Passenger guidance system and passenger guidance method

Abstract

Provided is a passenger guidance system capable of continuously executing guidance control. This passenger guidance system includes a first control unit and a second control unit that are capable of executing guidance control for generating, in a guidance unit provided on the premises of a station, guidance information for guiding a train, wherein the first control unit is provided on an on-premises network of the station, the second control unit is provided on the cloud, and guidance control is made redundant by the first control unit and the second control unit.

Description

Passenger information system and passenger information method

[0001] The present invention relates generally to guidance controls for providing train guidance.

[0002] A passenger information system compiles information based on train operation information, track location information, and signaling equipment information, and provides train information within stations. Conventionally, the control device, a component of a passenger information system, has been constructed by storing an application on hardware connected to the station's on-site network.

[0003] In response to this, Patent Document 1 states that "the operation management system 100 comprises a control device 1, a plurality of display devices 3, and a plurality of operation devices 4. The control device 1 is constructed in a cloud environment and individually manages the operation of trains 9 of a plurality of railway operators 21, 22, and 23. The plurality of display devices 3 are provided for each corresponding railway operator among the plurality of railway operators 21, 22, and 23. The plurality of operation devices 4 are provided for each corresponding railway operator among the plurality of railway operators 21, 22, and 23. The control device 1 individually displays information indicating the operation status of trains 9 of a corresponding railway operator among the plurality of railway operators 21, 22, and 23 on each of the plurality of display devices 3, and individually controls railway equipment 5 of the plurality of railway operators 21, 22, and 23 based on control requests transmitted from the plurality of operation devices 4" (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-070737

[0005] As a result of extensive research into passenger information systems, the inventors have come to the following findings.

[0006] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, operation information and guidance information are transmitted via the Internet, so there is a problem that communication interruptions and delays occur if a failure occurs in the cloud service or network.On the other hand, in conventional passenger guidance systems, the application of the control device is built on hardware connected to the on-site network of each station, so if the device is damaged by lightning, a disaster, etc., there is a problem that guidance control cannot be performed for a long time until the failure is restored.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose a passenger guidance system etc. that can continuously execute guidance control.

[0008] In order to solve such problems, the present invention provides a passenger guidance system including a first control unit and a second control unit capable of executing guidance control to generate guidance information for providing train guidance in a guidance unit located within a station, wherein the first control unit is located on the station's in-house network and the second control unit is located on the cloud, and the guidance control is made redundant by the first control unit and the second control unit.

[0009] In the above configuration, one of the control units capable of executing guidance control is provided on the station's in-house network, and the other control unit capable of executing guidance control is provided on the cloud. For example, if a failure occurs in the cloud service or network, guidance control can be executed by the first control unit provided on the in-house network, and if an abnormality occurs in the first control unit due to a lightning strike, disaster, etc., guidance control can be executed by the second control unit provided on the cloud. With the above configuration, various risks that may hinder guidance control can be avoided, and guidance control can be continuously executed.

[0010] According to the present invention, a highly reliable passenger information system can be realized. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a passenger information system according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of processing executed by a secondary system according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a passenger information system according to a second embodiment. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of processing executed by a cloud control device according to the second embodiment.

[0012] (I) First Embodiment One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below, although the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0013] In this embodiment, a passenger guidance system is described that includes a control unit that compiles guidance information based on train operation information, track location information, and signaling equipment information, and performs guidance control on guidance units such as display devices and broadcasting devices within the station. In this passenger guidance system, one system of the control unit is constructed on hardware connected to the station's internal network, and the other system of the control unit is constructed in a cloud environment, thereby providing redundant guidance control (control unit).

[0014] In the above configuration, the networks to which each control unit that makes up the passenger information system belongs, the information transmission paths, and the locations of the hardware in which the application entities are stored are different. This configuration makes it possible to avoid situations in which guidance control becomes unreliable due to network failures, device damage, etc., and to realize a highly reliable passenger information system.

[0015] The designations "first," "second," "third," etc. in this specification are used to identify components and do not necessarily limit the number or order. Furthermore, numbers used to identify components are used in different contexts, and numbers used in one context do not necessarily indicate the same configuration in another context. Furthermore, this does not prevent a component identified by a certain number from also serving the function of a component identified by another number.

[0016] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description and drawings are examples for explaining the present invention, and some omissions and simplifications have been made as appropriate for clarity of explanation. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural.

[0017] In the following description, identical elements in the drawings are given the same numbers, and descriptions thereof are omitted where appropriate. Furthermore, when describing elements of the same type without distinguishing between them, the common portion (the portion excluding the branch number) of the reference sign including the branch number may be used, and when describing elements of the same type while distinguishing between them, the reference sign including the branch number may be used. For example, when describing a passenger information network without distinguishing between them, it may be written as "passenger information network 101," and when describing individual passenger information networks while distinguishing between them, it may be written as "passenger information network 101A," "passenger information network 101B," etc.

[0018] 1, reference numeral 100 generally denotes a passenger information system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the passenger information system 100.

[0019] The passenger guidance system 100 is a system that provides train information to railway passengers within a station by controlling various devices within the station based on train operation information, track location information, signal equipment information, and station setting information. The passenger guidance system 100 is mainly composed of a first-system control device 110, a second-system control device 120, a station setting device 130, and a guidance unit 140. For the first-system control device 110, an application that executes guidance control is built on hardware installed in each station. For the second-system control device 120, an application that executes guidance control is built in a cloud environment. The guidance unit 140 is composed of a guidance display 141 and a broadcasting device 142.

[0020] Here, as examples, the station setting device 130, the information display device 141, the broadcasting device 142, etc. are considered as components of the passenger information system 100, but these devices do not necessarily have to be components, and devices not mentioned above may also be components. There is no limit to the number of devices that are components.

[0021] The control device 110, station setting device 130, and guidance unit 140 of system 1 belong to the same network (in-house network), and the network to which these devices belong is called a passenger information network 101. The passenger information network 101 is connected to the traffic management device 150, the interlocking device 160, and an external network via relay devices such as routers. A control device 120 of system 2 is constructed in a cloud environment on the external network. The control device 120 of system 2 is connected to the passenger information network 101, the traffic management device 150, the interlocking device 160, and an external device 170 via relay devices.

[0022] The operation control device 150 is a higher-level device such as a central control device that manages train timetable information, etc., and transmits train operation information and on-track position information to the control device 110 of the first system and the control device 120 of the second system.

[0023] The interlocking device 160 is a higher-level device that manages signal equipment information such as the current status of signals and the drop-off status of track circuits, and transmits the signal equipment information to the control device 110 of the first system and the control device 120 of the second system.

[0024] The external device 170 corresponds to a maintenance terminal owned by a system vendor, a terminal carried by a station staff member, and the like.

[0025] The control device 110 of the first system is constructed within the passenger information network 101. The control device 110 of the first system receives operation information and track location information from the operation management device 150 via a relay device, receives signal equipment information from the interlocking device 160, receives station setting information from the station setting device 130, and transmits guidance information edited based on the received information to the guidance unit 140 within the passenger information network 101. Note that the control of editing guidance information based on the operation information, track location information, signal equipment information, and station setting information and outputting it to the guidance unit 140 is referred to as guidance control.

[0026] The control device 120 of the second system is constructed in a cloud environment. The control device 120 of the second system receives operation information and track location information from the operation management device 150 via a relay device, receives signal equipment information from the interlocking device 160, and receives station setting information from the station setting device 130, and transmits guidance information edited based on the received information to the guidance unit 140 in the passenger guidance network 101. The control device 120 of the second system can also receive requests from an external device 170 via the relay device.

[0027] In the present embodiment, the station setting information is received from the station setting device 130, but it may be received from the external device 170. Furthermore, the editing of the guidance information may be based on received information other than the operation information, the track location information, the signal equipment information, and the station setting information.

[0028] The station setting device 130 is constructed within the passenger information network 101, and creates station setting information in response to operation by station staff, and transmits the station setting information to the control device 110 of the first system and the control device 120 of the second system.

[0029] The guidance unit 140 is configured to include a guidance display 141 and a broadcasting device 142. The guidance unit 140 receives guidance information transmitted from the control device 110 of the first system or the control device 120 of the second system. The guidance information includes at least one of guidance display information received by the guidance display 141 and guidance broadcast information received by the broadcasting device 142.

[0030] Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a specific operation will be described in a situation where a slave control device (slave system) takes over guidance control when a master control device (master system) currently performing guidance control becomes unable to perform guidance control.

[0031] 2 is a diagram showing an example of processing executed by the secondary system. Here, as an example, the primary system is the control device 110 of system 1, and the secondary system is the control device 120 of system 2, and the operation will be described with the secondary control device 120 of system 2 as the subject. Note that a configuration in which the primary system is the control device 120 of system 2 and the secondary system is the control device 110 of system 1 is not excluded. Here, the method for detecting a failure (abnormality) in the primary system is to monitor the survival of the control devices, but a failure in the primary system may be detected by other methods, such as notification by a higher-level device, station staff, etc.

[0032] First, a specific operation from when the control device 120 of the second system detects a failure in the control device 110 of the first system until the control device 120 of the second system starts guidance control will be described with reference to FIG.

[0033] In step S201, the control device 120 of the second system checks the survival information of the control device 110 of the first system. The survival information is information that is periodically transmitted and received between the control device 110 of the first system and the control device 120 of the second system for the purpose of mutual survival monitoring. Each control device determines that the status of the other control device is normal upon receiving the survival information transmitted by the other control device. Here, if the control device 120 of the second system determines that it was unable to receive the survival information of the control device 110 of the first system, it proceeds to step S202, and if it determines that it was able to receive the survival information of the control device 110 of the first system, it proceeds to step S206.

[0034] In step S202, the control device 120 of the second system checks whether guidance control has already started. If the control device 120 of the second system determines that guidance control has started, it proceeds to step S201, and if it determines that guidance control has not started, it proceeds to step S203.

[0035] In step S203, the control device 120 of the second system updates the time when the alive information was lost from the control device 110 of the first system. When the update is complete, the control device 120 of the second system proceeds to step S204.

[0036] In step S204, the control device 120 of the second system checks whether the time during which the survival information was lost exceeds the failure determination time T, which is the threshold for failure determination. If the control device 120 of the second system determines that the failure determination time T has been exceeded, it determines that the control device 110 of the first system has failed and proceeds to step S205, but if it determines that the failure determination time T has not been exceeded, it proceeds to step S201.

[0037] In step S205, the control device 120 of the second system starts guidance control, and then the control device 120 of the second system returns to step S201.

[0038] Next, the specific operations from when the control device 120 of the second system detects the recovery of the fault in the control device 110 of the first system, when the control device 120 of the second system stops the guidance control, until the control device 110 of the first system resumes the guidance control will be explained using Figure 2.

[0039] In step S201, the control device 120 of the second system checks the survival information from the control device 110 of the first system. When the control device 110 of the first system recovers from a failure, the control device 120 of the second system receives the survival information from the control device 110 of the first system, and therefore proceeds to step S206.

[0040] In step S206, the control device 120 of the second system checks whether guidance control has been started. If the control device 120 of the second system determines that guidance control has been started, the process proceeds to step S207. If the control device 120 of the second system determines that guidance control has not been started, the process proceeds to step S210. Note that when the failure of the control device 110 of the first system is recovered, the control device 120 of the second system is performing guidance control, so the process proceeds to step S207.

[0041] In step S207, the control device 120 of the second system transmits data updated during the failure of the control device 110 of the first system (for example, stored data that is data for guidance control received from a higher-level device and stored) to the control device 110 of the first system, and synchronizes the data. When the control device 120 of the second system completes data synchronization with the control device 110 of the first system, the process proceeds to step S208.

[0042] In step S208, the control device 120 of the second system stops the guidance control, and proceeds to step S209.

[0043] In step S209, the control device 120 of the second system requests the control device 110 of the first system to start guidance control. After that, the control device 120 of the second system moves the process to step S201.

[0044] In step S210, the control device 120 of the second system receives the information edited by the control device 110 of the first system. For example, when the control device 110 of the first system has recovered from a failure and the control device 120 of the second system is not currently performing guidance control, the process of step S210 is performed.

[0045] An example of information compiled by the control device 110 for system 1 is train location information. The train location information indicates where a train is located on the track and is compiled based on timetable information and signaling equipment information. More specifically, the control device 110 for system 1 detects the entry and exit of trains by inputs such as the ON / OFF of a start circuit and a departure bell, and identifies the detected train from the timetable information. The train location information is necessary when the control device 110 for system 1 and / or the control device 120 for system 2 are not connected to the traffic management device 150, or when the traffic management device 150 does not transmit information equivalent to the train location information. One of the purposes of step S210 is to prevent the control device 120 for system 2 from being unable to identify trains located on the track due to the absence of train location information when the control device 110 for system 1 fails and the control device 120 for system 2 starts guidance control.

[0046] In this way, the control device 110 of system 1 detects the approach and exit of trains based on timetable information and signaling equipment information, edits train location information indicating the detected train's location (e.g., the line section where the train is located), and transmits the edited train location information to the control device 120 of system 2. With this configuration, if an abnormality occurs in the control device 110 of system 1, the control device 120 of system 2 can identify the train based on the train location information and perform guidance control. Additionally, the information received by the control device 120 of system 2 is not limited to the information edited by the control device 110 of system 1. For example, a higher-level device that transmits data used for guidance control to the control device 110 of system 1 may also transmit the data to the control device 120 of system 2, and the control device 120 of system 2 may receive the data. Alternatively, the control device 110 of system 1 may transmit data used for guidance control received from the higher-level device to the control device 120 of system 2, and the control device 120 of system 2 may receive the data.

[0047] In the above operation example, when the control device 110 of the first system recovers from a failure, the control device 120 of the second system stops the guidance control. However, the control device 120 of the second system may continue the guidance control without transferring the guidance control (guidance system) to the control device 110 of the first system. Even in this case, data synchronization with the control device 110 of the first system may be performed.

[0048] According to this embodiment, the passenger guidance system 100 can avoid various risks that may impede guidance control and can perform continuous guidance control. The various risks include network failure, device damage, etc.

[0049] The control device 110 of the first system is built within the passenger information network 101, and is therefore not affected by cloud service failures, network failures, etc. Therefore, communication interruptions and delays caused by these failures do not occur, and real-time guidance control can be continued. Real-time performance is the property of completing data processing within a required time, and is an important property for the passenger information system 100, which requires prompt guidance control triggered by train positions and signal equipment status.

[0050] On the other hand, the control device 120 of the second system is constructed in a cloud environment, and therefore the application entity is located in a location separate from the control device 110 of the first system. Therefore, even if the control device 110 of the first system breaks down due to a lightning strike, a disaster, or the like, the control device 120 of the second system can continue to operate normally.

[0051] As described above, the control device 110 of system 1 and the control device 120 of system 2 belong to different networks, have different information transmission paths, and are installed in different locations in the hardware in which the application entities are stored, so various risks that could impede guidance control can be avoided.

[0052] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to build a highly reliable passenger guidance system 100 at low cost. This is because the control device 120 for the second system is built on the cloud, and therefore does not require the company's own hardware for guidance control. As a secondary effect of not requiring hardware, system vendors and railway operators can reduce the fixed costs associated with owning hardware.

[0053] In addition, according to this embodiment, the control device 120 of System 2 can receive requests from an external network, which is expected to improve the efficiency of maintenance work and the convenience of setting station guides. Requests from an external network refer to requests for changing the guidance system, sending and receiving data with other devices, changing station guide settings, etc. Changing the guidance system refers to switching the control device 110 that controls guidance between a primary system and a secondary system (for example, switching between the control device 110 of System 1 installed at the station and the control device 110 of System 2 installed in the cloud). Sending and receiving data with other devices refers to sending and receiving data such as software, station-specific data, log information, etc. to devices such as the control device 110 of System 1 and the station setting device 130. Changing station guide settings refers to changing the settings for each station related to guidance displays and broadcasts, etc.

[0054] First, we will explain an example of how to use the request to change the guidance system. When maintenance work such as hardware inspection, replacement, or data collection for control devices is required, the guidance system must be changed. In this case, by requesting a change of the guidance system from the system vendor's network, the guidance system can be switched externally, allowing for smooth maintenance work.

[0055] Next, we will explain an example of how the data transmission / reception request can be used during software updates and log acquisition. Conventionally, when performing software updates, system vendor personnel often visit the relevant stations to update the software and station-specific data. According to this embodiment, a data transmission / reception request can be made from an external device 170 on the system vendor's network to the control device 120 of the second system, and the data to be updated can be transmitted to the control device 120 of the second system. Furthermore, the external device 170 can also request data transmission / reception from the control device 120 of the second system, and transmit the updated data to the control device 110 of the first system and the station setting device 130. Using the above method enables remote software updates, eliminating the need to dispatch personnel for data updates and reducing the costs associated with actual worker operations. Furthermore, log information held by the control device 110 of the first system, the control device 120 of the second system, and the station setting device 130 can also be transmitted to the system vendor's network, enabling rapid troubleshooting.

[0056] Finally, an example of how to use a request to change station guide settings will be described. In a conventional situation where the passenger information network 101 is not connected to an external network, changes to station guide settings are made using the station setting device 130. According to this embodiment, it is possible to change station guide settings from an external network, and it is possible to change station guide settings using a terminal carried by a station employee without using the station setting device 130. In this case, the station employee can change the settings from any location, regardless of the location where the station setting device 130 is installed, thereby improving the work efficiency of the station employee.

[0057] (II) Second Embodiment In the passenger information system 300 according to this embodiment, the control device constructed on the cloud environment is different from the first embodiment in that it is not initially a secondary system for a specific station, but is activated as a secondary system for the station when a failure of a control device on the station's internal network is detected. In the following, components having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals and their description is omitted, and the description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0058] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a passenger information system 300. Here, as an example, consider two passenger information networks 101: a passenger information network 101A for Station A and a passenger information network 101B for Station B. The passenger information network 101A for Station A is configured to include a 1-system control device 110A, a station setting device 130A, and a guidance unit 140A. The passenger information network 101B for Station B is similarly configured to include a 1-system control device 110B, a station setting device 130B, and a guidance unit 140B. The passenger information networks 101 for each station are connected to a traffic management device 150, an interlocking device 160, and a control device (cloud control device 320) constructed in a cloud environment via relay devices.

[0059] Cloud control device 320 is connected via relay devices to passenger information network 101A, passenger information network 101B, operation management device 150, interlocking device 160, and external device 170. Cloud control device 320 stores in advance the execution files of applications of control devices 110 of system 1 of passenger information network 101 of each connected station, and station-specific data.

[0060] If the system 1 control device 110 at a specific station does not have a failure, the cloud control device 320 is not a slave for that specific station. If the system 1 control device 110 does not have a failure, the cloud control device 320 monitors the status of the system 1 control device 110 at each station and stores the guidance edit source information that the system 1 control device 110 at each station receives from a higher-level device. The guidance edit source information corresponds to information sent to the system 1 control device 110 at each station by the traffic management device 150, the interlocking device 160, and the station setting device 130 at each station. The guidance edit source information stored in the cloud control device 320 may be simultaneously sent to the cloud control device 320 by a higher-level device that sends data to the system 1 control device 110 at each station, or the system 1 control device 110 at each station may send data received from a higher-level device to the cloud control device 320. The status of the system 1 control device 110 at each station can be monitored by sending and receiving status information, by having a station employee or the like notify the occurrence of a failure, or the like, as in the first embodiment. The notification of a fault occurrence refers to when a fault is detected in the control device 110 of system 1 at each station, and a station attendant or the like operates a terminal to notify the cloud control device 320 of the occurrence of the fault.

[0061] When the cloud control device 320 detects a failure in the control device 110 of System 1 at a specific station, it starts guidance control as a secondary system for the station where the failure occurred. The guidance control may be performed by an application that was monitoring the status of the station, or may be performed by starting a guidance control application on a virtual machine. Before starting guidance control, the cloud control device 320 automatically determines the applications and data required for guidance control at the station and installs them in a specified storage location. The cloud control device 320 may also perform guidance control for multiple stations as a secondary system.

[0062] Next, specific operations in a situation where the control device 110 of system 1 at one of the multiple stations fails and the cloud control device 320 performs guidance control instead will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Here, as an example, the operations will be described with the cloud control device 320 as the subject when a failure occurs in the control device 110A of system 1 at station A.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing executed by the cloud control device 320.

[0064] In step S401, the cloud control device 320 checks the alive information of the 1-system control devices 110 installed at each station. The 1-system control devices 110 installed at each station refer to all 1-system control devices 110 of the passenger information network 101 to which the cloud control device 320 is connected, such as the 1-system control device 110A at station A and the 1-system control device 110B at station B. In this case, assuming a situation in which a failure occurs in the 1-system control device 110A at station A and alive information cannot be received, the process proceeds to step S202.

[0065] Steps S202, S203, and S204 are the same as those in the first embodiment. Here, the cloud control device 320 determines that a failure has occurred in the control device 110A of system 1 at station A, and proceeds to step S402.

[0066] In step S402, the cloud control device 320 automatically selects the data necessary for guidance control at Station A, installs it in a specified storage location, and starts the application (secondary system). The data necessary for guidance control at Station A refers to the executable file of the same application as the control device 110A of System 1, station-specific data, and guidance editing source information received while the control device 110A of System 1 is operating. The cloud control device 320 references a table that specifies information (including version, storage location, etc.) about the applications and station-specific data running at each station to identify the necessary data. Here, data selection is performed automatically, but a system administrator, system operator, station staff, etc. may also issue instructions from an external network. In step S402, when installation is complete, the cloud control device 320 starts up as the secondary system for Station A and proceeds to step S403.

[0067] In step S403, the cloud control device 320 starts guidance control for the guidance unit 140A of Station A.

[0068] Next, a specific operation when the control device 110A for system 1 at station A is restored will be described with reference to FIG.

[0069] In step S401, if the cloud control device 320 receives alive information from the control device 110A of system 1, the process proceeds to steps S206, S207, S208, and S209. These steps are the same as those in the first embodiment. The cloud control device 320 stops guidance control and requests the control device 110A of system 1 to start guidance control. When the above operations are completed, the process proceeds to step S401.

[0070] In this embodiment, the cloud control device 320 is on standby to operate as a secondary system for two stations, but the number of target stations may be three or more. Furthermore, in preparation for failure of the control device 110 of system 1 at multiple stations, multiple cloud control devices 320 may be on standby for one station. In this case, the method for selecting the cloud control device 320 to be activated as a secondary system is free. Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to one in which the cloud control device 320 is activated as a secondary system for a specific station, and the cloud control device 320 may be configured to individually activate secondary systems (virtual machines, containers, etc.) for a specific station.

[0071] Furthermore, when the cloud control device 320 starts up as a secondary system for a specific station, it is free to continue or stop monitoring the survival of the primary system for each station.

[0072] According to this embodiment, the passenger information system 300 can be made redundant at a lower cost than in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, a cloud-based control device must be prepared for each station. In this embodiment, the cloud control device 320 can be activated as a secondary system at any station, so it is sufficient to prepare one virtual machine for multiple stations. This allows the memory and storage of the contracted cloud service to be kept small, resulting in a lower cloud service contract fee.

[0073] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, if an abnormality occurs in the main system at any station, guidance control for that station can be automatically initiated. This is achieved by monitoring the status of the main system at each station and automatically installing the data necessary for guidance control at that station. First, the cloud control device 320 identifies the station where the abnormality occurred in the main system by monitoring the status of the main system at each station. Then, the cloud control device 320 automatically selects and installs data corresponding to the station where the abnormality occurred. Once the installation is complete, the cloud control device 320 starts up as a secondary system for the station where the abnormality occurred and starts guidance control. Using the above method, it is possible to automatically start up the secondary system even in a passenger guidance system 300 where different data is required at each station.

[0074] (III) Supplementary Notes The above-described embodiment includes, for example, the following contents.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the present invention is described as being applied to a passenger information system, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be widely applied to various other systems, devices, methods, and programs.

[0076] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the second control device 120 may be a virtual machine running on a computer, a container running on an operating system (OS), or software running on an OS. One function of the second control device 120 may be divided into multiple functions, or multiple functions may be combined into one function. Some of the functions of the second control device 120 may be provided as separate functions or may be included in other functions. Some of the functions of the second control device 120 may be implemented by another computer capable of communicating with the second control device 120. Additionally, the same applies to the cloud control device 320, and a description thereof will be omitted.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the communication medium in the passenger information system is not necessarily limited. The communication medium may be, for example, a communication medium conforming to various communication standards such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) or RS-232C, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), the Internet, a dedicated line, or the like.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the connection topology (e.g., communication medium) of the higher-level devices such as the traffic management device 150 and the interlocking device 160 and the first-system control device 110 and the second-system control device 120 is different, but the connection topology may be the same. In addition, a configuration with different connection topology can avoid a situation in which the control device cannot receive data from the higher-level device.

[0079] In the above-described embodiments, some or all of the programs may be installed from a program source into a device such as a computer that implements the control device. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server connected via a network or a computer-readable recording medium (e.g., a non-transitory recording medium). In the above description, two or more programs may be implemented as a single program, or one program may be implemented as two or more programs.

[0080] In addition, in the above description, information such as programs, tables, files, etc. that realize each function can be stored in a storage device such as a memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or in a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a DVD.

[0081] The above-described embodiment has the following characteristic configurations, for example.

[0082] (1) A passenger guidance system (e.g., passenger guidance system 100, passenger guidance system 300) including a first control unit (e.g., a control device 110 for system 1) and a second control unit (e.g., a control device 120 for system 2) capable of executing guidance control to generate guidance information for providing train guidance in a guidance unit (e.g., a guidance unit 140, a guidance display 141, a broadcasting device 142) provided within a station, wherein the first control unit is provided on the station's in-house network (e.g., a passenger guidance network 101), and the second control unit is provided on the cloud, and the guidance control is made redundant by the first control unit and the second control unit.

[0083] In the above configuration, one of the control units capable of executing guidance control is provided on the station's in-house network, and the other control unit capable of executing guidance control is provided on the cloud. For example, if a failure occurs in the cloud service or network, guidance control can be executed by the first control unit provided on the in-house network, and if an abnormality occurs in the first control unit due to a lightning strike, disaster, etc., guidance control can be executed by the second control unit provided on the cloud. With the above configuration, various risks that may hinder guidance control can be avoided, and guidance control can be continuously executed.

[0084] (2) The first control unit is a primary system, and the second control unit is a secondary system. If an abnormality occurs in the first control unit, the second control unit starts guidance control for the station (see, for example, Figures 2 and 4).

[0085] According to the above configuration, since the first control unit provided on the in-house network is the primary system, it is possible to realize, for example, continuous guidance control and also realize more responsive guidance control than when the second control unit is the primary system.

[0086] (3) The first control unit is provided on the on-site network of each of the plurality of stations, and when an abnormality occurs in the first control unit of any of the plurality of stations, the second control unit identifies data to be used for executing guidance control of the station and starts guidance control of the station using the identified data (see, for example, Figures 3 and 4).

[0087] According to the above configuration, for example, it is only necessary to provide one second control unit for multiple stations, so that the memory and storage of the cloud service to be provided can be reduced.

[0088] (4) The first control unit and the second control unit transmit survival information to each other, and if the second control unit does not receive survival information from the first control unit for a predetermined period of time, the second control unit detects an abnormality in the first control unit and starts guidance control when it detects an abnormality in the first control unit (see, for example, Figures 2 and 4).

[0089] According to the above configuration, for example, if an abnormality occurs in the first control unit, the second control unit automatically starts guidance control, so that guidance control can be started more quickly than if an operation is performed by a station staff member or the like to notify the occurrence of the abnormality.

[0090] (5) The first control unit detects the entry and exit of trains based on timetable information and signal equipment information, edits train location information indicating the location of the detected train, and transmits the edited train location information to the second control unit. If an abnormality occurs in the first control unit, the second control unit identifies the train based on the train location information and performs guidance control (see, for example, Figure 2).

[0091] According to the above configuration, for example, even if the second control unit is not connected to the operation management device, or if the operation management device does not send information equivalent to train location information to the second control unit, the second control unit can identify the train and perform guidance control.

[0092] (6) The second control unit receives requests from devices on an external network (e.g., external device 170) that are requests for devices on the station's internal network (see, e.g., Figures 1 and 3).

[0093] According to the above configuration, for example, maintenance work and station guidance settings can be performed from any location, which can improve the efficiency of maintenance work and the convenience of station guidance settings.

[0094] (7) The first control unit and the second control unit transmit survival information to each other, and one of the first control unit and the second control unit is a primary system and the other is a secondary system. If the secondary system does not receive survival information from the primary system for a predetermined period of time, it detects an abnormality in the primary system and starts guidance control when it detects an abnormality in the primary system (see, for example, Figures 2 and 4).

[0095] According to the above configuration, for example, if an abnormality occurs in the main system, the secondary system automatically starts guidance control, so that guidance control can be started more quickly than if an operation is performed by a station attendant or the like to notify the occurrence of the abnormality.

[0096] (8) In the first control unit and the second control unit, one is a primary system and the other is a secondary system, and when the primary system receives data used for guidance control (e.g., train operation information, on-track position information, signal equipment information) from a higher-level device (e.g., operation management device 150, interlocking device 160), the primary system transmits the received data to the secondary system.

[0097] According to the above configuration, for example, when the secondary system detects an abnormality in the primary system and starts guidance control, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a discrepancy occurs between the guidance control being executed by the primary system and the guidance control being executed by the secondary system.

[0098] (9) In the first control unit and the second control unit, if one is a primary system and the other is a secondary system, and if the primary system is restored while guidance control is being performed by the secondary system, the secondary system transmits to the primary system data used for guidance control (e.g., train operation information, track location information, signal equipment information, stored data) that was received from a higher-level device (e.g., operation management device 150, interlocking device 160) during the failure of the primary system.

[0099] According to the above configuration, for example, when the main system is restored and guidance control is started, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a discrepancy occurs between the guidance control that was being executed by the secondary system while the main system was stopped and the guidance control executed by the main system.

[0100] Furthermore, the above-described configurations may be modified, rearranged, combined, or omitted as appropriate within the scope of the present invention.

[0101] It should be understood that items included in a list in the format "at least one of A, B, and C" can mean (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C). Similarly, items listed in the format "at least one of A, B, or C" can mean (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C).

[0102] 100...passenger information system, 110...controller for system 1, 120...controller for system 2.

Claims

1. A passenger guidance system including a first control unit and a second control unit capable of executing guidance control to generate guidance information for providing train guidance in a guidance unit installed within a station, wherein the first control unit is installed on an in-station network and the second control unit is installed on a cloud, and the guidance control is made redundant by the first control unit and the second control unit.

2. The passenger guidance system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is a primary system, the second control unit is a secondary system, and when an abnormality occurs in the first control unit, the second control unit starts guidance control for the station.

3. The passenger guidance system described in claim 2, wherein the first control unit is provided on the in-house network of each of the plurality of stations, and when an abnormality occurs in the first control unit of any of the plurality of stations, the second control unit identifies data to be used in executing guidance control of the station and starts guidance control of the station using the identified data.

4. The passenger guidance system described in claim 2, wherein the first control unit and the second control unit transmit survival information to each other, and the second control unit detects an abnormality in the first control unit if it does not receive survival information from the first control unit for a predetermined period of time, and initiates guidance control when it detects an abnormality in the first control unit.

5. The passenger guidance system of claim 2, wherein the first control unit detects the entry and exit of trains based on timetable information and signal equipment information, edits train location information indicating the detected train's location on the line, and transmits the edited train location information to the second control unit, and when an abnormality occurs in the first control unit, the second control unit identifies the train based on the train location information and executes guidance control.

6. The passenger information system according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit receives a request from a device provided on an external network, the request being directed to a device provided on the station's in-house network.

7. The passenger guidance system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit and the second control unit transmit survival information to each other, one of the first control unit and the second control unit is a primary system and the other is a secondary system, and when the secondary system does not receive survival information from the primary system for a predetermined period of time, it detects an abnormality in the primary system and initiates guidance control when it detects an abnormality in the primary system.

8. A passenger information system as described in claim 1, wherein one of the first control unit and the second control unit is a primary system and the other is a secondary system, and when the primary system receives data to be used for information control from a higher-level device, the primary system transmits the received data to the secondary system.

9. A passenger information system as described in claim 1, wherein one of the first control unit and the second control unit is a primary system and the other is a secondary system, and when the primary system is restored while the secondary system is performing guidance control, the secondary system transmits to the primary system data used for guidance control that was received from a higher-level device during the failure of the primary system.

10. A passenger guidance method comprising: a first control unit executing guidance control to generate guidance information for providing train guidance in a guidance unit provided within a station; and a second control unit executing guidance control to generate guidance information for providing train guidance in the guidance unit provided within the station when guidance control is not being executed by the first control unit; wherein the first control unit is provided on an in-station network of the station and the second control unit is provided on a cloud; and guidance control is made redundant by the first control unit and the second control unit.

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