VEHICLE WITH A DETECTION DEVICE FOR DETECTING A TRACK-SIDE TRANSMITTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ITS OPERATION

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle with a detection device for detecting a trackside transmitting device.

[0002] In the field of rail vehicle tracking, the so-called Eurobalise is a well-known device. The Eurobalise is a passive balise that is activated by electromagnetically transmitted energy when a rail vehicle approaches. It then transmits a position signal at a frequency of 4 MHz, enabling a passing rail vehicle to locate it. Specifically, the position signal contains a code that identifies the balise, allowing the vehicle, which knows the positions of balises laid out in the rail network, to determine its own position.

[0003] Document JP S 57 131 004 A describes the simplification of a small position detector circuit by a method in which a phase of a signal from a horizontal and vertical loop antenna of a moving object traveling over an inductive transposition band radio link is directly processed by a microcomputer. A transmitter sends a radio frequency signal. The horizontal and vertical loop antennas are attached to the moving object. After the passages through the gates have been opened and closed by a time-division signal from a microcomputer, the received level of each antenna is read into the microcomputer as a digital amplitude via a filter.

[0004] Document WO 2016 012 106 A1 describes a system and a method for locating the center of a balise installed along a guided vehicle route. The system comprises an emitter configured to feed in the balise signal and a receiver having a first horizontal receiving loop and a second horizontal receiving loop for receiving an electromagnetic signal generated by the balise and for delivering a first signal and a second signal to a processing unit. The invention is based on the objective of providing a vehicle with a detection device that is less sensitive to interference, in particular crosstalk from external radiation, than those of previously known vehicles.

[0005] This problem is solved according to the invention by a vehicle with the features according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the vehicle according to the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to the invention, the detection device has at least two receiving antennas suitable for receiving a magnetic field component of electromagnetic radiation oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and emitted by a transmitter on the trackside, and the at least two receiving antennas are arranged offset in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0007] A significant advantage of the vehicle according to the invention lies in the fact that its detection device can reliably identify trackside transmitters, such as balises, when passing over them in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Unlike the detection devices of previously known vehicles, the vehicle according to the invention, or rather its detection device, specifically receives the magnetic field component oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Therefore, as the inventor has determined, any interference with reception due to external radiation is significantly less frequent, if it occurs at all, compared to detection devices such as those commonly used today, which measure the magnetic field component oriented vertically or in the vehicle's Z-direction.

[0008] The vehicle is preferably a rail vehicle and the trackside transmitting device is a trackside balise.

[0009] According to the invention, it is also provided that each of the at least two receiving antennas comprises at least one conductor loop whose surface normal is aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0010] The distance between a first receiving antenna of the at least two receiving antennas of the detection device and a second receiving antenna of the at least two receiving antennas of the detection device is preferably dimensioned such that when the transmitting device is passed over, the phase of the measured value of the first receiving antenna changes sign when the magnitude of the measured value of the second receiving antenna becomes maximum, and the phase of the measured value of the second receiving antenna changes sign when the magnitude of the measured value of the first receiving antenna becomes maximum.

[0011] The distance between a first receiving antenna of the at least two receiving antennas of the detection device and a second receiving antenna of the at least two receiving antennas of the detection device is preferably between 10 and 30 cm, particularly when the detection device is to be used for detecting Eurobalises. With Eurobalises, the distance between the transverse conductors that generate magnetic field components in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is typically around 20 cm, so a receiving antenna spacing of between 10 and 30 cm is particularly suitable.

[0012] It is considered particularly advantageous if the detection device for detecting electromagnetic radiation from a trackside transmitting device is designed to include at least one trackside conductor loop whose surface normal is vertically oriented, wherein a first transverse conductor of this trackside conductor loop is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the track and a second transverse conductor arranged at a predetermined transverse conductor spacing is also arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the track, and wherein the distance between a first receiving antenna of the detection device and a second receiving antenna of the detection device is as large as the transverse conductor spacing or lies within a range of ± 50% of the transverse conductor spacing.

[0013] Furthermore, additional receiving antennas, such as a third receiving antenna, can be arranged midway between the first and second receiving antennas.

[0014] The three or more receiving antennas are preferably arranged equidistantly.

[0015] The invention further relates to an arrangement comprising at least one vehicle and at least one trackside transmitting device. According to the invention, the at least one vehicle in such an arrangement is a vehicle as described above.

[0016] Regarding the advantages of this arrangement, reference is made to the above statements in connection with the vehicle according to the invention.

[0017] It is advantageous in such an arrangement if the AbThe distance between a first and a second receiving antenna of the detection device, in particular the distance between the foremost receiving antenna viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the rearmost receiving antenna viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the case of more than two receiving antennas, is dimensioned such that when the transmitting device is driven over, the phase of the measured value of the first, in particular the foremost, receiving antenna changes sign when the magnitude of the measured value of the second, in particular the rearmost, receiving antenna reaches its maximum - preferably for the first time - and the phase of the measured value of the second, in particular the rearmost, receiving antenna changes sign when the magnitude of the measured value of the first, in particular the foremost, receiving antenna reaches its maximum - preferably again.

[0018] It is also advantageous in such an arrangement if the trackside transmitting device comprises at least one trackside conductor loop whose surface normal is vertically oriented, a first transverse conductor of the trackside conductor loop is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the track, and a second transverse conductor arranged at a predetermined transverse conductor spacing is also arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the track, and the distance between the receiving antennas of the detection device in the case of two receiving antennas, or the distance between the foremost receiving antenna viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the rearmost receiving antenna viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the case of more than two receiving antennas, is as large as the transverse conductor spacing or lies within a range of ± 50% of the transverse conductor spacing.

[0019] The invention also relates to a detection device for recognizing a transmitter located along the transmission line. According to the invention, such a detection device comprises at least two receiving antennas suitable for receiving a magnetic field component of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitter located along the transmission line, and the at least two receiving antennas are arranged offset from each other.

[0020] According to the invention, it is also provided that this detection device can be mounted on a vehicle in such a way that the at least two receiving antennas are suitable for receiving a magnetic field component of the electromagnetic radiation oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the at least two receiving antennas are arranged offset in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0021] The invention further relates to a method for operating an arrangement comprising at least one vehicle and at least one trackside transmitting device. According to the invention, such a method provides that a magnetic field component of electromagnetic radiation, oriented in the longitudinal direction of the track and emitted by the trackside transmitting device, is received by at least two receiving antennas arranged offset in the longitudinal direction of the track.

[0022] Regarding the advantages of this method, reference is made to the above statements in connection with the vehicle according to the invention.

[0023] It is considered particularly advantageous if the distance between a first and a second receiving antenna of the detection device, in particular the distance between the foremost receiving antenna viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the rearmost receiving antenna viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the case of more than two receiving antennas, is dimensioned such that when the transmitting device is driven over, the phase of the measured value of the first, in particular the foremost, receiving antenna changes sign when the magnitude of the measured value of the second, in particular the rearmost, receiving antenna reaches its maximum – preferably for the first time – and the phase of the measured value of the second, in particular the rearmost, receiving antenna changes sign when the magnitude of the measured value of the first, in particular the foremost, receiving antenna reaches its maximum – preferably again – and the detection device evaluates the measured values ​​of the receiving antennas.

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments; these show, by way of example, Figure 1 shows an arrangement with a rail vehicle traveling on a track equipped with a trackside transmitter, in a top view; Figure 2 shows the arrangement according to Figure 1 in a schematic three-dimensional representation obliquely from the side, Figure 3 in a two-dimensional section the transmission device on the track side according to Figure 1 generated magnetic field, Figure 4, by receiving antennas of the rail vehicle according to Figure 1Received power – based on the magnetic field component of the radiation emitted by the trackside transmitter, oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle – as a function of the respective location of the rail vehicle on the track, Figure 5 an embodiment for an arrangement in which a receiving device of the rail vehicle is equipped with three receiving antennas, and Figure 6 the arrangement according to Figure 5 in a simplified three-dimensional representation, viewed obliquely from the side.

[0025] For the sake of clarity, the same reference symbols are always used in the figures for identical or comparable components.

[0026] The Figure 1 Figure 10 shows a rail vehicle traveling on a rail track 20. The rail track 20 comprises two parallel rails 21a and 21b.

[0027] The railway line 20 is also equipped with a trackside transmitting device 30, which may be a transponder, in particular in the form of a balise, as used in railway technology e.g. known as Eurobalise. The trackside transmitting device 30 has a first, in the Figure 1 left transverse conductor 31a and a second one, in the Figure 1 The right cross conductor 31b. The two cross conductors 31a and 31b extend in the Y direction, i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the track 20 and thus perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the rail vehicle 10. The distance between the two cross conductors 31a and 31b is in the Figure 1 marked with the reference symbol Ab.

[0028] The two transverse conductors 31a and 31b form components of a conductor loop 31 or of a conductor coil comprising several conductor loops 31, whose surface normals are located in the Figure 1The surface normal Nb is designated with the reference symbol Nb. It extends outwards from the image plane along the Z-direction.

[0029] Does the rail vehicle 10 move according to the illustration? Figure 1 From left to right, it will pass the trackside transmitter 30. To be able to detect the trackside transmitter 30, the rail vehicle 10 is equipped with a detection device 40.

[0030] The detection device 40 has a first receiving antenna 41, located at the front when traveling towards the trackside transmitting device 30, and a second receiving antenna 42, located at the rear when traveling towards the trackside transmitting device 30. The distance between the two receiving antennas 41 and 42 is specified in the Figure 1 marked with the reference symbol As.

[0031] The two receiving antennas 41 and 42 each comprise a conductor loop or a conductor coil formed by several conductor loops, whose surface normal is in the Figure 1 is marked with the reference symbol Ns. The surface normal is aligned in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle and is therefore perpendicular to the surface normal Nb of the trackside conductor loop 31.

[0032] Starting from the representation, does the rail vehicle 10 proceed according to Figure 1 As the signal approaches and passes over the trackside transmitting device 30, the first or front receiving antenna 41 of the detection device 40 will initially enter the area of ​​the magnetic field generated by the first transverse conductor 31a of the conductor loop 31 and generate a corresponding received signal E41 (see Figure 4 ). Subsequently, the first receiving antenna 41 will enter the area of ​​the second transverse conductor 31b and detect its magnetic field.

[0033] The same applies to the second or rear receiving antenna 42, which receives a corresponding signal E42 with a spatial and temporal delay (see Figure 4 ) will generate.

[0034] The Figure 3 Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the magnetic field M generated by the trackside transmitter 30 in the XZ plane. It can be seen that in the area of ​​the two transverse conductors 31a and 31b, the magnetic field component oriented in the vehicle longitudinal direction X and in the track longitudinal direction X, respectively, is particularly pronounced and thus exhibits a particularly large amplitude.

[0035] In the area between the two transverse conductors 31a and 31b, the magnetic field component oriented in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle is relatively small; in this area, the magnetic field component of the magnetic field M oriented in the Z direction dominates.

[0036] The Figure 4The graph shows the received power E41 and E42 of the two receiving antennas 41 and 42 over the longitudinal direction X of the track, and thus when the transmitting device 30 is passed over the time t. Since the surface normals Nb of the receiving antennas 41 and 42 are aligned in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle, the receiving antennas 41 and 42 are sensitive to and measure the magnetic field component Mx oriented in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle.

[0037] It can be found in the Figure 4It can be seen that the received powers E41 and E42 of the two receiving antennas 41 and 42 are phase-shifted, since the first receiving antenna 41 will initially enter the range of the trackside transmitting device 30, and only subsequently the second receiving antenna 42. The spatial position or the respective location of the rail vehicle 10 at the occurrence of the zero crossings or phase changes of the received powers E41 and E42 is indicated in the figure by the reference symbols x1 and x2, respectively.

[0038] With a view to optimal evaluation of the received performance, it is considered advantageous if the distance Ab between the two receiving antennas 41 and 42 is dimensioned such that when the trackside transmitting device 30 is passed over, the phase of the received power 41 of the first receiving antenna 41 changes sign (see location X1 in Figure 4), when the magnitude of the received power E42 of the second receiving antenna 42 reaches its maximum for the first time (upon each crossing of the conductor loop 31 in the X direction), and the phase of the received power E42 of the second receiving antenna 42 changes sign (see location X2 in Figure 4 ), when the amount of received power E41 of the first receiving antenna 41 is maximized for the second time (during the same crossing of the conductor loop 31).

[0039] Such reception behavior can be achieved if the distance As between the two receiving antennas 41 and 42 is as large or at least approximately as large as the distance Ab between the cross conductors 31a and 31b of the conductor loop 31 of the trackside transmitting device 30.

[0040] The Figure 5Figure 1 shows an exemplary arrangement in which a rail vehicle 10 traveling on a rail track 20 has a detection device 40 with three receiving antennas 41, 42 and 43. The third receiving antenna 43 is preferably arranged centrally between the first and second receiving antennas 41 and 42.

[0041] The Figure 6 Figure 40 shows the detection device 40 with the three receiving antennas 41, 42 and 43 again in a three-dimensional representation from an oblique side view.

[0042] Does it drive in the Figure 5 If the depicted rail vehicle 10 enters the area of ​​the trackside transmitting device 30, the received power or the measured value of the third receiving antenna 43 will correspond to the curve of the received powers of the two receiving antennas 41 and 42 (see Figure 4 ) and lie midway between these two courses.

[0043] Although the invention has been further illustrated and described in detail by means of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples.

[0044] The scope of protection of the invention is defined exclusively by the features of the independent claims.

Claims

1. Vehicle with a detection device (40) for detection on the part of a route-side transmitter device (30) of emitted electromagnetic radiation, wherein - the detection device (40) has at least two receiving antennas (41, 42), which are suitable for receiving a magnetic field component (Mx) of the electromagnetic radiation oriented in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X), - the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) are arranged offset in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) and - each of the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) comprises at least one conductor loop in each case, the surface normal (Ns) of which is oriented in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X).

2. Vehicle according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the spacing (As) between a first receiving antenna (41) of the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) of the detection device (40) and a second receiving antenna (42) of the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) of the detection device (40) lies between 10 and 30 cm.

3. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 2, characterised in that a third receiving antenna (43) is arranged in the middle between the first and second receiving antenna.

4. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the detection device (40) has at least three receiving antennas (41, 42, 43).

5. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterised in that the at least three receiving antennas (41, 42, 43) are arranged in an equidistant manner.

6. Arrangement with at least one vehicle and at least one route-side transmitter device (30), characterised in that the at least one vehicle is a vehicle according to one of the preceding claims.

7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterised in that the vehicle is a rail vehicle (10) and the route-side transmitter device (30) is a route-side balise.

8. Arrangement according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterised in that the spacing (As) between a first receiving antenna (41) of the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) of the detection device (40) and a second receiving antenna (42) of the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) of the detection device (40) is dimensioned such that, when the transmitter device (30) is travelled over, the phase of the measured value of the first receiving antenna (41) switches its sign if the amount of the measured value of the second receiving antenna (42) is at a maximum, and the phase of the measured value of the second receiving antenna (42) switches its sign if the amount of the measured value of the first receiving antenna (41) is at a maximum.

9. Arrangement according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that - the detection device (40) is embodied for detecting electromagnetic radiation of a route-side transmitter device (30), which comprises at least one route-side conductor loop (31), the surface normal (Nb) of which is oriented vertically, - wherein a first transverse conductor (31a) of said route-side conductor loop (31) is arranged perpendicular to the route longitudinal direction and a second transverse conductor (31b) arranged with a predetermined transverse conductor spacing (Ab) in relation thereto is likewise arranged perpendicular to the route longitudinal direction, and - wherein the spacing (As) between a first receiving antenna (41) of the detection device (40) and a second receiving antenna (42) of the detection device (40) is as large as the transverse conductor spacing (Ab) or lies in a range of ± 50% of the transverse conductor spacing (Ab).

10. Arrangement according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the spacing (As) between a first and a second receiving antenna (41, 42) of the detection device (40), in particular the spacing between the frontmost receiving antenna seen in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) and the rearmost receiving antenna seen in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) in the case of more than two receiving antennas, is dimensioned such that, when the transmitter device (30) is travelled over, the phase of the measured value of the first, in particular frontmost receiving antenna (41) switches its sign if the amount of the measured value of the second, in particular rearmost receiving antenna (42) is at a maximum, and the phase of the measured value of the second, in particular the rearmost receiving antenna (42) switches its sign if the amount of the measured value of the first, in particular frontmost receiving antenna (41) is at a maximum.

11. Arrangement according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterised in that - the route-side transmitter device (30) comprises at least one route-side conductor loop (31), the surface normal (Nb) of which is oriented vertically, - a first transverse conductor (31a) of the route-side conductor loop (31) is arranged perpendicular to the route longitudinal direction and a second transverse conductor (31b) arranged with a predetermined transverse conductor spacing in relation thereto is likewise arranged perpendicular to the route longitudinal direction, and - the spacing (As) between the receiving antennas (41, 42) of the detection device (40), in the case of two receiving antennas (41, 42), or the spacing between the frontmost receiving antenna seen in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) and the rearmost receiving antenna seen in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X), in the case of more than two receiving antennas (41, 42), is as large as the transverse conductor spacing (Ab) or lies in a range of ± 50% of the transverse conductor spacing (Ab).

12. Detection device (40) for detection on the part of a route-side transmitter device (30) of emitted electromagnetic radiation, characterised in that - the detection device (40) has at least two receiving antennas (41, 42), which are suitable for receiving a magnetic field component (Mx) of electromagnetic radiation, - the detection device (40) is able to be mounted onto a vehicle in such a manner that the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) are suitable for receiving a magnetic field component (Mx) of the electromagnetic radiation oriented in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X), - the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) are arranged offset in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) and - each of the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) comprises at least one conductor loop in each case, the surface normal (Ns) of which is oriented in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X).

13. Method for operating an arrangement, which comprises at least one vehicle and at least one route-side transmitter device (30), characterised in that a magnetic field component (Mx), oriented in the route longitudinal direction (X), of electromagnetic radiation which is sent by the route-side transmitter device (30), is received by the vehicle using at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) which are arranged offset in the route longitudinal direction (X), wherein each of the at least two receiving antennas (41, 42) comprises at least one conductor loop in each case, the surface normal (Ns) of which is oriented in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterised in that - the spacing (As) between a first and a second receiving antenna (41) of the detection device (40), in particular the spacing between the frontmost receiving antenna seen in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) and the rearmost receiving antenna seen in the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) in the case of more than two receiving antennas (41, 42), is dimensioned such that, when the transmitter device (30) is travelled over, the phase of the measured value of the first, in particular frontmost receiving antenna (41) switches its sign if the amount of the measured value of the second, in particular rearmost receiving antenna (42) is at a maximum, and the phase of the measured value of the second, in particular the rearmost receiving antenna (42) switches its sign if the amount of the measured value of the first, in particular frontmost receiving antenna (41) is at a maximum, and - the detection device (40) evaluates the measured values of the receiving antennas (41, 42).