Train control device, train control method and computer program product

• US 10,363,948 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2015
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Junko, Iba, Satoshi, Hattori, Yohei, Miyajima, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/543,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20180327005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/42 Adaptation of control equipment on vehicle for actuation from alternative parts of the vehicle or from alternative vehicles of the same vehicle train B60L15/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0062 On-board target speed calculation or supervision
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/04 Indicating or recording train identities
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/20 Trackside control of safe travel of vehicle or train, e.g. braking curve calculation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a train control device includes an acceleration detection unit and a train control unit. The acceleration detection unit detects acceleration of a train along a rotation radius direction, when the train is turning and passing a curved section of a rail line with a cant. The train control unit sets a passing speed of the train passing through the curved section so that a state of the train is placed in a balanced cant, based on a direction of the detected acceleration.

Claims

1. A train control method that is executed by a train control device mounted on a train, the train control method comprising:

detecting acceleration of the train along a rotation radius direction, when the train is turning and passing a curved section of a rail line with a cant; and

setting a passing speed of the train passing through the curved section so that the state of the train is placed in a balanced cant, based on a direction of the detected acceleration.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting load compensation of the train; and

correcting the passing speed based on vehicle occupancy corresponding to the load compensation.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

correcting the passing speed to a faster speed, when the vehicle occupancy is determined to be higher than the vehicle occupancy corresponding to load compensation information that is used to set the passing speed of the train so that the state of the train is placed in the balanced cant; and

correcting the passing speed to a slower speed, when the vehicle occupancy is determined to be lower than the vehicle occupancy corresponding to load compensation information that is used to set the passing speed of the train so that the state of the train is placed in the balanced cant.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting acceleration of the train in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a front-to-rear direction;

associating a direction of acceleration, amplitude, a passing speed, a location where vibration has occurred, and date and time of occurrence with one another as vibration detection information; and

storing the vibration detection information, when the acceleration of the train in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction becomes equal to or more than a certain value.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting acceleration of the train in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a front-to-rear direction;

associating a direction of acceleration, amplitude, a passing speed, a location where vibration has occurred, and date and time of occurrence with one another, as vibration detection information; and

communicating with and notifying a ground side of the vibration detection information through communication, when the acceleration of the train in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction becomes equal to or more than a certain value.

6. A computer program product including programmed instructions embodied in and stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform:

detecting acceleration of the train along a rotation radius direction, when the train is turning and passing a curved section of a rail line with a cant; and

setting a passing speed of the train passing through the curved section so that the state of the train is placed in a balanced cant, based on a direction of the detected acceleration.