Signaling system

• US 20060195236A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Dai, Yamaguchi, Takashi, Sugita, Yoichi, Katsuta, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 11/08 using electrical or magnetic interaction between vehicle and track
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/24 using token systems, e.g. train staffs, tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/04 Automatic systems, e.g. controlled by train; Change-over to manual control

Abstract

Trains and points are patrolled by a telegram containing the block occupancy information as a section that only one train is permitted to occupy, the information for giving lock position instructions to a point, and the point position information. This telegram is updated in order to get the right of block occupancy that is not held by other trains, and to give lock position instruction to the point. The train checks the block which this train is allowed to occupy, confirms that the point in this block has been set to the lock position specified by this train. Reading the aforementioned telegram, the point checks the lock position instruction given to itself and controls its lock position. A signaling system characterized by reduced designing and manufacturing costs is provided.

Claims

1. A signaling system wherein the protection of a train traveling within a predetermined section is ensured by a telegram, and said telegram patrols a train or wayside equipment located within said predetermined section and has a block occupancy information capable of assigning the right of being occupied by a train to each of the blocks formed of a plurality of divisions of the aforementioned section.

2. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein said telegram has the member list information represented in the order of patrolling of the identification information of the train and wayside equipment.

3. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein said telegram patrols the train or wayside equipment located within said predetermined section, and the train going to enter said predetermined section.

4. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein said block can be occupied by only one train.

5. The signaling system described in claim 4, wherein, when the train is going to enter the next block, the train checks the telegram having been received for the information on the right of block occupancy, and the train cannot enter if another train holds the right of block occupancy.

6. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein said telegram includes the communication control information for denoting the receiving end and sending end.

7. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein said wayside equipment is a point, and said telegram contains:

the point lock position instruction information including such instruction information that the train having the right of occupying the block where the point is located instructs the lock position of the point; and

the point position information including the information on the position of the point.

8. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein, when a train is going to enter a section,

the train sends to another train or wayside equipment holding a telegram in said section an addition request telegram for allowing said train to be added to the member list of said telegram.

9. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein, a train identifies the state of occupancy of the block to be entered, by checking the information on the right of occupancy of the block to be entered described in the received telegram, and, if another train has not yet secured the right of block occupancy, the identification data of the former train is added to the information on the right of occupancy of the block corresponding to the one to be entered, whereby the right of block occupancy is ensured.

10. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein, when said train has got out of the block, the train erases the identification data thereof from the information on the right of occupancy of the block corresponding to the one from which the train has come out, upon receipt of said telegram.

11. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein, if a point is present in the block which said train has the right of occupying, the train adds an intended lock position to the lock position instruction information of said point in said telegram, thereby notifying the point of the lock position.

12. The signaling system described in claim 1, wherein, said wayside equipment is a point, and, upon receipt of said telegram, said point is switched over to the lock position specified by the point position information of said telegram;

the current position is described in the point lock position information of the telegram; and

said telegram is sent to the next counterpart described in said member list information.

13. A train comprising:

a traffic control section for storing the operation planning information of a train and for generating the route request information for requesting permission for the train to enter the route, based on the operation planning information;

a train protection section capable of generating a telegram, determining, based on this telegram, whether or not permission to enter should be granted to said train, and exchanging said telegram with other trains or wayside equipment;

a speed control section for controlling the train travel;

wherein said telegram patrols a train and wayside equipment located within a predetermined section and within the section adjacent thereto; and

contains;

block occupancy information that for assigning the right of being occupied by a train to each of the blocks formed of a plurality of divisions of said section; and

member list information represented in the order of patrol of the identification information of the train and wayside equipment;

wherein, based on the route request information from the traffic control section and the telegram received from another train or wayside equipment, said train protection section determines whether or not permission to enter should be granted to said train, sends the updated telegram with another train or wayside equipment, and outputs the result of decision to said train control section.

14. The train described in claim 13, wherein, when said train enters a certain section based on the operation planning information of said traffic control section, said train protection section generates the addition request information for adding the train thereof to the member list information in the telegram, and sends said addition request telegram to another train or wayside equipment holding the telegram in the section.

15. The train described in claim 13, wherein said train protection section comprises:

a train communication section for exchanging said telegram with another train or wayside equipment;

a train input/output section in which the route request information is inputted from the traffic control section, and from which the result of decision on whether or not the permission to enter should be granted to said train is outputted to speed control section;

a train position detector for detecting the position of the train and for outputting the position information; and

a train protection logic section for updating the telegram and determining whether or not the permission to enter should be granted to said train, based on said route request information inputted from the train input/output section, said telegram inputted from the train communication section, and said position information inputted from the train position detector.

16. The train described in claim 15, wherein said train position detector contains:

information on the position of the balises arranged on the route on which the train runs;

information in the block where the train travels; and

information of the train wheel diameter.

17. A point protection apparatus provided with:

a communication section for exchanging the telegram containing;

point lock position instruction information, patrolling the train and point located within a predetermined section and within the section adjacent thereto, including instruction information used for a train to specify the point lock position;

point position information containing the information on position of point;

a control section having;

a function for controlling the lock position of the point, based on the point lock position instruction information of said telegram received by said communication section; and

a function for detecting the position information from the point and updating the point position information in the telegram based on the detected position information.

18. The point protection apparatus described in claim 17, further comprising a storage section for storing the identification data of the point to be controlled, said point protection apparatus controlling the lock position of the point based on the point lock position instruction information in the telegram corresponding to the point described in the identification data.

19. The point protection apparatus described in claim 17, wherein said telegram includes the member list information represented in the order of patrol of the train identification data.

20. The point protection apparatus described in claim 19, wherein, when an addition request has been received through the communication section from the train wishing to have new addition to the member list information of said telegram, said control section updates the member list information of said telegram based on the addition request information.