Driving status display system, driving status display method, and driving status display program

Abstract

This invention provides a driving status display system, a driving status display method, and a driving status display program that enable comparison of the driving status of a railway vehicle driver with the driving status of other railway vehicles. [Solution] The driving status display system 10 includes an acquisition processing unit 111 that acquires the notch position of the master controller handle, which can switch the acceleration and deceleration of the railway vehicle in multiple stages, from each of the multiple railway vehicles, and a display processing unit 112 that displays the multiple notch positions corresponding to each of the multiple railway vehicles acquired by the acquisition processing unit 111 in an identifiable manner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for displaying the operation content of the driving operation of a railway vehicle (train) driver.

Background Art

[0002] A system for presenting the relationship between the vehicle position of a railway vehicle running on a railway track and the operation content of the driving operation in the railway vehicle is known. For example, the system estimates the operation content of the driver's driving operation based on an image of a master handle taken by a camera installed in the driver's cab (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the conventional technology, although it is possible to grasp the operation content (driving situation) of the driving operation corresponding to the target railway vehicle, it is impossible to compare it with the driving situation corresponding to other railway vehicles. Therefore, there arises a problem that it is difficult to evaluate the driving operation of the target railway vehicle.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a driving situation display system, a driving situation display method, and a driving situation display program capable of comparing the driving situation of a railway vehicle driver with the driving situation corresponding to other railway vehicles.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An operating status display system according to one aspect of the present invention is a system that displays the operating status related to the operation of a railway vehicle. The operating status display system comprises an acquisition processing unit that acquires the operating position of an operation unit that can switch the acceleration and deceleration of a railway vehicle in multiple stages from each of a plurality of railway vehicles, and a display processing unit that displays a plurality of the operation positions corresponding to each of the plurality of railway vehicles acquired by the acquisition processing unit in an identifiable manner.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for displaying operating conditions of a railway vehicle. This method involves one or more processors performing the following actions: acquiring the operating position of an operating unit that can switch the acceleration and deceleration of a railway vehicle in multiple stages from each of a plurality of railway vehicles; and displaying the plurality of operating positions corresponding to each of the plurality of railway vehicles in an identifiable manner.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a driving status display program that displays the driving status of a railway vehicle. The driving status display program is a program that causes one or more processors to perform the following actions: to acquire the operating position of an operating unit that can switch the acceleration and deceleration of a railway vehicle in multiple stages from each of a plurality of railway vehicles, and to display the plurality of operating positions corresponding to each of the plurality of railway vehicles that are acquired in an identifiable manner. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a driving status display system, a driving status display method, and a driving status display program can be presented that make it possible to compare the driving status of a railway vehicle driver with the driving status of other railway vehicles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an operating status display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]Figure 2 shows an example of driving status information used in the driving status display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of driving status information used in the driving status display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of user information used in the driving status display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of a driving operation pattern display page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of a driving operation pattern display page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of a driving operation pattern display page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a driving operation pattern display page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a notch display page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of a peripheral information page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for displaying the driving status in the driving status display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows an example of a driving operation pattern display page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] Figure 13 shows an example of a power consumption display page displayed on an operating terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention will be described while referring to the attached drawings below for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the present invention. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples that embody the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] [Operation Status Display System 10] As shown in FIG. 1, the operation status display system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a management server 1, an operation terminal 2, and a railway vehicle. The management server 1, the operation terminal 2, and the railway vehicle can communicate with each other via a communication network N such as the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, or a public telephone line. Note that the management server 1 and the operation terminal 2 may be communicably connected, and the management server 1 and the railway vehicle may be communicably connected. That is, the operation terminal 2 and the railway vehicle do not necessarily have to be communicable.

[0013] The management server 1 acquires various types of information regarding the operation status from the railway vehicle and manages the operation status. Specifically, the management server 1 acquires information such as the operation content (notch position) of the master controller handle by the driver, the traveling speed of the railway vehicle, and the traveling position of the railway vehicle from the railway vehicle. The management server 1 may acquire the information from the railway vehicle in real time, or may acquire the information at a preset time (cycle).

[0014] Note that the master controller according to the present embodiment has a specification that enables switching (activation) between four levels of power running (accelerator) from P1 notch to P4 notch, seven levels of braking from B1 notch to B7 notch, emergency braking, and neutral (slack). The specification of the master controller is not limited to the above specification.

[0015] For example, a sensor electrically connected to the master controller handle is installed on the driver's cab of a railway vehicle, and the sensor detects the position of the master controller handle (notch position). A control device (not shown) of the railway vehicle transmits the detection result (notch position information) of the sensor to the management server 1 together with the time information. Further, the control device transmits the running speed and running position of the railway vehicle to the management server 1 together with the time information. For example, the control device accumulates information on the notch, running speed, and running position in a storage unit at a predetermined cycle, and transmits the information accumulated in the storage unit to the management server 1 at a predetermined timing (such as the timing when the railway vehicle arrives at the terminal station or the timing when the operation of the day ends). The management server 1 stores and manages the driving situation in which the time (date and time), the notch of the master controller handle, the running speed, and the running position are associated with each other.

[0016] The operation terminal 2 is an operation terminal for a user to check the driving situation of the railway vehicle. The user is, for example, an administrator of a railway company, a driver of a railway vehicle, a conductor, or the like. For example, the user can log in to the driving situation display site on the operation terminal 2 to check the driving situation.

[0017] In the present embodiment, the management server 1 alone corresponds to the driving situation display system according to the present invention. However, the driving situation display system according to the present invention may include one or more of the management server 1, the operation terminal 2, and the railway vehicle. For example, when the components of the management server 1, the operation terminal 2, and the railway vehicle cooperate to share and execute the driving situation display process (see FIG. 11) described later, a system including a plurality of components that execute the process can be regarded as the driving situation display system according to the present invention. That is, the management server 1, the operation terminal 2, and the railway vehicle may constitute the driving situation display system according to the present invention. Further, the management server 1 and the operation terminal 2 may constitute the driving situation display system according to the present invention.

[0018] [Management Server 1] As shown in Figure 1, the management server 1 is a server (e.g., a cloud server) equipped with a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation display unit 13, and a communication unit 14. The management server 1 is not limited to a single computer; it may be a computer system in which multiple computers work together. Furthermore, the various processes performed by the management server 1 may be distributed and executed by one or more processors.

[0019] The communication unit 14 is a communication interface that connects the management server 1 to the communication network N by wire or wireless connection and performs data communication with external devices such as the operating terminal 2 and railway vehicles via the communication network N in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0020] The operation display unit 13 is a user interface comprising a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various types of information, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts input.

[0021] The storage unit 12 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory that stores various types of information. Specifically, the storage unit 12 stores data such as operating status information D1 and user information D2. Figure 2 shows an example of operating status information D1, and Figure 3 shows an example of operating status included in operating status information D1. Figure 4 shows an example of user information D2.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the driving status information D1 includes information such as the corresponding "vehicle number," "driving status," "driver," and "conductor" for each railway vehicle. The vehicle number is the identification information of the railway vehicle. The driving status is information that indicates the driving status of the railway vehicle, including the operation status of the master controller handle (notch change status) and the running status (running speed, running position). Figure 3 shows a specific example of the driving status ("driving status N1") of vehicle number "1." The driving status is registered in association with the time, driving operation pattern (notch position), running speed, and running position. The control unit 11 acquires information on notch, running speed, and running position from the railway vehicle and registers it in the driving status information D1. In addition to the driving operation pattern (notch position) (manual operation) corresponding to human driving operation, the driving status may also include the status of operation by a fixed-position stop support device (TASC) or an automatic operation system (ATO) when operation is being performed by these (automatic operation). In other words, the driving status display system of the present invention is applicable to both railway vehicles operated by a person operating a master controller handle, and railway vehicles in which a person operates a master controller handle while a fixed-position stop support device (TASC) or an automatic operation system (ATO) assists in driving (e.g., automatic braking).

[0023] The driver refers to the information (name, ID, etc.) of the train driver, and the conductor refers to the information (name, ID, etc.) of the train conductor.

[0024] The control unit 11 acquires information such as the vehicle number, operating status, driver, and conductor for each railway vehicle and registers it in the operating status information D1.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, user information D2 contains information such as the corresponding "User ID," "Username," and "Password" for each user. These users include, for example, railway company administrators, train drivers, and conductors. The User ID and password are used as login information to log in to the train operation status display site.

[0026] In another embodiment, some or all of the operating status information D1 and user information D2 may be stored on another server (such as a data server) accessible from the management server 1 via the communication network N. In this case, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 may acquire the information from the other server and execute various processes such as the operating status display process (see Figure 11) described later.

[0027] Furthermore, the storage unit 12 also stores layout data and image data for generating the web pages of the operation status display site (Website) that are displayed on the operation terminal 2. The web pages include, for example, an operation pattern display page W1 (see Figures 5 to 8) that displays the operation patterns of the master controller handle by the driver, a notch display page W2 (see Figure 9) that displays the changes in the notch and running speed of the railway vehicle, and a surrounding information page W3 (see Figure 10) that displays surrounding information of the railway vehicle (information such as the position of surrounding railway vehicles, running speed, and signals). In this embodiment, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 can generate the various web pages and transmit the information of the web pages to the operation terminal 2, thereby causing the operation terminal 2 to display the various web pages. In another embodiment, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 may transmit the data necessary to display the various web pages to the operation terminal 2, thereby causing the control unit 21 of the operation terminal 2 to display the various web pages.

[0028] Furthermore, the aforementioned driving status display site may be a collection of web pages belonging to a single pre-configured domain, or it may be a collection of web pages belonging to multiple domains stored in the storage unit 12 of the same management server 1. In addition, the various pages included in the aforementioned website may be stored in a distributed manner across multiple servers.

[0029] Furthermore, the storage unit 12 stores control programs, such as an operating status display program, which causes the control unit 11 to execute the operating status display processing described later (see Figure 11). For example, the operating status display program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown) such as a CD drive or DVD drive provided by the management server 1 and stored in the storage unit 12.

[0030] The control unit 11 has control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM (or maintains equivalent functions on the cloud). The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit in which control programs such as an OS for causing the CPU to perform various arithmetic operations are pre-stored. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various processes performed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the management server 1 by executing various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or memory unit 12 using the CPU.

[0031] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the control unit 11 includes various processing units such as an acquisition processing unit 111, a display processing unit 112, and an analysis processing unit 113. The control unit 11 functions as these various processing units by executing various processes according to the operating status display program using the CPU. Some or all of these processing units may be composed of electronic circuits. The operating status display program may be a program that causes multiple processors to function as processing units.

[0032] The acquisition processing unit 111 acquires various information (operation information) related to the operating status (operation) from the railway vehicle. Specifically, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires the operating position (notch position) of the master controller handle that allows for switching between multiple stages of acceleration and deceleration of the railway vehicle from each of the multiple railway vehicles. For example, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires notch information (notch position) detected by a sensor installed on the railway vehicle from the railway vehicle. In this embodiment, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires information on the notch positions detected by the sensor, specifically the power notch P1 to P4, the brake notch B1 to B7, the emergency brake, and neutral (release). The master controller handle is an example of the operating unit of the present invention. Note that the operating unit of the present invention is not limited to the master controller handle, but may be any device capable of operating the railway vehicle, such as an accelerator pedal or brake pedal.

[0033] Furthermore, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires information on the running speed and running position from the railway vehicle. The acquisition processing unit 111 registers the information (driving operation information) acquired from the railway vehicle into the driving status information D1 (see Figures 2 and 3). The acquisition processing unit 111 may acquire the driving operation information from the railway vehicle in real time while the railway vehicle is running and register it in the driving status information D1, or it may acquire the driving operation information from the railway vehicle at predetermined intervals while the railway vehicle is running and register it in the driving status information D1, or it may acquire the driving operation information from the railway vehicle at the time the railway vehicle finishes its run (arrives at the terminal station) and register it in the driving status information D1. In addition, the acquisition processing unit 111 may acquire the driving operation information from each railway vehicle at the time when all operations for the day have finished and register it in the driving status information D1. The acquisition processing unit 111 acquires the driving operation information for each railway vehicle and registers it in the driving status information D1.

[0034] The display processing unit 112 displays various information on a web page. Specifically, the display processing unit 112 displays on the operation terminal 2 the multiple notch positions corresponding to each of the multiple railway vehicles acquired by the acquisition processing unit 111 in an identifiable manner. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the display processing unit 112 displays the operation operation pattern display page W1 on the operation terminal 2, which displays the operation pattern of the master controller handle by the driver, and displays the change in the notch position for each railway vehicle on the operation operation pattern display page W1. Figure 5 shows the operation operation patterns of four railway vehicles numbered "1" to "4". In Figure 5, "A1" is the starting station for each railway vehicle, and "A3" is the ending station for each railway vehicle. The four railway vehicles are ordinary trains that run on the same section from station A1 to station A3 and stop at the same station.

[0035] The display processing unit 112 displays each of the notches, P1-P4, B1-B7, emergency brake, and neutral (loose) on the driving operation pattern display page W1, with each notch separated by color. For example, the display processing unit 112 displays the power notches P1-P4 in a blue color scheme, and the color becomes darker from minimum acceleration (P1 notch) to maximum acceleration (P4 notch). The display processing unit 112 also displays the brake notches B1-B7 in a red color scheme, and the color becomes darker from minimum deceleration (B1 notch) to maximum deceleration (B7 notch). In another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may display each of the aforementioned notches as text characters. In yet another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may display each notch by color, and when a color is selected, the notch corresponding to that color may be displayed as text characters in a pop-up.

[0036] In this way, the display processing unit 112 displays an operating operation pattern indicating the notch change status (switching status) of the master controller handle in a predetermined railway section, identifiable for each railway vehicle. The display processing unit 112 also displays the operating operation patterns corresponding to multiple railway vehicles side by side. This allows the user to compare the notch change status, i.e., the operating status, of multiple railway vehicles by checking the operating operation pattern display page W1. Furthermore, the user can quickly identify railway vehicles whose operating operation patterns (notch change status) differ significantly from those of other railway vehicles by checking the operating operation pattern display page W1. For example, in the example shown in Figure 5, it is easy to see that the notch change status of railway vehicle number "3" in the section from station A1 to station A2 is significantly different from the notch change status of other railway vehicles in the same section.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the display processing unit 112 may display a reference pattern that serves as a standard (model) for the aforementioned driving operation patterns on the driving operation pattern display page W1. Specifically, the display processing unit 112 generates a reference pattern by calculating the average value of the driving operation patterns, i.e., the average value of the notch change (switching) timing, based on the history information of multiple driving operation patterns. The display processing unit 112 may generate the reference pattern based on the history information of driving operation patterns corresponding to multiple railway vehicles in the same section and at the same station. The display processing unit 112 may also generate the reference pattern for each section.

[0038] In another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may generate the reference pattern based on historical information of driving operation patterns corresponding to railway vehicles with the same vehicle number. The display processing unit 112 may also generate the reference pattern for each vehicle number. The display processing unit 112 may also generate the reference pattern for each driver. The display processing unit 112 may also set the driving operation pattern of a driver whose driving experience is for a predetermined number of years or more, or whose driving skill evaluation value is above a predetermined value, as the reference pattern. The display processing unit 112 may also set the driving operation pattern that has been pre-calculated to minimize power consumption as the reference pattern.

[0039] In another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may generate the standard pattern based on a standard operation method (standard driving operation pattern) for creating a standard timetable for a railway vehicle. The standard operation method is a standard operation method for the master controller handle that indicates how many seconds after the railway vehicle departs to operate the master controller handle (acceleration / deceleration operation) (an exemplary driving operation pattern that takes into account power consumption, passenger comfort, etc.), and the standard timetable for the railway vehicle is created based on this standard operation method.

[0040] The display processing unit 112 displays the operation patterns for each railway vehicle side by side on the operation pattern display page W1, and also displays the reference pattern next to the operation patterns. This allows the user to compare the notch change status (operating status) of each railway vehicle with the reference pattern by checking the operation pattern display page W1. For example, in the example shown in Figure 6, it is easy to see that the notch change status of railway vehicle number "3" differs significantly from the reference pattern in the section from station A1 to station A2.

[0041] The display processing unit 112 may update the reference pattern each time the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires notch information (notch position) from the railway vehicle. Alternatively, the display processing unit 112 may update the reference pattern by excluding driving operation patterns whose difference (difference portion) from the generated reference pattern exceeds a threshold. For example, in the example shown in Figure 6, the display processing unit 112 updates the reference pattern by excluding the driving operation pattern for vehicle number "3". In this way, an exemplary reference pattern can be generated by excluding noisy driving operation patterns. In another embodiment, a driving operation pattern selected by the user may be set as the reference pattern.

[0042] In another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may be able to switch the display of the reference pattern on or off. For example, the display processing unit 112 may switch the display of the reference pattern on or off when the user presses a switch button (not shown) on the operation pattern display page W1.

[0043] The analysis processing unit 113 analyzes multiple driving operation patterns and extracts driving operation patterns that differ significantly from other driving operation patterns. Specifically, the analysis processing unit 113 extracts driving operation patterns of railway vehicles in which the notch change situation differs significantly from the notch change situation of other railway vehicles. For example, the analysis processing unit 113 compares the driving operation pattern of each railway vehicle with the reference pattern (see Figure 6) and extracts driving operation patterns (an example of the first driving operation pattern of the present invention) in which the difference (difference portion) exceeds a threshold. In the example shown in Figure 6, the analysis processing unit 113 extracts the driving operation pattern corresponding to vehicle number "3" among the driving operation patterns corresponding to railway vehicles "1" to "4" in which the difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold.

[0044] When the analysis processing unit 113 extracts the operation pattern, the display processing unit 112 displays the operation pattern in an identifiable manner. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the display processing unit 112 highlights and displays operation patterns whose difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold by displaying identification information M1 (e.g., frame image, text characters, etc.) on the operation pattern display page W1.

[0045] Furthermore, the analysis processing unit 113 may determine whether the difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold for each section and display the sections in which the difference exceeds the threshold in an identifiable manner. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the display processing unit 112 highlights and displays sections in which the difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold by displaying identification information M2 (e.g., frame image, text characters, etc.) on the driving operation pattern display page W1. In addition, if there are multiple sections in which the difference exceeds a threshold, the display processing unit 112 highlights and displays each section.

[0046] Furthermore, the display processing unit 112 transitions the screen from the driving operation pattern display page W1 to the notch display page W2. For example, when a user selects an arbitrary driving operation pattern on the driving operation pattern display page W1 (see Figure 6) (by selecting with the mouse or touching the screen), the display processing unit 112 displays the notch display page W2, which shows detailed information of the selected driving operation pattern, on the operation terminal 2.

[0047] Figure 9 shows an example of the notch display page W2. The display processing unit 112 displays the changes in notch position and running speed (average speed) according to the position (distance) of the railway vehicle on the notch display page W2. Note that in Figure 9, the notch display page W2 is displayed in a way that allows scrolling to the right. This allows the user to understand the details of the changes in notch and running speed corresponding to the selected railway vehicle's driving operation pattern. For example, the user can select a driving operation pattern that is significantly different from the standard pattern and check the changes in notch (driving status).

[0048] In another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may display past driving operation patterns for the same section and time period corresponding to the selected driving operation pattern. For example, if the user selects the driving operation pattern of train car number "3" on the driving operation pattern display page W1 (see Figure 6), the display processing unit 112 will display past driving operation patterns for train car number "3" for the section from station A1 to station A3 and for the same time period, or the average pattern of past driving operation patterns for train car number "3". In yet another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may further display past driving operation patterns for train car number "3" for the section from station A1 to station A3 and for the same time period, specifically those of the same driver. In yet another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may highlight the difference between the current driving operation pattern and past driving operation patterns. This allows the user to compare the current driving operation pattern with past driving operation patterns.

[0049] In another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may display the notch display page W2 for the section extracted by the analysis processing unit 113. For example, in the driving operation pattern display page W1 shown in Figure 8, if the user selects the section from station A1 to station A2 for the driving operation pattern of vehicle number "3" (or selects identification information M2), the display processing unit 112 may display the notch and the change in running speed for the section from station A1 to station A2.

[0050] In another embodiment, the display processing unit 112 may transition the operation pattern display page W1 to the surrounding information page W3. For example, when the user selects a railway vehicle (vehicle number or operation pattern) on the operation pattern display page W1 (see Figure 6) (by selecting with the mouse or touching the screen), the display processing unit 112 displays the surrounding information page W3, which shows the surrounding information of the selected railway vehicle.

[0051] Figure 10 shows an example of the surrounding information page W3. The display processing unit 112 displays surrounding information for the selected railway vehicle on the surrounding information page W3, such as the vehicle number, destination, occupancy rate, driver, conductor, running speed, and signal information of surrounding railway vehicles. In addition, when the user selects a predetermined section for a predetermined railway vehicle, the display processing unit 112 displays the surrounding information when the railway vehicle travels that section. For example, in the driving operation pattern display page W1 shown in Figure 8, when the user selects the section from station A1 to station A2 for the driving operation pattern of vehicle number "3", the display processing unit 112 displays the surrounding information when the railway vehicle with vehicle number "3" travels the section from station A1 to station A2. According to the example shown in Figure 10, when the railway vehicle with vehicle number "3" departs from station A1, another railway vehicle (for example, the railway vehicle with vehicle number "11") that is ahead of it is stopped at station A2, and it can be seen that the railway vehicle with vehicle number "3" is unable to enter station A2.

[0052] In another embodiment, the analysis processing unit 113 may determine whether or not the railway vehicle is delayed based on surrounding information. The display processing unit 112 may also display delay information on the operation terminal 2 if a delay occurs. For example, the display processing unit 112 may display (highlight) the section where the delay is occurring in an identifiable manner on the operation pattern display page W1. This allows the user to understand the cause of a significant deviation of the operation pattern from the standard pattern by checking the delay information.

[0053] [Operating terminal 2] As shown in Figure 1, the operating terminal 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an operation display unit 23, and a communication unit 24, etc. The operating terminal 2 is an information processing device such as a smartphone, mobile phone, or tablet terminal.

[0054] The communication unit 24 is a communication interface for connecting the operating terminal 2 to the communication network N by wire or wireless connection and for performing data communication with external devices such as the management server 1 via the communication network N in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0055] The operation display unit 23 is a user interface comprising a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays information such as various web pages, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts input.

[0056] The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 22 stores a control program such as a browser program. Specifically, the browser program is a control program that causes the control unit 21 to execute communication processing with an external device such as the management server 1 in accordance with a communication protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). Alternatively, the browser program may be a dedicated application (operating status display application) for executing communication processing with the management server 1 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0057] The control unit 21 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and OS are pre-stored to cause the CPU to perform various operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various operations performed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the operation terminal 2 by executing various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or memory unit 22 using the CPU.

[0058] Specifically, the control unit 21 functions as a browser processing unit 211 by executing various processes according to the browser program stored in the storage unit 22. The browser processing unit 211 can display a web page provided from the management server 1 via the communication network N on the operation display unit 23 and perform browser processing to input operations on the operation display unit 23 to the management server 1. In other words, the operation terminal 2 can function as an operation terminal for the management server 1 by the execution of the browser program by the control unit 21. Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 21 may be composed of electronic circuits.

[0059] For example, when a user operation is performed on the operation terminal 2 to request access to a predetermined URL corresponding to the website of the driving status display service provided by the driving status display system 10 (driving status display site), the control unit 21 retrieves the web page data of the website from the management server 1 and displays the web page of the website on the operation display unit 23. For example, the request to access the predetermined URL can be made by selecting from a list of pre-registered websites, selecting from search results on an information search site, or by text input. Furthermore, if a dedicated application corresponding to the management server 1 (driving status display application) is installed on the operation terminal 2, the web page will be displayed on the operation display unit 23 when the user of the operation terminal 2 performs an operation to launch the dedicated application.

[0060] For example, a user who wishes to use the driving status display service registers their user information by operating the operation terminal 2. The control unit 11 of the management server 1 obtains the user information (username, user ID, password) and registers it in user information D2 (see Figure 4). Users registered in user information D2 can use the driving status display service. For example, when a user uses the driving status display service, they enter login information (user ID, password) into the login page (not shown) of the website (driving status display site) displayed on the operation terminal 2. If the entered login information matches the login information registered in user information D2 (see Figure 4), the control unit 21 displays the driving operation pattern display page W1 (see Figure 5, etc.) on the operation terminal 2. The control unit 21 also displays web pages such as the notch display page W2 (see Figure 9) and the surrounding information page W3 (see Figure 10) on the operation terminal 2 according to the user's selection.

[0061] [Driving status display processing] The following describes the operation status display process performed in the operation status display system 10 with reference to Figure 11. Specifically, in this embodiment, the operation status display process is performed by the control unit 11 of the management server 1. Furthermore, the control unit 11 can execute the operation status display process in parallel in response to access from each of the operation terminals 2.

[0062] The present invention can be understood as an invention of a driving status display method that performs one or more steps included in the driving status display process. Furthermore, the one or more steps included in the driving status display process described herein may be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the execution order of each step in the driving status display process may differ to the extent that similar effects are produced. Furthermore, although the case in which each step in the driving status display process is executed by the control unit 11 is given as an example, a driving status display method in which each step in the driving status display process is executed in a distributed manner by one or more processors can also be considered as another embodiment. The driving status display method described herein is an example of a driving status display method of the present invention.

[0063] <Step S1> In step S1, the control unit 11 acquires operation information from each of the multiple railway vehicles. Specifically, the control unit 11 acquires operation information of the notch position of the master controller handle (notch engagement position, engagement time, etc.), the running speed of the railway vehicle, and the running position from each railway vehicle. The control unit 11 registers the acquired operation information in the operation status information D1 (see Figures 2 and 3).

[0064] <Step S2> In step S2, the control unit 11 displays the driving operation pattern. Specifically, the control unit 11 accepts the user's login operation on the driving status display site via the operation terminal 2, and after authenticating the user, displays the driving operation pattern of the master controller handle by the driver of each railway vehicle on the operation terminal 2. For example, the control unit 11 displays the driving operation pattern display page W1 shown in Figure 5 on the operation terminal 2. The control unit 11 also displays the notch position change status (notch switching status) corresponding to each of the multiple railway vehicles in a side by side on the driving operation pattern display page W1. In addition, as shown in Figure 6, the control unit 11 may also display a reference pattern that serves as the basis for the driving operation pattern on the driving operation pattern display page W1 so that it can be compared with each driving operation pattern.

[0065] <Step S3> In step S3, the control unit 11 determines whether there is a driving operation pattern among the multiple driving operation patterns for each railway vehicle whose difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold. If the control unit 11 determines that there is a driving operation pattern whose difference exceeds the threshold (S3: Yes), it proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that there is no driving operation pattern whose difference exceeds the threshold (S3: No), it proceeds to step S5.

[0066] <Step S4> In step S4, the control unit 11 highlights the driving operation patterns on the driving operation pattern display page W1 in which the difference exceeds the threshold. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the control unit 11 displays the identification information M1 in association with the driving operation patterns. In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the control unit 11 may display the identification information M2 in association with the section of the driving operation pattern in which the difference from the reference pattern exceeds the threshold (the section from station A1 to station A2).

[0067] <Step S5> In step S5, the control unit 11 determines whether or not it has received a selection operation by the user on the operation operation pattern display page W1. For example, if the user wants to check the detailed information of the operation operation pattern on the operation operation pattern display page W1, they select the vehicle number or the display area (station section) of the operation operation pattern. If the control unit 11 receives the selection operation (S5: Yes), it proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 does not receive the selection operation (S5: No), it proceeds to step S7.

[0068] <Step S6> In step S6, the control unit 11 displays detailed information about the operation on the operation terminal 2. Specifically, the control unit 11 displays a notch display page W2 (see Figure 9) on the operation terminal 2, which shows the change in the notch engagement position and running speed according to the position of the railway vehicle corresponding to the operation pattern selected by the user. The control unit 11 also displays a surrounding information page W3 (see Figure 10) which shows information about the surrounding area of ​​the railway vehicle selected by the user. In other embodiments, the control unit 11 may display the notch display page W2 and the surrounding information page W3 side by side on the same screen (same page). Alternatively, the control unit 11 may display the operation pattern display page W1, the notch display page W2, and the surrounding information page W3 side by side on the same screen (same page).

[0069] <Step S7> In step S7, the control unit 11 determines whether it has received an operation from the user via the operation terminal 2 to terminate the use of the operation status display service. For example, when a user terminates the use of the operation status display service, they perform a termination operation (logoff operation). If the control unit 11 receives the termination operation (S7: Yes), it terminates the operation status display process. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 does not receive the termination operation (S7: No), it returns to step S5. The control unit 11 repeatedly executes the processes in steps S5 and S6 until it receives the termination operation.

[0070] As described above, the control unit 11 executes the operation status display process. The control unit 11 executes the operation status display process individually according to requests from each operation terminal 2. The user can use the operation terminal 2 to execute the operation status display process at any time.

[0071] As described above, the driving status display system 10 according to this embodiment is a system that displays the driving status related to the operation of a railway vehicle (notch operation of the master controller handle). The driving status display system 10 acquires the notch position (operation position) of the master controller handle (operation unit) that can switch the acceleration and deceleration of the railway vehicle in multiple stages from each of the multiple railway vehicles, and displays the multiple notch positions corresponding to each of the acquired multiple railway vehicles in an identifiable manner.

[0072] Specifically, the management server 1 displays an identifiable operating pattern for each railway vehicle, indicating the switching status of the notch position in a given railway section. For example, the management server 1 displays the operating patterns for each railway vehicle side by side on the operating pattern display page W1 of the operation terminal 2 (see Figure 5). This allows the user to grasp the operating status of each railway vehicle at a glance. The user can also compare the operating status of each railway vehicle. Furthermore, with the above configuration, since information on the notch position of the master controller handle can be acquired by a sensor, the notch position can be determined more accurately than by estimating the notch position from images captured by a camera.

[0073] Furthermore, the management server 1 displays a reference pattern that serves as the basis for the aforementioned driving operation patterns. For example, the management server 1 displays a reference pattern, which is an average or ideal driving operation pattern, on the driving operation pattern display page W1 of the operation terminal 2 (see Figure 6). This allows the user to compare each driving situation with the reference pattern. In addition, the user can easily grasp the differences between the driving operation pattern and the reference data.

[0074] Furthermore, the management server 1 displays, in an identifiable manner, the first operating operation pattern whose difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold among multiple operating operation patterns. For example, the management server 1 displays identification information M1 (see Figure 7) or identification information M2 (see Figure 8) on the operating operation pattern display page W1 of the operation terminal 2. This allows the user to easily understand the differences between the operating operation pattern and the reference data.

[0075] Furthermore, the management server 1 displays the changes in the notch position corresponding to the position of the railway vehicle and the running speed of the railway vehicle, which correspond to the first driving operation pattern. For example, the management server 1 displays the notch display page W2 (see Figure 9) on the operation terminal 2. This allows the user to check detailed information about the driving operation pattern (the first driving operation pattern) that deviates from the reference pattern.

[0076] Furthermore, the management server 1 displays information on the positions of surrounding railway vehicles and signals for the railway vehicle corresponding to the first driving operation pattern. For example, the management server 1 displays the surrounding information page W3 (see Figure 10) on the operation terminal 2. This allows the user to check the surrounding information (information such as the positions of surrounding railway vehicles, running speed, and signals) for a driving operation pattern (the first driving operation pattern) that deviates from the standard pattern.

[0077] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may also be subject to the following embodiments.

[0078] Specifically, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 may generate a reference pattern according to the number of passengers or the occupancy rate (congestion rate) of the railway vehicle. For example, in railway vehicles with many passengers, the timing of switching the power notch tends to be delayed, and the timing of switching the brake notch tends to be earlier. Conversely, in railway vehicles with few passengers, the timing of switching the power notch tends to be earlier, and the timing of switching the brake notch tends to be delayed. Therefore, the control unit 11 may generate a reference pattern with the notch switching timing adjusted based on the number of passengers or the occupancy rate of the railway vehicle. This makes it possible to compare the driving operation pattern with the reference pattern while excluding the influence of the number of passengers or the occupancy rate. In another embodiment, the control unit 11 may generate a reference pattern according to voltage and weather information. For example, when the voltage is low, acceleration tends to be slower, and in rainy weather, there is a tendency to apply the brakes earlier. Therefore, the control unit 11 may generate a reference pattern with the notch switching timing adjusted based on voltage and weather.

[0079] Furthermore, the control unit 11 may set the threshold value used to determine the difference between the driving operation pattern and the reference pattern according to the number of passengers or the occupancy rate (congestion rate) of the railway vehicle. For example, since the difference tends to be larger in railway vehicles with a large number of passengers, the control unit 11 may set the threshold value to a larger value when comparing the driving operation pattern corresponding to a railway vehicle with a large number of passengers with the reference pattern. This makes it possible to compare the driving operation pattern and the reference pattern while excluding the influence of the number of passengers or the occupancy rate.

[0080] The control unit 11 may set the thresholds according to the operating time, operating day, operating section, and type of train (local, rapid, express, limited express, etc.) of the railway vehicle. The control unit 11 may also set the thresholds according to the driving skills (evaluation value) and years of experience of the railway vehicle driver.

[0081] In another embodiment, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 may determine whether a driving operation pattern exceeding the threshold is abnormal based on surrounding information of the railway vehicle (information such as the position, speed, and signals of surrounding railway vehicles). The control unit 11 may also identify the cause of the abnormal driving operation based on the surrounding information. For example, in a driving operation pattern in which an emergency brake operation exceeding the threshold for a standard pattern is performed, if the railway vehicle traveling ahead is stopped at a station and the signal remains red, the control unit 11 will determine that the cause of the abnormal driving operation for that driving operation pattern is "because the signal is red." The control unit 11 may display the determination result on the operation terminal 2. Furthermore, if the control unit 11 determines that the cause of the abnormal driving operation is not the driver's driving skill, it does not have to notify the driver of the abnormal driving operation. Furthermore, if the control unit 11 determines that the cause of the abnormal driving operation is the driver's driving skill, it may notify the driver of information that encourages improvement in driving operation, information on exemplary driving operation (information on driving operation for the standard pattern), etc.

[0082] In another embodiment, the control unit 11 may calculate an evaluation value for the driver's operation according to the difference between the driving operation pattern and the reference pattern. For example, the control unit 11 calculates a lower evaluation value the larger the difference, and a higher evaluation value the smaller the difference. The control unit 11 may also display the evaluation value for each railway vehicle on the driving operation pattern display page W1. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may calculate (or display) the evaluation value for each section in each driving operation pattern.

[0083] In another embodiment, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 may display the degree of agreement between the driving operation pattern and the reference pattern. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the control unit 11 may calculate the degree of agreement between the notch change status of the driving operation pattern and the notch change status of the reference pattern for each railway vehicle and display it on the driving operation pattern display page W1. The control unit 11 may also display driving operation patterns with an agreement degree below a predetermined value in an identifiable manner. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the control unit 11 displays vehicle number "3" in an identifiable manner, where the agreement degree ("48%") is below a predetermined value (e.g., 60%). For example, the control unit 11 may highlight the agreement degree that is below the predetermined value (see Figure 12).

[0084] In another embodiment, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 may display a power consumption display page W4, as shown in Figure 13, which shows the changes in the notch position and power consumption (signed overhead line power consumption) according to the position (distance) of the railway vehicle. This allows the user to easily understand the power consumption according to the operating conditions.

[0085] [Notes on the invention] The following is an overview of the invention extracted from this embodiment. Note that each configuration and processing function described below can be selected and combined as desired.

[0086] <Note 1> A driving status display system that displays the driving status related to the operation of a railway vehicle, An acquisition processing unit that acquires the operating position of the control unit that allows switching between multiple stages of acceleration and deceleration for each of the multiple railway vehicles, A display processing unit that displays a plurality of operation positions corresponding to each of the plurality of railway vehicles acquired by the acquisition processing unit in an identifiable manner, A driving status display system equipped with the following features.

[0087] <Note 2> The display processing unit displays an operation pattern indicating the switching status of the operation position in a predetermined railway section, in a way that can be identified for each railway vehicle. The driving status display system described in Appendix 1.

[0088] <Note 3> The display processing unit displays a reference pattern that serves as the basis for the operation pattern. The driving status display system described in Appendix 2.

[0089] <Note 4> The display processing unit generates the reference pattern based on the average value of the switching timing of the operation position. The driving status display system described in Appendix 3.

[0090] <Note 5> The display processing unit generates the reference pattern based on the standard operating method of the operating unit for creating the reference timetable for the railway vehicle. The driving status display system described in Appendix 3.

[0091] <Note 6> The display processing unit displays, in an identifiable manner, a first operation operation pattern among a plurality of operation operation patterns whose difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold. A driving status display system as described in any of the appendices 3 to 5.

[0092] <Note 7> The display processing unit displays the changes in the operating position and the running speed of the railway vehicle, corresponding to the first driving operation pattern, based on the position of the railway vehicle. A driving status display system as described in any of the appendices 3 to 6.

[0093] <Note 8> The display processing unit displays the position of the railway vehicle and signal information around the railway vehicle corresponding to the first driving operation pattern. A driving status display system as described in any of the appendices 3 to 7.

[0094] <Note 9> The threshold is set according to the number of passengers or the occupancy rate of the aforementioned railway vehicle. A driving status display system as described in any of the appendices 5 to 8.

[0095] <Note 10> Based on the difference between the aforementioned driving operation pattern and the aforementioned reference pattern, an evaluation value for the driver's driving operation is calculated. A driving status display system as described in any of the appendices 5 to 9.

[0096] <Note 11> A method for displaying the operating status of a railway vehicle, which displays the operating status related to the operation of a railway vehicle, From each of the multiple railway vehicles, the operating position of the control unit that allows switching between multiple stages of acceleration and deceleration for that railway vehicle is obtained, To display in an identifiable manner the multiple operating positions corresponding to each of the multiple railway vehicles that are acquired, A method for displaying the operating status of one or more processors.

[0097] <Note 12> A driving status display program that displays the driving status related to the operation of a railway vehicle, From each of the multiple railway vehicles, the operating position of the control unit that allows switching between multiple stages of acceleration and deceleration for that railway vehicle is obtained, To display in an identifiable manner the multiple operating positions corresponding to each of the multiple railway vehicles that are acquired, A program for displaying the operating status, which is executed by one or more processors. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0098] 10: Driving status display system 1: Management Server 11: Control Unit 111: Acquisition Processing Unit 112: Display Processing Unit 113: Analysis Processing Unit 2: Operating terminal 21: Control Unit 211: Browser Processing Unit D1: Driving status information D2: User Information M1: Identification information M2:Identification information W1: Driving operation pattern display page W2: Notch display page W3: Surrounding Area Information Page W4: Power consumption display page

Claims

1. A driving status display system that displays the driving status related to the operation of a railway vehicle, An acquisition processing unit that acquires the operating position of the control unit that allows switching between multiple stages of acceleration and deceleration for each of the multiple railway vehicles, A display processing unit that displays a plurality of operation positions corresponding to each of the plurality of railway vehicles acquired by the acquisition processing unit in an identifiable manner, A driving status display system equipped with the following features.

2. The display processing unit displays an operation pattern indicating the switching status of the operation position in a predetermined railway section, in a way that can be identified for each railway vehicle. The operating status display system according to claim 1.

3. The display processing unit displays a reference pattern that serves as the basis for the operation pattern. The operating status display system according to claim 2.

4. The display processing unit generates the reference pattern based on the standard operating method of the operating unit for creating the reference timetable for the railway vehicle. The operating status display system according to claim 3.

5. The display processing unit displays, in an identifiable manner, a first operation operation pattern among a plurality of operation operation patterns whose difference from the reference pattern exceeds a threshold. The operating status display system according to claim 3.

6. The display processing unit displays the changes in the operating position and the running speed of the railway vehicle, corresponding to the first driving operation pattern, based on the position of the railway vehicle. The operating status display system according to claim 5.

7. The display processing unit displays the position of the railway vehicle and signal information around the railway vehicle corresponding to the first driving operation pattern. The operating status display system according to claim 5.

8. The threshold is set according to the number of passengers or the occupancy rate of the aforementioned railway vehicle. The operating status display system according to claim 5.

9. Based on the difference between the aforementioned driving operation pattern and the aforementioned reference pattern, an evaluation value for the driver's driving operation is calculated. The operating status display system according to claim 5.

10. A method for displaying the operating status of a railway vehicle, which displays the operating status related to the operation of a railway vehicle, From each of the multiple railway vehicles, the operating position of the control unit that allows switching between multiple stages of acceleration and deceleration for that railway vehicle is obtained, To display in an identifiable manner the multiple operating positions corresponding to each of the multiple railway vehicles that are acquired, A method for displaying the operating status of one or more processors.

11. A driving status display program that displays the driving status related to the operation of a railway vehicle, From each of the multiple railway vehicles, the operating position of the control unit that allows switching between multiple stages of acceleration and deceleration for that railway vehicle is obtained, To display in an identifiable manner the multiple operating positions corresponding to each of the multiple railway vehicles that are acquired, A program for displaying the operating status, which is executed by one or more processors.

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