GB2268024A

GB2268024A - Rail platform observation system.

Info

Publication number: GB2268024A
Application number: GB9213207A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Sambrook Birkin
Original assignee: Transportation Systems & Marke
Current assignee: Transportation Systems & Marke
Priority date: 1992-06-20
Filing date: 1992-06-20
Publication date: 1993-12-22
Also published as: AU4506193A; GB9213207D0; WO1994000953A1

Abstract

A communication system for communicating door operating information to trains having remotely operated doors on both sides is incorporated into a closed circuit television system normally used to enable the train driver to view on his in- cab display monitor the platform into which the train has run. The door operating information is transmitted as part of the television transmission, for example by digitally encoded signals during the field blanking interval or by a separate modulated carrier. The information is separately detected and used to provide the driver with a visual or audible signal of the correct door opening side and/or to control the door operating system so that the doors can only be opened on the correct side. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS This invention relates to communication systems for communicating door operating information to trains and to other. public passenger transportation vehicles which have remotely operated doors on both sides. In particular the invention relates to communication systems for communicating to the driver or directly to the door control system information to ensure that when the driver initiates door opening, the doors are correctly opened on the side where the passengers are intended to alight.

It is a major problem with driver only trains, i.e.

trains without a guard, to ensure that when the driver operates the remotely controlled doors they are opened safely on the platform side. The problem is particularly acute where during a train journey the station platforms where the train stops may be on either side of the train.

For providing platform information to a train driver it is becoming increasingly common to provide closed circuit television systems with cameras mounted on the platform to provide a clear view of the side of the train and with display monitors mounted either on the platform or in the drivers' cabs. Where the display monitors are mounted on the platform their location gives the driver a positive indication of the platform side. Where however the display monitors are in the drivers' cabs there is no such positive indication. It is therefore possible, if the driver is distracted, for the doors on the wrong side of the train to be opened and it is to the solution of this problem that the present invention is principally directed.

According to the invention in a communication system for communicating door operating information to trains and to other public passenger transportation systems having remotely operated doors on both sides, and comprising a closed circuit television system, specific information regarding the correct door side opening is introduced as data into the transmission between the camera(s) and the display monitor of the closed circuit television system.

Such data may then be separately detected to provide the train driver with specific information of the correct side for the door opening and/or to control the door operating system so that the doors can only be opened on the correct side.

The invention will now be further explained by way of example in relating to trains with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a typical station layout, and Figure 2 shows a block circuit diagram of a communication system in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the station is shown as having platforms 1, 2 and 3. The railway tracks are indicated at 4. As indicated by the arrows platforms 1 and 3 have trains going in only one direction and platform 2 may have trains going in either direction. A train could therefore either enter platform 1 or platform 2 in the same direction, but the door opening would be on opposite sides for the two platforms. A similar situation can arise for platforms 2 and 3.

To provide the driver with information of the status of the platform, i.e. whether it is clear or not to close the doors, closed television circuits are provided including cameras on the platforms and display monitors in each of the drivers' cabs. Thus referring to Figure 1 at least one camera 5 is provided at the front end of platform 1, cameras 6 and 7 are provided at both ends of platform 2 and at least one camera 8 is provided at the front end of platform 3. Although in Figure 1 the cameras are only shown for clarity at the ends of the platform, multiple cameras may be fitted along the platform to give a better picture of the platform and train.

When a train runs into a platform the display monitor in the driver's cab is coupled to form a closed circuit television system with the appropriate cameras.

This coupling can be effected for example by a radiating cable extending along the track at the front end of the platform and a pick-up aerial on the train.

To give the driver information as to which side it is safe to open the doors, information may be included with the actual television picture. This may take the form of a separate carrier, sub-carrier or be included in the field blanking interval as in teletext transmissions. To provide the level of integrity required a number of alternatives are available. If the information relating to the platform side is transmitted as a carrier or sub-carrier modulated by an analogue tone generated by a device such as resonate reed equipment used in railway signalling applications then the frequency of an individual tone can be used to indicate the platform side. The detection of this tone after demodulation also being by resonate reed equipment. A disadvantage of this approach may be that a spurious tone could be generated by either electrical interference or cross modulation.An improvement on the use of a single tone would be the use of multiple tone transmission. If a digital means of encoding the information for transmission is used, then by the use of code techniques well known to those skilled in the art, it is possible to send a code message that is unique to the doors to be opened. Such a message being proof against corruption to whatever finite level of security is required, where a digital code pattern is incorporated in the field blanking interval it is possible, if - required for additional safety, to send the inverse of this information in alternate frames and then use AC logic to detect with an extremely high degree of safety the information transmitted as to platform side. The received information may then be used to give an indication to the driver, to be interlocked with the door controls or both.

Figure 2 shows a typical block diagram of one system. The picture from camera 11 is fed via a coding means 12 with which the picture is encoded with the platform information, then from this coding means to a transmitter 13. The output from this transmitter is then electromagnetically coupled via coupling 14 to a receiver 15. The receiver 15 feeds the detected signal via a decoding means 16 to a train mounted video monitor 17. The decoding means extracts the platform information from the transmitted signal.

The means by which the information as to platform side is used on the train can be by giving the driver a visual signal, a distinctive sound, or by directly interlocking the information with the door controls such that only if the correct command is given by the driver will the correct side doors open.

While the visual means by which indication is given to the driver could be by a light or other type of visual indicator, it would also be possible to superimpose this information on the screen of the video display. Where such a superimposing technique is used, then soft keys, such as used in some bank cash dispensers, could be used for door control. Touch screen detection may also be used for the door control.

Claims

1. A communication system for communicating door operating information to trains and to other public passenger transportation vehicles having remotely operated doors on both sides, and comprising a closed circuit television system having at least one camera and a display monitor, is characterised in that specific information regarding the correct door opening side is introduced as data into the transmission between the camera(s) and the display monitor of the closed circuit television system.

2. A communication system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the display monitor is provided in the vehicle driver 's cab and said camera(s) is positioned to view a station platform, the display monitor coupling with the camera as the vehicle runs into the platform.

3. A communication system according to Claim 2, characterised in that the station has a plurality of platforms each of which is viewed by at least one camera, and the display monitor couples with a respective one of said cameras depending upon which platform the vehicle enters and the direction in which it enters in order to determine the correct door opening side of the vehicle.

4. A communication system according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that said data is detected in the driver's cab to provide the driver with an indication of the correct side for the door opening and/or to control the door operating system so that the doors can only be opened on the correct side.

5. A communication system according to any preceeding Claim, characterised in that the television transmission is digitally encoded with the information regarding the correct door opening side.

6. A communication system according to any preceeding Claim, characterised in that the information regarding the correct door opening side is included in the field blanking interval of the television transmission.

7. A communication system according to any of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the information regarding the correct door opening side is transmitted by a separate carrier or sub-carrier within the television transmission and modulated in accordance with the correct door side opening.

8. A communication system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.