Aspects of the invention provide a transport system powered by short block Linear Synchronous Motors (LSMs). The use of short blocks allows vehicles to move under precise control even when they are in close proximity to each other. The design allows the vehicles to be propelled and guided while negotiating sharp turns and negotiating merge and diverge switches. A coreless LSM can be used to create propulsive force without attractive force so as to allow a relatively high drag vehicle suspension, such as a vehicle sliding on a smooth surface.

A high-speed transportation system, the system including at least one transportation path having at least one track, at least one transportation vehicle configured for travel along the at least one transportation path, a propulsion system adapted to propel the at least one transportation vehicle along the at least one transportation path; and a levitation system adapted to levitate the transportation vehicle along the at least one transportation path. The at least one transportation vehicle additionally comprises wheels for at least intermittently supporting the transportation vehicle on the at least one track.

A current collector monitoring system in one aspect of the present disclosure is provided with: a collected current measurement unit; a collected current state determination unit; an image acquisition unit; an event recognition unit; an event determination unit; and a determination result output unit. When a state of collected current corresponds to an abnormal state, the image acquisition unit acquires an image including, within an angle of view, a collector shoe provided to a current collector.

According to an embodiment, a power supply system for an electric motor car includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a conversion unit. The first terminal is electrically connected to one of a power storage device and an overhead wire provided within a formation of electric motor cars. The second terminal is electrically connected to a lead wire together with a plurality of electric motors within the formation, a host power supply device, an external power supply device different from the host power supply device. The conversion unit receives first electric power supplied from the plurality of electric motors and the external power supply device via the second terminal and causes a direct current (DC) voltage to be generated at the first terminal according to a regenerative operation of the conversion unit to charge the power storage device in a first operation state and receives second electric power supplied from one of the power storage device and the overhead wire via the first terminal, converts a part of the second electric power into third electric power according to a powered operation of the conversion unit, and outputs the third electric power from the second terminal in a second operation state, thereby converting electric power.

According to an embodiment, a power supply system for an electric motor car includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a conversion unit. The first terminal is electrically connected to one of a power storage device and an overhead wire provided within a formation of electric motor cars. The second terminal is electrically connected to a lead wire together with a plurality of electric motors within the formation, a host power supply device, an external power supply device different from the host power supply device. The conversion unit receives first electric power supplied from the plurality of electric motors and the external power supply device via the second terminal and causes a direct current (DC) voltage to be generated at the first terminal according to a regenerative operation of the conversion unit to charge the power storage device in a first operation state and receives second electric power supplied from one of the power storage device and the overhead wire via the first terminal, converts a part of the second electric power into third electric power according to a powered operation of the conversion unit, and outputs the third electric power from the second terminal in a second operation state, thereby converting electric power.

To provide a semiconductor device signal transmission circuit for drive-control, a method of controlling a semiconductor device signal transmission circuit for drive-control, a semiconductor device, a power conversion device, and an electric system for a railway vehicle capable of preventing malfunction due to noise while speeding up or reducing loss of a switching operation. The semiconductor device signal transmission circuit for drive-control that is connected between a semiconductor device constituting an arm in a power conversion device and a drive circuit configured to drive the semiconductor device, including: an inductor; and an impedance circuit including a switch and connected in parallel with the inductor.

A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes a silicon carbide layer having a first plane and a second plane and includes a trench located on a first plane side and has a first region and a second region, a first silicon carbide region of an n-type, a second silicon carbide region of a p-type between the first silicon carbide region and the first plane, a third silicon carbide region of the n-type between the second silicon carbide region and the first plane, and a fourth silicon carbide region of the p-type between the second region and the first silicon carbide region; a gate electrode in the first region; a first electrode on the first plane side of the silicon carbide layer, a part of the first electrode is located in the second region and is in contact with the third and the fourth silicon carbide region; and a second electrode.

A conveying system includes a guide constituting a conveying path, a carrier configured to move along the conveying path, a magnetic member provided on one of the guide and the carrier so as to be arranged along the conveying path, a plurality of coils provided on the other one of the guide and the carrier and configured to generate thrust along the conveying path by generating a moving magnetic field acting on the magnetic member in accordance with supply of power, a magnetic sensor configured to detect magnetism varying with a movement of the carrier, and a controller which is configured to execute position detection of a first method of obtaining a position of the carrier based on inductance variation of the coil and execute position detection of a second method of obtaining a position of the carrier based on an output of the magnetic sensor.

A conveying system includes a guide constituting a conveying path, a carrier configured to move along the conveying path, a magnetic member provided on one of the guide and the carrier so as to be arranged along the conveying path, a plurality of coils provided on the other one of the guide and the carrier and configured to generate thrust along the conveying path by generating a moving magnetic field acting on the magnetic member in accordance with supply of power, a magnetic sensor configured to detect magnetism varying with a movement of the carrier, and a controller which is configured to execute position detection of a first method of obtaining a position of the carrier based on inductance variation of the coil and execute position detection of a second method of obtaining a position of the carrier based on an output of the magnetic sensor.

A voltage supply device includes at least one intermediate circuit that has at least one intermediate circuit capacitor, at least one power converter, wherein the power converter is connected to the connections of the intermediate circuit such that the power converter can be supplied with electrical energy from the intermediate circuit capacitor, and includes at least one braking chopper that is connected to the connections of the intermediate circuit capacitor such that electrical energy from the intermediate circuit capacitor can be converted into thermal energy by the braking chopper, where the power converter is equipped with at least one semiconductor switch that is clocked at a higher rate, in particular based on SiC, while the braking chopper is equipped with at least one semiconductor switch that is clocked at a lower rate, in particular based on Si.