Method for providing departure permission for a rail vehicle located in a stopping section
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SIEMENS MOBILITY AG
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-01
Smart Images
Figure EP2024065541_27022025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001]Method for providing departure permission for a rail vehicle located in a stopping section. The present invention relates to a method for providing departure permission for a rail vehicle located in a stopping section. In rail-bound traffic, trains travel the railway network along routes that are requested by a control system at the dispatching train control level. This request can be triggered automatically if the trains are running according to the timetable and thus a sequence of previously planned routes is provided. In the event of deviations from the timetable or other deviating interventions, the routes are requested manually by the train dispatcher.Each requested route is only set by a control unit (central or decentralized) when the route elements (switches, signals, block-clearance signaling, moving block in ETCS) for this route are available and can be set accordingly, blocking them from other use by competing routes. After the route or the route elements within it have been used, this blocking is lifted, and the route elements are available for setting new routes. This aforementioned procedure for providing routes also applies when a train departs after a station stop.A train driver can only leave the station, i.e., only depart again, when the required connecting route to the stopping section has been set and permission has been granted either via a green signal light and / or corresponding information on the on-board unit (OBU) display, and when the train conductor has also reported the train's readiness to depart. While setting the timetable is implemented as an automatic process, reporting readiness to depart still requires considerable effort on the part of the train conductor and the installed equipment, such as interlocking components, switch boxes, etc.Depending on the regulations for a train's departure, this usually still means that the train attendant must first prevent a train door from blocking and then go to a control box located on the track with a key and turn the key to signal readiness for departure. This readiness for departure must then be routed via the signal box and also signaled to the train driver. The train attendant must then re-enter the train at the door they reserved and then close this door as well. If the train driver now sees the appropriate signal light, they can depart after closing this last door. It is easy to understand that this procedure cannot be viewed as an efficient implementation of train dispatch (issuing permission to depart) and therefore cannot be viewed as having a positive impact on timetable stability.This requires significant interlocking components and, consequently, the costs for their acquisition, operation, and maintenance. Furthermore, improved passenger safety and an increase in the degree of digitalization in railway operations would also be desirable. The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method for providing a departure permit for a rail vehicle located in a stopping section, which reduces the effort and improves the sequence of processes for issuing the departure permit.This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for providing a departure permit for a rail vehicle located in a stopping section, which method comprises the following steps: a) providing a control system for scheduling the rail vehicle within a rail network; b) providing timetable data for the rail vehicle on a mobile communication device by the control system; c) providing a specific application accessible by the mobile communication device with which a readiness to depart of the rail vehicle is triggered for a selectable data set of the timetable data; d) transmitting the readiness to depart to an on-board device in the driver's cab of the rail vehicle; and e) reporting back the receipt of the readiness to depart at the on-board device to the mobile communication device.In this way, the data required to issue the departure authorization can be obtained directly from the control system and displayed accordingly on the train conductor's mobile communications device. It should be noted here that the term "rail vehicle" can also refer to an entire train or train composition. The conductor can then confirm that his or her rail vehicle is ready to depart with a simple operation on the mobile communications device. This confirmation is then transmitted via the control system and / or the rail vehicle's data bus to the driver's cab, where it is visible to the train driver. This eliminates all track- and signal box-side installations, while the digitalized process simultaneously shortens the time required to establish departure readiness.In a useful development of the present invention, it can be provided that, for triggering readiness for departure within the specific application, a train number, a departure station, a departure track, and a departure time are displayed on a display of the mobile communication device for each selectable data set. Furthermore, or alternatively, it can be possible for, for triggering readiness for departure within the application, a display of the mobile communication device to indicate for each selectable data set whether the rail vehicle is even a candidate for a possible readiness for departure notification from a control system perspective.Furthermore, to better inform the train attendant, it is useful if, for the purpose of triggering readiness for departure within the specific application, a display on the mobile communication device indicates for each selectable data set whether a route has been set that adjoins the stopping section, as required for the departure of the rail vehicle from a control system perspective. In a logically sensible allocation of the visibility of tasks for a train attendant, it can be provided that the mobile communication device is intended for a train attendant in such a way that a train attendant application running on the mobile communication device can enable access to the specific application. This allows the train attendant to see which rail vehicle / train they are to escort on the train attendant application provided for them.The train attendant application can also show the passenger which other train attendants are traveling with them on the same train (on long trains). If they have to stay overnight at a destination, the hotel booked for them, etc., could also be shown. By simply pressing a corresponding field in the train attendant application, the passenger can then call up the specific application that indicates the train for departure clearance and allows them to signal readiness for departure to the train driver, for example, by entering a specific character pattern or number combination. It can also be specified that the specific application is terminated after the on-board unit receives confirmation that the train is ready to depart, and if necessary, a return to the train attendant application is made.With regard to the concept of the control system perspective, it can be provided that, from a control system perspective, a check of the respective operating situation on the rail network for the rail vehicle is carried out based on the data available in the control system. In doing so, the existing driving regulations will generally also be used, so that corresponding operating situations arise based on the current data and the associated regulations, such as the granting of departure permission, etc. Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention can be found in the remaining subclaims. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.The following shows: Figure 1 is a schematic overview of a train attendant application for a train attendant that is running on a mobile communication system; Figure 2 is a schematic view of an image displayed on a mobile user device for the train attendant; (a) image when the train is not ready to depart and (b) image when the train is ready to depart; Figure 3 is a schematic view of the train dispatch process, as it appears to the train attendant in images a) to d) in the specific application on his mobile communication device; and Figure 4 is a schematic overview of the data available to the train driver after a departure permit has been issued. The following describes a method for providing a departure permit for a rail vehicle in a stopping section, which is essentially based on the following steps. Central to this method is the presence oraccess to a train attendant application on a mobile communications device for the train attendant and from a corresponding view on the onboard unit in the driver's cab for the train driver as well as the exchange of data between the mobile communications device, the onboard unit and a control system for the dispatch of rail traffic within a specific section, where a train scheduled to depart from a stopping area (a train stopping in a station) is currently located, which is not shown in further detail here. The starting point for providing a departure permit for the train in the stopping section is first of all the provision of the control system with which rail traffic in the designated track network is controlled from a control center. The train attendant sees an image on his, for example, web-based train attendant application, such as the one shown in Figure 1.It informs them of their work assignments and also allows them to view an overview of their scheduled train journeys according to the train attendant application. Clicking the icon, which only displays the data for the scheduled train journeys, takes them to the next step. Switching from the train attendant application to a specific web application for dispatching a train. Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the design of the specific application for giving permission to depart. Figure 2a shows the situation where the switch to the specific application occurs before the train route has been set for onward travel, i.e. the exit signal is not yet green. The train attendant can see this from the entry “In progress” on the display of their mobile communications device, which is usually a smartphone or tablet. The train is therefore not yet ready for dispatch. The train attendant is also shown the train number. As soon as the train route has been set for onward travel, the train attendant is automatically shown the image in Figure 2b). The train is now ready for dispatch in accordance with the applicable departure regulations.The train number, departure station, platform, and scheduled departure time are displayed. The location at the scheduled departure time is also shown. Significant in Figure 2b) is the entry "Next departure: Brig, platform 11, 12:02 p.m.," as well as the circle shown further below. If the operator jumps to the specific application when the train route has already been set for onward travel, the image shown in Figure 2b) is immediately displayed to the train attendant. The train is now ready for dispatch. Figure 3 shows the process of dispatching the train, as it appears to the train attendant based on the images in the specific application on their mobile communication device: If all conditions for dispatching the train according to the operating instructions are met, the train attendant can initiate dispatch by making a circular movement and completing a colored circle, as shown in Figure 3a).It should be noted here that, in principle, a different mechanism can also be provided to trigger readiness for departure. When the circle is completely full, the circle changes color and an inner rotating partial circle indicates that the train's dispatch is being communicated, as shown in Figure 3b). If the circle is displayed in green, and the dispatch (readiness for departure) has now also been communicated to the train driver, the circle changes color again, e.g. to green (see Figure 3c). As soon as the train dispatch is displayed to the train driver, the train attendant receives feedback that the dispatch was successful, as shown in Figure 3d) with the text "Dispatch successful". By clicking on the "CLOSE" button, the view returns to the general train attendant application, as shown in Figure 1.Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of the driver's view on the onboard unit display. Once a train has been dispatched by the conductor, this is displayed to the driver in their driver application. The text in the lower part of Figure 4, which reads "Permission to depart for Täsch (TAES) granted," is representative of this.With the introduction of this procedure, existing departure signals as additional signals at the main signal are replaced by a mobile solution (here the specific application for departure readiness), thereby achieving the following objectives: i) Interlocking components for the departure signal and the switch box are eliminated; ii) Fixed installations (button box and departure signal on the platform and in the safety system in the stations) are eliminated; iii) Cost savings in acquisition, operation and maintenance are achieved; iv) Dispatch times and passenger safety are improved; and v) the degree of digitalization is increased.
Claims
Patent claims 1. A method for providing a departure permit for a rail vehicle located in a stopping section, comprising the following steps: a) providing a control system for scheduling the rail vehicle within a rail network; b) providing timetable data for the rail vehicle on a mobile communications device by the control system; c) providing a specific application accessible by the mobile communications device, with which the rail vehicle is ready to depart for a selectable data set of the timetable data is triggered; d) transmitting the readiness to depart to an on-board device in the driver's cab of the rail vehicle; and e) reporting the receipt of the readiness to depart at the on-board device to the mobile communications device.Method according to claim 1, characterized in that for triggering the readiness to depart within the scope of the specific application, a train number, a departure station, a departure track and a scheduled departure time are displayed on a display of the mobile communication device for each selectable data set.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that for triggering the readiness to depart within the scope of the application, a display of the mobile communication device for each selectable data set shows whether the rail vehicle is even a candidate for a possible readiness to depart from a control system perspective.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for triggering the readiness to depart within the scope of the specific application, a display of the mobile communication device for each selectable data set shows whether the rail vehicle is even a candidate for a possible readiness to depart from a control system perspective. Each communication device indicates for each data set whether a route following the stopping section, which is required for the departure of the rail vehicle from a control technology perspective, has been set.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mobile communication device is intended for a train attendant, wherein a train attendant application executed for the train attendant on the mobile communication device enables access to the specific application.
6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the specific application is terminated after the vehicle device confirms that the vehicle is ready to depart, and if necessary, a return to the train attendant application is made.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, from a control technology point of view, a check of the respective operating situation on the rail network for the rail vehicle is carried out on the basis of the data available in the control system.