CH714184A1 - Method of ensuring that a track block of a railway track is free of the last unit of a train. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for ensuring that a route block (11, 13) of a railway track is free of the last unit (19) of a train (17), each train (17) entering the route block (11) having at least one train terminal , OTU - On-Train-Unit (21), at the end of the train (19), defined by the direction of travel of the train (17), equipped which OTU (21) serves to periodically detect the position of the train. The method comprises the following method steps: a) In the OTU (21), at least one polygon (23, 25), which is defined by a plurality of spatial data, is stored per block block (11, 13). b) The respectively used polygon (23, 25) is registered by the OTU (21) by means of GNSS at least once. c) The OTU (21) sends the identification of the respective traversed polygon (23, 25) at least once to a computerized system for evaluation.

Description

description

Field of the Invention The invention relates to a method of ensuring that a track block of a railway track is clear of the last unit of a train.

PRIOR ART Safety measures are known from the prior art which check the completeness or the integrity of a train. An old security measure is that the dispatcher checks with an eye-catching train with the naked eye, whether at the end of the train a train-closing signal is.

Automatic axle counting devices are common, which count the number of axles at the entrance to a station or in a route block (counting of the axles). The axle counting devices are electronic components with sensors. At the exit from the station or the track block, another axle counting device counts down the number of axles (counting the axles). When the axle counter counts down to 0, the train is complete. Axle counters are expensive to buy and maintain. It is also known that they can have functional problems at high temperatures.

To secure train journeys, a variety of measures are known. So that trains that follow or meet each other do not collide with each other, driving was introduced at a fixed space. The routes are divided by signals in blocks of blocks. Only one move may be in a block. This is accomplished by routing the trains through the signal positioned at a transition from a first link block to a second link block. Only when a block of blocks has been cleared may the next train enter this block. Ensuring that the route block has been cleared is achieved with the axle counters described above. Only when the axle counting device has counted down to 0, ie all counted axles can also be counted, the route block is released.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION From the disadvantages of the described prior art, the task initiating the present invention results in proposing a method for train protection, which can ensure train completion with low capital expenditure.

In addition, the proposed method for train protection should complement or replace the existing backup process, the necessary infrastructure investments should be as low as possible.

Description In the following description, the individual terms used are defined as follows:

Polygon = geofence = virtual area stored in the OTU over the two tracks of a track ID = unique identification

Polygon ID Data = Geodesics, Block ID and Track ID

Track ID = Track Number OTU = On Train Unit GNSS = Global Navigation Satellite System EDP System = Electronic Data Processing of OTUs

Railway EDP = electronic data, processing of the railway operator

Lok-OTU = OTU at locomotive cab

Wagon OTU = OTU at the end of the last wagon

Route block ID = defined track section on a defined railway POI - point of interest = point geo object succeeds in a method for ensuring that a block block of a railway line is free of the last unit of a train in that in the OTU at least one polygon, which is defined by a plurality of geodesics, per block per block is deposited, that the respective traversed polygon is registered by the OTU by GNSS at least once, if the position of the OTU is within the polygon (23, 25) and that the OTU sends the identification of the respective traversed polygon at least once to a computerized system for evaluation.

The method has the advantage over the prior art that it manages without the expensive and error-prone Achszähleinrichtungen and other train length control systems. The procedure shows with utmost certainty that a first link block is free of the last unit of a train equipped with the OTU. This is due to the logic of the procedure. Only when a second block of blocks adjoining the first block of blocks is registered is the first block of blocks released. Should the OTU fail after the registration of the first link block, then it will remain in the first link block due to the stored logic, as the second link block is no longer registered.

Apart from the cost-effective OTU, no further infrastructure investments are necessary. Since the method is implemented exclusively by an EDP component, existing web system components are not touched. This makes it possible / cost-effective to supplement existing security procedures to increase the redundancy. In the same way, it is possible to equip railway lines which do not have a safety procedure, whether a route block is free of the last unit of a train, with the method according to the invention.

In addition, can be detected by the method collision and collision hazards, which are based on human error.

The OTU (wagon OTU) replaced data technically the train completion signal, whereby the OTU can be registered in the computer system in addition as a train completion signal.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the evaluation of the identification includes the timing and the order of the traveled polygons and the time when the OTU changes from a block of blocks in an adjacent block block. As a result, it can be detected in real time which block is currently occupied and which blocks are currently free.

The invention is preferably characterized in that the identification of the respective polygon includes geodesics, the identification of the corresponding route block and the corresponding track identification. The polygon ID allows the position of the last unit of the train to be uniquely assigned to a specific route block and to avoid confusion.

Conveniently, a polygon is deposited in the OTU per block block at both ends of the block block. As a result, the route block can be reported as free as soon as possible, since the distance between the adjacent polygons of two adjacent route blocks is as small as possible.

It is advantageous if a plurality of adjoining polygons in the OTU is deposited on the entire length of the block block. In this variant, an uninterrupted polygon ID message takes place within the route block. This leads to a high level of security since the OTU can be detected in real time almost at any time.

The invention is preferably characterized by the fact that the distance between a first polygon, which is deposited at the end of a first block and a block adjacent to the first polygon second polygon, which is deposited at the end of the first block block end of the second block block , corresponds to the maximum braking distance of the train. This distance selection of adjacent polygons of two route blocks ensures that a train, which is stopped by a path signal, due to its braking distance, does not enter the second polygon. Since the second polygon will certainly not be reached by the OTU in this case, the logic of the method guarantees that the first block of the block will not be released. This is true even if the first polygon is left by the OTU as long as the second polygon is not reached.

As appropriate, it has been proven when the train is at its peak, defined by the direction of travel, equipped with another OTU (Lok-OTU) and at a change of direction, the other OTU of the computer system as the OTU at the end the train is detected. As a result, when the direction of the train changes, the last unit of the train is always equipped with an OTU. A manual change of an OTU from the top of the train to the end of the train, which can lead to errors or forgetting the change, is therefore not necessary.

Conveniently, the OTU also sends to the identification of the polygon identification, the direction of travel of the train and the status of the power supply to the computer system sends. Other data that are stored and recorded in the OTU and can be sent to the EDP system are the OTU ID, the date, the time, the speed, the direction, the data of the G sensor, the number of satellites, a meter totalizer of the distance covered, the radio provider ID and the status of the OTU.

It proves to be advantageous if at a given timing of the position determination, the OTU the minimum length of the polygon is determined by the maximum speed of the train and the maximum length of the polygon is defined by the length of the block distance, for which the polygon in the OTU is deposited. If, for example, the OTU calculates its own position every second, the polygon length must be greater than 100 m if the train is traveling 360 km / s and the polygon is to be registered.

The invention is also preferably characterized in that the width of a first polygon corresponds to at least the maximum width of the train and in a multi-track railway track, the width of the first polygon is dimensioned such that the first polygon is overlapping of other third polygons, which are deposited in the OTU for further tracks. Defining the width of the first polygon in the area claimed above allows the position of the OTU to be safely within the first polygon, since the position accuracy is less than one meter and a train is always wider than one meter. Due to the fact that polygons of adjacent tracks do not overlap, a confusion of polygons or route blocks assigned to the polygons is excluded.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the identification of a polygon causes the second polygon assigned to the second block of blocks is reported by the computer system as busy or blocked and the previously passed by the train a first block of blocks from the EDP System is reported as free. As previously described, this logic of the method results in a link block being cleared only if another link block has been identified by having the OTU position within a polygon associated with the other link block. If the OTU is located between route blocks, an abandoned route block is not released.

Conveniently, the train integrity is determined by the fact that the OTU has changed from one to another block block. If there is a separation of the last unit from the Zugspitze, the OTU does not reach a polygon associated with the other block of blocks. If the last unit along with the OTU should continue to roll, the block of blocks will not be released until the last unit reaches a polygon associated with the other block of blocks. If the last unit comes to a halt before the other block, the further block will not be released.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the OTU and the other OTU are synchronized by the computer system to calculate a distance between the two OTUs in the computer system and a distance change of the two OTUs, for example, caused by a clutch break of the train to send to the computer system of the train. As a result, the completeness of the train can easily be determined at any time, in addition to the detection within which polygon the OTU of the last unit is located.

In a further particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the beginning and the end of a range of a link block, at which the GNSS reception of the OTU is not sufficient, deposited in the OTU with a beginning polygon and an end polygon, and the area is considered traversed when the polygon identification of the end polygon is received by the OTU by the computer system. Areas with poor or no GNSS reception would be grained tunnels or canyons. The above features ensure that a tunnel or ravine is not released until the last unit of the train has traversed this area and the OTU is inside the end polygon and identified there.

As it turns out, when the wagon identifications of the individual wagons of a train are transmitted to the OTU to send the position and timing of each car to the computer system. As a result, the present method provides the additional benefit that not only the last unit of the train can be monitored, but all wagons can be detected in the EDP system. No additional hardware components are necessary for this because the OTU can be used to manage wagon identifications. The car identification can preferably be scanned with a text recognition program (OCR) and transmitted wirelessly, for example with WLAN to the OTU.

Conveniently, the wagon identifications are linked to the freight documents of the respective wagon. As a result, each freight document can be located at any time to the destination station.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the stored in the OTU polygons contain information on the position of railway signals and the position of the train signals are visuali-sierbar in the cab of the train. As a result, the train driver is always sufficiently informed about approaching train signals, even if the visibility, for example due to fog and snowfall, should be impaired. It is conceivable that the distance to the approaching railway signal is visualized by a dynamic display. For example, a bar on a display may become shorter and shorter until the path signal passes.

Both the computer system and the OTU (wagon OTU) and the other OTU (Lok-OTU) have satellite. In case of failure of the terrestrial radio links, the OTU and the other OTU can therefore establish a radio connection via satellite reception. If the terrestrial radio links fail, the OTU will send an alarm to be confirmed by the driver and the OTU will initiate a train braking if the train driver does not confirm. The OTU is connected to the train's braking system in such a way that the OTU can initiate a braking of the train. This ensures that in case of failure of terrestrial radio systems and a bridged deadman circuit in the cab emergency braking by the OTU can be initiated.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the OTU is so interconnected with the brake system of the train that in case of failure of terrestrial radio communications, the OTU can establish a radio connection via satellite reception.

Conveniently, the OTU sends in case of failure of terrestrial radio communications to be confirmed by the train driver alarm and the OTU initiates an emergency braking of the train in the absence of confirmation of the train driver.

Further advantages and features will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the schematic representations. It shows in a non-scale representation:

Fig. 1: a first process scheme of a method for ensuring that a route block of a railway line is free of the last unit of a train;

FIG. 2: a supplementary representation of the process diagram from FIG. 1; FIG.

3 shows a track with a representation of different polygon variants;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a double-railed railway track with laid over the tracks polygons and

Fig. 5: a process scheme which defines the distance of a first and second polygon through the braking distance of the train.

Existing railroad tracks or tracks 27 are divided by default into distance blocks, wherein at the transition from a first distance block 11 to the adjacent second distance block 13, a path signal 15 is positioned. The orbit signal 15 releases or blocks the second link block 13. In a multi-track railway line each track is divided into a plurality of route blocks. There are therefore no route blocks, which extend over adjacent tracks at the same time.

Over each route block at least one imaginary boundary is laid, which is referred to as Geofence or as a polygon. In the context of the present patent application, a polygon is to be understood as a virtual surface which is laid over at least part of a block of paths, so that part of the block of lines lies within the polygon. The polygon is defined by a variety of geodesics. The geodesics describe the periphery of a closed polygon. It is also conceivable that the polygon extends over the entire block of blocks.

The unambiguous identification (ID) of a polygon takes place via the following polygon ID data: the geodesics, the route block ID and the track ID. Each route block and each track is uniquely identified, for example by a number or a letter.

A train 17 is equipped at its end with a Zugendgerät. The Zugendgerät is thus carried at the end of the train 19 with this and is referred to as OTU (On-Train Unit) 21. The Zugende 19 is defined by its direction of travel. The end of the train thus happens as the last part of the train 17 a waypoint. The train end 19 corresponds to the last unit 19 of the train 17. The last unit 19 may be a wagon, a locomotive, a railcar or a control car, depending on the direction in which the train 17 moves and how it is assembled.

The OTU 21 is equipped with a memory and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). The power supply of the OTU 21 can be provided by a battery or an external power supply. At least all the polygons of the approaching route or the route blocks which have been passed are stored in the memory.

The OTU 21 registered by GNSS the currently used polygon once or several times. As soon as the position of the OTU 21 has been assigned the corresponding polygon, the polygon ID is sent by radio to a computer system for evaluation. The transmission of the polygon ID can take place at the same time or with a time offset with the assignment of the polygon. The evaluation of the polygon IDs makes it possible to ascertain with the utmost certainty when and in what order which polygons were driven and when the OTU 21 has changed from the first link block 11 into the second block block. By detecting in real time in which polygon the OTU 21 is located, it is inevitably known which block is busy and which blocks are free. In Figs. 1 and 2, a first polygon 23 and a second polygon 25 are shown. The first polygon 23 is assigned to the first link block 11 and the second polygon 25 is assigned to the second link block 13.

If it comes, as shown in Fig. 2, to a clutch break on one of the wagon couplings of the train 17, the OTU does not arrive in the surface of the second polygon 25 at. Therefore, the first link block 11 is not released.

The present method makes it possible to ensure, without the use of axle counting devices, that the first track block 11 is free of the last unit 19 of the train 17.

POIs (Point of Interest) are point coordinates on a digital map and are commonly used for navigation or approach to a destination such as pharmacy, museum, etc. On single-track railways, POIs are useful for determining that a defined POI has been overrun. In multi-track railway bodies can not be determined systemautark on which track or on which block block moves a train, is or was. POIs are therefore unsuitable for determining if a line block of a railway line is free.

In FIG. 3, three different variants are shown how polygons per a block block in the OTU 21 can be deposited.

In variant A, a polygon 23 is deposited per block block. In this variant, the data traffic is lower than in variants B and C. Compared to variants B and C, however, there is a loss of time until the clearing of link block 25 and there is no position message between polygons of the adjacent route blocks.

In variant B, in each case one polygon 23a, 23b is deposited at the two ends of the distance block in the OTU 21. The route block is reported as free as soon as possible, since the distance of the adjacent polygons 23 and 25 of the route blocks 11 and 13 is as low as possible. There is no position message between the polygons 23a and 23b.

In variant C, a polygon chain is deposited on the entire length of the link block 11 in the OTU 19. In this variant, an uninterrupted polygon ID message takes place within the link block 11. All three variants are direction-independent, since it is independent for the message of the polygon ID from which direction of travel the polygon 23 is detected.

4, a multi-track railroad track with a first track 27 and a second track 29 extending next to it is shown. A track section of the first and second tracks 27, 29 is defined as first and third track blocks 11 and 14. For the first and third link block 11, 14, a first and third polygon 23, 26 is stored in the OTU 21. The first and third polygons 23, 26 are sized in width such that they do not overlap. This ensures that only the first polygon 23 can be assigned to the first link block 11 and not the third polygon 26. On the other hand, the first and the third polygon 23, 26 must not be too narrow, so that the GNSS position of the OTU 21 reliable within the corresponding polygon. Therefore, it is expedient if the polygon width at least equal to the maximum width of the train 17.

In FIG. 5, a distance 31 is shown between the first polygon 23 and the second polygon 25, which corresponds to the maximum braking distance of the train, calculated from the maximum speed of the train, which he drives in the first block of blocks 11. The distance 31 ensures that the OTU 21 does not come to rest within the second polygon 25 when the train is forced to stop by the track signal 15 between the two link blocks 11,13. The provision of the distance 31 therefore prevents the tension end 19 with the OTU 21 "slips" in a braking maneuver on the path signal 15 in the second polygon 25 and thereby the first link block 11 is falsely released.

Legend 11 First block of blocks 13 Second block of blocks 14 Third block of lines 15 Railway signal 17 Train 19 Last train of a train 21 OTU, on-train unit 23 First polygon 25 Second polygon 26 Third polygon 27 First track 29 Second track 31 Distance

Claims (17)

claims A method of ensuring that a track block (11, 13) of a railway track is free from the last unit (19) of a train (17), each train (17) entering the track block (11) having at least one train terminal (OTU On-train unit) (21) is equipped at the end of the train (19), defined by the direction of travel of the train (17), which OTU (21) serves for the periodic position detection of the train, characterized in that a) the OTU (21) has at least one polygon (23, 25) defined by a plurality of geodesics per link block (11, 13), b) that the respectively traveled polygon (23, 25) from the OTU (21 ) is registered by GNSS at least once when the position of the OTU is within the polygon (23, 25) and c) that the OTU (21) at least once identifies the respective traversed polygon (23, 25) to a computerized system sends for evaluation. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaluation of the identification of the timing and order of the traveled polygons (23, 25) and the time when the OTU (21) from a link block (11) in an adjacent link block (13 ) changes. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the identification of the respective polygon (23, 25) includes geodesics, the identification of the corresponding link block (11, 13) and the corresponding track identification. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that per link block (11, 13) at both ends of the link block (11, 13) a polygon (23, 25) in the OTU (21) is deposited. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that on the entire length of the link block (11, 13) a plurality of adjoining polygons (23, 25) in the OTU (21) is deposited. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance (31) between a first polygon (23), which is deposited at the end of a first block block (11) and one of the first polygon (23) adjacent the second polygon ( 25), which is deposited on the first block of the block (11) facing the end of a second block section (25) corresponds to the maximum braking distance of the train (17). 7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the train (17) is equipped at its top, defined by the direction of travel, with another OTU and at a change of direction the other OTU of the computer system as the OTU (21 ) is recognized at the end (19) of the train. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the OTU (21) in addition to the identification sends the polygon identification, the direction of travel of the train and the status of the power supply to the computer system. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at a predetermined timing of the position determination, the OTU (21) the minimum length of the polygon (23, 25) by the maximum speed of the train (17) is determined and the maximum length of the polygon (23, 25) is defined by the length of the link block (11, 13) for which the polygon (23, 25) is deposited in the OTU (21). 10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the width of a first polygon (23) corresponds to at least the maximum width of the train (17) and in a multi-track railway line, the width of the first polygon (23) is dimensioned such that the first polygon (23) is overlapping free of further third polygons (26), which are deposited in the OTU (21) for further tracks. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the identification of a second polygon (25) causes the second polygon (25) associated second link block (13) is reported by the computer system as busy or blocked and the first route block (11) previously traveled by the train (17) is reported as free by the EDP system. 12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the train integrity is determined by the fact that the OTU (21) has changed from one link block (11) to another link block (13). 13. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the OTU (21) and the other OTU be synchronized by the computer system to calculate a distance between the two OTUs in the computer system and a change in the distance of the two OTUs, for example, caused by a clutch breakage of the train (17) to send to the computer system of the train. 14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the beginning and the end of a range of a link block, in which the GNSS reception of the OTU is not sufficient, deposited in the OTU with a beginning polygon and an end polygon and that the area is considered traversed when the polygon identification of the end polygon is received by the OTU by the computer system. 15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wagon identifications of the individual wagons of a train (17) are transmitted to the OTU (21) to send the relevant position and timing of the individual wagons to the computer system can. 16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the wagon identification is linked to the freight documents of the respective wagon. 17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stored in the OTU (21) polygons include information for positioning of railway signals and the position of the train signals in the cab of the train can be visualized.