Device for tapping a signal indication and generating a data signal for the transmission of the signal indication as a balise protocol

Abstract

The present invention discloses a device for tapping a signal indication which can be optically displayed on a light signal and generating a data signal for the transmission of the signal indication as a balise protocol by a track-side balise, the device comprising: a) inductively acting scanners for detecting a current flow for each lamp circuit of the light signal; b) means for the wireless and / or wired transfer of a detected current flow signal associated with the corresponding lamp circuit to a control module for the balise; c) control module means for evaluating the wirelessly transferred current flow signals and determining the displayed signal indication; d) control module means for sending the determined signal indication to the balise; and e) balise means for transmitting the balise protocol associated with the determined signal indication in response to a provision of electrical energy to the balise by means of a telepowering signal emitted by a train front. In this way, the present invention ensures that all signal indications are tapped at a signal point by means of a low-power current measurement and can also be transferred to a control module for a balise, referred to in specialist circles as a lineside electronic unit, by means of a low-power transfer and / or a wired transfer. These features thus enable comprehensive capturing of the signal states, and as a result the safety and efficiency of the railway operation can be further increased and the present device, in the form of an extremely power-saving LEU, can be operated largely autonomously.

Description

[0001] Device for capturing a signal term and generating a data signal for transmitting the signal term as a balise protocol

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for tapping a signal aspect that can be indicated by a light signal and generating a data signal for transmitting the signal aspect as a balise protocol.

[0003] In the Swiss railway network, the current energy-efficient control unit for a balise, the so-called MiniLEU, has replaced the old SIGNUM train protection system, which used relay contacts and could only transmit the three states (signal aspects) of stop, warning, and proceed via balise telegrams to a train passing over the balise. To this day, this limited supervision with the MiniLEU has been largely sufficient for everyday operation.

[0004] However, to capture all possible signal aspects at a single signal point, the current energy consumption is too high to allow the mini-LEU to operate completely autonomously. This problem has been addressed so far, for example, with the LEU S21 and will be addressed in the future with the LEU150, both of which are distributed by the patent applicant. However, both variants have the disadvantage of not being able to operate autonomously and can only be installed in locations where sufficient power is available (for example, from a railway-side power supply bus or the public power grid). In addition to the power consumption, installation is also considerably more complex, as cables must be laid and factory testing must be carried out. These additional steps increase the effort and costs associated with installing such a LEU (Line-side electronic unit).

[0005] The present invention therefore aims to provide a device for tapping a signal aspect that can be displayed on a light signal and generating a data signal for transmitting the signal aspect as a balise protocol, which can be operated largely autonomously and is easy and safe to maintain in operation.

[0006] This task is accomplished according to the invention by a device for tapping a signal aspect that can be optically indicated at a light signal and generating a data signal for transmitting the signal aspect as a balise protocol via a trackside balise; comprising:

[0007] a) Inductively acting sensors for detecting a current flow for each lamp circuit of the light signal ,

[0008] b) Means for wireless and / or wired transmission of a detected current flow signal associated with the corresponding lamp circuit to a control module for the balise; ; and

[0009] c) Control module-side means for evaluating the wirelessly transmitted current flow signals and determining the displayed signal aspect;

[0010] d) Control module-side means for transmitting the determined signal value to the balise; and

[0011] e) Balise-side means for transmitting the balise protocol associated with the determined signal concept in response to the provision of electrical power at the balise by a tele-powering signal radiated from a train head.

[0012] In this way, the present invention ensures that all signal aspects at a signal point can be tapped by means of a low-power current measurement and transmitted via low-power transmission and / or a wired transmission to a control module for a balise, known in technical circles as a line-side electronic unit (LEU). This feature enables comprehensive monitoring of signal states, thereby further increasing the safety and efficiency of railway operations, and allows the present device to operate largely autonomously as an extremely energy-efficient LEU.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, split-core sensors and / or other inductive sensors, preferably transformers or transmitters, can be provided as inductively acting probes.

[0014] In a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, it may be provided that the wireless transmission can be carried out using Bluetooth Low-Energy and / or other energy-saving transmission protocols, preferably Low Power UART or Low Power SPI.

[0015] Furthermore, for the electrical supply of the means for transmitting a detected current flow signal assigned to the corresponding lamp circuit to a control module for the balise, an energy source may be provided, which is designed as a battery and / or as a photovoltaic element and / or as a wind generator and / or as the extraction of a minor part of the lamp current via inductive means or a voltage divider and / or as the supply of electrical energy obtained from the tele-powering signal.

[0016] Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention can be found in the remaining dependent claims.

[0017] Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing. The figure schematically shows a system 2 for tapping a signal aspect optically indicated at a light signal S and generating a data signal SB for transmitting the signal aspect as a balise protocol BT by a trackside balise B. A low-power current measurement is performed by a signal tapping unit SA for each of the four lamp circuits SP1 to SP4 (signal points 1 to 4 of signal S) of the light signal, as shown here by way of example. The detected current flows are wirelessly transmitted as lamp circuit data SB to a control unit for the balise – hereinafter referred to as the Line-side Electronic Unit LEU – located trackside near the light signal S and the trackside balise B.To achieve particularly energy-efficient current consumption, split-core sensors are preferably used. These sensors measure the lamp current for each of the four lamp circuits SP1 to SP4 and transmit the detected lamp circuit data (SB) to the LEU via Bluetooth Low Energy. These newly required current measurements (in addition to the previous signal aspects PROGRESS, STOP, and WARNING) and the data transmission of the detected lamp circuit data (SB) (lamp circuit with or without current flow) do not affect the operating time of the LEU. This innovative solution enables more precise detection and transmission of signal states without impairing the existing functionality of the LEU. The LEU then translates these detected lamp current flows into the corresponding signal aspect, which is wirelessly transmitted by the balise B as a balise telegram (BT) to a vehicle-mounted onboard unit (OBU) on a locomotive L.The LEU is "awakened" by means of electrical energy, which can be inductively derived from the tele-powering signal TP (so-called 27 MHz beam) radiated from the front of the train at balise B and / or at an additional induction unit mounted on the trackside. The electrical energy induced by the tele-powering signal TP is then used by the LEU to translate the detected signal aspect into the balise telegram, which is then transmitted by balise B to the locomotive L passing over balise B – where it is received by a suitable vehicle antenna.

[0018] With this inventive system, at least the same functionalities regarding the detection of signal aspects can be achieved; however, this system consumes approximately 1000 times less power and can therefore be operated autonomously. The savings in cable laying and the reduced electricity costs over several decades thus promise a significantly more economical solution. The easily installed measuring electronics with the split-core sensors require no factory testing and therefore save a considerable amount of installation time. This solution can be used at any signal point in all countries where train protection according to the European Train Control System (ETCS) with safety level SIL2 is required.

[0019] Additionally, an electrical supply for the means of wireless transmission of a detected current flow signal associated with the corresponding lamp circuit to the LEU for the Balise B can be provided by providing an energy source designed as a battery and / or as a photovoltaic element and / or as a wind generator and / or as extraction of a minor part of the lamp current via inductive means or a voltage divider and / or as a supply of electrical energy obtained from the Tele-Powering signal TP.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device for tapping a signal aspect optically indicated by a light signal and generating a data signal for transmitting the signal aspect as a balise protocol by a trackside balise; comprising: a) Inductively acting sensors for detecting a current flow for each lamp circuit of the light signal , b) Means for wireless and / or wired transmission of a detected current flow signal associated with the corresponding lamp circuit to a control module for the balise; and c) Control module-side means for evaluating the wirelessly transmitted current flow signals and determining the displayed signal aspect; d) Control module-side means for transmitting the determined signal value to the balise; and e) Balise-side means for transmitting the balise protocol associated with the determined signal concept in response to the provision of electrical power at the balise by a tele-powering signal radiated from a train head.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that Split-core sensors and / or other inductive sensors, preferably transformers or transducers, are provided as inductively acting probes.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that Wireless transmission is carried out using Bluetooth Low-Energy and / or other energy-saving transmission protocols, preferably Low Power UART or Low Power SPI.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an electrical supply of the means for wireless transmission of a detected current flow signal assigned to the corresponding lamp circuit to a control module for the balise can be provided by providing an energy source which is designed as a battery and / or as a photovoltaic element and / or as a wind generator and / or as extraction of a minor part of the lamp current via inductive means or a voltage divider and / or as a supply of electrical energy obtained from the tele-powering signal .

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