WO2008131569A1

WO2008131569A1 - Command and control device for road and rail signalling

Info

Publication number: WO2008131569A1
Application number: PCT/CH2008/000155
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cédric BORNAND; Jean-Jacques Favre
Original assignee: Viacam Sarl
Priority date: 2007-04-25
Filing date: 2008-04-07
Publication date: 2008-11-06
Also published as: CH702918B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) whose function is to make a road/rail crossing, called a conflict zone (13), secure by adapting the signalling as a function of the traffic flow on one or other of these traffic tracks, each of the tracks (11, 12) being equipped with at least one element for detecting a vehicle travelling on this track and at least one signalling element actuated as a function of a signal emitted by the detection element. This device comprises elements for detecting a vehicle travelling on one of the tracks in the form of picture-taking cameras (14, 15), disposed downstream of the conflict zone (13) and against the traffic flow on the railway track (12), and signalling means comprising road signalling lights (18, 19) and railway signalling lights (20, 21) disposed either side of the tracks. A management module (17) receives and processes the signals emitted by the cameras (14, 15) and controls the signalling elements as a function of the signals received.

Description

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AND CONTROLLING ROAD AND RAIL SIGNALING

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a control device and control signaling in a conflict zone, including a crossing of at least one track of a railway network and at least one road crossing, pedestrian or similar, said channel and said passage being equipped with at least one detecting element of a moving object moving on the track or on the passage and with signaling means actuated as a function of a signal emitted by said detection element, this device comprising a management module arranged to receive and process the signals emitted by said at least one detection element for controlling said signaling means.

Prior art

The most commonly applied technique for securing a road crossing on a railway is what is known as a level crossing equipped with gates that lower at the arrival of a train to temporarily block traffic. However this solution is expensive and it is because of this high price that it can not be used everywhere. In particular, the installation of automatic barriers can not be justified on industrial lines whose attendance is low.

Another solution that is often used to secure industrial line crossings is to install manually operated flashing lights. Their activation requires the intervention of railway personnel, which has the effect of slowing down the train's progress. In addition, statistics show that flashing lights are less respected by road users than two-color or three-color traffic lights. As a result, the degree of safety obtained with this type of installation is lower and the risk of accidents increased. Lastly, the closing of the gates and the start of the flashing lights do not give the driver of the rail convoy the guarantee that the level crossing is free at the time of the arrival of the train, hence a degree of uncertainty which gives rise to a risk. not negligible in case of failure of a road vehicle on the rails, for example. In addition, no security is offered to pedestrians who may have to cross the railway.

It is found that all the known and commonly used systems, especially on industrial tracks, are unsatisfactory, either for security reasons or for economic reasons. In addition, only railway vehicles are usually detected and their arrival and then their passage on the road that crosses the railway is signaled to road users who are stopped to give way to them. In other words, rail traffic has the highest priority on road traffic and road traffic can not automatically influence rail traffic outside human intervention, even if a road vehicle is accidentally blocked on the railway. .

Several systems have been devised to secure the conflict zones created by the crossing of a railroad or similar and a road or pedestrian crossing. Most of these systems require heavy and costly infrastructure, such as civil engineering work to bury connecting cables and extensive maintenance of monitoring and signaling equipment.

Various devices of this type are described in the literature and in prior published patents.

The German utility model DE 202 01 127 IM describes a safety device for the crossing of an industrial track and a road comprising axial detectors, railway signaling elements and road signs. This device requires a complex installation that can only be carried out with major civil engineering works. It also has automatic barriers on both sides of the road.

The article "Digital Bildauswertungssystem fur Bϋ-Freimeldung" describes a device using a railway vehicle detection camera as well as a matrix of road vehicle detection elements which is arranged across the access road to the passage of the tracks. railways and is limited to the detection of road traffic.

The publication DE 202 01 127 relates to a device for securing a railway crossing comprising presence detectors of road vehicles and presence detectors of rail vehicles or the like. The signaling of this crossing is controlled according to the presence recorded by the detectors.

The article "BU-Sicherungstechnik NE BUE 9OE bei der RET Rotterdam" relates to an automatic signaling device, without driver intervention by means of radio signals, for crossing a traffic lane and a railway line. .

All these safety devices are heavy devices to implement and there is currently no simple and economical way to solve the problem of the safety of railway passages, including industrial type tracks, not requiring work of civil engineering and whose maintenance is easy to manage.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention proposes to overcome these drawbacks of known devices by providing an effective and economical device for controlling and controlling the signaling at a crossing of at least one track of a railway network and at least one track of a road network or similar, this device making it possible to ensure control of both rail traffic and road traffic and to intervene on one, automatically and independently, depending on a particular situation on the other.

This object is achieved by the device according to the invention as defined in the preamble and characterized in that said at least one detection element is arranged so as to scan said conflict zone in order to detect any moving object moving on said at least one a railway track and said at least one road crossing, pedestrian or similar in this conflict zone.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device may comprise at least two detection elements arranged in opposition along said railway network path, so as to respectively scan a first side of the conflict zone, said first side comprising at least one first access to that conflict zone by said railway and at least first access to that conflict zone by said road, pedestrian or similar crossing, and a second side of said conflict zone, said second side comprising at least a second access opposed to said first access to the conflict zone by said railway track and a second access opposite said first access to said conflict zone by said road crossing, pedestrian or similar.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the detection elements are disposed downstream of said conflict zone and in the opposite direction to the traffic on said railway track.

Said detection elements may comprise at least one camera, at least one radar, at least one infrared camera or at least one camera and at least one radar.

According to a preferred embodiment, said signaling means comprise two traffic signals and two traffic signal lights in the form of traffic lights and / or two-color respectively arranged on both sides of the conflict zone, on the passage truck pedestrian or similar and on the railway track. Traffic signals may also include audible and visual signals to warn pedestrians.

Advantageously, the management module is integrated in the at least one detection element.

The device according to the invention will be better understood with reference to the description of a preferred but non-limiting embodiment and the appended drawings in which:

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a single plan view of a device according to the invention corresponding to the intersection of a railway track and a road crossing.

Best way to realize the invention

Referring to the figure, the device 10 according to the invention, as shown, is provided to secure the intersection of a road crossing, pedestrian or similar 11 and a railroad 12. The road crossing may be a cantonal road or a private road or any other access road that can be used by vehicles of any kind or pedestrians. The railway track is preferably provided for the circulation of a convoy of the freight train or tramway type for the transport of persons. The device has the function of securing the crossing rail-road, called conflict zone 13, adapting the signaling according to the traffic on one or other of these lanes. This device operates according to the method in which any mobile object moving on said railway track 12 and said road, pedestrian or similar passage 11 is detected by means of at least one detection element arranged so as to scan said zone of conflict 13. For this purpose, the device 10 as described comprises two detection element and signaling means actuated as a function of a signal emitted by these detection elements.

In the example shown, the device comprises two detection elements, in the form of two cameras 14 and 15 respectively. However, these detection elements may also be infrared cameras, radar or a combination of these elements. The cameras 14, 15 are arranged in opposition along the track of the railway network 12, so as to respectively scan a first and a second side of the conflict zone 13 in order to detect any moving object moving on said railway track 12 and said pedestrian or similar road crossing in the conflict zone. In order to secure this zone, these cameras are positioned downstream from said conflict zone and in the opposite direction to the traffic on said railway track 12. Said first side of the conflict zone swept by each camera 14, 15 comprises at least a first access to this conflict zone 13 by said railway track 12 and at least a first access to this conflict zone by said road crossing, pedestrian or the like 11, and the second side of said conflict zone comprises at least a second access opposite said first access to the conflict zone by said railway track 12 and a second access opposite said first access to said conflict zone by said road crossing, pedestrian or the like 11.

The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the cameras 14 and 15 to simultaneously detect a railway convoy approaching said conflict zone 13, and opposite approaches of the road lane 11 and the section of railway lane 12 which crosses the road lane. 11, such as cars or pedestrians. The situation of the cameras at a certain distance from the conflict zone makes it possible to operate the device regardless of the configuration of the terrain or the environment, especially in the case of the presence of turns or masking elements such as buildings. or vegetation. The device also comprises a management module 17, which is preferably integrated with each detection element formed by each camera 14, 15, and which is arranged to receive and process signals transmitted by said cameras 14 and 15, as well as Road and rail signaling means comprising traffic signals traditionally used respectively in the field of road signs and in the field of railway signaling. Road traffic lights, for example two-colored or traffic lights 18 and 19 are arranged on both sides of the conflict zone 13, on the side where the traffic on the road passage 11 is carried out. These traffic signal lights may for example be supplemented by sound and visual signaling, for example flashing lights or bright pictograms to warn pedestrians. These road signaling means are controlled by the management module 17. In addition, the railway signal lights, for example lights for tramways 20 and 21, are arranged on both sides of the conflict zone 13, in the zones approach along the railway track 12. These rail signaling means are also controlled by the management module 17.

The connection between the management module 17 and the signaling means can be done using preferably voltages less than 50V, which avoids civil works, but also using higher voltages. It could also provide a wireless link to facilitate installation and maintenance and, if necessary, transformations or adaptations according to the evolution of the conflict zone.

The device as described is intended primarily and intended to be deployed on junctions of the rail-road type, between a single railroad mainly industrial maneuvers, goods transport or tramway and several roadways, for example up to six Roadways with or without pedestrian or sidewalk. It can be extended to other configurations comprising several railway tracks or to cases of intersections or roundabouts traversed by a railway track. Overall, the device that is set up around the conflict zone consists of detection elements, signaling means and a centralized management or calculation module as well as one or more manual activation keys. .

The principle of managing a rail-road crossing consists of the following phases:

1. detection of railway convoys on each side of the rail-road intersection,

2. activation of traffic lights to prohibit road traffic from passing the railway,

3. issue of a light clearance for the driver of the railway train by means of the railway signal lights, if the traffic signal lights are in operation and when the lane is clear,

4. deactivation of traffic lights when the train has passed.

In the event of a breakdown, a manual request for securing the passage is available to the driver of the train convoy.

The detection proposed by the device of the invention is based on scene analysis by image processing. Cameras equipped with a detection module capture the scene. The image is then processed by a computer that decides whether or not there is a vehicle or pedestrian before authorizing the passage of the railway train on the conflict zone, namely the crossing. This detection mode makes it possible to detect both the presence of a railway convoy and the occupation of the crossing, to reduce the wiring compared to a solution based on magnetic sensors, to eliminate the risks of tearing off the lines. sensors when repairing tracks and ballasts, and offers the possibility to modify the detection zones at a lower cost compared to a magnetic detection.

The device according to the invention operates as follows:

When the railway tracks, observed by the cameras in search of a possible convoy in approach, are free, the luminous signaling is inactive. The detection of a railway train by one of the cameras triggers the activation of the signaling means. It should be noted that it is also possible to activate these signaling means by a key switch placed near the conflict zone.

When a train is detected by one of the cameras 14 or 15 this convoy is supported by the device which means its detection and its support. Simultaneously the device controls the activation of the traffic lights 18, 19 which, for example, change to flashing orange, then to fixed orange and finally to red. The device also controls the state of occupation of the conflict zone 13 also through the cameras 14 and 15 to know if nothing or nobody is on the rail-road crossing. If this crossing is free, the device then delivers to the convoy passage authorization when the road is blocked by the appropriate signs and the crossing is free. The device communicates this authorization of passage to the convoy via the traffic lights 20, 21.

The device observes the passage of the railway train and detects the end of the latter, which triggers the red lights of the traffic signals 18, 19 and the flashing for three seconds, for example, orange lights before the deactivation of these lights road signs. It should be noted that in case of manual switching on of the light system, this triggering will occur automatically after a delay that can for example be of the order of two minutes, provided however that the passage is free, or after a manual deactivation.

When the road traffic is restored, a delay of the order of ten seconds, for example, allows the road flow to flow before a new engagement. A delay can be provided, for example of the order of ten seconds, before the deactivation of the signaling means.

Claims

1. Control and control device for signaling in a conflict zone (13), in particular at a crossing of at least one track of a railway network (12) and at least one road crossing, pedestrian or the like (11), said channel and said passage being equipped with at least one detection element of a moving object moving on the track or on the passage, and signaling means actuated as a function of a signal emitted by said element of detection, this device comprising a management module (17) arranged to receive and process the signals emitted by said at least one detection element for controlling said signaling means, characterized in that said at least one detection element is arranged in such a way as to scanning said conflict zone (13) to detect any moving object moving on said at least one railway track (12) and said at least one pedestrian road crossing or the like (11) in said conflict zone.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two detection elements (14, 15) arranged in opposition along said track of the railway network (12), so as to scan respectively a first side of the conflict zone (13), said first side comprising at least a first access to said conflict zone by said railway track (12) and at least a first access to said conflict zone by said road crossing, pedestrian crossing or the like (11 ), and a second side of said conflict zone, said second side having at least a second access opposite said first access to the conflict zone by said railway track (12) and a second access opposite said first access to said conflict zone by said road crossing, pedestrian or the like (11).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the detection elements (14, 15) are arranged downstream of said conflict zone (13) and in the opposite direction to the traffic on said railway track (12).

4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said detection elements (14, 15) comprise at least one camera.

5. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said detection elements (14, 15) comprise at least one radar.

6. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said detection elements (14, 15) comprise at least one infrared camera.

7. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said detection elements (14, 15) comprise at least one camera and at least one radar.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said signaling means comprise two traffic lights (18, 19) and two railway signal lights (20, 21).

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the signaling means are tricolor and / or two-color lights (18, 19; 20, 21) arranged respectively on either side of the conflict zone (13), on the pedestrian road crossing or the like (11) and on the railway track (12).

10. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the traffic signals (18, 19) further comprise audible and visual signaling to warn pedestrians.

11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the management module (17) is integrated in the at least one detection element.