Railway Interlocking Control via Geographical Adjacency Model

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing interlocking table systems in railway stations are prone to errors, occupy excessive storage space, and pose safety risks due to manual compilation and diverse device types, making it complicated to acquire and control signal devices efficiently.

Innovation Solution

An interlocking device control method and system utilizing a geographical model and adjacency list structure to store and manage signal device information, reducing data storage needs and enabling quick retrieval of specific signal device information, thereby improving reliability and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the existing interlocking table is manually compiled to store device information, then the constraint relationship between devices can be established, but the compilation process becomes complicated and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of interlocking systemVSAvoidcompilation process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical compilation process with an automated computer-based system. The interlocking table is automatically generated by the computer interlocking software based on the geographical model and device data, eliminating manual errors and reducing compilation complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing the interlocking table to be automatically compiled and updated by the software itself based on the geographical model. The system autonomously generates, validates, and maintains the interlocking relationships without requiring manual intervention, thereby improving reliability while reducing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If more device information is added to the interlocking table to cover diverse device types and positions, then the system can handle more scenarios, but the data storage space increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapability to handle diverse device typesVSAvoiddata storage space
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the interlocking system into multiple modular components: the geographical model stores spatial relationships, the device data structure stores device information, and the interlocking table stores only the essential constraint relationships. This segmentation allows the system to handle diverse device types without proportionally increasing storage space, as each component stores only necessary information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of storing complete device information in the interlocking table, the patent inverts the approach by storing device information in separate data structures and keeping the interlocking table compact with only essential constraint relationships. The system retrieves full device information from the geographical model when needed, reducing storage space while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the interlocking table data structure is updated to include new device information, then the system can support new devices, but safety risks increase due to manual updates and diverse device types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to support new devicesVSAvoidsafety of interlocking system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual updates of the interlocking table with automated software-based updates. The computer interlocking software automatically generates and validates interlocking relationships based on the geographical model, eliminating manual errors and safety risks associated with manual updates while maintaining the ability to support new device types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through automated validation and consistency checking of the interlocking table. The software verifies that new device information and constraint relationships are correct before updating the system, providing immediate feedback on potential safety issues and preventing erroneous updates that could compromise system safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3828726B1Interlocking device control method and system
Publication Date: 2024.10.16 CRSC RESEARCH & DESIGN INSTITUTE GROUP CO LTD
  • EP3828726B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3828726B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3828726B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a field of transportation technology, and more particularly, relates to an interlocking device control method and system. The method comprises: acquiring vertex information of the route beginning point and of the route ending point, according to insulated joint information of the route beginning point and of the route ending point; sequentially acquiring information of respective adjacent points in a route direction, according to the vertex information of the route beginning point and of the route ending point; and acquiring and controlling a signal device in the route direction, according to the adjacent point information. In the present invention, a geographical model is constructed by using an adjacency list and a geographical structural diagram, for storing and managing signal device information and connection relationships between devices in a station yard, which saves data storage space; and information of a specific signal device in the station yard can be quickly found out through the geographical model, which is favorable for implementing modularization and standardization of interlocking software.