EP1799524A1

EP1799524A1 - Method and device for error-tolerant direction-oriented axle counting of the wheels of rail vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP1799524A1
Application number: EP05797434A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Klaus Altehage; Rudolf Thalbauer
Original assignee: Frauscher GmbH
Current assignee: Frauscher Holding GmbH
Priority date: 2004-10-12
Filing date: 2005-10-12
Publication date: 2007-06-27
Also published as: CN101039834A; WO2006040137A1

Abstract

A method and device for error-tolerant direction-oriented axle counting of the wheels of rail vehicles, wherein said axle counting occurs redundantly (in a dual manner) with the aid of redundant and digitally optimized wheel and counting signals for each counting point, said signals being produced by dual sensors (3) consisting of two wheel sensors (1,2) on the tracks (4) at the limits of the track sections.

Description

Method and device for fault-tolerant direction-oriented axle counting of rail vehicle wheels

The invention relates to a method and a device for fault-tolerant directionally oriented axle counting of rail vehicles according to the preamble of claims 1 and 7.

Axle counting systems are used for free and busy reporting of track sections in the railway network.

Inlets to a track section are monitored with doubled wheel sensors (so-called double sensors). As soon as at least one of the two wheel sensors of a dual sensor is influenced by a railroad wheel at an inlet to the free track section, the evaluation unit reports an occupancy for safety reasons and remains in this state.

Only the proper (countable) crossing of both wheel sensors of a Dop¬ pelsensors by the wheel makes it possible to cancel the occupancy of the associated Gleisab¬ section exactly when the number of all counted (zu¬ running) axes on a double sensor equal to the number of all is counted (running) axes on a double sensor of this track section. The precondition for the countability is furthermore that the influences of the two wheel sensors of a double sensor overlap in time, since only in this way is it possible to use a direction-oriented axle counting at all speeds.

This classification is sufficient for occupying the axle counting system (or the track section) influencing a wheel sensor by cutting (dampening only one wheel sensor with direction change of the wheel) or starting (damping both wheel sensors with change of direction of the wheel) or even by something else, for the subsequent safe clearance message da¬ against a highly reliable count of the railway wheels both the inlet and the expiration of the axes necessary.

Overall, this type of evaluation gives generally recognized, signal-technically safe axle counting systems.

However, the high "occupancy sensitivity" leads to disturbances in the availability.

Reasons for this lie in the influence of the wheel sensor, which can not be reliably differentiated from those caused by railway wheels, or in the influence of railway wheels, which do not completely pass over the double sensor of a free track section, ie just cut or prick so that no proper Counting is possible.

Furthermore, after entry and exit of at least one axis there is the possibility of non-matching of the counted and counted axes (counting), which means that there is likewise no free message.

Finally, any malfunction of a wheel sensor for safety reasons leads to an immediate occupancy of the axle counting system or track section. In all cases, because of the safety requirements, a permanent occupancy message is absolutely necessary, either by a basic position of the evaluation system (if necessary after repair of the defective components) or in some cases also exclusively by the proper counting in and counting out of a passing train can be lifted.

At high density and automated operation, however, the disturbances lead to significant operational disabilities with corresponding disadvantages. One way to improve the reliability of the evaluation, provides the filtering of the Radsensorsignale (DE 23 19 164 C2), with shorter pulses are discarded as not resulting from wheels influences. However, high speeds and small wheel diameters mean that only extremely short pulses can be discarded without impairing the safe detection of railway wheels. An improvement of this method promises EP 1 086 873 A1, wherein a dynamic filtering is recommended, wherein the length of the filter element is dimensioned on the basis of a measured speed.

A further possibility of interference filtering is described in EP 1 086 873 A1, which recommends the group-wise evaluation of the axes taking into account the tensile speed. In this evaluation, wheel sensor pulses are discarded which do not have the same pattern (direction of travel and speed) as those of the other wheels on the same double sensor within one observation period.

Spurious impulses (for example cuts and pendulums) on a wheel sensor of a free track section, counting errors on slowly moving axles and malfunctions of a wheel sensor (mechanical or electrical defect) are not controlled by this method.

Similarly, methods for Achsmustererkennung have been proposed (DE 32 01 293 C2), which in addition to the number of axes and their temporal pulse pattern to be considered for free message. However, the effort required to take the inaccuracy into account due to compression and expansion or speed changes of the train is considerable. In addition, the method would not make it possible to improve the availability of incorrect pulses on the wheel sensor of a free track section and of malfunction of the wheel sensor. Furthermore, EP 0 662 898 B1 recommends correcting any counting errors by comparing the numbers of axles of successive track sections. The prerequisite for this, however, is an expensive superordinate logic as well as a simple track topology. Malfunction of a wheel sensor (mechanical or electrical defect) does not control this method. A similar approach is pursued by DE 197 06 021 A1

In DE 196 06 320 A1 a redundant counting point is proposed for the first time, but here only for a specific track situation and evaluation. Error pulses on the wheel sensor of a free section, counting errors and malfunctions of a wheel sensor (mechanical or electrical defect) are not governed by this method.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a device for fault-tolerant axle counting of rail vehicles, with which a reliable control of false pulses (including cuts and pendulum free sections), counting errors, caused by Ver¬ count of double sensors during the entry and exit of a train, as well as malfunction of a wheel sensor (mechanical or electrical failure) is possible.

This object is solved by the invention characterized in claim 1 and 7, i. by a method for fault-tolerant axle counting of rail vehicles, wherein the axle counting takes place in a track section with redundant (doubled, direction-related) counting pulses, and by a device for carrying out the method, wherein counting stations with two double sensors, in each case again depending two wheel sensors are executed.

Basically, this results in the following evaluation options.

A short-term influence such as the cutting or the oscillation of the wheel sensor of a double sensor of a counting point no longer has to be a permanent erhaften occupancy of the formerly free track section lead, since sufficient redundancy exists and in the case of a railway wheel by the other wheel sensors secure detection is guaranteed.

Furthermore, the double counting of each axis at a counting point in track sections equipped in this way can result in exactly the same number of axle counts (logical monitoring circuits) that result from combinations of the double sensors. In the case of a section with two counting points, each equipped with two double sensors A and B or C and D, these are the sums AC, AD, BC, BD (corresponds to four monitoring circuits). In order to determine the occupancy or free message of the track section, extended rules now apply which can correct any enumeration in individual monitoring circuits. Although the defect of a double sensor leads to the permanent occupancy of the affected monitoring circuits (for example, in the case of a defective double sensor A, the monitoring circuits AC and AD). However, the other monitoring circuits (here BC and BD) remain functional, so that the operation does not have to be interrupted. Only another error leads to malfunction.

The doubling of dual sensors need not necessarily be done at all counting points on a section of track to take advantage of the above. To use evaluations. Rather, the targeted equipment of particularly vulnerable Zähl¬ places in the track system allows an economical use of this method to reduce disturbances in the operation.

To increase the reliability in the detection of wheels in the border area (small wheel diameter, low flange, large lateral offset, etc.) is further proposed to transform the two analog wheel sensor signals per double sensor in compliance with certain rules in digital pulses that secure signal coverage and thus direction detection is possible. For this purpose, based on the evaluated analog signal length, a maximum possible extension of the pulse is determined on the basis of which the digital pulse length is dimensioned. Signal extension is only possible with the digital signal of the nigen wheel sensor of the double sensor, which is first attenuated by the approaching wheel. Further evaluation rules take account of intersections and hinges.

Another possibility of interference suppression during the train passage is the temporary suppression of the analog signal evaluation. For this purpose, a maximum possible signal suppression time is also determined based on the influence length of a Radsensorsystems by the wheel, while due to the geometric conditions of the wheel assembly can not be expected with another wheel and must. Analog signal changes during this period are therefore not further processed, so that special Anbau¬ th on trains (for example, rail brakes) not recorded or counted wer¬ and thus cause no interference.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the Unteransprü¬ surfaces.

In the apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention, according to an advantageous embodiment, the redundant double sensors are arranged opposite one another on both rails.

However, it is also possible to arrange the redundant double sensors offset by at least one threshold compartment on opposite or on the same rail.

The doubling of the double sensors is not necessary for each counting point of a track section and can be limited to particularly fault-prone counting points.

The increase in reliability in the detection of wheels in the border area by pulse extension as well as the dynamic interference suppression can also When using only one double sensor per counting point effectively improve the fault tolerance of the axle counting system.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and will be described in more detail below. Show it:

1 shows the schematic representation of a wheel in the region of a Dop¬ pelsensors.

2 shows the course of the sensor currents of two wheel sensors of a double sensor, which generate a counting pulse and their digital conversion;

3 shows the arrangement of the double sensors on a track section;

4a and 4b, a flow chart of the method for axle counting acc. the invention;

5 shows a flow chart for the sub-method of the dynamic pulse extension; and

6 shows a flow chart for the sub-method of the dynamic Störunterdrü¬ ckung during train crossing.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the axle counting takes place when a wheel 5 on a rail 4, a double sensor 3, consisting of the wheel sensors 1, 2, crosses. The generated signal currents (see FIG. 2) of the individual Radsen¬ sensors 1, 2 allow the direction detection of the wheel 5 and thus give a directional count pulse .The double sensors 3 are at a track section (Achszählabschnitt) respectively at the inlet and at the outlet redundant (double ) either on the tracks 4 opposite (Fig. 3) or offset zu¬ arranged one another. Both double sensors together form a counting point at which the trains are counted in or out depending on the direction of travel. Both Zähl¬ points (depending on the track section, but it may also be only one for a stump track or more than two for turnouts or switch sections) are the Evaluation unit connected, which performs the further evaluation of the signals durch¬.

FIG. 4 a firstly describes the method with which the loading / clearing of the internal monitoring circuits is determined. For this purpose, it is checked in step S100 whether faulty wheel sensor signals (signals outside the permissible limits) are present. If this is the case, then the affected monitoring circuit goes to fault S103. In S105, a home position request is made. If this is fulfilled, the program jumps to S100, otherwise the basic setting request remains (S 105).

If S100 is answered in the negative, the program checks in S101 whether a wheel sensor system of the monitoring circuit is busy. If yes, the affected circle is reported as busy, if not, the circle releases and the monitoring of Radsensor¬ signals is continued in S100. After S102, it is determined in S104 whether at least one wheel sensor system of the supervisory circuit is still busy. Only when this is denied, does the program continue with the check in S106 as to whether an axis could be counted properly. Once this has been done, it is checked in S109 whether the sum of the counted and counted axes is 0. If this condition is met, the program returns to step S100, otherwise a home position is requested in S112. As long as this is not done, the program returns to S109, when the home position is executed, the program jumps to S100. If the axis was not properly counted in program step S106, then it is checked in S107 whether there was an oscillation of the double sensor without temporal signal overlap. If not, then in S110 the monitoring circuit is freely reported and the program jumps to S100. If oscillation without overlap is detected in S107, it is determined in S108 whether the last busy message was also caused by oscillation without overlap but caused by the other wheel sensor system. In the negative case, the internal monitoring circuit releases and the program returns to S100. Otherwise, the internal monitoring circuit is signaled busy in S111 due to the pendulum error and remains in this state as long as no axis could be properly counted (S113). If an axis could be counted in S113, the program jumps to S109, from where processing is performed as described above.

Based on the determination of the occupied / idle states of the internal monitoring circuits, it is described in FIG. 4b which rules apply to the determination of the slipWrite message of the track section. For this purpose, it is checked in S200 whether all internal monitoring circuits report busy. If so, the track section is occupied (S204). Otherwise, it is checked in S201 whether at least two internal monitoring circuits have neatly counted an axis. If yes, the occupation of the track section (S204) also takes place. After track section assignment in S204, in S206 it is checked whether all internal monitoring circuits are free again. If this is the case, the track section becomes free again (S210) and the evaluation begins again with S200. If S206 has been answered in the negative, it is checked in S207 whether at least two monitoring circuits have counted back to zero. If no, there is the possibility of a basic position in S209. If this is not the case, the program returns to S204, otherwise the track section is cleared in S210 and the evaluation starts again at S200. If, however, at least two internal monitoring circuits were counted down to 0 in S207, then all other internal monitoring circuits are reset in S208 and thus also the track section in S210 is freely reported.

If S201 was also answered in the negative, it is checked in S202 whether all internal monitoring circuits have been commutated in at least two different ways. If no, the program proceeds with S210, if yes, the section is reported in S203 disturbed. Subsequently, in S205, a basic position request is made, which in the case of positive answering leads to clearing of the track section (S210), in the negative case the fault is received.

Figure 5 shows the method dynamic extension of the pulses. In program step S300, the sensor system 1 (a wheel sensor of the double sensor) is monitored for damping. If there is a damping effect, system assignment 1 (forwarding to the evaluation unit) is set in S301. In S302 a time measuring Bedämpfungsdauer Debt _Ä MPFT which continues as long starts 1 U

until S303 the end of the damping of the system 1 is determined. In S304, a variable occupancy extension time TDYN _I is now formed based on TBED _A MPFT. If it has now been determined in S305 that the system 1 has been re-attenuated, the program returns to S302, if not, it is checked in S306 whether the second wheel sensor system (system 2 of the double sensor) has been attenuated. If the result of this check is positive, the program jumps to S308 and the system occupancy 12 is reset. If the result from S306 is negative, the system occupancy is not reset in S308 as long as neither system 1 nor system 2 has been damped (S305 and S306) and the occupancy extension time TDYNI has not started (S308). If TDYNI has expired, the system allocation is reset in S308 and the program returns to S300.

FIG. 6 shows the method of dynamic interference suppression. For this, it is determined in step S400 whether a wheel sensor system is damped. If this is the case, the system allocation is set in step S401 (that is, forwarded to the evaluation unit) and then a time measurement for determining the damping period TBED _Ä MPFT is started in step S402, otherwise the monitoring of the damping of the sensor system in S400 is continued. If the end of the sensor damping is determined in S403, then the system occupancy is reset in S404 and an interference suppression time T _S T _Ö RU is calculated on the basis of the determined system damping period in S405, otherwise the measurement of the system damping duration is continued in S402.

In step S406, a new damping of the sensor system is checked. If this has occurred, it is waited in S408 until the system damping is ended. Then the program returns to step S400 again and evaluates new dampings. If no sensor damping has been detected in step S406, the program returns from step S407 to step S406, as the noise suppression time has not started and no sensor system has been attenuated. In the case of the elapse of the disturbance suppression time, the program finally returns to step S400 and evaluates new sensor attenuations.

Claims

claims

1. A method for fehedolerant directional axle counting of Schie¬ nenfahrzeugen in Achszählsystemen, characterized in that the axle counting of a track section with redundant and digitally optimized wheel and counting signals takes place at all counting points.

2. A method for fault-tolerant directional axle counting according An¬ claim 1, characterized in that the redundant count signals are added to each count with those of the neighboring count of the same track section in all possible combinations to form several logical Über¬ monitoring circuits per track section and based on these counting errors single double sensors to correct.

3. A method for fault-tolerant directional axle counting according to An¬ claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the axle counting of a track section does not take place at all counting points of a track section with redundant wheel and counting signals.

4. A method for fault-tolerant directional axle counting according to An¬ claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the conversion of ana¬ logen Radsensorsignale in digital signals these are extended according to dynamic rules to ensure reliable signal coverage and counting of the wheels even in border areas ,

5. A method for fault-tolerant direction-oriented axle counting according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that based on the analog Rad¬ sensor signals periods are calculated within which due to the ge Certainty of the wheel set is certainly not to be expected with a wheel pulse and during this time the evaluation of the analog signals is suppressed in order to avoid errors.

6. A method for fault-tolerant directional axle counting according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that these evaluations can be done with reduced availability with a double sensor per counting point.

7. Device for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that double sensors (3), consisting of two wheel sensors (1, 2) on rails (4) at the boundaries of Gleisabschnit¬ te are designed to be redundant.