EP3609763B1 - Track system and method for operating the same - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a track system that includes two or more track sections, and a track system for carrying out the method.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a method that enables automated operation of the track system with as few components as possible, in particular without the use of a control center or the like. It is known to reserve route elements from the railway vehicle, as is the case, for example, in DE 100 18 967 C1 is revealed.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method having the features according to patent claim 1 . Advantageous refinements of the method according to the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

A major advantage of the method is the fact that the route facilities that manage the route sections, an independent operation Allow track layout without giving them a parent control device must be assigned. According to the invention, it is provided that the route devices can communicate with one another and coordinate with one another as to whether a destination desired by the vehicle can be reached or not; Depending on the result of the voting, entry of the vehicle into the first section of the route is allowed or forbidden. The method according to the invention is particularly useful for track systems that are not very complex, in which case a higher-level control center would disproportionately burden the overall costs of the system.

A further advantage of the method according to the invention is that due to the coordination of the route facilities with each other, it is possible in many cases to drive on the route sections with little or no braking to the destination, since a vehicle will only enter the first route section after all route sections have passed have already allowed travel.

The vehicles are preferably rail vehicles such as railway trains.

According to the invention, the vehicle sends its travel permission request to the route facility, hereinafter referred to as the first route facility, of the next section of the route to be traveled, and this first route facility sends the response back to the vehicle after coordination with all other affected downstream route facilities.

The route facilities are preferably (in particular exclusively) integrated either in a switch or in a route signal.

The response, with which entry into the first route section is prohibited, preferably also contains information as to whether entry is permanently prohibited or only temporarily.

The response, with which driving into the first section of track is prohibited, preferably also contains information as to whether the track system or sections of it are defective.

• mit Ausnahme der auf der Fahrstrecke letzten Streckeneinrichtung jede Streckeneinrichtung jeweils prüft, ob der eigene Streckenabschnitt befahrbar ist oder nicht, im Falle der Befahrbarkeit die Fahrterlaubnisanfrage an die auf der Fahrstrecke jeweils nachgeordnete Streckeneinrichtung weiterleitet und andernfalls ein Fahrtverbot an die auf der Fahrstrecke vorgeordnete Streckeneinrichtung sendet,
• mit Ausnahme der ersten und letzten Streckeneinrichtung jede Streckeneinrichtung jeweils ein von der nachgeordneten Streckeneinrichtung erhaltenes Fahrtverbot oder eine von der nachgeordneten Streckeneinrichtung erhaltene Fahrterlaubnis an die vorgeordnete Streckeneinrichtung weiterleitet,
• die auf der Fahrstrecke letzte Streckeneinrichtung prüft, ob der eigene Streckenabschnitt befahrbar ist oder nicht und im Falle der Befahrbarkeit die Fahrterlaubnis an die auf der Fahrstrecke vorgeordnete Streckeneinrichtung sendet und andernfalls das Fahrtverbot an die auf der Fahrstrecke vorgeordnete Streckeneinrichtung sendet, und
• die auf der Fahrstrecke erste Streckeneinrichtung die Antwort, mit dem das Befahren der Streckenabschnitte und das Einfahren in den ersten Streckenabschnitt erlaubt wird, an das Fahrzeug sendet, wenn es von der nachgeordneten Streckeneinrichtung die Fahrterlaubnis erhält, und die Antwort, mit dem das Einfahren in den ersten Streckenabschnitt verboten wird, an das Fahrzeug sendet, wenn es von der nachgeordneten Streckeneinrichtung das Fahrtverbot erhält.

The coordination between the route facilities concerned is preferably carried out in such a way that

• with the exception of the last route facility on the route, each route facility checks whether its own route section is passable or not, in the event of passability forwards the travel permission request to the route facility downstream on the route and otherwise sends a travel ban to the route facility upstream on the route,
• with the exception of the first and last route facility, each route facility forwards a driving ban received from the downstream route facility or a travel permission received from the downstream route facility to the upstream route facility,
• the last route facility on the route checks whether its own route section is passable or not and, if passable, sends the permission to travel to the route facility upstream on the route and otherwise sends the travel ban to the route facility upstream on the route, and
• the first route device on the route sends the response, with which driving on the route sections and entry into the first route section is permitted, to the vehicle if it receives permission to drive from the downstream route device, and the response with which entry into the first route section is prohibited, to the vehicle when it receives the driving ban from the downstream route facility.

Each route facility that receives a travel permission request preferably determines all affected route facilities or at least the respective downstream route facility. The determination preferably takes place according to a predefined algorithm and/or using a stored table.

Provision can also be made for the route and the affected route facilities to be determined on the vehicle side and for the vehicle to identify the affected route facilities and/or route sections in the driving permission request.

Each route section is preferably managed by its own, individually assigned route facility.

In addition, it is considered advantageous if a permanent non-navigability of a route section, in particular a defect in an operating component in the respective route section, a collision warning, particularly in the case of a route signal passed without approval, a manual deactivation of the method and/or a blocking of on the track system possible routes is forwarded to all route facilities.

The invention also relates to a track system according to claim 10 with two or more track sections. With regard to such a track system, it is provided according to the invention that the route sections are each managed by an assigned route device, which allows or prohibits driving on the respective route section. With regard to the advantages of the track system according to the invention, reference is made to the above statements in connection with the method according to the invention.

According to the invention, each of the route facilities that receives a travel permission request from a vehicle at least specifying the destination, after coordination with all other route facilities, whose assigned route sections are also used to reach the destination would send back a response to the vehicle allowing entry into the route sections and entry into the first route section or prohibiting entry into the first route section.

It is also advantageous if each of the route facilities, after receiving a travel permission request that at least specifies the destination, from a upstream route facility, checks whether its own route section can be driven on or not, if it is passable, forwards the travel permission request to a route facility that is downstream in terms of destination, and otherwise forwards a travel ban to the upstream route facility sends back.

The route facilities are preferably either switches or signaling facilities.

In a non-claimed example, there is a route facility with a control device and one or more interfaces for connection to one or more upstream and/or one or more downstream route facilities. The control device is designed in such a way that it manages an assigned route section and permits or prohibits driving on the respective route section. With regard to the advantages of the track facility, reference is made to the above statements in connection with the method according to the invention.

It is advantageous if the control device, after receiving a request for permission to drive from a vehicle that at least specifies the destination and after coordination with all other route facilities whose assigned route sections would also be used to reach the destination, sends back a response to the vehicle with which the route sections are being driven and entering the first Section is allowed or entry into the first section is prohibited.

It is also advantageous if the control device, after receiving a travel permission request that at least specifies the destination, from a upstream route facility, checks whether its own route section can be driven on or not, if it is passable, forwards the travel permission request to a route facility that is downstream in terms of destination, and otherwise forwards a driving ban to the upstream route facility sends back.

The route device is preferably a switch or a route signal.

Figur 1

ein Ausführungsbeispiel für eine erfindungsgemäße Gleisanlage, anhand derer beispielhaft ein Ausführungsbeispiel für das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren erläutert wird,

Figur 2

die Gleisanlage gemäß Figur 1 für den Fall, dass eine der Streckeneinrichtungen eine Nichtbefahrbarkeit ihres Streckenabschnitts feststellt und dies an die vorgeordnete Streckeneinrichtung meldet,

Figur 3

ein Ausführungsbeispiel für eine erfindungsgemäße Weiche, die als Streckeneinrichtung bei der Gleisanlage gemäß den Figuren 1 und 2 eingesetzt werden kann, und

Figur 4

ein Ausführungsbeispiel für ein erfindungsgemäßes Streckensignal, das als Streckeneinrichtung bei der Gleisanlage gemäß den Figuren 1 und 2 eingesetzt werden kann.

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments; show examples

figure 1

an exemplary embodiment of a track system according to the invention, on the basis of which an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention is explained,

figure 2

the track system according to figure 1 in the event that one of the route facilities determines that their route section is not passable and reports this to the upstream route facility,

figure 3

an embodiment of a switch according to the invention, which as a route device in the track system according to figures 1 and 2 can be used, and

figure 4

an embodiment of a route signal according to the invention, which as a route device in the track system according to figures 1 and 2 can be used.

For the sake of clarity, the figures always use the same reference symbols for identical or comparable components.

the figure 1 shows a vehicle 10, which drives on a track system 20 and travels in the direction of an arrow 30 towards the next following first route facility SE1 of the next following route section SA1 in the direction of travel.

It is assumed below, for example, that the vehicle 10 wants to reach a destination FZ on the track system 20 . The destination FZ can be, for example, the end of a route section that is in the figure 1 is denoted by the reference SA5. In order to reach the destination FZ, the vehicle 10 in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG figure 1 drive through five sections that are in the figure 1 are denoted by the reference symbols SA1, SA2, SA3, SA4 and SA5.

Each of the route sections SA1 to SA5 is assigned a route facility SE1 to SE5, which manages its respective route section SA1 to SA5. Managing the assigned route section includes, in particular, checking and determining whether driving on the respective route section can be permitted or must be prohibited.

The route devices SE1 to SE5 of the track system 20 are in a communication connection with one another, which can be a wired and/or a wireless connection, in particular a radio connection. Each of the route facilities SE2 to SE4 is shown in accordance with FIG figure 1 each connected to an upstream route facility and a downstream route facility. The route facilities SE1 and SE5 can also each be connected to an upstream route facility and a downstream route facility; for reasons of clarity, these are included in the figure 1 not shown in detail.

The route facilities SE1 to SE5 cooperate with one another in such a way that coordination takes place with all route facilities whose assigned route sections would/must be traveled on in order to reach the destination FZ of the vehicle 10 .

In the embodiment according to figure 1 the vehicle 10 has to travel the five route sections SA1 to SA5 in order to reach the destination FZ, so that their associated route facilities SE1 to SE5 must be asked about the possibility of driving on them. The route facilities SE1 to SE5 work as follows:
Vehicle 10, which wants to reach destination FZ on track system 20, first sends a travel permission request FA specifying destination FZ to the route facility of the next route section to be traveled, i.e. here the first route facility SE1, before reaching and entering the first route section SA1 send the first route section SA1. The driving permission request FA can only define the destination FZ and leave the routing open; In this case, the route is determined by the route facilities, for example the first route facility SE1 in figure 1 . Alternatively, the vehicle 10 can specify the routing itself in the driving permission request FA or communicate a routing request; in this case, the route facilities will preferably check the passability of this route.

After receiving the permission to drive request FA, the first route facility SE1 will question the other route facilities SE2 to SE5 whose route sections SA2 to SA5 would have to be traveled to reach the destination FZ, and coordinate with these route facilities. In concrete terms, the first route facility SE1 will first of all check whether its own route section SA1 is being traveled on can or not. If this can be driven on, the route facility SE1 will forward the travel permission request FA to the second route facility SE2 that is closest in the direction of travel. The second route facility SE2 will check in a corresponding manner whether the route section SA2 managed by it can be traveled on or not. If there is a passability, of which the example in the figure 1 is assumed, the second route facility SE2 will forward the travel permission request FA to the third route facility SE3, which manages the third route section SA3 on the route to the destination FZ.

In the following, it is assumed, for example, that all route sections SA1 to SA5 that would have to be driven on to reach the destination FZ are actually drivable and that all route facilities SE1 to SE5 determine this accordingly. Accordingly, the driving permission request FA is passed on from the first route facility SE1 to the fifth route facility SE5, which, as the last route facility affected by the driving permission request FA, will return or send back its driving permit FE to the upstream route facility SE4. The fourth route device SE4 will pass on the driving permit FE to the third route device SE3, which in turn forwards the driving permit FE to the second route device SE2. Finally, the first route facility SE 1 will receive the driving permit FE for the vehicle 10 from the subordinate route facilities SE2 to SE5, so that it can send this to the vehicle 10 as a response AT. With the receipt of the driving permit FE, the vehicle 10 can drive through the first route section SA1 and then the route sections SA2 to SA5 behind it in order to reach the destination FZ.

The following is an example of how the route facilities SE1 to SE5 work when one of the route facilities, for example the third route facility SE3, which manages the third route section SA3, determines that their section of the route is not passable, see figure 2 . In this case, after receiving the travel permission request FA, the third route facility SE3 will send back a travel ban FV to the second route facility SE2, which forwards this travel ban FV to the first route facility SE1. The first route facility SE1 will then transmit the travel ban FV to the vehicle 10, so that the vehicle must stop in front of the route facility SE1 because it is not allowed to enter the first route section SA1.

It is considered advantageous if the travel ban FV or the response AT, with which entry into the first route section SA1 is forbidden, also contains information as to whether entry is permanently forbidden or only temporarily. Alternatively or additionally, the response AT can contain the information as to whether the track system 20 or individual route sections SA1 to SA5 are defective, in particular permanently defective.

the figure 3 shows an embodiment of a switch 300, as one of the route facilities SE1 to SE5 in the track system 20 according to the figures 1 and 2 can be used. The switch 300 has a control device 310 and an interface 320 for connecting the control device 310 to one or more upstream route facilities SEv and one or more downstream route facilities SEn.

The control device 310 comprises a computing device 311 and a memory 312.

A control program module SPM is stored in the memory 312, which when executed by the computing device 311 enables or causes a mode of operation or functionality of the switch 300 as described above in connection with the route devices SE1 to SE5 in the track system 20 according to figures 1 and 2 has been described.

Specifically, when the control program module SPM is executed, the computing device 311 is designed or programmed in such a way that it manages an assigned route section and allows or prohibits driving on the respective route section, after receiving a request for permission to drive from a vehicle and after coordination with all other route facilities whose assigned route sections would also be driven on to reach the destination, sends back a response to the vehicle, with which driving on the route sections and entry into the first route section is permitted or entry into the first route section is prohibited.

If a request for permission to drive is received from an upstream route facility, it checks whether its own route section can be traveled on or not; in the case of navigability, it forwards the travel permission request to a downstream route facility in terms of destination and otherwise it sends a travel ban back to the upstream route facility.

the figure 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a route signal 400, which is one of the route devices SE1 to SE5 in the track system 20 according to FIGS figures 1 and 2 can be used. The route signal 400 has a control device 410 and an interface 420 for connecting the control device 410 to one or more upstream route facilities SEv and one or more downstream route facilities SEn. The control device 410 comprises a computing device 411 and a memory 412.

A control program module SPM is stored in memory 412 which, when executed by computing device 411, enables or causes a mode of operation or functionality of route signal 400 as described above in connection with route devices SE1 to SE5 in track system 20 according to figures 1 and 2 has been described.

Specifically, when the control program module SPM is executed, the computing device 411 is designed or programmed in such a way that it manages an assigned route section and allows or prohibits driving on the respective route section, whereby after receiving a request for permission to drive from a vehicle and after coordination with all other route facilities whose assigned route sections would also be driven on to reach the destination, sends back a response to the vehicle, with which driving on the route sections and entry into the first route section is permitted or entry into the first route section is prohibited.

If a request for permission to drive is received from an upstream route facility, it checks whether its own route section can be traveled on or not; in the case of navigability, it forwards the travel permission request to a downstream route facility in terms of destination and otherwise it sends a driving ban back to the upstream route facility.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by means of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Reference List

10

vehicle

20

track system

30

arrow direction

300

soft

310

control device

311

computing device

312

Storage

320

interface

400

route signal

410

control device

411

computing device

412

Storage

420

interface

AT

answer

FA

driving license request

FE

driving license

FV

driving ban

car

destination

SA1

track section

SA2

track section

SA3

track section

SA4

track section

SA5

track section

SE1

track setup

SE2

track setup

SE3

track setup

SE4

track setup

SE5

track setup

SEn

track setup

SEv

track setup

SPM

control program module

Claims (11)

1. Method for operating a track system (20), which comprises two or more line sections (SA1-SA5) which form a route to a destination (FZ) and which would be traversed in order to reach the destination (FZ),
   characterised in that

   - the line sections (SA1-SA5) are each managed by assigned trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), which permits or prohibits traversal of the respective line section (SA1-SA5),

   - a vehicle (10), which hopes to reach the destination (FZ) on the track system (20), sends a permission to proceed request (FA) specifying at least the destination (FZ) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), subsequently referred to as first trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), of the next line section (SA1-SA5) to be traversed and

   - the first trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), after consulting with all other trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), the assigned line sections (SA1-SA5) thereof would likewise be traversed in order to reach the destination (FZ), subsequently referred to as relevant trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), - sends a response (AT) back to the vehicle (10), with which, in the event that the destination can be reached according to a result of the consultation, the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) and moreover the traversal of all line sections (SA1-SA5) of the route is permitted and in the event that the destination cannot be reached according to the result of the consultation, an entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is prohibited.
2. Method according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) is integrated in each case either in a switch (300) or a trackside signal (400).
3. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the response (AT), with which the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is prohibited, moreover contains an item of information about whether the entry is prohibited permanently or only temporarily.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the response (AT), with which the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is prohibited, moreover contains an item of information about whether the track system (20) or line sections (SA1-SA5) thereof are faulty.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the relevant trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) is consulted in such a way that,

   - with the exception of the last trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) on the route, each trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) checks in each case whether or its own line section (SA1-SA5) can be traversed, in the event that it can be traversed forwards the permission to proceed request (FA) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) arranged downstream on the route in each case, and otherwise sends a proceed prohibition (FV) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) arranged upstream on the route,

   - with the exception of the first and last trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), each trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) forwards in each case a proceed prohibition (FV) received from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) or a permission to proceed (FE) received from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) to the upstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5),

   - the last trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) on the route checks whether or not its own line section (SA1-SA5) can be traversed and in the event that it can be traversed, sends the permission to proceed (FE) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SES) arranged upstream on the route, and otherwise sends the proceed prohibition (FV) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) arranged upstream on the route, and

   - the first trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) on the route sends the response (AT), with which the traversal of all line sections (SA1-SA5) and the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is permitted, to the vehicle (10) when it receives the permission to proceed (FE) from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), and sends the response (AT), with which the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is prohibited, to the vehicle (10) when it receives the proceed prohibition (FV) from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5).
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   each trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), which receives a permission to proceed request (FA), determines in each case all relevant trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) or at least the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) which is downstream in each case, in particular according to a predetermined algorithm and/or by using a stored table.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that

   - the route and the relevant trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) are defined by the vehicle and

   - the vehicle (10) identifies the relevant trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) and/or line sections (SA1-SA5) in the permission to proceed request (FA).
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   each line section (SA1-SA5) is managed in each case by separate, individually assigned trackside equipment (SE1-SE5).
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   a permanent inability to traverse a line section (SA1-SA5), in particular a fault in an operating component in the respective line section (SA1-SA5), a collision warning, in particular in the event of a trackside signal passed without approval, a manual deactivation of the method and/or a blockage of possible routes on the track system (20) is forwarded to all trackside equipment (SE1-SE5).
10. Track system (20) with two or more line sections (SA1-SA5) which form a route to a destination (FZ) and which would be traversed in order to reach the destination (FZ),
    characterised in that

    - the line sections (SA1-SA5) are each managed by assigned trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), which is designed to permit or prohibit traversal of the respective line section (SA1-SA5),

    - the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), referred to below as first trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), of the next line section (SA1-SA5) to be traversed by a vehicle (10), which hopes to reach the destination (FZ) on the track system (20), is designed to receive a permission to proceed request (FA) which specifies at least the destination (FZ) from the vehicle (10), and

    - the first trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), after consulting with all other trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), the assigned line sections (SA1, SA5) of which would likewise be traversed in order to reach the destination (FZ), is designed to send a response (AT) back to the vehicle (10), with which in the event that the destination can be reached according to a result of the consultation the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) and moreover the traversal of all line sections (SA1-SA5) of the route is permitted and in the event that according to the result of the consultation the destination cannot be reached, an entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is prohibited.
11. Track system (20) according to claim 10,
    characterised in that

    - with the exception of the last trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) on the route, each trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) is designed to check in each case whether or not its own line section (SA1-SA5) can be traversed, if it can be traversed to forward the permission to proceed request (FA) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) arranged downstream on the route in each case, and otherwise to send a proceed prohibition (FV) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) arranged upstream on the route,

    - with the exception of the first and last trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), each trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) is designed to forward in each case a proceed prohibition (FV) received from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) or a permission to proceed (FE) received from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) to the upstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5),

    - the last trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) on the route is designed to check whether or not its own line section (SA1-SA5) can be traversed and if it can be traversed to send the permission to proceed (FE) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) arranged upstream on the route, and otherwise to send the proceed prohibition (FV) to the trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) arranged upstream on the route,

    - the first trackside equipment (SE1-SE5) on the route is designed to send the response (AT), with which the traversal of all line sections (SA1-SA5) and the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is permitted, to the vehicle (10) when it receives the permission to proceed (FE) from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5), and to send the response (AT), with which the entry into the first line section (SA1-SA5) is prohibited, to the vehicle (10) when it obtains the proceed prohibition (FV) from the downstream trackside equipment (SE1-SE5).

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