Provided is a wheel detector for detecting a wheel of a rail vehicle, including two detector channels. Each channel includes a coil unit which is connected with a measurement and feeding module for feeding the coil unit with an output signal of the measurement and feeding module. A decision module of the respective channel is bi-directionally connected to the measurement and feeding module. The measurement and feeding module of each channel includes a temperature measurement module and/or a module for measurement of mechanical vibration, that is/are connected with an input/inputs of a decision module of the channel. The decision modules are connected via a bidirectional digital interface. The decision module of one channel is connected via a bidirectional digital interface with a data transmission module for communication with a supervisory system via a data transmission line.

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 transmitter device for a sensor device detects a magnetic field change caused by an object approaching or moving past the sensor device, in particular by a wheel of a rail vehicle. The transmitter device has at least two alternating-current-fed transmitter oscillating circuits. In order to implement error disclosure of the sensor device in a particularly simple manner, the at least two transmitter oscillating circuits are formed in such a way that the resonance frequencies thereof are different from each other. A sensor device and a method for detecting a magnetic field change are also provided.

A method is provided for detecting the presence of a rolling stock on a railway track that is subdivided in successive track sections forming successive electrical circuits independently fed with electrical current for monitoring the presence of a rolling stock on a track section. A transmission device for providing electrical current is located at one end of the track section, and a reception device for detecting the electrical current is located at an opposite end of the track section. This method includes steps for continuously feeding the electrical circuit with electrical current and monitoring the presence of a rolling stock on the corresponding track section so that an electrical current can be applied to the electrical circuit if the reception device detects that no rolling stock is present on the track section. A system for detecting presence of a rolling stock on a railway track is also provided.

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.

Provided is a wheel detector for detecting a wheel of a rail vehicle, including two detector channels. Each channel includes a coil unit which is connected with a measurement and feeding module for feeding the coil unit with an output signal of the measurement and feeding module. A decision module of the respective channel is bi-directionally connected to the measurement and feeding module. The measurement and feeding module of each channel includes a temperature measurement module and/or a module for measurement of mechanical vibration, that is/are connected with an input/inputs of a decision module of the channel. The decision modules are connected via a bidirectional digital interface. The decision module of one channel is connected via a bidirectional digital interface with a data transmission module for communication with a supervisory system via a data transmission line.

A transmitter device for a sensor device detects a magnetic field change caused by an object approaching or moving past the sensor device, in particular by a wheel of a rail vehicle. The transmitter device has at least two alternating-current-fed transmitter oscillating circuits. In order to implement error disclosure of the sensor device in a particularly simple manner, the at least two transmitter oscillating circuits are formed in such a way that the resonance frequencies thereof are different from each other. A sensor device and a method for detecting a magnetic field change are also provided.

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 for operating an axle counter system for monitoring the occupation status of a track section being limited by counting positions which have at least one detection point and at least one counting position a set of redundant detection points, includes the steps of: (a) incrementing or decrementing axle counter values in dependence of the moving direction of a passing axle; (b) transmitting the axle counter value to an axle counter evaluator; (c) determining the number of remaining axles within the track section; and (d) outputting a track occupation status. Prior to step (c) for each counting position exactly one detection point is selected for further processing independent of the selection at any other counting position. In step (c) the counter values of the selected detection points are used for determining the number of remaining axles and the counter values of the non-selected redundant detection points are ignored.