Failsafe electronic braking system for trains
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a train comprising the steps of:
- determining on a train control computer separate from an electronic braking system that the brakes of a train should be activated in order to prevent the train from violating a restriction on movement of the train, the brakes being controlled by an electronic braking system on the train, the electronic braking system being configured to activate the brakes if power to the electronic braking system is disrupted, the electronic braking system including a train control interface operable to receive a digital brake activation message from a train control system;
sending a digital brake activation message to the electronic braking system via the train control interface to activate the brakes;
detecting that the digital brake activation message did not result in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes; and
controlling via a conductor separate from any conductor connected to the train control interface 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 to prevent violation of the restriction in response to detecting that the digital brake activation message did not result in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes.
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Accused Products
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.
85 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a train comprising the steps of:
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determining on a train control computer separate from an electronic braking system that the brakes of a train should be activated in order to prevent the train from violating a restriction on movement of the train, the brakes being controlled by an electronic braking system on the train, the electronic braking system being configured to activate the brakes if power to the electronic braking system is disrupted, the electronic braking system including a train control interface operable to receive a digital brake activation message from a train control system; sending a digital brake activation message to the electronic braking system via the train control interface to activate the brakes; detecting that the digital brake activation message did not result in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes; and controlling via a conductor separate from any conductor connected to the train control interface 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 to prevent violation of the restriction in response to detecting that the digital brake activation message did not result in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 21)
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9. A system comprising:
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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, the electronic braking system including a train control interface operable to receive a digital brake activation message from a train control system; an electrically controlled switch connected between the power source and, via a first conductor separate from any conductor connected to the train control interface, 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 via a second conductor separate from the first conductor, the train control system being configured to prevent the train from violating a restriction on movement of the train by sending a digital brake activation message to the electronic braking system to activate the train'"'"'s brakes and, if the digital brake activation message does not result in activation of the train'"'"'s brakes, 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. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification