Turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system for locomotive depot
By introducing a scheduling and control unit into the locomotive depot, the monitoring screen is automatically invoked and double-verified after the route is scheduled, which solves the cumbersome operation and safety hazards caused by the independent architecture in the existing technology, and improves the efficiency and safety of operations.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-27
AI Technical Summary
The existing track management automation system and image monitoring system of the locomotive depot are independent architectures, which leads to problems such as cumbersome operation, easy error, great safety hazards, low fault diagnosis efficiency and poor data traceability.
By introducing a scheduling and control unit, the mapping relationship between routes, track equipment and monitoring points is stored in the database. After the route is scheduled, the monitoring screen is automatically called up, and the electrical signals and on-site images are verified. Combined with the data association storage module, integrated management is achieved.
It significantly improved shunting operation efficiency, reduced manual operation time, enhanced safety assurance, and reduced troubleshooting time and maintenance costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN121750828A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of track management technology, and in particular to a locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system. Background Technology
[0002] As the core operating site for storing, repairing, and preparing railway locomotives, the locomotive depot is responsible for receiving locomotives that have completed their routes, performing repairs and preparations, and then dispatching qualified locomotives to mainline stations for use. Due to the extremely frequent locomotive entry and exit from the depot and shunting operations within the depot, the automated track management system has become a key facility to ensure the orderly conduct of these operations.
[0003] To meet the demands of frequent locomotive entry and exit and the need for real-time monitoring of operational status, existing locomotive depots typically deploy a large number of video surveillance devices at key locations such as switch areas, track entrances and exits, and maintenance and preparation areas, forming independent image monitoring systems. Management personnel can query and access on-site monitoring footage based on information such as time and locomotive number. For example, after opening a receiving route, they need to check information such as the locomotive entering the depot, the signal opening status, and the actual position of the switches. During operations such as departure and shunting within the depot, the duty officer also needs to monitor the locomotive's dynamics in real time and record relevant information through the monitoring footage.
[0004] However, in the existing technology, the track management automation system and the image monitoring system are completely independent operating architectures, with no data interaction channel or collaborative control logic between the two: the track management automation system can only realize the electrical control and status feedback of switches and routes, and cannot be linked to the on-site video screen; the image monitoring system can only provide on-site visual screens, and the duty officer needs to manually input the camera number and adjust the pan-tilt angle and focus to retrieve the target area image, which makes the operation cumbersome and prone to errors. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system.
[0006] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: This application discloses a locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system, including a track management unit, an image monitoring unit, and a dispatch control unit. The dispatch control unit is communicatively connected to both the track management unit and the image monitoring unit. The dispatch control unit is associated with a database that pre-stores mapping relationships between routes, track equipment, and monitoring points in the depot. The dispatch control unit receives route control commands and parses them to obtain track equipment information involved in the route. Based on the parsed track equipment information, the dispatch control unit queries the associated mapping database to determine at least one target monitoring point that needs to be monitored. Then, based on the determined target monitoring point, it generates and sends camera control commands to the image monitoring unit to automatically call and adjust the monitoring screen of the corresponding camera. Finally, the route control command, the corresponding equipment status data, and the called monitoring screen are correlated and processed.
[0007] The system's effectiveness lies in its ability to automatically and quickly retrieve monitoring footage after route planning, significantly reducing the time spent manually searching for and operating cameras, and improving the overall efficiency of shunting operations. Through a dual verification mechanism of electrical signals and on-site images, the system compares equipment status in real time, effectively enhancing safety. Furthermore, the system integrates and stores route control logs, equipment status data, and monitoring video clips, enabling convenient retrieval of all related information during fault diagnosis. This significantly reduces data retrieval and comparison time, lowers reliance on maintenance personnel experience, and thus saves manpower and time costs.
[0008] Furthermore, the mapping relationships stored in the database include: the association between routes and the switches involved, and the binding relationship between each switch or key node of a track and one or more surveillance camera numbers.
[0009] Furthermore, each bound camera is associated with preset gimbal angle and focal length parameters.
[0010] Furthermore, the dispatch control unit also includes a station map association module, which is used to digitize the visualized electronic map data and convert user commands into route control commands according to the mapping relationship in the database.
[0011] Furthermore, the scheduling control unit also includes a data association storage module, which is used to synchronously store the route control command, the corresponding equipment status data and the called monitoring screen, and establish an association relationship identified by the route number and operation time.
[0012] Furthermore, the data association storage module retrieves associated control logs, equipment status data, and monitoring video clips from the database using at least one of the following information: route number, vehicle number, or time.
[0013] Furthermore, the scheduling control unit is also used to: compare the electrical status obtained from the track management unit with the actual scene in the monitoring video in real time, and trigger an alarm when the status is inconsistent.
[0014] Furthermore, after the route operation is completed, the scheduling and control unit automatically switches the camera to the default monitoring state. Attached Figure Description
[0015] Figure 1 This is a simplified schematic diagram of a locomotive depot turnout control and video surveillance linkage management system according to some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0016] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0017] In existing technologies, the automated track management system and the image monitoring system operate on completely independent architectures, with no data exchange channel or collaborative control logic between them. This leads to numerous problems, including but not limited to: First, the operation is cumbersome and time-consuming, seriously affecting work efficiency. The duty officer needs to operate two independent systems simultaneously. Especially in scenarios with a large station area and dense camera deployment, a single route may involve multiple key monitoring points, which need to be memorized and manually switched, making the process cumbersome and time-consuming.
[0018] Secondly, relying on manual memory is prone to errors and poses safety hazards. The association between the route and the corresponding monitoring point depends entirely on the operator's manual memory. If there is a memory error or operational omission, it may lead to the lack of monitoring in key areas, making it impossible to detect problems such as switches not being in place, abnormal signals, and locomotives illegally occupying the track in a timely manner, which may in turn lead to shunting operation safety accidents.
[0019] Third, the status verification is limited, resulting in low troubleshooting efficiency. The automated track management system can only provide feedback on the electrical status signals of the equipment, failing to achieve dual verification of "electrical signals + on-site images." This makes it prone to misoperation due to discrepancies between electrical signals and the actual on-site conditions. Troubleshooting requires retrieving logs and recordings from both systems separately, leading to poor information coordination and prolonged processing time.
[0020] Fourth, manual recording is costly and has poor data traceability. Video recordings of locomotive operation status, turnout and signal conditions require manual triggering and saving by the duty officer, which is prone to omissions or untimely saving. Furthermore, video recordings are not associated with corresponding route control commands and equipment status data, requiring a significant amount of time to filter and match video clips during subsequent tracing, resulting in high data management costs.
[0021] Therefore, this application discloses a locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system, with reference to... Figure 1 This includes the track management unit, the image monitoring unit, and the dispatch control unit.
[0022] Specifically, this embodiment adds a dispatch control unit to the traditional independent track management system (i.e., track management unit) and image monitoring system (i.e., image monitoring unit). The track management unit is an outdoor execution device deployed at the station site, including track equipment such as turnouts, signals, and track circuits (switches), responsible for executing control commands and providing electrical status feedback. The image monitoring unit is a distributed video monitoring device, consisting of network cameras deployed at key locations such as track entrances / exits, turnout areas, and maintenance areas. These cameras have pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) control capabilities and are used to capture on-site video footage.
[0023] The dispatch control unit can be integrated into the existing host computer for indoor control and communicates with the track management unit and image monitoring unit via a communication network. This unit contains multiple sub-modules, such as the equipment control logic module, route judgment module, turnout status judgment module, and image monitoring judgment module, which are used to receive and parse route control commands, match corresponding monitoring points, and output camera control commands.
[0024] Furthermore, the dispatch control unit is linked to a database that pre-stores the mapping relationships between routes, track equipment, and monitoring points within the station. For example, each designated route is associated with the turnout numbers along its path, and each turnout or key track node is bound to one or more optimal monitoring camera numbers. Each camera is pre-set with pan-tilt angle and focal length parameters to ensure clear visibility of key targets (such as turnout points, signal displays, and locomotive license plates). For instance, for a receiving route from D2 to X3D involving turnout 58, the system will pre-assign two cameras numbered ① and ②, and set their pan-tilt angle and focal length respectively.
[0025] For example, refer to Table 1 to understand the mapping relationships stored in the database.
[0026] Table 1 Critical Path Mapping Table The numbers and letters corresponding to the start and end points of the route, turnouts within the route, and sections within the route in the table are all numbers and have no special meaning.
[0027] In addition, the dispatch control unit may also include a station map association module and a data association storage module. The station map association module digitizes the visualized electronic map data and converts user commands into route control commands based on the mapping relationship in the database. The data association storage module is responsible for synchronously storing route control logs, turnout and signal status data, and linked monitoring video clips, and establishing association identifiers. Specifically, the data association storage module retrieves the associated control logs, equipment status data, and monitoring video clips using route number, train number, and time information; wherein, the data association storage module establishes a unique association identifier for each route control, which is generated based on the route number and operation time; the system synchronously stores the route control commands, the corresponding equipment status data sequence, and the retrieved monitoring video clips using this identifier as an index, forming a traceable operation record; subsequently, by inputting any of the route number, train number, or time information, all corresponding data can be retrieved with one click based on the association identifier.
[0028] In some examples, the dispatch control unit integrates multiple sub-modules, including: equipment control logic module, route judgment module, turnout status judgment module, and image monitoring judgment module; it is responsible for receiving and parsing route control commands, matching corresponding monitoring points, and outputting camera control commands.
[0029] Therefore, based on the user's input via the device terminal, the station map association module converts the instructions into a readable form and sends them as route control instructions. Then, the scheduling control unit, based on the parsed track equipment information, such as turnout numbers, signal positions, and track section numbers, queries the association mapping database to determine at least one target monitoring point that needs to be monitored. Then, based on the determined target monitoring point, it generates and sends camera control instructions to the image monitoring unit to automatically call and adjust the monitoring screen of the corresponding camera. For example, the target monitoring point is one or more network cameras bound to the database and their preset pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) parameters. Simultaneously, the data association storage module is responsible for synchronously storing route control logs, turnout / signal status data, and linked monitoring video clips. Finally, the route control instructions, the corresponding equipment status data, and the called monitoring screens are associated and processed.
[0030] Next, we will illustrate this with a specific example.
[0031] For example, when the duty officer selects the target route (such as "track 3 receiving route") in the station map display area of the interactive terminal, the station map association module will convert the graphical operation into a structured route control instruction and upload it to the dispatch control unit, or automatically trigger the route arrangement instruction through the car number and work plan, and the route arrangement instruction will be uploaded to the dispatch control unit simultaneously.
[0032] The dispatch control unit parses the route information through the route judgment module to determine the turnout number and signal position involved in the route; at the same time, through the turnout status judgment module and the equipment control logic module, it issues turnout switching and signal opening commands to the track management unit, and collects electrical status data of turnouts (position / reverse, locked / unlocked) and signals (open / closed) in real time.
[0033] Meanwhile, the dispatch control unit automatically matches and retrieves the camera group associated with the route based on the pre-stored mapping relationship between routes, equipment, and monitoring points in the database (for example, for the "D2 to X3D" route, it automatically associates cameras numbered ① and ②). The image monitoring and judgment module then sends control commands to these cameras, ensuring that key targets such as switches, locomotives, and signals are centered and clear according to their preset pan-tilt parameters (angle, focal length).
[0034] The dispatch control unit continuously compares the electrical status obtained from the track management unit with the actual scene in the monitoring video (such as verifying the turnout position with the aid of image recognition). Once an inconsistency is detected (such as the electrical signal indicating that the turnout is locked, but the screen shows that the turnout is not in position), the system immediately triggers an audible and visual alarm and records the anomaly. After the route operation is completed, the system automatically restores the relevant cameras to the default monitoring state. At the same time, the data association and storage module automatically and synchronously saves the control log, equipment status data (i.e., the turnout's positioning / reversal, locking / unlocking status, and the signal's open / closed status, etc.) and the corresponding monitoring video clips for this route, with the association identifier being "route number + operation time".
[0035] For example, the data association storage module automatically generates a unique association identifier for this route control, stored as "route number + operation time". Using this identifier as an index for data association storage, the system binds the following three types of data to the identifier and stores them synchronously: The data includes route control commands, such as route number (D2-X3D), operation time, triggered turnout switching commands, and signal opening commands. Equipment status data includes the "positioning-locking" status of turnout 58, the "open" status of relevant signals, and their timestamps, all collected in real-time from the track management unit. Additionally, it retrieves monitoring video clips: video files captured and recorded by cameras numbered ① and ② during route execution according to preset pan-tilt parameters.
[0036] Therefore, data traceability is achieved based on the associated identifier: when the manager enters the route number "D2-X3D", vehicle number or corresponding operation time in the interactive query interface, the system uses the associated identifier as an index to retrieve and retrieve all the above-mentioned data (control instructions, status data, video clips) bound to it with one click, forming a complete and traceable record of the operation process.
[0037] Furthermore, the image monitoring and judgment module automatically completes three operations: calling the matching camera group; adjusting the image according to the preset pan-tilt parameters; and realizing multi-screen display of multiple images in the video monitoring display area of the interactive terminal (supporting custom layout).
[0038] After the route operation is completed, the system automatically switches the camera to the default monitoring state; subsequently, management personnel can use the data query area of the interactive layer to enter the route number, vehicle number or time to retrieve the corresponding control logs and monitoring videos with one click, realizing complete traceability of the operation process.
[0039] The locomotive depot turnout control and video surveillance linkage management system of this application, combined with the actual scenario of frequent shunting operations and high station monitoring requirements in locomotive depots, can significantly improve operational efficiency and reduce the labor intensity of duty personnel: This implementation realizes automatic switching to the corresponding monitoring screen within 1 second after route selection, without the need to manually input camera numbers or adjust pan-tilt angles. According to scenario simulation calculations, the monitoring operation time for a single route is shortened from 2-3 minutes in the existing technology to less than 1 second. In locomotive depots with more than 50 shunting operations per day, it can save 1.5-2 hours of operation time per day; it is especially suitable for scenarios with large station scale and dense camera deployment, solving the problem of time-consuming and labor-intensive manual operation.
[0040] This application embodiment constructs a dual state verification mechanism of electrical signals and on-site images, which can verify in real time whether the electrical state of turnouts and signals is consistent with the actual on-site state, avoiding safety accidents caused by false feedback of electrical signals or omissions in manual operation.
[0041] This application's embodiments achieve integrated storage and associated indexing of route control logs, equipment status data, and monitoring video clips. During fault diagnosis, all relevant data can be retrieved with a single click using route number, vehicle number, or time, eliminating the need for separate filtering and matching in two separate systems. In some examples, fault diagnosis time can be reduced from 1-2 hours in the prior art to 10-15 minutes, improving efficiency by over 80%. Simultaneously, it reduces reliance on experienced technicians; ordinary shift workers can complete data tracing and basic fault diagnosis with simple training, lowering maintenance labor costs.
[0042] Furthermore, the system in this application embodiment supports visual custom calibration through station map association, which can quickly adapt to the track layout and camera deployment differences of different locomotive depots; the universal protocol adaptation technology is compatible with existing mainstream track management units and image monitoring units, without the need for large-scale equipment replacement, reducing the difficulty and cost of on-site modification.
[0043] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the forms disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. It can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments, and can be altered within the scope of the concept described herein through the above teachings or related technologies or knowledge. Modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be within the protection scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system, comprising a track management unit, an image monitoring unit, and a dispatch control unit, characterized in that: The scheduling and control unit is communicatively connected to the track management unit and the image monitoring unit, respectively. The scheduling and control unit is associated with a database, which pre-stores the mapping relationship between routes, track equipment and monitoring points in the station. The scheduling and control unit receives route control commands and parses them to obtain information about the track equipment involved in the route; The scheduling and control unit queries the associated database based on the parsed track equipment information to determine at least one target monitoring point that needs to be monitored. Then, based on the determined target monitoring point, a camera control command is generated and sent to the image monitoring unit to automatically call up and adjust the monitoring screen of the corresponding camera; finally, the route control command, the corresponding device status data and the called monitoring screen are correlated.
2. The locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mapping relationships stored in the database include: the association between routes and the switches involved, and the binding relationship between each switch or key node of a track and one or more surveillance camera numbers.
3. The locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each bound camera is associated with preset gimbal angle and focal length parameters.
4. The locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dispatch control unit also includes a station map association module, which is used to digitize the visualized electronic map data and convert user commands into route control commands according to the mapping relationship in the database.
5. The locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scheduling and control unit also includes a data association and storage module, which is used to synchronously store the route control command, the corresponding equipment status data and the called monitoring screen, and establish an association relationship identified by the route number and operation time.
6. The locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The data association storage module retrieves associated control logs, equipment status data, and monitoring video clips from the database using at least one of the following information: route number, vehicle number, or time.
7. The locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scheduling and control unit is also used to: compare the electrical status obtained from the track management unit with the actual scene in the monitoring video in real time, and trigger an alarm when the status is inconsistent.
8. The locomotive depot turnout control and video monitoring linkage management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the route operation is completed, the scheduling and control unit automatically switches the camera to the default monitoring state.