Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates, in general, to braking systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to braking systems for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Generally, braking systems of trains may work on the principle of pneumatic system. The braking systems of trains may use brake pipes. Upon the braking mechanisms being actuated by a driver of the train, the air pressure in the brake pipes may be regulated, allowing the trains to be stopped.

SUMMARY
[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to braking systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to braking systems for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle.
[0004] An embodiment of the present disclosure pertains to a braking system for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle. The braking system may include a controller. The controller may be configured to detect an actuation of a braking mechanism by a driver of the vehicle. Thereafter, an absence of the activation of the braking mechanism may be detected. The controller may then cause to activate the emergency braking mechanism in the vehicle.
[0005] In another aspect, the controller may be further configured to provide a redundant signal to the braking mechanism of the vehicle.
[0006] In yet another aspect, the braking mechanism may include a brake pipe.
[0007] In yet another aspect, upon actuation of the braking mechanism, the controller may be configured to cause to reduce an amount of pressure in the brake pipe.
[0008] In yet another aspect, the redundant signal may be a CAB signal.
[0009] In yet another aspect, the braking system may be independently coupled to the braking mechanism of the vehicle.
[0010] Another embodiment of the present disclosure pertains to a method for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle. The method includes: detecting an actuation of a braking mechanism by a driver of the vehicle; detecting an absence of the activation of the braking mechanism; and causing to activate the emergency braking mechanism in the vehicle.
[0011] Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary braking system for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle, as per an implementation of the present subject matter;
[0014] FIG. 2 depicts flowchart of an exemplary braking system for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle, as per an implementation of the present subject matter;
[0015] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary braking system, as per an implementation of the present subject matter;
[0016] FIG. 4 depicts a system architecture of an exemplary braking system, as per an implementation of the present subject matter;
[0017] FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary redundant signal to be provided to a braking system, as per an implementation of the present subject matter; and
[0018] FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary wiring connection depicting implementation of a redundant signal with a braking system, as per an implementation of the present subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosures as defined by the appended claims.
[0020] Embodiments explained herein relate to braking systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to braking systems for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle.
[0021] A braking system may be a crucial aspect of the operation and functioning of any vehicle. Owing to the complexity involved with functionalities and operation of trains, the importance of braking systems and its efficient working may further increase in trains. Generally, trains may employ a pneumatic system based braking system. As would be understood, pneumatic system based braking systems may specifically imply that the braking systems of trains may use compressed air. Generally, the braking systems of trains may include brake pipes.
[0022] Upon actuation by the user, based on certain mechanisms, the air pressure inside the brake pipes may be caused to reduce. As a result of this, the pneumatic system may apply the brakes. For example, a driver of the train may actuate the Driver’s Brake Controller, referred to as DBC. The DBC may be in communication with the braking systems through a controlled close loop servo system. The brake pipes may operate in a closed loop servo between the voltage signals from the operating driver’s brake controller and the feedback signals from the transducer fixed on the control unit.
[0023] Upon actuation of DBC, electrical signals from the DBC may be fed to the controlled close loop servo system. Accordingly, the brake pipe may be charged and discharged to control the flow of air pressure in the brake pipes, thereby applying the brakes.
[0024] However, in certain cases, there may be a discontinuity in the reference voltage in the closed loop servo, or there may be control transducer failure. In another example, both of the CAB signal used in the braking systems may be unavailable. As would be understood, CAB active signal may be provided as an input to the braking system to identify the active CAB. In such cases, upon actuation of the braking system, the brake pipe pressure may not be reduced. As a result, even after actuation, the brakes may not be applied. This may result in the vehicle, train in the present example, not being able to stop at the required time. As a further result of this, this may possess a serious threat to the operation of the trains, and may also degrade the overall operational functionality.
[0025] To this end, a braking system is described. As per the approaches of the present subject matter, the proposed braking system may provide an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle. As would be appreciated, the proposed braking system may efficiently activate the braking mechanism in cases where the braking mechanism may not automatically get activated upon being actuated by the user. In cases where the brake pipe pressure may be unable to drop, the proposed approaches may activate the braking mechanism, thereby preventing the vehicle to face a collision. Such approach may particularly allow the vehicle to apply brakes in cases where the closed loop electronic control system has been failed, and the pressure in the brake pipes is unable to be dropped.
[0026] Further, in another example, to cater to the cases where both CAB signals may be unavailable, the proposed approaches further provide a redundant CAB signal. The redundant CAB signal may be continuously provided to the braking system, thereby ensuring continuity in the functioning of the braking mechanism.
[0027] As would be further appreciated, the proposed braking system may be interfaced with the existing and conventional braking systems, thereby making the proposed braking system highly efficient and able to be used in wide areas of applications. The proposed braking system may be independently coupled to the existing system of the vehicle, thereby further allowing the proposed braking system to be easily able to be disconnected in cases of any malfunction.
[0028] These and other aspects have been described in further details in conjunction with FIGs. 1-6. It may be noted that these figures are only illustrative, and should not be construed to limit the scope of the subject matter in any manner. It may be further noted that the figures have been explained together for describing the proposed braking system and its operation, and same reference numerals have been used wherever necessary.
[0029] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary braking system 100, as per an implementation of the present subject matter. The braking system 100 may be part of the braking system of the train, and may be in communication or coupling with other components of the braking system. Such components have not been depicted here for the sake of brevity, and may be well understood by a person skilled in the art. Specifically, the braking system 100 may be used for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle, trains in the present example. Examples of such trains may include, but are not limited to, passenger trains and cargo trains. Even further, any type of braking systems may be implemented within such trains, known to a person skilled in the art.
[0030] It may be further noted that, although the present description has been explained with respect to the braking system 100 being implemented in a braking system of a train, the same is not to be construed to limit the scope of the present subject matter in any manner. The proposed braking system 100 may be implemented in any other vehicle as well. Even further, the proposed braking system 100 can also be implemented in other industrial areas of application other than vehicles. Such examples would also be covered within the scope of the present subject matter.
[0031] As depicted in FIG. 1, the braking system 100 may include a controller 102. The controller may be any hardware-based, software-based, or network-based computing device known to a person skilled in the art. Such controller may be operatively coupled to other components of the braking system 100. The braking system may include a braking mechanism 104 and an emergency braking mechanism 106. The braking system 100 may further include more components, which have not been depicted here for the sake of brevity, and known to a person skilled in the art.
[0032] As described previously, the braking system 100 may be in communication with other components of the vehicle, train in the present example, in which it may be implemented. The manner in which the braking system 100 may be implemented, is also depicted in FIGs. 3-4. FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary braking system, such as braking system 100, as per an implementation of the present subject matter. Further, FIG. 4 depicts a system architecture of an exemplary braking system, such as braking system 100, as per an implementation of the present subject matter.
[0033] In one example, a driver of the vehicle (not depicted in FIG. 1), a train in the present example, may be operating it. In cases where the driver wishes to stop the train, the driver may actuate the braking mechanism 104 of the vehicle. In one example, the actuation of the braking mechanism 104 may be implemented by moving a handle. In another example, the actuation of the braking mechanism 104 may be implemented by pressing a pedal. However, it may be noted that these examples are only illustrative, and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present subject matter in any manner. Any other type of technique known to a person skilled in the art may be used by the driver to actuate the braking mechanism 104 of the vehicle. All such examples would lie within the scope of the present subject matter.
[0034] In operation, the controller 102 may detect an actuation of the braking mechanism 104 by the driver of the vehicle. Thereafter, the controller 102 may detect an absence of the activation of the braking mechanism 104. As would be understood and as described previously, there may be certain issue with the braking mechanism 104 of the vehicle, and the braking mechanism 104 may be unable to be activated under normal circumstances upon actuation by the user. In one example, the braking mechanism 104 may include a brake pipe. Upon actuation of the braking mechanism 104, under normal circumstances, the controller 102 may cause to reduce an amount of pressure in the brake pipe. However, in the present example of the proposed approach, even upon actuation, the pressure in the brake pipe may unable to reduce.
[0035] Continuing further, the controller 102 may then detect an absence of the activation of the braking mechanism 104. In one example, such detection may be performed by monitoring the speed of the train. In another example, there may be some other mechanism which may flag that the braking mechanism has been activated or not yet activated. However, it may be noted that all such examples are only illustrative, and any other way of detecting the absence of the activation of the braking mechanism 104 may also be implemented without deviating from the scope of the present subject matter.
[0036] Thereafter, the controller 102 may cause to activate the emergency braking mechanism 106 in the vehicle.
[0037] In another example, the controller 102 may further provide a redundant signal to the braking mechanism 104 of the vehicle. In one example, the redundant signal may be a CAB signal. Such redundant signal may be provided to the braking system 100 to cater to the problem and inefficiency of application of braking mechanism due to unavailability of both of the CAB signals. As would be noted and appreciated, the redundant signal may be provided continuously to the braking system 100 irrespective of the availability of the existing CAB signals. The manner in which the said redundant signal may be provided is further depicted in FIGs. 5-6. FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary redundant signal to be provided to a braking system, as per an implementation of the present subject matter. Further, FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary wiring connection depicting implementation of a redundant signal with a braking system, as per an implementation of the present subject matter.
[0038] FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart of a method 200 for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle, as per an implementation of the present subject matter. The method 200 may be implemented in the braking system 100 as described in conjunction with FIG. 1.
[0039] At block 202, an actuation of a braking mechanism by a driver of the vehicle may be detected. At block 204, an absence of the activation of the braking mechanism may be detected. At block 206, the emergency braking mechanism may be caused to be activated in the vehicle.
[0040] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.
, Claims:1. A braking system (100) for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle, the braking system (100) comprising:
a controller (102), wherein the controller (102) is to:
detect an actuation of a braking mechanism (104) by a driver of the vehicle;
detect an absence of the activation of the braking mechanism (104); and
cause to activate the emergency braking mechanism (106) in the vehicle.

2. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (102) is to further provide a redundant signal to the braking mechanism of the vehicle.

3. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the braking mechanism comprises a brake pipe.

4. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein upon actuation of the braking mechanism, the controller (102) is to cause to reduce an amount of pressure in the brake pipe.

5. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the redundant signal is a CAB signal.

6. The braking system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the braking system (100) is independently coupled to the braking mechanism of the vehicle.

7. A method (200) for providing an emergency braking mechanism in a vehicle, the method comprising:
detecting (202) an actuation of a braking mechanism by a driver of the vehicle;
detecting (204) an absence of the activation of the braking mechanism; and
causing to activate (206) the emergency braking mechanism in the vehicle.