An automatic turnout system and method for a mine rail vehicle

Abstract

The application provides a mine rail vehicle automatic turnout passing system and method, wherein the system is realized based on a rail vehicle, a turnout and each rail connected with the turnout, and comprises a passive electronic tag, a turnout controller, a vehicle-mounted controller and a card reader for reading the passive electronic tag; at least two passive electronic tags are arranged in sequence along the far and near directions at the connection end of each rail, and the at least two passive electronic tags form a group; the card reader and the vehicle-mounted controller are both mounted on the rail vehicle, the card reader is in communication connection with the vehicle-mounted controller, the vehicle-mounted controller is in communication connection with an electric control center of the rail vehicle; the turnout controller is mounted on a tunnel wall of the turnout, the turnout controller is in communication connection with the vehicle-mounted controller, and the turnout controller is in communication connection with an electric control center of the turnout. The mine rail vehicle operation efficiency is ensured, the safety is improved, and the accident rate is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of traffic management technology for mining rail vehicles, and in particular to an automatic turnout crossing system and method for mining rail vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Electric locomotives and monorail locomotives are commonly used mining rail vehicles. Electric locomotives are used in the production process to transport ore, waste rock, materials, equipment, and personnel, and are one of the main factors in organizing production and determining mining capacity. Monorail locomotive transport systems are highly mobile, fast, have a large load capacity, are highly adaptable, and are safe and reliable. They travel on a single track above suspended roadways and are mainly used for installation and removal in fully mechanized coal mining faces. They will gradually replace older auxiliary transport systems and undertake the transportation of materials, personnel, and gangue throughout the mine.

[0003] Currently, when locomotives and monorail cranes pass through switches, due to the dim lighting in the tunnels and the driver's lack of concentration, the driver may continue to move forward without clearly seeing the direction of the switch's track movement or without noticing any faults in the switch ahead, thus causing the locomotive or monorail crane to derail.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a safe and stable automatic turnout system and method for mining rail vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0006] In view of the problems existing in the above-mentioned technologies, the present invention provides solutions to at least some extent. Therefore, the first objective of the present invention is to provide an automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles, which ensures the operating efficiency of mining rail vehicles while also enhancing safety and reducing the accident rate.

[0007] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for automatically passing turnouts on mining rail vehicles.

[0008] (II) Technical Solution

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the main technical solutions adopted by the present invention include:

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an automatic turnout crossing system for mining rail vehicles, based on rail vehicles, turnouts, and each track connected to the turnouts, including passive electronic tags, a turnout controller, an on-board controller, and a card reader for reading the passive electronic tags; at least two passive electronic tags are arranged sequentially in a near-far direction at the connection end of each track, forming a group of at least two passive electronic tags; the card reader and the on-board controller are both installed on the rail vehicle, with the card reader communicating with the on-board controller, and the on-board controller communicating with the electrical control center of the rail vehicle; the turnout controller is installed on the roadway wall of the turnout, communicating with the on-board controller, and the turnout controller communicating with the electrical control center of the turnout; each passive electronic tag in each group is pre-written with the turnout information corresponding to the passive electronic tag, the track information corresponding to the passive electronic tag, and the arrangement number of the passive electronic tag in the near-far direction within its group; or...

[0011] The system includes UWB positioning tags, integrated base stations, passive electronic tags, turnout controllers, vehicle-mounted controllers, card readers for reading passive electronic tags, and a host computer located above ground. A passive electronic tag is installed at the connection end of each track. The UWB positioning tags, card readers, and vehicle-mounted controllers are all installed on the rail vehicles. The card readers communicate with the vehicle-mounted controllers, and the vehicle-mounted controllers communicate with the rail vehicle's electrical control center. The turnout controllers and integrated base stations are installed on the roadway walls of the turnouts. The turnout controllers communicate with the turnout's electrical control center, and the UWB positioning tags, vehicle-mounted controllers, and turnout controllers all communicate with the integrated base stations. The integrated base stations communicate with the host computer.

[0012] Optionally, in each group, the spacing between adjacent passive electronic tags is 500 to 1000 mm.

[0013] Optionally, the rail vehicle is an electric locomotive, with a card reader installed in the driver's cab; or the rail vehicle is a monorail crane, with a card reader installed in the front driver's cab and a card reader installed in the rear driver's cab.

[0014] Optionally, the card reader communicates with the vehicle controller via the RS485 communication protocol, the vehicle controller communicates with the electrical control center of the rail vehicle via the IO communication protocol, RS485 communication protocol, or CAN communication protocol, the vehicle controller communicates with the turnout controller via the ZigBee wireless network, and the turnout controller communicates with the electrical control center of the turnout via the IO communication protocol.

[0015] Optionally, the converged base station is a base station that integrates UWB, WIFI, 4G, and 5G communication.

[0016] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for automatic crossing of turnouts by mining rail vehicles, comprising the following steps:

[0017] S1. During the movement of the rail vehicle, the card reader reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the on-board controller;

[0018] S2. When the vehicle controller receives a set of passive electronic tag information, it determines whether the order in which the card reader reads all the tags in the set of passive electronic tags is consistent with the order in which all the tags in the set of passive electronic tags are arranged from far to near.

[0019] S3. If they match, there is a turnout in front of the rail vehicle. The on-board controller sends a status query command to the turnout controller of the target turnout based on the received passive electronic tag information. If they do not match, there is no turnout in front of the rail vehicle.

[0020] S4. After receiving the status query command, the turnout controller sends the status information of the target turnout to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller compares the received target turnout status information with the closed direction status of the target turnout swing rail in the pre-stored travel path.

[0021] S5. If the comparison matches, the rail vehicle is controlled by the rail vehicle's electrical control center to move forward and pass through the target turnout. If the comparison does not match, a turnout change command is sent to the turnout controller. The turnout controller controls the turnout to change lanes through the target turnout's electrical control center according to the turnout change command. After the lane change is successful, a lane change success command is sent to the onboard controller. The onboard controller controls the rail vehicle to move forward and pass through the target turnout through the rail vehicle's electrical control center.

[0022] Optionally, each set of passive electronic tags is also pre-written with distance information between the passive electronic tag and its corresponding turnout;

[0023] In S3, if they match, there is a switch ahead of the rail vehicle. The on-board controller determines whether the distance between the passive electronic tag and its corresponding switch exceeds the preset distance based on the received passive electronic tag information. If it exceeds the preset distance, the rail vehicle is controlled not to stop. If it does not exceed the preset distance, the rail vehicle is controlled to stop through the rail vehicle's electronic control center.

[0024] Optionally, in S4, the status information of the target turnout includes the locked status of the target turnout, the closed direction status of the target turnout rail, and the out-of-position status of the target turnout rail.

[0025] In S5, if the closing direction state of the target turnout rail in the target turnout status information is consistent with the closing direction state of the target turnout rail in the pre-stored travel path, and the target turnout rail is in position in the target turnout status information, then the comparison is consistent; otherwise, the comparison is inconsistent. If the comparison is inconsistent, and the target turnout is in an unlocked state in the target turnout status information, then a turnout lane change command is sent to the turnout controller.

[0026] Thirdly, the present invention provides a method for automatic crossing of turnouts by mining rail vehicles, comprising the following steps:

[0027] S1. During the movement of the rail vehicle, the UWB positioning tag sends the UWB positioning information of the rail vehicle to the host computer in real time through the converged base station. The card reader reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller sends the passive electronic tag information to the host computer through the converged base station.

[0028] S2. The host computer determines that there is a target turnout in front of the rail vehicle based on the UWB positioning information. At the same time, when the host computer receives the passive electronic tag information corresponding to the target turnout, the host computer sends a status query command to the turnout controller of the target turnout through the integrated base station.

[0029] S3. After receiving the status query command, the turnout controller sends the status information of the target turnout to the host computer through the converged base station. The host computer compares the received target turnout status information with the pre-stored target turnout status.

[0030] S4. If the comparison matches, the integrated base station sends a command to the on-board controller to instruct the electronic control center of the rail vehicle to control the rail vehicle to move forward and pass through the target turnout. If the comparison does not match, the integrated base station sends a turnout change command to the turnout controller. The turnout controller, based on the turnout change command, controls the turnout to change lanes through the electronic control center of the target turnout. After the lane change is successful, a lane change success command is sent to the host computer. The host computer then sends a command to the on-board controller through the integrated base station to instruct the electronic control center of the rail vehicle to control the rail vehicle to move forward and pass through the target turnout.

[0031] Optionally, in S3, the status information of the target turnout includes the locked status of the target turnout, the closed direction status of the target turnout rail, and the out-of-position status of the target turnout rail.

[0032] In S4, if the closing direction state of the target turnout rail in the target turnout status information is consistent with the closing direction state of the target turnout rail in the pre-stored travel path, and the target turnout rail is in position in the target turnout status information, then the comparison is consistent; otherwise, the comparison is inconsistent. If the comparison is inconsistent, and the target turnout is in an unlocked state in the target turnout status information, then a turnout change command is sent to the turnout controller.

[0033] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0034] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0035] The first type of automatic turnout crossing system for mining rail vehicles provided by this invention uses passive electronic tags installed at specific locations on the track (i.e., near the turnout) to serve as location markers. During the movement of the rail vehicle, a card reader reads the passive electronic tags and sends the read tag information to the onboard controller. When the onboard controller receives a set of passive electronic tag information, it determines whether the order in which the card reader reads all the tags in that set matches the order from farthest to closest. If they match, there is a turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. The onboard controller then sends a status query command to the turnout controller of the designated turnout based on the received passive electronic tag information. If they do not match, there is no turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. A turnout; a turnout controller is used to monitor the status of the corresponding turnout (i.e., the turnout corresponding to the turnout controller's location) and control its operation. Upon receiving a status query command, the turnout controller sends the turnout status information to the onboard controller. The onboard controller compares the received turnout status information with the pre-stored required turnout status. If they match, the onboard controller controls the rail vehicle to proceed through the turnout via the rail vehicle's electrical control center. If they do not match, a turnout change command is sent to the turnout controller. The turnout controller, based on the turnout change command, controls the turnout to change lanes via the turnout's electrical control center. After a successful change, a successful change command is sent to the onboard controller, which then controls the rail vehicle to proceed through the turnout via the rail vehicle's electrical control center. Therefore, the automatic turnout passage system for mining rail vehicles provided in this embodiment can accurately identify the status of the turnout ahead and apply different control operations to the rail vehicle and turnout according to the different statuses of the turnout ahead, ensuring the efficiency of the mining rail vehicle's operation while also enhancing safety and reducing the accident rate.

[0036] The second type of automatic turnout crossing system for mining rail vehicles provided by this invention uses passive electronic tags installed at specific locations on the track (i.e., near the turnout) to serve as location markers. During the movement of the rail vehicle, the UWB positioning tag sends the rail vehicle's UWB positioning information to the host computer in real time via a converged base station. A card reader reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read information to the onboard controller. The onboard controller then sends the passive electronic tag information to the host computer via the converged base station. When the host computer determines that there is a turnout ahead of the rail vehicle based on the UWB positioning information, and simultaneously receives the passive electronic tag information corresponding to that turnout (i.e., the turnout's location), the host computer sends a signal to the designated turnout via the converged base station. The turnout controller sends a status query command. The turnout controller is used to monitor the status of the corresponding turnout (i.e., the turnout corresponding to the turnout controller's location) and control the operation of the corresponding turnout (i.e., the turnout corresponding to the turnout controller's location). After receiving the status query command, the turnout controller sends the turnout status information to the host computer through the converged base station. The host computer compares the received turnout status information with the required turnout status stored in the pre-stored database. If they match, the host computer controls the rail vehicle to move forward through the turnout. If they do not match, the host computer sends a turnout change command to the turnout controller through the converged base station. The turnout controller controls the turnout to change lanes through the turnout's electrical control center according to the turnout change command. After the lane change is successful, the host computer sends a lane change success command to the host computer, and the host computer controls the rail vehicle to move forward through the turnout. UWB is a wireless signal, which is greatly affected by the tunnel environment, resulting in inconsistent positioning (i.e., large positioning errors). Therefore, by setting up passive electronic tags to calibrate UWB positioning, it is possible to accurately identify situations where there are switches ahead. This prevents the host computer from making incorrect judgments due to UWB positioning errors, and allows for different control operations to be applied to the rail vehicles and switches based on different situations of the switches ahead. This ensures the efficiency of mine rail vehicles while also enhancing safety and reducing the accident rate. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The present invention is described with reference to the following figures:

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware distribution installed on the turnout, track, and tunnel wall in the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware distribution installed on the rail vehicle in the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the hardware distribution installed on the turnout, track, and tunnel wall in the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware distribution installed on the rail vehicle in the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0044] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0045] 1: Passive electronic tags;

[0046] 2: Turnout controller;

[0047] 3: Vehicle-mounted controller;

[0048] 4: Card reader;

[0049] 5: Converged base stations;

[0050] 6: UWB positioning tag. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To better explain and facilitate understanding of the present invention, a detailed description of the invention is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, in this document, "near" refers to the side closer to the turnout, and "far" refers to the side farther from the turnout.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic turnout crossing system for mining rail vehicles. This system is based on a rail vehicle, a turnout, and each track connected to the turnout. It also includes a passive electronic tag 1, a turnout controller 2, an onboard controller 3, and a card reader 4 for reading the passive electronic tags 1. At least two passive electronic tags 1 are arranged sequentially in a near-far direction on the tunnel wall at the connection end (the "connection end" being the end where each track connects to the turnout), forming a group of at least two passive electronic tags 1. The card reader 4 and the onboard controller 3 are both installed on the rail vehicle. The onboard controllers 3 are connected to each other, and the onboard controllers 3 are connected to the electrical control center of the rail vehicle. The turnout controller 2 is installed on the roadway wall of the turnout, and the turnout controller 2 is connected to the onboard controllers 3 and the electrical control center of the turnout. Each passive electronic tag 1 in each group is pre-written with the turnout information corresponding to the passive electronic tag 1 (i.e., the position corresponding to the passive electronic tag 1), the track information corresponding to the passive electronic tag 1 (i.e., the position corresponding to the passive electronic tag 1), and the arrangement number of the passive electronic tag 1 in the group along the near and far directions.

[0054] In this automated turnout system for mining rail vehicles, passive electronic tags 1 are installed at specific locations on the track (i.e., near the turnout) to serve as location markers. During the rail vehicle's movement, the card reader 4 reads the passive electronic tags 1 and sends the information to the onboard controller 3. When the onboard controller 3 receives a set of passive electronic tag 1 information, it checks whether the order in which the card reader 4 reads all the tags in that set matches the order from farthest to closest. If they match, there is a turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. The onboard controller 3 then sends a status query command to the turnout controller 2 of the designated turnout based on the received passive electronic tag 1 information. If they do not match, there is no turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. The turnout controller 2 monitors the status of the corresponding turnout (i.e., the turnout corresponding to the position of the turnout controller 2) and controls its operation. Upon receiving a status query command, the turnout controller 2 sends the turnout status information to the onboard controller 3. The onboard controller 3 compares the received turnout status information with the pre-stored required turnout status. If they match, the onboard controller 3 controls the rail vehicle to proceed through the turnout via the rail vehicle's electrical control center. If they do not match, the onboard controller 3 sends a turnout change command to the turnout controller 2. The turnout controller 2 then controls the turnout to change lanes via the turnout's electrical control center. After a successful change, it sends a successful change command to the onboard controller 3, which then controls the rail vehicle to proceed through the turnout via the rail vehicle's electrical control center. Therefore, the automatic turnout passage system for mining rail vehicles provided in this embodiment can accurately identify the status of the turnout ahead and apply different control operations to the rail vehicle and turnout according to the different statuses of the turnout ahead. This ensures the efficiency of the mining rail vehicle's operation while also enhancing safety and reducing the accident rate.

[0055] Preferably, in each group of passive electronic tags 1, the spacing between adjacent passive electronic tags 1 is 300-600 mm.

[0056] Commonly used mining rail vehicles include electric locomotives and monorail cranes. Electric locomotives are typically 4-5 meters long; therefore, installing a card reader 4 in the middle of the locomotive is sufficient to meet the need for reading the passive electronic tag 1 during the locomotive's round trip. Monorail cranes are typically 60-80 meters long; to meet the need for reading the passive electronic tag 1 during the monorail crane's round trip, therefore... Figure 2 As shown, a card reader 4 is installed in the front driver's cab of the monorail crane, and a card reader 4 is installed in the rear driver's cab of the monorail crane.

[0057] Preferably, such as Figure 3As shown, the card reader 4 communicates with the on-board controller 3 via the RS485 communication protocol. The on-board controller 3 communicates with the electrical control center of the rail vehicle via the IO communication protocol, RS485 communication protocol, or CAN communication protocol. The on-board controller 3 communicates with the turnout controller 2 via a ZigBee wireless network. The turnout controller 2 communicates with the electrical control center of the turnout via the IO communication protocol. Point-to-point communication between the on-board controller 3 and the turnout controller 2 is achieved through the ZigBee wireless network connection.

[0058] As an example, such as Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the turnout and track components in an automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles. The turnout connects three tracks: the main track, track branch 1, and track branch 2. Two passive electronic tags 1, arranged sequentially in the near-far direction, form the first group on the tunnel wall at the connection end of the main track. Two passive electronic tags 1, arranged sequentially in the near-far direction, form the second group on the tunnel wall at the connection end of track branch 1. Two passive electronic tags 1, arranged sequentially in the near-far direction, form the third group on the tunnel wall at the connection end of track branch 2. The third group; in the first group, the information written to the first passive electronic tag 1 is "turnout ID+D001", and the information written to the second passive electronic tag 1 is "turnout ID+D002"; in the second group, the information written to the first passive electronic tag 1 is "turnout ID+D101", and the information written to the second passive electronic tag 1 is "turnout ID+D102"; in the third group, the information written to the first passive electronic tag 1 is "turnout ID+D201", and the information written to the second passive electronic tag 1 is "turnout ID+D202". The information written to passive electronic tag 1 is interpreted as follows: "Turnout ID" is the turnout area identifier corresponding to passive electronic tag 1; the uppercase letter "D" and a single digit form the track identifier corresponding to passive electronic tag 1, specifically, "D0" represents the main track, "D1" represents track branch 1, and "D2" represents track branch 2; the last two digits are the arrangement number of passive electronic tag 1 in its group from farthest to nearest; for example, the data "Turnout ID+D002" is interpreted as: passive electronic tag 1 with the number "02" for the main track of the specified turnout ID area.

[0059] Thus, as the rail vehicle moves along the main track towards point A, the onboard controller 3 receives information from the first group of passive electronic tags 1. It determines that the order in which the reader 4 reads all the tags in the first group (i.e., "turnout ID+D001", "turnout ID+D002") matches the order from farthest to nearest (i.e., "turnout ID+D001", "turnout ID+D002"), indicating that there is a turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. As the rail vehicle moves along the branch track 1 after passing the turnout, the onboard controller 3 receives information from the second group of passive electronic tags 1. It determines that the order in which the reader 4 reads all the tags in the second group (i.e., "turnout ID+D102", "turnout ID+D101") does not match the order from farthest to nearest (i.e., "turnout ID+D101", "turnout ID+D102"), indicating that there is no turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. As the rail vehicle moves along track branch 2 past the turnout, the onboard controller 3 receives information from the third group of passive electronic tags 1. It determines whether the order in which the reader 4 reads all the tags in the third group (i.e., "Turnout ID+D202", "Turnout ID+D201") is inconsistent with the order from farthest to nearest (i.e., "Turnout ID+D201", "Turnout ID+D202"), indicating that there is no turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. This makes turnout identification more accurate.

[0060] It should be noted that the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles provided in this embodiment can be used offline.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] This embodiment, based on the automatic turnout crossing system for mining rail vehicles in Embodiment 1, proposes a method for automatic turnout crossing of mining rail vehicles, including the following steps:

[0063] S1. During the movement of the rail vehicle, the card reader reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the on-board controller.

[0064] Specifically, the rail vehicle is a monorail crane. During the forward movement of the monorail crane, the card reader in the driver's cab at the front of the monorail crane reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the on-board controller. During the return movement of the monorail crane, the card reader in the driver's cab at the rear of the monorail crane reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the on-board controller.

[0065] S2. When the vehicle controller receives a set of passive electronic tag information, it determines whether the order in which the card reader reads all the tags in the set of passive electronic tags is consistent with the order in which all the tags in the set of passive electronic tags are arranged from farthest to closest.

[0066] S3. If they match, there is a turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. The on-board controller sends a status query command to the turnout controller of the target turnout based on the received passive electronic tag information. If they do not match, there is no turnout ahead of the rail vehicle.

[0067] Specifically, the onboard controller sends a status query command to the turnout controller of the target turnout based on the received turnout area identifier.

[0068] S4. After receiving the status query command, the turnout controller sends the status information of the target turnout to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller compares the received target turnout status information with the closed direction status of the target turnout swing rail in the pre-stored travel path.

[0069] S5. If the comparison matches, the rail vehicle is controlled by the rail vehicle's electronic control center to move forward and pass through the target turnout. If the comparison does not match, a turnout change command is sent to the turnout controller. The turnout controller, based on the turnout change command, controls the turnout to change lanes through the target turnout's electronic control center. After a successful lane change, a lane change success command is sent to the onboard controller. The onboard controller, through the rail vehicle's electronic control center, controls the rail vehicle to move forward and pass through the target turnout. If the lane change is unsuccessful, the rail vehicle will not be restarted.

[0070] To further improve the safety of the automatic turnout crossing method for mining rail vehicles, preferably, in S3, if there is a match, then there is a turnout in front of the rail vehicle, and the on-board controller controls the rail vehicle to stop through the rail vehicle's electrical control center.

[0071] Preferably, in S4, the target turnout status information includes the target turnout's locked state, the target turnout rail's closed direction state, and the target turnout rail's out-of-position state; in S5, if the target turnout rail's closed direction state in the target turnout status information matches the target turnout rail's closed direction state in the pre-stored travel path, and the target turnout rail is in position in the target turnout status information, then the comparison is consistent; otherwise, the comparison is inconsistent. If the comparison is inconsistent, and the target turnout is in an unlocked state in the target turnout status information, then a turnout change command is sent to the turnout controller. If the comparison is inconsistent, and the target turnout is in a locked state in the target turnout status information, then no turnout change is controlled, nor is the railcar restarted.

[0072] It should be noted that, as Figure 1 As shown, the target turnout's sliding rail is in the closed direction state AB, indicating that the target turnout is in position. The target turnout being in an unlocked state indicates it is in a controllable state, while the target turnout being in a locked state indicates it is in an uncontrollable state.

[0073] Preferably, each group of passive electronic tags is pre-written with distance information between the passive electronic tag and its corresponding turnout. In S3, if they match, there is a turnout ahead of the rail vehicle. The on-board controller determines whether the distance between the passive electronic tag and its corresponding turnout exceeds a preset distance based on the received passive electronic tag information. If it exceeds the preset distance, the rail vehicle is controlled to remain running; if it does not exceed the preset distance, the rail vehicle is controlled to stop via the rail vehicle's electronic control center. Thus, while ensuring the safe operation of the rail vehicle, it is unnecessary to control the rail vehicle to stop every time a turnout is detected ahead, improving the operating efficiency of the rail vehicle. More preferably, the preset distance is 8–15 m.

[0074] Example 3

[0075] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, this embodiment provides an automatic turnout crossing system for mining rail vehicles. This system is based on rail vehicles, turnouts, and each track connected to the turnouts. It also includes a UWB positioning tag 6, a converged base station 5, passive electronic tags, a turnout controller, an on-board controller, a card reader for reading the passive electronic tags, and a host computer located above ground. A passive electronic tag is installed on the tunnel wall at the connection end (the "connection end" being the end where each track connects to the turnout) of each track. The UWB positioning tag 6, card reader, and on-board controller are all installed on the rail vehicle. The card reader communicates with the on-board controller, and the on-board controller communicates with the rail vehicle's electrical control center. The turnout controller and converged base station 5 are both installed on the tunnel wall of the turnout. The turnout controller communicates with the turnout's electrical control center, and the UWB positioning tag 6, on-board controller, and turnout controller all communicate with the converged base station 5. The converged base station 5 communicates with the host computer.

[0076] In this automated turnout system for mining rail vehicles, passive electronic tags are installed at specific locations on the track (i.e., near the turnout) to serve as location markers. During the vehicle's movement, the UWB positioning tag 6 transmits the vehicle's UWB positioning information to the host computer in real time via the converged base station 5. The card reader reads the passive electronic tag and sends the information to the onboard controller. The onboard controller then sends the passive electronic tag information to the host computer via the converged base station 5. When the host computer determines that there is a turnout ahead of the vehicle based on the UWB positioning information, and simultaneously receives the passive electronic tag information corresponding to that turnout (i.e., the turnout's location), the host computer sends the information to the designated turnout via the converged base station 5. The turnout controller sends a status query command. The turnout controller is used to monitor the status of the corresponding turnout (i.e., the turnout corresponding to the turnout controller's location) and control the operation of the corresponding turnout (i.e., the turnout corresponding to the turnout controller's location). After receiving the status query command, the turnout controller sends the turnout status information to the host computer through the integrated base station 5. The host computer compares the received turnout status information with the required turnout status stored in the pre-store. If they match, the host computer controls the rail vehicle to move forward through the turnout. If they do not match, the host computer sends a turnout change command to the turnout controller through the integrated base station 5. The turnout controller controls the turnout to change lanes through the turnout's electrical control center according to the turnout change command. After the lane change is successful, the host computer sends a lane change success command to the host computer, and the host computer controls the rail vehicle to move forward through the turnout. UWB is a wireless signal, which is greatly affected by the tunnel environment, resulting in inconsistent positioning (i.e., large positioning errors). Therefore, by setting up passive electronic tags to calibrate UWB positioning, it is possible to accurately identify situations where there are switches ahead. This prevents the host computer from making incorrect judgments due to UWB positioning errors, and allows for different control operations to be applied to the rail vehicles and switches based on different situations of the switches ahead. This ensures the efficiency of mine rail vehicles while also enhancing safety and reducing the accident rate.

[0077] Specifically, the integrated base station 5 is a base station that integrates WIFI, 4G, and 5G communication.

[0078] Preferably, a card reader is installed in the driver's cab at the front end of the monorail crane and a card reader is installed in the driver's cab at the rear end of the monorail crane.

[0079] It should be noted that the automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles provided in this embodiment can be used in an online (i.e., networked) state.

[0080] Example 4

[0081] This embodiment, based on the automatic turnout crossing system for mining rail vehicles in Embodiment 3, proposes a method for automatic turnout crossing of mining rail vehicles, including the following steps:

[0082] S1. During the movement of the rail vehicle, the UWB positioning tag sends the UWB positioning information of the rail vehicle to the host computer in real time through the converged base station. The card reader reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller sends the passive electronic tag information to the host computer through the converged base station.

[0083] Specifically, the rail vehicle is a monorail crane. During the forward movement of the monorail crane, the card reader in the driver's cab at the front of the monorail crane reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the on-board controller. During the return movement of the monorail crane, the card reader in the driver's cab at the rear of the monorail crane reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the on-board controller.

[0084] S2. The host computer determines that there is a turnout in front of the rail vehicle based on the UWB positioning information. This turnout is the target turnout. At the same time, when the host computer receives the passive electronic tag information corresponding to the target turnout, the host computer sends a status query command to the turnout controller of the target turnout through the integrated base station.

[0085] Specifically, the host computer has a pre-stored tunnel map. After the UWB positioning information is uploaded to the host computer, the host computer will compare the UWB positioning information with the turnout location information to determine whether there is a turnout in front of the rail vehicle.

[0086] S3. After receiving the status query command, the turnout controller sends the status information of the target turnout to the host computer through the converged base station. The host computer compares the received target turnout status information with the pre-stored target turnout status.

[0087] S4. If the comparison matches, the integrated base station sends a command to the on-board controller, instructing the electronic control center of the rail vehicle to control the rail vehicle to move forward and pass through the target turnout. If the comparison does not match, the integrated base station sends a turnout change command to the turnout controller. The turnout controller, based on the turnout change command, controls the turnout to change lanes through the electronic control center of the target turnout. After a successful lane change, a successful lane change command is sent to the host computer. The host computer then sends a command to the on-board controller via the integrated base station, instructing the electronic control center of the rail vehicle to control the rail vehicle to move forward and pass through the target turnout. If the lane change fails, the rail vehicle will not be restarted.

[0088] To further improve the safety of the automatic turnout crossing method for mining rail vehicles, preferably, in S2, the host computer determines that there is a turnout ahead of the rail vehicle based on the UWB positioning information. At the same time, when the host computer receives the passive electronic tag information corresponding to the target turnout, the host computer sends a command to the on-board controller through the integrated base station to make the rail vehicle's electrical control center control the rail vehicle to stop.

[0089] Preferably, in S3, the target turnout status information includes the target turnout's locked state, the target turnout rail's closed direction state, and the target turnout rail's out-of-position state; in S4, if the target turnout rail's closed direction state in the target turnout status information matches the target turnout rail's closed direction state in the pre-stored travel path, and the target turnout rail is in position in the target turnout status information, then the comparison is consistent; otherwise, the comparison is inconsistent. If the comparison is inconsistent, and the target turnout is in an unlocked state in the target turnout status information, then a turnout lane change command is sent to the turnout controller. If the comparison is inconsistent, and the target turnout is in a locked state in the target turnout status information, then no turnout lane change is controlled, nor is the railcar restarted.

[0090] It should be understood that the above description of specific embodiments of the present invention is only for illustrating the technical approach and features of the present invention, and is intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. All changes or modifications made within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for automatically passing turnouts on mining rail vehicles, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. During the movement of the rail vehicle, the card reader reads the passive electronic tag and sends the read passive electronic tag information to the on-board controller; S2. When the vehicle controller receives a set of passive electronic tag information, it determines whether the order in which the card reader reads all the tags in the set of passive electronic tags is consistent with the order in which all the tags in the set of passive electronic tags are arranged from far to near. S3. If they match, there is a turnout in front of the rail vehicle. The on-board controller sends a status query command to the turnout controller of the target turnout based on the received passive electronic tag information. If they do not match, there is no turnout in front of the rail vehicle. S4. After receiving the status query command, the turnout controller sends the status information of the target turnout to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller compares the received target turnout status information with the closed direction status of the target turnout swing rail in the pre-stored travel path. S5. If the comparison matches, the rail vehicle is controlled to move forward through the target turnout via the rail vehicle's electronic control center. If the comparison does not match, a turnout change command is sent to the turnout controller. The turnout controller controls the turnout to change lanes via the target turnout's electronic control center according to the turnout change command. After the lane change is successful, a lane change success command is sent to the on-board controller. The on-board controller controls the rail vehicle to move forward through the target turnout via the rail vehicle's electronic control center. Each set of passive electronic tags is also pre-written with distance information between the passive electronic tag and its corresponding turnout; In S3, if they match, there is a switch ahead of the rail vehicle. The on-board controller determines whether the distance between the passive electronic tag and its corresponding switch exceeds the preset distance based on the received passive electronic tag information. If it exceeds the preset distance, the rail vehicle is controlled not to stop. If it does not exceed the preset distance, the rail vehicle is controlled to stop through the rail vehicle's electronic control center.

2. The method for automatic switching of mining rail vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, In S4, the status information of the target turnout includes the locked status of the target turnout, the closing direction status of the target turnout rail, and the out-of-position status of the target turnout rail. In S5, if the closing direction state of the target turnout rail in the target turnout status information is consistent with the closing direction state of the target turnout rail in the pre-stored travel path, and the target turnout rail is in position in the target turnout status information, then the comparison is consistent; otherwise, the comparison is inconsistent. If the comparison is inconsistent, and the target turnout is in an unlocked state in the target turnout status information, then a turnout lane change command is sent to the turnout controller.

3. A mining rail vehicle automatic turnout system for implementing the automatic turnout method for mining rail vehicles as described in claim 1 or 2, based on rail vehicles, turnouts, and each track connected to the turnouts, characterized in that, The system includes a passive electronic tag (1), a turnout controller (2), an on-board controller (3), and a card reader (4) for reading the passive electronic tag (1). At least two passive electronic tags (1) are arranged sequentially in the near and far directions at the connection end of each track, and at least two passive electronic tags (1) form a group. The card reader (4) and the on-board controller (3) are both installed on the rail vehicle. The card reader (4) is connected to the on-board controller (3) and the on-board controller (3) is connected to the electrical control center of the rail vehicle. The turnout controller (2) is installed on the roadway wall of the turnout. The turnout controller (2) is connected to the on-board controller (3) and the on-board controller (2) is connected to the electrical control center of the turnout. Each passive electronic tag (1) in each group is pre-written with the turnout information corresponding to the passive electronic tag (1), the track information corresponding to the passive electronic tag (1), and the arrangement number of the passive electronic tag (1) in the near and far directions in its group.

4. The automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, In each group, the spacing between adjacent passive electronic tags (1) is 500~1000mm.

5. The automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rail vehicle is an electric locomotive, and a card reader (4) is installed in the driver's cab of the electric locomotive; the rail vehicle is a monorail crane, and a card reader (4) is installed in the driver's cab at the front end of the monorail crane and a card reader (4) is installed in the driver's cab at the rear end of the monorail crane.

6. The automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The card reader (4) communicates with the vehicle controller (3) via the RS485 communication protocol. The vehicle controller (3) communicates with the electrical control center of the rail vehicle via the IO communication protocol, the RS485 communication protocol, or the CAN communication protocol. The vehicle controller (3) communicates with the turnout controller (2) via the ZigBee wireless network. The turnout controller (2) communicates with the electrical control center of the turnout via the IO communication protocol.

7. The automatic turnout system for mining rail vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The integrated base station (5) is a base station that integrates UWB, WIFI, 4G and 5G communication.

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