Patent Application
20150225003
The invention relates to a method for controlling a rail vehicle, an associated system, and corresponding ETCS lineside equipment.
The “European Train Control System” (ETCS) is a component of a standardized European rail traffic control system which was developed as part of the ERTMS. The second technical component of this digital rail technology is the mobile railway communication system GSM-R. ETCS is designed to supersede the large number of train protection. systems employed, in the countries, to be used in high-speed rail in the medium term, and to be implemented throughout the European rail network in the long term.
ETCS trainborne equipment comprises e.g. an ETCS computer (EVC, European Vital Computer), a cab display (DMI, Driver Machine interface), a distance measuring device, a GSM-R transmission device (including Euroradio), a balise reader, and brake access (http://de.wikipedda.org/wiki/ETCS).
ETCS Level 1 uses balises as the transmission medium. The information transmitted from the balises includes line gradients, maximum permitted line speeds and the point where the train is to come to a stand again. Together with the mode, these constitute the movement authority (MA) or “permission to proceed”. The on-board ETCS can continuously monitor compliance with the permitted speed (and direction) and initiate forced braking in good time, irrespective of nationally defined line geometries and signal spacings.
At the end of the MA (End of Authority, EoA)—conventionally a signal showing STOP—the rail vehicle shall come to a stand.
In addition to the ETCS levels, ETCS modes are also defined The modes describe the states which the EVC can occupy. The modes include the following (see also: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETCS)
It is now possible for a rail vehicle 103 to enter the diverging route 102 in SR mode. The signal 104 shows a STOP aspect, the train shall be prevented from proceeding onto the line section 101.
Here the maximum speed permissible in SR mode is still much higher than the usual speed (“release speed.”) of a rail vehicle at the end of the MA (BoA) as it passes over the balise 105. If the driver does not decelerate the rail vehicle 103 in good time before the balise 105, the balise 105 initiates forced braking. Because of the speed possible in SR mode, the forced braking distance may be insufficient to bring the rail vehicle 103 to a stand before it partially enters the line section 101. The rail vehicle 103 overshoots a predefined danger point. Because of the high-speed line section 101, a situation of this kind must be prevented.
The object of the invention is to avoid the above mentioned disadvantages and in particular prevent a hazardous situation from occurring.
This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are set forth in particular in the dependent claims.
To achieve this object, a method for controlling a rail vehicle is proposed wherein
The infill balise can be in particular at least two balises (also termed a “balise group”) in order to detect a direction of travel of the manual or unsupervised driving mode. Basically each balise mentioned here (e.g. also the signal balise) can be implemented. by means of at least one balise (balise group).
The advantage of the solution presented is that by means of the inflll balise, safety can be ensured in an at least. partly manual ETCS mode (e.g. SR mode or OS and/or FS mode). The solution can preferably be used in conjunction with ETCS Level 1 applications. The efficiency of the rail system is also increased using the solution proposed here, because an appropriate reaction (initiation of a braking operation, continued running, initiation of an acceleration) can be performed in good time depending on the state of a signal.
The infill balise is therefore provided in addition to a balise (e.g., a signal balise) disposed in the vicinity of the lineside component. The infill balise and this other balise receive information relating to the state of the lineside component. The rail vehicle can therefore be controlled taking the state of the lineside component into account. As the infill balise is located upstream of the lineside component, the rail vehicle can still react in good time to the state of the lineside component, in some cases to a change of state of the lineside component.
According to a further development
A further development is that, in the event that the signal state is THROUGH MOVE, the infill balise does not initiate an ETCS mode change.
A further development is in particular that the FIGS mode change includes a change to the supervised driving mode which in particular initiates braking so that the rail vehicle comes to a stand before an end of movement authority.
The infill balise preferably receives, e.g. depending on the state of the signal, information as to how far the movement authority (MA) extends (for example, such information results from a known distance to a following balise and a STOP signal state); in the absence of a further MA, the rail vehicle comes to a stand. This mechanism can be used in conjunction with a change to the supervised FIGS mode so that the rail vehicle stops e.g. in rear of a signal, but at least clear of a danger point.
A further development is also that the mi ill balise does not initiate an ETCS mode change of the rail vehicle if the rail vehicle is in the supervised driving mode or in a shunting mode.
Another further development is that the supervised driving mode is an ETCS FS mode.
As part of the additional further development, the shunting mode is an ETCS SH mode.
A next further development consists in that the manual driving mode is an ETCS SR mode or an ETCS OS mode.
One embodiment is that the state of the lineside component ahead is provided not only to the infill balise but also to another balise, e.g. a signal balise (group), in the vicinity of the lineside component ahead.
One embodiment consists in that the distance between the infill balise and the other balise is calculated such that the rail vehicle can be braked to a stand before reaching the other balise or clear of a danger point.
A next embodiment is that the infill balise initiates an ETCS mode change of the rail vehicle by using, for the infill balise, an ID of the other balise instead of the ID of the infill balise.
For example, in the event that the signal is at STOP, e.g. the identification of the infill balise can be set identical to the identification of the other balise 205 (and therefore the infill data packet is not sent).
An embodiment is also that the lineside component comprises at least one of the following components:
The embodiments relating to the method apply correspondingly to the other claim categories.
This object is also achieved by means of a system for controlling a rail vehicle, comprising
The above object is also achieved by means of ETCS lineside equipment comprising
A further development consists in that the infill balise is disposed far enough from the other balise to ensure that a rail vehicle, on passing over the infill balise, can initiate a braking operation so that the rail vehicle can be braked to a stand before reaching the other balise or clear of a danger point.
An additional embodiment is that the distance between the infill balise and the other balise is at least 100 m, at least 150 m, at least 200 m or at least 240 m.
The above mentioned characteristics, features and advantages of this invention and the way in which they are achieved will become clearer and more readily understandable in conjunction with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment which will be explained in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, for the sake of clarity, elements that are identical or produce an identical effect may be provided with the same reference characters:
For the sake of simplicity,
A rail vehicle 203 enters the line section 202 in SR mode, a signal 204 is at STOP, the rail vehicle 203 shall come to a stand on the line section 202 and not endanger the traffic passing on the line section 201. A balise 205 is provided at the signal 204.
If the rail vehicle 203 passes over an infill balise 207, the infill balise 207 causes the ETCS mode to change to FS, wherein the movement authority (MA) ends at the signal 204. The rail vehicle 203 is then automatically braked and comes to a stand in good time in rear of the entrance to a danger area of the line section 201.
If the signal 204 is at THROUGH MOVE, i.e. the rail vehicle is not required to stop, the infill balise 207 acts as a normal infill balise and only provides the rail vehicle 203 with information, without e.g. initiating braking or causing a mode change.
A possible implementation consists in that the information concerning the signal 204 is made available to the infill balise 207 and the infill balise 207 provides usual infill telegrams (comprising an infill data packet) to the rail vehicle if the signal 204 shows THROUGH MOVE. If the signal 204 shows STOP, the infill balise 207 behaves like the balise 205, for example, and brings about the switchover to FS mode and causes the vehicle to stop at the signal 204. This can be achieved for this case (signal 204 at STOP) by setting e.g. the identification of the infill balise 207 the same as the identification of the balise 205 (and therefore not sending the infill data packet).
By way of example,
If the signal is at STOP, in a step 303 the mode is changed to FS mode and the rail vehicle stops at the signal. If the rail vehicle was already in FS mode, it remains in FS mode and its MA (“permission to proceed”, see above) is adjusted if necessary, e.g. reduced, so that it stops at the signal. If the rail vehicle was in OS mode, it changes to FS mode and its MA is adjusted if necessary.
Alternatively, it is possible for the rail vehicle to have been in FS mode and to change to OS mode. The MA is adjusted if necessary. If the rail vehicle was already in OS mode, it remains in OS mode in this case and its MA is adjusted if necessary.
Therefore, an MA transmitted to the rail vehicle specifies either FS or OS mode, preferably FS mode, in order to avoid emergency braking that might otherwise be necessary.
It should be noted that the infill balise 207 is preferably disposed so as to take account of the conditions or more specifically the layout of the line sections 201 and 202 and far enough from the balise 205 that, depending on the maximum permissible speed e.g. in SR mode and allowing for processing times of the control units and delays (due e.g. to the build-up of braking pressure), a braking operation can be carried out in such a way that the rail vehicle 203 comes to a stand in good time.
The infill balise 207 preferably only provides information. to a rail vehicle that is already in FS mode, and does not execute an ETCS mode change.
The above remarks for SR mode also apply correspondingly to OS mode. One option consists in that a mode change is not initiated by the infill balise 207 for a rail vehicle in shunting mode (SH mode).
It should be noted here that infill telegrams (comprising infill data packets) can optionally be ignored by the ETCS computer if the rail vehicle is in SR mode.
One option consists in that a position planned for an odometry balise can be used for the infill balise. In particular, an existing odometry balise can be supplemented or replaced. In this case the odometry balise becomes the infill balise within the meaning of the above remarks; advantageously no further balises need to be installed.
The advantage of the solution presented is that, by means of the infill balise, safety can be ensured even in a partially manual ETCS mode (e.g. SR mode or OS mode). The solution can preferably be used in conjunction with ETCS Level 1 applications. The efficiency of the rail system is also improved by the solution proposed here, because a suitable reaction to the state of the signal (initiation of a braking operation, continued running, initiation of an acceleration) can take place in good time.
Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by the at least one exemplary embodiment shown, the invention is not limited thereto and other variations may be deduced therefrom by the average person skilled in the are without departing from the scope of protection sought for the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2012 217 777.9 | Sep 2012 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/068693 | 9/10/2013 | WO | 00 |
