Vehicle operation control device and vehicle operation control method

Abstract

To establish a vehicle operation control system that ensures safety while enhancing transport capacity, by controlling both vehicles traveling on the dedicated track and vehicles entering from the general roadway to prevent collisions between both the vehicles when allowing the vehicles from the general roadway to enter the dedicated track.SOLUTION: A vehicle operation control device 201 according to the present invention includes: a section direction determination unit 203 that determines the section direction, which is the direction of travel of vehicles within a section, based on the travel status of the vehicles traveling within the section, in a section of a dedicated track into which a general vehicle attempts to enter; and an entry / exit control unit 204 that allows the vehicles to enter the section based on the determined section direction. The section direction determination unit sets the section direction as undetermined when the number of vehicles present in the section is zero. The entry / exit control unit allows the vehicles to enter from both ends of the section when the section direction is undetermined.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle operation control device and a vehicle operation control method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, due to factors such as declining populations in rural areas, railway and bus routes have seen a decline in profitability, leading to reduced service and closure of railway and bus services, raising concerns about a decline in regional transportation capacity. To address these regional transportation issues, public transportation systems such as Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) have been introduced. However, these transportation systems use dedicated tracks, and only dedicated vehicles can use the tracks, which poses a challenge to their efficiency as transportation routes. Therefore, studies are being conducted to improve the convenience of regional transportation and transportation capacity by allowing vehicles to enter the tracks dedicated to railways and buses from public roads.

[0003] As a technology for controlling the entry of vehicles from public roads onto dedicated tracks, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a public vehicle attempting to enter from a public road can obtain entry permission information, such as permitted entry gates and permitted entry times, from the operation control center of the dedicated road, and then enter the dedicated road.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for ensuring the safety of vehicles on dedicated tracks, in which the area between stations for dedicated vehicles is treated as a single block section, and gates installed at the entry and exit points onto the dedicated track are controlled so that only one vehicle can travel in one block section, thereby managing entry and exit onto the dedicated track. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-30782 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-87245 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] When vehicles are allowed to enter a dedicated track from a public road, it is necessary to control both the vehicle traveling on the dedicated track and the vehicle entering from the public road so that they do not collide. In particular, if the dedicated track is only wide enough for one vehicle to travel on, there is a risk of a head-on collision if a vehicle entering from a public road travels in the opposite direction to a vehicle traveling on the dedicated track. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for adding a vehicle that has entered from a public road to a platoon traveling on a dedicated track. However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 requires the traffic control center to determine whether or not each individual vehicle can enter a section where no vehicles are present, and there is room for improvement in terms of efficiency.

[0007] On the other hand, the technology described in Patent Document 2 ensures safety by defining the area between stations as one block section and allowing only one vehicle to enter one block, whether it is a vehicle on a dedicated track or a vehicle entering from a public road. However, with this method, the distance between vehicles is restricted by the length of the block, so there is a limit to the improvement in transportation capacity. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle operation control device that can efficiently improve transportation capacity while ensuring safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one representative vehicle operation control device of the present invention is a vehicle operation control device that enables a general vehicle to enter a dedicated track from a general road. The vehicle operation control device of the present disclosure includes: a section direction determination unit that determines a section direction, which is a traveling direction of a vehicle in a section of a dedicated track that a general vehicle is about to enter, in accordance with a traveling state of the vehicle traveling in the section; an entry / exit control unit that permits the vehicle to enter each section based on the determined section direction, the section direction determination unit determines the section direction as undetermined when the number of vehicles on the rail in the section is 0, When the direction of the section is undetermined, the entry / exit control unit allows the vehicle to enter from both ends of the section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As a result, it is possible to provide a vehicle operation control device that can efficiently improve transportation capacity while ensuring safety. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the vehicle control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the vehicle operation control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle operation control system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the vehicle operation control device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, in the description of the drawings, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals. When there are multiple components with the same or similar functions, they may be described using the same reference numeral with different subscripts. When there is no need to distinguish between these multiple components, the subscripts may be omitted. Furthermore, although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used to describe various elements or components in this disclosure, it will be understood that these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element or component from another. Thus, a first element or component discussed below could also be referred to as a second element or component without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept. In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, the position, size, shape, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual position, size, shape, range, etc. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the position, size, shape, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings.

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this disclosure, "vehicle" refers to either a "dedicated vehicle" or a "general vehicle." A "dedicated vehicle" refers to a vehicle that is designed to run only on dedicated tracks. A "general vehicle" refers to a vehicle that can run on public roads and sections where dedicated tracks are laid. In this disclosure, the dedicated vehicles are described assuming that they are lightweight railcars or buses that run on LRT (Light Rail Transit) or BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), but are not necessarily limited to these. In addition, in this disclosure, a "section" means the shortest section on a dedicated track from the point where a general vehicle enters the dedicated track to the point where it exits. [Example]

[0013] First, an overview of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle operation control system in the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, a dedicated track 101 is laid horizontally, and general roads 103(a) and 103(b) intersect with the dedicated track 101. FIG. 1 also shows a situation in which a dedicated vehicle 102 is traveling toward the right on the dedicated track 101, and general vehicles 104a and 104b are traveling behind the dedicated vehicle 102 in the same direction as the dedicated vehicle 102. Railroad crossings 106a and 106b are installed where the dedicated track 101 and the general road 103 intersect, and gates 105a, 105b, 105c, and 105d are installed on the dedicated track. The railroad crossing 106 is intended to prevent vehicles from entering the crossing from the general road while a vehicle is passing through. The gate 105 is intended to restrict vehicles from entering the dedicated track 101 from the general road 103. Regarding the gate 105, if the gate is open, it means that it is possible to enter the section of the dedicated track 101, and if the gate is closed, it means that it is not possible to enter the section of the dedicated track 101.

[0014] Further, sensors 107 for detecting vehicles near the gates are installed near the gates 105, and in FIG. 1, sensors 107a and 107b are installed near the gates 105b and 105c, respectively. Furthermore, in Figure 1, the section from the intersection of the general road 103a and the dedicated track 101 to the intersection of the general road 103b and the dedicated track 101 is the accessible section S (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "section"), and the section direction in this accessible section S is the direction of the arrow indicated by D.

[0015] (Vehicle Operation System) Next, a vehicle operation system 200 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the vehicle operation system according to the first embodiment. The vehicle operation system 200 of the first embodiment includes a vehicle operation control device 201 , a sensor 107 , and a gate 105 .

[0016] (Vehicle operation control device) The vehicle operation control device 201 is a device that controls the gate 105 and controls the entry of general vehicles onto the dedicated track 101 and the exit of general vehicles from the dedicated track 101 .

[0017] When there are multiple accessible sections as shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle operation control device 201 manages data on vehicles and the like present on the track for each accessible section, and individually controls the entry and exit of vehicles into that section. The control of vehicle entry and exit in one section in the first embodiment will be described below. The dedicated track 101 in the first embodiment does not have a width that allows multiple vehicles to pass each other, and vehicles can only travel in one direction. In other words, the description will be given assuming a case where the track is a single track, as is the case with railway lines.

[0018] (sensor) 1, the sensors are installed at both ends of the section to detect vehicles near the gate. The sensor 107 may be, for example, a Lidar or a camera that can detect vehicles. When the sensor 107 detects a vehicle, it transmits the information to the sensor control unit 202 of the vehicle operation control device 201.

[0019] (Gate) As explained in Fig. 1, the gate is used to restrict the entry of vehicles from the general road 103 onto the dedicated track 101, and is connected to the vehicle operation control device 201 and controlled by the entry / exit control unit 204. The gate needs to be able to confirm its open / closed state from vehicles on the general road, but it does not necessarily have to be physically operated to open or close. For example, it may be an indicator or display like a traffic light.

[0020] (Vehicle operation control device) The vehicle operation control device 201 includes a sensor control unit 202, a section direction determination unit 203, and an approach / exit control unit 204, and repeatedly receives information from the sensor 107 and transmits control signals to the gate 105 at regular intervals.

[0021] (Sensor control unit / section direction determination unit) The sensor control unit 202 receives information about the detection of a vehicle from the sensor 107 and transmits it to the section direction determination unit 203. When the section direction determination unit 203 receives information that a vehicle has been detected from the sensor 107, if the number of vehicles in the entry permitted section is 0, it determines that the vehicle has entered from the side of the sensor 107 that detected the vehicle. Based on this, the section direction D of the entry permitted section is determined, and the number of vehicles in the entry permitted section is set to 1. In determining the section direction, for example, in FIG. 1, if a vehicle is detected by the sensor 107a, the direction from left to right on the page is determined as the section direction D.

[0022] When sensor 107 detects a vehicle when the number of vehicles in the accessible section is not 0, if the sensor that detected it is the sensor in the direction of travel in section direction D (sensor 107b in the case of Figure 1), it is determined that the vehicle has exited the accessible section S, and the number of vehicles in the accessible section S is reduced by 1. If the sensor that detected it is the sensor in the direction ahead in section direction D (sensor 107a in the case of Figure 1), it is determined that the vehicle has entered, and the number of vehicles in the accessible section S is increased by 1. When the number of vehicles in the accessible section becomes 0, the section direction is left undetermined.

[0023] To further enhance safety, a sensor may be used that can detect not only that a vehicle has passed but also the direction in which it passed. In an accessible section S where the section direction D has already been determined, if the sensor detects a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction to the section direction D, the sensor may detect an abnormality and notify the system operator of the abnormality with a sound or a lamp.

[0024] That is, after the sensor 107 detects a vehicle, the section direction determination unit 203 determines whether the vehicle is entering or exiting, and updates the number of vehicles in the enterable section and the section direction. Then, the section direction determination unit 203 transmits the updated number of vehicles in the enterable section and the section direction to the entry / exit control unit 204.

[0025] (Entry / advance control section) If the number of vehicles in the accessible section S is 0, the entry / exit control unit 204 determines that the section direction D is undetermined. If the section direction D is undetermined, it determines that vehicles can enter from either public road, and opens the gates 105 at both ends. If the number of vehicles in the accessible section S is not 0 and the section direction D is determined, it opens the gate 105 on the entry side in accordance with the section direction, and closes the gate 105 on the opposite side. For example, in the case of Figure 1, if the section direction is from left to right, it opens gate 105b and closes gate 105c. If it is determined that the vehicle will exit, it temporarily opens the gate 105 on the exit side to allow the vehicle to exit.

[0026] (Railroad crossing) The railroad crossing 106 is the same as a general railroad crossing installed to cross a dedicated road on a railway, and does not need to be installed in cases where travel on a general road has priority, such as BRT. The control of the railroad crossing may be the same as conventional ones, and the crossing may be controlled to close when a dedicated vehicle approaches the crossing. The operation of the approach / exit control unit 204 to open the gate 105 to allow the vehicle to exit may be linked to the state of the railroad crossing 106.

[0027] For example, in the case of FIG. 1, when the railroad crossing 106b is closed, the gate 105c for exiting may be opened even if the sensor 107b does not detect an exiting vehicle. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the intersection of the dedicated track 101 with the railroad crossing 106 and the general road 103 is used as the entrance for general vehicles to enter the dedicated track, but the entrance for general vehicles to enter the dedicated track is not limited to the intersection with the railroad crossing 106. For example, general vehicles 104 may enter the dedicated track from a dedicated entrance for entering the dedicated track.

[0028] (Processing flow of Example 1) Next, a processing flow of the vehicle operation control device 201 in the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an example of a flowchart of processing in which the section direction determination unit 203 of the vehicle operation control device 201 manages the section direction and the entry / exit control unit 204 controls entry / exit into an accessible section. The vehicle operation control device 201 periodically performs the flow shown in Fig. 3 while the system is operating.

[0029] (Step 307) The section direction determination unit 203 receives information via the sensor control unit 202 as to whether or not the sensors 107 set at both ends of the accessible section have detected a vehicle, and if a vehicle has been detected, proceeds to step 308; if not, proceeds to the next cycle.

[0030] Step 308: When the sensor 107 detects a vehicle, the section direction determination unit 203 checks the number of vehicles in the accessible section, and if the number of vehicles is 0, proceeds to step 309;

[0031] (Step 309) When the sensor 107 detects a vehicle and the number of vehicles is 0, this means that a new vehicle has entered the entry-permitted section S, so the section direction determination unit 203 sets the number of vehicles on the line in the entry-permitted section S to 1 and considers that the vehicle entered from the direction of the sensor 107 that detected the vehicle.The section direction determination unit 203 then determines the running direction of that vehicle as the section direction.Then, it transmits the determined section direction and the number of vehicles on the line to the entry / exit control unit 204. Furthermore, the entrance / exit control unit 204 keeps the entrance gate 105 open and closes the exit gate 105, and then moves on to the next cycle.

[0032] (Step 310) When the sensor 107 detects a vehicle and the number of vehicles on the track is not 0, the section direction determination unit 203 determines whether the vehicle detected by the sensor is on the approach side or the exit side of the section direction. If it is on the approach side, the process proceeds to step 311, and if it is on the exit side, the process proceeds to step 312.

[0033] (Step 311) If the vehicle detected by the sensor is on the approaching side in the section direction, the vehicle is approaching behind the vehicle currently on the track, so the section direction determination unit 203 increments the number of on-track vehicles in the entry-permitted section by 1. Then, without changing the section direction, the process moves to the next cycle after changing the number of vehicles.

[0034] (Step 312) If the vehicle detected by the sensor is on the exit side in the section direction, this means that the leading vehicle among the vehicles currently on the line is exiting the entry-permitted section, so the section direction determination unit 203 decrements the number of vehicles on the line in the entry-permitted section S by 1. The section direction D is not changed if the number of vehicles on the line after the decrement is not 0, and if the number of vehicles on the line becomes 0, the section direction is left unset. If the section direction is not set, the section direction is sent to the entry / exit control unit 204, which then opens the gates 105 at both ends of the accessible section, changes the number of vehicles, and then moves on to the next cycle. [Example]

[0035] Next, a vehicle operation system 400 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the vehicle operation control device 201 includes a plan receiving unit 205 connectable to an external system, and performs entry / exit control of the accessible section S by taking into account the operation plan of the dedicated vehicle. 4 is a system configuration diagram of a vehicle operation system according to Example 2. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in Example 1 above are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be simplified or omitted.

[0036] In the vehicle operation system 400 of the second embodiment, the vehicle operation control device 201 can be connected to a management system 410 that manages operation plans for dedicated vehicles. When a dedicated vehicle is operated according to a predetermined operation plan, the vehicle operation control device 201 of the second embodiment can control the section direction and opening and closing of gates based on the schedule for the dedicated vehicle to operate in the accessible section S, and can perform entry and exit control by giving priority to the operation of the dedicated vehicle. Specifically, the dedicated vehicle management system calculates the scheduled time when the dedicated vehicle will arrive at the accessible section from the timetable information, which is the dedicated vehicle's operation plan, as the direction setting scheduled time Tp, and transmits the operating direction of the dedicated vehicle at that time to the plan receiving unit 205 as the scheduled direction plan.

[0037] Next, the plan receiving unit 205 transmits the direction setting scheduled time Tp and the scheduled direction information to the section direction determining unit 203. The section direction determining unit 203 then calculates the section traveling time Tr, which is the time required for the dedicated vehicle to travel through the enterable section, by dividing the distance of the enterable section by the traveling speed of the vehicle traveling through the enterable section S. Then, it calculates the time that is the section traveling time Tr before the direction setting scheduled time Tp as the scheduled entry no-entry time Th and transmits it to the entry / exit control unit 204.

[0038] Upon receiving the scheduled no-entry time Th, the entry / exit control unit 204 closes the gates 105 at both ends to prohibit general vehicles from entering the accessible section from the general road after the scheduled no-entry time until the scheduled direction setting time. The section direction determination unit 203 fixes the section direction to the scheduled direction even if the number of vehicles in the accessible section is zero from the scheduled no-entry time until the scheduled direction setting time. This prevents general vehicles from being in the accessible section at the scheduled direction setting time Tp, and enables the dedicated vehicle to run at the scheduled time without being obstructed by general vehicles.

[0039] As described above, the section direction is determined based on the scheduled direction setting time Tp, the scheduled direction, and the vehicle's driving status within the accessible section, and by opening gate 105 on the entry side in the direction that matches the section direction and closing gate 105 on the opposite side, it becomes possible to allow multiple vehicles to enter in the direction that matches the section direction while prohibiting entry in the opposite direction, thereby ensuring the safety of vehicle driving.

[0040] (Processing flow of Example 2) Next, a processing flow of the vehicle operation control device 201 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an example of a flowchart of processing in which the section direction determination unit 203 of the vehicle operation control device 201 manages the section direction and the entry / exit control unit 204 controls entry into and exit from an accessible section. The vehicle operation control device 201 periodically performs the flow shown in Fig. 4 while the system is operating.

[0041] (Step 401) When the plan receiving unit 205 receives the direction setting scheduled time Tp and scheduled direction from the management system 410, it transmits this information to the section direction determining unit 203. When the direction setting scheduled time Tp and scheduled direction are received, the plan receiving unit 205 receives the direction setting scheduled time and scheduled direction of the section direction for the accessible section from the higher-level device via the plan. When the direction setting scheduled time Tp and scheduled direction are not received, the process proceeds directly to step 403.

[0042] (Step 403) If the section direction determination unit 203 receives the direction setting scheduled time Tp and the scheduled direction from the plan receiving unit 205, the process proceeds to step 404. If not, the section direction determination unit 203 determines that the entry prohibition scheduled time Th is undetermined, transmits the undetermined entry prohibition scheduled time to the entry / exit control unit 204, and then proceeds to step 405.

[0043] (Step 404) The section direction determination unit 203 receives the direction setting scheduled time Tp and the scheduled direction, and subtracts the section travel time Tr, which is the time required for the vehicle to travel through the previously calculated entry-permitted section, from the direction setting scheduled time Tp to obtain the scheduled entry prohibition time. The section direction determination unit 203 calculates the calculated scheduled entry prohibition time Th and transmits it to the entry / exit control unit 204.

[0044] (Step 405) If the scheduled entry prohibition time Th is not undetermined and the current time has passed the scheduled entry prohibition time, the entry / exit control unit 204 proceeds to step 406 to prohibit general vehicles from entering the accessible section S. If the scheduled entry prohibition time is undetermined or the current time has not passed the scheduled entry prohibition time, vehicle operation control based on the scheduled direction setting time is not necessary, so the process proceeds to step 407.

[0045] (Step 406) In order to prohibit general vehicles from entering the accessible section S, the entrance / exit control unit 204 closes the gates 105 at both ends of the accessible section S via the entrance / exit control unit 204, and then proceeds to the next cycle.

[0046] (Step 307 to Step 12) The flow from step 307 to step 12 is the same as the flow in FIG. 3 explained in the first embodiment, so the explanation will be omitted. The above processing allows the section direction, which is the direction in which vehicles can travel in an accessible section, to be managed, and if multiple vehicles are traveling in the same direction, entry into the accessible section is permitted, allowing for efficient vehicle travel, while prohibiting entry of vehicles traveling in different directions, enabling control to ensure safety. [Example]

[0047] The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it has a configuration in which the dedicated vehicle 102 is prohibited from entering an accessible section in which the general vehicle 104 or the dedicated vehicle 102 is traveling. In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those in the first or second embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0048] In the first embodiment, a configuration was shown in which multiple vehicles could enter an accessible section S in the same direction as the section direction, but in the present embodiment, a configuration is used in which the entry of a dedicated vehicle 102 into an accessible section S in which a general vehicle 104 or a dedicated vehicle 102 is traveling is restricted. For example, if the dedicated vehicle 102 is a train that is heavier than a general vehicle and has a longer braking distance, it is important to ensure a distance between the dedicated vehicle 102 and other vehicles in order to improve the safety of the travel of the dedicated vehicle 102. For this reason, in the third embodiment, when a vehicle with a long braking distance enters an accessible section S currently on the track, the restriction for allowing entry is increased compared to the case of other vehicles, thereby improving safety.

[0049] In the third embodiment, permission for entry of a general vehicle 104 into an accessible section S is the same as in the first embodiment. That is, a general vehicle 104 is permitted to enter an accessible section S in which a general vehicle 104 or a dedicated vehicle 102 is traveling in the same direction as the section direction. However, a dedicated vehicle 102 is prohibited from entering an accessible section S in which a general vehicle 104 or a dedicated vehicle 102 is present, or is permitted to enter only if the distance to the present vehicle is equal to or greater than a certain value.

[0050] In order to most reliably and safely stop the dedicated vehicle 102 before the accessible section, for example, an existing railway signaling system can be used to stop the train before the accessible section, just as in the case of a train. Specifically, when a wireless train signaling system is used as the railway signaling system, the stopping limit point, which is the limit at which the train can safely travel, can be set before the accessible section, thereby prohibiting the dedicated vehicle from entering the accessible section.

[0051] Furthermore, sufficient safety can be ensured if the distance between the dedicated vehicle and the vehicle currently on the line traveling ahead of it is the braking distance Lb of the dedicated vehicle. For this reason, the stopping limit point of the dedicated vehicle may be set at a distance Lb behind the vehicle currently on the line traveling ahead of it, and the dedicated vehicle may be permitted to enter the accessible section only when the rearmost vehicle is traveling at least Lb through the accessible section. In addition, the safety time Ts required to ensure the braking distance can be calculated by dividing the braking distance Lb of the dedicated vehicle by the traveling speed of the vehicle traveling through the accessible section S, and the dedicated vehicle can be permitted to enter the accessible section after the safety time Ts has elapsed since the last vehicle entered the accessible section.

[0052] Specifically, if the section direction determination unit 203 determines that the number of vehicles on the line within the accessible section is not 0, then, as an example, if a wireless train signaling system is used as the railway signaling system, the stopping limit point, which is the limit at which the train can safely travel, can be set to a point Lb or more behind the last vehicle traveling at the rear, thereby allowing the dedicated vehicle to safely enter the accessible section. As another method, the safety time Ts for ensuring the braking distance can be calculated by dividing the braking distance Lb of the dedicated vehicle by the traveling speed of the vehicle traveling through the accessible section S, and after the rearmost vehicle has entered the accessible section and the safety time Ts has elapsed, the entry / exit control unit can open the gate on the entry side to allow the dedicated vehicle to enter the accessible section.

[0053] By controlling the entry of the dedicated vehicle 102 into the accessible section as described above, it is possible to improve the safety of the travel of the dedicated vehicle 102.

[0054] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above disclosure, it has been described that the dedicated vehicle management system transmits the scheduled time Tp for setting the direction to the accessible section S and the scheduled direction of the section to the plan receiving unit 205. However, the dedicated vehicle management system may transmit an operation plan for the dedicated train to the plan receiving unit 205, and the plan receiving unit 205 may calculate the scheduled time Tp for setting the direction to the accessible section S and the scheduled direction of the section based on the received operation plan.

[0055] In the above disclosure, the gate 105 has been described as a means for permitting a vehicle to enter or exit the accessible section S. However, permission to enter or exit may be controlled using a means other than the gate 105. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which wireless devices are installed in dedicated vehicles and general vehicles, and permission / denial of entry into the accessible section is given wirelessly to vehicles approaching the location where the gate 105 is installed.

[0056] Furthermore, a display that displays the section direction may be installed where gate 105 is installed. When gate 105 is closed, vehicles cannot enter from the general road, but there is a possibility that vehicles may mistakenly believe that they can enter from the general road when gate 105 is temporarily opened to exit. To prevent this, the section direction is displayed where gate 105 is installed, allowing general vehicles to check the section direction display, and so even if gate 105 is open, if the section direction does not match, it can be determined that entry is not permitted.

[0057] Furthermore, the section direction determination unit may output an alarm when the traveling direction of the vehicle attempting to enter the accessible section input from the sensor contradicts the section direction.

[0058] The present disclosure includes the following aspects. (Aspect 1) A vehicle operation control device that enables a general vehicle to enter a dedicated track from a general road, a section direction determination unit that determines a section direction, which is the running direction of a vehicle in a section of a dedicated track that the general vehicle is about to enter, in accordance with a running state of the vehicle running in the section; an entry / exit control unit that permits the vehicle to enter the section based on the determined section direction, the section direction determination unit leaves the section direction undetermined when the number of vehicles on the line in the section is 0, and determines the section direction based on the traveling direction of the vehicles on the line when the number of vehicles on the line is not 0; The entry / exit control unit permits the vehicle to enter from both ends of the section when the section direction is undetermined, and permits the vehicle traveling in the same direction as the section direction determined by the section direction determination unit to enter the section. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0059] (Aspect 2) In the vehicle operation control device according to aspect 1, The entry / exit control unit can be connected to gates arranged at both ends of the section and sensors installed near the gates to detect vehicles, the section direction determination unit determines, based on information from the sensor, a running state of a vehicle running within the section and a number of vehicles present in the section; The entry / exit control unit allows the vehicle to enter the section by opening and closing the gate. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0060] (Aspect 3) In the vehicle operation control device according to aspect 1 or 2, The entry / exit control unit allows the vehicle to exit the section when the sensor on the exit side of the section detects the vehicle. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0061] (Aspect 4) In the vehicle operation control device according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, The vehicle operation control device includes a plan receiving unit that can be connected to a management system that manages operation plans of dedicated vehicles, The section direction determination unit receives a scheduled direction setting time and a scheduled direction based on an operation plan of a dedicated vehicle from the plan receiving unit, and determines the section direction based on the received scheduled direction setting time and scheduled direction.

[0062] (Aspect 5) In the vehicle operation control device according to aspect 4, the section direction determination unit calculates, as a scheduled no-entry time, a time that is a section travel time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that the dedicated vehicle travels through the section from the scheduled direction setting time, The entry / exit control unit prohibits vehicles from entering the section from the entry prohibition time until the direction setting scheduled time. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0063] (Aspect 6) In the vehicle operation control device according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, the entry / exit control unit is connectable to a radio device installed in the vehicle; The entry / exit control unit controls permission for the vehicle to enter the section via the radio. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0064] (Aspect 7) In the vehicle operation control device according to any one of aspects 2 to 6, The section direction determination unit outputs an alarm when the traveling direction of the vehicle attempting to enter the accessible section input from the sensor is inconsistent with the section direction. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0065] (Aspect 8) In the vehicle operation control device according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, The approach / exit control unit does not permit another dedicated vehicle to enter the section when a vehicle is present in the section. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0066] (Aspect 9) In the vehicle operation control device according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, When a vehicle is present in the section and another dedicated vehicle is about to enter the section, the approach / exit control unit Only when the distance between the last vehicle on the section and the other dedicated vehicle is equal to or greater than the braking distance Lb of the other dedicated vehicle, or when the time elapsed since the last vehicle entered the section is longer than the safety time calculated by dividing the braking distance Lb by the running speed of the other dedicated vehicle, is the other dedicated vehicle permitted to enter the section. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

[0067] (Aspect 10) A vehicle operation control method using a vehicle operation control device that can be connected to gates arranged at both ends of a section of a dedicated track and sensors that detect vehicles installed near the gates, and that includes a sensor control unit, a section direction determination unit, and an approach / entrance control unit, When the section direction determination unit receives information that a vehicle has been detected from the sensor, the section direction determination unit transmits the number of vehicles present in the section and the section direction to the approach / exit control unit; The entry / exit control unit If the number of vehicles on the line is 0, the gates at both ends of the section are opened. If the number of vehicles on the line is not 0, determine the section direction based on the traveling direction of the vehicles on the line; The gate on the entrance side of the section direction is open, and the gate on the exit side is closed, determining whether the vehicle detected by the section direction sensor is on the approaching or exiting side of the section direction; If it is on the entry side, the gate will remain open to allow entry, If it is on the exit side of the section, the gate is opened to allow the exit. If the entry into the section is in a direction that is inconsistent with the section direction, the gate will remain closed and entry will not be permitted. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

[0068] (Aspect 11) A vehicle operation control method according to aspect 10, The vehicle operation control device can be connected to a management system that manages operation plans of dedicated vehicles, The vehicle operation control device receives, from the management system, a direction setting scheduled time Tp at which the train will arrive at the section accessible by the dedicated vehicle and the operation direction of the dedicated vehicle, the section direction determination unit divides the section distance by the vehicle's traveling speed to calculate a section traveling time Tr, which is the time required for the dedicated vehicle to travel through the section; The time before the direction setting scheduled time Tp by the section running time Tr is calculated as the no-entry scheduled time Th, The entry / exit control unit prohibits entry of general vehicles from a general road into an accessible section from the general road during the period from the scheduled entry prohibition time until the scheduled direction setting time. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

[0069] (Aspect 12) 12. The vehicle operation control method according to aspect 10 or 11, If the section direction determination unit determines that the number of vehicles on the line within the section is not 0, Using a radio train signal system for dedicated vehicles, the stopping limit of the dedicated vehicles is set just before the section where they can enter. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

[0070] (Aspect 13) A vehicle operation control method according to any one of aspects 10 to 12, If the section direction determination unit determines that the number of vehicles on the line within the section is not 0, Using a radio train signaling system for dedicated vehicles, the stopping limit point, which is the limit at which the train can safely run, is set at a point Lb or more behind the last vehicle. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

[0071] (Aspect 14) A vehicle operation control method according to any one of aspects 10 to 13, If the section direction determination unit determines that the number of vehicles on the line within the section is not 0, Calculate the safety time Ts for ensuring the braking distance by dividing the braking distance Lb of the dedicated vehicle by the traveling speed of the vehicle traveling in the section, After the safety time Ts has elapsed since the last vehicle entered the section, the entry / exit control unit opens the gate on the entry side, allowing the exclusive vehicle to enter the accessible section. A vehicle operation control method comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 101... Dedicated track 102... Dedicated vehicle 103…General road 104...General vehicle 105...Gate 106...railroad crossing 200...Vehicle operation system 201...Vehicle operation control device 202...Sensor control unit 203...Section direction determination unit 204…Entry / advance control unit 205...Planning Reception Department 400...Vehicle operation system 410...Management System

Claims

1. A vehicle operation control device that enables a general vehicle to enter a dedicated track from a general road, a section direction determination unit that determines a section direction, which is the running direction of a vehicle in a section of a dedicated track that the general vehicle is about to enter, in accordance with a running state of the vehicle running in the section; an entry / exit control unit that permits the vehicle to enter the section based on the determined section direction, the section direction determination unit leaves the section direction undetermined when the number of vehicles on the line in the section is 0, and determines the section direction based on the traveling direction of the vehicles on the line when the number of vehicles on the line is not 0; The entry / exit control unit permits the vehicle to enter from both ends of the section when the section direction is undetermined, and permits the vehicle traveling in the same direction as the section direction determined by the section direction determination unit to enter the section. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

2. 2. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 1, The entry / exit control unit can be connected to gates arranged at both ends of the section and sensors installed near the gates to detect vehicles, the section direction determination unit determines, based on information from the sensor, a running state of a vehicle running within the section and a number of vehicles present in the section; The entry / exit control unit allows the vehicle to enter the section by opening and closing the gate. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

3. 3. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 2, The entry / exit control unit allows the vehicle to exit the section when the sensor on the exit side of the section detects the vehicle. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

4. 3. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 1, The vehicle operation control device includes a plan receiving unit that can be connected to a management system that manages operation plans of dedicated vehicles, The section direction determination unit receives a scheduled direction setting time and a scheduled direction based on an operation plan of a dedicated vehicle from the plan receiving unit, and determines the section direction based on the received scheduled direction setting time and scheduled direction.

5. 5. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 4, the section direction determination unit calculates, as a scheduled no-entry time, a time that is a section travel time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that is a time that the dedicated vehicle travels through the section from the scheduled direction setting time, The entry / exit control unit prohibits vehicles from entering the section from the scheduled entry prohibition time until the scheduled direction setting time. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

6. 3. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 1, the entry / exit control unit is connectable to a radio device installed in the vehicle; The entry / exit control unit controls permission for the vehicle to enter the section via the radio. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

7. 3. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 2, The section direction determination unit outputs an alarm when the traveling direction of the vehicle attempting to enter the accessible section input from the sensor is inconsistent with the section direction. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

8. 3. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 1, The approach / exit control unit does not permit another dedicated vehicle to enter the section when a vehicle is present in the section. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

9. 3. The vehicle operation control device according to claim 1, When a vehicle is present in the section and another dedicated vehicle is about to enter the section, the approach / exit control unit Only when the distance between the last vehicle on the section and the other dedicated vehicle is equal to or greater than the braking distance Lb of the other dedicated vehicle, or when the time elapsed since the last vehicle entered the section is longer than the safety time calculated by dividing the braking distance Lb by the running speed of the other dedicated vehicle, is the other dedicated vehicle permitted to enter the section. A vehicle operation control device characterized by:

10. A vehicle operation control method using a vehicle operation control device that can be connected to gates arranged at both ends of a section of a dedicated track and sensors that detect vehicles installed near the gates, and that includes a sensor control unit, a section direction determination unit, and an approach / entrance control unit, When the section direction determination unit receives information that a vehicle has been detected from the sensor, the section direction determination unit transmits the number of vehicles present in the section and the section direction to the approach / exit control unit; The entry / exit control unit If the number of vehicles on the line is zero, the gates at both ends of the section are opened. If the number of vehicles on the line is not 0, determine the section direction based on the traveling direction of the vehicles on the line; The gate on the entrance side of the section direction is open, and the gate on the exit side is closed, determining whether the vehicle detected by the section direction sensor is on the approaching or exiting side of the section direction; If it is on the entry side, the gate will remain open to allow entry, If it is on the exit side of the section, the gate is opened to allow the exit. If the entry into the section is in a direction that is inconsistent with the section direction, the gate will remain closed and entry will not be permitted. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

11. The vehicle operation control method according to claim 10, The vehicle operation control device can be connected to a management system that manages operation plans of dedicated vehicles, The vehicle operation control device receives, from the management system, a direction setting scheduled time Tp at which the train will arrive at the section accessible by the dedicated vehicle and the operation direction of the dedicated vehicle, the section direction determination unit divides the section distance by the vehicle's traveling speed to calculate a section traveling time Tr, which is the time required for the dedicated vehicle to travel through the section; The time before the direction setting scheduled time Tp by the section travel time Tr is calculated as the no-entry scheduled time Th, The entry / exit control unit prohibits entry of general vehicles from a general road into an accessible section from the general road during the period from the scheduled entry prohibition time until the scheduled direction setting time. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

12. The vehicle operation control method according to claim 10, If the section direction determination unit determines that the number of vehicles on the line within the section is not 0, Using a radio train signal system for dedicated vehicles, the stopping limit of the dedicated vehicles is set just before the section where they can enter. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

13. The vehicle operation control method according to claim 10, If the section direction determination unit determines that the number of vehicles on the line within the section is not 0, Using a radio train signaling system for dedicated vehicles, the stopping limit point, which is the limit at which the train can safely run, is set at a point at least the braking distance Lb behind the last vehicle. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

14. The vehicle operation control method according to claim 10, If the section direction determination unit determines that the number of vehicles on the line within the section is not 0, Calculate a safety time Ts for ensuring the braking distance by dividing the braking distance Lb of the dedicated vehicle by the traveling speed of the vehicle traveling in the section; After the safety time Ts has elapsed since the last vehicle entered the section, the entry / exit control unit opens the gate on the entry side to allow the exclusive vehicle to enter the accessible section. A vehicle operation control method comprising:

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