Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
  • B61L29/00—Safety means for rail/road crossing traffic
  • B61L29/24—Means for warning road traffic that a gate is closed or closing, or that rail traffic is approaching, e.g. for visible or audible warning
  • B61L29/28—Means for warning road traffic that a gate is closed or closing, or that rail traffic is approaching, e.g. for visible or audible warning electrically operated
  • B61L29/284—Means for warning road traffic that a gate is closed or closing, or that rail traffic is approaching, e.g. for visible or audible warning electrically operated using rail-contacts, rail microphones, or the like, controlled by the vehicle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
  • B61L29/00—Safety means for rail/road crossing traffic
  • B61L29/24—Means for warning road traffic that a gate is closed or closing, or that rail traffic is approaching, e.g. for visible or audible warning

Definitions

• the invention relates to a level crossing protection system according to the preamble of claim 1.
• a level crossing protection system is known from Signal + wire (88) 4/96 pages 21 to 24. It reports on a special type of activation of BU security systems for trams. Deviating from the usual activation of one
• Level crossing via track switching means and cables between the switch-on contacts and the level crossing is switched on there by radio.
• the vehicle device continuously sends an infrared signal to a vehicle set that switches on. If this signal hits a trackside answering device located at the switch-on point of the level crossing, a special infrared telegram is transmitted from there to the vehicle, which then causes the level crossing to be switched on via a radio signal.
• Signal + Wire states that the activation of a vehicle transmitter on the track side could be dispensed with if the vehicles were to directly switch on a transmitter installed there when they passed the switch-on point. It is expressly pointed out that in this case a decentralized power supply for the track-side track switching means, the radio device and a radio module that is autonomous for switching on the level crossing should be provided. In particular, solar energy in connection with a battery is to be used as the power supply; No further details can be found in Signal + wire.
• Signal + Draht (88) 10/96 pages 11 to 19 reports on a radio-based system for the control of rail systems, in which each track element of a level crossing is assigned an intelligent, small, compact computer unit for the control and monitoring of the element concerned.
• Each intelligent route element has a communication module with which it can communicate with other route elements, with a higher-level control level or with vehicles traveling on the route.
• the route elements of level crossings are created by linking the associated intelligent computer units, e.g. B. for barriers and signals contracted via a bus system to a common guideway element.
• the arrangement is such that there is a computer unit for managing traffic reports for each level crossing, a computer unit for controlling and monitoring road traffic signals and a computer unit for controlling and monitoring barrier systems.
• These computer units together form the so-called control element logic, which ultimately forms the positioning commands for switching the light signals on and off and for lifting and lowering the barriers from the traffic reports.
• the interconnected computer units of a level crossing are assigned a common communication module for communication with a control level and, if applicable, the vehicles traveling on the route.
• the communication between the computer units and the individual guideway elements of the level crossing is wired, nothing is stated in Signal + Wire about the electrical power supply to the control elements of the level crossing and the computer units; Obviously they are fed from a public or rail network.
• Level crossings on lines with moderate traffic are still often only secured by St. Andrew's crosses.
• St. Andrew's crosses One of the reasons for this can be seen in the fact that in many cases the electrical energy for operating barriers and road traffic signals is not available. To make matters worse, the activation of the level crossing protection systems must be arranged in good time before the level crossing is entered.
• the switch-on points defined by these switching means have distances from the level crossing which can be of the order of 1000 m or more.
• the railway facilities are often additionally to be equipped with so-called monitoring signals. These monitoring signals are also to be controlled and supplied with energy.
• the radio-based operating system known from Signal + Draht is not a suitable solution for such level crossings.
• the object of the invention is to provide a level crossing protection system according to the preamble of claim 1, which makes it possible to reduce the effort for the wiring of the control elements and sensor arrangements to a fraction of the previous effort, the reduced cable effort in particular relating to the laying of Cables in the ground to the actuators and sensor arrangements.
• the invention solves this problem by applying the characterizing features of claim 1 to a level crossing safety system designed according to the preamble of claim 1. According to this, only the decentralized data processing devices are spatially closely assigned to the control elements and sensor arrangements of a level crossing, which can connect for the necessary data transmission and work out the control commands for the control elements. Any cabling of the decentralized data processing devices to one another for control purposes is thus superfluous; civil engineering measures for ring or star lines for transmitting information can be completely dispensed with.
• the decentralized data processing devices are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which are to consist of computers which
• Adaptation circuits act on the respectively assigned actuators; this enables the use of largely uniform control devices for the control elements and sensor arrangements.
• Claim 4 provides, in addition to individual control elements, also to switch on or off common control devices provided for the control of level crossings via matching circuits designed for this purpose from an associated data processing device. This makes it possible to switch on or switch off level crossing safety systems that are already in operation by radio from remote sensor arrangements, without the need for major adaptation measures at the level crossing itself.
• the supply energy for the control elements and the sensor arrangements as well as for the associated data processing and transmission devices is made available on site from decentralized power supply devices.
• decentralized power supply devices as such are e.g. B. from DE 298 23 233 Ul known.
• the assignment of a single decentralized power supply device to the sensor arrangements arranged at approximately the same height on adjacent tracks is considered to be particularly advantageous because this leads to a significant reduction in costs compared to an arrangement in which these sensor arrangements such as own decentralized power supply facilities are assigned to the remaining control elements of the level crossing.
• the radio transmission and / or reception devices should also be set up to transmit data to vehicles and / or to central facilities and vice versa; no additional line connections or additional transmission facilities are required for this.
• the decentralized power supply devices should have energy stores which can be charged via charge controllers.
• the service life of the energy storage is increased by the use of charge controllers.
• the energy stores are preferably designed as rechargeable batteries which, in a particularly advantageous manner, are designed as lead gel batteries; these have sufficient capacity even at very low outside temperatures.
• a preferred way of supplying energy to the decentralized power supply devices is according to claim 13 the central provision of this energy at the level crossing, for. B. from the rail network or emem public network. From there, the decentralized power supply devices can also be supplied via low-quality and therefore inexpensive lines.
• the advantage of such a grid-fed decentralized power supply is that, due to the constantly occurring energy, only low charging currents need to flow, which require only a small line cross section and the simplest charge controller.
• the solar generators consist of at least one solar panel mounted on a mast or a bridge.
• This mast or this bridge advantageously also receives the radio transmission and reception devices of the actuators and sensor arrangements.
• the masts are represented by the masts for the light signals for controlling road or rail traffic, which masts are used multiple times.
• the Masts are designed so that they hold the batteries of the decentralized power supply devices, the charge controllers and the feed lines to the decentralized data processing devices and the radio transmission and / or reception devices; the masts protect these components against damage and against environmental influences such as electrical or magnetic fields.
• the masts can also include the decentralized data processing devices and according to claim 23 the radio transmission and / or reception devices; however, the antennas are to be arranged outside the inside of the mast.
• FIG. 1 shows a double-track level crossing with its control elements and sensor arrangements
• FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the computer units used for controlling the control elements and sensor arrangements.
• the level crossing BU shown in FIG. 1, for example, is a rail-level crossing with two tracks G1 and G2 running approximately parallel at least in the area of the level crossing. Intersecting road traffic is secured by barriers or half barriers S1, S2 and license signals L1.2, L1.2, L2.1, L2.2. At a certain distance in front of the level crossing there are monitoring signals Ul.l, U1.2, U2.1, U2.2, which inform a train approaching the level crossing whether the
• the level crossing protection system also has sensor arrangements on the track side, which are actuated by the vehicles passing by.
• these sensor arrangements are designed as double rail contacts.
• they can also be designed using any other common technology, eg. B. as induction loops, short track circuits or as balises, e.g. B. in the form of the so-called EURO-LOOPs.
• switch-on sensors SEI .1 far in front of the level crossing and switch-off sensors SA1.1 directly behind the level crossing for the direction of travel from right to left.
• switch-on sensors SEI .2 and switch-off sensors SA1.2 for the opposite direction.
• the distance of the monitoring signals from the level crossing is selected so that a train advancing at the maximum permissible speed onto the level crossing with the start of braking at the monitoring signal can come to a stop in good time before the level crossing, if the monitoring signal indicates that the level crossing is not secured; the monitoring signals can be arranged at the same or at different distances from the level crossing.
• the distance of the switch-on sensors from the respective monitoring signal is selected so that the time it takes for the train to operate the switch-on sensors until the associated monitoring signal is reached is sufficient to secure the level crossing, i. H. stop the traffic signals and lower the barriers if necessary.
• a monitoring signal can start moving when the level crossing has been switched on and has only taken over the security request.
• the provision of monitoring signals can also be dispensed with.
• the vehicles When approaching the level crossing, possibly stimulated by the route, the vehicles request that the level crossings be secured, and the level crossings transmit corresponding security messages to the vehicles directly or via a detour to a control or monitoring point by radio.
• the sensor messages are evaluated and converted into switch-on and switch-off commands for the components of the level crossing; there is regularly a central power supply device for the actuators and sensor devices, to which the actuators and sensors are connected via cables laid in the ground.
• the costs for wiring the components of a level crossing are considerable and sometimes exceed the procurement costs for the technical components of the level crossing considerably.
• the costs relate not only to the costs of connecting the switch-on contacts and the monitoring signals to the level crossing, although these account for a large part of the cabling costs, but also to the cabling of the components in the immediate vicinity of the level crossing.
• the invention provides the supply energy for the operation of the control elements and the sensor arrangements locally so that there is no longer any need for a central power supply and the associated star or ring-shaped wiring of the control elements and sensor arrangements. Because it is no longer possible to centrally control the control elements of a level crossing by switching supply voltages on and off to the individual components, the invention provides for radio transmitters and / or receivers for data transmission to be assigned to the control elements and sensor arrangements, and it also provides for the individual control elements and possibly also the sensor arrangements decentralized data processing devices in which, based on the respectively available and the transmitted messages, control commands for the actuators are worked out and output to the actuators. These radio transmitters and / or receivers and the decentralized data processing devices advantageously obtain their supply energy from the decentralized power supply devices assigned to the actuators and sensor arrangements.
• Each decentralized power supply device consists of a power generator known per se, which preferably continuously provides a preferably low charging current for one or more energy stores, preferably designed as batteries; these, in turn, provide a sufficient supply current for operating the respectively connected electrical consumers in the charged state.
• the batteries should be charged via charge controllers, which limit the charging current as required depending on the state of charge of the batteries.
• the batteries are preferably designed as lead gel batteries, which have sufficient capacity even at low ambient temperatures.
• the charging currents are preferably to be generated by solar generators which are to be arranged close to the actuating parts or sensor arrangements to be operated and which are to be connected to them via preferably above-ground, EMC-resistant, pre-assembled cables of short length.
• the solar generators consist, in a manner known per se, of at least one solar panel, which is preferably attached to a mast or a bridge and which is oriented in the direction of the incident sunlight and which can possibly be continuously tracked to the position of the sun by a tracking device. Different energies are required to operate the electrical consumers. The amounts of energy depend on the current consumption of the respective consumers and on the respective connection tents.
• the level crossing protection system according to the invention with its decentralized power supply devices can only be used where no more than a certain number of z. B. 80 trains per day; otherwise there would be a risk that the design of the decentralized power supply devices would not be sufficient for reliable operation of the level crossing protection system.
• the solar panels with the solar collectors that convert daylight into electrical energy cannot be of any size, but are limited in size to about 1 square meter.
• a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides for a common decentralized power supply device to be provided for the sensor arrangements arranged approximately at the same height on adjacent tracks.
• the common power supply device with regard to the switch-on contacts SEI .1 and SEI.2 may be arranged on one side of the track Gl near the switch-on contacts SE1.1 and connected to them by short supply lines;
• For the supply of the switch-on contacts SE2.2 somewhat longer, likewise standardized supply lines K1 are used, which cross the tracks Gl and G2 within their ballast beds or other track supports.
• the supply lines, at least for the sensor arrangements, are preferably routed in protective ducts, protective tubes and / or protective hoses and are thus largely protected against mechanical influences and weather influences.
• Power supply equipment costs for setting up your own mast and keeping your own supply battery and own, albeit smaller, solar panels are avoided.
• the costs for piercing the railway embankment or embedding the cables laid in the protective conduits into the ballast beds are manageable and are only a fraction of the costs for the additional installation of a further decentralized power supply.
• the supply of the remaining sensor arrangements SA1.2, SA2.1; SA1.1, SA2.2 as well as SEI.2, SE2.1 can also each be carried out from an associated common power supply device via assigned cables K3, K4 or K2.
• monitoring signals and switch-on contacts are arranged in close proximity. In this case, it may be permissible to supply the monitoring signals and the switch-on contacts with energy from a common decentralized power supply device.
• decentralized data processing devices are assigned to the control elements, the energy requirements of which are covered by the locally supplied supply energy. These data processing devices are not very expensive in terms of their processing volume and can therefore be represented by controllers. They receive the data to be processed via a standard connection and / or standard cabling from the associated control element and via the radio transmission and / or reception directions from the others Control elements of the level crossing and the sensor arrangements of the level crossing, of the approaching trains or of a control or monitoring device.
• the radio transmission and / or reception devices obtain their supply energy from the locally provided decentralized power supply of the associated actuating element or the associated sensor arrangement.
• the antennas of the radio transmission and / or reception devices are advantageously located at an exposed point, namely on the masts or bridges on which the solar panels for the decentralized energy supply and, if appropriate, the light signals are also mounted.
• the decentralized data processing devices and / or the radio transmitting and / or receiving devices can also be equipped with separate smaller power supply devices in order to make them independent of the voltage of the decentralized power supply devices assigned to the actuating elements, which changes under load.
• FIG. 2 shows schematically the structure of such a safety box.
• the Safety Box SB is fed via at least one energy storage device, e.g. B. a battery B, which is supplied with a constant charging current by charge controllers from solar generators SG mounted on a mast M.
• the energy made available by the energy store is set in an energy supply module EV to different levels, if necessary, and the other components of the safety box.
• a signal processing-safe computer core RK processes the messages it receives from the sensor arrangements and the control elements and derives control commands from them at least for its own control element.
• the computer core receives the messages to be processed and control commands from other safety boxes on the one hand via peripheral hardware HW from the associated control unit and on the other hand via em communication module KM from the associated radio transmission / reception devices F.
• the safety boxes of the control units are generally both Provided with radio transmitters and radio receivers, at least when they are to process messages and control commands or commands as well as output messages and control commands, i.e. the type of data processing within the individual computer cores determines whether for a certain type of safety box next to the radio receiving devices are also required to have radio transmitters.
• the safety boxes for the sensor arrangements only radio transmission devices are required because the sensor arrangements themselves do not have to execute any control commands.
• the arrangement can be made differently if the possibility is to provide the sensor arrangements from the level crossing or, independently thereof, e.g. B. to undergo a functional check and thereby act in a predetermined manner on the sensor arrangements.
• the safety boxes of the sensor arrangements must also be provided with appropriate receiving devices. The same applies to the safety boxes of the controls.
• Each safety box has peripheral-specific hardware that is different from that of the safety boxes for other types of actuators.
• peripheral-specific hardware versions for controlling barriers S, street traffic light signals L or U and surveillance signals
• Reading of sensor messages SM from the Em and switch-off sensors it is also possible to equip the safety boxes with the hardware required overall to control any control elements and sensor arrangements, and this hardware, for. B. on-site hardware or software effective or ineffective to switch depending on whether the safety box is required to control one or the other actuator or to evaluate sensor messages.
• the safety boxes can advantageously be arranged within the masts or bridges on which the solar panels for the decentralized power supply are to be installed. There they are largely protected against external access and weather conditions.
• the masts can also be used to hold the batteries and charge controllers.
• the masts are to be designed so that they have an appropriate receiving volume and they are provided with appropriate recesses for inserting the batteries and the other components, such as, for. B. the supply lines and the antenna lines.
• the covers are facing outwards. B. covered by doors and secured by locksmith against unauthorized opening.
• the masts for holding the solar panels of the power supply devices and the safety boxes can also be used to record the light signals for controlling road or rail traffic. increase, which may then have to be attached to the masts using cantilevers in order to be able to be displayed close enough to the edge of the carriageway or the railway line.
• the level crossing protection system according to the invention is not limited to use on double-track routes, but can also be used with advantage on single-track routes and on other multi-track routes.
• the power supply to these control elements can continue to be provided from the network and only the control elements are controlled via the safety boxes designed according to the invention, which are organized decentrally and the data required to control a level crossing with one another change. If necessary, namely when supply lines for the individual control elements no longer meet the given standard, the control elements in question can then be retrofitted with decentralized power supply devices without the safety boxes themselves and their mode of operation changing anything. It can also be advantageous to provide the energy for the operation of the components of a level crossing centrally, for example from a public or a rail network.
• the energy stores of the decentralized power supply devices can be supplied with energy from a central supply point at least for the control elements and sensor arrangements arranged in the immediate vicinity of the level crossing. Since the charging currents are very low, supply lines which are inexpensive can be used for the energy transmission.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Train Traffic Observation, Control, And Security (AREA)
• Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)
• Optical Communication System (AREA)
• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
• Sanitary Device For Flush Toilet (AREA)
• Burglar Alarm Systems (AREA)

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Citations (4)

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• 1999
  • 1999-06-16 DE DE19928317A patent/DE19928317C2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2000
  • 2000-06-14 TR TR2001/03628T patent/TR200103628T2/xx unknown
  • 2000-06-14 PT PT00951215T patent/PT1187750E/pt unknown
  • 2000-06-14 EP EP00951215A patent/EP1187750B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-06-14 AT AT00951215T patent/ATE249958T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-06-14 ES ES00951215T patent/ES2208386T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-06-14 DK DK00951215T patent/DK1187750T3/da active
  • 2000-06-14 WO PCT/DE2000/001910 patent/WO2000076829A1/de active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-06-14 DE DE50003735T patent/DE50003735D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-06-14 CN CNB008095477A patent/CN1172814C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

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