RU2291492C1 - Device for analyzing and forming voice messages and system of operation voce warning on location of trains at railroad transport - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: warning systems at railroad transport.

SUBSTANCE: device can be easily integrated with existing equipment of electric centralization system. It provides ability of forming of big number of voice messages and high degree of safety. Device has input module and warning synthesizer. Input module performs conversion of analog signals received from relay of electric centralization system into digital form. Subsequent analysis of location of trains is carried out depending on received signals. Result of analysis has to be selection of command which determines voice message. Command is transmitted to warning synthesizer along two-directional bus. Warning synthesizer selects message corresponding to command, forms analog signal corresponding to message and transmits formed signal to analog outputs. According to preferable version of device the mentioned analog outputs are connected with inputs of retranslation equipment.

EFFECT: improved safety.

5 cl, 2 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to warning systems in rail transport. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices for the analysis and formation of voice messages and warning systems about the position of trains on tracks.

State of the art

The issue of ensuring the safety of people on the railway has existed since the advent of the railway itself. The main problem is the timely notification of people about the approach of the train. This is especially true for workers when carrying out work on the tracks. It is known that the peculiarities of human hearing do not allow you to timely hear the approach of the train and move away from the tracks to a safe distance. Therefore, when carrying out work on the tracks, various warning systems about the position of trains are used.

The preferred type of alerts are voice messages. When using voice messages, workers do not need to memorize a signal system, messages are simple to understand, which increases the safety of workers.

The main tasks that have to be addressed when creating warning systems using voice messages are the following:

- timeliness of the message. According to the safety standards adopted by railway transport, a message about the approach of a train should be issued no later than 50 s before the train arrives at the section;

- the reliability of the messages issued;

- system reliability. Due to the increased danger to human life, the system should have increased reliability, as well as the ability to detect malfunctions and alert about malfunctions of responsible persons;

- binding to existing equipment.

Currently, railways have their own train control system. Sensors (relays) are located on the arrows and other sections of the tracks, which are electrically connected to the relays of the electric centralization system, which is usually located in the station room. This system is considered reliable, and for security reasons, the introduction of additional elements is not allowed.

Currently, various voice warning systems are known in railway transport. For example, similar systems are described in patents of the Russian Federation No. 2179518 and 2170187. However, in these systems, voice messages are transmitted directly by a person, usually on duty at the station. Thus, the so-called "human factor" is introduced into the functioning of the system, which does not allow ensuring the above-mentioned safety requirements.

From patent document DE 19746590 an automatic warning system is known about the approach of a train to a place of work on railway tracks. The specified system contains sensors installed on railway tracks near the place of work and an analysis and warning device. These sensors communicate with the specified device through a wired or wireless connection. Sensors monitor a specific section of tracks and transmit information to an analysis and warning device. The specified device analyzes the information received from the sensors and determines the presence or absence of a train on sections of tracks controlled by the sensors. When determining the presence of a train in at least one of the indicated sections, the device generates an optical or acoustic alarm signal.

The disadvantages of this system include the following:

- the need to install along the tracks special sensors that duplicate the existing expensive equipment on the railway;

- issuing an alarm signal in the form of an optical (signal lamp) or acoustic (siren) signal. Such a signal does not carry information about which way and what type of train is moving. The formation and issuance of arbitrary voice messages, which are the most preferred, is not provided.

As the closest analogue of the present invention, the system of automatic voice notification about the approach of the train to the place of work "Sirena-R" (hereinafter referred to as the "Sirena-R" system), developed by the State Unitary Enterprise GIPROTRANSSIGNALVYAZ in 2001, was chosen. The specified system includes the so-called linking relays as devices (modules) for inputting information from the electric centralization system in railway transport (hereinafter referred to as the EC system) and alert synthesizers, as well as relay equipment and loudspeakers. The system relays are installed in the cabinets of the EC system and are electrically connected to the relay contacts of the EC system. Alert synthesizers are also installed in these cabinets and are electrically connected to the contacts of the link relay.

The system "Siren-R" operates as follows. The relay of the EC system receives electrical signals that carry information about the movement of trains. These signals also go to the link relay. Depending on the incoming signals, the linking relay connects the contacts of one or another alert synthesizer with the inputs of the relay equipment, and thus the message generated by the alert synthesizer is transmitted to the relay equipment and further to the loudspeakers.

To monitor the serviceability of the equipment of the Sirena-R system, as well as to inform about the absence of trains at the approach sites and work sites, a periodic melodic sending is used. This package is repeated every 16-20 s. Its absence is a signal of a system malfunction.

In the event that signals about the approach of a train to a certain section of tracks are received at the link relay, then these relays close the contact of a certain notification synthesizer, and a corresponding message is transmitted to the relay equipment (for example, "Train along the even-neck arrows").

The disadvantages of the Siren-R system are the following:

1. Inadequate security of the system due to the lack of means of self-monitoring and detection of malfunctions. The only sign of normal operation of the system is periodic melodic sending. It is quite probable that when working on the tracks the worker may simply not pay attention to the absence of the indicated melodic premise and, thus, will be at substantial risk. Accordingly, constant monitoring of the Sirena-R system performance by the station duty officer is required.

2. A limited number of generated voice messages. Alert synthesizers that are part of the Siren-R system contain no more than eight audio shapers. To increase the number of generated messages, the installation of additional synthesizers is required, which requires the availability of empty seats in the cabinets of the EC system, reconfiguration of the electrical connections of the link relay and warning synthesizers.

3. The need to install additional equipment in the racks of the EC system. For the Sirena-R system to work, it is required to place linking relays and warning synthesizers in the cabinets of the EC system. This makes it impossible to use the system in the absence of empty seats in the cabinets. In addition, the fact of installing additional equipment in a standard set of EC systems is undesirable from the point of view of ensuring reliability and safety. Further, the large overall dimensions of the elements of the Sirena-R system require additional costs for installation and installation.

Disclosure of invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide a device for the analysis and formation of voice messages and an operational voice notification system for the position of trains in railway transport, having the following characteristics:

- the device should easily integrate with existing equipment of the EC system and not require the installation of additional equipment in the EC system;

- the ability to generate a large number of voice messages. The device should also provide the ability to change the set of messages displayed without the need to install additional equipment;

- high degree of security. The device should be capable of self-monitoring and monitoring the health of the warning system and issuing an alarm in case of malfunctions without personnel intervention.

In accordance with the present invention, the problem is solved using a device for analyzing and generating voice messages for an operational voice warning system for the position of trains in railway transport, comprising an input module and an alert synthesizer. The inputs of the input module are configured to supply signals from the relays of the EC system that carry information about the position of trains, and the notification synthesizer includes analog outputs for supplying the specified voice messages to the input of the relay equipment of the voice warning system. The proposed device is characterized in that

- the input module contains a microprocessor and is configured to convert the incoming analog signals from the relays of the EC system that carry information about the position of trains into digital signals, analyze these digital signals in the microprocessor and issue a command to the synthesizer corresponding to the current position of the trains,

and the specified synthesizer alerts includes

- read-only memory for storing digitized voice messages,

- a digital signal processor, configured to select a voice message from messages stored in read-only memory based on a command received from an input module, and transmit the selected message to a digital-to-analog converter,

- digital-to-analog Converter, configured to convert received from a digital signal processor digitized messages into an analog signal and transmit the received signal to the analog outputs of the device,

- a system bus that provides the ability to exchange data and commands between all components of the alert synthesizer,

moreover, the notification synthesizer and the input module are connected to each other via a bi-directional bus.

Thanks to this design, the need to install a linkage relay or some other additional equipment in the EC system is eliminated. In addition, it is possible to generate a large number of voice messages, and these messages can be changed if necessary also without installing additional equipment in the EC system. Thanks to the implementation of the device for analyzing and generating messages in the form of two separate modules connected by a bi-directional bus, each of which includes microprocessors, it is possible to self-monitor the health of the warning system and to issue an alarm signal in case of malfunctions without the intervention of maintenance personnel.

Alert synthesizer may preferably include:

- analog inputs, designed to receive analog signals from relay equipment and representing the output signals of this equipment,

- a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter, converting the signals received at the analog inputs into digital form and transmitting them to the digital signal processor,

- backup channel for issuing an alarm.

In this case, the alert synthesizer has the ability to compare the signal transmitted to the digital-to-analog converter for subsequent transmission to the relay equipment, and the signal received from the analog-to-digital converter, and to issue an alarm signal on the backup channel in case the compared signals are different.

The specified device may further include a microphone for receiving an audio signal from the speakers of the warning system and transmitting the specified signal to the analog inputs of the notification synthesizer for subsequent processing and comparison. This embodiment of the device facilitates the function of monitoring the health of the voice warning system.

The objective of the invention is also solved in the system of operational voice notification of the position of trains in railway transport, including a relay of the EC system, the above-described device for analyzing and generating voice messages, relay equipment for relaying voice messages to their destination and speakers of the warning system.

List of drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which contains references to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention without any limitation.

Figure 1 presents a structural diagram of a device for the analysis and formation of voice messages in accordance with the present invention;

figure 2 presents a structural diagram of a system of operational voice warning about the position of trains in railway transport according to the invention.

The implementation of the invention

Figure 1 presents a generalized structural diagram of a device 1 in accordance with the present invention. The device 1 contains an input module 2 and a synthesizer 3 alerts, interconnected bidirectional bus 8.

Input module 2 is connected to the relay of the EC system via input channels 4. Input channels 4 are connected directly to the relay contacts of the EC system. The input module 2 converts the analog signals received from the input channels into digital form and then analyzes the position of the trains depending on the received signals. The result of the analysis is the selection of a command, preferably a message number, which should be generated by the synthesizer 3 alerts and transmitted to the relay equipment (the storage and generation of messages will be described below). The selected message number is transmitted to the synthesizer 3 alerts on a bi-directional bus 8.

The analog signals from the relay of the EC system are fed to analog-to-digital converters 5, digitized and fed to the inputs of microprocessor 6. Microprocessor 6 analyzes the incoming signals by processing them according to the algorithm recorded in its internal memory and selects the number of the corresponding message. The selected number is transmitted via the bi-directional bus controller 7 via the bi-directional bus 8 to the notification synthesizer 3.

In a preferred embodiment, the Atmel AT89C51CC03 microprocessor is used as microprocessor 6. This microprocessor includes, among other things, a CAN bus controller, as well as a sufficient amount of memory to store the algorithm for analyzing incoming signals. The microprocessor has 14 input channels, which seems sufficient to receive signals from the EC relay. The microprocessor is controlled and programmed via the standard RS-232 interface.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the CAN bus, an asynchronous serial communication bus using a twisted pair of wires as a transmission medium, is used as a bi-directional bus 8 connecting the input module and the voice synthesizer. The CAN protocol is used to transmit data on this bus. The protocol was proposed by Robert Bosch GmbH in the late 1980s for the automotive industry (on-board vehicle network), then it was standardized (ISO 11898) and SAE. CAN protocol implements the first and second level of the OSI reference model. At a transmission speed of 1 Mbps, the bus length can reach 40 meters. The choice is due to the high reliability of this tire, which was originally developed to work in difficult conditions as an automobile on-board network (strong interference, high temperatures).

Synthesizer 3 alerts contains a controller 9 bi-directional bus 8, the system bus 10, read-only memory (ROM) 11, a digital signal processor (DSP) 12 and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 13.

The signal received from the input module 2 is interpreted by the controller 9 and transmitted via the system bus 10 to the DSP 12 of the alert synthesizer 3. The DSP 12 through the system bus 10 accesses the ROM 11, selects the corresponding message in the ROM 11 and transmits the specified message through the system bus 10 to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 13. The DAC 13 converts the received message into an analog signal and transfers the received analog signal to analog outputs 14 synthesizer 3 alerts.

In a preferred embodiment, the Analog Devices ADSP-2181 microprocessor is used as the digital signal processor 12. This microprocessor includes, among other things, a sufficient amount of memory. The microprocessor is controlled and programmed via the standard RS-232 interface.

In a preferred embodiment, the notification synthesizer further comprises analog inputs for receiving analog signals from relay equipment and representing the output signals of this equipment, a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which converts the signals received at the analog inputs into digital form and transmits them to digital signal processor and redundant channel for issuing an alarm. In this case, the analog inputs of the alert synthesizer are electrically connected to the relay equipment. For example, the analog inputs may be connected to the outputs of the amplifier of the relay equipment. The signal supplied to the analog inputs of the alert synthesizer is transmitted to the ADC. The specified ADC converts the received analog signals into digital signals and transmits them to a digital signal processor. The digital signal processor compares the signals received from the ADC with the last transmitted message. In the case of normal functioning of the equipment on the path from the digital signal processor to the relay equipment node from which the output signal was taken, the differences revealed by comparing the signals received from the ADC with the last transmitted message should not exceed the specified threshold. If the specified threshold is exceeded, a conclusion is made about equipment malfunction and an alarm signal is issued through the backup channel. In a preferred embodiment, a combination of a signal LED on the front of the device and a piezoceramic emitter emitting an unpleasant continuous sound is used as an alarm. When an alarm is detected, the station attendant has the opportunity to take measures to ensure the safety of workers on the tracks (for example, send the message “Leave all arrows” through the backup notification system).

The implementation of the input module and the synthesizer alerts in the form of two separate modules, each of which contains a microprocessor and which are connected via a bi-directional bus, allows you to implement the function of automatic self-control of the system. Each of the modules has the ability to interrogate another module, analyze the response and, in case of a malfunction, issue an alarm.

Figure 4 presents a structural diagram of a system of operational voice warning about the position of trains in railway transport according to the invention.

The system in accordance with a preferred embodiment includes a relay of the EC system 15, the above described device 1 for analyzing and generating voice messages, relay equipment 16 and loudspeakers 17. The device 1 for analyzing and announcing is electrically connected to the relay of the system 15 of the EC. The specified device 1 analysis and formation of voice messages can be located in any room of the station, preferably in the room of the duty station. The analog outputs of the device 1 analysis and formation of voice messages are electrically connected to the inputs of the relay equipment 16. Also to the relay equipment 16 are connected speakers 17.

In accordance with the invention, the signals from the relay system 15 EC are fed to the inputs of the device 1 analysis and formation of voice messages. The specified device 1 generates a voice message, as described above. The generated message is transmitted to the relay equipment 16, which in turn relays it to the speakers 17.

Claims (4)

1. A device for analyzing and generating voice messages for an operational voice notification system for the position of trains in railway transport, comprising an input module and an alert synthesizer, the inputs of the input module being configured to send signals from a relay of the electric centralization system in railway transport that carry information about the position of the trains, and the alert synthesizer includes analog outputs for supplying the specified voice messages to the input of the relay equipment, different I am that the input module contains a microprocessor and is configured to convert the incoming analog signals from the relay of the EC system to digital signals, analyze the indicated digital signals in the microprocessor and issue a command to the synthesizer corresponding to the current position of the trains, and the specified synthesizer alerts includes read-only memory device configured to store digitized voice messages, a digital signal processor configured to select a voice message from read-only memory based on a command received from the input module and transmit the selected message to a multi-channel digital-to-analog converter, a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the digitized messages received from the digital signal processor into an analog signal and transmitting the received signal to the analog outputs of the device, a system bus that provides the ability to exchange data and commands to all components of the alert synthesizer, with the alert synthesizer and input module connected to each other via a bi-directional bus. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the alert synthesizer further comprises analog inputs, designed to receive analog signals from relay equipment, representing the output signals of this equipment, a multichannel analog-to-digital converter that converts the signals received at the analog inputs into digital form and transfers them to the digital signal processor, backup channel for alarm and configured to compare the signal transmitted to the digital-to-analog converter for subsequent transmission to the relay equipment, and the signal received from the analog-to-digital converter, and to issue an alarm signal on the backup channel in case the compared signals are different. 3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that it further includes a microphone for receiving an audio signal from the speakers of the warning system and transmitting the specified signal to the analog inputs of the notification synthesizer for subsequent processing and comparison. 4. The system of operational voice warning about the position of trains in railway transport, including a relay of the electric centralization system in railway transport, a device for analyzing and generating voice messages, relay equipment for relaying voice messages to their destination and loudspeakers in the warning system, characterized in that the analysis device and the formation of voice messages is performed according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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