Intelligent hook lock for rail transit and implementation method therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intelligent hook lock for rail transit and an implementation method therefor. The hook lock comprises a hook lock mechanical locking body, a hook lock pressure sensor, a hook lock gap sensor, a locking processor, a communication module, and a turnout locking state terminal, wherein the hook lock pressure sensor and the hook lock gap sensor are connected to the hook lock mechanical locking body, and are configured to safely detect a pressure and a gap of the hook lock in a locked state, respectively; the locking processor is connected to the hook lock pressure sensor and the hook lock gap sensor, and is configured to receive and process signals from the hook lock pressure sensor and the hook lock gap sensor; and the turnout locking state terminal receives a processing result signal from the locking processor by means of the communication module. Compared with the prior art, the present invention can ensure that the locking state of a turnout is accurately detected and safely transmitted, and is integrated into an existing rail transit signaling system, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the entire system.

Description

A smart hook lock for rail transit and its implementation method Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to rail transit signaling systems, and more particularly to an intelligent hook lock for rail transit and its implementation method. Background Technology

[0002] In current rail transit systems, turnout lockers are critical equipment ensuring safe train operation when switch machines malfunction or turnouts lose their indication function. Their performance directly impacts the overall system's safety and operational efficiency. Traditional lockers, relying entirely on manual operation to confirm turnout position and locking status, cannot meet the high efficiency and safety requirements of modern rail transit. In recent years, some manufacturers have proposed automatic control-based lockers, but these only address the issue of manual turnout locking and do not achieve real-time, continuous confirmation of the turnout's locking status by the system or its interaction with the train automatic control system.

[0003] Traditional track lockers face numerous challenges in practical applications: First, since the position of the turnout cannot be determined after a signal system failure, traditional mechanical locking devices are difficult to be effectively locked and confirmed by the system in the first instance, which threatens train operation safety; second, relying on manual operation not only increases the difficulty of operation but may also cause safety accidents due to human error in confirmation; finally, most traditional track lockers use fixed locking confirmation mechanisms and cannot monitor the locking status of the turnout in real time, which limits the speed of trains passing through the turnout to a very low level, making it difficult to meet the high-density, short-interval operation requirements of rail transit, especially urban rail transit.

[0004] A search of Chinese Patent Publication No. CN107685743A reveals an intelligent coupler system, specifically comprising an automatic coupler body, a physical rangefinder, a distance / speed analyzer, a drive operation converter, and sensors. The coupler body contains multiple sensors. This intelligent coupler aims to better facilitate the operational transformation of rail transit's combined and separated transport modes, reducing the workload and mental stress of railway employees and improving shunting quality and efficiency. However, while this existing patent applies intelligent technology to the coupler, it does not currently address the intelligentization of turnout coupling devices. Therefore, how to solve the shortcomings of traditional coupling device position locking confirmation information, which relies entirely on manual intervention and cannot be connected to the train operation protection signal system, resulting in low train operation efficiency and complete reliance on manual operation for safety, becomes a technical problem that needs to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art by providing an intelligent hook lock for rail transit and its implementation method, which can ensure that the locking status of the turnout is accurately detected and safely transmitted, and integrated into the existing rail transit signaling system, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the entire system.

[0006] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit is provided, the hook and lock device comprising a mechanical locking body, a hook and lock pressure sensor, a hook and lock gap sensor, a locking processor, a communication module, and a turnout locking status terminal;

[0008] The hook lock pressure sensor and hook lock gap sensor are respectively connected to the mechanical locking body of the hook lock and are used to safely detect the pressure and gap of the hook lock in the locked state.

[0009] The locking processor is connected to the hook lock pressure sensor and the hook lock gap sensor respectively, and is used to receive and process the signals from the hook lock pressure sensor and the hook lock gap sensor.

[0010] The turnout locking status terminal receives the locking processor processing result signal through the communication module.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution, the hook lock mechanical locking body is used to realize the mechanical locking function of the turnout.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the mechanical locking body of the hook lock is made of a component made of high-strength, fatigue-resistant metal material.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the hook-lock pressure sensor is used to detect the tightness between the base rail and the switch rail when the turnout is locked, and the hook-lock gap sensor is used to detect the gap between the base rail and the switch rail when the turnout is locked.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, both the hook lock pressure sensor and the hook lock gap sensor are equipped with two or more heterogeneous independent sensing devices.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, after receiving the signals from the hook-lock pressure sensor and the hook-lock gap sensor, the locking processor performs a 2-out-of-2 comparison process to determine the locking status of the turnout.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution, after the locking processor determines that the turnout is successfully locked based on the hook-lock pressure sensor and the hook-lock gap sensor, it generates a corresponding locking signal and sends it to the turnout locking status terminal.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution, the communication module adopts a near-field or remote communication unit, which is used to transmit the analysis results of the locking processor to the turnout locking status terminal through the communication network.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution, the turnout locking terminal converts the received signal into a format suitable for the existing signaling system.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for implementing the intelligent hook lock for rail transit is provided, the method comprising the following steps:

[0020] Step S1: The hook lock mechanical locking body performs a mechanical locking operation on turnout P.

[0021] Step S2, the hook lock pressure sensor detects the tightness force generated by the hook lock;

[0022] Step S3, the hook-lock gap sensor detects the gap between the switch rail and the base rail;

[0023] Step S4: The locking processor calculates the locking status of turnout P based on the data provided by the hook-lock pressure sensor and the hook-lock gap sensor.

[0024] Step S5: The near-field or remote communication unit sends the locking status of turnout P to the train or trackside equipment.

[0025] Step S6: The turnout locking status terminal obtains the locking status of turnout P and provides it to the existing signaling system.

[0026] As a preferred technical solution, the locking processor in step S4 encodes the calculation results using a security protocol.

[0027] As a preferred technical solution, the near-field or remote communication unit in step S5 sends the safety code of the locking state of turnout P to the train or trackside equipment via wireless communication.

[0028] As a preferred technical solution, step S6 integrates turnout status monitoring with the existing signaling system.

[0029] As a preferred technical solution, the existing signaling system continuously monitors the locking status of the turnout in real time. When the turnout is lost, the existing signaling system will provide safety protection again.

[0030] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the program to implement the method described thereon.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method described thereon.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0033] 1) The intelligent hook lock system of the present invention can ensure that the locking status of the turnout is accurately detected and safely transmitted, and integrated into the existing rail transit signaling system, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the entire system;

[0034] 2) This invention adopts real-time detection technology for turnout locking status, and integrates traditional hook locks with existing rail transit signaling systems through wireless technology and security protocols, thereby improving the safety of turnout position confirmation in the event of a turnout failure.

[0035] 3) This invention adopts turnout locking safety protection technology. In the case that the traditional signaling system does not know the turnout status and needs to rely on manual means to ensure train operation safety, the intelligent hook lock device in this invention can automatically provide SIL4 level turnout locking status information, ensuring that the train operates safely in the ATP protection mode and improving the safety level of train operation.

[0036] 4) This invention is lightly coupled with existing signal systems. Through safe intelligent sensing and processing technology, this invention ensures the security and real-time performance of locking information while achieving light coupling with existing signal systems, so as to better adapt to signal systems of different standards and manufacturers, and has strong universality.

[0037] 5) The sensors of this invention are each deployed with two or more heterogeneous independent sensing devices to ensure the safety of detection. At the same time, the latching processor adopts a 2-out-of-2 comparison process, which further improves the safety. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the intelligent hook lock device of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the implementation method of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the control process in a specific embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] This invention provides an intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit, which solves the shortcomings of traditional hook and lock devices that rely entirely on manual confirmation of position locking information and cannot be connected to the train operation protection signal system, resulting in low train operation efficiency and the fact that operation safety is entirely guaranteed manually. This invention adds an intelligent safety detection and processing device to the traditional mechanical hook and lock device and achieves integration with the existing signal system, ensuring the safe and high-speed operation of the train.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, the intelligent hook-lock device of the present invention includes a hook-lock mechanical locking body BHL, a hook-lock pressure sensor PHL, a hook-lock gap sensor GHL, a locking processor PoL, a near-field / remote communication unit RU, and a turnout locking status terminal TPL. Specifically: the hook-lock mechanical locking body BHL is the core mechanical component of the system, responsible for realizing the mechanical locking function of the turnout; the hook-lock pressure sensor PHL and the hook-lock gap sensor GHL are used to safely detect the pressure and gap of the hook-lock device in the locked state; the locking processor PoL receives signals from PHL and GHL and analyzes them to determine the locking state of the turnout; the near-field / remote communication unit RU is responsible for transmitting the analysis results of the locking processor PoL to the remote monitoring system through a communication network; the turnout locking status terminal TPL receives signals from RU and converts them into a format suitable for existing signaling systems for integration into existing railway signaling systems.

[0045] The specific structures of each component are as follows:

[0046] 1. Hook and Lock Mechanical Locking Body BHL: This is the core mechanical component of the system, responsible for realizing the mechanical locking function of the turnout. It is made of high-strength fatigue-resistant metal material to ensure the safety and reliability of the turnout during mechanical operation.

[0047] 2. Hook-lock pressure sensor PHL and hook-lock gap sensor GHL: These two sensors are used to detect the contact force and gap between the stock rail and switch rail when the turnout is locked, respectively. The pressure sensor PHL detects the contact force between the stock rail and switch rail when the turnout is locked, while the gap sensor GHL detects the gap between the stock rail and switch rail when the turnout is locked, to ensure that no abnormal physical gaps affect the locking status of the turnout. Two or more heterogeneous independent sensing devices are deployed for each type of sensor to ensure the safety of the detection.

[0048] 3. Locking Processor PoL: This processor receives signals from PHL (portal signal) from interface ③ and GHL (portal signal) from interface ④, and performs a 2-out comparison on each to securely determine the locking status of the turnout. The processor determines whether locking is successful based on sensor data and generates a corresponding locking signal. After security protocol encoding and information security processing, this signal is transmitted to the communication unit RU via interface ⑤.

[0049] 4. Near-field / remote communication unit RU: This unit is responsible for sending the analysis results of the latching processor out through the communication network via interface ⑥.

[0050] 5. Turnout Locking Status Terminal (TPL): This terminal receives signals from the RU and converts them into a format suitable for existing signaling systems, enabling integration into the existing railway signaling system. This ensures compatibility and seamless integration between the new system and the existing system.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] As shown in Figure 2, the present invention also provides a method for implementing an intelligent hook lock for rail transit, specifically including:

[0053] Step 1, Mechanical locking of the hook lock: First, the mechanical locking body BHL of the hook lock performs a mechanical locking operation on the turnout P to ensure that the turnout is in the correct position.

[0054] Step 2, Contact Force Detection: The hook lock pressure sensor PHL detects the contact force generated by the hook lock to ensure that the contact force between the hook lock and the turnout is sufficient to ensure the stability and safety of the turnout.

[0055] Step 3, Gap Detection: The hook-lock gap sensor GHL detects the gap between the switch rail and the stock rail to ensure that there are no physical obstacles to the switch switching and that the gap is within a safe range.

[0056] Step 4, State Calculation and Security Encoding: The locking processor PoL calculates the locking state of turnout P based on the data provided by PHL and GHL, and encodes it using a security protocol, followed by information security protection. This step is to ensure the security and integrity of the locking state data during transmission.

[0057] Step 5, Status Information Transmission: The near-field / remote communication unit RU transmits the safety code of the locking status of turnout P to the train or trackside equipment such as the ATP unit via wireless communication, thereby realizing the remote transmission of status information.

[0058] Step 6, Status Information Acquisition and Integration: The turnout locking status terminal (TPL) acquires the locking status of turnout P and provides it to the existing signaling system to achieve integration between the new system and the existing signaling system, ensuring the coordinated operation of the entire rail transit system.

[0059] Through the above steps, the intelligent hook lock implementation method and device can ensure that the locking status of the turnout is accurately monitored and safely transmitted, and integrated into the existing rail transit signaling system, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the entire system.

[0060] Example 3

[0061] As shown in Figure 3, the following example uses a traditional CBTC system. The relevant principles and logic are also applicable to other signal systems. The specific steps include:

[0062] Step S1: Initial State

[0063] As shown in Figure 3, in a rail transit system, when the turnout in Figure 3 fails and the existing CBTC signaling system cannot obtain the turnout locking status information, the train that needs to pass through the turnout will stop using service braking or emergency braking at a position not less than a safe distance upstream of the turnout. Trains on or within the safe distance of the turnout will stop due to emergency braking.

[0064] Step S2: Use an intelligent hook-lock device to manually or automatically hook and lock the turnout.

[0065] The intelligent hook lock is used to lock the turnout manually or automatically. The mechanical locking body BHL of the hook lock performs the mechanical locking operation to ensure that the turnout is in the correct position.

[0066] Step S3: Sensor Data Acquisition

[0067] The pressure sensor PHL detects the sealing force generated by the base rail and switch rail on the locking side through two detection devices to ensure that the sealing force data is obtained correctly.

[0068] The gap sensor GHL uses two sensors to detect the gap between the switch rail and the stock rail, ensuring that the turnout contact data is obtained correctly.

[0069] Step S4: Data Processing and Security Coding

[0070] The locking processor PoL receives data from PHL and GHL, and calculates the turnout's contact force and clearance using a 2-out-of-2 trial calculation. Only when all data meet the requirements can the locking status be given, and the status is encoded with a safety protocol and an information security protection check code is added to ensure the security and integrity of the data.

[0071] Step S5: Data transmission

[0072] The near-field / remote communication unit (RU) transmits the safety protocol of the turnout's locking status to the trackside TPL device via wireless communication.

[0073] Step S6: Status Information Acquisition and Integration

[0074] The turnout locking status terminal (TPL) acquires the locking status of the turnout and provides it to the computer interlocking of the existing signaling system, thereby integrating the turnout status with the existing signaling system.

[0075] Step S7: Computer interlocking operation

[0076] The computer interlocking system receives turnout locking status information from TPL, and sends it to the area controller ZC according to the existing signal system's processing method and safety logic. The ZC then sends it to the on-board controller CC for train operation safety protection.

[0077] Step S8: Real-time monitoring and maintenance

[0078] The system continuously monitors the locking status of the turnouts in real time to ensure the safe operation of the rail transit system. When the turnouts lose their locking status, the existing signaling system will provide safety protection again.

[0079] During system operation, the corresponding monitoring system will also continuously monitor the status of each device in the system itself.

[0080] Through the above steps, the intelligent hook lock system can ensure that the locking status of the turnout is accurately detected and safely transmitted, and integrated into the existing rail transit signaling system, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the entire system.

[0081] Example 4

[0082] This invention also provides an electronic device including a central processing unit (CPU), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to computer program instructions stored in a read-only memory (ROM) or loaded from a storage unit into a random access memory (RAM). The RAM may also store various programs and data required for device operation. The CPU, ROM, and RAM are interconnected via a bus. Input / output (I / O) interfaces are also connected to the bus.

[0083] Multiple components in the device are connected to the I / O interface, including: input units such as keyboards and mice; output units such as various types of displays and speakers; storage units such as disks and optical discs; and communication units such as network interface cards (NICs), modems, and wireless transceivers. The communication unit allows the device to exchange information / data with other devices through computer networks such as the Internet and / or various telecommunications networks.

[0084] The processing unit performs the various methods and processes described above, such as the methods of the present invention. For example, in some embodiments, the methods of the present invention may be implemented as computer software programs tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium, such as a storage unit. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed on the device via ROM and / or a communication unit. When the computer program is loaded into RAM and executed by the CPU, one or more steps of the methods of the present invention described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the CPU may be configured to execute the methods of the present invention by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0085] The functions described above in this document can be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components. For example, exemplary types of hardware logic components that can be used, without limitation, include: Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Application Standard Products (ASSPs), System-on-Chip (SoCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), and so on.

[0086] The program code used to implement the methods of the present invention can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code can be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code can be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, as a standalone software package partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0087] In the context of this invention, a machine-readable medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A machine-readable medium can be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. Machine-readable media can include, but are not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0088] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A smart coupler for rail transportation, characterized in that, The hook lock includes a hook lock mechanical locking body (BHL), a hook lock pressure sensor (PHL), a hook lock gap sensor (GHL), a locking processor (PoL), a communication module, and a turnout locking status terminal (TPL); The hook lock pressure sensor (PHL) and hook lock gap sensor (GHL) are respectively connected to the hook lock mechanical locking body (BHL) and are used to safely detect the pressure and gap of the hook lock in the locked state. The locking processor (PoL) is connected to the hook lock pressure sensor (PHL) and the hook lock gap sensor (GHL) respectively, and is used to receive and process the signals from the hook lock pressure sensor (PHL) and the hook lock gap sensor (GHL); The turnout locking status terminal (TPL) receives the locking processor (PoL) processing result signal through the communication module.

2. The intelligent coupler of claim 1, wherein, The hook lock mechanical locking body (BHL) is used to realize the mechanical locking function of the turnout.

3. The intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The hook lock mechanical locking body (BHL) is made of high-strength fatigue-resistant metal material.

4. The intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hook-lock pressure sensor (PHL) is used to detect the tightness between the stock rail and the switch rail when the turnout is locked, and the hook-lock gap sensor (GHL) is used to detect the gap between the stock rail and the switch rail when the turnout is locked.

5. A smart hook-and-lock device for rail transit according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The hook lock pressure sensor (PHL) and hook lock gap sensor (GHL) each deploy two or more heterogeneous independent sensing devices.

6. The intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit according to claim 1, characterized in that, After receiving signals from the hook-lock pressure sensor (PHL) and the hook-lock gap sensor (GHL), the locking processor (PoL) performs a 2-out-of-2 comparison process to determine the locking status of the turnout.

7. A smart hook lock for rail transit according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that, After the locking processor (PoL) determines that the turnout is successfully locked based on the hook-lock pressure sensor (PHL) and hook-lock gap sensor (GHL), it generates a corresponding locking signal and sends it to the turnout locking status terminal (TPL).

8. The intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication module employs a near-field or remote communication unit (RU), which is used to transmit the analysis results of the locking processor (PoL) to the turnout locking status terminal (TPL) via a communication network.

9. The intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turnout locking status terminal (TPL) converts the received signals into a format suitable for the existing signaling system.

10. A method for implementing the intelligent hook and lock device for rail transit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The implementation method includes the following steps: Step S1, the hook lock mechanical locking body (BHL) performs a mechanical locking operation on turnout P; Step S2, the hook lock pressure sensor (PHL) detects the sealing force generated by the hook lock; Step S3, the hook-lock gap sensor (GHL) detects the gap between the switch rail and the main rail; Step S4: The locking processor (PoL) calculates the locking status of turnout P based on the data provided by the hook-lock pressure sensor (PHL) and the hook-lock gap sensor (GHL). Step S5: The near-field or remote communication unit (RU) sends the locking status of turnout P to the train or trackside equipment. Step S6: The turnout locking status terminal (TPL) acquires the locking status of turnout P and provides it to the existing signaling system.

11. The implementation method of claim 10, wherein, In step S4, the latching processor (PoL) encodes the calculation results using a security protocol.

12. The implementation method of claim 11, wherein, In step S5, the near-field or remote communication unit (RU) sends the safety code of the locking status of turnout P to the train or trackside equipment via wireless communication.

13. The implementation method of claim 11, wherein, In step S6, the integration of turnout status monitoring with the existing signaling system is realized.

14. The implementation method of claim 11, wherein, The existing signaling system continuously monitors the locking status of the turnout in real time. When the turnout is lost, the existing signaling system will provide safety protection again.

15. An electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, said memory having stored thereon a computer program, characterized in that, When the processor executes the program, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 14.

16. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, characterized in that, When the program is executed by the processor, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 10 to 14.

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