Integrated cab signal rail navigation system

• US 5,995,881 A
• Filed: 07/22/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Kull, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/898,373
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/20, 701/207, 303/128, 303/132, 340/901, 340/905, 246/167 R, 246/182 R, 246/182 B, 246/182 C, 246/191, 246/122 R
• US Class Current: 701/20
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0062 On-board target speed calculation or supervision
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/221 using track circuits

Abstract

The cab signal and rail navigation systems of a railway locomotive are combined to form a single integrated system capable of acting as an automatic train protection system. The train travels along a railway route equipped with a wayside signaling system that features a multiplicity of wayside signal devices. Each wayside signal device provides to the cab signal system a cab signal inclusive of signal aspect information as to how the train should proceed along a particular segment of the railway route. When the train is traveling on a segment of track from which the cab signal is available, the cab signal system receives the cab signal via the AC track circuit disposed on the rails as the train approaches each wayside signal device. After filtering and decoding the electrical cab signal, the cab signal system communicates the deciphered signal aspect information to the rail navigation system. The rail navigation system determines whether signal aspect information should be available from the particular track segment the train is encountering and thus whether and how the brakes of the train will be operated thereon should the train engineer be required and fail to operate the brakes according to one or more braking profiles calculated by the system. The integrated system operates as an automatic train protection system whether the wayside signaling system provides cab signal coverage continuously or noncontinuously throughout the railway route.

Claims

1. An integrated cab signal and rail navigation system for a rail vehicle travelling along a railway track featuring a multiplicity of wayside signal devices each of which situated along such railway track so as to communicate from a railway operating authority information including directions as to how such rail vehicle should proceed along a segment of such railway track generally corresponding thereto, said integrated system comprising:

(a) a cab signal system to which said information is communicated from each of such wayside signal devices as such rail vehicle approaches thereto; and

(b) a rail navigation system, to which said cab signal system is connected, for determining whether such segment that such rail vehicle is encountering is covered by one of such wayside signal devices and thus whether and how brakes of such rail vehicle will be operated thereon whether said rail navigation system receives or fails to receive said information while such rail vehicle is encountering such segment of such railway track.

2. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 1 wherein said rail navigation system includes:

(a) a storage device for storing a database including data pertaining to (i) locations of railway track routes, (ii) locations and orientations of curves and switches in each of such railway track routes, and (iii) location of such segments of such railway track routes covered by such wayside signal devices;

(b) a speed sensing device for sensing rotation of a wheel of such rail vehicle for generating a first signal from which at least one of speed of and distance traveled by such rail vehicle can be determined;

(c) a rate of turn measuring apparatus for measuring a rate at which such rail vehicle turns while traveling on a curve of such railway track for generating a second signal from which curvature of such railway track can be determined;

(d) a navigational receiver for receiving positional coordinates that such rail vehicle occupies and for generating a third signal indicative of an approximate position of such rail vehicle on such railway track; and

(e) a computer, according to instructions contained within programming code, for using said signals along with and in comparison to said data to determine whether said information should be available from such segment that such rail vehicle is encountering and thus whether and how such brakes of such rail vehicle will be operated thereon should a rail vehicle operator be required and fail to operate such brakes according to at least one braking profile calculated by said computer.

3. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 2 wherein said computer continuously updates said at least one braking profile based on a variety of parameters including said data, said signals, and said information from such segment from which such rail vehicle last obtained said information.

4. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 2 further including an aspect display unit for displaying aspect indications contained within said directions.

5. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 4 further including a means for acknowledging a more restrictive of said aspect indications.

6. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 2 further including a means for imposing a penalty brake application should such rail vehicle run afoul of a speed distance braking profile calculated by said computer.

7. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 2 further including a graphical display unit for displaying supplemental information.

8. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 1 wherein such wayside signal device communicates with such rail vehicle via such railway track, said cab signal system including:

(a) a means for picking-up electrical signals from such railway track;

(b) a means for filtering out extraneous noise from said electrical signals thereby passing said information; and

(c) a means for decoding said information contained in said electrical signals prior to passage of said information as decoded to said rail navigation system.

9. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 8 wherein said means for filtering passes said information when said electrical signals exhibit a frequency within a preset frequency band, a magnitude above a prespecified level and a coding rate within predefined tolerances.

10. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 8 wherein said cab signal system further includes a speed sensing device for sensing rotation of a wheel of such rail vehicle through which to generate a first signal from which at least one of speed of and distance traveled by such rail vehicle can be determined.

11. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 1 further including an aspect display unit for displaying aspect indications contained within said directions.

12. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 11 further including a means for acknowledging a more restrictive of said aspect indications.

13. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 1 further including a means for imposing a penalty brake application should such rail vehicle run afoul of a speed distance braking profile calculated by said rail navigation system.

14. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 1 further including a graphical display unit for displaying supplemental information.

15. An integrated cab signal and rail navigation system for a rail vehicle travelling along a railway track featuring any one of a continuous and a noncontinuous wayside signaling system through which a railway operating authority communicates from each wayside signal device of such wayside signaling system aspect information as to how such rail vehicle should proceed along a segment of such railway track generally corresponding to one of such wayside signal devices, said integrated system comprising:

(a) a cab signal system to which said aspect information is communicated from each such wayside signal device as such rail vehicle approaches thereto; and

(b) a rail navigation system, to which said cab signal system is connected, for assuring operation of brakes of such rail vehicle in compliance with such wayside signaling system whether any particular one of such segments that such rail vehicle is currently encountering is covered by one of such wayside signal devices and whether said rail navigation system receives or fails to receive said aspect information from such particular segment.

16. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 15 wherein said rail navigation system includes:

(a) a storage device for storing a database including data pertaining to (i) locations of railway track routes, (ii) locations and orientations of curves and switches in each of such railway track routes, and (iii) location of such segments of such railway track routes covered by such wayside signal devices;

(b) a speed sensing device for sensing rotation of a wheel of such rail vehicle for generating a first signal from which at least one of speed of and distance traveled by such rail vehicle can be determined;

(c) a rate of turn measuring apparatus for measuring a rate at which such rail vehicle turns while traveling on a curve of such railway track for generating a second signal from which curvature of such railway track can be determined;

(d) a navigational receiver for receiving positional coordinates that such rail vehicle occupies and for generating a third signal indicative of an approximate position of such rail vehicle about such railway track; and

(e) a computer, according to instructions contained within programming code, for using said signals along with and in comparison to said data to determine whether said aspect information should be available from such segment that such rail vehicle is encountering and thus whether and how such brakes of such rail vehicle will be operated thereon should a rail vehicle operator be required and fail to operate such brakes according to at least one braking profile calculated by said computer.

17. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 16 wherein said computer continuously updates said at least one braking profile based on a variety of parameters including said data, said signals, and said information from such segment from which such rail vehicle last obtained said information.

18. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 16 wherein said computer uses at least said first signal from said speed sensing device to provide overspeed protection for such rail vehicle should speed of such rail vehicle exceed a predetermined value.

19. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 15 wherein each of such wayside signal devices communicates with such rail vehicle via such railway track, said cab signal system including:

(a) a means for picking-up electrical signals from such railway track;

(b) a means for filtering out extraneous noise from said electrical signals thereby passing said aspect information; and

(c) a means for decoding said aspect information contained in said electrical signals prior to passage of said aspect information as decoded to said rail navigation system.

20. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 19 wherein said means for filtering passes said information when said electrical signals exhibit a frequency within a preset frequency band, a magnitude above a prespecified level and a coding rate within predefined tolerances.

21. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 19 wherein said cab signal system further includes a speed sensing device for sensing rotation of a wheel of such rail vehicle through which to generate a first signal from which at least one of speed of and distance traveled by such rail vehicle can be determined.

22. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 21 wherein said cab signal system further includes a penalty brake control line through which to communicate to said rail navigation system whether a penalty brake application is needed so that said rail navigation system imposes said penalty brake application based on factors including an estimated distance for braking and specific block lengths relative to a current location and a speed of such rail vehicle.

23. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 15 further including an aspect display unit for displaying said aspect information.

24. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 23 further including a means for acknowledging a more restrictive of said aspect information.

25. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 15 further including a means for imposing a penalty brake application should such rail vehicle run afoul of a speed distance braking profile calculated by said rail navigation system.

26. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 15 further including a graphical display unit for displaying supplemental information.

27. The integrated cab signal and rail navigation system recited in claim 15 wherein said rail navigation system features overspeed protection for such rail vehicle.

28. An integrated cab signal and rail navigation system for a rail vehicle travelling along a railway track featuring any one of a continuous and a noncontinuous wayside signaling system through which a railway operating authority communicates from each wayside signal device of such wayside signaling system aspect information as to how such rail vehicle should proceed along a segment of such railway track generally corresponding to one of such wayside signal devices, said integrated system comprising:

(a) a cab signal system for receiving said aspect information communicated from each such wayside signal device as such rail vehicle approaches thereto and for determining whether a penalty brake application is needed; and

(b) a rail navigation system, connected to said cab signal system, for determining whether such segment that such rail vehicle is encountering is covered by one of such wayside signal devices and thus whether and how brakes of such rail vehicle will be operated thereon whether said rail navigation system receives or fails to receive said information while such rail vehicle is encountering such segment of such railway track and for imposing said penalty brake application based on factors including an estimated distance for braking and specific block lengths relative to a current location and a speed of such rail vehicle.