DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE-SIDE INSTALLATION

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle-side arrangement comprising a vehicle-side train protection system and a vehicle-side display system.

[0002] A train protection system, also called a train control system, is a technical system used on railways to control the movement of trains depending on the permitted speed. A train protection system comprises technical systems located along the line, i.e. on or next to the track, and technical systems located on or in the vehicle, i.e. on or in the train. The train protection system is therefore divided into trackside technical systems and vehicle-side technical systems. Trackside systems include, in particular, beacons coupled to signals. The signals or beacons inform the driver not to enter one or more upcoming track sections (stop), to enter (go), or to enter while observing a maximum speed.The trackside technical systems of the train protection system communicate with the on-board technical systems.

[0003] This information transfer from the trackside systems to the on-board systems of a train protection system is generally carried out contactlessly via magnetic or electromagnetic fields and corresponding transmitting and receiving components.

[0004] It is essential for train protection and the execution of train protection functions that the on-board technical systems of the train process the train protection information transmitted by the trackside technical systems. In accordance with this information processing of the train protection information, the on-board train protection control unit issues commands which are implemented in further on-board train protection modules and which result in the train being braked in good time if entry into a ahead section of track is not permitted, or in the case of permitted entry into a section of track, being braked in such a way that the maximum permissible travel speed within this section of track is not exceeded. In the cases mentioned, an emergency brake is triggered by the train protection system. This means that the train protection system orthe train protection functions of a train protection system intervene directly in train operations.

[0005] On railway lines equipped with a train protection system, fixed signals are often used on the trackside. These fixed signals include semaphore signals and light signals. Each signal has a specific meaning. The term "signal" refers to the information the signal represents, i.e., the signal term indicates the meaning of the signal. Signal terms include, for example, "Stop," "Go," "Slow down," etc. These trackside signals are usually located at numerous specific points along the railway line. If the train driver is driving "by sight," they must, of course, know and observe the signal terms of the individual signals and adjust their speed accordingly on certain sections of the line.If the train driver nevertheless exceeds the maximum permitted speed within a section of track, the train protection system intervenes, as described above, and triggers an emergency braking action. If, as in the case described, the signals are located at several specific points along the railway line, such an emergency braking action is referred to as point-based train protection or point-based train control.

[0006] However, from time to time, on railway lines operated "by sight," the trackside signals visually perceptible to the train driver require maintenance or repair, meaning that no visual signal aspect is visible to the train driver when traveling on such sections. Alternatively, on newly constructed railway lines, signals or signal aspects visually perceptible to the train driver are partially or completely omitted. However, on these railway lines, information points still exist where signals are issued. These signals are received and processed by the on-board train protection system, usually via contactless, mostly magnetic or electromagnetic coupling, so that the emergency braking described above can be triggered if necessary.

[0007] From the article "L'equipement de securite bistandard ERTMS / KVB developpe pour le material roulant SNCF", REVUE GENERALE DES CHEMINS DE FER: RCGF, HC EDITIONS, FR, No. 231, pages 40-45, XP001526257, ISSN: 0035-3183 V, pages 40 -44, by MATHIEU THIBAULT et al., a combined safety device is known in which the two standards ERMTS and KVB are combined into a common system.

[0008] From the publication DE 10 2013 217 047 A1 a method for operating a train control system and a train control system are known.

[0009] The task is therefore to ensure flexible and at the same time reliable train operation.

[0010] This object is achieved by a vehicle-side arrangement according to the features of the subject matter of patent claim 1.

[0011] The vehicle-side arrangement comprises a vehicle-side train protection system and a vehicle-side display system, wherein the train protection system comprises at least one train protection control unit, wherein the train protection control unit is designed such that it intervenes in the driving operation in such a way that a speed change of a train which has the vehicle-side

[0012] Arrangement, wherein the display system is separate from the train protection functions of the train protection system, wherein the display system comprises a display unit which can display a signal aspect, wherein the display unit is connected to a display control unit, wherein the display control unit is designed such that the display of the signal aspect on the display unit is caused as a function of a position of the train.

[0013] These solutions to the problem according to the invention ensure flexible and at the same time reliable operation of the train.

[0014] Furthermore, the driver of a train equipped with an on-board train protection system is facilitated, or even made possible, by the train operator, particularly on railway lines designed with a trackside train protection system that are to be operated "by sight" and are not equipped with visually recognizable signals for the driver on certain sections. The driver can operate the train based on visually recognizable signals or signal aspects, which are now displayed on a display unit in the train's driver's cab.

[0015] Such a display system can be easily retrofitted to the driver's cab of a train. The existing on-board train protection system is not affected by the retrofitting of the display system in terms of its train protection functions. This lack of impact on the train protection functions of the on-board train protection system means that official approval for retrofitting the display system is not required, as the retrofitted display system does not cause any impairments or safety-related interventions.

[0016] The following applies to the time at which a signal aspect is displayed on the display unit in the driver's cab: A signal aspect should be displayed to the driver on the display unit at a position on the train at which the driver would have been able to first visually recognize the signal aspect of the trackside signal when the railway line was equipped with trackside signals or signal aspects that were visually recognizable to the driver. This means that the driver does not have to change his driving style other than to now read the signal aspects from the display unit in the driver's cab. In any case, the signal aspect must be displayed on the display unit in the driver's cab in good time to allow the driver to properly make the necessary speed adjustments of the train with regard to a section of track ahead.

[0017] Further advantageous further developments are listed in the subclaims.

[0018] In a first advantageous development, the on-board arrangement is configured such that the display control unit initiates the display of the signal aspect when a trackside activation device passed by the train issues a corresponding activation command to display the signal aspect. This allows the activation of the signal aspect display in the driver's cab to be triggered using known, cost-effective trackside components, e.g., passive activation beacons (transponders).

[0019] In a further advantageous development, the on-board arrangement is configured such that the display control unit initiates the display of the signal aspect when a trackside activation device passed by the train outputs address information and a radio transmitter connected to the display control unit accesses the address information to query the signal aspect stored therein to be displayed. This allows a large number of signal aspects to be stored and retrieved in a single central memory.

[0020] In a further advantageous development, the on-board arrangement is designed such that the display control unit initiates the display of the signal aspect when a train position detection module connected to the display control unit outputs a train position and this train position is linked to information stored in a memory connected to the display control unit such that the signal aspect is to be displayed. This can prevent impairment of the display of the signal aspect on the display unit in the driver's cab if trackside activation devices are tampered with or destroyed. This means that impairment due to vandalism is to be prevented. Furthermore, this also saves on trackside components, in this case activation devices.

[0021] In three further advantageous examples, the vehicle-mounted arrangement is configured such that the display control unit deactivates the display of the signal aspect when a corresponding deactivation command for the signal aspect is issued. One of the examples is part of the invention according to claim 1.

[0022] The solutions for issuing deactivation commands correspond to the previously described solutions for issuing activation commands and the associated advantages are corresponding.

[0023] The deactivation of a signal aspect display on the cab display unit should be performed and visible to the driver at a time when the train's position corresponds to the position of the previous trackside signal, so that the driver would have essentially passed the previous trackside signal. This way, the driver does not have to adjust his driving style, except for seeing the deactivated signal aspects disappear from the cab display unit.

[0024] In a further advantageous development, the on-board arrangement is designed such that the display control unit performs a simultaneous, nested display of multiple signal aspects on the same display position element of the display unit. This allows the train driver to identify and adjust to which signal aspect follows the current signal aspect.

[0025] In a further advantageous development, the on-board arrangement is designed such that the display of the highest signal aspect displayed on the display unit is deactivated, and immediately following it, the second-highest signal aspect is displayed on the display unit. This provides the train driver with early notification of the next signal aspect.

[0026] The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will be more clearly and understandably explained in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings using an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] The figure shows a schematic representation of a vehicle-side arrangement and track-side devices.

[0028] The figure shows an on-board arrangement 1 comprising a train protection system 2, a display system 3, and other components. These additional components are a train position detection module 8, a radio receiver 9, a radio transmitter 10, and a memory 11.

[0029] The train protection system 2 comprises a train protection control unit 4 and a speed change module 5 connected to it. The train protection control unit 4 is also connected contactlessly to a trackside train protection information output module 14 for information transmission. The contactlessness is illustrated by the use of double arrows.

[0030] The display system 3 comprises a display control unit 7 and a display unit 6 connected thereto. The display control unit 7 is connected to the other components, train position detection module 8, radio receiver 9, radio transmitter 10 and memory 11, respectively.

[0031] The radio receiver 9 is connected via a radio link to a trackside activation device 12, another trackside activation device 15, and a trackside deactivation device 13. The radio link is illustrated by double arrows.

[0032] If a train comprising the train protection system 2 passes over or passes a trackside train protection information output module 14, train protection information is output by the train protection information output module 14 and received and processed by the train protection control unit 4. Typically, this information is transmitted from the trackside train protection information output module 14 to the on-board train protection control unit 4 without contact. However, this information can also be transmitted by mechanical contact, e.g., by means of contact brushes. As a result of the processing of the train protection information within the train protection control unit 4, a command to trigger a train protection function is issued to the speed change module 5, if necessary.

[0033] The speed change module 5 implements the speed change by accelerating or decelerating the train. Typically, an emergency braking application is initiated with a defined negative acceleration, defined braking time, and defined braking distance. This emergency braking is therefore initiated automatically, especially if the driver exceeds a maximum permissible speed on a section of track or is required to stop before a section of track. The train protection system therefore monitors the driver's driving behavior and intervenes in the event of driver misconduct.

[0034] The display system 3 as part of the on-board arrangement 1, on the other hand, should neither be able to assume train protection functions nor be able to influence the train protection or the execution of the train protection functions.

[0035] The display system 3 therefore operates independently of the train protection system 2. The display system 3 is therefore separate or decoupled from the train protection functions of the train protection system 2. The display system 3 must not impair the function and effectiveness of the train protection system 2 in any way.

[0036] On the other hand, train protection system 2 and display system 3 can, of course, draw their operating energy from the same power supply (on-board network), as long as the impairment of the train protection functions described above is avoided.

[0037] The display system 3 therefore only has an informative function for the train driver; it cannot directly intervene in the train operation.

[0038] The separation of train protection system 2 and display system 3 with regard to the train protection functions is illustrated by the fact that train protection system 2 and display system 3 do not reveal any connection in the figure.

[0039] The display system 3 functions as follows: When the display system 3 or the train comprising the on-board arrangement 1 passes a specific position, the display control unit 7 causes the display unit 6 to display a signal aspect on the display unit 6, making it visible to the driver. The display control unit 7 thus causes this display on the display unit 6 depending on the position of the train.

[0040] The position of the train can be determined using various devices or modules. For example, a trackside activation device 12 signals an activation signal when a train passes over or past it. This activation signal is received wirelessly by a radio receiver 9. This activation signal can contain information about which signal aspect should be immediately displayed on the display unit 6. The display control unit 7 receives this activation signal, including the signal aspect information, performs appropriate signal and information processing, and outputs it to the display unit 6. The actual signal and information technology implementation in the display control unit 7 and / or the other components connected to the display control unit 7 is familiar to those skilled in the art and requires no detailed explanation.

[0041] The trackside activation device 12 can be designed as a passive activation balise. Passive means that the activation balise functions like a transponder, meaning it does not have its own power supply. When the train passes over / passes, a vehicle-side module induces a current in the passive activation balise, whereupon the activation balise transmits information about the signal aspect to be displayed to the radio receiver 9. Additional information can also be stored in the activation balise and transmitted to the radio receiver 9. This can be location information indicating the location of the activation balise or location and / or time information correlating with the activation of the signal aspect on the display. This can also be address information.This address information is then received by the radio receiver 9, forwarded to the display control unit 7, and processed there to instruct the radio transmitter 10 to establish a radio connection to the specified address and query the signal element stored at this address. This queried signal element is then subsequently displayed by the display control unit 7 on the display unit 6.

[0042] In addition to being designed as beacons, the trackside activation devices can also be designed as other trackside readable information carriers located on or next to the track.

[0043] The invention can also be implemented without a trackside activation device 12. For example, the train position detection module 8 continuously determines the position of the train using GPS, Glonass, or other satellite-based systems and transmits this train position information to the display control unit 7. If such a determined position of the train is linked to information stored in the memory 11, and if this link in the memory 11 is also linked to a signal aspect to be displayed, the display control unit 7 will cause this signal aspect to be displayed on the display unit 6. The train position determination can also be carried out using other methods, e.g., methods based on triangulation.

[0044] The deactivation of a signal aspect displayed on the display unit 6 is carried out analogously to the activation of this signal aspect.

[0045] If the display system 3 or the train comprising the on-board arrangement 1 passes a specific position, the display control unit 7 causes the display unit 6 to deactivate a signal aspect displayed on the display unit 6 in a manner that is visible to the driver on the display unit. The display control unit 7 thus causes the deactivation of a signal aspect displayed on the display unit 6 depending on the position of the train. The position of the train can also be determined here using various devices or modules. For example, a trackside deactivation device 13 signals a deactivation signal when a train passes over or past it.

[0046] This deactivation signal is received wirelessly by a radio receiver 9. This deactivation signal can contain information about which displayed signal element should be immediately deactivated by the display unit 6.

[0047] The display control unit 7 receives this deactivation signal, including the signal aspect information, performs appropriate signal and information processing, and outputs it to the display unit 6. The actual signal and information technology implementation in the display control unit 7 and / or the other components connected to the display control unit 7 is also familiar to the person skilled in the art and does not require a detailed explanation.

[0048] The trackside deactivation device 13 can be configured as a passive deactivation beacon. Further information can also be stored in the deactivation beacon and transmitted to the radio receiver 9. This can be location information indicating the location of the deactivation beacon, or location and / or time information correlating with the deactivation of the signal aspect displayed on the display. It can also be address information. This address information is then received by the radio receiver 9, forwarded to the display control unit 7, and processed there to instruct the radio transmitter 10 to establish a radio connection to the specified address and to query the signal aspect to be deactivated, which is stored at this address. This queried signal aspect is then subsequently deactivated by the display control unit 7 on the display unit 6.

[0049] The trackside deactivation devices can also be designed as other readable information carriers located on or next to the track, in addition to being designed as beacons.

[0050] The invention can also be implemented without a trackside deactivation device 13. For example, the train position detection module 8 continuously determines the position of the train using GPS, Glonass, or other satellite-based systems and transmits this train position information to the display control unit 7. If such a determined position of the train is linked to information stored in the memory 11, and if this link in the memory 11 is also linked to a signal aspect to be deactivated, the display control unit 7 will initiate the deactivation of this signal aspect on the display unit 6. The train position determination can also be carried out here using other methods, e.g., methods based on triangulation.

[0051] The signal processing between the display control unit 7 and the vehicle-side components connected to the display control unit 7 can also be divided differently. Thus, the signal processing / signal preprocessing or parts of the signal processing can also be performed in the components connected to the display control unit 7 instead of in the display control unit 7, and vice versa. Radio receiver 9 and radio transmitter 10 can also be configured as a single component, i.e., as a radio transceiver.

[0052] The interaction of the display control unit 7 with the components connected to the display control unit 7 ensures a constant updating of signal aspects on the display unit 6 or a constant deactivation of signal aspects that are no longer required, i.e. that are no longer correlated with the current position of the train.

[0053] The updating of signal aspects on the display unit 6 occurs as follows: when a train first passes the trackside activation device 12, then the further trackside activation device 15, and then the deactivation device 14. The activation signal transmitted by the trackside activation device 12 is received wirelessly by the radio receiver 9 and then by the display control unit 7. This activation signal, including the signal aspect it contains, is output to the display unit 6, and this signal aspect is immediately displayed on the display unit 6. The displayed signal aspect is "Proceed."When passing the trackside activation device 15, the activation signal transmitted by this trackside activation device 15 is then received wirelessly by the radio receiver 9 and then by the display control unit 7. This "updated" activation signal, including the contained "updated" signal aspect, is output to the display unit 6, and this "updated" signal aspect is immediately displayed on the display unit 6. The displayed "updated" signal aspect is "Slow Travel." What is important here is that the updated signal aspect, in this case "Slow Travel," is displayed on the display unit 6 without a deactivation signal being received from a deactivation device 13 and / or without the display control unit 7 having output a deactivation signal to the display unit 6.If only a single display position element is available for displaying a signal aspect on display unit 6, "Slow Proceed" will appear on this display position element of display unit 6, and "Proceed" will disappear from this display position element of display unit 6. If multiple display position elements are available on display unit 6 for displaying different signal aspects, both "Proceed" and "Slow Proceed" can be displayed on display unit 6. Of course, the train driver must know which signal aspect is currently relevant for this section of track and which he or she must observe.

[0054] When passing the trackside deactivation device 13, the deactivation signal transmitted by the trackside deactivation device 13 is then received wirelessly by the radio receiver 9 and then by the display control unit 7. The displayed signal aspects, in this case "Proceed" and / or "Slow Proceed," are deactivated in a way that is visible to the driver on the display unit 6. The signal aspects "Proceed" and / or "Slow Proceed" are therefore no longer displayed on the display unit 6.

[0055] The display of the signal aspects on the display unit 6 can also be effected by the shape and color of the representations shown on the display unit 6 corresponding to a reduced copy of the shape and color of the actually existing signals.

[0056] Multiple signal aspects can also be displayed simultaneously on display unit 6. To avoid confusion for the driver, these multiple simultaneously displayed signal aspects are displayed in a nested format. This means that the currently valid signal aspect is displayed at the top of a display position element on display unit 6. A signal aspect that becomes valid later is slightly offset and displayed behind the currently valid signal aspect on the same display position element on display unit 6, making it only a fraction of the currently valid signal aspect recognizable to the driver. Multiple "offset" signal aspects can thus be displayed one after the other on display unit 6 to save space.

[0057] If the display control unit 7 outputs a deactivation signal for the highest signal aspect displayed in a display position element of the display unit 6, the highest displayed signal aspect is deactivated. The currently valid signal aspect, previously displayed offset in the second-highest position, then immediately appears in full on this display position element of the display unit 6, fully recognizable to the driver. Additional signal aspects that will become valid later are displayed simultaneously and offset on the same display position element, with only a fraction of these currently invalid signal aspects being displayed or recognizable to the driver.

[0058] The display system 3 can therefore be retrofitted cost-effectively to an existing train protection system 2 on a train, forming the on-board arrangement 1. Modification of the train protection system 2 is not necessary.

[0059] If a line is equipped with line-side signals and the official approval allows the driver to operate this line "by sight," and the on-board arrangement 1 is installed in the train, the driver has the option of operating the line by sight by recognizing the signals along the line. However, they can also operate this line by relying exclusively on the signal aspects displayed on the display unit 6. In this case, the display system 3 provides redundant additional information for train operations.

[0060] However, if certain sections of track are no longer equipped with functioning trackside signals that are visible to the driver, the driver must rely exclusively on the signal aspects displayed on display unit 6 for guidance regarding train operations.

[0061] The on-board arrangement 1 thus enables a shift of driving operation "on sight" from trackside signals to the display device 6.

[0062] If a line is not equipped with train protection and the train protection system 2 is therefore ineffective, the driver can, of course, with official permission, operate the train by relying exclusively on the signal aspects displayed on the display unit 6. The on-board arrangement 1 can also include modules (not shown) accessible to the driver for switching the train protection system 2 and / or the display system 3 on and / or off.

[0063] The display system 3 and the on-board arrangement 1 can be used in all rail-based transport systems, in particular railways, commuter trains, subways, trams, etc.

[0064] With the further or complete dissemination of the display system 3 and the on-board arrangement 1 in trains, lines that are to be travelled by sight and which are currently still equipped with corresponding fixed trackside signals can be dismantled from these fixed trackside signals, e.g. in order to save maintenance and repair costs.

[0065] The invention is not limited to the specific embodiment, but includes further modifications not explicitly disclosed that would be apparent to a person skilled in the art, as long as the essence of the invention is utilized. The explicitly disclosed and the apparent modifications are intended to determine the scope of the invention. List of reference symbols

[0066] 1 - On-board arrangement 2 - Train protection system 3 - Display system 4 - Train protection control unit 5 - Speed ​​change module 6 - Display unit 7 - Display control unit 8 - Train position detection module 9 - Radio receiver 10 - Radio transmitter 11 - Memory 12 - Activation device 13 - Deactivation device 14 - Trackside train protection information output module 15 - Activation device

Claims

1. On-board arrangement (1) comprising an on-board train protection system (2) and an on-board display system (3), in which the train protection system (2) comprises at least one train protection control unit (4), in which the train protection control unit (4) is configured such that it intervenes in travel operation so as to cause a change of speed of a train comprising the on-board arrangement (1), in which the display system (3) is decoupled from the train protection functions of the train protection system (2) such that the function and effect of the train protection system is in no way impaired, in which the display system (3) comprises a display unit (6) which can display a signal aspect, in which the display unit (6) is connected to a display control unit (7), in which the display control unit (7) is configured such that the display of the signal aspect on the display unit (6) is triggered as a function of a position of the train, characterised in that the display control unit (7) is configured such that the display of the displayed signal aspect is deactivated when a track-side deactivation apparatus (13) passed by the train outputs an item of address information and a radio transmitter (10) connected to the display control unit (7) accesses the address information and there finds an item of deactivation information relating to the stored signal aspect to be deactivated.

2. On-board arrangement (1) according to claim 1, in which the display control unit (7) is configured such that the display of the signal aspect is triggered when a track-side activation apparatus (12, 15) passed by the train outputs a corresponding activation command for the display of the signal aspect.

3. On-board arrangement (1) according to claim 1, in which the display control unit (7) is configured such that the display of the signal aspect is triggered when a track-side activation apparatus (12, 15) passed by the train outputs an item of address information and a radio transmitter (10) connected to the display control unit (7) accesses the address information in order to query the signal aspect to be displayed which is stored there.

4. On-board arrangement (1) according to claim 1, in which the display control unit (7) is configured such that the display of the signal aspect is triggered when a train position detection module (8) connected to the display control unit (7) outputs a position of the train and this position of the train is linked to an item of information stored in a memory (11) connected to the display control unit (7) such that the signal aspect is to be displayed.

5. On-board arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the display control unit (7) is configured such that the display of the displayed signal aspect is deactivated when a track-side deactivation apparatus (13) passed by the train outputs a corresponding deactivation command of the signal aspect.

6. On-board arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, in which the display control unit (7) is configured such that the display of the displayed signal aspect is deactivated when a train position detection module (8) connected to the display control unit (7) outputs a position of the train and this position of the train is linked to an item of information stored in a memory (11) connected to the display control unit (7) such that a signal aspect is to be deactivated.

7. On-board arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, in which the display control unit (7) is configured such that a simultaneous nested display of several signal aspects takes place on the same display position element of the display unit (6) .

8. On-board arrangement (1) according to claim 7, in which the display control unit (7) is configured to deactivate the display of the uppermost signal aspect displayed on the display unit (6) and immediately thereafter to display the second uppermost signal aspect on the display unit (6).