Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for avoiding collision at a railway crossing.
Background Art
Unmanned railway crossings are inherently unsafe and account for more than 50% overall accidents on Indian Railways. Except for road warning signs, where are to be provided by the state governments no other warning methods exist. A study reveals that on Indian Railways itself there are more than 20 thousand level xings besides another similar number of designated as cattle crossings. The major contributory factors to accident at these crossings are lack of attention by road drivers, non-provision/improper location of warning boards on roads, road vehicle drivers can not hear the train movements or whistle due to masking effect of noise and vibration of diesel road vehicles and air conditioned vehicles.
Whether accidents are caused by inattention of drivers, undesirable weather conditions, e.g. rain, fog or dust storm etc. or inadequate visibility due to track alignments a rail driver independent unmanned railway crossing collision avoidance system is required which will reduce the railway accidents, rail driver independent system has a distinct advantage as equipping all the rolling stocks to ensure such protection is highly cost intensive and not fool proof. Accordingly a need exists for locomotive driver independent railway crossing collision avoidance system, which will reduce the likelihood of railway crossing accidents.
The problem to be solved is to provide alerts to road vehicles at Railway Crossings to increase safety and avoid accidents between trains and road vehicles at such crossings and the problem is solved by providing a system having a sensing means and a receiving
means, wherein the sensing means detects an approaching train and transmits signals to the receiving means which issues an audio and/ or visual alert to road vehicles in the vicinity of railway crossing.
Disclosure of the Invention
According to an embodiment of the invention, a system for avoiding collision at railway crossing is provided which comprises a sensing means to detect a train approaching the crossing, process the information of approaching train and wirelessly transmit said information; and a receiving means to receive the information transmitted by the sensing means, decode and reproduce said information in audio and/ or visual output form; whereby the audio and/ or visual reproduction alerts road vehicles in vicinity of said crossing when the train approaches the railway crossing.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the sensing means is located at both sides (left and right) of the railway crossing, preferably at a distance of 500 meters each side of the railway crossing. Similarly, the receiving means is located at side of both roads leading to the crossing.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the information transmitted by sensing means includes speed of the train and estimated time of arrival of train at the crossing which may be calculated on the basis of distance between the sensing means and railway crossing and the speed of the train.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the sensing means and the receiving means are solar powered which keeps costs low, avoids any electricity bills as well as reduces need for maintenance and protection against theft.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the receiving means process the information on estimated time of arrival of the train and accordingly program an alarm to alert the road vehicles of the approaching train.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the sensing means include one or more of acoustic, vibration, radio frequency radar system or Micro Wave/ PYRO Electric Infra Red Detector to detect the approaching train; a microprocessor to process said information of the approaching train which may include information such as speed of the train; and a RF trans-receiver to wirelessly transmit said information to the receiving means.
According to another embodiment of the invention, each of the sensing means installed on sides of the track is provided with wireless trans-receiver to communicate with each other.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the receiving means include a RF trans-receiver to wirelessly receive the information transmitted by the sensing means; a microprocessor to process such information; and a reproduction means to present such information in audio and/ or visual form.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the reproduction means include LED blinking traffic lights.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the reproduction means include a display means such as a Monitor, LCD or Plasma Screen or such other devices for visual display of information.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the reproduction means include a speaker for audio output of alerts and alarms as well as to create a audio-visual display in combination with the display means.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the traffic lights are programmed to display a red colour signal to alert the road vehicles of approaching train.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the traffic lights are programmed to display a blinking yellow colour signal when no train is approaching the crossing.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the information transmitted by the sensing means includes the time data information of operation of each colour of traffic lights in accordance with train arrival.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a Block Diagram illustrating the use of an embodiment of the present invention in existing Railway infrastructure.
Figure 2 is a Block Diagram illustrating various components of sensing means according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a Block Diagram illustrating various components of receiving means according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference Number Description of Elements
10 Train
11 Road Vehicles
12 Receiving Means
13 Receiving Means
14 Sensing Means
15 Sensing Means
16 Road
17 Railway Track (Up Line)
18 Railway Track (Down Line)

20 Solar Modules
21 Batteries
22 Power Inverter/ Converter
23 Micro Processor
24 Sensor Modules Interface
25 RF Wave Radar
26 Vibration Module
27 Acoustic Module
37 Micro Wave/ PYRO Electric Infra Red Detector
28 RF Trans-receiver
29 RF Antenna
30 Solar Modules
31 Batteries
32 Power Inverter/ Converter
33 Micro Processor
34 RF Trans Receiver
35 RF Antenna
36 Reproduction Means
For a better understanding of the embodiments of the invention and to show how it may be performed, it will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Figure Ishows a Railway Track having an Up Line (17) and a Down Line (18). A train (10) approaching the railway crossing at Road (16) passes the Sensing Means (14, 15) which detects the approaching train and processes the information of approaching train and further transmits this information to the Receiving Means (12, 13).
The Receiving Means (12, 13) receives this information, decodes the same and reproduces an audio and/ or visual alert to warn the road vehicles (11) in the vicinity of the crossing of the approaching train (10).
The audio and/ or visual alert may be in the form of LED Blinking Traffic Lights which turn Red to warn Road Vehicles (11) of the approaching train (10) and turn blinking yellow to give a clear (but cautious) signal to the Road vehicles when no train is approaching the crossing. The Receiving Means automatically programs the time duration of Red and Yellow Signals based on information received from the Sensing Means such as the speed of train etc. and keeping in view sufficient safety margins.
The audio alert may also be in the form of a Audio Warning, such as a siren, through a speaker installed in the Receiving Means. The Visual Warning may be in the form of a Display Means such as Monitor, LCD or Plasma Screen. The Speaker and Display Means/ Traffic Lights may collectively produce an Audio-Visual Warning.
Figure 2 shows various components of the Sensing Means (14, 15). The function of detection of an approaching train is performed by any one or more devices selected from an acoustic module (27), vibration module (26), radio frequency radar (25) or Micro Wave/ PYRO Electric Infra Red Detector (37) which interact with the Micro Processor (23) through a Sensor Modules Interface (24). The micro processor (23) processes information of the approaching train (10) such as speed of train and so on and accordingly transmits such information through the RF Trans-receiver (28) using the RF Antenna (29) to the Receiving Means (12,13).
The Sensing Means (14, 15) is solar powered by use of Solar Modules (20), Batteries (21) and Power Inverter/ Converter (22) which provide power to Micro Processor (23), Sensor Units and RF Trans-Receiver (28).
Figure 3 shows various components of the Receiving Means (12, 13). The RF Trans-Receiver (34) uses the RF Antenna (35) to receive the information transmitted by the Sensing Means (14, 15) and the Micro Processor (33) processes such information. The Reproduction Means presents the information processed by the Micro Processor (33) to the Road Vehicles (11) in Audio and/ or Visual Form.
The Receiving Means (12, 13) is solar powered by use of Solar Modules (30), Batteries (31) and Power Inverter/ Converter (32) which provide power to Micro Processor (33), Reproduction Means (36) and RF Trans-Receiver (34).

claim:
1. A system for avoiding collision at a railway crossing, said system comprising:
• a sensing means to detect a train approaching the crossing, process the
information of approaching train and wirelessly transmit said information; and
• a receiving means to receive the information transmitted by the sensing
means, decode and reproduce said information in audio and/ or visual output
form;
whereby the audio and/ or visual reproduction alerts road vehicles in vicinity of said crossing when the train approaches the railway crossing.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing means is installed on both sides of railway crossing and the receiving means is installed at side of each road leading to the railway crossing.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information includes speed of said train and estimated time of arrival of the train at said crossing.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing means and the receiving means operate on solar power.
5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the receiving means processes the information on estimated time of arrival of the train and accordingly programs an alarm.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing means comprise:
• one or more of acoustic, vibration, radio frequency radar system or Micro
Wave/ PYRO Electric Infra Red Detector to detect the approaching train;
• a microprocessor to process said information of the approaching train; and
• a RF trans-receiver to wirelessly transmit said information.
7. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the sensing means installed on either side of the track is provided with wireless trans-receiver to communicate with each other.
8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving means comprise:
• a RF trans-receiver to wirelessly receive said information;
• a microprocessor to process said information; and
• a reproduction means to present said information in audio and/ or visual
form.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said reproduction means comprise LED blinking traffic lights.
10. The system as claimed in any one of claims 8 or 9, wherein said reproduction means comprise a display means.
11. The system as claimed in any one of claims 8, 9 or 10, wherein said reproduction means comprise a speaker.
12. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said traffic lights are programmed to display a red colour signal to alert the road vehicles of the approaching train.
13. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said traffic lights are programmed to display a blinking yellow colour signal when no train is approaching the crossing.
14. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said information includes time data of operation of each colour of the traffic lights.