Method for operating a railway safety system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a trackside device (50) for controlling a railway safety system (40), wherein the trackside device (50) detects at least one railway vehicle-related measurement result (M1, M2) with at least one sensor (60, 70) when a rail vehicle approaches the railway safety system (40) and determines a switching time (Tu) for the railway safety system (40) based on the measurement result (M1, M2).According to the invention, the trackside device (50) checks, on the basis of at least one measurement result (M1, M2) and on the basis of one or more identification data sets (IDS1, IDS2), whether the approaching rail vehicle can be assigned to the identification data set (IDS1, IDS2) and is a controlled train described by the identification data set (IDS1, IDS2) to be assigned, and, in the case of a recognized controlled train, the trackside device (50) reads out at least one auxiliary parameter value from a memory (52) in which at least one auxiliary parameter value is stored for the recognized controlled train and determines the switching time (Tu) using this at least one read-out auxiliary parameter value.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a trackside device and a method for controlling a railway safety system.

[0002] From European patent application EP 2 718 168 B1, a method for operating a trackside device for controlling a railway safety system is known, in which the trackside device, when a rail vehicle approaches the railway safety system, uses at least one sensor to record at least one rail vehicle-related measurement result and determines a switching time for the railway safety system based on the measurement result.

[0003] Document DE 10 2009 019302 A1 relates to a method and a device for controlling railway safety systems, in particular train control systems and level crossing systems. To generate control input variables, an RFID (radio frequency identification) signal containing vehicle data is emitted from the vehicle. This signal is read and evaluated by a trackside device to determine the vehicle type.

[0004] Document DE 102 27 046 C1 describes a method for speed control in hazardous track sections. This method has a central control unit for the track section, so that when a vehicle approaches a hazardous area, the vehicle brakes are applied to bring it to a stop before reaching the hazardous area. The vehicle's speed is limited to a safe speed for the hazardous area. The vehicle's braking point for a given speed is compared with the optimal braking point for that speed.

[0005] The invention is based on the objective of further improving a method of the type mentioned above with regard to determining an optimal switching time for the railway safety system.

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by a method with the features according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to the invention, the trackside equipment checks, based on at least one measurement result and on one or more identification data sets, whether the approaching rail vehicle can be assigned to the identification data set or sets and is a controlled train described by the identification data set to be assigned, and, in the case of a recognized controlled train, the trackside equipment reads out at least one auxiliary parameter value from a memory in which at least one auxiliary parameter value is stored for the recognized controlled train and determines the switching time using this at least one read-out auxiliary parameter value.

[0008] A significant advantage of the method according to the invention is that the determination of the switching time for the railway signaling system can be carried out on a train-specific basis, i.e., based on identified regular trains. If it is determined that an approaching rail vehicle is a regular train according to an identification data set, the switching time can be determined optimally by referring to information specific to that particular regular train. If an approaching rail vehicle is not identified as a regular train, the railway signaling system can be activated as is common practice today and as described, for example, in the aforementioned patent application.In other words, the inventive idea is to optimize the determination of the switching time for such rail vehicles whose arrival time at the railway safety system is particularly easy to estimate or predict due to their regular train-compliant behavior.

[0009] To determine whether an approaching rail vehicle can be assigned to one of the identification data sets and is a regular train described by the identification data set to be assigned, the trackside control system uses at least one of the following measurement results, preferably at least two of the following: the time interval between rail vehicles, the time interval between rail vehicles, the absolute time, the speed of the rail vehicle, the acceleration of the rail vehicle, the total number of axles of the rail vehicle, the axle spacing of the rail vehicle, the train length of the rail vehicle, the axle load of the rail vehicle, the axle loads of powered and / or non-powered cars in the case of a multi-unit rail vehicle, the number of powered cars or traction units of the rail vehicle, the number of traction units of the rail vehicle.the number of pantographs of the rail vehicle in contact with the overhead line and / or the traction energy of the rail vehicle.

[0010] Furthermore, it is considered advantageous if, in a memory of the trackside equipment, at least one identification data record, in particular a self-created, an externally specified or a previously self-modified identification data record, as well as at least one train-specific auxiliary parameter value for determining the switching time, is stored for each of two or more regular trains, and the trackside equipment checks, based on the at least one measurement result, for each approach event whether the approaching rail vehicle is one of the regular trains and, if necessary, reads the at least one corresponding auxiliary parameter value from the memory for the recognized regular train.

[0011] Preferably, for each of the regular trains, one or at least one of the train-specific auxiliary parameter values ​​is a quantitative quantity that must be taken into account quantitatively when calculating the switching time (for example, a fixed lead time, a fixed stopping time at one or more stopping points before the railway safety system, standard acceleration for the regular train, maximum permitted speed, etc.).

[0012] Alternatively or additionally, it may be advantageously provided that one or at least one of the train-specific auxiliary parameter values ​​is an identifier that defines the calculation formula for calculating the switching time (for example, identifier "1": calculation of the switching time without taking into account the acceleration of the train currently measured by the sensor; identifier "2": calculation of the switching time taking into account the acceleration currently measured by the sensor, etc.).

[0013] Incidentally, at least one of the auxiliary parameter values ​​can advantageously be a time period.

[0014] The railway safety system is preferably a level crossing.

[0015] The invention further relates to a trackside device for controlling a railway safety system, wherein the trackside device has a control unit which, when a rail vehicle approaches the railway safety system, evaluates at least one rail vehicle-related measurement result and determines a switching time for the railway safety system based on the measurement result.

[0016] According to the invention, the trackside equipment is designed in such a way that it checks, based on at least one measurement result and on one or more identification data sets, whether the approaching rail vehicle can be assigned to the identification data set or sets and is a standard train described by the identification data set to be assigned, and the trackside equipment is designed in such a way that, in the case of a standard train being detected, it reads out at least one auxiliary parameter value from a memory in which at least one auxiliary parameter value is stored for the detected standard train and determines the switching time using this at least one auxiliary parameter value read out.

[0017] Regarding the advantages of the track system according to the invention, reference is made to the above statements in connection with the method according to the invention.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments, where the following are shown as examples. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a trackside device according to the invention for controlling a railway signaling system; Figure 2 shows an embodiment of an operating program for a computer of the trackside device according to Figure 1, wherein the operating program operates on the basis of externally specified identification data sets; Figure 3 shows an embodiment of an operating program for the trackside device according to Figure 1 , which operates on the basis of self-generated identification data sets, and Figure 4 shows an exemplary implementation of an operating program for the track equipment according to Figure 1 , which operates on the basis of self-modified identification datasets.

[0019] For the sake of clarity, the same reference symbols are always used in the figures for identical or comparable components.

[0020] The Figure 1 Figure 10 shows a railway track system 10 which is crossed by a road 30 in the area of ​​a crossing point 20 and is equipped there with a railway safety system 40 in the form of a level crossing.

[0021] The railway signaling system 40 and one or more sensors arranged on the railway track system 10 are connected to a trackside control device 50. In the embodiment according to Figure 1 The track device 50 is connected to two sensors 60 and 70, of which sensor 60 transmits a measurement result M1 and sensor 70 transmits a measurement result M2 to the track device 50.

[0022] The two sensors 60 and 70 detect a movement along the direction of travel P - i.e. in the Figure 1from left to right - rail vehicle approaching the railway safety system 40, for example by axle detection of the passing rail vehicle, and transmit a corresponding measurement result M1 or M2 to the trackside equipment 50.

[0023] The two sensors 60 and 70 can transmit crossing events as such to the trackside equipment 50, or derived measurement results or other measurement results, in particular, for example, one or two of the following measurement results: the time interval between rail vehicles, the time interval between rail vehicles, the absolute time, the speed of the rail vehicle, the acceleration of the rail vehicle, the total number of axles of the rail vehicle, the axle spacing of the rail vehicle, the train length of the rail vehicle, the axle load of the rail vehicle, the number of traction units of the rail vehicle, the number of pantographs of the rail vehicle in contact with the overhead line and / or the traction energy of the rail vehicle.

[0024] The trackside equipment 50 is equipped with a computer 51 and a memory 52. ​​An operating program BP is stored in the memory 52. ​​When executed by the computer 51, this program enables the trackside equipment 50 to control the railway interlocking system 40 and, for this purpose, determines a switching time for the railway interlocking system 40. The switching time can be transmitted directly to the railway interlocking system 40, which then generates the corresponding closing command for closing the system itself based on the received switching time. Alternatively, the switching time can be transmitted indirectly in the form of a control signal ST, which itself transmits the corresponding closing command to the railway interlocking system 40 at the switching time.

[0025] Furthermore, identification data records are stored in memory 52, which the operating program BP uses for the operation of the railway signaling system 40. In the embodiment according to Figure 1 Memory 52 contains two identification data records, labeled with the reference numbers IDS1 and IDS2. Each of the two identification data records, IDS1 and IDS2, defines a control train that is to be recognized by the trackside equipment and handled in a predefined manner with regard to the switching time.

[0026] In addition, auxiliary parameter values ​​are stored in memory 52, which directly specify the switching time of the railway safety system 40 for a detected regular train or at least enable a determination of the switching time on its basis.

[0027] In the embodiment according to Figure 1It is assumed, by way of example, that memory 52 contains two auxiliary parameter sets HW1 and HW2, each containing one or more auxiliary parameters and each assigned to one of the identification data sets. In the embodiment according to Figure 1 The auxiliary parameter set HW1 is assigned to the identification data record IDS1; this means that the auxiliary parameter set HW1 contains auxiliary parameter values ​​for rail vehicles that are covered by the identification data record IDS1. Accordingly, the auxiliary parameter set HW2 contains auxiliary parameter values ​​for rail vehicles that fall under the definition of the identification data record IDS2.

[0028] In other words, the memory contains 52 identification data records as well as auxiliary parameters for two control trains.

[0029] The track facility 50 according to Figure 1The system is preferably operated as follows: When a rail vehicle passes the two sensors 60 and 70 while traveling along direction P, the corresponding measurement results M1 and M2 are transmitted to the trackside control unit 50. The operating program BP evaluates the measurement results M1 and M2 and checks, using the identification data sets IDS1 and IDS2, whether the approaching rail vehicle can be assigned to one of the two identification data sets IDS1 or IDS2. If this is the case, the operating program BP concludes that the approaching rail vehicle is a regular train, which is to be handled according to the auxiliary parameter set HW1 or HW2 associated with the identification data set.

[0030] The following example assumes that the approaching rail vehicle is a regular train described by, or identified by, the identification data set IDS1. Accordingly, the operating program BP will read the associated auxiliary parameter set HW1 from memory 52 for the detected regular train or for the identification data set IDS1 and determine the switching time for the railway safety system 40 based on the auxiliary parameter values ​​of the auxiliary parameter set HW1.

[0031] The train-specific auxiliary parameter sets HW1 and HW2 can include one or more quantitative parameters that must be taken into account quantitatively when calculating the switching time, for example a fixed lead time, a fixed stopping time at one or more stopping points before the railway safety system, a standard acceleration for the train, a maximum permitted speed, etc.

[0032] Alternatively or additionally, one or more identifiers can be stored in the auxiliary parameter sets HW1 and HW2 as control-train-specific auxiliary parameter values. These identifiers define the calculation formula for determining the switching point. For example, an identifier "1" can indicate that the switching point should be calculated without considering the train's current acceleration measured by the sensor; an identifier "2" can indicate that the switching point should be calculated taking the current acceleration measured by the sensor into account. Similarly, further identifiers can be defined for handling the respective control train.

[0033] The Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of an operating program BP, which is stored in the memory 52 of the track system 50 according to Figure 1 can be stored and is suitable for operating the computer 51.

[0034] The BP operating program includes a readout module 100 for recording the measurement results M1 and M2 according to Figure 1 .

[0035] If the input module has 100 measurement results available, a subsequent test step 110 checks whether identification data records are present in memory 52.

[0036] If this is the case, a comparison step 120 is carried out in which the measurement results M1 and M2 are compared with the identification data sets IDS1 and IDS2.

[0037] If, in comparison step 120, it is determined that the measurement results M1 and M2 do not match either of the two identification data sets IDS1 or IDS2, a standard control step 130 is performed, which controls the railway safety system 40 with a standard switching time Tu(STD)) and, for example, sends a corresponding control signal ST(Tu(STD)), which defines the standard switching time Tu(STD)), to the railway safety system 40 according to Figure 1 transmitted. The standard switching time Tu(STD)) can be calculated, for example, by adding the crossing time determined by sensors 60 and 70 to a predefined standard delay value.

[0038] If, however, in comparison step 120 it is determined that one of the two identification data sets, for example the identification data set IDS1, can be assigned to the measurement results M1 and M2, and it can therefore be concluded that the approaching rail vehicle is a regular train according to the identification data set IDS1, then a readout step 140 is carried out.

[0039] In read step 140, the computer 51 reads the auxiliary parameter set HW1 from memory 52, which is assigned to the identification data set IDS1.

[0040] In a subsequent, train-specific control step 150, the train-specific switching time for the railway safety system 40 is determined based on the train-specific auxiliary parameter values ​​stored in the auxiliary parameter set HW1. The result is the switching time Tu(HW1) or a corresponding control signal ST(Tu(HW1)), which is then transmitted to the railway safety system 40. The train-specific switching time Tu(HW1) can be calculated, for example, by adding the crossing time determined by sensors 60 and 70 to a train-specific delay value.

[0041] The Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of an operating program BP, which controls the railway safety system 40 by the trackside equipment 50 according to Figure 1 made possible.

[0042] The BP operating program according to Figure 3With regard to program module 100, test step 110, comparison step 120, standard control step 130, readout step 140 and rule-specific control step 150, it corresponds to the operating program BP according to Figure 2 , so that in this regard reference is made to the above explanations in connection with the Figure 2 referred.

[0043] In addition to the aforementioned program components of the operating program according to Figure 2 According to Figure 3, the operating program BP has an additional data set formation module 160, which works together with the test step 110 and the read module 100.

[0044] The BP program module according to Figure 3The system works as follows: If, during test step 110, it is determined that no identification data records are stored in memory 52 and, for this reason, a comparison with existing identification data records cannot take place, the control of the railway safety system 40 is carried out according to the standard control step 130, as described in connection with the Figure 2 has been explained.

[0045] Additionally, the data set generation module 160 is activated, which independently generates identification data sets, for example the identification data sets IDS1 and IDS2, based on the input measurement results M1 and M2 from the input module 100. Figure 1 , generated.

[0046] The data set generation module 160 creates the identification data sets IDS1 and IDS2 based on the measurement results M1 and M2, preferably by checking whether, in the case of past proximity events, the measured results for a subset of rail vehicles are identical or at least sufficiently similar according to a predefined similarity threshold. If a subset is identified, identification data for the identification data set is generated based on the measurement results deemed similar, and the identification data set is then formed using this generated identification data. Sufficient similarity of a subset of measurement results can be inferred, for example, if the measurement results of this subset do not deviate from the mean of the respective subset by a predefined amount.

[0047] It is advantageous if the data set creation module 160 uses at least one of the above-mentioned types of measurement results as measurement results M1 and M2.

[0048] The Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of an operating program BP, which is run by the computer 51 of the trackside equipment 50 according to Figure 1 can be used to control the railway safety system 40. The program module BP according to Figure 4 encompasses all program steps or program modules related to the Figure 2 and 3 as have already been explained; in this regard, please refer to the above statements.

[0049] In addition to the program modules already explained, the operating program BP according to Figure 4A modification module 170 is provided, which works together with the comparison step 120 and the read module 100 and is designed to modify an identification data set identified within the comparison step 120, for example the identification data set IDS1, depending on the measurement results M1 and M2 currently recorded by the read module 100.

[0050] If such a modification of the identification data record IDS1 takes place, a modified modification data record IDS1' is created, which is stored in memory 52 as a replacement for the previously stored earlier identification data record IDS1. In other words, the modified identification data record IDS1' replaces the earlier identification data record IDS1, which was stored in the Figure 1This is shown. As part of the modification of the identification data set IDS1, for example, a more narrowly defined identification data set can be created, especially if the measurement results measured in the past during approach events show that rail vehicles that are recorded by the identification data set and recognized as the corresponding regular train would also be recorded by the more narrowly defined identification data set.

[0051] Modifying the identification data record IDS1 is also advantageous if past measurement results from approach events show that rail vehicles identified by the specified identification data record and recognized as the same regular train can be assigned to different subgroups of regular trains. In such a case, sub-records can be created within the identification data record IDS1, or the existing identification data record IDS1 can be replaced by two new identification data records, which are located in the Figure 4 are marked with the reference symbols IDS1' and IDS".

Claims

1. Method for operating a route facility (50) for controlling a railway safety system (40), wherein the route facility (50) acquires at least one measurement result (M1, M2) relating to a rail vehicle using at least one sensor (60, 70) when a rail vehicle approaches the railway safety system (40) and determines a switchover time instant (Tu) for the railway safety system (40) based on the measurement result (M1, M2), characterised in that - based on the at least one measurement result (M1, M2) and based on one or a number of identification datasets (IDS1, IDS2), the route facility (50) checks whether the approaching rail vehicle is to be assigned to the or one of the identification datasets (IDS1, IDS2) and whether it is to be concluded that the approaching rail vehicle is a scheduled train described by the identification dataset (IDS1, IDS2) to be assigned, and - in the case of a scheduled train identified from a memory (52), in which at least one auxiliary parameter value for the identified scheduled train is stored, the route facility (50) reads out this at least one auxiliary parameter value and determines the switchover time instant (Tu) using this at least one read-out auxiliary parameter value and - in the event that an approaching rail vehicle is not identified as a scheduled train, the route facility determines the switchover time instant (Tu) using the acquired measurement result (M1, M2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the route facility (50) checks whether the approaching rail vehicle is to be assigned to the or one of the identification datasets (IDS1, IDS2) and whether it is a scheduled train described by the identification dataset (IDS1, IDS2) to be assigned and uses at least one of the following measurement results (M1, M2), preferably at least two of the following measurement results (M1, M2): - time gap between rail vehicles, - temporal interval between rail vehicles, - absolute time, - speed of the rail vehicle, - acceleration of the rail vehicle, - total number of axles of the rail vehicle, - axis-centre distance of the rail vehicle, - train length of the rail vehicle, - axle load of the rail vehicle, - axle loads of driven and / or non-driven wagons if the vehicle is multi-membered, - number of driven wagons or traction vehicles of the railway vehicle, - number of current collectors of the railway vehicle in contact with the overhead line, - traction energy of the railway vehicle.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that - at least one identification dataset (IDS1, IDS2), in particular an autonomously generated, externally provided or previously autonomously modified identification dataset is stored in a memory (52) of the route facility (50) for two or more scheduled trains in each case, together with at least one auxiliary parameter value individual to the scheduled train for each scheduled train for determining the switchover time instant (Tu) and based on the at least one measurement result (M1, M2), the route facility (50) checks in each case each time a vehicle approaches whether the approaching rail vehicle is one of the scheduled trains and if necessary, reads out the at least one corresponding auxiliary parameter value from the memory (52) for the identified scheduled train.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that for each of the scheduled trains in each case, - the one or at least one of the auxiliary parameter values individual to the scheduled train is a quantitative value, which is to be taken into account quantitively when calculating the switchover time instant (Tu), and / or - the or at least one of the auxiliary parameter values individual to the scheduled train is an identifier which defines the calculation formula for calculating the switchover time instant (Tu).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a timespan is stored as an auxiliary parameter value or as at least one of the auxiliary parameter values.

6. Route facility (50) for controlling a railway safety system (40), wherein the route facility (50) has a control facility which evaluates at least one measurement result (M1, M2) relating to a rail vehicle when a rail vehicle approaches the railway safety system (40) and determines a switchover time instant (Tu) for the railway safety system (40) based on the measurement result (M1, M2), characterised in that - the route facility (50) is designed to check, based on the at least one measurement result (M1, M2) and based on one or a number of identification datasets (IDS1, IDS2), whether the approaching rail vehicle is to be assigned to the or one of the identification datasets (IDS1, IDS2) and whether it is to be concluded that the approaching rail vehicle is a scheduled train described by the identification dataset (IDS1, IDS2) to be assigned, and - the route facility (50) is designed such that, in the case of a scheduled train identified from a memory (52), in which at least one auxiliary parameter value for the identified scheduled train is stored, the route facility (50) reads out this at least one auxiliary parameter value and determines the switchover time instant (Tu) using this at least one read-out auxiliary parameter value and - in the event that an approaching rail vehicle is not identified as a scheduled train, the route facility determines the switchover time instant (Tu) using the acquired measurement result (M1, M2).

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