CZ35674U1 - Railway train equipment for detecting objects and then classifying them - Google Patents

Description

In the registration procedure, the Industrial Property Office does not determine whether the subject of the utility model meets the conditions for eligibility for protection pursuant to Section 1 of Act no. E. 478/1992 Sb.

CZ 35674 UI

Railway train equipment for object detection and their subsequent classification

Field of technology

The technical solution concerns the railway train equipment for object detection and their subsequent classification.

State of the art

As in the automotive industry, the railway industry is beginning to develop systems that should gradually make it possible to fully replace human labor. This trend in the railway world is mainly focused on replacing the driver's sensory, decision-making and executive skills. The full replacement of these capabilities corresponds to the degree of automation GoA4 (Grade of Automation). Fully automated GoA4 metros have been running around the world for many years, but GoA2-compliant projects are only now starting on the classic conventional line. This means that the system can start and stop the train automatically, but the driver must always be present in the cab and supervise the train running. Compared to a closed environment in the metro, the open environment of a conventional railway is far more demanding in terms of perception and the number of possibilities for interactions with the surrounding environment.

The whole system for unattended train operation must be a very complex sophisticated system of cooperating subsystems. These subsystems include, for example, the Automatic Train Operation (ATO - known in the Czech Republic known as AVV - Automatic Train Control) system, the expert train decision system replacing the driver's decision-making capabilities and, last but not least, a number of detectors replacing the driver's sensory perception. . These detectors include an object detector, which aims to replace the so-called eyes or. the sight of the driver in monitoring the area in front of and around the railway vehicle.

The essence of the technical solution

The subject of the presented technical solution is the form and technical solution of the equipment for object detection and their subsequent classification, which is the railway train equipment for object detection

The essence of this technical solution lies in the fact that detection sensors (lidar group, stereo camera, thermal camera and high-resolution camera) placed in an adaptive console at the front of the railway vehicle constantly monitor what is happening in front of the train and in close proximity to the train. Thanks to the use of different types of sensors, it is possible to capture a given scene in several parts of the electromagnetic spectrum for the human eye, visible and invisible. All raw data from the sensors are analyzed and stored in the computing unit of the object detector. All data processing and calculations for object detection take place in this unit in real time and independent of the speed of the moving vehicle. The data are processed using analytical algorithms and also using artificial intelligence, which is able to classify not only common objects (human, animal, means of transport) but also special railway objects (signals, their signal signs, etc.). Two approaches are used to determine the transit profile and define the safe zone. The first is the use of a digital map created by scanning the track and the second approach is the detection of the track (or rail) to refine the entire focus. The output of the computer unit of the object detector is then mainly position and character information (eg the position of the detected object in relation to the train front or the type and properties of this object). This information is ready for distribution to the downstream train subsystems (eg train expert decision system, unattended train automatic control system or unattended traffic control terminal).

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Clarification of drawings

In the attached drawing, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a device according to this technical solution.

Examples of technical solutions

The subject of the technical solution is a railway device 10 for the detection of objects and their subsequent classification, comprising detection sensors connected to a computing unit 8 with a module 7 of a global satellite positioning system (hereinafter also GNSS).

The essence of this technical solution lies in the fact that in the console 6 located at the front of the railway vehicle, sensors comprising a lidar group 1, a stereo camera 2, a thermal camera 3 and a high-resolution camera 4 are co-powered by a power supply and control module 5. 9 inside a rail vehicle with a computing unit 8 and a GNSS module 7. The computer unit 8 for detecting and classifying objects can be connected to an expert train system 11 for executing decisions, with a system 12 for automatic control of an unmanned train and further to a dispatching supervision terminal 13 of unmanned trains. The computing unit 8 is adapted to provide position and character information, including the distance of the detected object from the train front and the type of the detected object.

Device 10 consists of the following parts:

• detection sensors in a defined configuration, which is lidar group 1, stereo camera 2, thermal camera 3 and high resolution camera 4;

• protective and support bracket 6 with adaptive mounting on the front of the railway vehicle;

• power supply and control module 5;

• GNSS module 7 and communication module;

• computer unit 8 of the object detector; and • a switchboard 9 inside the rail vehicle.

Due to their technological nature, each sensor generally perceives the environment at different distances, in different angles of view and in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. With the above-mentioned configuration of sensors, it is also possible to capture some information beyond the current vision of the human eye, resp. driver's eye.

The individual principles of sensing sensors are as follows.

For lidar 1, it is a question of accurately measuring the distance of objects and creating a 3D scene using the reflection of laser beams. Stereo camera 2 is about calculating the disparity map and completing the 3D scene. The thermal camera 3 is an image of the emitted infrared radiation and the high-resolution camera 4 is an image in the visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. All raw data from these sensors, i.e. lidars 1, stereo cameras 2, thermal cameras 3 and chambers 4, are analyzed and stored in the computer unit 8 of the object detector. The power supply of individual sensors is provided by the power supply and control module 5.

The sensors, i.e. the lids 1, the stereo camera 2, the thermal camera 3 and the camera 4, including the power supply and control module 5, are located in a special console 6, which is located at the front of the railway vehicle. This console 6 has not only a supporting function but also a protective function. One of the key features of this bracket 6 is the fact that it can be installed on any conventional rail vehicle thanks to its adaptable mounting.

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It consists of two parts: a universal fixed support and protective box for lidars 1, a stereo camera 2, a thermal camera 3 and a camera 4 and a power supply module 5, and an adapter (fixing the structure to the vehicle) which corresponds to the structure of the rail vehicle type.

Directly in the train there is a railway switchboard 9 with an object unit 8 of the object detector and a GNSS module 7 and a communication module. All computational operations necessary for the detection and classification of objects using artificial intelligence take place in the computing unit 8 of the object detector. In addition to standard objects (human, animal, means of transport), it is also able to classify special railway objects (signals, their signal signs, etc.). In addition, the track itself (or rails) is detected in order to determine whether or not the detected object is in the track gauge. The output of the computer unit 8 of the object detector is then mainly position and character information (eg the distance of the detected object from the train front or the type of the detected object). All operations take place in real time, regardless of the speed of the moving vehicle.

The computing unit 8 of the object detector forms an interface not only with its own subsystems and modules, i.e. lidars 1, stereo cameras 2, thermal cameras 3, cameras 4, power supply module 5 and module 7, but also with connected surrounding railway subsystems. These subsystems include, in particular, the expert train decision system 11 and the subsequent automatic train control system 12. The computing unit 8 sends status information and detected object information to the expert decision system 11 so that it can decide to perform the corresponding action. Furthermore, it is possible for the object detection device 10 to be able to send image information to the downstream systems even outside the train, namely with remote train management and control (unattended train control terminal 13).

Industrial applicability

In addition to the primary use of this device in an unmanned train (GoA4), where the driver is not present in the vehicle, the device can also be used when operating the train in lower levels of automation or in degraded conditions. In these cases, it will serve as an assistance system for the driver or other authorized persons present on the train, or for authorized persons outside the train.

Claims (2)

PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS Railway train equipment for object detection and their subsequent classification, comprising detection sensors connected to a computing unit (8) with a global satellite positioning system module (7), characterized in that sensors are located in the console (6) at the front of the railway vehicle comprising a group of lidars (1), a stereo camera (2), a thermal camera (3) and a high resolution camera (4), co-powered by a power supply and control module (5) which are connected to a switchboard (9) inside a railway vehicle with a computing unit (8) and a module (7) of a global positioning system, wherein the object detection and classification computing unit (8) is connectable to an expert train system (11) for decision making, to a system (12) for automatic control of an unmanned train and to dispatching supervision terminal (13) of unmanned trains. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the computing unit (8) is adapted to provide position and character information, including the distance of the detected object from the train front and the type of the detected object.