METHOD FOR SIGNAL-TECHNOLOGY SAFEGUARDING OF RAIL VEHICLES AND SAFEGUARDING SYSTEMS RELATED THERETO

• US 20100327125A1
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Braband, Jens, Gerken, Stefan, Evers, Bernhard
• Application Number:
  US12/919,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327125A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/62
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 21/10 Arrangements for trains which are closely following one another
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/24 using token systems, e.g. train staffs, tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates

Abstract

A method and a protection system for signaling protection of rail vehicles connected to at least one central monitoring facility through a data radio system. In order to eliminate cost-intensive and highly complicated protection technology, the vehicles convey instantaneous position data through the data radio system to the monitoring facility. A safety area is defined around each of the vehicles. The safety area depends on a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of the positional data collection method being used. A warning area surrounds the safety area and the monitoring facility determines movement-defining data through the vehicle-specific position data, safety areas and warning areas. In order to avoid collision-related overlaps of safety zones and to counteract collision-related overlaps of warning areas, the movement-defining data are transmitted to the affected vehicles by way of the data radio system in the event of collision-relevant overlaps.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A method for signaling protection of rail vehicles, the method comprising the following steps:

linking the rail vehicles over a data radio system to at least one central monitoring facility;

transmitting instantaneous vehicle-specific position data from the rail vehicles over the data radio system to the monitoring facility;

defining a safety area around the rail vehicles in dependence on a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of a position data recording method being used;

defining a warning area surrounding the safety area around the rail vehicles;

determining movement-defining data in the monitoring facility by using the vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning areas, to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas; and

transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in an event of collision-relevant overlaps, over the data radio system to relevant rail vehicles.

9. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises evaluating the received position data by correlation with track data for collision relevance.

10. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises identifying overlaps which are not collision-relevant by a token method.

11. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises triggering at least one of audible or visual signaling at the vehicle, in an event of collision-relevant overlapping of warning areas.

12. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises triggering forced braking at the vehicle, in an event of collision-relevant overlapping of safety areas.

13. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises determining the position data with a satellite-assisted position-finding system.

14. A protection system for carrying out the method according to claim 8, the system comprising:

a device for vehicle-specific position data recording;

a transmitting/receiving appliance disposed in a rail vehicle and having a transmitting component connected to the device for vehicle-specific position data recording;

a device for determining the safety area around the vehicle as a function of a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of the device for vehicle-specific position data recording and for determining the warning area surrounding the safety area around the vehicle; and

the monitoring facility having a device for determining movement-defining data based on the vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning areas to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas, and the monitoring facility transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in the event of collision-relevant overlaps, over the data radio system to the relevant rail vehicles.

15. A system for signaling protection of rail vehicles, the system comprising:

a device for vehicle-specific position data recording;

a transmitting/receiving appliance disposed in the rail vehicle and having a transmitting component connected to said device for vehicle-specific position data recording;

a device for determining a safety area around the rail vehicle as a function of a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of said device for position data recording and for determining a warning area surrounding the safety area around the rail vehicle;

a monitoring facility having a device for determining movement-defining data based on the vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning areas to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas; and

a data radio system for transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in an event of collision-relevant overlaps, from said monitoring facility to relevant rail vehicles.