An apparatus for sensing and optimizing the stopping-point accuracy of a vehicle. The apparatus includes at least one sensor unit, which can be arranged on the vehicle, and at least one evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. The at least one sensor unit is configured to measure a distance relative to a gap profile arranged at a stopping point to which the vehicle travels and to transmit the measurement result to the evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. There is also described a corresponding system including the apparatus and the distance profile, and also a vehicle with such an apparatus.

This invention utilizes two sensing technologies in combination with or in isolation of an automated inspection vehicle to conduct inspections of internal rail flaws in steel railroad track. A vehicle equipped with X-radiation sensing is used as a secondary method to assess the deviations in magnetic fields that are sensed by a primary sensor consisting of a single or multiple magnetometers. The magnetometers sense changes in magnetic field that are correlated to the flaws inside the steel rail. The combination of technologies improves the probability to detect railroad flaws and offers the ability to accurately track and monitor flaws.

A control system dictates operational settings of a rail vehicle system based a transitory second speed limit that is no faster than a current first speed limit and which is issued for a determined segment of the track for a determined time period. The control system obtains a current time, determines whether the transitory second speed limit has started, is in effect, or has expired based on the current time relative to the determined time period, and, in response to such determination, performs one or more of (a) generate a prompt to indicate that the determined time period has expired, (b) operate the rail vehicle system at the first speed limit, and/or (c) modify the operational settings of the rail vehicle system to exceed the second speed limit in the determined segment but not exceed the first speed limit for the determined segment.

A control system dictates operational settings of a rail vehicle system based a transitory second speed limit that is no faster than a current first speed limit and which is issued for a determined segment of the track for a determined time period. The control system obtains a current time, determines whether the transitory second speed limit has started, is in effect, or has expired based on the current time relative to the determined time period, and, in response to such determination, performs one or more of (a) generate a prompt to indicate that the determined time period has expired, (b) operate the rail vehicle system at the first speed limit, and/or (c) modify the operational settings of the rail vehicle system to exceed the second speed limit in the determined segment but not exceed the first speed limit for the determined segment.

A control system includes a controller that may determine whether a second speed limit, which is less than or equal to a first speed limit, is in effect for a segment of the route. The controller may switch one or more operational settings of a vehicle from the first speed limit to the second speed limit, and may operate the vehicle at the first speed limit outside of the segment of the route and operate the vehicle at or below the second speed limit while the vehicle is approaching or within the segment of the route.

A control system includes a controller that may determine whether a second speed limit, which is less than or equal to a first speed limit, is in effect for a segment of the route. The controller may switch one or more operational settings of a vehicle from the first speed limit to the second speed limit, and may operate the vehicle at the first speed limit outside of the segment of the route and operate the vehicle at or below the second speed limit while the vehicle is approaching or within the segment of the route.

An urban rail transportation fusion signaling system and method. The fusion signaling system includes: an autonomous train supervision system, configured to send a train operation plan; a first wayside management system, operating under a Train Autonomous Circumambulate System (TACS) system and configured to generate line resource allocation information according to the train operation plan; a second wayside management system, operating under a Commnunications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system and configured to generate operation permission information according to the train operation plan; and a car controller, provided on a rail transportation train and configured to: perform traffic control according to the line resource allocation information when the train is traveling under the TACS system; or perform traffic control according the operation permission information when the train is traveling under the CBTC system.

An urban rail transportation fusion signaling system and method. The fusion signaling system includes: an autonomous train supervision system, configured to send a train operation plan; a first wayside management system, operating under a Train Autonomous Circumambulate System (TACS) system and configured to generate line resource allocation information according to the train operation plan; a second wayside management system, operating under a Commnunications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system and configured to generate operation permission information according to the train operation plan; and a car controller, provided on a rail transportation train and configured to: perform traffic control according to the line resource allocation information when the train is traveling under the TACS system; or perform traffic control according the operation permission information when the train is traveling under the CBTC system.

There is disclosed a driverless transport system, DTS, (10) comprising: a travelling course (12), formed of routes (14), preferably travelled unidirectionally, which are defined respectively by one track (28), and of markers (16); a fleet (18) of at least two driverless transport vehicles, DTV, (20) travelling along the tracks (28) in a forcibly guided manner; and at least one station (26) defined by: at least one of the tracks (28), at least one of the markers (16), and an individualizing assigned station identifier; wherein each of the stations (26) can comprise a terminal (70) for allocation of travelling destination and wherein each of the stations (26) represents an area of the travelling course (12), within which the DTVs (20) can get assigned a new travelling destination and/or can be loaded, unloaded, energetically charged, and/or stopped; wherein the markers (16) include information, which is station-specific by being associating the respective information with the respectively assigned station identifier; wherein each of the DTVs (20) comprises: a communication unit (52) for transmitting and receiving information; a marker-detection unit (54) for reading, preferably contactless, the information from the markers (16); and a controlling unit (58) for processing read and received information; and wherein communication between the DTV (20) and communication between the DTVs (20) and terminals (70) is respectively performed directly, and in particular in a DTV-unspecific manner. (FIG. 5)

There is disclosed a driverless transport system, DTS, (10) comprising: a travelling course (12), formed of routes (14), preferably travelled unidirectionally, which are defined respectively by one track (28), and of markers (16); a fleet (18) of at least two driverless transport vehicles, DTV, (20) travelling along the tracks (28) in a forcibly guided manner; and at least one station (26) defined by: at least one of the tracks (28), at least one of the markers (16), and an individualizing assigned station identifier; wherein each of the stations (26) can comprise a terminal (70) for allocation of travelling destination and wherein each of the stations (26) represents an area of the travelling course (12), within which the DTVs (20) can get assigned a new travelling destination and/or can be loaded, unloaded, energetically charged, and/or stopped; wherein the markers (16) include information, which is station-specific by being associating the respective information with the respectively assigned station identifier; wherein each of the DTVs (20) comprises: a communication unit (52) for transmitting and receiving information; a marker-detection unit (54) for reading, preferably contactless, the information from the markers (16); and a controlling unit (58) for processing read and received information; and wherein communication between the DTV (20) and communication between the DTVs (20) and terminals (70) is respectively performed directly, and in particular in a DTV-unspecific manner. (FIG. 5)