JP2001018800A - Signal and signal apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a signal and a signal apparatus which allows precisely controlling and managing a number of signals by means of a small number of wiring cables from a remote equipment room. SOLUTION: This signal 30 includes a transmitting part 31, a light part 33 which emits light for indicating signals, a control part 32, and a detecting part 34; control information transmitted from a master device 20 through a transmission line 50 is received by the transmitting part 31 and the control part 32 performs control according to the control information received from the master device 20, to determine whether or not the luminare 33 should be turned on by power source 60 supplied from a line different from that for the control information. The detecting part 34 detects the lighted state of the luminaire 33 for each signal light, and the transmitting part 31 transmits to the master device 20 display information originated by the control part 32 according to sensor signals detected by the detecting part 34.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traffic signal and a signal device for presenting a signal such as progress or stop based on an instruction from a parent device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, the operation of a traffic signal disposed in a railway station is controlled by an interlocking device provided in an equipment room. The interlocking device is used to check the operation status of various devices such as a switch located at a branch point of a track and a traffic light indicating whether or not the vehicle can enter the track, and the arrival, departure, and passage of trains and maintenance vehicles. This is a device for controlling the system in a comprehensive manner in accordance with the schedule, and for opening the route required by a train or the like safely and promptly.

[0003] Such an interlocking device and a traffic light are usually connected one-to-one by a multi-core wiring cable provided separately for each traffic light. Further, in the equipment room, disconnection information indicating whether or not the traffic light is normally lit is acquired for each traffic light, and the status of the failure and the like are grasped.

[0004]

However, in the case of individually connecting each traffic signal and the interlocking device with a wiring cable, the total length of the wiring cable to be laid becomes enormous, and the laying of the wiring cable and the maintenance thereof are performed. Cost and labor are increased. In addition, in order to check the working voltage of the signal lamp bulb used in the traffic signal, the operator had to go to the traffic signal at the site and measure the voltage.

[0005] Further, since the disconnection information can be obtained only from the equipment room for each traffic light, there is a problem that the type (color) of the lamp brought to the site for replacement cannot be known. That is, when the traffic light is of a type that changes its luminescent color with a color lens, the bulb itself is common regardless of the luminescent color. However, for example, when the traffic light uses different types of lighting devices for each emission color, such as LED (light emitting diode) lamps, it is not known which color lighting device to bring to the site. I had to bring in lights of all colors.

[0006] Further, since the LED lamp has a characteristic that it has high brightness and emits light even to a small amount of current, a control signal also serving as a power supply for lighting the signal lamp is transmitted from the interlocking device in the equipment room to each signal device. When the signal is sent and the signal display is remotely controlled, there is a problem that the signal light to be reduced may be in a lighter and lighter state due to the induced voltage generated in the wiring cable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and a traffic signal capable of accurately controlling and managing a large number of traffic signals with a small number of wiring cables from a remote equipment room. It is intended to provide a signaling device.

[0008]

The gist of the present invention to achieve the above object lies in the following inventions. [1] In a traffic signal that indicates a signal such as progression or stop based on an instruction from a parent device (20), a transmission unit (31)
And a lamp unit (33) that emits light for signal display, and a control unit (32), and the transmission unit (31) is connected to the parent device (20) via a predetermined transmission line (50). The control section (3) receives the transmitted control information and receives the control information.
2) a power source (60) supplied separately from the control information
A traffic light for controlling whether or not to turn on the lamp unit (33) according to the control information received from the master device (20).

[2] In a traffic signal for presenting a signal such as advancing or stopping based on an instruction from the parent device (20), a transmission unit (31) and a lamp unit (3) that emits light for signal presentation are provided.
3), a control unit (32), and a detection unit (34). The transmission unit (31) receives control information sent from the parent device (20) via a predetermined transmission line (50). The control unit (32) uses the power supply (60) supplied separately from the control information to control the lighting unit (3).
3) controlling whether to turn on the light in accordance with the control information received from the master device (20), wherein the detecting unit (34) detects the lighting state of the lamp unit (33); The control unit (32) indicates an actual present state in the lamp unit (33) based on the lighting state of the lamp unit (33) detected by the detection unit (34). A traffic signal for generating presenting state information, wherein the transmission unit (31) transmits the information to the parent device (20) through the transmission line (50).

[3] In a traffic signal for presenting a signal such as progression or stop based on an instruction from the parent device (20), a transmission unit (31) and a lamp unit (3) that emits light for signal presentation are provided.
3), a control unit (32), and a detection unit (34). The transmission unit (31) receives control information sent from the parent device (20) via a predetermined transmission line (50). The control unit (32) uses the power supply (60) supplied separately from the control information to control the lighting unit (3).
3) controlling whether or not to turn on the light in accordance with the control information received from the master device (20), wherein the detection unit (34) includes a power supply voltage supplied to the lamp unit (33); The control unit (32) detects each value of the current flowing through the lamp unit (33).
The voltage value and the current value detected in 4) are used to create maintenance information indicating a detailed operation state of the lamp unit (33), and the transmission unit (31) transmits the maintenance information to the parent device (20). A traffic signal transmitted through the transmission line (50).

[4] The detection unit (34) performs detection for each signal light of the lamp unit (33), and detects the transmission unit (3).
1) The operation information for each signal light is stored in the parent device (20).
The traffic light according to [2] or [3], wherein the traffic light is transmitted.

[5] A common transmission line (5)
The traffic signal according to [1], [2], [3] or [4], wherein information communication is performed with the parent device (20) through (0).

[6] A common power supply line (6
The traffic light according to [1], [2], [3], [4], or [5], wherein the traffic light is supplied through 0).

[7] [1], [2], [3], [4],
The traffic light according to [5] or [6], a parent device (20) for remotely managing the traffic light, and a transmission line (50) connecting between the parent device (20) and the traffic light. A signal device characterized by the above-mentioned.

The present invention operates as follows. The traffic signal (30) includes a transmission unit (31), a lamp unit (33) that emits light for signal display, and a control unit (32), and a predetermined transmission line (50) is transmitted from the parent device (20). ) Is received by the transmission unit (31), and the control unit (3) receives the control information.
2) is a power supply (6) supplied in a separate system from the control information.
Whether the lamp unit (33) is turned on by 0) is controlled according to the control information received from the parent device (20).

As described above, the lighting state of the lamp is controlled according to the control information sent from the parent device (20) through the transmission line (50) of a different system from the supply of the power supply (60). Even with a lamp, a situation in which the LED lamp is dimly lit by an induced voltage generated in the wiring cable can be essentially avoided.

Further, the detection unit (3) provided in the traffic light (30)
4) detects the lighting state of the lamp unit (33), and the control unit (32) detects the lighting state of the lamp unit (33) based on the lighting state of the lamp unit (33) detected by the detection unit (34). The transmission unit (31) creates presentation state information indicating the actual present state (lighting state) of 33), and transmits this to the parent device (20) via the transmission line (50).

More specifically, the value of the power supply voltage supplied to the lamp unit (33) and the value of the current flowing through the lamp unit (33) are measured for each signal lamp of the lamp unit (33). This is transmitted to the parent device (20) as maintenance information indicating the detailed operation state of each signal light.

As described above, the lamp unit (3
Information indicating the lighting state of 3) is transmitted from the traffic signal side to the parent device (2).
0), the operating state of each signal can be reliably grasped from the remote parent device (20). In particular, by transmitting the maintenance information for each signal light, even when an LED light is used, the parent device (20) can accurately recognize which color LED light has a failure. ,
Maintenance work can be reduced.

Also, by connecting a number of traffic lights arranged in the station premises to one transmission line (50) in common, the total length of the wiring cables laid in the station premises can be shortened. Since the power supply (60) is supplied in a separate system from the control information, the power supply line (60) is connected to a plurality of traffic lights (3).
If commonly used in (0), the total extension distance of the power supply line (60) can be shortened.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a signal device 10 according to the present embodiment. The signal device 10 is a parent device 20
And the first to Nth traffic signals 30 to be child devices of the
1 that connects the parent device 20 and each traffic light 30 in common
It comprises one transmission line 50 and a power supply line 60 for supplying power to each traffic light 30.

The parent device 20 determines the operating state of various devices such as a switch disposed at a branch point of the track and a traffic light indicating whether or not the vehicle can enter the course, when a train or maintenance vehicle arrives. This is an electronic interlocking device that controls the entire system in accordance with departure, passage, etc., and opens the route required by a train or the like safely and quickly.

The traffic signal 30 includes a transmission unit 31 and a control unit 32
, A lighting unit 33, a detection unit 34, and a power supply unit 35. The transmission unit 31 is a part that transmits and receives various information to and from the parent device 20 via the transmission line 50, and controls a communication procedure, detects an error, and the like. Here, control information and polling information necessary for traffic signal control are received from the parent device 20, and the parent device 2 is received from the traffic signal 30 side.
The function of transmitting display information toward zero is performed.

The control section 32 is a circuit section for controlling the operation of the traffic light 30 based on an instruction from the parent device 20. The lamp unit 33 is a signal lamp such as an LED lamp, and includes LED lamps of a plurality of colors. The detection unit 34 includes the lighting unit 33
It is a circuit part for detecting a voltage value of a lamp power supply supplied to each of the signal lamps and a value of a current flowing through each of the signal lamps. The power supply unit 35 is a circuit part that extracts a lamp power supply for lighting the lamp unit 33 from the power supply line 60 and a logical power supply to the transmission unit 31, the control unit 32, and the detection unit 34.

The parent device 20 includes a transmission unit (not shown) for transmitting and receiving various information to and from each traffic signal 30. Information transmission via the transmission line 50 is performed in a fail-safe manner.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 2 shows the signaling device 1
0 shows the flow of various information. FIG. 3 shows the contents of information transmitted between the parent device 20 and the traffic signal 30. The transmission control logic 31 a shown by the traffic light 30 in FIG. 2 is a process executed by the transmission unit 31. The transmission control logic 31a develops a signal received from the parent device 20 through the transmission line 50 into a format that can be processed by the control unit 32 or the like of the device itself, and conversely converts the data in the internal format into the transmission line 5
For example, a process of converting the data into a format that can be transmitted through 0 is performed.

The light control logic 32a is a process executed by the control unit 32, and controls the lighting of the detection unit 34 based on an instruction from the parent device 20. The voltage / current sensor 34a is an element included in the detection unit 34, and is provided for each signal lamp.

As shown in FIG. 2, the parent device 20 transmits the control information 1 through the transmission line 50 to the traffic light 30 at a fixed period.
Send 01. As shown in FIG. 3, the control information includes traffic signal type data, traffic signal indication control data,
D code and check code are included.

Among them, the traffic signal type data indicates the type of the traffic signal to be controlled by the control information. The signal indication control data is data indicating the instruction content of the signal indication. The ID code is identification information for uniquely identifying a destination traffic signal. This ID code is assigned a unique value in advance for each traffic signal. The check code is an error detection code for checking whether data has been transmitted without error.

The transmission unit 31 of the traffic signal 30 performs transmission control logic processing on the control information 101 received from the parent device 20,
It is converted into control data 201 in a data format that can be recognized internally. The control data 201 is transferred to the control unit 32 and subjected to a light control logic process.
Is output to the lamp unit 33. Thereby, the parent device 2
From 0, the operation of each traffic light 30 is remotely controlled.

As described above, instead of sending the control signal also serving as the power supply to the signal lamp from the interlocking device to each traffic light and remotely controlling the signal display, the power supply for driving is set to the power supply line 60 of another system. Since only the control information indicating whether or not to turn on the lamp unit 33 by the power source is transmitted from the master device 20 to each of the traffic lights 30 via the transmission line 50, the LED lamp is turned off by the induced voltage generated in the wiring cable. Nevertheless, it is possible to essentially prevent a situation in which the light is dimly lit.

The detection unit 34 of the traffic light 30 monitors the voltage of the lamp power supply supplied to each signal lamp of the lamp unit 33 and the current flowing through the signal lamp, and controls the sensor signal 203 representing the voltage value and the current value. Input to the unit 32. This sensor signal 20
3 is subjected to A / D (analog / digital) conversion by the control unit 32 and processed into security data by the light control logic 32a. In addition, the control unit 32 creates signal light control state data representing the actual signal present state at the present time based on the sensor signal 203 input from the detection unit 34. The maintenance data and the signal light control state data are input to the transmission unit 31 as display data 204.

The display data 204 including the maintenance data and the signal light control state data created by the light control logic 32a is:
When the polling information 102 addressed to the own device is received from the parent device 20, the polling information 102 is converted by the transmission control logic 31 a of the transmission unit 31 into display information 103 conforming to the transmission mode, and transmitted to the parent device 20. The display information 103 includes FIG.
As shown in (1), the above-mentioned signal light control state data, maintenance data, an ID code representing the own traffic signal, and a check code are included.

The polling information 102 is composed of an ID code for specifying the traffic light 30 and a check code as shown in FIG. Each traffic light 30 commonly connected to the transmission line 50 receives the polling information 102 from the parent device 20 and determines whether or not the polling information 102 is addressed to the own device based on the ID code included in the polling information 102. It has become. In addition, the parent device 20
The source traffic signal is recognized by the ID code included in the display information sent from the traffic signal.

As described above, the display information 1 from the parent device 20
Since the display information 103 is transmitted from each of the traffic signals 30 to the parent device 20 according to 03, the parent device 20 can remotely grasp the operation state of each of the traffic signals 30 in detail. That is, in addition to being able to grasp what kind of signal presentation is being performed at present, it is possible to recognize for each signal lamp unit what kind of voltage-current characteristic is being lit or malfunctioning. Further, since the value of the current flowing through the signal lamp is monitored, maintenance data for each signal lamp such as half-core or full-core can be easily grasped on the master device 20 side. Moreover,
Since the power supply voltage to each signal lamp is monitored and notified to the parent device 20, the inspection work on the power supply of each signal lamp on the parent device 20 side can also be automated.

In addition, a plurality of traffic lights 30 arranged in the station premises are commonly connected to a transmission line 50, and one transmission line 50
The communication between the parent device 20 and each traffic light 30 is performed by
Compared with the case where the wiring cables are individually laid, the total extension distance can be reduced, and the number of the wiring cables can be greatly reduced. Further, since the type information of the traffic light 30 is included in the control information sent from the parent device 20, the transmission control logic and the light control logic can be shared regardless of the type of the traffic light. As a result, the control unit and the like can be shared by various types of traffic signals, and the cost of the device can be reduced.

In the embodiment described above, each signal 3
Although the power supply line 60 to 0 is shared, the supply of power need not necessarily be shared if the system is different from the transmission line 50. In addition, the maintenance data and the like may directly represent the current value and the voltage value of each signal lighting device.
The data may be classified into a certain rank on the 0 side and processed. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which results classified into normal, half-core, full-core, and the like are transmitted to the parent device 20 as maintenance data.

In addition, the transmission line connecting the parent device and each child device may be one using an electric communication cable or one using an optical fiber transmission line.
If an optical transmission system using an optical fiber transmission line is used as a transmission line, transmission reliability can be further improved.

[0039]

According to the traffic signal and the signal device according to the present invention, a parent device such as an interlocking device and each signal device are commonly connected by a transmission line of a different system from the supply of power, and the parent device is connected to the parent device through the transmission line. Since each signal is remotely controlled by sending the control information, the number of wiring cables can be significantly reduced as compared with a case where the signals are individually connected.

Also, instead of sending a control signal also serving as a power supply for turning on the signal lamp from the interlocking device to each of the traffic lights and remotely controlling the signal display, the power supply for driving is provided by a separate power supply line. However, since only the control information of whether or not to turn on the lamp unit by the power supply is transmitted from the master device to each traffic light through the transmission line, the LED voltage or the like is not affected by the induction voltage generated in the transmission line, despite the light extinguishing control. Thus, it is possible to essentially prevent a situation in which the light is dimly lit.

Further, since the operation state of each signal light is monitored and the information is transmitted from the signal to the parent device, the parent device can remotely recognize the operation state of each signal in detail for each signal light.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a signal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a flow of information exchanged between a parent device and a traffic signal which constitute the signaling device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing types and contents of information transmitted by a signal device according to an embodiment of the present invention via a transmission line.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Signal device 20 ... Parent device 30 ... Traffic light 31 ... Transmission part 31a ... Transmission control logic 32 ... Control part 32a ... Light control logic 33 ... Lighting part 34 ... Detecting part 34a ... Voltage / current sensor 35 ... Power supply part 50 ... Transmission line 60 Power line 101 Control information 102 Polling information 103 Display information 201 Control data 202 Control signal 203 Sensor signal 204 Display data

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Fumitaka Kondo 2-2-2 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo East Japan Railway Company (72) Inventor Kanzo Seki 2-29 Heian-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture (1) Kyosan Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshihiro Imazawa 2-29, Heian-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A traffic signal for presenting a signal such as progression or stop based on an instruction from a parent device, comprising: a transmission unit; a lamp unit that emits light for signal presentation; and a control unit. The transmission unit is for receiving control information sent from the master device through a predetermined transmission line, and the control unit turns on the lamp unit by a power supplied separately from the control information. A traffic light for controlling whether or not the signal is received according to the control information received from the parent device. 2. A traffic signal for performing signal indication such as progression or stop based on an instruction from a parent device, comprising: a transmission unit, a lamp unit that emits light for signal indication, a control unit, and a detection unit. The transmission unit receives control information sent from the master device via a predetermined transmission line, and the control unit controls the lamp unit by a power supplied separately from the control information. It is to control whether or not to light according to the control information received from the parent device, The detection unit is to detect the lighting state of the lamp unit, The control unit, by the detection unit Based on the detected lighting state of the lamp unit, the present unit creates presentation state information indicating an actual present state in the lamp unit, and the transmission unit transmits the transmission state information to the parent device via the transmission line. It is special that it is transmitted through Signal to. 3. A traffic signal device for presenting a signal such as progress or stop based on an instruction from a parent device, comprising: a transmission unit, a lamp unit that emits light for signal presentation, a control unit, and a detection unit. The transmission unit receives control information sent from the master device via a predetermined transmission line, and the control unit controls the lamp unit by a power supplied separately from the control information. The lighting unit controls whether or not to light according to the control information received from the parent device, and the detecting unit detects each value of a power supply voltage supplied to the lamp unit and a current flowing through the lamp unit. The control unit is to create the maintenance information indicating the detailed operation state of the lamp unit, the voltage value and the current value detected by the detection unit, the transmission unit, Sent to the parent device via the transmission line. Traffic signal, characterized in that it is intended to. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit detects each signal light of the lamp unit, and the transmission unit transmits operation information of each signal light to the master device. 3. The traffic light according to 3. 5. The traffic light according to claim 1, wherein information communication is performed with the parent device through a common transmission line with another traffic light. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein power is supplied through a common power line with another traffic signal.
Or the traffic light according to 5. 7. A traffic signal according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, a parent device for remotely managing the traffic signal, and a transmission line connecting between the parent device and the traffic signal. A signaling device characterized in that: