EP2860082A1

EP2860082A1 - Signaling system

Info

Publication number: EP2860082A1
Application number: EP20140186149
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yusuke Nakanishi; Keiichi Katsuta; Takayoshi Nishino; Kenji Imamoto; Kazuhiro Sanjo
Original assignee: Hitachi Ltd
Current assignee: Hitachi Ltd
Priority date: 2013-10-01
Filing date: 2014-09-24
Publication date: 2015-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-24
Also published as: CN104512440A; JP2015067252A; CN104512440B; IN2014DE02732A; EP2860082B1; JP6151148B2

Abstract

In a signaling system to ensure the safety of train running, by circulating, using wireless, a protection telegram message containing the occupation right information about a running track, among on-board devices of trains and switch devices in order, there is a probability that the occupation right information shared among the on-board devices and the switch devices cannot be updated and the function as the signaling system halts, when the protection telegram message is lost. When the protection telegram message is not received in a prescribed time, a recovery telegram message is circulated, and thereby, the information in the protection telegram message before the loss is restored. Then, based on the information, a protection telegram message is newly issued to be circulated.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a signaling system that allows trains to run safely.

Description of the Related Art

The railway signaling system is one of the most complexly and solidly built systems of railway infrastructures, and requires a high cost for the introduction and maintenance. In the signaling system, devices requiring a particularly high cost are ground-side signal devices in which a high arithmetic processing power is needed, such as a ground Automatic Train Protection device to perform the interval control of trains between stations, and an interlocking device to perform the exclusive control of trains and the configuration control of routes in a station premise in which the routes are intricate.
These devices require many wayside equipment such as a track circuit device to detect the presence of a train, a switch device to perform the switching and locking of a switch, and a wayside signal equipment to transmit a progress permission to a motorman of a train by lighting a signal lamp, and cables and interfaces for connecting them are also enormous.
Therefore, in recent years, there has been developed a signaling system that makes it possible to reduce ground-side signal devices requiring high-performance arithmetic processing units, and railway line equipment to be connected with these devices, from the configuration of an existing signal system. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-232106 (Patent Literature 1), there is devised a signaling system that circulates a telegram message among trains and switches present in a certain control area, that shares information such as the occupation right for each of multiple blocks into which the control area is divided, the states of the switches, and the switching indications to the switches, and that performs the interval control and exclusive control of the trains and the configuration control of the routes in the control area.
When the telegram message to be circulated among the trains and the switches is lost by the breakdown of a device or the disorder of wireless communications, the signaling system in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-232106 (Patent Literature 1) cannot update the information about the block occupation right and the like that is shared among the trains and the switches, and thereby, the system halts. On this occasion, a director or a station attendant comprehends the positions of all trains within the section, and reissues a telegram message reflecting the present situation, and thereby, the system can be recovered. However, this requires much manpower and time, leading to a decrease in the availability.
Meanwhile, if the telegram message is reissued without comprehending the present situation, there is a probability that the interval control and exclusive control of the trains and the configuration control of the routes, which are actualized by a single protection telegram message, are broken, and the trains cannot run safely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For solving the above object, the present invention is a signaling system to share a protection telegram message among trains by circulating the protection telegram message among the trains in order, and to ensure safety of train running, the protection telegram message containing occupation right information about a running track, the trains being present on a running track that includes one or more blocks to which the occupation right information is set, in which, when a time after sending the protection telegram message and before receiving a next protection telegram message passes over a prescribed time, each of the trains terminates a control based on the protection telegram message that is being held, and further, based on a last sent or received protection telegram message, at least one of the trains creates a recovery telegram message including a member list, block occupation right information and update time information, and then, circulates the recovery telegram message in accordance with the member list, the member list being a list in which order information about the circulation of the telegram message is put, the block occupation right information being information about possession of an occupation right of each block in the running track that includes the one or more blocks, and the update time information being information about the last sent or received protection telegram message.
Further, the present invention is a signaling system to share a protection telegram message among trains and switches by circulating the protection telegram message among the trains and the switches, and to ensure safety of train running, the protection telegram message containing occupation right information about a running track, indication information to indicate opening directions to the switches, and lock state information about whether the switches are fixed, the trains and the switches being present on a running track that includes one or more blocks to which the occupation right information is set, in which, when a time after sending the protection telegram message and before receiving a next protection telegram message passes over a prescribed time, each of the trains and the switches terminates a control based on the protection telegram message that is being held, and further, based on a last sent or received protection telegram message, at least one of the trains or the switches creates a recovery telegram message including a member list, block occupation right information, switch direction indication information, switch state information, and update time information, and then, circulates the recovery telegram message in accordance with the member list, the member list being a list in which order information about the circulation of the telegram message is put, the block occupation right information being information about possession of an occupation right of each block in the running track that includes the one or more blocks, the switch direction indication information being information in which the indication information for the trains to indicate the opening directions to the switches is put, the switch state information being information in which direction states and lock states of the switches are put, and the update time information being information about the last sent or received protection telegram message.
Even when a protection telegram message that secures the interval control and exclusive control of trains and the configuration control of routes is lost, it is possible to reissue the protection telegram message safely and recover the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment in Example 1;
FIG. 2 is a railway map showing the ranges of areas and the sections of blocks in Example 1;
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the blocks on routes and the directions of switches in Example 1;
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a protection telegram message in Example 1;
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a situation in which the recovery of the protection telegram message is needed, in Example 1;
FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a manner of the circulation at the time of the recovery of the protection telegram message, in Example 1;
FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an update situation of a recovery telegram message at the time of the recovery, in Example 1; and
FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a situation at the time of the recovery in Example 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

[Example 1]

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a signaling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The signaling system according to the embodiment is configured by a train protection device A102 provided in a train A101, a switch protection device A202, switch protection device B212 and switch protection device C222 provided in or connected with a switch A201, switch B211 and switch C221, and a protection telegram message 301 that is a telegram message to be circulated among the train protection device and the switch protection devices using wireless. Naturally, a case where multiple trains are present, or a case where four or more switches and switch protection devices are present is possible.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the embodiment, the whole of lines on which trains run is divided into multiple previously-determined areas. Next, a single area is further divided in a unit in which the occupation is permitted to a single train, and the division sections are referred to as blocks. In FIG. 2, an area 2 is divided into eleven blocks. In the case of the division as shown in FIG. 2, the blocks come in blocks in which switches are present and blocks in which they are not present. Further, a unit of train running is referred to as a route, and this is composed of continuous blocks.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing routes for a train in the area 2. In the embodiment, there are routes 1 R, 2R, 3R, 4L, 5L and 6L. Here, the route 4L is configured by five blocks: a block 11, a block 10 having a switch 3 in which the opening direction on the route 4L is the reverse, a block 5 having a switch 2 in which the opening direction on the route 4L is the reverse, a block 4 having a switch 1 in which the opening direction on the route 4L is the reverse, and a block 1. When having confirmed a state in which the block occupation right for all the blocks 11, 10, 5, 4, 1 is reserved by a single train and in which the directions of the switches on the blocks are each oriented in the opening direction on the route 4L and are locked (fixed), the progress permission for the route 4L is given to the train. Here, the normal, the reverse and the unlocked are terms for expressing the directions of a switch. The normal means a regular opening direction, the reverse means the reverse direction of the normal, and the unlocked means a state in which it is neither the normal nor the reverse.
In the embodiment, the single protection telegram message 301 manages the occupation rights for all the blocks in the single area, the direction indications for all the switches, and the states of all the switches. The protection telegram message 301 is circulated and shared among all the trains that have already entered the area, all the trains that are entering the area, and all the switches in the area. Naturally, they may be managed by multiple protection telegram messages, as long as the contents to be managed are not overlapped. Here, the trains that are entering the area announce the situation by sending an entrance notice to the protection devices of the trains in the area, or to the switch protection devices.
Next, an embodiment of the protection telegram message will be explained using FIG. 4. In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the protection telegram message 301 is configured by an area identification column 311, a member list column 312, a block occupation right information column 313, a switch direction indication column 314, a switch state information column 315, a telegram message type column 316, and an update time column 317.
In the area identification column 311, the identification information of an area to be managed by the protection telegram message is written.
In the member list column 312, a list of devices among which the protection telegram message is circulated, and a sending order are written.
In the block occupation right information column 313, the identification information of a train having a block occupation right is written. The block occupation right is a right that a train must reserve for entering the block. There is one block occupation right for one block, and it is possible to reserve the block occupation right, by writing the identification information of its own train when there is no writing by the other trains.
In the switch direction indication column 314, the indication information for indicating the direction of a switch is written by a train having the occupation right for a block to which the switch belongs. The switch controls the direction of the switch, in accordance with the indication.
In the switch state information column 315, the information about the direction state and lock state of a switch is written by the switch. A train checks the column of the direction state and the lock state, and thereby, recognizes the opening direction and lock state of the switch.
In the telegram message type column 316, whether the protection telegram message is for control or for recovery is written.
In the update time column 317, the time when each device updated the protection telegram message is written.
Further, the communication of the protection telegram message is performed by such a method that it is possible to confirm that the telegram message has been surely transmitted to the other party, for avoiding the interception and jamming of the communication, and the falsification, copy and loss of data. For example, the encryption and decryption of the communication, the addition of serial numbers, the addition of the time information, the check of the communication time, the prior-confirmation and post-confirmation of the transmission source or transmission destination, the return of data, the data correctness check by error detection codes for data, or the like is performed.
Thus, the protection telegram message is circulated in the area, the block occupation rights and switch states for a route to be requested by each train are checked, the telegram message is updated if possible, and then, the reservation of block occupation rights and the switching of the switches are indicated. By such a scheme, the interval control and exclusive control of the trains and the configuration control of the routes are actualized, and thereby, each train can run safely.
Next, a recovery method of the protection telegram message 301 when a communication error occurs as shown in FIG. 5 and the protection telegram message is lost will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. First, when the circulation waiting time for a control protection telegram message passes over a prescribed time, that is, when the time after each device in the area sends the last protection telegram message and before it receives the next protection telegram message passes over a prescribed time, all the devices in the area regard the protection telegram message as being lost, and do not use the last sent or received protection telegram message for the control of the trains or the switches. Thus, the train control based on the protection telegram message that is being held is terminated. For example, a running train only has to perform the braking control, a stopped train only has to maintain the braking control, and a switch only has to maintain the current state. Here, the information in the protection telegram message is stored. The time before regarding the protection telegram message as being lost may be previously set in each device, may be written in the telegram message by a certain device, or may be a variable value depending on the information in the protection telegram message such as the number of the devices in the member list. Further, when passing over the prescribed time, a flag may be added to the protection telegram message, in order not to use the protection telegram message for control. Alternatively, it may be saved in a data area different from a data area to be used for the train control and may be deleted from the data area to be used for the train control.
A method for recovering the system after the communication error will be explained in accordance with the time series in FIG. 7. Here, a device to create a recovery telegram message 401 is referred to as a master device. In the example, a case where the number of master devices is one will be explained for simplification.
Time series 501: A previously determined master device creates the recovery telegram message 401. The example will be explained assuming that the switch protection device A202 is the master device. In the creation, the master device sets "Recovery" as the telegram message type in the recovery telegram message 401, sets "Unlocked" as the switch state information, and sets blanks in the other columns.
Time series 502: The master device writes, with no change, the information in the last sent or received protection telegram message including the update time column, in the recovery telegram message 401, except the telegram message type column and the switch state information column. The recovery telegram message 401 created in this way is circulated with respect to the member list. Meanwhile, as each switch state information, "Unlocked" is set, and each switch protection device writes the current state of its own device. In the example, the area identification column, the member list, the block occupation right information column, the switch direction indication column, the switch state information column for the switch A, the telegram message type, and the update time are written. Here, in the case where the recovery telegram message is created using the information in not the last sent protection telegram message but the last received protection telegram message, it is possible to ensure the safety by combining another method, for example, by estimating the position where the train can be present based on the set circulation waiting time and performing the recovery.
Time series 503: The train protection device A102 compares the update times between the recovery telegram message 401 and the last sent or received protection telegram message. If the update time in the last sent or received protection telegram message is more recent, the recovery telegram message 401 is updated to the protection telegram message sent or received immediately before with respect to the area identification column, the member list, the block occupation right information column, the switch direction indication column, the switch state information column for the switch A, the telegram message type, and the update time, and if it is older, the update is not performed. In the example, which involves the case where the protection telegram message is lost between the train protection device A102 and the switch protection device B212, the update time in the last sent or received protection telegram message is more recent, and therefore, the recovery telegram message 401 is updated.
Time series 504: Similarly to Time series 503, the switch protection device B212 compares the update times between the recovery telegram message 401 and the last sent or received protection telegram message, and determines whether the recovery telegram message 401 is updated. In the example, which involves the case where the protection telegram message is lost between the train protection device A102 and the switch protection device B212, the update time in the recovery telegram message 401 is more recent, and therefore, the recovery telegram message 401 is not updated. However, the switch state information of the switch B211 is updated in accordance with the current situation.
Time series 505: Similarly to Time series 504, the switch protection device C222 compares the update times between the recovery telegram message 401 and the last sent or received protection telegram message, and determines whether the recovery telegram message 401 is updated. As a result, since the update time in the recovery telegram message 401 is more recent, only the switch state information of the switch C221 is updated in accordance with the current situation.
Thus, the recovery telegram message 401 is circulated among the devices. Then, when the recovery telegram message 401 is returned to the switch protection device A202 that is the master device, the master device reissues the protection telegram message, based on the information in the recovery telegram message 401. In the example, when control is set as the telegram message type in this telegram message and the current time is set as the update time, the protection telegram message is obtained. Such a way makes it possible to restore the information in the protection telegram message before the protection telegram message is lost and comprehend the latest switch state information, and to recover the system safely.
Here, the protection telegram message can be lost also by the breakdown of a device. In such a case, if the other party does not respond in the sending or receiving of the recovery telegram message 401, it can be regarded as being broken. In this case, the information about the breakdown of the device is added to the recovery telegram message 401, and the device is removed from the member list for sending. Further, the recovery telegram message 401 is sent to a device that is contained in the member list and that follows the broken device. Thereby, it is possible to circulate the recovery telegram message 401 and the subsequent protection telegram message.
Further, although the example partly assumes that the communication among the devices is by wireless, the effect in the present invention can be actualized not only by wireless but also by wire or the like.

[Example 2]

In Example 1, it is assumed that the number of master devices is one. However, by previously setting priorities for the master device to multiple devices individually, it is possible to adopt the multiple devices as the master device. In this case, in a state in which the priority of each device is previously determined, each device creates and circulates a recovery telegram message in which its priority has been written, and if receiving a recovery telegram message by a device with a lower priority than its own device after its own device issues a recovery telegram message, the circulation of the recovery telegram message is stopped. Thereby, it is possible to circulate a recovery telegram message with the highest priority of the unbroken devices, among all the devices.
FIG. 8 shows a recovery way when the switch protection device A is broken. As for the priority, the first is the switch protection device A202, the second is the switch protection device B212, the third is the switch protection device C222, and the forth is the train protection device A102. In this case, when the unbroken devices each issue recovery telegram messages, the recovery telegram messages are circulated except the broken switch protection device A202, as described in Example 1. As a result, the circulation of recover telegram messages 403, 404 issued by the train protection device A102 and the switch protection device C222 is stopped by the switch protection device B212, which has the highest priority of the unbroken devices, and only a recovery telegram message 402 by the switch protection device B212 is circulated among all the unbroken devices.
By implementing the process in the above way, even when the protection telegram message, which secures the interval control and exclusive control of the trains and the configuration control of the routes, is lost, it is possible to reissue the protection telegram message safely and recover the system.
Here, the priority may be previously determined, or may be periodically altered based on the reliabilities. Furthermore, the concept of the priority may be based on the reliabilities of the devices, or may be a mere ordering.

Claims

A signaling system to share a protection telegram message among trains by circulating the protection telegram message among the trains in order, and to ensure safety of train running, the protection telegram message containing occupation right information about a running track, the trains being present on a running track that includes one or more blocks to which the occupation right information is set,
wherein, when a time after sending the protection telegram message and before receiving a next protection telegram message passes over a prescribed time,
each of the trains terminates a control based on the protection telegram message that is being held, and further,
based on a last sent or received protection telegram message, at least one of the trains creates a recovery telegram message including a member list, block occupation right information and update time information, and then, circulates the recovery telegram message in accordance with the member list, the member list being a list in which order information about the circulation of the telegram message is put, the block occupation right information being information about possession of an occupation right of each block in the running track that includes the one or more blocks, and the update time information being information about the last sent or received protection telegram message.
The signaling system according to claim 1,
wherein the protection telegram message contains indication information to indicate opening directions to switches, and lock state information about whether the switches are fixed, in addition to the occupation right information about the running track,
the protection telegram message is circulated among the trains and the switches, and
when a time after sending the protection telegram message and before receiving a next protection telegram message passes over a prescribed time,
each of the trains and the switches terminates a control based on the protection telegram message that is being held, and further,
based on a last sent or received protection telegram message, at least one of the trains or the switches creates a recovery telegram message including a member list, block occupation right information, switch direction indication information, switch state information, and update time information, and then, circulates the recovery telegram message in accordance with the member list, the member list being a list in which order information about the circulation of the telegram message is put, the block occupation right information being information about possession of an occupation right of each block in the running track that includes the one or more blocks, the switch direction indication information being information in which the indication information for the trains to indicate the opening directions to the switches is put, the switch state information being information in which direction states and lock states of the switches are put, and the update time information being information about the last sent or received protection telegram message.
The signaling system according to claim 2,
wherein, upon receiving the recovery telegram message,
the switch present on the running track writes the switch state information in the recovery telegram message, based on a state of the switch under control, and
sends the recovery telegram message to a next train or switch, in accordance with the member list included in the recovery telegram message.
The signaling system according to any of claim 1 to claim 3,
wherein, upon receiving the recovery telegram message,
the train or switch present on the running track compares the update time information included in the recovery telegram message, with the update time information included in the protection telegram message last sent or received by the train or switch that has received the recovery telegram message, and then,
if the update time information included in the protection telegram message is more recent than the update time information in the recovery telegram message,
writes the member list, block occupation right information, switch direction indication information or update time information included in the last sent or received protection telegram message, in the recovery telegram message, and
sends the recovery telegram message to a next train or switch, in accordance with the member list included in the recovery telegram message.
The signaling system according to any of claim 1 to claim 4,
wherein, when the recovery telegram message is circulated and returned, the train or switch having created the recovery telegram message creates the protection telegram message, based on the block occupation right information or the switch direction indication information and switch state information described in the recovery telegram message, and then, circulates the protection telegram message.
The signaling system according to any of claim 1 to claim 5,
wherein a priority for the creation of the recovery telegram message is set to each of the trains and the switches present on the running track that includes the one or more blocks to which the occupation right information is set and,
the train or switch stops the circulation, when receiving a recovery telegram message created by a device with a lower priority than its own device after its own device creates a recovery telegram message.
The signaling system according to any of claim 1 to claim 6,
wherein the prescribed time is determined depending on the number of devices in the member list.
The signaling system according to any of claim 1 to claim 7,
wherein the prescribed time is put in the protection telegram message.