ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FOR RECORDING THE HISTORICAL DATA OF A BARRIER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electronic box intended to trace the history of a barrier. Such a barrier can, for example, be placed at a level crossing, or at the entrance to an industrial site or at the entrance to a parking lot.

[0002] For example, barriers placed at a level crossing are automatically controlled between an open position and a closed position depending on whether or not a train is passing. In fact, these barriers close a little before a train passes to prevent motor vehicles from crossing the track, and open automatically just after the train passes to allow said vehicles to move again.

[0003] However, accidents can happen at this barrier when, for example, the driver thinks he has time to cross the railway track when the barrier has already started to close. In this type of situation, the vehicle will, for example, hit the barrier during the closing phase, or find itself stuck on the railway track, between the two closed barriers placed on either side of the track. Such accidents can also occur when the barrier is malfunctioning, which can suddenly start to close when nothing indicates it. As can be seen, accident situations with an automatic barrier involving a pedestrian, a cyclist or a motor vehicle are very numerous and varied and can have dramatic consequences.

[0004] Once such an accident has occurred, it is therefore very important to go back precisely to the scenario which led to this accident, in order to be able to establish the responsibility of the different parties involved.

[0005] Document WO00 / 68896 A1 relates to a device for controlling the opening and closing of doors and for displaying them, in particular for controlling apartment rentals.

[0006] Publication JP2016044547A describes in particular an independent electronic box that is positioned on an automatic door in order to trace the door's history.

[0007] The invention relates to an electronic box intended to be secured to an automatic barrier for the purpose of tracing the history of said barrier over a given period, after an accident has occurred. The invention is as defined in claim 1.

[0008] According to the invention, said electronic box comprises at least one means for detecting a vehicle passing to be chosen from a microphone, an ultrasonic sensor, a magnetometer, a microwave sensor and an infrared sensor, the vehicle passing detection data supplementing the measurements carried out by the other sensors present in the electronic box, the at least one movement sensor comprising an inclinometer.

[0009] Such a box is comparable to a black box allowing to precisely determine the scenario that led to an accident involving the barrier, from the measurement of physical and dynamic parameters concerning said barrier. Preferably, the barrier is automatic and operates on command to move from an open position to a closed position and vice versa. With such a box, it is therefore possible to know if the barrier was fixed in an open position or in a closed position, or in an upward or downward movement phase during the accident. It is also possible to know if the barrier suffered a violent or limited impact and what was the reaction of said barrier following this impact: acceleration, deformation or rupture. The measurements of the motion sensor and the impact sensor as well as the precise time provided by the clock are data that are processed by the microcontroller and then stored in the memory.This information is then accessible by means of an electronic device that can be connected via a wired or wireless connection to said box. It may also be considered to connect to a dedicated computer application, in which the electronic box would be referenced. A simple click on said reference then allows access to the data stored in said box. The case is tamper-proof and a passerby cannot open it without destroying it. The case is waterproof so as to prevent rainwater and / or humidity from penetrating the box, which would hinder the operation of all the components of the box. The clock provides the time in real time and is indexed to a universal clock. The energy source is intended to supply electricity to all the components of the electronic box that need electrical current to operate.This energy source can be embedded in the box in the form of a battery, or it can be provided by the national electricity grid. In the latter case, an electrical cable from said network supplies electricity to the electronic box.

[0010] Preferably, the motion sensor also includes a speed sensor.

[0011] Preferably, the shock sensor comprises an accelerometer.

[0012] Advantageously, an electronic box according to the invention comprises at least one additional sensor housed in the case and to be chosen from a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a pressure sensor. These sensors complement the movement sensor and the shock sensor already present in the case, and are intended to know in the development of the accident scenario, if the ground was wet or slippery, if there could be fog or heavy rain likely to obstruct the vision of a driver.

[0013] Advantageously, the case is made of metal. The various components of the electronic box are embedded in an insulating material, allowing the separation of said components and the metal case. The case will thus isolate the various components from electromagnetic radiation.

[0014] Preferably, the case is parallelepipedal and has a thickness of less than 20 mm. Advantageously, this thickness is less than 10 mm and in a preferred embodiment of a case according to the invention, said thickness is less than 5 mm. The case is supposed to be pressed against the barrier without creating a step or any protrusion. It must blend into the barrier, without weighing it down and without increasing its size. Preferably, a case according to the invention has the dimensions of a credit card.

[0015] Preferably, the energy source should be chosen from a high-capacity battery, a photovoltaic cell, or a rechargeable battery. This way, the electronic box is completely autonomous and does not need to be connected to an electrical network.

[0016] Advantageously, the data stored in the memory is retrieved using a means to be chosen from a connector, a wireless transmission, and a wired connection. All current data transmission means, wired or wireless, may be suitable within the framework of a box according to the invention. Thus, the box may be equipped with a socket, which may for example be a USB port. It is also possible to connect to the box using a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other connection from an electronic device such as a computer, tablet, or telephone. It is also possible to connect to a dedicated computer application, in which the electronic box would be identified by means of a reference number. A simple click on said number would then allow access to the data stored in said memory.

[0017] Advantageously, a charge indicator is placed on the case. This could, for example, be a permanent indicator light, which will, for example, change color or flash if the case's power source is about to run out.

[0018] The box comprises at least one means for detecting a vehicle passing, to be chosen from a microphone, an ultrasonic sensor, a magnetometer, a microwave sensor and an infrared sensor. Such a detection means makes it possible, for example, to know unambiguously whether a train was in the rolling phase during an accident, or whether it was stationary or decelerating. This means also makes it possible to know, for example, whether a vehicle such as a car or two-wheeler was in the rolling phase during an accident, or whether it was stationary or decelerating. This detection means will advantageously complement the measurements made by the other sensors present in the electronic box, in order to reinforce and / or refine an accident scenario.

[0019] Preferably, the box comprises at least one means for detecting a movement of the barrier to be chosen from a magnetometer and a gyrometer. This means for detecting the movement of the barrier also makes it possible to reinforce and / or refine an accident scenario outlined from the measurements already taken by the box.

[0020] Advantageously, the box comprises a means for identifying its location on a map and a means for giving the time of the recordings of the various measurements. Assuming, for example, that all railway barriers are equipped with an electronic box according to the invention, it is in fact fundamental to take into consideration, in a safe and indisputable manner, the box equipping the barrier at which an accident occurred.

[0021] Advantageously, the box includes a common means of both identifying its location and giving the time of the recordings, in the form of a GPS. Indeed, if the box were equipped with a GPS, it is easy and quick to locate it precisely on a map without confusing it with another box.

[0022] Another subject of the invention is an assembly consisting of a barrier and at least one housing in accordance with the invention.

[0023] According to the invention, said at least one housing is secured to said barrier using a means to be chosen from screwing, double-sided adhesive, gluing and welding. Indeed, this connection must be stable over time and have a certain robustness. Several housings can be secured to the barrier.

[0024] An electronic box according to the invention has the advantage of providing data on the physical and dynamic parameters of a barrier, such as its speed and the intensity of an impact it may have received, while being light and compact. It also has the advantage of providing comprehensive data allowing a realistic, even indisputable, accident scenario to be established with certainty and precision.

[0025] A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of an electronic box according to the invention is given below with reference to the following figure: There figure 1 is a schematic view of an electronic box according to the invention.

[0026] An electronic box 1 according to the invention is intended to be fixed to a barrier, preferably to an automatic barrier operating on command, and capable of moving from an open position to a closed position. For example, in a closed position the barrier may extend horizontally and is intended to prevent the passage of vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians. In the open position, it may extend rather along a vertical axis to allow the passage of these vehicles, these cyclists or these pedestrians.

[0027] More generally, an electronic box 1 according to the invention can be adapted to any type of automatic barrier capable of moving from an open position to a closed position. In a non-exhaustive manner, such a barrier can be constituted by a level crossing barrier, a barrier at a motorway toll station, or a gate.

[0028] For appeal, this electronic box is intended to continuously record over time, a certain number of parameters reflecting the state of the barrier in order, in the context of an accident involving said barrier, to go back to the most realistic scenario possible which led to this accident. In this way, it becomes possible to establish the responsibility of the various protagonists involved in this accident. This box 1 acts as a spy and is similar to an aircraft black box.

[0029] Referring to the figure 1, an electronic box 1 according to the invention is delimited by a waterproof case 2 preferably made of metal. This case 2 is closed and waterproof, so as to prevent the passage of rainwater or humidity towards the interior of this case 2. Advantageously, this case 2 is of parallelepiped shape and has a thickness of less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm, and preferably less than 5 mm. The thickness constitutes the smallest dimension of the case 2. For the other two dimensions, namely the width and the length, the case 2 has the format of a standard smart card plus or minus 20% for each of these dimensions. This case 2 is deemed to be tamper-proof, a passer-by cannot have access to the information stored in the electronic box 1.

[0030] This case 2 contains measuring equipment 3, a clock 4, an energy source 5, a microcontroller 6 and a memory 7 for storing the acquired data.

[0031] The measuring equipment 3 comprises at least one motion sensor 8 and at least one shock sensor 9. The motion sensor 8 comprises an inclinometer. The shock sensor 9 may for example consist of an accelerometer. These sensors 8, 9 allow at any time: To know the position of the barrier, To know if the barrier is fixed or in motion, If it is in motion, to know with what speed and in what direction, To know if the barrier has suffered an accidental impact, and if so, with what intensity and in what direction, To know the reaction (displacement and / or deformation and / or rupture) of the barrier following this impact, Etc.

[0032] In a more sophisticated version, the measuring equipment 3 may include at least one additional sensor to be chosen from a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a pressure sensor. These additional sensors provide information on the weather at the time of the accident, and in particular make it possible to know whether it was raining, snowing or foggy. They can therefore make it possible to know whether the road surface was wet at the time of the accident, or whether it was slippery. They can also make it possible to know whether visibility was good.

[0033] It is not excluded to introduce other measuring sensors into case 2, in order to complete and refine the accident scenarios.

[0034] Clock 4 provides the time in real time and continuously, and may, for example, be radio-controlled or satellite-controlled. This clock 4 is indexed to universal time, so as not to introduce any discrepancy with this universal time. It is essential that the electronic box 1 can provide reliable information over time, because timing is a crucial parameter in establishing an accident scenario.

[0035] The energy source 5 is preferably constituted by an autonomous element to be chosen from a high-capacity battery, a photovoltaic cell or a rechargeable accumulator. In this way, the electronic box is completely independent and autonomous. It is not, however, to be excluded that the electronic box 1 can be connected to an electrical network using a cable, thus making it dependent on this network.

[0036] The case 2 of the electronic box 1 may be equipped with an indicator light electrically connected to the energy source 5 and visible from outside said box 1. This indicator light may, for example, comprise at least one LED, and may either change color or flash if the state of charge of the energy source 5 falls below a threshold value.

[0037] The microcontroller 6 processes the information collected by the different sensors 8, 9 and stores it in the memory 7.

[0038] Once an accident has occurred, access to the information stored in memory 7 can be achieved by any means currently available. These means may, for example, include, but are not limited to: A socket made in the case 2 and connected directly to the memory 7 of the box 1. Generally speaking, this socket must allow the connection of an electronic device capable of reading the data contained in the memory 7 and acquired over time. For example, this socket can for example be represented by a USB port, and the electronic device can be represented by a computer or a USB key. A wireless network, for example of the Wi-Fi type. The electronic box 1 is identifiable by Wi-Fi and it is then sufficient to click on the reference of this box 1, to access the information contained in the memory 7. A dedicated internet application. It is then sufficient to connect to this application, displaying for example the reference of the box 1 and to click on this reference. Etc.

[0039] An electronic box 1 according to the invention is intended to be tightly and robustly attached to the barrier, for example by means of a strong double-sided adhesive. The barrier can support several electronic boxes 1 according to the invention.

[0040] It should be noted that the various components 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 of an electronic box 1 according to the invention are embedded in an insulating material occupying the case 2 and separating said components from said metal case 2. The purpose of the metal case is to isolate the components of the electronic box 1 from any electromagnetic disturbance.

Claims

1. An electronic unit (1) intended to be secured to an automatic barrier in order to trace the history of said barrier, said unit comprising a sealed casing (2) containing components including at least one motion sensor (8), at least one impact sensor (9), a clock (4), a microcontroller (6), an energy source (5), and a memory (7) allowing said microcontroller (6) to store the measurements of said sensors (8, 9) according to the time, said unit being characterized it comprises at least one means for detecting the passage of a vehicle to be selected from a microphone, an ultrasonic sensor, a magnetometer, a microwave sensor and an infrared sensor, the vehicle passage detection data completing the measurements done by the other sensors present in the electronic unit, and in that the at least one motion sensor (8) comprises an inclinometer.

2. The electronic unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the motion sensor (8) also comprises a speed sensor.

3. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the impact sensor (9) comprises an accelerometer.

4. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one additional sensor housed in the casing (2) and to choose selected from a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a pressure sensor.

5. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the casing (2) is made of metal.

6. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the casing (2) is parallelepiped and has a thickness of less than 20 mm.

7. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the energy source (5) is to be selected from a high-capacity battery, a photovoltaic cell or a rechargeable battery.

8. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the recovery of the data stored in the memory (7) is performed from a means to be selected from a connector, a non-wired transmission and a wired connection.

9. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a charge indicator is placed on the casing (2).

10. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises at least one means for detecting a movement of the barrier to be selected from a magnetometer and a gyrometer.

11. The electronic unit according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises means for identifying its location on a map and means for giving the time of the recordings of the various measurements.

12. The electronic unit according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a common means for both identifying its location and giving the time of the recordings in the form of a GPS.

13. An assembly consisting of a barrier and at least one unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said at least one unit (1) is secured to said barrier with a means to selected from screwing, double-sided adhesive, bonding and welding.