EP3925851B1 - System and method for entry control of a rail vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a system and method for carrying out an entry control for a rail vehicle.

Increasingly, railway lines with high traffic density in Europe are being equipped with standardized driver's cab signaling in accordance with ETCS Level 2. Level 2 is one of three possible main designs of the new European Train Control System (ETCS). With ETCS Level 1, the driver of the rail vehicle still relies on the light signals positioned along the route for authorization to drive. The permitted speeds, braking curves and any location information are transmitted as so-called standardized ETCS telegrams by transponders arranged in the track (balises, line conductors) and received by a vehicle antenna when the transponder passes over it, evaluated by the on-board unit (OBU) and displayed on the ETCS display in the driver's cab. The electrical energy required to transmit the ETCS telegrams is provided inductively on the transponder by a tele-powering signal (so-called 27 MHz lobe) emitted by the front of the train. When it comes to balises, a distinction is made between fixed data balises and transparent data balises. While the fixed data balises only provide precise location information, for example for the odometry of the rail vehicle, the transparent data balises transmit data on driving authorization, braking curves, speed profile, etc. and can also receive status data emitted by the vehicle antenna and transmit it to the train dispatcher.

On a train line equipped with ETCS Level 2, any light signals still on the track are no longer required for operation. All signals required for the journey The necessary data is transmitted to the on-board unit via the transponder and/or a track control center (so-called Radio Block Center RBC). Data relevant to operation is also sent to the RBC in the opposite direction. A proprietary mobile network operated by the infrastructure operator, such as GSM-R, is used for communication between the on-board unit and the RBC. However, with ETCS Level 2, the requested route is still set in fixed blocks, which are requested by the vehicle from the RBC. Train integrity is also still ensured by block-based train protection devices, for example axle counting systems and/or track circuits.

With ETCS Level 3, the block-by-block setting of routes is no longer possible and the vehicle's own location, for example by GPS, is provided. The driving permit is issued by means of the so-called moving block, in which the distance to the train ahead is determined dynamically depending on the permissible speed, the braking distance and a predefined safety margin.

However, in order to be able to travel on a section equipped with ETCS Level 2, for example, the rail vehicle must be approved for standardized cab signaling and have on-board equipment that is compatible with the track equipment. In other words, this means that a vehicle must be suitable for an ETCS Level 2 section in order to be able to travel on it. An unsuitable vehicle could block the ETCS L2 section with corresponding operational consequences.

To prevent an unsuitable vehicle from entering an ETCS L2 section, the ETCS L2 section can be executed with an entry check. The entry check checks at a suitable distance before the ETCS L2 section whether the Vehicle is suitable for the ETCS L2 section and prevents the automatic setting of further routes for unsuitable vehicles. The vehicle must be registered with the RBC in order to carry out the entry check. For economic and/or technical reasons, railway lines are not equipped with ETCS L2 across the board, which creates ETCS L2 gaps. In the ETCS L2 gap, the vehicle is not registered with any RBC for a certain period of time (neither the RBC of the section being left nor the RBC of the future section), so that no entry check can be carried out during this time. Furthermore, the two RBCs do not communicate with each other due to the ETCS L2 gap. The vehicle is therefore classified as unsuitable per se, especially for the RBC of the future section. This usually means that, depending on the extent of the ETCS L2 gap, the topology and the condition of the vehicle, routes are often set late, which leads to delays as well as increased energy requirements and wear.

To solve this problem, longer travel times could be accepted and/or the ETCS L2 gap could be closed by using a new interlocking. However, both solutions have obvious disadvantages in terms of line capacity and costs.

The document DRAEGER U: "ETCS AND THE TRANSITION TO THE NATIONAL TRAIN PROTECTION SYSTEMS OF DB AG",SIGNAL UND DRAHT: SIGNALLING & DATACOMMUNICATION, EURAILPRESS, DE, Vol. 96, No. 11, 1 November 2004 (2004-11-01), pages 6-15 analyses several transitions between ETCS and the national system. On a line with ETCS-LZB-ETCS-LZB, each transition is analysed separately using balises to switch from one train protection system to the other.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a system and a method for carrying out an entry control for a rail vehicle, with which it is possible on the one hand to keep the travel times as short as possible and on the other hand to avoid increased investment costs in new signal boxes in gap sections.

1. a) ein auf dem Schienenfahrzeug befindliches Fahrzeuggerät einen Datenaustausch mit einer ersten Zugsicherungsinstanz für den ersten Bereich hinsichtlich einer Eignung dieses Fahrzeuggerät für das erste Zugsicherungsregime vornimmt, bevor und/oder während sich das Schienenfahrzeug in dem ersten Bereich befindet;
2. b) ein dieser Zugsicherungsinstanz übergeordnetes Leitsystem überprüft, ob das Fahrzeuggerät für dieses erste Zugsicherungsregime geeignet ist;
3. c) im Falle einer positiven Überprüfung die Eignung des Fahrzeuggerät für das ersten Zugsicherungsregime in dem übergeordneten Leitsystem für den zweiten Bereich eingefroren wird, bis das Fahrzeuggerät während und/oder nach Durchfahrung des Zwischenbereichs einen Datenaustausch mit der zweiten Zugsicherungsinstanz mit der Annäherung an den zweiten Bereich aufnimmt.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a system according to claim 4 and a Method according to claim 1 for carrying out an entry control for a rail vehicle which is driven from a first area provided with a first train protection regime, such as ETCS L2, runs through an intermediate area equipped with a second train protection regime to a second area also equipped with the first train protection regime (ETCS L2), in which:

1. (a) an on-board unit located on the rail vehicle exchanges data with a first train protection authority for the first area regarding the suitability of this on-board unit for the first train protection regime before and/or while the rail vehicle is in the first area;
2. (b) a control system superior to that train protection instance checks whether the on-board equipment is suitable for that first train protection regime;
3. c) in the event of a positive check, the suitability of the on-board unit for the first train protection regime is frozen in the higher-level control system for the second area until the on-board unit starts exchanging data with the second train protection instance when approaching the second area during and/or after passing through the intermediate area.

In this way, it is possible to continue the suitability of the rail vehicle for the first train protection regime after its check in the first area beyond the gap area for entry into the second area and thus to freeze the suitability of the rail vehicle for the first train protection regime until the rail vehicle is registered again at the second train protection instance of the second area at a corresponding train protection instance. In the first area, the suitability for the second area is therefore already checked. The result of the check for the second area is frozen and can thus be used as a criterion for the automatic setting of further routes. Therefore, routes can also be set during the period in which the rail vehicle is in a This means that trains do not have to brake unnecessarily before entering the second area from the gap area, which would have operational disadvantages such as delays and increased energy consumption and wear. Because the trains do not have to brake, the headway and line capacity in the gap area can be kept as high as if the gap area did not exist at all. In addition, this solution is also much cheaper for the infrastructure operator than replacing an existing signal box to close the gap equipped with the second train protection regime.

The entry control, which controls the setting of routes, takes place in the higher-level control system and not at the level of the train protection authorities. The train protection authorities simply forward the information from the vehicles for the entry control to the control system. The train protection authorities only check whether a vehicle is suitable for their own area. If the vehicle is not suitable for the ETCS L2 area, for example, the vehicle will not be given permission to drive and will no longer be able to continue driving and may block other trains. This is precisely the problem that the entry control in the higher-level control system is intended to prevent in advance, so that the vehicle can be stopped at a suitable location.

The two train protection instances do not communicate across the gap area. The higher-level control system that carries out the higher-level entry control assesses the suitability for the second train protection instance based on the communication with the first assurance instance. At the discretion of the entry control, a vehicle can be suitable for the first train protection instance. Suitability for the first train protection regime (ETCS L2) does not therefore automatically mean that the vehicle is suitable for a certain Train protection authority is suitable. The suitability test is therefore carried out specifically for each area, but suitability in the first area at least enables the setting of routes, even while the vehicle is in the gap area, and suitability for the safety authority of the second area, at least with regard to the possibility of setting routes, could actually only be carried out in the second area. The present invention therefore postulates - until proven otherwise - suitability for the second area after the suitability of the vehicle for the first area has been determined.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention results in view of the ETCS migration projects currently being implemented and still to be implemented throughout Europe, if the first train protection regime is implemented with a driver's cab signaling without track-side driving aspect signaling, such as ETCS L2, and the first and second train protection instances are implemented as Radio Block Centers (RBC).

Effectively, the first train protection regime can be implemented in accordance with European Train Control System Level 2, whereby the second train protection regime does not have to be compatible with this first train protection regime, as is usually the case with the old train protection systems that are currently still in widespread use.

Figur 1

in schematischer Weise ein in einem ersten Bereich fahrendes Schienenfahrzeug, das beim einem ersten Radio Block Center angemeldet ist und über eine erste eingestellte Fahrstrasse verfügt;

Figur 2

in schematischer Weise das in einem sich an den ersten Bereich anschliessenden Lückenbereich fahrende Schienenfahrzeug, das nicht mehr bei dem ersten Radio Block Center angemeldet ist und über eine zweite eingestellte Fahrstrasse verfügt; und

Figur 3

in schematischer Darstellung das in den sich an den Lückenbereich anschliessenden zweiten Bereich einfahrende Schienenfahrzeug, das sich bei einem zweiten Radio Block Center angemeldet und über eine beim Eintritt in den zweiten Bereich bereits eingestellte dritte Fahrstrasse verfügt.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1

schematically a rail vehicle travelling in a first area, which at a first Radio Block Center is registered and has a first set route;

Figure 2

schematically the rail vehicle travelling in a gap area adjoining the first area, which is no longer registered with the first radio block centre and has a second route set; and

Figure 3

A schematic representation of the rail vehicle entering the second area adjacent to the gap area, which is registered at a second radio block center and has a third route already set upon entry into the second area.

The present invention is now explained below using the example of a train protection system according to the European Train Control System Level 2 (ETCS L2) in accordance with the European standards EN 50128 and EN 50129 or the rules derived from them that define the interfaces and behavior of a Radio Block Center RBC. In principle, the invention is suitable for all train protection systems in which a gap area leads to a temporary interruption of the continuity of a modern train protection system with driver's cab signaling.

As in Figure 1 As shown, a rail vehicle LOK is located in a first track section 2 - hereinafter referred to as ETCS L2-1 - on a route 4 set for its journey with a driving permit that currently extends to the end of the set route 4 with a Movement Authority MA. During its journey through the first track section 2, the rail vehicle LOK, and in particular the onboard unit (OBU) of the rail vehicle, is connected to a railway-specific Mobile phone connection (GSM-R) in constant contact with a first ETCS route control center (Radio Block Center RBC1) and exchanges data relevant to the journey of the rail vehicle LOK with it. In addition, the vehicle computer registers with the first ETCS route control center RBC1 when it first contacts the first ETCS route control center. The control system higher up the RBC1 then immediately checks whether the rail vehicle, and in particular the vehicle computer in this case, is ETCS L2-compatible. Only when this suitability has been determined can route 4 be set and the MA issued. The determination of suitability by the first ETCS route control center RBC1 primarily affects the communication between the ETCS route control centers RBC and the vehicle. If the vehicle is not suitable, it will not be granted a driving license. However, the signal box can set routes at any time, even for unsuitable vehicles. However, the first ETCS track control center RBC1 cannot issue MA to unsuitable vehicles, even though the route for the vehicle has been set by the signal box. It is the task of the higher-level entry control to prevent routes from being automatically set for unsuitable vehicles.

The first ETCS track control center RBC1 is an essential component of the European Train Control System (ETCS) in levels 2 and 3. Its task is to control and monitor the rail vehicle LOK in the first track section 2, and the second ETCS track control center RBC2 is responsible for a second track section 6, also called ETCS L2-2 here. The ETCS track control centers RBC1 and RBC2 receive the information required for this from one or more associated signal boxes, a higher-level control system 8 with integrated entry control and from the rail vehicle LOK via position reports, and thus generate ETCS movement authorizations (Movement Authority MA). which they send via radio (usually GSM-R) to the rail vehicle LOK.

1. i) Erzeugung von Fahrterlaubnissen
2. ii) Aufnahme eines Zuges innerhalb eines RBC-Bereichs
3. iii) Aufnahme eines Zuges, bei der Einfahrt in einen RBC-Bereich
4. iv) Übergabe eines Zuges an einen Nachbar-RBC-Bereich
5. v) Ausfahrt eines Zuges aus dem RBC-Bereich
6. vi) Fahren in verschiedenen ETCS-Modi, beispielsweise Full Supervision (FS), On Sight (OS), Staff Responsible (SR), Shunting (SH) oder Reversing (RV)
7. vii) Bereitstellung von Verkettungsinformationen
8. viii) Wechsel zwischen unterschiedlichen ETCS-Modi
9. ix) Ankündigen eines Funklochs (Radio Hole)
10. x) Auswerten von potentiell gefährlichen Situationen und Kommandieren von Nothalten
11. xi) Erstzuweisung eines Fahrwegs zu einem Zug
12. xii) Verfolgen des Zuges
13. xiii) Erfassung von Diagnoseinformationen (z. B. Hinweise auf fehlende Balisen von den Zügen)
14. xiv) Einrichten von temporären Langsamfahrstellen
15. xv) Züge stärken und schwächen (Joining and Splitting)
16. xvi) Senden der Nationalen Werte zum Zug
17. xvii) Überwachung der Funkverbindung
18. xviii) Festlegen der Sicherheitsreaktionen bei bestimmten Fehlsituationen auf dem Zug
19. xix) Haltfallbewertung

Like the first and second ETCS line control centres RBClm RBC2, most RBCs basically have the following functions (non-exhaustive list):

1. i) Generation of travel permits
2. ii) Recording a train within an RBC area
3. iii) Recording a train entering an RBC area
4. iv) Transfer of a train to a neighbouring RBC area
5. v) Exit of a train from the RBC area
6. vi) Driving in different ETCS modes, such as Full Supervision (FS), On Sight (OS), Staff Responsible (SR), Shunting (SH) or Reversing (RV)
7. vii) Provision of chaining information
8. viii) Switching between different ETCS modes
9. ix) Announcement of a radio hole
10. x) Evaluating potentially dangerous situations and commanding emergency stops
11. xi) Initial allocation of a route to a train
12. xii) Tracking the train
13. xiii) Collection of diagnostic information (e.g. indications of missing balises from trains)
14. xiv) Establishment of temporary speed restrictions
15. xv) Strengthening and weakening moves (Joining and Splitting)
16. xvi) Sending the National Values to the Train
17. xvii) Monitoring of the radio connection
18. xviii) Determining safety responses to specific train failure situations
19. xix) Stopping case assessment

In the present case, the rail vehicle LOK leaves the first track section 2 as it progresses and enters an ETCS gap area 10, which in Figure 2 shown schematically. This ETCS gap area 10 is not ETCS L2 compatible upgraded and can, for example, still be equipped with an old proprietary national train protection system, such as ZUB121 in Switzerland or INDUSI in Germany. When traveling through this ETCS gap area 10, a second route 12 has been set for the rail vehicle by the signal box, while the first route 4 (shown here only as a dashed line) has already been canceled. The train driver drives the rail vehicle LOK here according to the information signaled along the route. When traveling in this ETCS gap area 10, there is no connection between the first ETCS route control center RBC1 and the rail vehicle LOK. In principle, each of the areas 2, 10, 6 can have one signal box each. These signal boxes are connected to the higher-level control system 8; in addition, the signal boxes for the first area 2 and the second area 6 are connected to the RBC assigned to them.

This situation now means that the rail vehicle LOK must register with the second ETCS track control center RBC2 responsible for this second track section 6 when it leaves the ETCS gap area 10 before entering a subsequent second track section 6 with ETCS L2 track equipment, and the higher-level control system assigned to this RBC2 must then determine whether the rail vehicle LOK or its vehicle computer is ETCS L2-compatible. This situation is in Figure 3 shown schematically. In the current state of technology, this situation has the disadvantage that the rail vehicle LOK has to slow down, which leads to increased energy consumption and delays as well as unnecessary wear. Route 14 can therefore only be set when the suitability of the vehicle has been assessed as positive by the entry control. In the current state of technology, this check can only be carried out when the vehicle is registered at the RBC2, which leads to a delayed setting of route 14. Consequently, the train headway is also extended, which leads to a Reduction in track capacity. Suitability must be determined by the higher-level entry control of the higher-level control system, as the entry control is responsible for preventing unsuitable vehicles from using routes. The second ETCS track control center RBC2 also checks suitability and does not issue an MA to an unsuitable vehicle. However, this is disadvantageous in operational terms, as the vehicle comes to a stop at an undesirable location and blocks the track system.

The present invention solves this problem by "freezing" the suitability of the rail vehicle LOK for the area of the second ETCS route center RBC2 beyond the ETCS gap area 10, as determined in the area of the first ETCS route center RBC1, and using it to set the other routes in the higher-level control system. Routes that the rail vehicle LOK already requests when traveling through the ETCS gap area 10 for the second ETCS L2 track section 6 can be set immediately even if the rail vehicle LOK has not yet registered with the second ETCS route center RBC2 and is then administered there. This is in Figure 2 shown schematically by transmitting a symbolic data block "ETCS L2 - LOK" with a tick from the first ETCS line control center RBC1 via the signal box/control system 8 to the second ETCS line control center RBC2.

As in Figure 3 As shown, with the arrival of the communication from the rail vehicle LOK to the second ETCS line control center RBC2, the Figure 2 In addition to the third route 14 shown, further routes 14' are set within the second area. The rail vehicle LOK can thus enter the second ETCS L2 track section 6 without delay, which keeps operating costs low, the headway short and thus the line capacity correspondingly high.

Thus, the entry check carried out in the first ETCS L2 track section 2 for the second ETCS line control center RBC2 for the rail vehicle LOK is also sufficient when the rail vehicle LOK enters the second ETCS track section 6, even though the rail vehicle LOK must temporarily pass through an ETCS gap area 10 in which there is no connection to one of the first or second ETCS line control centers RBC1 or RBC2 responsible for the first and second track sections 2 or 6 for the duration of this passage.

Claims (6)

1. Method for performing entry control for a rail vehicle (LOK), which runs from a first region (2), which is equipped with a first train protection system (ETCS L2), via an intermediate region (10), which is equipped with a second train protection system, into a second region (6), which is also equipped with the first train protection system (ETCS L2), in which:

   a) a vehicle device located on the rail vehicle carries out a data exchange with a first train protection instance for the first region (2) with regard to a suitability of said vehicle device for the first train protection system, before and/or while the rail vehicle is located in the first region;

   b) a control system (8) at a higher level than the first train protection instance (RBC1) checks whether the vehicle device is suitable for said first train protection system (ETCS L2); characterised in that

   c) in the event of a positive check, the suitability of the vehicle device for the first train protection system (ETCS L2) is frozen until the vehicle device, during and/or after travel through the intermediate region (10), establishes a data exchange with a second train protection instance (RBC2) on approach to and/or when arriving at the second region (6).
2. Method according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the first train protection system (ETCS L2) is designed with a driver's cab signalling without trackside aspect signalling and the first and second train protection instance are designed as radio block centres (RBC).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that
   the first train protection system is designed according to European Train Control System Level 2, wherein the second train protection system is not compatible with the first train protection system.
4. System for performing entry control for a rail vehicle (LOK), which runs from a first region (2), which is equipped with a first train protection system (ETCS L2), via an intermediate region (10), which is equipped with a second train protection system, into a second region (6), which is also equipped with the first train protection system (ETCS L2), comprising:

   a) a vehicle device, which is suitable for being located on the rail vehicle, and is configured to carry out a data exchange with a first train protection instance for the first region with regard to a suitability of said vehicle device for the first train protection system, before and/or while the rail vehicle is located in the first region;

   b) a control system, which is at a higher level than said train protection instance and is configured:
   b1) to check whether the vehicle device is suitable for said first train protection system; and characterised in that the control system is configured:
   b2) in the event of a positive check, to freeze the suitability of the vehicle device for the first train protection system in the higher-level control system for the second region, until the vehicle device, during and/or after travel through the intermediate region, establishes a data exchange with a second train protection instance on approach to the second region.
5. System according to claim 4,
   characterised in that
   the first train protection system (ETCS L2) is designed with a driver's cab signalling without trackside aspect signalling and the first and second train protection instance are designed as radio block centres (RBC).
6. System according to claim 4 or 5,
   characterised in that
   the first train protection system is designed according to European Train Control System Level 2, wherein the second train protection system is not compatible with the first train protection system.

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