Method and system providing sleep and wake-up modes for railway track circuit unit

• US 20060249631A1
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ansaldo STS SPA
• Original Assignee: Ansaldo STS SPA
• Inventors: Vehar, Richard W, Franke, Raymond C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,464,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/1.C
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/188 Use of coded current
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/125 using short-range radio transmission

Abstract

A method provides sleep and wake-up modes for railway track circuit units. An intermediate track circuit unit communicates in a first direction to a first unit and in a different second direction to a different second unit. A plurality of wireless messages are employed between a train and a plurality of wayside units operatively associated with some of the track circuit units. Included with the wireless messages are a first identifier of a corresponding one of the track circuit units and a second identifier of a direction of travel of the train. One of the wireless messages is received at one of the wayside units corresponding to the intermediate unit based upon the first identifier. A signal is responsively output based upon the second identifier from the intermediate unit in the first direction to the first unit or in the different second direction to the different second unit.

Claims

1. A method of providing a sleep mode and a wake-up mode for a plurality of railway track circuit units, said method comprising:

adapting one of said track circuit units to communicate in a first direction to a first track circuit unit and in a different second direction to a different second track circuit unit;

employing a plurality of wireless messages between a train and a plurality of wayside units operatively associated with at least some of said track circuit units;

including with said wireless messages a first identifier of a corresponding one of said track circuit units and a second identifier of a direction of travel of said train;

receiving one of said wireless messages at one of said wayside units corresponding to said one of said track circuit units based upon said first identifier and responsively entering the wake-up mode from the sleep mode of said one of said track circuit units; and

responsively outputting based upon said second identifier from said one of said track circuit units a signal in the first direction to said first track circuit unit or in the different second direction to said different second track circuit unit.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

employing a first track circuit in the first direction to said first track circuit unit and a second track circuit in the second direction to said second track circuit unit;

receiving another signal responsive to said outputting based upon said second identifier from said one of said track circuit units a signal;

broadcasting another one of said wireless messages from said one of said wayside units including said first identifier to identify said one of said track circuit units and a third identifier to indicate that said one of said first and second track circuits is clear; and

entering said sleep mode at said one of said track circuit units.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

employing a first track circuit in the first direction to said first track circuit unit and a second track circuit in the second direction to said second track circuit unit;

receiving no response to said outputting based upon said second identifier from said one of said track circuit units a signal;

broadcasting another one of said wireless messages from said one of said wayside units including said first identifier to identify said one of said track circuit units and a third identifier to indicate that said one of said first and second track circuits is not clear; and

entering said sleep mode at said one of said track circuit units.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

approaching said one of said wayside units with said train in said first direction;

sending said one of said wireless messages from said train including said second identifier for said first direction; and

receiving said one of said wireless messages at said one of said wayside units and responsively outputting from said one of said track circuit units said signal in only the first direction to only said first track circuit unit, in order to wake-up only said first track circuit unit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

based upon said second identifier, determining whether one of a first track circuit in the first direction to said first track circuit unit is clear or whether a second track circuit in the second direction to said second track circuit unit is clear; and

broadcasting another one of said wireless messages from said one of said wayside units including said first identifier to identify said one of said track circuit units and a third identifier to indicate whether said one of said first and second track circuits is clear.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

employing as some of said wireless messages a plurality of first wireless messages from said train to another one of said wayside units; and

receiving one of said first wireless messages at said another one of said wayside units and responsively entering said wake-up mode of a corresponding one of said track circuit units.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

periodically sending said first wireless messages from said train to said another one of said wayside units.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

discontinuing to send said first wireless messages; and

determining that said first wireless messages have not been received at said another one of said wayside units for a predetermined time period and responsively entering said sleep mode of said corresponding one of said track circuit units.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

employing as said train a first train;

employing said first train approaching said one of said track circuit units in a first direction;

employing as one of said wireless messages a first wireless message;

sending said first wireless message from said first train;

employing a second train approaching said one of said track circuit units in an opposite second direction;

sending a second wireless message from said second train; and

receiving at least one of said first and second wireless messages at said one of said wayside units corresponding to said one of said track circuit units and responsively entering the wake-up mode of said one of said track circuit units.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving said first wireless message, responsively determining that a first track circuit is clear and responsively sending a first track message on said first track circuit from said one of said track circuit units to said first train; and

receiving said second wireless message, responsively determining that a second track circuit is clear and responsively sending a second track message on said second track circuit from said one of said track circuit units to said second train.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising

independent of a response to said signal, receiving an input indicating that said first track circuit is not clear;

broadcasting another one of said wireless messages from said one of said wayside units including said first identifier to identify said one of said track circuit units and a third identifier to indicate that said first track circuit is not clear, and

entering said sleep mode at said one of said track circuit units.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

entering the sleep mode of said one of said track circuit units; and

receiving a wake-up request at said one of said wayside units and responsively entering the wake-up mode of said one of said track circuit units.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

employing a track message as said wake-up request.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

employing a wireless message as said wake-up request

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

after entering said wake-up mode, attempting communications on one of a first track circuit to said first track circuit unit or on a different second track circuit to said second track circuit unit.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining that said attempted communications were successful with said first track circuit unit and responsively outputting a corresponding wireless message to said train.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining that said attempted communications were not successful with said first track circuit unit and responsively outputting a corresponding wireless message to said train.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

employing as said track message a request track message; and

receiving at said one of said wayside units a reply track message to said request track message and responsively entering said sleep mode of said one of said track circuit units.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

employing as said track message a request track message; and

after sending said request track message, delaying for a predetermined time period and responsively determining that no reply track message to said request track message was received.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a test signal at another one of said wayside units and responsively entering said wake-up mode of a corresponding one of said track circuit units;

initiating a test and debug mode of said corresponding one of said track circuit units; and

delaying for a predetermined time period and responsively entering said sleep mode of said corresponding one of said track circuit units.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

employing said one of said track circuit units intermediate two different track circuits.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

employing two of said track circuit units as end units; and

employing each of said end units adjacent one corresponding track circuit.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

entering the wake-up mode from the sleep mode of only one of said first and second track circuit units responsive to said signal.

24. A railway system for a train including a wireless transmitter, said railway system comprising:

a plurality of railway track circuit units, one of said track circuit units being adapted to communicate in a first direction to a first one of said track circuit units and in a different second direction to a different second one of said track circuit units, each of said track circuit units including a power supply having a control input; and

a plurality of wayside units operatively associated with said track circuit units, each of said wayside units including a control circuit, a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter, said wireless receiver being adapted to receive a plurality of wireless messages from the wireless transmitter of said train, each of said wireless messages including a first identifier of a corresponding one of said track circuit units and a second identifier of a direction of travel of said train, said control circuit being adapted to respond to receipt of one of said wireless messages and set the control input of a corresponding one of said track circuit units, in order to enable the power supply thereof and enter a wake-up mode thereof,

wherein one of said wayside units is adapted to receive one of said wireless messages corresponding to one of said track circuit units based upon said first identifier and to responsively enable output based upon said second identifier from said one of said track circuit units a signal in the first direction to said first track circuit unit or in the different second direction to said different second track circuit unit.

25. The railway system of claim 24 wherein said control unit of one of said first one and said different second one of said track circuit units, responsive to said signal, sets the control input of a corresponding one of said track circuit units to enable the power supply and enter a wake-up mode thereof.

26. The railway system of claim 24 wherein a first track circuit extends in the first direction from said one of said track circuit units to said first track circuit unit and a second track circuit extends in the second direction from said one of said track circuit units to said second track circuit unit;

wherein said one of said track circuit units is adapted to receive another signal responsive to said signal;

wherein said one of said wayside units is adapted to broadcast another one of said wireless messages including said first identifier to identify said one of said track circuit units and a third identifier to indicate that said one of said first and second track circuits is clear, and wherein said control circuit is adapted to reset the control input of the corresponding one of said track circuit units, in order to disable the power supply thereof and enter a sleep mode thereof.

27. The railway system of claim 24 wherein a first track circuit extends in the first direction from said one of said track circuit units to said first track circuit unit and a second track circuit extends in the second direction from said one of said track circuit units to said second track circuit unit;

wherein said one of said track circuit units is adapted to detect no response to said signal;

wherein said one of said wayside units is adapted to broadcast another one of said wireless messages including said first identifier to identify said one of said track circuit units and a third identifier to indicate that said one of said first and second track circuits is not clear, and wherein said control circuit is adapted to reset the control input of the corresponding one of said track circuit units, in order to disable the power supply thereof and enter a sleep mode thereof.

28. The railway system of claim 24 wherein some of said wireless messages include a plurality of first wireless messages from said train to another one of said wayside units;

and wherein said another one of said wayside units is adapted to receive one of said first wireless messages and responsively set the control input of a corresponding one of said track circuit units, in order to enable the power supply thereof and enter a wake-up mode thereof.

29. The railway system of claim 24 wherein one of said wayside units is adapted to receive a wake-up request and responsively set the control input of a corresponding one of said track circuit units, in order to enable the power supply thereof and enter a wake-up mode thereof.

30. The railway system of claim 29 wherein said wake-up request is a track message.

31. The railway system of claim 29 wherein said wake-up request is one of said wireless messages.

32. The railway system of claim 29 wherein some of said wireless messages include a plurality of first wireless messages from said train to another one of said wayside units;

and wherein said another one of said wayside units is adapted to receive one of said first wireless messages and responsively set the control input of a corresponding one of said track circuit units, in order to enable the power supply thereof and enter the wake-up mode thereof.