FR3036824A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING COMFORT LEVEL INFORMATION OF A RAILWAY VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

This method consists in: counting a number of ascending passengers and a number of travelers descending from each metro car (Mj) stopped at a previous station (Si) by means of acquisition (30); determine a current load of each car (Vjk) when it leaves the previous station (Si); calculate an estimated load at the moment when the railway vehicle leaves the next station (Si + 1); develop a comfort level of each car from the estimated load; and displaying, by display means (40) equipping the next station (Si + 1), a graph corresponding to the comfort level of each car.

Description

The invention relates to the field of methods and systems for determining a comfort level information of a rail vehicle. The document US 2013 0268148 A1 discloses a system comprising acquisition means, embarked on board each car of a train, clean, in the moments following the departure of a station, to count the number of travelers present in each train car.

By means of adapted radiocommunication means, the number of passengers present in each car of the train is transmitted to a central processing, on the ground. He then determines, by car, information, called congestion, by subtracting from the number of travelers present in this car, an estimate of the number of travelers to get off the car at the next station.

This congestion information is displayed on screens at the next station. A traveler waiting for the train at the next station then positions himself along the platform according to the car on which he wishes to ride given the congestion information. The traveler is thus encouraged to board a car whose congestion information is low.

This congestion information is however not representative of the comfort that the user will find once mounted on the train. For example, if the congestion information of a car is low so that it encourages a large number of travelers to board this car, it will eventually be crowded when leaving the station. The travel conditions will not be comfortable.

In addition, congestion information may be incompatible with efficient operation of the line. Indeed, if a car has low congestion information, more travelers will be massing at a particular place of the dock in order to get into the car. When the train stops at the station, the transfer time, corresponding to the time required for the passengers to get off the train, then to other travelers to board the train, may be longer for this car. As a result, the station stopping time is extended. This is not acceptable for the operator of the line, which seeks to have stationary downtime controlled, constant and preferably the shortest possible, to increase the regularity of operation of the line.

In addition, the fact that travelers are massing at a place on the wharf to access a car leads to an imbalance in the distribution of passengers along the wharf, which can present problems for the flow of passengers on the road. platform, or even security issues.

5 Consequently, noting that the congestion information does not allow him to optimize his transport conditions, the traveler will not use it. The goal of setting up such a system will not be achieved. The object of the invention is therefore to overcome these problems, notably by proposing a method and a system capable of delivering, in real time, comfort level information representing, reliably, the comfort that a traveler is likely to find in each car the next train, while satisfying optimal operating conditions. The invention relates to a method for determining comfort level information of a rail vehicle traveling along a line, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: counting a number of passengers and a number of travelers descending from each car of the railway vehicle stopped at a previous station by means of acquisition equipment equipping the station; determining a current load information of each car of the vehicle at the time when said railway vehicle leaves the preceding station, based on the number of passengers traveling 20 and the number of descending passengers counted; calculating estimated load information at the time the rail vehicle leaves the next station, based on the current load information corrected by an average number of passengers to be lowered from the car at the next station and an average number of passengers in front of board the car in question at the next station; developing a comfort level information of each car from the estimated load information; and displaying, by display means equipping the next station, a graph corresponding to the comfort level information of each car. According to particular embodiments, the method comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all the technically possible combinations: the average number of passengers to be lowered from the car considered at the next station and the average number of passengers to board the car in question at the following station shall be obtained from a history of the number of passengers traveling and the number of passengers descending from each car of the 3036824 3 railway vehicles stopping at the following station, counted by acquisition means (30) equipping said next station; the comfort level information is converted by thresholding into a range of colors reflecting the various levels of comfort; 5 - the estimated load information being an estimated number of passengers, the comfort level information of each car corresponds to the selection, from the estimated number of passengers, of a map of occupancy of the said car among a plurality of occupancy maps, an occupancy map corresponding to a representation of a occupancy density as a function of a position within said car; - The comfort level information is corrected according to the average flow of passengers on the platform of the next station. The invention also relates to a system for determining a comfort level information of a rail vehicle traveling along a line, characterized in that it is suitable for implementing a method according to the method previous. According to particular embodiments, the system comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in any technically possible combination: each station of the line comprises acquisition means suitable for counting a number of ascending passengers and a number of passengers descending from each car of a railway vehicle stopped in that station; each station of the line is equipped with display means comprising at least one strip extending along the wharf and suitable for displaying said graph corresponding to the comfort level information of each of the cars of the next rail vehicle in front of it; stop at said station; each station of the line is equipped with display means comprising at least one announcement screen, situated upstream of the accesses to the wharf, and suitable for displaying said graph corresponding to the comfort level information of each of the cars of the next railway vehicle to stop in said station; Each station of the line comprises secondary means of acquisition suitable for detecting the passengers present on the platform of said station. The invention and its advantages will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows of a particular embodiment given solely by way of nonlimiting example, this description being made with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic representations of the system according to the invention; and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the method implemented by the system of FIGS. 1 and 2.

A system 10 for determining the comfort level of each car of a railway vehicle will be presented with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 for the particular case of a subway line. The system 10 is intended to equip a subway line 12. This comprises a track 14 and a plurality of stations, S ,, provided along the track 14 to allow passengers 10 to go up and down metros, MJ 14. In FIG. 1, five stations S1 to S5 are represented, the stations S1 and S5 being terminus stations of the line. The subways move on line 12 in the direction to pass from the station Si to the station S5. Moreover, in FIG. 1, two metros M1 and M2 are represented. Metro M1 15 has just left the Si station and is heading to the next station, S2. The M2 metro is stationary at the S3 station. It is this situation that is more particularly represented in Figure 2. An underground Mi is composed of several Vik cars. For example the metro M1 is composed of three cars V11, V12, and V13. To simplify the present description, the cars are identical to each other and they have only one door, referenced by the number 22 in FIG. 2. Each station Si is equipped with a barrier 24 between the platform 26 and the track. 14. A barrier 24 of a station Si is provided with a plurality of Pik landing doors. Such a landing door is referenced by the numeral 28 in FIG.

25 When a metro M, is stopped at the Si station, the door of each Vik car of the metro is next to a Pik landing gate of the barrier 24. The metro doors and the landing doors are in the open state simultaneously to allow travelers on the subway to get off the platform and travelers waiting on the platform to board the subway.

30 At the end of the passenger exchange, the metro doors and landing doors are closed simultaneously. The metro can then leave the station. The system 10 includes an acquisition means 30 per station Si. When a metro station is stopped and the metro doors and the landing doors are open, the acquisition means 30 is clean to count, per door P , k, the number of 3036824 5 travelers descending from the subway Out, k and the number of passengers boarding the Inik metro. The acquisition means 30 located station includes firstly means 32 for detecting ascending and descending passengers and secondly means 34 for determining the number of ascending and descending passengers connected to the detection means 32. a first embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, the acquisition means 30 consists of infrared sensors 32 arranged in the vicinity of each landing door 28, and equipment 34 for collecting the signals delivered by the The equipment 34 is able to determine the numbers Out, k and In, k for each landing door Pik and consequently for each car Vik of the metro M stopped at the station S. In a second embodiment, the means The acquisition consists of one or more cameras connected to a computer capable of applying a treatment on the acquired images, so as to isolate the silhouettes of the travelers located in the field of obse each camera and then track these silhouettes to determine whether the traveler is traveling up or down the metro stopped in station and thus determine the numbers In, k and Ufik. Advantageously, the acquisition means 30 of the incoming and outgoing flows 20 may be associated with additional acquisition means making it possible to know the number of passengers present on the platform. This data is used in the treatment of comfort level information to promote a better distribution of passengers on the platform and consequently better control of passenger exchange time.

In a variant, the acquisition means of the incoming and outgoing flows is constituted by on-board acquisition means, making it possible to determine the distribution of passengers within a car. The system 10 includes, by station, a display means 40. This display means 40 may take different forms. As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2, the display means 40 consists of a strip covering the useful length of the platform and announcement screens located in the accesses leading to the platforms. The headband is referenced by the numeral 42 in FIG. 2. The headband consists of pixel plates assembled in a continuous manner so as to be perceived as a single headband over the entire length of the platform above the barrier 24.

At least one advertisement screen, referenced 46 in FIG. 2, is disposed at various relevant locations of the station, in particular the corridors making it possible to arrive on the platform. The banner 42 and the announcement screens 46 are connected to a device 44, whose function is to manage the display on each of these display devices.

The comfort level information is elaborated on the scale of the car Vik and displayed on the strip 42 in the form of a continuous multi-color image corresponding to the level of comfort of the next metro M, having to stop at station S. Each announcement screen 46 displays the comfort level information of the entire next metro M, to stop at the station S ,, but segmented by 10 Vik car. A screen 46 located in a corridor leading to the platform also displays a representation of the arrival location on the platform relative to the cars of the train. The system 10 includes a communication infrastructure 60 connecting the detection and display means 40 of the different stations S to a central processing unit 70. The central processing unit 70 comprises a computer 71 associated with a data base 72. The database 72 comprises different tables, such as, for example, the tables T, TO, H, Q and E. The table E is an operating table indicating the identifiers of the metros running on the line, the composition of each metro ( that is to say, the identifiers of the 20 cars that make up this subway), the hourly traffic table for each metro, etc. Alternatively, the central office 70 is interfaced with a train operating system and collects the information it needs. The computer 71 is programmed to execute different software modules. The central processing unit 70 thus comprises a module 74 for timestamping and recording of the counting data acquired by the acquisition means 30 of the different stations S. The module 74 stores the numbers In, k and Out, k, time stamped in a table H of the database 72. The table H thus comprises, for each station S, and for each landing door Pik, a history of the number of passengers ascending In, k and the number of passengers descending Out, k a metro stopped at this station. The central processing unit 70 includes a counting module 75 capable of updating a current load information of each car of each subway. This current charge information is for example a number of current travelers Nik in the car Vik.

The number of running passengers NJk is determined, from the departure station Si where it is initialized to zero, by adding the numbers In, k and subtracting the numbers Out, k measured at each station S, in which metro M, stopped. The module 75 is able to update this current number of passengers Np as soon as the metro leaves a station and the numbers In, k and Out, k for this station are transmitted to the central station 70. The updated value of number of running passengers NJk is recorded in a table T of the database 72. The table T thus comprises, for each train MJ, and for each car V, k, the number of current travelers NJk in this car.

The central processing unit 70 comprises a statistics module 76 making it possible to extract average information from the table H. The module 76 is thus able to determine, for each landing gate P, k, an average number of k, k of rising passengers. aboard a metro via said landing door, and an average number of k, k of travelers descending a metro by borrowing said landing door, and this preferably for different periods of time of operation of the line (full time) The central processing unit 70 comprises a module 77 for calculating information of the comfort level Tik of each car Vik of each train M. For the subway MJ, this information Tik is calculated after the metro Mi stopped at the previous station S, and while heading to the next station, 5, + 1. It is intended to be transcribed on the display devices, strips 42 and announcement screens 46, of the next station 5,, 1, to inform travelers waiting on the platform of the next station 5,, 1 of comfort that they will be likely to find once boarded the various V cars of the MJ subway, which is the next subway to stop at station 5.1. For this, the module 77 calculates an estimated load information of the subway Mi when it leaves the next station. In the embodiment this estimated charging information is an estimated number of travelers N'Jk in the car Vik when the subway Mi will leave the next station S, + 1. This estimated number is obtained from the current number of travelers NJk, subtracting the average number of travelers descending to the next station Ôuti_ok and adding the average number of travelers ascending to the next station îni_ok, mentioned in Table H. In In a particularly simple first embodiment, the estimated number of travelers N'Jk could then be divided by an optimal number of travelers 35 in the car Vik to obtain the occupancy information Tik.

The database 72 includes a table To, which stores, for each car V, k, the optimal number of passengers on board this car to guarantee a ride in comfortable conditions. In a second embodiment, the estimated number of travelers N'Jk is used to select a busy cartography CJk stored in the table To of the database 72. A mapping of occupation is a graph representing the distribution of travelers in the car considered. The database 72 includes a plurality of maps that differ from each other depending on the load of the car 10 (that is, the number of passengers in that car), the operating period of the car line, and possibly other parameters (such as for example the type of the car when the cars are not identical to each other). Occupancy maps are obtained as a result of a previous phase of studying traveler behavior by quantifying the way in which passengers are distributed inside a car, in particular according to their number. second embodiment, the Tik comfort level information is therefore a mapping occupation. Advantageously, a table Q contains data relating to the movements of passengers arriving on or off the quay, for different time periods and for each station S, of the line. This table Q is informed from measurements made by additional secondary acquisition means 50, such as a camera placed on the platform, capable of detecting travelers present on the platform of a station, so as to determine the number and distribution. These data are updated regularly.

The data in the table Q are advantageously used in a step of correction of the forecast information relating to the cars of the next train at the quay, to meet a need to rebalance the trade volumes along the wharf. This correction is applied by the calculation module 77. The central unit 70 comprises a display module 78 able to control the display means 40 of the stations S, so that the band Bik associated with the landing door Pik displays a graph corresponding to the Tik comfort level information determined at the exit of the module 77 and corresponding to the Vik cars of the next metro M, to stop at the station S. Advantageously, the module 78 is able to transform the information the comfort level in different graphic forms adapted respectively to the display devices to which they are intended: in a form smoothed to be displayed on the continuous strip 42 located above the quay barriers 24, in a form segmented by car to be displayed on the announcement screens 46 present in the station upstream of the wharf.

Thus, for example, the comfort level information is displayed in the form of a color code on the strip 42. The hottest colors are spontaneously associated by the passengers at high occupancy rates (and therefore at high uncomfortable ride conditions) and cold colors are spontaneously associated by travelers at low occupancy rates (and therefore comfortable ride conditions). The module 78 is capable of implementing chromatic scale rules for transforming comfort level information into a color chart. The method 100 implemented by the system 10 is described below with reference to FIG.

The process begins at step 110, when the metro Mi arrives in the station S ,, and the metro doors and the landing doors open to authorize the exchange of passengers. The detection means 30 then count for each landing door Pik, the travelers who go down and those who board the metro. For the same train sequence, the movements of passengers arriving at the wharf or leaving the wharf are also counted Mv. At step 120, as soon as the exchange of passengers is completed and the metro doors and the landing doors are closed, the numbers In, k, Out, k and Mv are transmitted by means 30 of the station S , the central processing 70. The subway then leaves the station S, and goes to the station Si + 1.

In step 130, upon reception by the central office 70 of the numbers In, k, Out, k and Mv, the module 74 updates the tables H and Q by storing therein the received information, previously time stamped. At the same time, in step 200, the statistics module 76 is regularly executed on the table H, so as to calculate, for each operating time slot of the line, the average values of the number of passengers ascending and descending at the same time. Station S, using the Pik landing door. These average numbers are denoted respectively, n, k and utik. The method 100 continues at step 140 by executing the module 75 to calculate the current load information of each car Vik of the metro M. For the car Vik, the module 75 reads from the table T the value of the number of current travelers Nik, 3036824 10 adds the number In, k of traveler being mounted at the station S ,, and subtracts the number Out, k of travelers having descended to the station S. The updated value of the current number Nik is recorded in the T-table. In step 150, the table T having been updated, the calculation module 77 determines the estimated load information for the car Vik when the train will leave the next station S , + 1. For this, the estimated number of travelers N'Jk is determined from the number of current travelers Nik, extracted from the table T, subtracting the value of the average number of travelers descending (5uti ± lk and adding the value of the average number The average number is taken from the table H. Then, in step 160, the calculation module 77 can be executed to provide, if necessary, a fix for the estimated number of passengers N'Jk This fix results from a processing carried out on the table Q making it possible to take into account the movements of the passengers in the station S, + 1. For example, the estimated number of passengers is corrected 15 as a function of the average flows of passengers on the platform of the next station Si + 1, these flows resulting from a statistical processing of the data Mv ,,, of the table Q. Then in step 170, the information given by the number of estimated travelers N'Jk, possibly corrected, is translated e in Tik comfort level information. This comfort level translation can be carried out in a basic manner by simple comparison with an optimal predetermined number of travelers, or according to the preferred embodiment by comparison with modeled occupancy maps representing the distribution of passengers in the car. The comfort levels are defined in a scale of sensible perception of comfort. This scale is based on cognitive analysis and perception of comfort according to the modalities of the occupation of the space of the cars which have been modeled in the form of cartography. Indeed, studies have shown that the perception of comfort is not directly correlated to the density of occupancy (number of passengers), but also to the distribution of travelers within the various spaces of the car. In step 180, the display module 78 converts the comfort level Tik resulting from the calculation of the module 77 into a graph Gi + lk which is displayed on the display means of the station 5, + 1. This conversion corresponds to each level of comfort defined in the perception scale, a color palette adapted to provide information determining for the traveler. Thus, for an average level of comfort, a palette of several colors is used, each particular color making it possible to translate a substantial change in comfort induced by the estimated number of passengers.

3036824 11 In extreme situations, when the train is light or very heavily loaded, a part of relativity is introduced in the form of an additional graphic code. This additional graphic code makes it possible to create a contrast capable of distinguishing, in the homogeneous whole, zones which present a slightly different comfort (a little less loaded in the case of a densely loaded train, and a little more loaded in the case of a small train). charge). In order to allow the presentation of the information of the level of comfort of the train in due time, the entirety of the steps 130 to 180 is carried out for a duration substantially less than the time necessary for the metro Mj to go from the station S, to the station If +, 10 the comfort level information is thus retranscribed on the display means 40. Thus, a traveler to the station station S ,,, will be able, by consulting the display means 40, display devices in the wharf access ramps and platform strip on the wharf, identify the locations of the next M subway, with the best comfort level and, therefore, choose its location on the wharf. Alternatively, a car has several doors 22. In this case, the car is virtually subdivided into as many spaces, each space being associated with a door 22. A metro door being associated with a landing door, the previous calculations s' apply identically. Eventually, account is taken of a possible movement of passengers within a car from one space to another.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS1.- A method for determining a comfort level information of a railway vehicle traveling along a line (12), characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - counting a number of passengers going up and a number of passengers descending from each car of the railway vehicle (Mj) stopped at a previous station (S,) by means of acquisition means (30) equipping the station (Si); determining a current load information (N, k) of each car of the vehicle at the moment when said railway vehicle leaves the preceding station (S,), based on the number of passengers ascending and the number of descending passengers counted; calculating an estimated load information (N'Jk) at the moment when the railway vehicle leaves the next station (S ,,,), based on the current load information corrected by an average number of passengers having to get off the car considered at the next station (S ,,,) and an average number of passengers to board the car at the next station (Si + 1); - Develop comfort level information of each car from the estimated load information; and, displaying, by display means (40) equipping the next station (S ,,,), a graph corresponding to the comfort level information of each car. 2.- Method according to claim 1, wherein the average number of travelers to get off the car at the next station (S ,,,) and the average number of travelers to board the car at the next station (S ,,,) are obtained from a history of the number of passengers traveling and the number of passengers descending from each car of railway vehicles stopping at the next station (S41), accounted for by means of acquisition (30) equipping said next station (S +). The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the comfort level information is thresholded into a range of colors reflecting the different levels of comfort. 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the estimated load information is an estimated number of passengers, the comfort level information of each car corresponds to the selection, from the estimated number of passengers, a mapping of occupancy of said car among a plurality of occupancy maps, an occupancy map corresponding to a representation of a density of occupation as a function of a position at the inside of said 5 car. 5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the comfort level information is corrected according to the average flow of passengers on the platform of the next station (S, 1). 10 6. System (10) for determining comfort level information of a railway vehicle traveling along a line (12), characterized in that it is suitable for implementing a method according to the invention. any of claims 1 to 5. 7. System (10) according to claim 6, wherein each station of the line comprises acquisition means (30) for counting a number of passengers and a number of travelers descending from each car of a rail vehicle stopped in said station. 20 8. System according to any one of claims 6 to 7, wherein each station of the line is equipped with display means (40) comprising at least one strip (42) extending along the quay and suitable for displaying said graph corresponding to the comfort level information of each of the cars of the next railway vehicle to stop in said station. 25 9.- System according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein each station of the line is equipped with display means (40) having at least one announcement screen (46), located upstream of the accesses to the platform, and able to display said graph corresponding to the comfort level information of each of the cars of the next rail vehicle to stop in said station. 10.- System (10) according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein each station of the line comprises secondary acquisition means (50) adapted to detect the travelers present on the platform of said station. 35