A method for determining the speed of a rail-bound vehicle, includes the following method steps: detection of a reference element, wherein the first detection device generates a first detection signal when the reference element passes the first detection device; detection of the reference element, wherein the second detection device generates a second detection signal when the reference element passes the second detection device; conversion of the detection signals into digital detection pulses; determining the time difference between the two detection pulses; wherein an XOR signal is generated in an XOR gate by linking the first and the second detection pulse using an XOR logic; and the duration of the XOR signal is determined; and wherein the time difference between the two detection pulses is determined by halving the duration of the XOR signal. The speed can be measured with higher accuracy when using an existing infrastructure without additional assembly work.

A frequency generator for generating a working frequency for a transmission signal of a rail contact of an axle counter includes a series resonant circuit having a transmitter coil unit of the rail contact and a capacitor. The frequency generator has an inverter, the output of which is connected to the capacitor. The inverter is configured to generate an oscillating voltage and to feed the generated oscillating voltage to the transmitter coil unit of the rail contact via the capacitor. A current transformer synchronizes the output voltage of the inverter to the current in the series resonant circuit. A start-up circuit electrically connected to the inverter is configured to trigger the inverter and to be electrically connected to an input power supply. The frequency generator is a robust and effective circuit for generation of magnetic fields where manufacturing effort and expensive components can be reduced.

Disclosed are a method and device for detecting a direction of motion of a wheel on a rail track. The device includes at least one magnet for providing a magnetic field; a magnetic field sensor for sensing a magnetic field value indicative for a flux density, or a change in the flux density of the provided magnetic field; and at least one processor in communication with the magnetic field sensor. The at least one processor is configured to: obtain a plurality of the magnetic field values for respective times from the magnetic field sensor; and to analyse the obtained plurality of magnetic field values such that a direction of motion of a wheel passing the device is obtained.

A sensor arrangement (20) comprises a wheel sensor (21) which is arranged to detect wheels of rail vehicles, a carrier (22), and a connector (23), wherein the wheel sensor (21) is fixed on the carrier (22), the connector (23) is fixed to the carrier (22), and the connector (23) is electrically connected with at least one electrical contact (24) of the wheel sensor (21).

According to the invention a rail vehicle wheel sensor assembly (ZCK) is provided that comprises a rail vehicle wheel detection system (UWK) and a two-wire interface in the form of a current loop, by means of which the wheel detection system (UWK) is connected to an external device (SO). The wheel sensor assembly (ZCK) is characterised in that it comprises a wheel detection configuration system (UKDK) connected to the wheel detection system (UWK), an authorisation and configuration system (UA) capable of storing at least one secret (SK), used for secure communication with the external device (SO) and for forwarding configuration commands to the wheel detection configuration system (UKDK) connected thereto, a communication converter system (UM) used for the signal conversion, a wheel sensor supply voltage conversion system (UKU), a voltage summation and voltage-to-sensor-output-current conversion system (UKUI), an output signal permission system (UZSW) and a power supply system (UZ).

According to the invention a rail vehicle wheel detection device (DWK) comprising two or more such wheel sensor assemblies is further provided.

An axle counting method for rail-mounted vehicles is disclosed. An electromagnetic transmission signal with a frequency is produced, by a frequency source. The electromagnetic transmission signal is transmitted by means of a transmission device of an electromagnetic rail contact element. The electromagnetic transmission signal is detected as a first reception signal and a second reception signal by means of two spaced-apart receiving units of the rail contact element. The reception signals are transmitted. An evaluation signal is generated within a signal processing unit. To generate the transmission signal, a single transmission unit is used, and in that the reception signals received by the two receiving units originate from the same transmission signal.

A rail crossover control system for a rail track section is disclosed. The rail track section has first and second rail tracks, a crossover track section extending between the first and second rail tracks, at least one first set of rail switches arranged to controllably determine whether a train continues on the first track or is diverted from the first track onto the crossover track section, and at least one second set of rail switches arranged to controllably determine whether a train continues on the second track or is diverted from the second track onto the crossover track section. The system comprises at least one interlocking control unit arranged to control the first and second sets of rail switches according to determined train routes, and an obstruction detector arranged to detect presence of an obstruction on the crossover track section and generate an obstruction signal when an obstruction is detected.

A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, such as a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in track inductance associated with a track or rail break. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals (for example a shunt can be placed every mile). At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.

A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, such as a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in track inductance associated with a track or rail break. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals (for example a shunt can be placed every mile). At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.

A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, which can include for example a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in amplitude and/or phase angles. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals. At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.