System and method for verifying the integrity of a train

Abstract

A system for verifying the integrity of a train having a predetermined length including: a device for communicating and synchronising with a detector of a circuit, detecting the presence/absence of a train, an odometer providing an odometric reference at the start of occupation of the circuit and when the circuit is left by the train, a first processor calculating the distance travelled by the train on the basis of the difference between the two odometric references, a second processor calculating a minimum estimate of the length of the train that is equal to the calculated distance travelled less the algebraic length of the detection circuit, information mechanism indicating that the train is integral when the calculated length of the train is greater than the predetermined length of the train less the length of a wagon.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following description, given purely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a train on a track, the train being provided with the integrity verification system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a train entering a short track circuit;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a train leaving a short track circuit;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the method for verifying the integrity of a train;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a variant of the verification system or method; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a variant of the verification system.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A system for verifying the integrity of a train having a predetermined length, the system being fitted on-board the train and comprising: a device communicating and synchronizing with a detector of a detection circuit, the detector detecting a presence or absence of a train on the detection circuit;an odometer connected to the communication and synchronization device and having a predetermined relative uncertainty, the odometer providing a first and second odometric reference at an occupation start time and a leaving time, the occupation start time being when the train occupies the detection circuit and the leaving time being when the train leaves the detection circuit;a first processor calculating the distance traveled by the train between the occupation start time and the leaving time based on a difference between the first and second odometric references;a second processor calculating a minimum estimate of the length of the train, the estimate being equal to the calculated distance traveled less an algebraic shift of a length of the detection circuit; andan integrity information mechanism transmitting information indicating the train is integral when the calculated length of the train is greater than the predetermined length of the train less the length of a wagon;the calculated distance traveled being expressed as a confidence interval between a minimum distance and a maximum distance so a probability the train has not traveled a distance included within that confidence interval is less than a probability compatible with railway safety standards, andthe length of the train being calculated as a difference between the minimum distance and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit.

14. The system for verifying the integrity of a train as recited in claim 13 further comprising a device validating the measurement such that, if a predetermined length of the train is greater than a maximum length of the train, that maximum length measured being calculated as a difference between the maximum distance and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit, then the measurement of distance traveled is invalid.

15. The system for verifying the integrity of a train according to claim 13 further comprising a device validating the measurement such that, if a predetermined length of the train is greater than an augmented minimum measured length of the train, the augmented minimum measured length being calculated as a difference between the minimum distance and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit increased by a length of a vehicle, then the train is not integral.

16. The system for verifying the integrity of a train as recited in claim 13 wherein the detection circuit includes a first short track circuit and a second short track circuit, the second short track circuit being spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the first short track circuit, the predetermined distance being less than the predetermined length of the train, the second short track circuit being located downstream of the first short track circuit with respect to a direction of travel of the train, the first and second short track circuits each including a detector detecting the presence of the train, the start of occupation of the detection circuit corresponding to a start of occupation of the second short track circuit, leaving the detection circuit corresponding to leaving the first short track circuit, the algebraic length of the detection circuit being equal to the measurement, with respect to the direction of travel, of the vector having a start point being a point at which the detection circuit is left and having an end point being the occupation start point of the detection circuit, and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit being equal to the algebraic length of the detection circuit.

17. The system for verifying the integrity of a train as recited in claim 13 wherein the detection circuit includes a short track circuit including a detector detecting the presence of the train, a start of occupation of the detection circuit corresponding to the start of occupation of the short track circuit, and leaving the detection circuit corresponding to leaving the short track circuit, and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit being equal to the algebraic length of the short track circuit, the algebraic length of the short track circuit being equal to the measurement, with respect to a direction of travel of the train, of the vector having a start point being the point the short track circuit is left and an end point being the occupation start point of the short track circuit.

18. A method for verifying the integrity of a train having a predetermined length when the train passes over a detection circuit having a predetermined length, and the train having on-board odometry comprising the steps of: a) storing a first odometric reference of the train at an occupation start time, when the train occupies the detection circuit,b) storing a second odometric reference of the train at a leaving time when the train leaves the detection circuit, an odometer providing the first and second odometric references, the odometer having a predetermined relative uncertainty,c) calculating the distance traveled by the train between the occupation start time and the leaving time based on a difference between the first and second odometric references previously stored,d) calculating a length of the train, the length being equal to the calculated distance traveled less an algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit,e) verifying the integrity of the train by verifying the calculated length of the train is greater than the predetermined length of the train less the length of a wagon,the distance traveled being expressed as a confidence interval between a minimum distance and a maximum distance so a probability the train has not traveled a distance included within the confidence interval is less than a probability compatible with railway safety standards, andthe length of the train being calculated as the difference between the minimum distance and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit.

19. The method for verifying the integrity of a train as recited in claim 18 further comprising the step of: validating the measurement of the distance traveled, the measurement being invalid if the predetermined length of the train is greater than a maximum length of the train;the maximum length being calculated as a difference between a maximum distance and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit,if the measurement of the distance traveled is invalid, step e) is not performed.

20. The method for verifying the integrity of a train as recited in claim 18 further comprising the step of: validating the measurement, if the predetermined length of the train is greater than an augmented minimum measured length of the train, the train is suspected not to be integralthe augmented minimum measured length being calculated as a difference between the minimum distance and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit increased by the length of a vehicle,if the train is not integral, step e) is not performed.

21. The method for verifying the integrity of a train as recited in claim 18 wherein the detection circuit includes a first short track circuit and a second short track circuit, the second short track circuit being spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the first short track circuit, the predetermined distance being less than the predetermined length of the train, the second short track circuit being located downstream of the first short track circuit with respect to a direction of travel of the train, the first and second short track circuits each including a detector detecting the presence of the train, the start of occupation of the detection circuit corresponding to the start of occupation of the second short track circuit, leaving the detection circuit corresponding to leaving the first short track circuit, the algebraic length of the detection circuit being equal to the measurement, with respect to the direction of travel, of the vector having a start point being a point at which the detection circuit is left and having an end point being the occupation start point of the detection circuit, and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit being equal to the algebraic length of the detection circuit.

22. The method for verifying the integrity of a train as recited in claim 18 wherein the detection circuit includes a short track circuit including a detector detecting the presence of the train, the start of occupation of the detection circuit corresponding to the start of occupation of the short track circuit, and leaving the detection circuit corresponding to leaving the short track circuit, and the algebraic shift of the length of the detection circuit being equal to the algebraic length of the short track circuit, the algebraic length of the short track circuit being equal to the measurement, with respect to the direction of travel of the train, of the vector having, a start point being the point at which the short track circuit is left and an end point being the occupation start point of the short track circuit.

23. A computer program product comprising: program code instructions carrying out the steps as recited in claim 18 when the program operates on a computer.

24. A system for verifying the integrity of a train having a predetermined length comprising: an on-board verification system on the train as recited in claim 13, andat least one detector detecting via a track circuit the presence or absence of a train on the track circuit, and including a device communicating and synchronizing with the on-board verification system to transmit to the verification system the start or end time of occupation of the track circuit by the train.