WO2020094650A1

WO2020094650A1 - Railway trackside worker safety system

Info

Publication number: WO2020094650A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/080259
Authority: WO
Inventors: Graham Brend; Graham KYD
Original assignee: Siemens Mobility Ltd
Current assignee: Siemens Mobility Ltd
Priority date: 2018-11-06
Filing date: 2019-11-05
Publication date: 2020-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2021-05-06
Also published as: GB201818106D0; GB2578751A

Abstract

A railway trackside worker safety system (100) comprises an alert device (102) that comprises a detector (104) configured to detect an approaching train (106), and a transmitter (108) configured to transmit a signal if the detector does not detect an approaching train. The system further includes at least one wearable device (112) comprising a receiver (302) configured to receive the signal from the alert device, and a warning device (304, 306) configured to generate a warning by default and to stop generating the warning when the signal is received by the receiver.

Description

Railway Trackside Worker Safety System

The present disclosure relates to railway trackside worker safety.

In particular, the disclosure is concerned with railway trackside worker safety systems, devices and methods.

Background

A critical issue that needs to be considered when performing maintenance or construction of railways is the safety of personnel working on the railway. This is particularly important if the maintenance and construction tasks are carried out at the trackside when it is not possible, or it is undesirable, to take possession of the stretch of track that is being worked on. For example, taking possession of a section of track that will prevent trains running on that section may prove to be too disruptive or costly. Even in cases when it is possible to take possession of a stretch of track there may be other tracks running close by which are not under possession.

Therefore, in such scenarios there are likely to be trains running on, or nearby, to the track that is being worked on. This has safety implications given the speed that trains typically travel at and the number of personnel that may be working at the trackside as a train passes by. Although solutions exist to help ensure safe working conditions for trackside personnel, for example by alerting said trackside personnel to an approaching train, or by adopting specific manual procedures and practices, there are limitations with these existing solutions.

Typically when working on, or nearby,“live” railway tracks, solutions are deployed to warn trackside personnel of approaching trains so that the personnel can take appropriate measures, such as moving a safe distance away from the track (and hence from an approaching train).

Examples of known solutions for warning trackside personnel of approaching trains include STSRail’s Track Safe Warning System and Schweizer Electronic’s Minimel Lookout Operated Warning Systems. These solutions rely either on the automatic detection of an approaching train, or on specific designated personnel to detect the train. Known solutions for alerting workers to an approaching train use audible or visual indications. For example, a siren is sounded, or a flashing light is visible on an alerting unit. Such alerts will warn the personnel to move to a safe place whilst the train passes. However, these solutions rely on the assumption that the trackside workers can hear or see the alerts and hence do not support scenarios when workers may have strayed out of range of the alerting unit. Further, the known solutions alert workers only when a train is approaching and assume that such an alert will be received by all workers, who will then respond appropriately.

These known solutions are limited in that they rely on the trackside personnel being sufficiently close to the relevant warning units to either see or hear the alerts. This limits the area that the workers can work in and hence restricts their flexibility. An EU funded project (ALARP) researched a solution to improve automatic track warning systems and increase the flexibility of workers by providing them with mobile terminals that can be used to alert the workers of approaching trains.

All the known solutions, including the ALARP proposal, require the deployment of dedicated equipment to firstly detect approaching trains and to secondly provide a warning to impacted personnel. These solutions are problematic as they issue a warning only when an approaching train is detected and assume that all personnel will notice any received visual or audible warning, either directly from the detector or from a dedicated terminal. Further, the known solutions are limited in that they will only provide warnings to personnel within the range supported by the dedicated equipment. Such limitations have safety issues in that an alert will be triggered by the detecting system when a train is approaching, and this alert may not be received by the trackside personnel. For example, the personnel may not notice the alert or may roam outside of the coverage area supported by the deployed system and hence will therefore be unaware of an approaching train and so cannot act appropriately.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a solution that overcomes these, and other, limitations of the known solutions. Such a solution can help improve the safety of personnel working under such conditions. Therefore, it is desirable to improve safe working conditions of trackside workers, whilst also ensuring that the safety system does not unduly impact the normal working of trackside workers.

Summary

According to the present disclosure there is provided a railway trackside worker safety system, devices and a method as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows.

Accordingly, there is provided a railway trackside worker safety system comprising: an alert device comprising:

a detector configured to detect an approaching train, and

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal if the detector does not detect an approaching train, and

at least one wearable device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive the signal from the alert device, and a warning device configured to generate a warning by default and to stop generating the warning when the signal is received by the receiver.

The wearable device may comprise Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) eyewear including a display device, and the warning device is configured to generate the warning by causing the display device to display a warning sign if the signal from the alert device is not received by the receiver. Thus, such items of PPE can advantageously be multi-purpose according to embodiments of the invention.

The warning device may be further configured to cause the display device to display a safe working sign if the signal is received by the receiver.

The warning device may be configured to cause the display device to display a visual indication of an estimated distance of an approaching train.

The transmitter of the alert device may continuously or periodically transmit the signal. The signal may be periodically transmitted and a periodicity of the signal may be configurable based on an expected speed of an approaching train. Thus, the periodicity may be set based on factors such as the area covered by the system, the speed of trains on the track where the system is deployed, and so on.

The warning device of a said wearable device may be configured to generate a warning upon detecting low power of the wearable device. The warning device of a said wearable device may be configured to generate a warning that the wearable device is located outside a coverage area of the system. These features can further help ensure that a worker is always made aware of potential danger.

The warning device of a said wearable device may be configured to transmit a response signal to the alert device after receiving the signal, and the alert device can be configured, after receiving the response signal, to determine whether one or more said wearable device has not received the signal. The alert device may be further configured to transmit an alert signal indicating that at least one of the wearable devices has not received the signal to a train driver and/or to a railway Network Management Centre. These actions can further assist the overall effectiveness of the safety system.

The warning device of a said wearable device may be configured to wait for a timeout period to expire before determining that the signal from the alert device has not been received, wherein the timeout period is configurable.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an alert device adapted for railway trackside worker safety comprising:

a detector configured to detect an approaching train, and

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal to at least one wearable device if the detector does not detect an approaching train.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a wearable device adapted for railway trackside worker safety comprising:

a receiver configured to receive the signal from an approaching train alert device, and

a warning device configured to generate a warning by default and to stop generating the warning when the signal is received by the receiver. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating a railway trackside worker safety system, method comprising:

detecting an approaching train;

transmitting, from an alert device, a signal if an approaching train is not detected;

generating, by a wearable device, a warning by default and stopping generating the warning if the signal is received by the wearable device. Brief Description of the Drawings

Examples of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an example railway trackside worker safety system that includes an alert device and wearable devices;

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the alert device; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of one of the wearable devices; and

Figure 4 is a sequence diagram showing example interactions between the alert device and the wearable devices. Detailed Description

Figure 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the railway trackside worker safety. Embodiments of the system can comprise an alert device that is typically deployed trackside and at least one wearable device, such as Personal Protective Equipment in the form of goggles, provided to trackside personnel/workers.

The example system 100 comprises an alert device 102 that includes a detector device 104 deployed to detect an approaching train 106 (if present) and a paired transmitter device 108 deployed to signal at least one wearable device used by trackside workers within a coverage area 110 of the system. In alternative embodiments the detection and alert devices are integrated/hosted together (shown schematically by broken lines 102), but they are shown separately in this particular example.

The transmitter device 108 maintains a wireless connection with one or more wearable devices 1 12 intended to be worn by one or more respective workers within the coverage area 1 10 of the system 100. Boundaries of the coverage area will typically depend on factors such as communication/signal strength, device power, geography, etc. Three wearable devices 112A - 112C worn by three respective workers 1 13A - 1 13C are shown in the example, but it will be understood that any reasonable number can be used in practice. The transmitter device can periodically or continuously transmit to the wearable device(s) a signal 116, which may be considered a type of“heartbeat” or“beacon” type signal. The wearable device(s) can use receipt or non-receipt of this signal to determine its action in relation to the generation of a warning. The warning device can be configured to generate the warning by default (i.e. normally when the wearable device is operational, unless there is an instruction to the contrary) - including during receipt of the signal - and may stop generating the warning when the signal is not received.

In the event that the detector device 104 detects that train 106 is approaching, it sends a detection signal 118 to the transmitter device 108. The transmitter device can, as a result, then stop sending the signal 116 to the wearable device(s) 112. If the wearable device(s) do not receive the signal 116, it/they can generate a warning for worker(s) that an approaching train has been detected. The generation of the warning can comprise generating (and displaying) a warning as a default behaviour of the system if/when the signal is not received. Thus, warnings can be quickly and effectively provided to all the equipped workers in the coverage area 1 10.

Figure 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the alert device 102. The alert device comprises (or in other embodiments, is in communication with a separate) the detector device 104. The detector device 104 can comprise any suitable device that is capable of detecting an approaching train 106. In some embodiments, the detector device can receive a signal indicating the presence of a train from an existing train warning system, such as the ones discussed above, via a suitable interface. In other embodiments the detector device may comprise its own mechanism for detecting the approach of a train, e.g. radar or custom track-mounted sensors that transmit a detection signal wirelessly via radio frequency, etc. The detection may vary in terms of train distance, timing, position, and so on.

The alert device 102 can further comprise (or, in other embodiments it may be in communication with) a processor 202, which can perform various functions, including communication between, and control of, the detector device 104 and the transmitter device 108. It will be appreciated that in embodiments one or more processor can be programmed to perform the system functions described herein using any suitable programming language, data structures, etc. The alert device may further comprise other components, e.g. a display, wired interface, user input means (which can be useable for device configuration), that are common to computing/communication devices.

The transmitter device 108 can use any suitable method(s) (e.g. Wi-Fi, cellular network, etc) and protocol(s) (e.g. Wi-Fi access protocol, GSM, etc) to communicate wirelessly with the at least one wearable device 112. The transmitted signal 116 can have any suitable format/content. For instance, it may include a simple set of bits or a packet, an identifier for the alert device 102 and/or system 100, etc.

The wireless interface can be utilised such that the alert device 102 repeatedly provides a periodic signal to each set of wearable devices 112. The periodicity of the signal can be configured when the system 100 is deployed, so as to provide for an optimal deployment of the solution. Such periodicity may be determined by factors such as the area required to be covered by the system, the speed of trains on the track where the system is deployed, and so on. Further, embodiments may support the ability to register a specific list of wearable devices with a different one of a plurality of alert devices so as to allow for the deployment of separate distinct safety systems within the same general geographic area.

Figure 3 schematically illustrates an example of a wearable device 112. Each trackside worker may be provided with the same type of wearable device in some embodiments, or they may differ.

The wearable device 1 12 can comprise any suitable item(s) of wearable technology that will typically comprise (or be in communication with) at least a wireless signal receiver 302, a warning device processor 304 and output unit 306. The wearable device may further comprise other components, e.g. wired interface, user input means (which can be useable for device configuration), that are common to computing/communication devices.

In the detailed embodiment described herein the wearable device comprises a pair of smart goggles. However, it will be appreciated that alternative embodiments can utilise other types of “wearable” equipment; for example, a bracelet with a vibrating output unit, or a helmet with an output unit comprising a light and/or a loud audible alarm, or other items. The wearable device 112 may be custom-designed, or system components may be retro-fitted in/to commercially-available devices.

Railway trackside workers are typically required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in order to ensure that they have adequate protection when working. One of the common constituent items of the equipment is eyewear in the form of a set of goggles or glasses which are worn by the workers to protect their eyes. Embodiments can provide an enhanced train warning system that will present visible information on such goggles to provide each trackside worker with a clear indication when a train is, or is not, approaching. Thus, such items of PPE can advantageously be multi-purpose according to embodiments of the invention.

An example of a known device that provides visible information to persons is a set of smart goggles, such as Google™ Glasses, which project information onto a display device 306 of glasses 112 worn by the user, thus enabling them to be able to easily view information. Some embodiments may utilise such known solutions for projecting information onto glasses, but provide a novel mechanism to improve the safety of trackside workers by presenting the workers with an advance indication when a train is approaching, or when they stray away from the area 110 covered by the system alert device 102.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates an example of operation of the system 100. It will be understood that in other embodiments/cases, some of the steps may be re-ordered omitted and/or repeated, or additional steps may be performed.

At step 401 , before or after physical deployment of components of the system 100, the alert device 102 can be configured with information representing at least one set of wearable device(s) 1 12, e.g. goggles, for each trackside worker designated to receive alerts from that instance of the system. Embodiments can provide for wireless communication (utilising appropriate wireless interfaces) between the system alert device and enhanced goggles (supporting a wireless interface) of all workers who have been registered with that alert device and hence are to work within the coverage area 110 of the system.

At step 402 the alert device 102 starts to periodically transmit the signal 116 to all the registered goggles 1 12A - 1 12C. The same signal may be simultaneously transmitted to all the goggles, or different signals (e.g. including different destination addresses) may be transmitted, simultaneously or sequentially, for specific ones of the pairs of goggles. In an alternative embodiment signal 116 is not issued to each set of goggles, but, instead, the goggles detect a continuous signal that is broadcast by the alert device. Hence by“listening” to the broadcast signal, each set of goggles can determine what information to display.

At step 403, due to safe receipt of the signal 116, each of the goggles 112 stops displaying its default warning sign and, instead, displays a safe working sign to provide each worker with an indication that a train is not approaching. In some embodiments a large hazard sign is projected by default onto the goggles, such that the workers are presented with this sign whenever an untoward event is determined (indicated by lack of receipt of the signal 116) or, optionally, whenever power is not supplied to the goggles. It will be appreciated that in order to operate and provide a display, the goggles require power and so in some embodiments if the goggles detect that power (typically provided by a battery) is low, or if power is lost, the default hazard sign will be shown on the goggles, e.g. using a back-up battery.

Therefore, the continuous/periodic signal 116 received by each set of goggles 112 will cause the goggles to not display the default hazard sign, and may, instead, cause them to display a“safe warning sign”. Thus, when the workers see such a sign they know that it is safe to continue working on the track and that a train is not approaching. This will alleviate a problem associated with known solutions whereby an alert is only sent to workers when a train is detected as approaching and it is assumed that each worker will receive said alert. Thus, embodiments are operable such that when the detector device 104 detects an approaching train 106, the alert unit 102 is commanded to stop issuing the signal 116 to the goggles 112 within the system coverage area 110. This can mean that each set of goggles will revert to displaying the default hazard system, thereby alerting the worker of an approaching train.

In some embodiments the detection of an approaching train may not trigger the display of a default hazard sign on the worker’s goggles, but, instead, a warning sign is displayed (and updated substantially in real-time) together with an indication of the estimated distance (e.g. numerical or by means of one or more icons, etc) of the approaching train, such that the worker is presented with a“countdown” to indicate how close the train is to the worker. In general, it will be appreciated that the warning sign, and other signs displayed, can be of any suitable type, e.g. textual, graphical, colour-coded, etc.

At step 404, detector device 104 detects that a train 106 is approaching.

At step 405 the alert unit 102 stops the transmitter 108 from transmitting the signal 1 16.

At step 406, at some point later (typically after a timeout period, e.g. of a few seconds, following non-receipt of the expected signal 116), each set of goggles 112 determines that a warning should be displayed and so displays the hazard warning sign on the goggles. It will be appreciated that the timeout period used by the goggles to determine if the signal has been missed/not received is configurable and can be set so as to provide a quick and swift indication to each worker, based on factors such as the time a train would take to pass the detector device 104 and reach the workers, etc.

At step 407, at some point later when the alert unit 102 determines that the train should have safely passed through the coverage area 110, it resumes the sending of the signal 1 16.

At step 408, some of the goggles 112A, 112B receive the signal 116 and start displaying the safe working sign again. However, in the meantime (step 409), the wearer of one pair of goggles 1 12C has roamed outside of the coverage area 110 and hence their goggles will not receive the signal 116, but will continue to display the hazard warning sign rather than the safe working sign. If/when that worker returns into the coverage area, and the signal is received, then their googles will display the safe working sign. Thus, embodiments can ensure that the hazard sign is visible on the goggles (and hence visible to the worker) if the worker strays too far away from the alert device and hence is out of range of the supported wireless interface. In such scenarios the signal 1 16 will not be received by the goggles and the hazard sign will be displayed. In some embodiments the location of the wearable device (e.g. based on GPS or signal strength) may be obtained to determine straying outside of the coverage area (in order to distinguish from non-receipt of the signal 116 due to detection of a train). Such embodiments can therefore mitigate the limitations of known solutions when workers stray too far from a train warning system to be able to hear, or see, a warning indication.

In alternative embodiments a response signal may be transmitted from the goggles 1 12A - 112C back to the alert device 102 in response to each received periodic signal 1 16. The number of response signals can be tallied with the number of goggles that had previously been registered with the alert device. Alternatively, each response signal may include an identifier for the pair of goggles that is transmitting it. Thus, the system may be operable to determine whether it is likely that a pair of goggles (and hence a worker) has strayed outside of the coverage area 110 of the system and hence has not received the signal 116.

In such embodiments, the system 100, e.g. via the alert device 102, may be configured to transmit an alert signal to a train driver (via a mechanism such as GSM- R, or other similar cab communications methods) that they are approaching a construction/maintenance area where trackside personnel are working and it has been detected that a worker has strayed out of the deployed system’s coverage area and so this worker is unlikely to be informed by the system of the approach of the train. In such a situation the driver may decide to limit their speed, or to issue an audible alert, so as to mitigate what is a potentially unsafe environment. Additionally or alternatively, some embodiments can provide the driver with an indication that they are approaching a construction/maintenance area and that all the trackside personnel are within the coverage area of a deployed safety system and hence all the personnel should receive an indication of the approaching train and should be able to take appropriate actions whilst the train passes.

In some embodiments the system 100, e.g. the alert device 102, can have the ability to alert personnel in a railway Network Management Centre (NMC), e.g. by wirelessly transmitting a signal to a communication device at the centre, that a trackside worker has moved out of the coverage area 110 of the system. The personnel in the NMC can then warn specific trackside personnel (for example, by phoning or sending a signal to a designated person in charge of the maintenance team) that one of their number has strayed from where they should be and hence the worker is unlikely to receive an indication from any deployed system should a train be detected as approaching. The designated person in charge can hence take action to find the worker and to ensure that they do not stray from the coverage area of the system in future.

Embodiments can enhance the information provided to trackside workers about approaching trains, which will hence reduce the chances of unsafe events occurring whilst they are working on the railway tracks. Embodiments can aid the safety of trackside personnel/workers by providing a system that can indicate to the personnel that it is safe to continue working and that an approaching train has not been detected. Further, the proposed mechanism will alert workers if they stray out of the coverage area supported by the system. Such embodiments can improve the safety of workers and will alleviate the limitations of known Train Warning Systems that provide an indication to workers only when a train is detected and assume that such an indication will be received (and acted on) by all said workers. Embodiments can be particularly advantageous when taking possession of a stretch of track is not possible, or alternatively as an additional automated solution to enforce the manual procedures that are meant to be followed when possession is possible.

In some embodiments, different warning signs may be displayed on the wearable device for each type of hazardous event determined; for example, loss of power or straying too far from the alert device. However, by default a hazard sign will still be presented to indicate that a train is approaching. Such embodiments may provide more detailed information to the trackside worker about the type of hazard that has been detected. In some embodiments the size of warning signs may vary; for example, the hazard sign may well be larger than any safe working sign. This can help make it very clear to the worker when a hazard has occurred, but provides for the safe working signs to be not too intrusive and obstructive. In alternative embodiments a safe warning sign is not projected on the wearable device, but, instead, under normal operation the hazard signs will be removed (such that no information is displayed). Thus, a worker may only be presented with a warning sign when a hazard has occurred.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1 A railway trackside worker safety system (100) comprising:

an alert device (102) comprising:

a detector (104) configured to detect an approaching train, and a transmitter (108) configured to transmit a signal (1 16) if the detector does not detect an approaching train, and

at least one wearable device (1 12) comprising:

a receiver (302) configured to receive the signal from the alert device, and a warning device (304, 306) configured to generate a warning by default and to stop generating the warning when the signal is received by the receiver.

2 A system (100) according to claim 1 , wherein a said wearable device (112) comprises Personal Protective Equipment eyewear including a display device (306), and the warning device (304) is configured to generate the warning by causing the display device to display a warning sign if the signal (116) is not received by the receiver.

3 A system (100) according to claim 2, wherein the warning device (304) is further configured to cause the display device (306) to display a safe working sign if the signal (1 16) is received by the receiver (302).

4 A system (100) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the warning device (304) is configured to cause the display device (306) to display a visual indication of an estimated distance of an approaching train.

5 A system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the transmitter (108) continuously or periodically transmits the signal (116). 6 A system (100) according to claim 5, wherein the signal (1 16) is periodically transmitted and a periodicity of the signal is configurable based on an expected speed of an approaching train.

7 A system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the warning device (304) of a said wearable device (1 12) is configured to generate a warning upon detecting low power of the wearable device. 8 A system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the warning device (304) of a said wearable device (112) is configured to generate a warning that the wearable device is located outside a coverage area (1 10) of the system (100).

9 A system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the warning device (304) of a said wearable device (1 12) is configured to transmit a response signal to the alert device (102) after receiving the signal (1 16), and the alert device is configured, after receiving the response signal, to determine whether one or more said wearable device has not received the signal.

10 A system (100) according to claim 9, wherein the alert device (102) is further configured to transmit an alert signal indicating that at least one of the wearable devices has not received the signal to a train (106) driver and/or to a railway

Network Management Centre.

1 1 A system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the warning device (304) of a said wearable device (112) is configured to wait for a timeout period to expire before determining that the signal (1 16) has not been received, wherein the timeout period is configurable.

12 An alert device (102) adapted for railway trackside worker safety comprising:

a detector (104) configured to detect an approaching train, and

a transmitter (108) configured to transmit a signal (116) to at least one wearable device if the detector does not detect an approaching train.

13 A wearable device (1 12) adapted for railway trackside worker safety comprising:

a receiver (302) configured to receive the signal from an approaching train alert device, and

a warning device (304, 306) configured to generate a warning by default and to stop generating the warning when the signal is received by the receiver. 14 A wearable device (112) according to claim 13, comprising Personal Protective

Equipment eyewear including a display device (306). A method of operating a railway trackside worker safety system, the comprising: detecting (404) an approaching train;

transmitting (402), from an alert device, a signal if an approaching train is not detected;

generating, by a wearable device, a warning by default and stopping generating the warning (406) if the signal is received by the wearable device.