Method and device for outputting an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle and warning system for a rail vehicle

Abstract

A method for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle, includes reading in a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle, comparing the piece of signal information to at least one stored piece of reference signal information to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal, and providing a trigger signal to an output unit of the rail vehicle for outputting an acoustic warning signal.

Claims

1. A method for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle, the method comprising: reading in a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle; comparing the piece of signal information to at least one stored piece of reference signal information to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal; assigning the piece of signal information to a travel track of the rail vehicle with the aid of a global positioning system to determine a position of the piece of signal information; and automatically providing, without operator intervention, a trigger signal to an output unit of the rail vehicle to output an acoustic warning signal directed at outside surroundings of the rail vehicle, when a result of the comparing indicates the acoustic warning signal is required and the position of the piece of signal information is assigned in the assigning to at least one rail on which the rail vehicle is being driven.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of signal information is compared in the comparing to the at least one stored piece of reference signal information, using a predefined pattern recognition algorithm, to identify the piece of signal information as the warning sign.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of signal information is assigned in the assigning to the at least one rail on which the rail vehicle is being driven if a distance of the position of the piece of signal information from the rail is within a predefined distance range.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger signal is provided in the providing task to an output unit of the rail vehicle configured as a ringing signal unit, the ringing signal unit being configured to output a ringing signal as the acoustically perceptible warning signal in response to the trigger signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic warning signal is acoustically-perceptible in the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the output unit includes a speaker on the outside of the rail vehicle which directs the acoustic warning signal to the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic warning signal is a ringing sound.

8. A device for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle, comprising: a read-in unit to read in a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle; a comparison unit to compare the piece of signal information to at least one stored piece of reference signal information to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal; an assignment unit to assign the piece of signal information to a travel track of the rail vehicle with the aid of a global positioning system to determine a position of the piece of signal information; and a provision unit to automatically provide, without operator intervention, a trigger signal to an output unit of the rail vehicle to output an acoustic warning signal directed at outside surroundings of the rail vehicle, when a result of the compare indicates that the acoustic warning signal is required and the position of the piece of signal information is assigned in the assign to at least one rail on which the rail vehicle is being driven.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the acoustic warning signal is acoustically-perceptible in the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the output unit includes a speaker on the outside of the rail vehicle which directs the acoustic warning signal to the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

11. A warning system for a rail vehicle, comprising: a device for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle, including: a read-in unit to read in a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle; a comparison unit to compare the piece of signal information to at least one stored piece of reference signal information to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal; an assignment unit to assign the piece of signal information to a travel track of the rail vehicle with the aid of a global positioning system to determine a position of the piece of signal information; and a provision unit to automatically provide, without operator intervention, a trigger signal to an output unit of the rail vehicle to output an acoustic warning signal, when a result of the compare indicates that the acoustic warning signal is required and the position of the piece of signal information is assigned in the assign to at least one rail on which the rail vehicle is being driven; an image sensor, coupled or coupleable to the device, for detecting the piece of signal information; and an output unit, coupled or coupleable to the device, which is situatable on the rail vehicle directed at outside surroundings of the rail vehicle and which is configured to output the acoustic warning signal in response to the trigger signal.

12. The warning system of claim 11, wherein the piece of signal information is compared in the comparing to the at least one stored piece of reference signal information, using a predefined pattern recognition algorithm, to identify the piece of signal information as the warning sign.

13. The warning system of claim 11, wherein the acoustic warning signal is acoustically-perceptible in the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

14. The warning system of claim 11, wherein the output unit includes a speaker on the outside of the rail vehicle which directs the acoustic warning signal to the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising: a program code arrangement having program code for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle, by performing the following: reading in a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle; comparing the piece of signal information to at least one stored piece of reference signal information to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal; assigning the piece of signal information to a travel track of the rail vehicle with the aid of a global positioning system to determine a position of the piece of signal information; and automatically providing, without operator intervention, a trigger signal to an output unit of the rail vehicle to output an acoustic warning signal directed at outside surroundings of the rail vehicle, when a result of the comparing indicates that the acoustic warning signal is required and the position of the piece of signal information is assigned in the assigning to at least one rail on which the rail vehicle is being driven.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the acoustic warning signal is acoustically-perceptible in the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

17. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the output unit includes a speaker on the outside of the rail vehicle which directs the acoustic warning signal to the outside surroundings of the rail vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a rail vehicle including a warning system according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary warning signal for a rail vehicle.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of a method for outputting an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) In the following description of favorable exemplary embodiments of the present invention, identical or similar reference numerals are used for similarly acting elements shown in the different figures, and a repeated description of these elements is dispensed with.

(5) Based on a schematically illustrated traffic situation, FIG. 1 shows an exemplary rail vehicle 100, which is equipped with a warning system 102 according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Rail vehicle 100 is a street car in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Rail vehicle 100 may alternatively also be another rail-bound vehicle, such as a railroad or commuter train. Street car 100 is guided on two tracks or grooved rails 104 extending in parallel. An operator 106 of the street car, who is usually situated in an operator's cab at the very front in rail vehicle 100 and has a view of the surroundings, in particular a travel track, of rail vehicle 100 through a windshield, has the task to regulate in particular a driving speed and to observe and implement driving signals displayed alongside the track.

(6) Warning system 102 includes a device 108 for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of rail vehicle 100, an image sensor 110 coupled to the device, and an output unit 112 also coupled to device 108. Image sensor 110 forms part of a camera installed in the operator's cab of street car 100, in particular a video camera, which is configured to continuously visually detect surroundings of the street car during its trip.

(7) In the scenario of a trip of rail vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1, image sensor 110 detects image data 112 of a sign or signal 114 mounted along the travel track of rail vehicle 110. In the scenario shown in FIG. 1, signal 114 is a so-called SH-4 “ringing” signal, characterized by the letter L on the signal post. During operation of the street car, SH-4 “ringing” signal 114 prompts operator 106 of street car 100 to actuate the foot-operated bell of street car 100 to draw the attention of other road users presently situated in the surroundings of street car 100 to approaching street car 100 with the aid of a warning signal output via speaker 112. The warning signal may be output as a clearly audible bell tone, for example. Output unit 112 is an acoustic output unit, which is situated on rail vehicle 100 directed at the outside surroundings of rail vehicle 100 and configured to output the acoustic warning signal in response to the trigger signal of the device.

(8) Device 108 may be a central control unit of rail vehicle 100. Alternatively, device 108 may also be coupled to a central control unit of rail vehicle 100, for example via a bus system of rail vehicle 100. Device 108 includes a read-in unit 116, a comparison unit 118, and a provision unit 120. Read-in unit 116 is configured to read in a piece of signal information 122 from image sensor 110 which is based on detected image data 112.

(9) Comparison unit 118 is configured to compare the piece of signal information 122 to pieces of reference signal information to determine whether the piece of signal information 122 is a warning sign which requires the acoustic warning signal to be output. The pieces of reference signal information are stored in a memory unit (not shown) of device 108 in the exemplary embodiment of device 108 shown in FIG. 1. The stored pieces of reference signal information may be a list of all contents of signals or signs used in rail traffic. According to the exemplary embodiments, comparison unit 118 may use a predefined pattern recognition algorithm to classify the piece of signal information 122.

(10) If the piece of signal information 122 is classified in comparison unit 118 as a warning sign requiring the acoustic warning signal to be output, provision unit 120 provides a trigger signal 124 to output unit 112 of rail vehicle 100. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, output unit 112 is implemented as a ringing signal unit having a speaker and is configured to output an acoustically perceptible warning signal 126—here, as a ringing signal corresponding to a bell sound of a foot-operated bell of street car 100—in response to trigger signal 124, in order to draw the attention of further road users potentially situated in the area of street car 100 to approaching street car 100.

(11) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, device 108 furthermore includes an assignment unit 128. Assignment unit 128 is configured to assign the piece of signal information 122 contained in signal 114 to a travel track of rail vehicle 100 to ensure that the detected piece of signal information 122 is in fact valid for rail vehicle 100 passing it, and that it is not perhaps assigned to another travel track on which rail vehicle 100 is not being driven.

(12) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, assignment unit 128 is configured to assign the piece of signal information 122 to at least one rail 104 on which rail vehicle 100 is being driven, based on surroundings data 130 of surroundings of rail vehicle 100, in particular surroundings situated ahead of rail vehicle 100, provided by image sensor 110, if a distance 132 of a position of the piece of signal information 122 or of signal 114 from rail 104 is within a predefined distance range. The position of the piece of signal information 122 or of signal 114 may be determined with the aid of GPS, for example. Correspondingly, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, provision unit 120 is configured to provide trigger signal 124 furthermore based on the assignment of the piece of signal information 122 to the travel track of rail vehicle 100.

(13) As the illustration in FIG. 1 shows, the detection of the obstacle or of signal 114 carrying the piece of signal information 122 is carried out using the video camera or image sensor 110 on the front of vehicle 100. Using camera 110, optionally a rail detection may be carried out with the aid of assignment unit 128, so that signal 114 is clearly assigned to the host travel track. Using the video image, it is now possible to carry out the classification on whether or not an SH-4 signal is involved. This classification may be carried out using algorithms from the pattern recognition, as they are known, e.g., from automotive traffic sign recognition or facial recognition software. Examples of these are neuronal networks or Viola-Jones methods. The representation of the exemplary traffic scenario in FIG. 1 illustrates the concept suggested herein of recognizing and classifying the SH-4 “ringing” signal 114 with the aid of a sensor system, which includes at least camera 110, for example, and carrying out an automatic acoustic warning.

(14) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary warning signal for a rail vehicle. It shows SH-4 “ringing” signal 114, which shows the capital letter L as a prompt to ring the street car bell. SH-4 “ringing” signal 114 identifies a point on the track at which an acoustic signal must be output. This may be triggered manually—in most cases by an operator of the rail vehicle by actuating a foot-operated bell—or automatically with the aid of the device provided herein. The exemplary SH-4 “ringing” signal 114 shown in FIG. 2 is suspended in the visual range of an operator or of an image sensor of a rail vehicle on a holding cable extending transversely across a travel track of the rail vehicle.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of one exemplary embodiment of a method 300 for detecting an obstacle in the form of an SH-4 “ringing” signal and automatic triggering of an acoustic warning signal for rail vehicles. Method 300 may be carried out by a device introduced based on FIG. 1 for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle. In a step 302, a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle is read in. In a step 304, the piece of signal information is compared to a piece of reference signal information stored in a memory unit of the device to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal. In an optional step 306, the piece of signal information is assigned to a travel track of the rail vehicle with the aid of a rail detection. If, in step 304, the obstacle is classified as the SH-4 signal and optionally, in step 306, the piece of signal information is assigned to a travel track of the rail vehicle, a trigger signal is provided in a step 308 to an output unit of the rail vehicle to automatically trigger a (street car) bell in order to output the acoustic warning signal.

(16) The described exemplary embodiments shown in the figures are selected only by way of example. Different exemplary embodiments may be combined with each other completely or with respect to individual features. It is also possible to supplement one exemplary embodiment with features of another exemplary embodiment.

(17) Moreover, the method steps introduced here may be carried out repeatedly and in a different order than the one described.

(18) If one exemplary embodiment includes an “and/or” linkage between a first feature and a second feature, this should be read in such a way that the exemplary embodiment according to one specific embodiment includes both the first feature and the second feature, and according to an additional specific embodiment includes either only the first feature or only the second feature.