Train detection

• US 6,848,658 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Rail Automation Holdings Ltd (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Brake & Signal Holdings Limited (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: McAllister, Lawrence Lawson
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US10/228,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 246/5, 246/122.R, 246/182.B, 701/19, 701/207, 340/988
• US Class Current: 246/122.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/16 Devices for counting axles; Devices for counting vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/18 Railway track circuits rail joints E01B11/00, e.g. insulated rail joints E01B11/54

Abstract

A train location arrangement interleaves a plurality of detection systems to provide, in combination, a higher resolution of train detection than would be provided by one of the systems on its own.

Claims

1. A train location arrangement comprising at least a first train detection means and a second train detection means;

said first train detection means comprising a plurality of track circuits;

said second train detection means comprising a plurality of axle counters;

each of said plurality of track circuits and each of said plurality of axle counters being in sections, and interleaved such that each track circuit section is offset from each axle counter section;

wherein the location of a train may be determined to within a length of track smaller than the length of either a track circuit section or an axle counter section by combining detection signals from both the first train detection means and the second train detection means.

2. A train location arrangement according to claim 1, wherein train detection information from the two detection means is combined in order to provide for improved availability, so that if one of the systems fails, then train location is still provided by the or each other system.

3. A train location arrangement according to claim 1, wherein train detection information from the two detection means is combined in order to provide for improved safety, so that if one of systems fails to correctly indicate the location of a train, then safe detection is still provided by the or each other system.

4. A train location arrangement according to claim 1, wherein one of the train detection means is a track circuit and another is an axle counter and wherein if the axle counters indicate that a track circuit section is clear, this is utilized to enable auto-adjustment of the track circuit section.

5. A train location arrangement according to claim 1, wherein if an axle counter indicates that a track circuit section is clear, this is utilized to change the indication of the track circuit in the 1st section.

6. A train location arrangement utilizing a plurality of train detection systems which are interleaved to provide, in combination, a higher resolution of train detection than would be achieved by one of the systems on its own

comprising at least a first train detection means and a second train detection means;

each of said train detection means being in sections and interleaved such that each of the sections of the first train detection means are offset from each of the sections of the second train detection means;

wherein the location of a train maybe determined to be within a length of track smaller than the length of either a first train detection means sections or a second train detection means section by combining detection signals from both the first train detection means and the second train detection means.

7. A train location arrangement

comprising at least a first train detection means and a second train detection means;

said first train detection means comprising a plurality of track circuits;

said second train detection means comprising a plurality of axle counters;

each of said plurality of truck circuits and each of said plurality of axle counters being interleaved and in sections, said axle counter in a first section indicating a first condition in the absence of a passing train in the first section and second condition in the presence of a passing train in the first section;

said track circuit indicating the presence or absence of a train in the first section;

said axle counter in the first section changing from said second condition to said first condition on the indication of the absence of a train by said track circuit in the first section.

8. A train location means

comprising at least a first train detection means and a second train detection means;

said first train detection means comprising a plurality of track circuits;

said second train detection means comprising a plurality of axle counters;

each of said plurality of track circuits and each of said plurality of axle counters being interleaved and in sections, said track circuits in a first section indicating a first condition in the absence of a passing train in the first section and second condition in the presence of a passing train in the first section;

said axle counter indicating the presence or absence of a train in the first section;

said track circuit in the first section changing from said second condition to said first condition on the indication of the absence of a train by said axle counter in the first section.