Vehicle Coupling Control for Seamless Passenger Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle control systems lack an efficient method for enabling seamless passenger transfer between vehicles traveling on shared routes, leading to increased travel times and holding times at stops.
Innovation Solution
A control device for semi-automatically driving vehicles that provides control signals for approaching and coupling with another vehicle, synchronizing the coupling process, and managing connecting doors to facilitate passenger transfer, ensuring safe and efficient passage between vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If vehicles travel separately on shared routes, then each vehicle can operate independently, but travel time increases and holding times at stops increase due to inability to transfer passengers during journey
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two vehicles into a coupled vehicle combination during a first portion of their travel routes, allowing passengers to transfer between vehicles without stopping. The control device coordinates the coupling of vehicles and manages connecting doors to enable seamless passenger transfer, thereby reducing travel time and eliminating the need for vehicles to return to depots or stops for passenger exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device performs preliminary actions by pre-coordinating the coupling of vehicles and pre-managing the opening/closing of connecting doors before passenger transfer occurs. The system anticipates transfer needs and prepares the coupled configuration in advance, allowing passengers to transfer during motion rather than requiring stops, thus reducing overall travel time.
2Productivity
If vehicles couple and uncouple frequently to enable passenger transfer, then route efficiency improves, but mechanical wear and coupling reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The travel route is segmented into different portions: a first portion where vehicles are coupled and a second portion where vehicles travel separately. This segmentation allows the system to optimize for passenger transfer efficiency during the coupled portion while maintaining operational flexibility during the separate portion, thereby improving overall route efficiency without excessive coupling/uncoupling cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle configuration dynamically changes from separate to coupled and back to separate based on route requirements. The control device manages this dynamic transition by coordinating coupling/uncoupling actions and managing connecting doors, allowing the system to adapt to varying transfer demands while minimizing the frequency of configuration changes, thus protecting coupling reliability.
3Ease of operation
If connecting doors are activated early before coupling is confirmed, then passenger transfer readiness improves, but safety risks increase due to potential incorrect activation
Solution Approach 1:
The control device uses feedback from coupling sensors to determine when coupling has been successfully confirmed before activating connecting doors. The sensor signals provide real-time information about the coupling state, and the control device responds by activating doors only when the feedback confirms safe coupling, thereby eliminating safety risks while maintaining transfer readiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for passenger transfer by having the control device ready to activate connecting doors, but cushions against premature activation by requiring confirmation of successful coupling first. This beforehand cushioning ensures that doors are only opened when it is safe to do so, preventing accidents while maintaining operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device, a vehicle, a vehicle combination, and a method, the control device being designed to provide a first control signal for the approach of the vehicle to a further vehicle in a first portion of a travel route of the vehicle, the control device being designed to provide a second control signal for the coupling of the vehicle to the further vehicle in the first portion of the travel route, in order to provide a passage between the vehicle and the further vehicle, via which a person may change over between the vehicle and the further vehicle.