Method and device for vehicles, which detect the collision of a further vehicle

Abstract

A method for operating vehicles, in particular track-bound vehicles, permits two vehicles to approach one another even to comparatively short distances and at the same time can be implemented with comparatively low expenditure. For this purpose, a collision by a first vehicle towards the rear of a second vehicle is detected by the second vehicle, a warning message is emitted by the second vehicle triggered by the detection of the collision or running into from the rear, and a braking process is triggered by the first vehicle on the basis of the warning message emitted by the second vehicle. A device for a vehicle which detects the collision of a further vehicle is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for operating railborne or non-railborne vehicles, the method comprising the following steps: using a second vehicle to detect a collision of a first vehicle with the second vehicle based on standstill monitoring when the second vehicle is stationary; transmitting a warning message from the second vehicle triggered by the detection of the collision of the first vehicle with the second vehicle; and initiating a braking procedure by the first vehicle due to the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transmitting the warning message directly from the second vehicle to the first vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transmitting the warning message from the second vehicle through a trackside equipment unit to the first vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using a central controller to receive and log the warning message transmitted by the second vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4, which further comprises analyzing warning messages received from the central controller with respect to at least one of frequency or circumstances of occurrence of the warning messages.

6. The method according to claim 4, which further comprises providing railborne vehicles as the first and second vehicles, and providing the central controller as a central controller of a train control system for receiving and logging the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the method for operating vehicles within a framework of an automatic parking of the first vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 7, which further comprises carrying out the automatic parking of the first vehicle in a depot or on a sidetrack.

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the method for operating vehicles within a framework of an automatic coupling procedure, and using the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle by the first vehicle as a criterion for detection of the automatic coupling procedure.

10. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing the vehicles as driverless vehicles.

11. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing the vehicles as rail vehicles, and activating the standstill monitoring as part of the second vehicle when the second vehicle is parked.

12. A device for a railborne or non-railborne vehicle, the device comprising: a detector for detection of a collision of a further vehicle with the vehicle based on standstill monitoring of the vehicle when stationary; a transmitter: for transmitting a warning message triggered by the detection of the collision of the further vehicle with the vehicle, and for receiving a warning message from the vehicle when the further vehicle has traveled up to the vehicle; and a controller for initiating a braking procedure upon receiving the warning message from the vehicle.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said transmitter is configured to receive the warning message transmitted directly from the vehicle.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein said transmitter is configured to receive the warning message transmitted from the vehicle through a trackside equipment unit.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein said transmitter is configured to transmit the warning message, triggered by the detection of the collision of the further vehicle, to said trackside equipment unit for transmitting the warning message to the further vehicle.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein the vehicles are rail vehicles, and said standstill monitoring is part of the vehicle and is activated when the vehicle is parked.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SINDLE VEIW OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments. To the end the Figure shows, in a schematic diagram for explanation of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive method, two vehicles with an exemplary embodiment of the inventive device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(2) In the figure a first vehicle 10 and a second vehicle 20 may be discerned. Within the framework of the described exemplary embodiment, it should here be assumed that vehicles 10, 20 are railborne vehicles in the form of track-mounted vehicles. Accordingly, the vehicles 10, 20 travel on a rail or a track 30.

(3) In the situation represented in the figure it is assumed that the vehicle 20 concerns a vehicle parked in a depot or on a sidetrack. The first vehicle 10 now approaches this second vehicle 20 in the direction of travel indicated with an arrow 40, that is to say traveling from left to right. It is here assumed that the first vehicle 10 is to be left or parked as close as possible to the second vehicle 20.

(4) For the avoidance of misunderstanding, it should here be pointed out that, notwithstanding the representation in the figure, the first vehicle 10 and the second vehicle 20 will as a rule comprise more than one unit, that is to say for example a multiplicity of cars.

(5) In the situation represented in the figure the problem now arises that the distance between the first vehicle 10 and the second vehicle 20 is so small, that a precise and reliable positioning on the part of the approaching first vehicle 10 such that a continued approach of the first vehicle 10 to the second vehicle 20 takes place without the danger of its colliding with the latter as a consequence thereof, cannot be reliably guaranteed, or at least not in all situations.

(6) However in order not to have to forego a continued approach of the first vehicle 10 to the second vehicle 20 in this situation, the vehicles 10, 20 are embodied in such a way that the collision of the first vehicle 10 with the second vehicle 20 can be detected. To this end the two vehicles 10, 20 in each case have a control apparatus 11 or 21 respectively, a detection apparatus 12 or 22 respectively and a transmission apparatus 13 or 23 respectively, indicated in the form of an antenna. Corresponding to the representation in the figure the control apparatus 11 is here connected using communications technology to the detection apparatus 12 and the transmission apparatus 13 via communication links 14 or 15 respectively. The same applies in relation to the control apparatus 21 of the second vehicle 20, which is connected to the detection apparatus 22 and the transmission apparatus 23 via communication links 24 and 25.

(7) The arrangement represented in the figure can now be operated in such a way that the collision of the first vehicle 10 with the second vehicle 20 is detected on the part of the second vehicle 20 by means of the detection apparatus 22. This takes place advantageously based on a standstill monitor, as a movement of the second vehicle 20 from rest can as a rule be more reliably detected than a change in speed or acceleration of the first vehicle 10 caused by a collision procedure. The detection apparatus 22 can thus for example be embodied as a distance pulse generator or comprise such a distance pulse generator as a component.

(8) A warning message transmitted on the part of the control apparatus 21 by means of the transmission apparatus 23, triggered by the detection of the collision by the detection apparatus 22. Within the framework of the described exemplary embodiment, it should here be assumed that the transmission of the warning message takes place using radio as a basis.

(9) Consequently, on the one hand the possibility now exists that the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle 20 is received directly by the first vehicle 10 by means of the transmission apparatus 13. This offers the advantage that a direct transmission of the warning message from the second vehicle 20 to the first vehicle 10 as a rule permits that fastest possible transmission of the warning message.

(10) As an alternative to this it is however also possible that the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle 20 is received by the first vehicle 10 using the interpositioning of a trackside equipment unit 60. According to the representation in the figure, the trackside equipment unit 60 is linked using communications technology on the one hand to a trackside transmission apparatus 50, which can take the form of a WLAN access point for example, and on the other hand to a central control apparatus 70. It should be pointed out here that the trackside transmission apparatus 50 and the trackside equipment unit 60 could of course also be embodied as a shared component.

(11) Insofar as the warning message from the second vehicle 20 is now received via the transmission apparatus 23 and the trackside transmission apparatus 50 of the trackside equipment unit 60, this warning message can be transmitted or forwarded to the first vehicle 10 from the trackside equipment unit 60 via the trackside transmission apparatus 50 and the transmission apparatus 13. This offers the advantage that corresponding communication channels for data transmission between the vehicles 10, 20 and trackside equipment unit 60 are as a rule anyway already present in automatic train control system. This applies in particular in the case that the automatic train control system is embodied as a CBTC system.

(12) Regardless of whether the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle 20 is received directly or indirectly by the first vehicle 10, a braking procedure initiated on the part of the first vehicle 10 or its control apparatus 11 as a consequence of the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle 20. This thus offers the advantage that the collision involving the two vehicles 10, 20, which is undesirable within the context of the parking procedure, is accordingly warded off as rapidly as possible, in that the first railborne vehicle 10 is braked.

(13) In addition, the possibility advantageously exists that the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle 20 is received and loggeddirectly or indirectlyby the central control apparatus 70 via the trackside transmission apparatus 50 and the trackside equipment unit 60. It is hereby made possible for warning messages received from the central control apparatus 70 to be analyzed with respect to their frequency and/or the circumstances of their occurrence. The creates the conditions for future optimization of the parking of the railborne vehicles 10, 20 such that undesired collision procedures are if possible prevented or at least reduced in frequency and/or force.

(14) As an alternative to the first vehicle 10 approaching the second vehicle 20 within the framework of an automatic parking procedure of the first vehicle 10, the situation in the figure could also obtain, for example, that the corresponding approach takes place within the framework of an automatic coupling procedure. In this case, a (slow) collision of the first vehicle 10 with the second vehicle 20 is thus fundamentally desired. In this situation, the warning message transmitted from the second vehicle 20 can on the one hand be used on the part of the first vehicle 10 to brake the first vehicle 10. At the same time the warning message on the part of the first vehicle 10 or its control apparatus 11 can also continue to be employed as a criterion for detection of an automatic coupling procedure. Depending on the respective circumstances the warning message can here serve as an exclusive or additional criterion for the detection of the coupling procedure.

(15) Independently of the respective operational situation in which the previously described method is employed, it is particularly suitable for the operation of driverless vehicles. Even if an application is here favorable in particular in connection with railborne vehicles, possibly in the form of rail vehicles, the track-bound nature of the vehicles 10, 20 is not fundamentally a precondition for execution of the method. The possibility thus also exists that, notwithstanding the representation in the figure, the vehicles 10, 20 take the form of autonomous, non-railborne vehicles.

(16) Independently of the type of the vehicles 10, 20 and the respective operational situation, the inventive method and the inventive device corresponding to the embodiments in connection with the previously described exemplary embodiments in particular have the advantage that they enable or support the approach of two vehicles to within short distances of each other, and can be realized with comparatively little outlay.