EP0032581B1 - Device for determining the indication of a signal to be conveyed to a railway traction vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The signal term to be transmitted to a railroad traction vehicle is formed in a signaling system in that each element, from a destination element back to a start element has a respective top speed assigned thereto as an identification. The identification is transmitted element-by-element back to the start element and is devalued during relaying thereof when the identification is greater than that prescribed for a travel path element having a lower assigned top speed so that the identification received at the start element indicates the top speed admissible for the route. The admissible top speed is then converted into a corresponding signal term.

Description

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

In older interlocking systems, in which the so-called DR technology is used, the signal term to be activated on a light signal is derived from the combination of the start and destination button actuated for the route position. A specific signal term is assigned to each possible key combination. This method of selecting signal terms has disadvantages, particularly when an entire route is composed of several partial routes, as is the case, for example, with train routes across several signal box districts. In the newer track plan pushbutton interlocking technology, one starts from the consideration that the signal term to be transmitted to a locomotive, apart from special cases, is determined by the switches in the route and the length of the slip path in question. The permissible maximum speed can be specified for each position of each turnout and for each slide. The speed values specified for the individual route elements of a train route to be set are to be evaluated in order to determine the signal term to be transmitted to an approaching train according to the rule: the lowest speed statement determines the signal term. In order to derive this lowest speed statement, after defining a route, the route elements involved in the route are stimulated to deliver the speed statement assigned to them. The various speed statements are received, checked and evaluated by a central receiving device, the so-called signal selection group. The result of this evaluation, the lowest speed statement in each case, is then given via a ring line system to the relevant signal group of the route start element that is ready to receive. The transmission of the signal term determined in this way to the approaching train takes place optically by means of light signals and / or electrically by train control devices which preferably act in a punctiform manner.

The described process of signal selection is brief. The central receiving device is occupied for a maximum of 0.5 seconds. Despite this relatively short occupancy time, there can be an undesired waiting dependency of several routes waiting for signal selection, since any number of routes can work out their speed concept at the same time, but the central signal selection group is only available once and is used in a time-multiplexed manner.

If the central signal selection group fails, the entire signal box is affected because none of the light signals or the point-acting train control devices can be controlled.

This disadvantage is avoided in a circuit for the choice of signal terms for light signals in track layout signal boxes (DE-OS 1 455434) in that the signal terms are formed decentrally. In this known circuit, an element group assigned to the respective target element of a route feeds several different speed values between a lowest possible and a highest possible value determined by the signal concept of the respective target element into a multi-core track cable system, via which these values are tracked from element group to element group in the direction of the starting element element group assigned to the route can be advanced. In this case, some of the speed values in the individual element groups are hidden by disconnecting switching connections if only a lower driving speed is permissible for the element group in question than is offered by the element group following the route destination. In the start element group, the track lines are checked for potentials present from the target element group and a selection circuit assigned to the start element of the route determines the signal term to be activated by the start element from the potentials supplied to them.

Velocity values (represented by potentials on the individual track lines) are fed into the track line system from the respective target element of a route, which - when they reach the start element - lead to the activation of a very specific signal term. So z. For example, if the target element showing "Halt" on the starting element of the route has the yellow signal and if the target element showing "green" shows the starting element of the route the green signal is switched on. This system of signal concept selection is rigid in itself; it does not take into account that the danger point covered by a signal lies behind the signal location in the direction of travel and that the distance between the danger point and the signal location - the so-called slip path - can be of different sizes. A signal with a longer slip path can be approached by an approaching train set but at a higher driving speed than a signal with a shorter slip path.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device according to the preamble of claim 1, which does not require a complex multi-core track cable system for the advancement of speed values, which includes the distance between the respective target element and the associated danger point in the determination of a signal term to be transmitted and from the output switching means of the route start element directly feeds the signal term to be displayed.

The invention solves this problem by the features specified in the characterizing part of the main claim.

The invention is explained below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

The drawing shows schematically those route elements which are involved in the determination of the signal term to be activated on signal A or transmitted to a train by a train control device when a route is switched from signal A to signal B. In addition to the target element, these are the switches W1 to W3 in the route. For these switches, depending on the respective switch position and the radius of curvature of the switches, different maximum speeds are specified, which are entered in an upper field of the route element groups EGW1 to EGW3 shown schematically below the switch symbols.

Above the element group EGZ for the target element of the route, a maximum speed is indicated for the selected slip path target. The destination element of the route now switches a flag for the maximum speed that it allows to a dedicated line SL, via which the route elements in the route are connected to the starting element of the route. The indicator "60" fed in at the target element may reach the element group EGW1 of the switch W1 lying in the route via further route elements, not shown, which do not participate in the selection of the signal concept. A permissible maximum speed »80« is specified for this switch W1. The indicator "60" assigned to the element group EGW1 by the route target element B is significantly below the maximum speed "80" applicable to the route element W1. The received code »60« is therefore switched to the EGW2 element group that follows the track plan in the route. A maximum speed of »60« is specified for the associated route element. Since the number plate received is not larger than the number plate stamped on the element group, the number plate is advanced in the direction of the starting element of the route. In this case, it may reach the element group EGW3 of the switch W3 via further element groups not involved in the signal selection. This switch can be driven at a maximum speed of »40«. The number »60« assigned to the element group is much larger than the maximum speed permitted for the W3 track element. The element group EGW3 therefore evaluates the received license plate to the number stamped on it and switches this devalued license plate in the direction of the starting element of the route. The identifier received by the element group EGS of the start element represents the signal term to be switched on or transmitted on signal A, or it is proportional to the signal term to be switched on.

The indicators switched from the route destination via the route elements included in the route according to the route plan and possibly devalued there can be represented by any information. An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that each indicator is represented by a defined number of pulses, the number of pulses per indicator increasing with increasing size of the associated speed value. By suppressing individual impulses, the transmitted indicators in the individual element groups can easily be devalued to lower values. However, it is also advantageously possible to represent the characteristics by means of defined switching times within a time grid, for example by the time interval between two pulses. The duration of the switching time should correspond to the size of the associated speed value, so that the associated speed value can also be devalued by narrowing the switching time. Another, likewise advantageous variant for the design of the indicator provides for preferably using binary-coded pulse sequences for the different speed values, each of which is announced by a synchronous pulse; the higher-value pulse telegram is assigned to the higher speed value.

The device according to the invention for determining the signal term to be transmitted to the locomotive of a train approaching the starting element of a route makes higher availability achievable compared to the previously usual devices, because a central device is no longer used, as is the case with the systems customary today, but decentralized signal definition in the individual track elements. A possible malfunction remains limited to the disturbed route element or those routes in which the disturbed route element is included.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, it is assumed that the route elements to be included in a route are connected to one another via a dedicated line. However, it is also possible to establish the connection from the route element to the route element only when an indicator for advancement is pending. The following route element can be called up via any control lines, for example via the bus lines of a computer or computer system. So z. B. a first computer, in whose responsibility the control and monitoring of route elements B and W1 falls, call up the route element W1 via the address bus after calling up the identifier "60" stored for route element B, which apply to this route element en Call up the »80« label via the data bus and compare it with the »60« label that was called up previously. The computer then passes on the prevailing identifier "60" to the computer which is responsible for the control and monitoring of the following route element (s) W2, W3 and A; this could be done by a coded telegram that contains all the information relevant for the further processing of the pending order. This second computer calls the route element W2 via its address bus and the identifier stored for this route element via its data bus, compares this identifier with the transmitted identifier and makes it available to the following route element W3 via the data bus. In this way, the route elements to be included in the route are called up and dealt with according to the route plan, the identifier "40" determining the signal term to be transmitted optically or electrically being determined and only needing to be implemented in the corresponding signal term when treating the route starting element.

Claims (4)

1. A device for determining the indication signal (e. g. 40), which is to be transmitted to a railway traction vehicle, from the respective permissible maximum speeds (60, 80, 60, 40) for the track sections (B, W1, W2, W3) of a track on a route covered by a light signal (A) or by a preferably punctiform train control device, by, if required, advancing in accordance with the track diagram characters which can be predetermined by the destination section (B) of the route and which defines maximum permissible travel speeds, up to the start element (A) of the output switching means which are asigned to the route, characterised in that the destination section (B) of the route sets a character (60) for the maximum speed (60) permitted thereby, that the character can be transmitted stepwise and so as to be section-related via a single transmission channel and can be reduced to lower maximum speeds (4/) which are valid for the track sections (W1, W2, W3) on the route, and that the character (40) for the start section (A) of the route, which has been treated in this manner, forms the specification factor of the indication signal to be transmitted.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the character is represented by a defined number of pulses which rises with increasing magnitude of the assigned speed value.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the character is represented by a defined switching time within a time raster, the duration of which switching time increases with increasing magnitude of the assigned speed values.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the character is represented by a preferably binary-coded pulse train, which is respectively announced by a synchronizing pulse and wherein the respectively higher-order pulse telegram is assigned to the respectively higher speed value.

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