Train Running Pattern Control for Stopping Avoidance Zones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods fail to effectively avoid stopping of a vehicle in a stopping avoidance zone when points with high stopping risks are scattered, leading to potential unsafe stops during abnormal states like power outages or overhead wire failures.

Innovation Solution

A running pattern creation device that includes a stopping avoidance zone position holding unit, vehicle condition holding unit, braking pattern creation unit, coasting pattern creation unit, high-risk position-velocity region decision unit, and scheduled running pattern creation unit, which generates driving instructions to avoid high-risk areas by creating braking and coasting patterns that allow the vehicle to stop before or behind designated zones, thereby preventing stops in prohibited areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If braking is applied at any timing when high-risk stopping points are scattered, then the vehicle may stop quickly, but the vehicle stops at high-risk points in the stopping avoidance zone

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveStopping speedVSAvoidStopping safety
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates safe stopping positions by identifying all high-risk stopping points in the stopping avoidance zone before emergency braking occurs. The control unit determines a stopping position that is not a high-risk point, and applies braking control to stop the vehicle at this predetermined safe position, thereby avoiding the problem of stopping at scattered high-risk points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit continuously monitors the vehicle's deceleration state and current position during emergency braking. When the vehicle reaches the calculated safe stopping position, the control unit provides feedback to terminate braking, ensuring the vehicle stops at the intended safe location rather than at scattered high-risk points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If a battery is mounted on the vehicle to enable power running from stop point, then the electric train can evacuate from stopping avoidance zone, but mounting restrictions on space and cost prevent implementation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveEvacuation capabilityVSAvoidVehicle configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential function needed for evacuation (controlling the stopping position) from the complex battery mounting solution. By using the existing power running capability and focusing solely on intelligent braking control to achieve safe stopping, the system eliminates the need for additional battery mounts while maintaining evacuation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the vehicle's existing power running capability and braking system to achieve safe evacuation. The control unit leverages the vehicle's own deceleration characteristics and power running function to calculate and execute safe stopping positions, making the vehicle self-sufficient without requiring external battery additions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of time

If the vehicle stops at the nearest point when power running is impossible, then evacuation time is reduced, but the vehicle may stop in the stopping avoidance zone

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveEvacuation timeVSAvoidStopping safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit pre-calculates the nearest safe stopping position by identifying all high-risk stopping points in the stopping avoidance zone before emergency braking occurs. This preliminary identification of safe positions allows the vehicle to evacuate quickly while ensuring it stops at a safe location, not in the avoidance zone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the stopping position calculation based on the vehicle's current position, speed, and deceleration characteristics. The control unit determines the nearest safe stopping position that accounts for real-time vehicle state, enabling rapid evacuation while avoiding static, potentially unsafe predetermined positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4112358B1Travel pattern creation device and operation control method using same
Publication Date: 2025.03.26 HITACHI LTD
  • EP4112358B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4112358B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4112358B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A running pattern creation device includes: a coordinate system that is formed of a positional coordinate axis and a vehicle velocity axis; a stopping avoidance zone position holding unit 1 configured to hold positional information on a stopping avoidance zone of a vehicle 8; a vehicle condition holding unit 2 configured to hold at least information on respective accelerations at an acceleration time, a deceleration time and a coasting time with respect to specification of the vehicle 8; a braking pattern creation unit 3 configured to create a braking pattern that is a pattern for stopping the vehicle 8 at a position other than the stopping avoidance zone using the positional information and information on acceleration at the deceleration time; a coasting pattern creation unit 4 configured to create a coasting pattern that is a pattern for stopping the vehicle 8 at a position other than the stopping avoidance zone using the positional information and the information on acceleration at the coasting time; an object region decision unit 5 configured to decide an object region 5 that is a region surrounded by the positional coordinate, the braking pattern and the coasting pattern; and a scheduled running pattern creation unit 6 configured to create a scheduled running pattern that is a running pattern avoiding the object region 5 and can be expressed by the coordinate system.