RU2638052C2 - Determination of rail vehicles location - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transportation.

SUBSTANCE: in the method, a busy signal is generated by the track idling control device, which indicates that the rail vehicle occupies a rail section controlled by the track idling monitor, as soon as the rail vehicle occupies the rail portion. The busy signal is supplied by the time stamping device with the time stamping means to form a time-referenced busy signal which indicates the time of rail portion occupation, the time-referenced busy signal is transmitted to the guiding device controlling the idle track monitor, the time-referenced busy signal is transmitted by the guiding device further into the rail vehicle, and in the rail vehicle, based on the time-referenced signal, the actual location of the rail vehicle is determined and a location indication is created.

EFFECT: simplified location of the rail vehicle.

10 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a method for creating a location indication that indicates the location of a rail vehicle on a rail track.

As you know, rail tracks can be equipped with so-called beacons, for example, the so-called Euro-beacons or ETCS beacons, which serve as fixed position markers and create radio signals that are received by rail vehicles and can be processed to determine the location. However, the use of such beacons is not always desirable for cost reasons.

In addition, it is known to supply rail tracks with devices for monitoring the unemployment of tracks, which can be based on so-called rail electrical circuits or axle counters, in order to determine the state of employment of sections of rail tracks.

The basis of the invention is the task of providing the ability to determine the location of rail vehicles on the rail track in a simple and cheap way.

This problem is solved, according to the invention, using a method with the characteristics of paragraph 1 of the claims. Preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

In accordance with this, according to the invention, it is provided that an employment signal is generated by the device for monitoring the idleness of the track, which indicates the occupancy of the rail section by the rail vehicle, as soon as the rail vehicle occupies the rail section controlled by the device for monitoring the unemployment of the rail, the busy signal is time stamped with the formation time-bound busy signal, which indicates the time of occupation of the rail section, time-bound signal Allocation is transmitted to the control device controls the idle path guiding device, attached to the time the busy signal is transmitted guiding device in the rail vehicle and a rail vehicle on the basis of the busy signal tied to the time determined by the actual location of the rail vehicle and is created to specify the location.

A significant advantage of the method according to the invention is that it is possible to abandon the use of beacons for transmitting location signals. Namely, according to the invention, it is envisaged to use, for determining the location of already existing devices for monitoring the unemployment of a track, whose own task is to monitor the state of employment of a railway rail section. Thus, the device for controlling the unemployment of the track is used in accordance with the invention in two ways, namely, to determine the occupancy state of the rail section, and also to create a signal for the rail vehicle with which the rail vehicle can itself determine its actual location. Thus, the device for controlling the unemployment of the track is used as a kind of virtual beacon, which transmits a signal to the rail vehicle through the guide device, which makes it possible to determine the location on the side of the rail vehicle.

It is particularly simple and thereby preferable to determine the actual location on the side of the rail vehicle and to create an indication of the location when the computing device of the rail vehicle, based on the site map stored in the memory and based on the time-related busy signal, determines the location of the rail vehicle at a time indicated in a time-bound busy signal.

Since the transmission of a time-tied busy signal from an idle-track device through a guide device to a rail vehicle can sometimes have a significant time delay, then

preferably, when the computing device based on the speed of the rail vehicle in the time interval between the time point specified in the time signal of the busy signal and the time point of determining the actual location determines the length of the path that the rail vehicle travels in this time interval, and calculates the actual location of the rail vehicle means by adding the length of the path to the location at a point in time specified in time-bound no busy signals. Thus, in this embodiment of the method, a correction is made that takes into account the length of the path that the rail vehicle passes between entering the rail section and calculating the actual location.

To create a time stamp, it is preferable when the device for monitoring the unemployment of the track uses the time information transmitted by the global satellite navigation system to determine the time of occupation of the rail section and uses the time information to form a time stamp.

In order to be able to control the location indication generated by the time-locked busy signal, it is preferable that the rail vehicle contains a global positioning system based on a satellite navigation system, a second positioning is created using a satellite-based positioning device, and the second positioning is compared with that determined on based on time-based busy signal by actual location zheniem rail vehicle. Thus, with this method, two location indications are created that are compared with each other in order to prevent erroneous positioning.

It is especially preferred that the same global satellite navigation system is used in the rail vehicle positioning device as in the idle track device for creating a time stamp.

Preferably, an error signal is generated when the deviation between the actual location of the rail vehicle, determined based on the time-related busy signal, and the second location indication reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

In addition, it is preferable that the guiding device transmits a time-bound busy signal along with a train identification signal, which indicates a train which has entered the rail section. The transmission of the composition recognition signal provides an opportunity for rail vehicles that receive a time-bound busy signal to check whether this signal is really subject to evaluation or not. If the rail vehicle, as part of the evaluation of the composition recognition signal, determines that the busy signal is not intended for that rail vehicle, further processing of the busy signal may be excluded.

In addition, the invention relates to a device for monitoring the unemployment of a track that is capable of generating a busy signal that indicates the occupancy of a device monitoring the unemployment of a track of a rail section by a rail vehicle as soon as the rail vehicle occupies the rail section.

To this end, according to the invention, it is provided that the track idleness monitoring device comprises a time determination device that is capable of providing a busy signal with a time stamp to produce a time-related busy signal that indicates a time point of occupation of the rail section.

Regarding the advantages of the device for monitoring the unemployment of the path according to the invention, reference is made to the above calculations in conjunction with the method according to the invention, since the advantages of the device for monitoring the unemployment of the path according to the invention essentially correspond to the advantages of the method according to the invention.

In addition, the invention relates to a rail track comprising a guiding device and a track idle control device connected to a guiding device.

In this regard, according to the invention, it is provided that the guiding device is configured so that it further sends a time-dependent busy signal after receiving from the control device an idle path to the rail vehicle. Regarding the advantages of the railway track according to the invention, reference is made to the above calculations in conjunction with the method according to the invention, since the advantages of the railway track according to the invention substantially correspond to the advantages of the method according to the invention.

In addition, the invention relates to a rail vehicle comprising a location device. With respect to the rail vehicle according to the invention, it is provided that the location device has a receiver for receiving a time-stamped busy signal and a computing device that is programmed to determine a location based on a stored area map and based on a busy time signal rail vehicle at a time indicated in the time-bound busy signal. Regarding the advantages of a rail vehicle according to the invention, reference is made to the above calculations in conjunction with the method according to the invention, since the advantages of a rail vehicle according to the invention substantially correspond to the advantages of the method according to the invention.

The following is a more detailed explanation of the invention based on exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a rail track according to the invention, which is provided with a guiding device and a device for monitoring the unemployment of the track;

FIG. 2 is a first exemplary embodiment of a guide device for use in a rail track, as shown in FIG. one;

FIG. 3 is a second exemplary embodiment of a guiding device for use in a rail track, as shown in FIG. one;

FIG. 4 is a first embodiment of a rail vehicle that can evaluate time-related busy signals of an idle track control device of a rail rail track, according to FIG. 1 and

FIG. 5 is a second embodiment of a rail vehicle that can evaluate time-related busy signals of an idle track control device.

In the figures, for clarity, identical or similar components are always indicated with the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, a rail track 10 is shown in which the rail portion 15 is monitored by the track idle control device 20. The idle path control device 20 comprises, as shown in FIG. 1 of the exemplary embodiment, two or more sensors 21 and 22, which generate sensor signals S1 and S2, on the basis of which the idle track control device 20 can determine the occupancy state of the rail section 15. The sensors can be formed using axle counters or using rail electric intersection points chains. In particular, in the case where the sensors of the track idle control device 20 are formed by the intersection points of one or more rail electric circuits, it is preferable that the rail electric circuit or rail electric circuits extend throughout the rail portion 15 and there are several intersection points. The device 20 control the unemployment of the path is connected to the guide device 30, which is equipped with a radio device.

The rail track 10 operates, for example, as follows:

When the rail vehicle 40 enters the rail section 15 of the rail track 10 in the direction of arrow P, this detects the sensor 21 of the track idle control device 20 and reports using the sensor signal S1. The device 20 monitoring the unemployment of the path based on the signal S1, the sensor recognizes the busy state of the rail section 15 and creates a corresponding busy signal. This busy signal is tracked by the idle path monitoring device 20 to form a time-related busy signal SBZ. The time stamp indicates the point in time at which the rail section 15 is engaged in the rail vehicle 40.

The time-linked busy signal SBZ enters the guide device 30, which transmits it via a radio device in the form of the SBZF radio signal to the rail vehicle 40. The SBZF radio signal may contain, in addition to the time-bound busy signal SBZ, also a composition recognition signal that indicates the composition , which, in accordance with a predetermined timetable, was supposed to enter the rail section 15. The transmission of such a signal to identify the composition is preferable, but not required.

The rail vehicle 40, after receiving the SBZF radio signal and the time-related busy signal SBZ contained therein, determines its location based on the stored area map and the time-related busy signal SBZ. Such a location determination is quite possible when the stored site map has a rail section 15 of the rail track 10.

In addition, when calculating the actual location and creating the location indication in the rail vehicle 40, its own speed can be taken into account, and the length is determined based on the speed in the time interval between the time point indicated in the busy signal SBZ and the corresponding time point for determining the actual location the path traveled by the rail vehicle 40 at this time interval. The actual location of the rail vehicle 40 can then be calculated by adding the path length to the location indicated in the time-bound busy signal SBZ.

Thus, the time-related busy signal SBZ formed by the idle track control device 20, which is sent by the guide device 30 to the rail vehicle 40, makes it possible to determine its actual location in the rail vehicle 40 and create an appropriate location indication.

In FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a track idle control device 20 that can be used on a rail track 10 according to FIG. 1. The idle track control device 20 of FIG. 2, has an occupancy recognition device 100 that is connected to sensors 21 and 22, according to FIG. 1, and estimates their signals S1 and S2. The occupancy recognition device 100 may be a conventional device with which it is possible to detect a busy state of a rail section. The occupancy recognition device 100 may evaluate, for example, the signals of axis counters, rail circuits, or the like. Upon detecting the occupancy state of the rail portion 15 in the occupancy recognition apparatus 100, a conventional occupancy recognition method may also be performed.

The busy recognition device 100 generates a busy signal SB at the output, which is transmitted to the control device 110 of the pathless control device 20. The control device 110 is connected to the time determination device 120, which transmits the SZ time information to the control device 110. Based on the SZ time information of the time determination device 120, the control device 110 is able to provide a busy signal SB with a time stamp that indicates the time of occupation of the rail portion 15, as soon as the rail vehicle 40 enters and occupies the rail section 15. Equipped with a time stamp, respectively, with time information SZ, the busy signal SB is output as a time-related busy signal SBZ at the output A20 of the track idle control device 20 (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 2, the time determination device 120 is a satellite time determination device that evaluates the navigation signals shown only schematically in FIG. 2 of the global navigation satellite system 200 and generates the corresponding time, respectively, time information SZ using the time axis of the global navigation satellite system 200. The navigation signals are indicated in FIG. 2 as an example with the GPS position.

Using this SZ time information derived from the GPS navigation signals, then, using the control device 110, a time-related busy signal SBZ is created, as already explained above.

In FIG. 3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a track idle control device 20 that can be used on a rail track 10, as shown in FIG. 1. In contrast to that shown in FIG. 2 of the exemplary embodiment, the time determination device is not a satellite time determination device, but synchronized clock radios 130, which are synchronized by the time signal ZS emitted by the radio. The time signal ZS can be, for example, a time signal that is transmitted by the DZF77 long-wave transmitter located in Frankfurt am Main. The long wave transmitter is indicated in FIG. 3 by 300.

The time information SZ generated by the synchronized clock radio 130 is evaluated by the control device 110 to provide the busy signal SB of the busy recognition device 100 with a time stamp and create a time-related busy signal SBZ at the output A20 of the track idle control device 20.

In FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the rail vehicle 40, which is capable of evaluating the time-related busy signal SBZ of the idle track device and determining its own actual location based on it.

The rail vehicle 40 comprises a computing device 410 that is connected to the receiver 420, as well as to the memory 430. A section map SP is stored in the memory 430, which contains data D about the rail track 10 according to FIG. 1, as well as about the controlled device 20 for monitoring the unemployment of the track of the rail section 15, according to FIG. one.

Receiver 420 is capable of receiving a radio transmitted guide device 30 according to FIG. 1, the radio signal SBZF and to extract from it the time-related busy signal SBZ contained therein. The extracted time-bound busy signal SBZ is transmitted to computing device 410.

The computing device 410 is programmed by the software module SM1 so that it determines the actual location of the rail vehicle 40 based on the time-based busy signal SBZ and the data D of the area map SP. The computing device 410 can take into account the time interval between the timestamps time and actual time, by determining, based on the speed of the rail vehicle 40, the length of the path traveled by the rail vehicle 40 at this time interval. The computing device 410 can then calculate the actual location of the rail vehicle 40 by adding this path length to the location that is obtained from the time-related busy signal SBZ and the site map SP.

After determining the actual location of the rail vehicle 40, the computing device 410 generates an OA of the location on the output side that indicates the actual location of the rail vehicle 40.

In FIG. 5 shows another exemplary embodiment of a rail vehicle 40 that can operate on a rail track 10, according to FIG. 1, and which is capable of evaluating the radio signal SBZF of the guide device 30 according to FIG. 1, in order to determine the actual location.

Rail vehicle 40 according to FIG. 5 comprises, in addition to the computing device 420, the receiving device 420 and the memory 430, which are already explained with reference to FIG. 4, a satellite positioning device 440 that can receive GPS navigation signals of the global navigation satellite system 200. The satellite positioning device 440 generates a second location indication OA2 using the GPS navigation signals, which is supplied to the computing device 410.

The computing device 410 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5, programmed using two software modules SM1 and SM2. The first software module SM1 serves to evaluate the time-bound busy signal SBZ of the receiver 420, as well as the data D of the site map SP, and to form the first location indication OA1.

The second software module SM2 serves to compare the first location indication OA1 of the first software module SM1 with the second location indication OA2 of the satellite positioning device 440. If the two location indications OA1 and OA2 essentially coincide, then the computing device 410, using both the location indications OA1 and OA2, creates, for example, by averaging, the averaged location indication OA, which is output at the output A410 of the computing device 410.

However, if both location directions OA1 and OA2 deviate too much from each other, then the computing device 410 generates an error signal F 410 at its output A4, by which the computing device 410 shows that it is not in doubt possible to determine the location since the satellite device 410 for determining the location, the second location indication OA2 deviates too far from the first location indication OA1 generated by the busy signal SBZ.

Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in detail using preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to the disclosed examples, and other embodiments may be deduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

LIST OF POSITIONS

10 Railway track

15 Rail section

20 Idle control device

21 Sensor

22 Sensor

30 Guide device

40 Rail vehicle

100 Employment recognition device

110 control device

120 Time determination device

130 Clock Radio

200 Navigation Satellite System

300 Longwave Transmitter

410 Computing device

420 Receiver

430 Memory

440 Location device

A20 Output

A410 Output

D Data

F Error signal

GPS navigation signal

OA Location Indication

OA1 Location Indication

OA2 Location Indication

P direction of arrow

SB busy signal

SBZ busy signal

SBZF Radio Signal

SM1 Software Module

SP Site Map

SZ Time Information

S1, S Sensor signal

ZS time signal.

Claims (23)

1. A method of creating an indication (OA) of a location that indicates the location of a rail vehicle (40) on a rail track (10),  in which, with the help of the device (20) monitoring the unemployment of the track, a busy signal (SB) is generated which indicates the occupation by the rail vehicle (40) of the rail section (15) controlled by the device (20) monitoring the unemployment of the track as soon as the rail vehicle (40) occupies a rail section (15), characterized in that - the busy signal (SB) is supplied by the time determination device (120) of the device for idle time control (20) with a time stamp to form a time-related busy signal (SBZ), which indicates the time of occupation of the rail section (15), - a time-bound busy signal (SBZ) is transmitted to a guiding device (30), a monitoring device (20) for monitoring idle paths, - the time-related busy signal (SBZ) is transmitted by the guiding device (30) further to the rail vehicle (40), and - in the rail vehicle (40), based on the time-related busy signal (SBZ), the actual location of the rail vehicle (40) is determined and an indication (OA) of the location is created. 2. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the computing device (410) of the rail vehicle (40) based on the stored in the memory card (SP) section and based on the time-related signal (SBZ) busy determines the location of the rail vehicle ( 40) at a point in time indicated in a time-bound busy signal (SBZ). 3. The method according to p. 2, characterized in that the computing device (410) based on the speed of the rail vehicle (40) in the time interval between the time point indicated in the time-based busy signal (SBZ) and the time point of determining the actual location determines the length the path that the rail vehicle (40) travels during this time interval, and calculates the actual location of the rail vehicle (40) by adding the path length to the location at a point in time, indicating anny tethered to the time signal (SBZ) Allocation. 4. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the device (20) monitoring the unemployment of the track uses the time information transmitted by the global navigation satellite system (200) to determine the time of occupation of the rail section (15) and using the time information forms a time stamp. 5. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that - the rail vehicle (40) comprises a location determining device (440) based on the global navigation satellite system (200), - create a second location indication (OA2) using the satellite positioning device (440), and - the second location indication (OA2) is compared with the actual location of the rail vehicle (40) determined based on the time-based busy signal (SBZ). 6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the device (440) for determining the location of the rail vehicle (40) uses the same global satellite navigation system (200) as the device (20) for monitoring the unemployment of the track to create a time stamp. 7. The method according to any one of p. 5 or 6, characterized in that they generate an error signal (F) when the deviation between the actual location of the rail vehicle (40), determined based on the time-based busy signal (SBZ), and the second indication (OA2) location reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold value. 8. The method according to p. 1, characterized in that the guide device (30) transmits a time-bound busy signal (SBZ) together with a train identification signal that indicates a train that has entered the rail section (15). 9. A rail track (10) comprising a guiding device (30) and an idle track control device (20) connected to a guiding device (30), configured to generate a busy signal (SB) that indicates occupancy by a rail vehicle (40) rail section (15), controlled by the device (20) control the unemployment of the track, as soon as the rail vehicle (40) occupies the rail section (15), characterized in that the idle track control device (20) comprises a time determination device (120) configured to provide a busy signal (SB) with a time stamp to form a time-related busy signal (SBZ) that indicates a time point of occupation of the rail section (15), and the guiding device (30) is configured so that it sends a time-bound busy signal (SBZ) after receiving from the device (20) the control of unemployment of the track further to the rail vehicle (40). 10. A rail vehicle (40) comprising a positioning device (440), characterized in that the location determining device (440) has a receiving device (420) for receiving a time-stamped signal (SBZ) of a busy device (20) for monitoring the unemployment of a rail track (10) according to claim 9, and a computing device (410) which is programmed so that it determines the location of the rail vehicle (40) at the time indicated in the time-related signal on the basis of the area stored in the memory card (SP) and on the time-related busy signal (SBZ) le (SBZ) employment.

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