Train Allocation Plan Generation for Railway Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing train allocation plans in railway operations fail to effectively manage the allocation of vehicles to operations, as they do not consider the varying number of vehicles needed across different operations, leading to inefficiencies in merge and split operations, which complicates the satisfaction of constraints such as initial day, connection, and work constraints.
Innovation Solution
An information processing device that acquires operation and train information to produce a train allocation plan by allocating trains to operations, ensuring the total number of vehicles matches the necessary number, and minimizes the number of merge and split operations through iterative processing and optimization techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a scheduling method considering examination and cleaning schedule is used, then maintenance constraints are satisfied, but vehicle number differences among operations cannot be considered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the train allocation problem into two independent phases: (1) producing a vehicle unit allocation plan that determines the number of vehicle units for each operation based on passenger demand and vehicle availability, and (2) producing a train allocation plan that allocates specific trains to operations while considering examination and cleaning schedules. This segmentation allows each phase to optimize for its specific constraints without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vehicle unit allocation plan as an intermediary between passenger demand and train allocation. This intermediate plan determines the required number of vehicle units for each operation, which then serves as input for the train allocation phase. This intermediary structure enables the system to handle vehicle number differences while maintaining maintenance schedule constraints.
2Quantity of substance
If a vehicle unit allocation plan is produced based on seat number and passenger relation, then vehicle number matching is achieved, but train allocation plan cannot be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the vehicle unit allocation function from the traditional integrated train allocation process. By separating the determination of vehicle unit numbers from the allocation of specific trains, the system can first optimize vehicle unit distribution based on passenger demand and then independently handle train assignment considering maintenance schedules and train availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic two-stage allocation process where the vehicle unit allocation plan is first produced based on passenger demand and vehicle capacity, and then the train allocation plan is dynamically generated based on the vehicle unit requirements, train availability, and maintenance schedules. This dynamic approach allows flexibility in handling varying operational requirements.
3Device complexity
If trains are allocated without considering vehicle number requirements, then allocation simplicity is maintained, but merge and split operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary determination of vehicle unit requirements before train allocation. By first calculating the exact number of vehicle units needed for each operation based on passenger demand and vehicle capacity, the system can then allocate trains in a way that minimizes merge and split operations, as the allocation process is guided by pre-calculated vehicle unit requirements rather than being performed in isolation.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing device comprising processing circuitry to acquire information on operations each including an operation duration, a number of vehicles necessary for execution of each operation, and train information including a number of vehicles included in each train, mergeable or splittable among two or more trains; and produce an operation plan by allocating one or more trains to each operation, a total number of vehicles included in the allocated trains to each operation matches the number of vehicles necessary for the operation. Merge work of two or more trains is needed to allocate the two or more trains to one of the operations, and split work of the merged two or more trains is needed to allocate the two or more trains to different ones of the operations. The processing circuitry produces the operation plan based on a merge iteration number or a split iteration number.