Position detection device, rail vehicle and method for detecting the instantaneous position of a rail vehicle

Abstract

A position detection device for a rail vehicle (3), which has a chassis with railway wheels (16) and is designed for travel on railway tracks (1), is described. The position detection device has a motion sensor (15) for detecting the lifting movement (Δh) of each associated railway wheel (16) and is configured to detect when the vehicle passes over a characteristic component (2) of the railway track (1) based on the height profile of the railway wheel (16) detected by the motion sensor (15).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a position detection device for a rail vehicle having a chassis with railway wheels and designed to travel on railway tracks.

[0002] The invention further relates to a rail vehicle having at least one chassis which has railway wheels and is designed to travel on railway tracks, wherein the rail vehicle has a position detection device.

[0003] The invention also relates to a method for detecting the current location of a rail vehicle having a chassis with railway wheels and designed to travel on railway tracks.

[0004] There is a need to record the correct position of rail vehicles in various application scenarios (regular trains, shunting operations, trams, etc.), particularly to perform a point-by-point check of the actual position at regular intervals. Currently available solutions differ primarily depending on the application.

[0005] In safety-relevant applications (e.g., in the operation of regular trains), track blocks are used. These are units permanently installed in or on the track for transmitting information to passing vehicles. These units are used to check the position of the rail vehicle at specific points. The sequence of the beacons according to the expected route and distance measurements to the last beacon are used to verify the route. In addition, other trackside sensors are used to determine the occupancy of track blocks. This is described, for example, in DE 10 2004 063 049 A1.

[0006] Localization based solely on vehicle-mounted sensors such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receivers has so far been used primarily in non-safety-relevant applications. DE 10 2006 061 811 A1 describes a method for locating a rail vehicle using a digital local map and GNSS positioning.

[0007] Current developments in this context deal with the concept of virtual balises, in which the passages of the control points are not checked using trackside sensors, but locations with very good GNSS reception are defined as virtual balises, where the passage of the train is only checked using on-board sensors.

[0008] In contrast to trackside sensors such as beacons, on-board sensors can continuously provide information about the vehicle's position. Another concept based on on-board sensors is continuous positioning by using movement and map data in movement models (sensor data fusion). The aim is to use this method to increase network capacity in the future through flexible track blocks (ETCS Level 3 Moving Block).

[0009] Further approaches to localization using vehicle-mounted sensors include the assignment of characteristic, unique route characteristics (“fingerprints”) to reference data, e.g., using magnetic field measurements.

[0010] DE 10 2018 115 373 A1 describes a method for the infrastructure-free detection of a crossing of a track section by a rail vehicle, in which at least one track signature is provided for selected track sections of the railway line, which describes the course and / or the change of at least one location-dependent physical quantity that acts on the rail vehicle while traveling on the relevant track section and thus characterizes the track section (track signature-based virtual balise).

[0011] Switch detection can also be performed using camera data and eddy current measurements. There are also approaches for train localization using IMU data (e.g., based on the curvature of the track).

[0012] The dense installation of balises is expensive and complex. Current developments (ETCS (European Train Control System) Level 3) aim to reduce the number of balises and track detection systems and to develop alternative methods, particularly the further development of concepts based solely on vehicles and GNSS receivers, which are also intended to increase network capacity.

[0013] The use of virtual balises based solely on GNSS data is vulnerable to attackers or interference. The exclusive use of this method must be adequately protected against these. A purely GNSS-based approach (e.g., continuous positioning) must compensate for challenges such as a lack of reception on parts of the route network or corrupted signals. Combining it with other GNSS-independent signals can reduce such uncertainties.

[0014] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved position detection device, an improved rail vehicle having a chassis with railway wheels and designed to travel on railway tracks, and a method for detecting the current location position of a rail vehicle.

[0015] The object is achieved by the position detection device having the features of claim 1, by the rail vehicle having the features of claim 11, and by the method having the features of claim 14. Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

[0016] It is proposed that the position detection device has a motion sensor for detecting the lifting movement of an associated railway wheel and is configured to detect the crossing of a characteristic component of the railway track based on the height profile of the railway wheel detected by the motion sensor.

[0017] The known component positions of characteristic components of a railway line, such as track switches, are used as control points for localization. The passing over of the characteristic components is measured using motion sensors, each of which is coupled to a railway wheel. From the stroke movement of at least one railway wheel measured during travel, the passing over of the characteristic component can be detected through a movement behavior characteristic of the known component.

[0018] Axle bearing acceleration sensors are preferred as the motion sensor and data source required for the process. These are already installed on many vehicles. This allows detection of the overrun of characteristic components without additional installation effort on the chassis.

[0019] The characteristic components, especially track switches, serve as permanently installed components of the rail infrastructure and as junction points in the network, providing a robust, GNSS-independent identification feature that does not require additional installation to verify the current position and the path traveled. In the case of a track switch, crossing the frog can be reliably detected by a brief drop in the height of only one railway wheel (a short, sharp peak in the elevation profile). The opposite railway wheel continues to roll along the track and does not exhibit a corresponding drop.

[0020] The motion sensor can be an acceleration sensor. The position detection device can be configured to detect a lifting movement of the railway wheel associated with the motion sensor from the measured acceleration values.

[0021] The motion sensor can be an axle bearing acceleration sensor. The axle bearing acceleration sensors that are sometimes already installed on conventional railway wheels can be used for the position detection device to detect the passing of characteristic components from the recorded height profile. Such axle bearing acceleration sensors are used, for example, for condition monitoring, but can also make a significant contribution to vehicle positioning.

[0022] The motion sensors can preferably be used in combination with GNSS receivers, thus serving as an extension of the continuous localization concept. Unlike virtual beacons, the use of switch crossings as point-based localization fixes is not vulnerable to attackers or interference signals, as it utilizes the existing, permanently installed network infrastructure. Unlike pure continuous GNSS positioning, the fixed localization points in the form of track switches can provide positioning information even in locations without GNSS reception.

[0023] The position detection device preferably has two motion sensors, each coupled to a railway wheel of a pair of railway wheels arranged on a common axle alignment, for the right and left rails of the railway line. One of the motion sensors is configured to detect the lifting movement of the first railway wheel coupled to this motion sensor, and the other motion sensor is configured to detect the lifting movement of the second railway wheel coupled to this motion sensor. The position detection device can be designed to detect the passing over of a characteristic component based on different characteristic lifting movements occurring at a given time.

[0024] The position detection device can be configured to detect the crossing of a frog of a track switch as a characteristic component based on the height profile of the railway wheels detected by the motion sensor.

[0025] The position detection device can be configured to detect the crossing of a frog of a track switch by means of an abrupt, short-term lowering of one of a pair of railway wheels.

[0026] The detection of track switches via axle bearing acceleration sensors installed on both sides enables the determination of the orientation of the switch and thus the sequence of tracks traveled. This approach enables track-selective localization more quickly (after passing the frog instead of after a certain travel time until the data stabilizes, e.g., with closely spaced tracks) and can be improved in challenging terrain. A comparison of the sequence of track switches and directions traveled with the expected track switches in the route plan can be used as a validation tool in localization. Additional information derived from the crossings, such as the travel direction (aperture or blunt travel) and the switch type, can provide additional information.

[0027] The position detection device may further comprise a position signal receiver for receiving position locating signals and for determining the measuring position of the position signal receiver from the received position locating signals.

[0028] The position signal receiver can be configured to receive position-finding signals from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS).

[0029] The position signal receiver can be configured to receive position-finding signals from beacons installed on the trackside of the railway. A combination of different position-finding signals is also conceivable, for example, position-finding signals transmitted locally along the railway and globally transmitted position-finding signals, such as GNSS signals, mobile radio signals, Wi-Fi signals, and / or LORAWAN signals, and the like.

[0030] The position detection device can have a data storage device with map data of the rail infrastructure as well as position data on the component positions of characteristic components. It can be configured to identify a characteristic component based on the measurement position recorded with the position signal receiver and to determine the current location of the motion sensor at the time of detection of the passing of a characteristic component based on the elevation profile of the railway wheel recorded with the motion sensor as a stored component position of the characteristic component identified with the measurement position. Using a digital map of the railway network, the position information, which was determined, for example, using GNSS signals, can be used with track precision, possibly across multiple path hypotheses. The detected characteristic components can then be compared with the various paths.

[0031] The rail vehicle according to the invention has a position detection device as described above, wherein a motion sensor is configured with an associated railway wheel to detect the lifting movement of the associated railway wheel and to detect the crossing of a characteristic component of the railway track based on the height profile of the railway wheel detected by the motion sensor.

[0032] The running gear can have at least one pair of railway wheels arranged on a common axle alignment, each for the right and left rails of a railway track. A first motion sensor can be coupled to a first railway wheel and configured to detect the lifting movement of the first railway wheel, and a second motion sensor can be coupled to a second railway wheel and configured to detect the lifting movement of the second railway wheel. The position detection device can be configured to detect the passing over of a characteristic component based on different characteristic lifting movements of the first and second railway wheels of the pair of railway wheels occurring at a given time.

[0033] The method for detecting the current position of a rail vehicle having a chassis with railway wheels and designed to travel on railway tracks comprises the steps - continuous recording of the lifting movement of each assigned railway wheel and - Detecting the crossing of a characteristic component of the railway track based on the height profile of the railway wheel recorded by the motion sensor.

[0034] The crossing of a frog of a track switch can be detected as a characteristic component based on characteristic properties of height profiles measured over time of two railway wheels that are arranged on a common axle alignment and are designed to travel on the right and left rails of the railway line.

[0035] Advantageously, the measuring position of a position signal receiver is measured by - Receiving position-finding signals and determining the measuring position of the position signal receiver from the received position-finding signals, if necessary track-selectively with the aid of digital map data of the route network, - Identifying a characteristic component based on the measurement position detected by the position signal receiver and the component positions of characteristic components stored in a data memory, whereby the characteristic component identified as closest to the measurement position is selected, and - Determining the current location of the motion sensor at the time of detection of the passing over of a characteristic component based on the height profile of the railway wheel recorded by the motion sensor as a stored component position of the characteristic component identified with the measurement position.

[0036] Optionally, an update and validation of a path hypothesis can be carried out if a track-selective determination of the measurement position is carried out using a digital map of the railway network.

[0037] In general, in the context of this application, the words “a / an”, unless expressly defined otherwise, are not to be understood as a number, but as an indefinite article with the literal meaning of “at least one”.

[0038] The invention permits various embodiments and is explained below with reference to exemplary embodiments in the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 - Sketch of a railway track with a track switch and a rail vehicle on the track switch, which has a position detection unit; Fig. 2 - example height diagram for a distance recorded with measuring positions from several measuring runs; Fig. 3 - Altitude diagram of the several measurement runs corrected by the altitude peaks from Fig. 2.

[0039] Fig. 1 shows a sketch of a railway line 1 with a track switch 2 and a rail vehicle 3 on the track switch 2, which has a position detection unit.

[0040] The track switch 2 has a frog 4, at which the continuous travel path splits at a switch angle to form an end tangent 5. The left side of the switch shown forms the start of the switch and the two travel paths ending at the switch angle, i.e. the continuous travel path and the branching end tangent 5, form the end of the switch. The track switch 2 has an intermediate rail 6 which extends diagonally from the outer left (top in the picture) rail 7 towards the frog 4 and ends with a wing rail 8 at a distance from the frog 4 and parallel to the straight rail of the frog. The track switch 2 also has a tongue 9, the tongue tip 10 of which can be placed on the stock rail 11 which is bent to form the end tangent 5. The tongue end 12 of the tongue 9 extends to the tip of the frog 4 and bends at a distance and parallel to the left (top in the picture) rail of the end tangent 5.Furthermore, check rails 13 can be arranged on the outer left rail 7 of the continuous track and on the right (lower in the picture) rail 14 of the end tangent 5 at the height of the frog 4.

[0041] Track switch 2 can be negotiated at an acute angle from the beginning of the switch to the end of the switch. This movement, directed toward the tip of frog 4, allows for movement to the left or right. In the illustrated orientation of track switch 2, movement to the left is a straight-ahead movement, and movement to the right is a turning movement into the end tangent 5.

[0042] Track switch 2 can be negotiated at an obtuse angle from the end of the switch to the beginning of the switch. Approaching the switch from the direction of frog 4 is either along the through line or from the end tangent 5.

[0043] The rail vehicle 3 has motion sensors 15. These are preferably axle acceleration sensors, each coupled to an associated railway wheel 16. The chassis of the rail vehicle 3 rests on bogies, each of which has a pair of railway wheels 16, which are arranged on a common axle alignment 17 for traveling on the right rail 14 and left rail 7.

[0044] When the rail vehicle 3 crosses the frog 4 of the track switch 2, the railway wheel 16 rolling over the frog 4 briefly sinks into the gap between the tip of the frog 4 and the intermediate rail 6 or the tongue end 12. Depending on the direction of travel and whether the track switch 2 is crossed at an acute or obtuse angle, this is the right or left railway wheel 16, with only one of the railway wheels 16 of a pair sinking. This sinking of the one railway wheel 16 leads to a characteristic peak in a height profile recorded by the axle acceleration sensors 15.

[0045] With the help of axle acceleration sensors 15 on both railway wheels 16 of a pair of railway wheels 16 arranged on a common axle alignment 17, axle bearing acceleration data for the left and right sides of the vehicle are available. This allows the driving behavior on the right and left rails 14, 7 to be analyzed and correlated. The position detection device can estimate the vertical traveled distance of the axle and the railway wheel 16 from the axle bearing acceleration signals using double integration, for example, by appropriately programming a data processing unit 18 (e.g., processor, controller, computer, ASIC, FPGA).

[0046] The position detection device further comprises a position signal receiver 19 for receiving position-finding signals and for determining the measured position of the position signal receiver 19 or of the rail vehicle 3 from the received position-finding signals. The position signal receiver 19 can, for example, be configured to receive position-finding signals from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS).

[0047] The position detection device has a local or central (remotely accessible) data memory with position data on component positions of characteristic components 2, for identifying a characteristic component 2 based on the measurement position detected by the position signal receiver 19 and for determining the current location of the motion sensor 15 at the time of the detection of the passing over of a characteristic component 2 based on the height profile of the railway wheel 16 detected by the motion sensor 15 as a stored component position of the characteristic component 2 identified with the measurement position.

[0048] Fig. Figure 2 shows an example elevation diagram for a route recorded with measurement positions from several measurement runs. The measurement positions are not exact, but are subject to a certain degree of fluctuation, which can be caused, for example, by GNSS inaccuracies.

[0049] The derived elevation profile contains the switch crossings as a characteristic pattern. In the diagram from Fig. Figure 2 shows the height profile Δh in millimeters [mm] over a distance d in meters [m] for several crossings of the same track switch 2. The change in height of the associated railway wheel 16 is recorded relative to a zero height.

[0050] If the position is unknown, the crossing of the frog 4, which can be identified by the characteristic peak in the height profile, provides an estimate for the exact position d.

[0051] To identify characteristic components, such as track switches 2, suitable features can be derived from sections of the elevation profile. From the data from crossings of various track switches 2 or other components, machine learning models can be trained using characteristic changes in the elevation profile Δh. These models distinguish these from features of track sections that do not contain characteristic components (especially track switches 4), but may contain other anomalies such as fishplate joints or welds. If a train approaches a track switch, the detection of a track switch by one of the two motion sensors 15 can be used to update the location position, register the passage of the track switch as fulfillment of the point-by-point position check, and update the path. Uncertainties can be incorporated using suitable models.

[0052] Fig. 3 shows a height diagram of the several measurement runs from Fig. 2.

[0053] If the exact position of the frog 4 of the track switch 2 is known, then, as shown in the Fig. 3, the positioning is specified.

[0054] For this purpose, the characteristic component, in particular the track switch 2, can be identified based on the current measurement position of the rail vehicle 1, which can be recorded, for example, via beacons, on-board sensors or radio location, if necessary with the aid of map data. For this purpose, the current measurement position is compared with component positions stored in a data storage device, and the characteristic component that is closest to the current measurement position is selected. The component position of this component selected based on the measurement position is read from the data storage device, in which the characteristic components are recorded, for example, on a digital map. The read-out component position is assumed to be the location of the rail vehicle 1 at the time the rail vehicle 1 passes over this identified component.

[0055] In this way, the Fig.2 Any shifts in the peaks due to tolerances in the measuring position must be corrected to the actual, fixed and known component position.

[0056] The position detection device and the described method can also be used by trams and network operators with a high proportion of shunting operations to track vehicle routes. This can benefit from its dual use as a positioning instrument and a tool for network condition monitoring. Furthermore, integration into continuous tracking systems can contribute to achieving or improving purely vehicle-based tracking systems. This is particularly applicable to railway companies. List of reference symbols 1 railway line 2 track switches 3 Rail vehicle 4 Heart 5 End tangent 6 intermediate rail 7 left rail 8 wing rail 9 Tongue 10 Tip of the tongue 11 Stock rail 12 Tongue end 13 steering arms 14 right rail 15 Motion sensor 16 Railway wheel 17 Axle alignment 18 Data processing unit 19 position signal receivers QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2004 063 049 A1

[0005] DE 10 2006 061 811 A1

[0006] DE 10 2018 115 373 A1

[0010]

Claims

[1] Position detection device for a rail vehicle (3) having a chassis with railway wheels (16) and designed to travel on railway tracks (1), characterized by that the position detection device has a motion sensor (15) for detecting the lifting movement (Δh) of a respective associated railway wheel (16) and is designed to detect the passing over of a characteristic component (2) of the railway track (1) on the basis of the height profile of the railway wheel (16) detected by the motion sensor (15). [2] Position detecting device according to claim 1, characterized by that the motion sensor (15) is an acceleration sensor and the position detection device is designed to detect a lifting movement (Δh) of the railway wheel associated with the motion sensor (15) from the measured acceleration values. [3] Position detecting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the motion sensor (15) is an axle bearing acceleration sensor. [4] Position detecting device according to claim 3, characterized by in that the position detection device has two motion sensors (15) for coupling each to a railway wheel (16) of a pair of railway wheels (16) arranged on a common axle alignment (17), each for the right and left rails (7, 14) of the railway track (1), and one of the motion sensors (15) is designed to detect the lifting movement (Δh) of the first railway wheel (16) coupled to this motion sensor (15) and the other motion sensor (15) is designed to detect the lifting movement (Δh) of the second railway wheel (16) coupled to this motion sensor (15), and in that the position detection device is designed to detect the running over of a characteristic component (2) on the basis of different characteristic lifting movements (Δh) occurring at a time. [5] Position detection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the position detection device is set up to detect the crossing of a frog (4) of a track switch (2) as a characteristic component on the basis of the height profile of the railway wheels (16) detected by the motion sensor (15). [6] Position detecting device according to claim 5, characterized by that the position detection device is designed to detect the crossing of a frog (4) of a track switch (2) on the basis of an abrupt, brief lowering of a railway wheel (16) of a pair of railway wheels (19). [7] Position detection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the position detection device further comprises a position signal receiver (19) for receiving position locating signals and for determining the measuring position of the position signal receiver (19) from the received position locating signals. [8] Position detecting device according to claim 7, characterized by that the position signal receiver (19) is configured to receive position finding signals from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). [9] Position detecting device according to claim 7, characterized by that the position signal receiver (19) is designed to receive position locating signals from balises installed on the track side of the railway (1). [10] Position detecting device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized byin that the position detection device has a data memory with position data on component positions of characteristic components (2) and is set up to identify a characteristic component (2) on the basis of the measurement position detected by the position signal receiver (19) and to determine the current location of the motion sensor (15) at the time of the detection of the passing over of a characteristic component (2) on the basis of the height profile (Δh) of the railway wheel (16) detected by the motion sensor (15) as a stored component position of the characteristic component (2) identified with the measurement position. [11] Rail vehicle (3) with at least one chassis having railway wheels (16) and designed to travel on railway tracks (1), characterized bythat the rail vehicle (3) has a position detection device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a motion sensor (15) with an associated railway wheel (16) is set up to detect the lifting movement (Δh) of the associated railway wheel (16) and to detect the passing over of a characteristic component (2) of the railway track (1) on the basis of the height profile (Δh) of the railway wheel (16) detected by the motion sensor (15). [12] Rail vehicle (3) according to claim 11, wherein the running gear comprises at least one pair of railway wheels (16) arranged on a common axle alignment (17) for the right and left rails of a railway track (1), characterized byin that a first movement sensor (15) is coupled to a first railway wheel (16) and is designed to detect the lifting movement (Δh) of the first railway wheel (16) and a second movement sensor (15) is coupled to a second railway wheel (16) and is designed to detect the lifting movement (Δh) of the second railway wheel (16), and in that the position detection device is designed to detect the passing over of a characteristic component (2) on the basis of different characteristic lifting movements (Δh) of the first and second railway wheels (16) of the pair of railway wheels (16) occurring at a time. [13] Rail vehicle (3) according to one of claims 11 to 12, characterized by that the at least one motion sensor (15) is an axle bearing acceleration sensor. [14] Method for detecting the current position of a rail vehicle (3) which has a chassis with railway wheels (16) and is designed to travel on railway tracks (1), characterized by Continuously recording the lifting movement (Δh) of an associated railway wheel (16) and detecting the passing over of a characteristic component (2) of the railway track (1) on the basis of the height profile (Δh) of the railway wheel (16) recorded by the motion sensor (15). [15] Method according to claim 14, characterized by Detecting the crossing of a frog (4) of a track switch (2) as a characteristic component on the basis of characteristic properties of height profiles (Δh) measured over time of two railway wheels (16) which are arranged on a common axle alignment (17) and are designed to travel on the right and left rails (7, 14) of the railway track (1). [16] Method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized byMeasuring the measuring position of a position signal receiver (19) by - receiving position-finding signals and determining the measuring position of the position-finding signal receiver (19) from the received position-finding signals, - identifying a characteristic component (2) based on the measurement position detected by the position signal receiver (19) and the component positions of characteristic components (2) stored in a data memory, wherein the characteristic component (2) identified as closest to the measurement position is selected, and - Determining the current location of the motion sensor (15) at the time of detection of the passing over of a characteristic component (2) based on the height profile of the railway wheel (16) recorded by the motion sensor (15) as a stored component position of the characteristic component (2) identified with the measurement position.

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