Failsafe electronic braking system for trains

• US 20060076826A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Rail Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Kane, Mark Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,722,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/122
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/128 Self-acting brakes of different types for railway vehicles B60T7/12 takes precedence; self-acting brakes in general F16D59/00

Abstract

A method and system for providing true failsafe control of an electronic braking system by a train control system which controls a switch that supplies power to the electronic braking system. When the train control system determines that it is necessary to activate the train'"'"'s brakes, it controls the switch so as to remove power to the electronic braking system, which results in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes. In highly preferred embodiments, the switch is of a type that is normally open and that requires the presence of an electrical signal to close the switch to supply power to the electronic braking system. In such embodiments, any loss in power to the train control system will result in a loss of signal to the switch, thereby causing activation of the train'"'"'s brakes.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a train comprising the steps of:

determining on a computer that a train'"'"'s brakes should be activated in order to prevent an unsafe condition, the train'"'"'s brakes being controlled by an electronic braking system on the train, the electronic braking system being configured to activate the train'"'"'s brakes if power to the electronic braking system is disrupted; and

controlling an electrically operated switch connected between the electronic braking system and a power source so as to prevent the power source from supplying power to the electronic braking system such that the train'"'"'s brakes are activated, whereby the unsafe condition is prevented.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

sending a signal to the electronic braking system to activate the train'"'"'s brakes;

wherein the step of controlling the electrically operated switch is only performed if the signal does not result in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal is digital.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal is in the form of a multiple bit digital command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically operated switch is a solenoid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically operated switch is a transistor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically operated switch is a relay.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the train control system is passive.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the train control system is active.

10. A system comprising:

a power source;

an electronic braking system, the electronic braking system being configured to activate the train'"'"'s brakes if power to the electronic braking system is disrupted;

an electrically controlled switch connected between the power source and the electronic braking system, the electrically controlled switch being operable to disrupt a supply of power from the power source to the electrically controlled switch; and

a train control system connected to control the electrically controlled switch, the train control system being configured to prevent an unsafe condition by controlling the electrically operated switch to disrupt the flow of power from the power source to the electronic braking system, whereby the train'"'"'s brakes are activated.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the train control system is connected to the electronic braking system and is further configured to perform the step of sending a signal to the electronic braking system to activate the train'"'"'s brakes, and wherein the train control system performs the step of controlling the electrically operated switch only if the signal does not result in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal is digital.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the signal is in the form of a multiple bit digital command.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the electrically operated switch is a solenoid.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the electrically operated switch is a transistor.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the electrically operated switch is a relay.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the train control system is passive.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the train control system is active.