EP0007022A1 - Light signal arrangement to be used in an emergency-call system for traffic roads - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Light-signal equipment for traffic routes, where a communications cable used for emergency-call purposes and emergency-call pillars (NRS) situated in the course of the cable are utilized additionally, and which is remote-fed from central stations (ZB, ZU) via the communications cable, characterized in that several separately switchable signal lamps (SL) are arranged on each emergency-call pillar, the individual emergency-call pillars of a group-forming majority of locally succeeding emergency-call pillars are selectively controllable from a central station (ZB or ZU) by code signal (KS), and that the selective control of the emergency-call pillars releases the switching-on of one or several of their signal lamps in such a way that the signal lamps of the individual emergency-call pillars of a group are flashing in a type of flashing which is different from emergency-call pillar to emergency-call pillar.

Description

The invention relates to a light signal device, in particular for traffic routes, in which a message cable used for emergency purposes and in the course of this cable lying call pillars are additionally utilized and which is remotely fed via the message cable from central stations.

From the literature reference ADAC-Motorwelt 11/76, pages 30 to 32, it is known to use the emergency call devices along the highway to visually warn drivers of danger spots. The visual warning should be given by the flashing of the outside lighting of the emergency call pillars. In the event of a threat is provided to switch from _f iner Autobahnmeisterei from the its associated emergency telephones to "flashing." A locally differentiated marking of a danger point is not possible with this method, but only an imprecise danger warning for a large area that extends over the entire area of responsibility of a motorway service station.

From DE-AS 19 33 436 it is known to provide electron flash tubes with charging capacitors as energy stores instead of conventional light bulbs to increase the intensity of the flashing signals.

The previously known methods do not take into account the shadowing of a flashing emergency call column by a truck. As a result of this shadowing, one becomes for the driver cars overtaking the blinking emergency call column covered by a truck.

Taking into account the above-mentioned problems, the object of the invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned at the outset which enables a locally differentiated identification of a hazard point occurring at any point with reference to its distance and thereby largely reduces the shadowing effect by trucks.

The above object is achieved by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1.

Because several, for example three, consecutive emergency call pillars located in front of the danger point flash, the likelihood that a car driver will not see any of the flashing emergency call pillars due to shadowing by a truck is very small, for example by the 3rd power less than in just a blinking emergency column.

By flashing differently the individual emergency call pillars of a group of flashing emergency call pillars, the driver can recognize his position within the group of flashing emergency call pillars and assess his distance from the danger point, since he can recognize from the flashing of an emergency call pillar whether he is on the first, second or third emergency column in front of the danger point. This is particularly important if a truck has previously shaded an emergency call pillar.

The formation of a group of several flashing emergency calls Pillars bring yet another advantage: the warning of a danger point and thus the request to reduce the speed is not given by the emergency call point immediately in front of the danger point, but much earlier. This enables the driver to gradually reduce his speed.

Each emergency call pillar can be defined by a corresponding code signal as the first, second or third emergency call pillar of a group of, for example, three flashing emergency call pillars. As a result, a group of flashing emergency call pillars can be moved along the motorway in steps of approximately 2 km, depending on the distance between two emergency call pillars and the respective location of a danger point.

Due to the fact that each emergency call column has several signal lamps with differently adjustable flashing types, different information can be transmitted to the driver. For example, in addition to a general danger warning, the driver can be signaled as further information that he should leave the highway because of a traffic jam or that a vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction of travel.

Another advantage of the invention is that the light signal device works on pairs of conductors that are already being used in other ways, that is, it does not require any additional pairs of conductors, and that the previous speech transmission to and from the emergency call pillars is nevertheless not impaired during the blinking operation. To separate the previous speech transmission from the code signals and Remote feed streams of the device according to the invention require no complex selection means.

• Fig. 1 eine übliche Kabelstrecke mit Notrufsäulen zwischen zwei Autobahnmeistereien,
• Fig. 2 eine Phantomkreisbildung und Sendeschaltung in einer Autobahnmeisterei,
• Fig. 3 eine gleichstromsperrende Phantomkreisankopplung,
• Fig. 4 die Signalübertragung zu Notrufsäulen über unbemannte Zentralstellen,
• Fig. 5 den mechanischen Aufbau der Lichtsignaleinrichtung einer Notrufsäule,
• Fig. 6 a - e Beispiele für Blinksignale,
• Fig. 7 eine Schaltung zur Steuerung der Blitzfolge in einer Kotrufsäule,
• Fig. 8 die Verteilung und Durchschaltung der Ziindspannung,
• Fig. 9 eine Schalttabelle zur Schaltung nach Fig. ε,
• Fig. 10 die Erzeugung der in einer Notrufsäule benötigten Spannungen,
• Fig. 11 eine Wechselstrom-Impulsfolge zur Aktivierung einer Notrufsäule,
• Fig. 12 ein Ausfiihrungsbeispiel für eine Gruppe von Kodesignalen,
• Fig. 13 eine Schaltung zur Auswertung der Kodesignale und
• Fig. 14 einen Spannungsverlauf nach einer Wechselstrom-Amplitudenbegrenzung.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the following description of an exemplary embodiment. The drawing shows:

• 1 shows a conventional cable route with emergency call pillars between two motorway maintenance companies,
• 2 is a phantom circuit formation and transmission circuit in a highway maintenance,
• 3 a DC blocking phantom circuit coupling,
• 4 shows the signal transmission to emergency call pillars via unmanned central stations,
• 5 shows the mechanical structure of the light signal device of an emergency call pillar,
• 6 a - e examples of flashing signals,
• 7 shows a circuit for controlling the flash sequence in an excrement pillar,
• 8 shows the distribution and connection of the ignition voltage,
• 9 shows a switching table for the circuit according to FIG.
• 10 the generation of the voltages required in an emergency call column,
• 11 shows an alternating current pulse sequence for activating an emergency call pillar,
• 12 shows an exemplary embodiment of a group of code signals,
• 13 shows a circuit for evaluating the code signals and
• 14 shows a voltage curve after an AC amplitude limitation.

According to Fig. 1 are between two motorway maintenance departments, the manned central offices ZB, at a distance of about 2 km Emergency telephones NRS 1 to 22. These are connected to the motorway maintenance authorities ZB with a continuous voice line (not shown). The central stations ZB supply the emergency call pillars NRS 1 to 6 and NRS 17 to 22 assigned to the motorway maintenance authorities. The emergency telephones NRS 7 to 16 are powered by an unmanned central station ZU. The supply circuits of the manned central units ZB and the unmanned central unit ZU are electrically isolated from each other. Two pairs of conductors are used to power existing devices. The external lighting of the emergency call pillars NRS is supplied with alternating current via one pair of conductors. The other pair of conductors is used to supply AC power to an illuminated kilometer reading inside the funnel of the NRS emergency telephones. These two pairs of conductors are shown together in FIG. 1.

The emergency call pillars of the two directions of travel are also shown together. For example, the designation NRS 4, that at this point an emergency call column is arranged in the direction of travel A - B and in the direction of travel B - A. The emergency call pillars in both directions are connected to a common cable, a so-called bus line. This cable is only laid on one side of the highway. The emergency telephones on the opposite side are connected to this cable by spur lines.

The voltages and currents for the light signal device are transmitted via a phantom circuit (cf. FIG. 2). For this purpose, a manned central point ZB contains a remote feed device FE with a voltage selector SW and a transmitter tl. The middle-grounded secondary winding of the transformer Ül is connected via the center tap of two chokes Drl to the main lines Stl and St2, which form the phantom circuit. In the emergency telephones NRS, decoupling from the phantom circuit takes place via similar tapped throttles Dr2. The above-mentioned alternating voltages for the exterior lighting or the lighting of the mileage are connected to the main lines Stl and St2 via the transformers U2, U3 already used. The formation of the described phantom circuit does not require a separation of the master lines Stl and St2. However, it is also possible to replace a choke Drl and the associated transformer Ü2 or Ü3 in a known manner by a common phantom transformer, whose tapped secondary winding is connected to the main line Stl or St2 instead of the choke Drl.

The phantom circuit not only provides the AC signal for the light signal device, but also transmits code signals from the central points to the emergency call stations. The code signals consist of a sequence of alternating current pulses with different voltage values. The output al of the signal generator SG in FIG. 2 controls the voltage selector SW in accordance with the code signal to be transmitted. Through this a connection point L, H or D of the primary winding of the transformer Ül is connected to the AC network N. The winding part between the connection points D and A of the primary winding of the transformer U1 is designed for the nominal value of the mains voltage, for example 220 V. When connection point D is connected to the AC network, the highest transmitted voltage is at the phantom circuit. When the other two points are connected, the voltage is H or L. correspondingly lower on the phantom circle. Due to the center grounding of the secondary winding of the transformer Ül, the voltage prevailing between the master lines Stl and St2 is halved compared to the earth potential and thus also the hazardous voltage to persons. The code signals are decoupled via the chokes Dr2 and evaluated in the emergency telephones NRS. The output a2 of the signal generator SG is used to control emergency call pillars via unmanned central stations, which is explained in connection with FIG. 4.

When using triacs in the voltage selector SW, a quick change between the individual voltage values is possible. The magnetizing current surges that occur as a function of the switch-on time can be avoided, for example, by switching the voltage on the secondary side of the transformer U1. A two-pole changeover is then necessary because of the center grounding. Other usual measures for voltage switching, for example a phase control, can also be used.

As a result of proposed improvements to the motorway emergency call devices, direct current transmission is provided via the trunk line St2. In this case, phantom and decoupling, which spurs direct current, is provided for the trunk line St2. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of this. The choke Drl of FIG. 2 is supplemented by two chokes Dr3 and two capacitors C. The DC blocking is carried out by the capacitors C. Two capacitors C are required for reasons of symmetry. In order to keep the feed resistance as low as possible, the two capacitors C are through A choke Dr3 is added to series resonance circuits, the resonance frequency of which is equal to the frequency of the remote supply current, in particular 50 Hz. The decoupling on the emergency call pillars takes place via an analog circuit.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the emergency call pillars between two manned central points ZB belong to different, galvanically isolated dining areas, which are fed from a manned or unmanned central point ZB or ZU. If the phantom circle is formed from the stems Stl and St2 (cf. FIG. 2), via which the emergency pillar exterior lighting and the illumination of the mileage are fed, there are two separate phantom circles corresponding to these different dining areas. Then an emergency call column in the area of an unmanned central station ZU cannot be controlled directly from a manned central station ZB, but must be controlled via the relevant unmanned central station ZU.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment for the control of an emergency column via an unmanned central station ZU. The unmanned central unit ZU is connected to the AC network N like the manned central unit ZB and has the same remote feed device FE as this. In order to control an emergency call column via the unmanned central station ZU, the signal generator SG sends signals S to its output a2. These are fed to a data transmitter DS and brought into a form suitable for data transmission. The data is transmitted to the unmanned central station ZU on the continuous voice line SL. There they are possibly amplified in an amplifier V and in a data receiver DE original output signals of the signal generator SG implemented. These recovered signals S control the output voltage of the remote feed device FE in the same way as in the manned central point (cf. FIG. 2). The controlled output voltage is given in the unmanned central station ZU as a code signal KS via the phantom coupling Phl to the phantom line PhL, coupled out via the phantom coupling Ph2 and evaluated, for example, in the emergency call station NRS 7. The phantom or coupling Phl or Ph2 is designed in accordance with FIG. 2 or FIG. 3. The signal generator output al is used to control the emergency call columns with code signals KS from the manned central office ZB, which was explained in connection with FIG. 2.

The signal generator SG can be constructed in such a way that the signal intended for it is automatically assigned to the corresponding output al or a2, depending on the range of an emergency call column.

Four flash tubes ER1 to BR4 are provided on each emergency call pillar NRS (cf. FIG. 7). These are part of the signal lamps SL1 to SL4 (see FIG. 5). All signal lamps are located close to the head part NT of the emergency column. This avoids large leverage effects in strong winds. 5 in the angular receiving part At for the signal lamps or by displacing this receiving part with respect to the head part KT, lateral closure covers of the head part can still be kept free and accessible. The receiving part At is fastened to the emergency pillar head part by brackets Ka.

Depending on the position of an emergency call column within a group of flashing emergency call columns, one, two, etc. signal lamps light up in succession. FIGS. 6a to e each show examples of the flashing of their signal lamps 1 to 3 or 1, 3 and 4 for a group consisting of three emergency call pillars. NRSI is the group's first emergency number, NRSII is the second and NRSIII is the third number in the group. The point in time when a signal lamp lights up in relation to the time axis t is identified by a dot.

6a shows an example of a warning of a danger point. With NRSI, only signal lamp 1 flashes. With NRSII, signal lamps 1 and 3 flash in succession. With NRSIII, signal lamps 1, 2 and 3 flash in succession. In Fig. 6d, which shows the flashing of NRSIII, this is symbolized by the arrow t. The signal lamp that lights up is shown by a filled circle.

6c shows an exemplary embodiment for further information for the road users. Shown is the signaling of the request "leave the highway" by the NRSII 'and NRSIII'. The flashing rhythm of NRSI remains unchanged: signal lamp 1 flashes. With NRSII ', signal lamps 3 and 4 flash and with NRSIII' signal lamps 3, 1 and 4 one after the other. In Fig. 6e the blinking of NRSIII 'is mbolized by the arrow ts ^y .

6d and 6 ₀ show the clear difference between the two pieces of information and their suggestive effect.

In the examples shown, not only does the number of active signal lamps correspond to the respective ordinal number of an emergency call column, but also their flashing frequency: the number of flashes between the respective breaks? 1, P2 and P3 (see Fig. 6a) also corresponds to the ordinal number of an emergency call column .

This is illustrated in FIG. 6b, in that only the temporal grouping of the flash sequence is shown and highlighted by brackets. This temporal grouping is also highlighted in brackets in FIGS. 6a and 6c.

In order to be able to distinguish whether a danger point affects only one direction of travel (e.g. accident, traffic jam) or both directions of travel (e.g. fog, black ice), the corresponding emergency call stations are switched to flashing either in just one direction of travel or in both directions of travel. If e.g. 1, the danger point G denotes a noble route, the emergency call pillars 5 to 7 are switched in the direction of travel A - B and the emergency call pillars 10 to 8 are switched to flashing in the direction of travel B - A. Since each emergency call pillar, as will be shown, is selectively controlled by an address signal, it is possible to activate the emergency call pillars independently of the direction of travel, although the emergency call pillars of both directions are connected to a common cable.

7 shows a configuration example for the generation of a desired sequence of elites in an emergency call column. The code signals sent from a central point and transmitted via the stems Stl and St2 are on the emergency call pillars via the phantom coupling Ph2 to a transformer U4 with a plurality of secondary windings s, z, b. The voltage tapped at secondary winding s is rectified in a rectifier and charging device GLE and fed as code signal voltage Us to a signal device SE and evaluated there. A power supply capacitor Cv (cf. FIG. 10) is charged in the rectifier and charging device GLE by the code signals transmitted with high energy. Its voltage is used to power various electronic circuits; this is indicated by the voltage arrow Uv. An exemplary embodiment of the rectifier and charging device GLE and details of the derivation of the voltages Ub, Uz, Us and Uv are explained with reference to FIG. 10.

With a corresponding address signal that determines the emergency call column to be activated, the following type signal at the output of the signaling device SE provides corresponding information that defines the type of blinking. For this purpose, the signaling device SE in FIG. 7 contains a commercially available series-parallel converter which converts the series information arriving at the input of the pulses arriving one after the other into parallel information at the output; this is indicated by a multi-core connection line to a distributor Vt in a lightning sequence circuit Efs. The parallel information at the output of the signal device SE controls the distributor Vt of the flash sequence circuit Dfs in the flash device BE in such a way that the switching points 1 '' ... 4 'are connected to the switching points 1 ... 4 in accordance with the type code. The switching state that arises is saved. After transmission of the code signals blinking begins. In this case, the power supply capacitor Cv is constantly recharged in order to maintain the power supply voltage Uv.

The energy required for the blinking operation is also transmitted via the phantom circuit on the stems Stl and St2. The voltage supplied is stepped up in the secondary winding b of the transformer U4, rectified in the rectifier and charging device GLE and supplied as a flash voltage Ub to the flash tubes BR1 ... 4 in the flash device BE. The flash voltage Ub is smoothed by the charging capacitor Cb. The diode D prevents the energy of the charging capacitor Cb from flowing back. The unsmoothed flash voltage Ub is also supplied to the signaling device SE. Their use there will be explained with reference to FIG. 13.

The Eia flash sequence switch shows your Taictschelter. on, which is controlled by cinem ZB. 50 Hz half-waves are used as dialing criteria, e.g. the voltage for the emergency call pillar outside or for the illumination of the Hilometer indication. The counting number includes the clock switch 7 after the most logged number of half digits is deleted or deleted. As a result, the voltage wl in the rectifier and charging direction BLH ilete Zänd voltage Us cyclically jecile through at senalt points 1 '... 4' Corresponding to the connections between the switching points 1 '... 4' on the one hand and 1 ... 4 on the other hand, which were brought about by the signaling device SE, the ignition voltage Uz is applied in succession to ignition transmitters U5.1 ..., U5.4. A glow lamp and a flash tube with auxiliary electrode are assigned to each of these ignition transmitters. For reasons of clarity, only a glow lamp G11 and a flash tube BR1 with auxiliary electrode III are shown. When the ignition voltage Uz is applied to the ignition transformer Ü5.1, the glow lamp G11 ignites and i: in a known manner, by means of the high-voltage winding of the ignition transformer Ü5.1 and the auxiliary electrode H1 together with the flash voltage Ub, ignites the flash tube BRI. The ignition of the other flash tubes is carried out analogously.

With an appropriately voltage-resistant flash sequence Bfa, it is also possible to provide only one ignition transformer and a glow lamp and to arrange them in front of the input of the clock switch T and to control its switching steps and the connection of the ignition voltage Uz to the ignition transformer by the counter ZG and the switching points 1. ..4 to be connected directly to the auxiliary electrodes H1 ... 4. A half-wave packet switch, which is available as a commercially available integrated circuit, can be used as the counter ZG.

The ignition trigger shown in Fig. 7 represents an external triggering of the ignition, in contrast to the usual method in which the ignition timing is determined by the state of charge of an energy store (see e.g. DE-AS 19 33 436). The charging times of the charging capacitors Cb, Cz for the flash voltage Ub and the ignition voltage Uz are dimensioned such that the charging capacitors have reached their intended charging energy by the next switching step of the clock holder T.

Other types of external triggering of the ignition are also possible. For example, the ignition can be triggered from a central point by pulse-like increase or decrease or interruption of the remote supply voltage for the blinking operation in connection with voltage-generating circuits in the emergency call pillars.

The externally triggered ignition trigger has the advantage that the ignition of the various flash tubes within a group of flashing emergency call stations is ensured at the intended times, which is not the case with the charge-dependent ignition trigger, because one Group of flashing emergency call pillars represents a complex charging system with several charging capacitors and different distance-dependent line resistances, the size of which also changes from case to case. Equalization and supplementary resistors can largely harmonize the individual charging times, but they can never be made absolutely identical. Therefore, with charge-dependent triggering, the charging capacitor with the smallest time constant would always trigger the ignition of the associated flash tube before the other flash tubes ignite. Its recharging would prevent the further charging of the other capacitors or delay them inadmissible. The remaining flash tubes would not ignite at all or only at very large, irregular and uncontrollable intervals. On the other hand, the charge-independent ignition trigger not only ensures that the flashing rhythm of each emergency call pillar, viewed individually, corresponds to a fixed, predefined time grid, but also prevents the ignition times of the different emergency call pillars from shifting against one another. The ignition times are thus fixed after a phase-locked time grid. A temporal mutual shift of the ignition times would periodically change the charging processes in the charging network and would have the consequence that capacitors were temporarily no longer sufficiently charged.

8 shows an exemplary embodiment for the optional distribution and connection of the ignition voltage in the distributor Vt of the lightning sequence circuit Bfs. The switching contacts a to i and the clock switch T are shown as mechanically operated contacts and switches for easier illustration. You can of course by electro African, integrated circuits can be realized. The ignition voltage Uz is cyclically switched through to the switching points 1 '... 4' by the clock switch T controlled by the counter ZG. Depending on the type of the desired flash sequence (NRSI to III, or NRSI, II 'or III'), the switching contacts a ... i are activated and closed in accordance with the table in FIG. 9 in accordance with the respective type signal by the signaling device SE. Closed contacts are identified by a dot. The closed contacts switch the ignition voltage Uz through to the corresponding switching points 1 ... 4. Depending on the position of the switch contacts, the signal lamps light up in rhythm according to Fig. 6a or 6c.

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary embodiment for the generation of the voltages Ub, Uz, Us and Uv shown in FIG. 7. The AC voltage U decoupled from the phantom circuit is raised in the secondary winding b of the transformer U4 directly to the value required for the flash tubes, fed to a full-wave rectifier Gb of the rectifier and charging device GLE and output as rectified, still unscreened voltage Ub. The usual voltage stabilization, which is primarily used to keep the flash sequence frequency constant, is not necessary since, as already mentioned, the ignition is triggered independently of the charge state of the charging capacitor Cb (cf. FIG. 7).

To generate the ignition voltage Uz, the capacitor Cz is charged with the voltage taken from the transformer winding z via a diode D9.

To generate the power supply voltage Uv on the Transformer winding s a low voltage is removed and rectified in a rectifier Gv. The power supply capacitor Cv is charged with the rectified voltage via the diode Dll and the resistor Rll.

The code signals are also taken from the winding s and, after rectification in the rectifier Gv, are fed to the signal device SE for evaluation as a code signal voltage Us. Since the code signal transmission works with two different voltage values and the power supply capacitor Cv is recharged during the code signal transmission, the voltage at Cv is stabilized by a Zener diode Zll. The diode Dll prevents the charge from Cv from reaching signal-evaluating parts of the signaling device SE. The resistor Rll serves for decoupling.

The circuits fed with the supply voltage Uv are integrated circuits, so that their power consumption is very low compared to the flash tubes.

Of course, it is also possible to convert the 50 Hz alternating current into a higher frequency current in a known manner via several intermediate stages (rectifier, oscillation stage, amplifier) before the voltage transformation, so that a smaller transformer with a possibly better efficiency can be used. However, this possibly better efficiency is offset by additional energy consumption by the intermediate stages. In addition, if a 50 Hz transformer is omitted, transistors with a higher operating voltage are required, since the 50 Hz AC voltage supplied is higher than that for electronic circuits is common. Such transistors are more expensive and have less safety reserves; In addition, the additional intermediate stages also contain such transistors and thus additionally reduce the reliability of the overall device.

FIG. 11 shows the example of a sequence of 50 Hz alternating current pulses transmitted in the phantom circuit for activating an emergency call pillar in its time profile t. The alternating current is represented by the hatching within the pulses. A charging pulse Il has a longer duration than subsequent signal pulses Is of the code signal KS. The charging pulse Il serves to charge the power supply capacitor Cv (cf. FIG. 10), which feeds the electronic devices of the light signal device.

The code signals ES consist of AC pulses and are binary coded. Of the various possibilities for the formation of the two indentations, only the stress criterion is used. The lower voltage Ul embodies the linear state zero. The higher voltage Uh embodies the binary state L. These voltages are present over several alternating current periods. The duration of the individual signal pulses Is is not tied to any clock criteria. They can be of different lengths. Compared to the formation of the two binary states, this has a time criterion - e.g. Pulse length code - the advantage that the pulse transmission is independent of the link oscillation behavior of the transmission line, which can falsify the start and end of a signal pulse Is.

The end of a signal pulse Is is marked by a return to the voltage value zero. Together with the abovementioned possibility of undefined pulse lengths, this gives the further advantage that the signal pulses Is can be transmitted asynchronously. For this reason, not only the signal pulses Is but also the pauses Rz may be of different lengths with the appropriate evaluation device. This eliminates the need for clock recovery and counting devices.

Such devices would be required if the binary states e.g. would only be represented by the state "no voltage" or "voltage", ie without returning to the voltage value zero. Because then the signal pulses Is would have to be sampled in the signaling device at precisely defined points in time in order to obtain unambiguous information in the case of several successive identical binary states.

After the code signal transmission, the flashing operation takes place. The voltage used here is equal to the voltage Uh.

FIG. 12 shows a simplified, unipolar representation of a pulse example for a group of five code signals KS, which are assigned to an emergency call pillar. A group of five code signs KS corresponds to the five different flashing cards according to Fir. 6 and 9 (NRSI, II and III, and NRSII 'and III'). The code signals KS consist of an address signal AS and a type signal TS. The address signal AS is different for each emergency column. 12, the address signal AS comprises 5 bits. The type signal TS specifies the number of signal lamps activated by the flash sequence circuit and their switch-on sequence and thus the position of the emergency call pillars within a group of flashing emergency call pillars and the type of information. In the example, the type signal TS consists of 3 bits.

The number of 8 bits in the example shown is an arbitrary assumption. The number of bits actually required depends on the number of emergency call pillars to be activated and the number of different flashing cards. In the example shown, max. 2 ⁵ = 32 different emergency call columns are activated, whereby up to 2 ³ = 8 different flashing cards are possible for each emergency call column.

When adapting the number of flashing cards to the power series 2 ⁿ , the properties of a binary code are optimally used. In this case, however, no transmission redundancy is possible, which may be desirable in the interest of a low probability of transmission errors.

13 shows a circuit example for the evaluation of the code signals KS by the signaling device SE in an emergency column. The derivation of the code signal voltage Us as well as the lightning voltage Ub and the power supply voltage Uv has already been explained with reference to FIG. 10. The code signal voltage Us takes on the special words Uh 'or U1' during signal transmission. These values are adapted to the usual voltage values for electronic circuits and are therefore lower than the voltage values Uh or U1 transmitted on the phantom line.

The voltage Us is across diodes D12 and D13 and Wider R12 and R13 capacitors Cr and Cs supplied. The diodes D12 and D13 prevent the charges of the capacitors Cr and Cs from equalizing or flowing back into the rectifier and charging device GLE (cf. FIG. 10). The resistors R12 and R13 prevent a capacitor from short-circuiting the voltage Us at the start of its charging and thus interrupting the charging process of other, partially charged capacitors. The resistors are also used to define the different charging time constants for the capacitors Cr and Cs.

With the charging pulse I1 (see FIG. 11) the capacitors Cr and Cs are charged to the voltage value Uh '. The half-waves of the high DC voltage Ub occurring during this pulse are limited by an amplitude limiter Ab to a low value Uh ″, which is somewhat larger than Uh ′. The limited voltage Uh '' only drops below the value Uh '' for a fraction of a half-wave duration (cf. FIG. 14, curve a). These voltage drops are bridged by a capacitor Ck. The charge and discharge time constants of the capacitor Ck are dimensioned such that it is charged or discharged at the latest after a half-wave (FIG. 14, curve b). The voltage of the capacitor Ck is connected to a resistor R15 and to the base of transistors T1 and T2. The capacitors Cr and Cs, which are located at the emitter of the transistor Tl and T2, have a larger charging time constant than the capacitor Ck. As a result, the voltage at the bases of the transistors reaches the value Uh '' before the voltage at the transmitters reaches the somewhat smaller value Uh '. The transistors T1 and T2 block.

Due to the charging current surge when charging the capacitor Ck A positive voltage pulse is generated across a resistor R16 via the amplitude limiter Ab. This pulse is applied to the quiescent input of a bistable multivibrator K via a diode D14. If this flip-flop is not in the rest position, it is switched to its rest position. If it is already at rest, it does not respond to this impulse.

The capacitors Cr and Cs are charged by several half-waves. The voltage Uh 'that arises at them is greater than the breakdown voltage of threshold switches SW1 and SW2. This breakdown voltage lies between the voltage values Uh 'and Ul'. As soon as the voltage Uh 'is present at the capacitor Cs, the threshold switch SW2, which is at the set input of the multivibrator, switches through. This sets the binary state L at the working output of the flip-flop. This is located at the input of a series parallel converter SP. The transistor T1 still blocks, so that the voltage ^U h 'present at the capacitor Cr does not reach the threshold switch SW1.

As long as the charging pulse Il lasts, the voltage Uh ″ applied to the resistor R15 keeps the transistors T1 and T2 in the blocking state. After the charging pulse I1 has ended, the capacitor Ck discharges within a half-wave period via the resistors R15 and R16. The resulting negative voltage pulse across resistor R16 is blocked by diode D14. The discharge time constant is only slightly larger than the charge time constant, since the resistor R15 is small compared to the resistor R16. After the capacitor Ck is discharged, zero potential reaches the bases of the transistors T1 and T2 via the resistor R15. These are achieved by the Capacitors Cr and Cs applied voltage Uh 'switched through. Via the transistor T2, the discharge current of the capacitor Cs at a collector resistor R17 generates a pulse It, which is fed to the series-parallel converter SP. This scans the binary state L present at the input of the series-parallel converter SP. The series-parallel converter SP is designed so that the binary state present at its input is only evaluated by the pulse It. Such series-parallel converters SP are known.

The capacitor Cr is discharged via the transistor T1 connected through and the series circuit comprising a resistor R14 and a small inductance L. The discharge current surge is slightly delayed by the inductance. The time constant of the series connection is small compared to the discharge time constant of the RC element Cr, Rl4. The voltage of the delayed pulse generated at the resistor R14 is therefore only insignificantly less than the voltage Uh '. The threshold switch SW1 is switched through by the delayed pulse compared to the pulse It. The pulse is supplied as a reset pulse Ir to the series-parallel converter SP and the flash sequence circuit Bfs in the flash unit BE. As a result, both are brought into their starting position and ready for the immediately following code signal transmission. The previously sampled binary state L as well as random switching states, which may be caused by induced interference voltages if the device is not used for a long time, are thus deleted by the reset pulse Ir.

During the subsequent code signal transmission the capacitor Cs is charged and discharged several times to the voltage Uh 'or U1'. Due to the charging current surge of the capacitor Ck at the beginning of each signal pulse Is, the multivibrator K is brought into the rest position in the manner described. The blocking of the transistors T1 and T2 at the beginning of each signal pulse and their switching on after the end of the respective signal pulse and the associated generation of the pulse It is done analogously to pulse I1.

The transistors are blocked regardless of whether the voltage Ul or Uh is present at the primary winding of the transformer, because the voltage value Uh "occurring after the amplitude limiter Ab is independent of which of the two voltages is present at the transformer.

The signal pulses Is are shorter than the previous charging pulse Il and only last until the capacitor Cs is charged to the voltage Uh 'or Ul'. Therefore, the charging voltage of the capacitor Cr remains noticeably less than Uh 'or U1' at the end of a signal pulse, since the charging time constant of Cr is dimensioned to be significantly greater than that of the capacitor Cs. The lower voltage across the capacitor Cr is not sufficient to break the threshold switch SW1 when the transistor T1 is turned on. The signal pulses therefore do not trigger a reset pulse Ir. The discharge time constant of the capacitor Cr - including the delay caused by the inductance L - is markedly smaller compared to its charging time constant, so that its voltage always remains below the breakdown voltage of the threshold switch SW1, even if only signal pulses of the voltage Uh have been transmitted.

The code signal voltage Us supplied to the signal device SE is not smoothed, since the voltage changes between Uh 'and Ul' and the pulse gap RZ would be covered by a filter capacitor. The voltage Us periodically drops to zero in the cycle of the half-waves. Therefore, the voltage developed across capacitor Cs does not rise monotonously during charging due to several half-waves, but is overlaid with a more or less pronounced voltage-wave line. As a result of the wave-shaped voltage curve during the charging of the capacitor Cs, it is possible that the voltage threshold of the threshold switch SW2 is broken several times until the final charge state is reached. Nevertheless, several successive L states are not simulated, since the downstream bistable multivibrator K switches to the stable working state at the first breakthrough and no longer reacts to further impulses at its working input, but only to a pulse given later to its idle input. An analog superimposition with a voltage-wavy line on the capacitor Cr can be disregarded there. Since the capacitor Ck, as mentioned, reaches its final charge state within a half-wave, this superposition does not occur with it.

When a signal pulse Is with the voltage Uh is transmitted, the ceserated tilting door K generates the binary state L at the input of the series-parallel converter SP. This is evaluated in the same way as after the charging pulse I1 during the subsequent pulse gap RZ by the pulse pulse It, thus only when the capacitor Cs has the stable final charge state crrcient.

When a signal pulse Is is transmitted with the voltage Ul, the voltage Ul 'forms on the capacitor Cs. This is below the breakdown voltage of the threshold switch SW2. There is therefore no pulse at the working input of the multivibrator K. At its output, therefore, the zero state remains, which is switched at the beginning of each signal pulse by the charging current surge of the capacitor Ck. The key pulse It following each signal pulse Is then evaluates the zero state.

The series-parallel converter SP returns cyclically after the last signal pulse of a code signal KS, that is to say at the last key pulse It, to the starting position which it held immediately after the reset pulse Ir. The series-parallel converter SP is thus ready to receive the next code signal KS. The parallel outputs are fed to the lightning device BE via a corresponding multi-core control line of the lightning sequence circuit Bfs. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a 3-bit sequence can be evaluated. The series-parallel converter SP is constructed in such a way that the output information with which it controls the flash sequence circuit in the flash device only picks up with a corresponding previous address signal AS. In this way, control processes are only triggered in the emergency call pillars to be activated. The performance required for this is therefore limited to these emergency pillars, in the example to three emergency pillars. Such series-parallel converters are known on the market as integrated circuits.

The charging time constants T of the capacitors Cr and Cs are dimensioned such that their charging time with respect to the pulses I1 and Is is at least 5T, so that these capacitors always reach their final charge state. Therefore, the voltage across these capacitors in all emergency telephones, regardless of the respective line resistance, always reaches the value of the voltage applied in the feeding central stations. The different line lengths between the central stations and the individual emergency call pillars thus have no influence on the signal evaluation by the threshold switches SW1 and SW2 with predetermined voltage thresholds in the signaling device SE.

To check whether the intended emergency call pillars have been properly activated, you can send feedback from these emergency call pillars to the central office. No special feedback devices in the emergency call pillars are required for this. Rather, a device intended for other purposes can be used for the feedback, with which the Autohahn emergency call systems are to be retrofitted in the near future. This device, which is described in the German patent specification 2 251 400, provides that when an Autcbahn emergency call column is used, an identifier of the emergency call column used is automatically sent to the central station by lifting the speech flap, from which the central station personnel immediately recognizes which emergency column is being used is called from. This measure is intended to make it unnecessary for the caller to read the mileage information attached to each emergency column and name it to the central office.

To carry out the feedback, it is only necessary, parallel to the contacts which are actuated by lifting the speech flap and by which an identification is sent in accordance with the German patent specification 2 251 400 is triggered to arrange switching means which are controlled by one of the described devices and which trigger the same switching functions as the lifting of the speech flap. This can e.g. by the flash sequence circuit Bfs after the switching state brought about by the signaling device SE has been stored in the flash sequence circuit Bfs; In order not to block the functions triggered when the satchel flap is actually lifted, it can be provided that the switching means are only briefly set to a switching state which is equivalent to a raised speech flap. Since the activation of the emergency call stations is carried out by code signals transmitted one after the other, it is possible to carry out the corresponding feedback in a staggered manner and to separate them.

Claims (10)

1. Light signaling device, in particular for traffic routes, in which a message cable used for emergency calls and in the course of this cable lying call pillars are used and which is remotely fed via the message cable from central points, characterized in that on each call pillar (NRS) several by code signals (KS) signal lamps (SL) which can be controlled differently by a central point (ZB or ZU) are arranged in such a way that several locally successive emergency call columns (NRS) are grouped together for signal delivery and that to distinguish the emergency call columns (NRS) of a group, their signal lamps (SL ) flash differently. 2. Light signal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmission of the code signals (KS) and the remote supply of the light signal device via a common phantom circuit (Stl, St2). 3. Light signal device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that alternating current, in particular for both the code signal transmission and for remote feeding of the light signal device 50 Hz alternating current is used and the voltage of the code signals (KS) and the remote supply voltage are of the same order of magnitude. 4. Light signal device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the code signal (KS) consists of alternating current pulses with two different voltage values and that between the individual alternating current pulses, the alternating voltage is blanked to the value zero. 5. Light signal device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the code signals (KS) are preceded by a charging pulse (I1) for charging an energy store (Cv) which supplies a supply voltage (Uv) for the electronic devices in the emergency call pillars (NRS) and that the energy of the code signals (KS) is used to recharge this energy store (Cv). 6. Light signal device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the code signal (KS) consists of an address signal (AS) for controlling a particular emergency call pillar (NRS) and a type signal (TS) for determining the type of flashing of this emergency call pillar. 7. Light signal device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the type signal (TS) via the output of a signal device (SE) controls a switching device (Bfs) for determining and storing the flash sequence. 8. Light signal device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the transmission of the code signals (KS) to emergency call pillars (NRS), which are assigned to an unmanned central point (ZU), signals (S) of a signal generator (S) in the manned central points (ZB) SG) converted into a form suitable for data transmission on a voice line and transmitted there to the unmanned central unit (ZU) and converted there into the original signals (S), from which the same manner as in the manned central units (ZB ) Code signals (KS) are formed and transmitted to the emergency call pillars (NRS), which are assigned to the unmanned central stations (ZU). 9. Light signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, for warning of a danger point, the emergency call pillars (NRS) can only be driven in one direction of travel (A-B or B-A) or both directions of travel. 10. Light signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a series-parallel converter (SP) provided in the signaling device (SE) only if the address signal (AS) matches the address of the relevant emergency call column (NRS) to control the switching device (Bfs) releases.

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