2 serves to compare the first location data OA1 of the first software module SMI with the second location data OA2 of the satellite-supported locating equipment 440. If the two items of location data OA1 and OS2 substantially correspond with one another, then the computer facility 410 uses the two items of location data OA1 and OA2, for example by averaging, to form average location data OA, which is output at the output A410 of the computer facility 410 .

If, however, the two items of location data OA1 and OA2 differ from one another by too great an extent, then the computer facility 410 will generate at its output A410 a fault signal F, with which the computer facility 410 indicates that an unequivocal location determination is not possible, since the second location data OA2 supplied by the satellite-supported locating equipment 440 differs from the first location data OA1 formed with the time-based occupied signal SBZ by too great an extent.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not restricted by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived herefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention .

List of reference characters 10 System of railway tracks 15 Track section 20 Track vacancy detection equipment 21 Sensor 22 Sensor 30 Conductor system 40 Rail vehicle 100 Occupancy recognition equipment 110 Controller 120 Time determination equipment 130 Radio clock 200 Satellite navigation system 300 Longwave transmitter 410 Computer facility 420 Receiving equipment 430 Memory 440 Locating equipment A20 Output A410 Output D Data F Fault signal GPS Navigation signal OA Location data OA1 Location data OA2 Location data P Arrow direction SB Occupied signal SBZ Occupied signal SBZF Radio signal SMI Software module SP Route map SZ Time information SI, S2 Sensor signal ZS Time signal

Claims

A method of providing a location indication (OA) indicating a position of a rail vehicle (40) on a railway track system (10), wherein a recording signal (SB) generating a recording signal (SB) indicating that a track section (15) monitored by the track release device (20) is occupied by the rail vehicle (40) as soon as the rail vehicle (40) occupies the track section (15), characterized in that - the busy signal (SB) by a timing device (120) of the track stamp device (20) is provided with a timestamp to form a time-related busy signal (SBZ) indicating the time at which the track section (15) is recorded, - the time-related busy signal (SBZ) is transmitted to a control device (30) which monitors the track clearance device (20), - the time-related busy signal (SBZ) is transmitted by the control device (30) to the rail vehicle (40) and - the current position of the rail vehicle (40) is recorded at the rail vehicle (40) is generated by the time-related busy signal (SBZ) and the time indication (OA).

Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a computer device (410) of the rail vehicle (40) determines the position of the rail vehicle (40) by means of a stored stretch card (SP) and by means of the time-related busy signal (SBZ) on it. time specified by the time-related busy signal (SBZ).

Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the computer device (410) determines, by means of the speed of the rail vehicle (40) in the time interval between the time indicated by the time-related busy signal (SBZ) and the time of determining the current position. the distance traveled by the rail vehicle (40) during this time interval and calculates the current position of the rail vehicle (40) by adding the road distance to the position at the time indicated by the time-related busy signal (SBZ).

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the track clearance device (20) retrieves a time information transmitted from a global navigation satellite system (200) for determining the time at which the track section (15) is occupied and together with the time information forms the time stamp.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the rail vehicle (40) comprises a location device (440) supported by a global navigation satellite system (200) - a second location indication (OA2) is formed with the satellite-assisted location device (440) and - the second location indication (OA2) is compared with the current position of the rail vehicle (40), which is determined by the time-related recording signal (SBZ).

Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the location device (440) of the rail vehicle (40) uses the same global navigation satellite system (200) as the track clearance device (20) to form the timestamp.

Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that an error signal (F) is generated if the deviation between the current position of the rail vehicle (40) determined by the time-related busy signal (SBZ) and the second location indication (OA2) reaches or exceeds a predefined threshold.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (30) sends the time-related busy signal (SBZ) together with a train identification which characterizes the train which has entered the track section (15).

Rail track system (10) having a control device (30) and a track release device (20) associated with the control device (30), which is configured to generate a busy signal (SBZ), indicating that a track section (15) monitored by the track trim device (20) is occupied by a rail vehicle (40) as soon as the rail vehicle (40) occupies the track section (15), characterized in that the track trim device (20) comprises a timing device (120), which is configured to provide the busy signal (SB) with a timestamp to form a time related busy signal (SBZ) indicating the time at which the track section (15) is occupied, and the control device (30) is configured in such a way that it transmits the time-related busy signal (SBZ) to the rail vehicle (40) upon receipt of the track clearance device (20).

Rail vehicle (40) having a locating device (440), characterized in that the locating device (440) has a receiving device (420) for receiving a recording signal (SBZ), which is provided with a timestamp, of a track abrasive device. (20) of a railway track system (10) according to claim 9 and a computer device (410) which is programmed to determine by means of a stored stretch card (SP) and by means of the time-related recording signal (SBZ) of the rail vehicle (40) position at the time specified by the time-related busy signal (SBZ).