TRAFFIC NETWORK AND METHOD FOR OPERATING RAIL VEHICLES IN A TRAFFIC NETWORK

Abstract

A method for operating rail vehicles in an operational area of a traffic network that is shared with traffic participants other than the rail vehicles. The rail vehicles communicate with line elements arranged in the operational area. Here, the rail vehicles and the line elements use a V2X standard for communication between each other within the shared operational area. In an operational area that is reserved for the rail vehicles, the rail vehicles communicate with the line elements via a communication standard that is different from the V2X standard.

Claims

1. A method for operating a rail vehicle (FZ) in a traffic network having a shared operational area that is shared with traffic participants other than the rail vehicle, the method comprising: communicating between the rail vehicle and line elements arranged in the shared operational area by using a V2X standard for communication; and communicating between the rail vehicle and line elements arranged in an operational area reserved for rail vehicles by using a communication standard different from the V2X standard for communication.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises using a Cooperative Awareness Message of the V2X standard for communication.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the line elements, which use the V2X standard, are modified to use a processing unit, which converts a message received according to the V2X standard into converted control commands for a control member or generates control commands from the received message and in both cases transmits the control commands to a controller for the respective control member, and wherein the controller actuates the control member using the control commands.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the converted control commands have a syntax which matches a syntax of specific line elements developed for the relevant control member.

5. The method according to claim 4, which comprises using the modified line elements and the specific line elements in the shared operational area.

6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises replacing specific line elements that are permanently fitted in a track body of the traffic network.

7. The method according to claim 6, which comprises replacing specific line elements that are embedded in a road surface surrounding the line.

8. The method according to claim 6, which comprises using modified line elements fitted outside of the track body.

9. A method of modernizing an operational area for rail vehicles, wherein the operational area has control members, which are actuated by line elements using control commands, the method comprising: for modernizing the operational area, successively replacing line elements specific to the relevant control member and fitted in a line of the operational area with modified line elements; configuring a processing unit of the modified line elements, the processing unit converting a message received in accordance with one communication standard into modified control commands for a control member or generating control commands from the message and in both cases transmitting the control commands to a controller for the respective control member, and actuating the control member with the control commands; the control commands having a syntax, which matches a syntax of specific line elements fitted in the line for the rail vehicle; and using the modified line elements having a processing unit and specific line elements in the shared operational area.

10. The method according to claim 9, which comprises using a V2X standard as the communication standard.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the operational area lies in a traffic network which is shared with traffic participants other than the rail vehicles.

12. A traffic network for operating rail vehicles, the traffic network having an operational area shared with traffic participants other than the rail vehicles, the traffic network comprising: line elements configured to carry out the method according to claim 1.

13. A rail vehicle for operation in a traffic network having an operational area shared with traffic participants other than the rail vehicle, the rail vehicle being configured to carry out the method according to claim 1 for communicating with a line element of the traffic network.

14. The rail vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the line element is a modified line element.

15. A processing unit for operation in a traffic network having an operational area shared between traffic participants that include rail vehicles and traffic participants other than the rail vehicles, the processing unit being configured to carry out a method according to claim 1 to process signals in a line element.

16. A computer program comprising non-transitory program commands for carrying out the method according to claim 1 when the program commands are executed on a computer.

17. An apparatus for providing the computer program according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus is configured for storing and/or providing the computer program.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0070] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive equipment in the form of the transport network and the rail vehicle with their cause-effect relationships; and

[0071] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a computer infrastructure of the apparatus in FIG. 1 as a block diagram, with the individual functional units executing program modules, which can run in one or more processors respectively and with it accordingly being possible for the interfaces to be designed in terms of software or hardware.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0072] Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, in particular, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a traffic network, which is provided, by way of example, by a track GL of the line co-forming the traffic network for a vehicle FZ, which moves in a direction of travel FR. The line has a reserved operational area RBB where only rail vehicles FZ are allowed to run. This is the case in a tunnel TL. In addition, there is a shared operational area GBB as is customary, for example, with streetcars. Other traffic participants, which are not shown in FIG. 1, can cross the track GL in this shared operational area GBB or travel in the region thereof (pedestrians, cyclists, motor vehicles).

[0073] The track GL can have line-side equipment, such as a balise BL and a further line element IMU, which is formed by an inductive electrical loop. The line element IMU is embedded in the ground carrying the track GL and is not illustrated in greater detail. Furthermore, control members W1, W2 in the form of switches are represented. These determine the path of the rail vehicle FZ in the traffic network. The control members W1, W2 are actuated by controllers CL1, CL2, which implement appropriate control commands.

[0074] In the case of the first control member W1, a control command is relayed by the line element IMU to the first controller CL1 via a third interface S3, which controller implements the control command via a thirteenth interface S13 in order to set the first control member W1. In the case of the second control member W2, a control command is initiated, for example via a tenth interface S10, with the tenth interface S10 being a radio interface between two antennas AT, in the rail vehicle FZ and in a V2X unit V2X-U respectively, which is therefore designed as a V2X interface.

[0075] The processing unit CV forms part of a modified line element, which is to replace a specific line element. The specific line element is therefore not represented because it has been removed from the line or at least disabled (cf. also the explanations below in this regard). The processing unit CV converts the signal transmitted by the V2X unit V2X-U via a fourteenth interface S14 and sends it to the second controller CL2 via a fourth interface S4. The signal converted by the processing unit CV is available in the same format as the signal generated by the specific line element IMU and transmitted to the first controller CL1 via the third interface S3. For this purpose, the second controller CL2 can issue a control command to the second control member W2 via a twelfth interface S12.

[0076] FIG. 1 makes it clear that the line element IMU transmits a signal via the third interface S3 as a function of the crossing of the rail vehicle FZ. In this regard the line element IMU is configured as a sensor for detecting the crossing of rail vehicles FZ. This line element can, however, as is shown for the control member W2, be replaced by way of the processing unit CV and the V2X unit V2X-U located on the line by an antenna AT, and this enables a direct emission of a signal from the V2X unit via the fourteenth interface S14. An IT infrastructure according to the V3X-standard is used here, which is at least partially present in the traffic network anyway and which can be inexpensively retrofitted in the rail vehicle with COTS components.

[0077] A network is formed in the traffic network by a large number of antennas AT, which network enables communication. A control center LZ is also involved in which, for example, adaptive train plans can be drawn up and which collaborates in the execution of a CBTC method in the reserved operational area RBB. For this purpose, the control center LZ communicates in the tunnel TL via a first interface S1 with a signal box STW, which for its part communicates with a CBTC unit CBTC-U via a second interface S2 in order to carry out a CBTC method. A balise in the tunnel is a so-called fixed-data balise which is involved in the context of carrying out the CBTC method.

[0078] The rail vehicle FZ communicates with the control center LZ via a sixth interface S6. Further interfaces can be provided even if this is not represented in FIG. 1. For example, the rail vehicle FZ communicates with antennas AT in the tunnel TL via interfaces (not shown), so a connection can be established to the CBTC unit CBTC-U via the interface S5. It is important, however, that train protection operation in the tunnel TL via CBTC, and running on sight operation, in which a vehicle driver (not represented) drives the rail vehicle FZ, a service with a modified range of functions, compared to automatic train control operation, is used, with automatic handling and monitoring of the rail vehicle being carried out. This service is employed for communication of the V2X standard.

[0079] In FIG. 2 it can be seen how a network can be constructed in accordance with the representation in FIG. 1 for the shared operational area (GBB). The control center LZ has a first computer CP1 with a first storage unit SE1, which is connected to the first computer CP1 by a twenty-first interface S21. The computer CP1 of the control center LZ communicates with a computer CP2 in the rail vehicle FZ via the sixth interface S6. Details on the transmission technology are not represented in FIG. 2. For the purpose of communication the rail vehicle FZ has the second computer CP2, which is connected to a second storage unit SE2 via a twenty-second interface S22. The second computer CP2 communicates via the tenth interface S10 with a fifth computer CP5 in the processing unit CV, which likewise has a fifth storage unit SES, which is connected to the fifth computer CP5 via a twenty-fifth interface S25.

[0080] In addition, a V2X unit V2X-U is provided, which has an eighth computer CP8, which is connected to an eighth storage unit SE8 via a twenty-eighth interface S28. The fifth computer CP5 can also receive signals from the V2X unit via a fourteenth interface S14, for example via WLAN, with the relevant V2X unit being a unit provided in the shared operational area (GBB) for other traffic participants (for example motor vehicles) too.

[0081] The fifth computer CP5 communicates with a seventh computer CP7 of the second controller CL2 via the fourth interface S4, with the seventh computer CP7 being connected to a seventh storage unit SE7 via a twenty-seventh interface S27. The second controller CL2 can actuate the second control member W2 with the seventh computer CP7 via the twelfth interface S12.

[0082] Communication of the rail vehicle FZ with a sixth computer CP6 of the first controller CL1 also takes place via the eleventh interface S11. This consists in crossing over the line element IMU, with a signal then being inductively triggered. The first controller CL1 also has a sixth storage unit SE6, which is connected to the sixth computer CP6 via a twenty-sixth interface S26. The sixth computer CP6 can for its part actuate the first control member W1 via the thirteenth interface S13.

[0083] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0084] LZ control center [0085] FZ vehicle [0086] FR direction of travel [0087] GL track [0088] AT antenna [0089] STA line section [0090] W1 . . . W2 control member (switch) [0091] CL1 . . . CL2 controller (controller) [0092] CV processing unit (converter as part of the modified line element) [0093] BL balise [0094] TL tunnel [0095] RBB reserved operational area [0096] GBB shared operational area [0097] IMU line element (specific) [0098] STW signal box [0099] CBTC-U CBTC unit [0100] V2X-U V2X unit [0101] CP1 . . . CP7 computer [0102] SE1 . . . SE7 storage facility [0103] S1 . . . S13 interface [0104] ZSB train protection operation [0105] SFB running on sight operation [0106] SIL1 . . . 4 safe operating mode [0107] NSIL unsafe operating mode [0108] CBTC train running control step [0109] TRF transfer step [0110] INF information step [0111] INF_OT output step for information [0112] STB control command [0113] STB_OT output step for control command [0114] HMB manual command by train driver [0115] HMB_IN input step for manual command