DESCRIPTION
FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]
AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM, AUTHENTICATION DEVICE, AND
AUTHENTICATION METHOD;
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, A CORPORATION ORGANISED
AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF JAPAN, WHOSE ADDRESS IS 7-3,
MARUNOUCHI 2-CHOME, CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 100-8310, JAPAN
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE
INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.
2
DESCRIPTION
TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM, AUTHENTICATION DEVICE, AND
5 AUTHENTICATION METHOD
Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an
authentication system, an authentication device, and an
10 authentication method for use in an automatically operable
train.
Background
[0002] Conventional systems permit a user to use an
15 automobile, for example, by providing an integrated circuit
(IC) card with authority information such as license
information possessed by the user and authenticating the
authority information of the IC card. For example, Patent
Literature 1 discloses a technique for a vehicle operation
20 system that provides an IC card with information on a
region category and permits use of a business vehicle in a
region indicated by the region category. The vehicle
operation system of Patent Literature 1 is designed such
that a user having driving authority in a certain region is
25 allowed to move a business vehicle in that region, whereas
a user having no driving authority in a certain region is
not allowed to move a business vehicle in the region.
Citation List
30 Patent Literature
[0003] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application
Laid-open No. 2014-227647
3
Summary of Invention
Problem to be solved by the Invention
[0004] In recent years, automatic operation and
driverless operation of trains have progressed.
5 Automatically operable trains are not necessarily manned by
a driver who has a train operation license, but may be
manned only by a crew member who does not have a train
operation license. In the case of a conventional train
operated by a driver, the driver of the train has a key to
10 the control console and has its key attached to the
driver’s belt, thereby preventing the driver from leaving
the train with the key in the control console, and avoiding
a situation in which the train moves without the driver.
In the case of a driverless train, the train needs to run
15 with no driver on board but a crew member alone on board,
and there is a possibility that the train may depart while
the crew member is accidentally out of the train.
[0005] A possible solution to this problem is to apply
the technique described in Patent Literature 1, providing
20 that but it is necessary for the driverless train to change
control depending on the authority and position of the
person on board. Specifically, the technique described in
Patent Literature 1 poses a problem of failure to
appropriately permit the departure even though the
25 driverless train is able to depart when the crew member or
driver is in a cabin. An attempt to address the above
problem can result in another problem: the departure may be
permitted when the driver is near the cab but out of the
train. In addition, the driverless train needs to be
30 controlled so as to permit operation of the control console
when the driver is in the cab and not to permit operation
of the control console when the crew member is in the cab.
[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of
4
the above, and an object thereof is to obtain an
authentication system capable of controlling departure of
an automatically operable train and operation of the train
by a person on board.
5
Means to Solve the Problem
[0007] To solve the above problems and achieve the
object, an authentication system according to the present
disclosure comprises: an electronic key to transmit a
10 signal including authority information indicating authority
given to an owner and an authentication key; a plurality of
on-board stations installed on a train to receive the
signal from the electronic key; and an authentication
device to determine a position of the electronic key from a
15 reception status of the signal including the same
authentication key in the plurality of on-board stations,
and determine, on a basis of the position of the electronic
key and the authority information, whether to permit
departure of the train and whether to permit operation of a
20 control console of the train.
Effects of the Invention
[0008] The authentication system according to the
present disclosure can achieve the effect of controlling
25 the departure of the automatically operable train and
operation of the train by the person on board.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary
30 configuration of an authentication system according to a
first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of
the authentication system according to the first
5
embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a
method of determining the position of an electronic key in
a position determination unit of an authentication device
5 according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary
configuration of a train in which the authentication system
according to the first embodiment is used.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example in which
10 the driver is outside the train in the authentication
system according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which
the driver is in the cab of the train in the authentication
system according to the first embodiment.
15 FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which
the driver is in the cabin of the train in the
authentication system according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a
crew member is in the cab of the train in the
20 authentication system according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a
determination processing unit of the authentication device
according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary
25 configuration of processing circuitry in the case that the
processing circuitry provided in the authentication system
according to the first embodiment is implemented by a
processor and a memory.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary
30 configuration of processing circuitry in the case that the
processing circuitry provided in the authentication system
according to the first embodiment is implemented by
dedicated hardware.
6
FIG. 12 is a first diagram illustrating an exemplary
configuration of an authentication system according to a
second embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a second diagram illustrating an exemplary
5 configuration of an authentication system according to the
second embodiment.
Description of Embodiments
[0010] An authentication system, an authentication
10 device, and an authentication method according to
embodiments of the present disclosure will be hereinafter
described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011] First Embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary
15 configuration of an authentication system 100 according to
the first embodiment. The authentication system 100 is a
system for use in an automatically operable train. The
authentication system 100 includes an electronic key 10,
on-board stations 20, and an authentication device 30. In
20 the example of FIG. 1, the authentication system 100 is
shown as including two on-board stations 20 for sake of
simplicity, but the authentication system 100 is expected
to include a plurality of on-board stations 20. FIG. 2 is
a flowchart illustrating the operation of the
25 authentication system 100 according to the first
embodiment.
[0012] The electronic key 10 transmits a beacon signal
including authority information indicating authority given
to the owner and an authentication key (step S11). The
30 electronic key 10 includes an authority information storage
unit 11, an authentication key storage unit 12, a signal
generation processing unit 13, and a beacon transmitter 14.
The authority information storage unit 11 is a storage unit
7
that stores authority information indicating authority
given to the owner of the electronic key 10. The authority
information is information indicating whether the owner of
the electronic key 10 is a driver who can drive the train
5 or a crew member who cannot drive the train. The
authentication key storage unit 12 is a storage unit that
stores an authentication key for identifying the owner of
the electronic key 10 and preventing unauthorized use. The
signal generation processing unit 13 acquires the authority
10 information from the authority information storage unit 11,
acquires the authentication key from the authentication key
storage unit 12, and generates a beacon signal including
the authority information and the authentication key. In
the following description, beacon signals may be simply
15 referred to as signals. The beacon transmitter 14
transmits the beacon signal generated by the signal
generation processing unit 13.
[0013] Note that the electronic key 10 may be a shared
smartphone, tablet, or the like. In this case, face
20 authentication, fingerprint authentication, etc. enables
the electronic key 10 to rewrite the authority information
stored in the authority information storage unit 11. The
electronic key 10 also can acquire authority information
from, for example, an operation management system that
25 performs, for example, train operation management, and
store the thus acquired authority information in the
authority information storage unit 11.
[0014] The on-board stations 20, which are installed on
the train, receive the beacon signal from the electronic
30 key 10 (step S12). The on-board stations 20 each include a
beacon receiver 21, an information processing unit 22, and
a clock unit 23. The beacon receiver 21 receives the
beacon signal transmitted from the beacon transmitter 14 of
8
the electronic key 10. The information processing unit 22
acquires the beacon signal from the beacon transmitter 14,
and acquires, from the clock unit 23, time information
indicating the time of acquisition of the beacon signal
5 from the beacon transmitter 14. The information processing
unit 22 transmits the acquired beacon signal and time
information to the authentication device 30. In the
present embodiment, the time information indicating the
time at which the information processing unit 22 acquires
10 the beacon signal from the beacon transmitter 14 is treated
as the same time as the time information indicating the
time at which the on-board station 20 acquires the beacon
signal. The clock unit 23 is synchronized with the time
information delivered from a time generation unit 33
15 (described later) in the authentication device 30.
[0015] In the present embodiment, the electronic key 10
and the on-board station 20 perform communication by means
of wireless technology that uses a wide frequency band
extending over several hundred MHz or more, e.g. ultra wide
20 band (UWB) although the method of wireless communication
between the electronic key 10 and the on-board station 20
is not limited thereto. In addition, the authentication
system 100 may be configured such that the electronic key
10 has the function of the on-board station 20 while the
25 on-board station 20 has the function of the electronic key
10. In addition, the on-board station 20 transmits the
time information indicating the time of receiving the
beacon signal, and a position determination unit 32 of the
authentication device 30 as will be described later uses
30 such time information in determining the position of the
electronic key 10. Alternatively, the on-board station 20
may transmit the received signal strength of the beacon
signal, for example, instead of the time information. The
9
position determination unit 32 of the authentication device
30 may use the received signal strength of the beacon
signal instead of the time information, or may use both the
time information and the received signal strength of the
5 beacon signal. Note that the authentication system 100 may
be configured without the clock unit 23 and the time
generation unit 33 if the on-board station 20 and the
authentication device 30 can perform time synchronization
using another method.
10 [0016] The authentication device 30 determines the
position of the electronic key 10 from the reception status
of beacon signals including the same authentication key in
a plurality of on-board stations 20 (step S13). On the
basis of the position of the electronic key 10 and the
15 authority information, the authentication device 30
determines whether to permit departure of the train and
whether to permit operation of the control console of the
train (step S14). The authentication device 30 includes an
in-vehicle server 31 and a control unit 34. The in-vehicle
20 server 31 includes the position determination unit 32 and
the time generation unit 33. The control unit 34 includes
a determination processing unit 35. Note that the present
embodiment is based on the assumption that the in-vehicle
server 31 and the control unit 34 in the authentication
25 device 30 are installed on the train, but the present
disclosure is not limited thereto. In the authentication
device 30, the in-vehicle server 31 and/or the control unit
34 may be installed in, for example, an operation
management system that performs train operation management,
30 for example.
[0017] The position determination unit 32 determines the
position of the electronic key 10 from the reception status
of beacon signals including the same authentication key in
10
a plurality of on-board stations 20. Specifically, the
position determination unit 32 acquires, from a plurality
of on-board stations 20, beacon signals and time
information indicating the time at which each on-board
5 stations 20 receives the beacon signal. The position
determination unit 32 determines the position of the
electronic key 10 from differences between the times
indicated by the time information, at which times the
individual on-board stations 20 receive beacon signals.
10 FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of
determining the position of the electronic key 10 in the
position determination unit 32 of the authentication device
30 according to the first embodiment. Assume that a beacon
signal transmitted from a certain electronic key 10 has
15 been received by three or more on-board stations 20. The
position determination unit 32 acquires the time
information from these three or more on-board stations 20
and can determine the position of the electronic key 10
relative to the train on the basis of the differences
20 between the times indicated by the time information, at
which times the on-board stations 20 receive beacon
signals.
[0018] A train configuration assumed in the present
embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram
25 illustrating an exemplary configuration of a train 50 in
which the authentication system 100 according to the first
embodiment is used. The train 50 is a train that can be
automatically operated when set in automatic operation
mode. The train 50 is made up of a cab 51 and a cabin 52.
30 In addition, a plurality of on-board stations 20 (eight in
the example of FIG. 4) are installed on the train 50. Some
on-board stations 20 among the plurality of on-board
stations 20 are installed in the cab 51, and the others are
11
installed in the cabin 52. The on-board stations 20
installed in the cab 51 may be referred to as first onboard stations, and the on-board stations 20 installed in
the cabin 52 may be referred to as second on-board
5 stations. Although omitted in FIG. 4 for sake of
simplicity, the train 50 may include a car made up of the
cabin 52 alone, the cab 51 for use in traveling in a
direction opposite to the traveling direction illustrated
in FIG. 4, etc. With three or more on-board stations 20
10 receiving a beacon signal, the position determination unit
32 can identify the position of the electronic key 10 that
has transmitted the beacon signal, and thus can determine
whether the position of the electronic key 10 is in the cab
51, in the cabin 52, or outside the train 50. The position
15 determination unit 32 outputs, to the determination
processing unit 35, the determined position of the
electronic key 10 and the authority information included in
the beacon signal acquired from each on-board station 20.
[0019] The time generation unit 33 generates a time for
20 use in the authentication system 100, and delivers the
generated time information to each on-board station 20.
[0020] The determination processing unit 35 determines
whether to permit departure of the train 50 and whether to
permit operation of the control console of the train 50 on
25 the basis of the position of the electronic key 10 and the
authority information acquired from the position
determination unit 32. In the present embodiment, when
there is a driver or a crew member in the train 50, the
determination processing unit 35 permits the departure of
30 the train 50. When there is neither a driver nor a crew
member in the train 50, the determination processing unit
35 rejects the departure of the train 50. In addition,
when the driver is in the train 50 and is in the cab 51,
12
the determination processing unit 35 permits the operation
of the control console (not illustrated) in the cab 51.
When the driver is in the train 50 but is in the cabin 52,
the determination processing unit 35 rejects the operation
5 of the control console. When there is a crew member alone
in the train 50, the determination processing unit 35
rejects the operation of the control console regardless of
the position of the crew member in the train 50. As a
result, the determination processing unit 35 allows the
10 train 50 to depart as long as the driver or crew member is
in the train 50 and the driverless function of the train 50
is enabled.
[0021] Note that the authentication system 100 is
provided against the authority varying between drivers and
15 crew members, but all drivers may have different types of
authority instead of having the same authority. Similarly,
all crew members may have different types of authority
instead of having the same authority. In this case, the
authentication system 100 sets the authority for each
20 individual, using authentication keys that identifies
individuals. The position determination unit 32 outputs,
to the determination processing unit 35, the determined
position of the electronic key 10, the authority
information included in the beacon signal acquired from
25 each on-board station 20, and the authentication key
included in the beacon signal acquired from each on-board
station 20 to the determination processing unit 35. Using
the position of the electronic key 10, the authority
information, and the authentication key, the determination
30 processing unit 35 determines whether to permit the
departure of the train 50 and whether to permit the
operation of the control console of the train 50.
[0022] The operation of the determination processing
13
unit 35 will be hereinafter described using specific
examples. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example in
which the driver is outside the train 50 in the
authentication system 100 according to the first
5 embodiment. FIG. 5 illustrates five on-board stations 20
in the authentication system 100 receiving the beacon
signal transmitted from the electronic key 10 possessed by
the driver. In the case of FIG. 5, the position
determination unit 32 of the authentication device 30
10 determines that the electronic key 10 is outside the train
50. The authority information identifies the owner of the
electronic key 10 as the driver, and the position
determination unit 32 determines that the position of the
electronic key 10 is outside the train 50. Accordingly,
15 the determination processing unit 35 rejects the departure
of the train 50 and rejects the operation of the control
console in the cab 51.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in
which the driver is in the cab 51 of the train 50 in the
20 authentication system 100 according to the first
embodiment. FIG. 6 illustrates four on-board stations 20
in the authentication system 100 receiving the beacon
signal transmitted from the electronic key 10 possessed by
the driver. In the case of FIG. 6, the position
25 determination unit 32 of the authentication device 30
determines that the electronic key 10 is in the cab 51 of
the train 50. The authority information identifies the
owner of the electronic key 10 as the driver, and the
position determination unit 32 determines that the position
30 of the electronic key 10 is in the cab 51 of the train 50.
Accordingly, the determination processing unit 35 permits
the departure of the train 50 and permits the operation of
the control console in the cab 51.
14
[0024] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in
which the driver is in the cabin 52 of the train 50 in the
authentication system 100 according to the first
embodiment. FIG. 7 illustrates four on-board stations 20
5 in the authentication system 100 receiving the beacon
signal transmitted from the electronic key 10 possessed by
the driver. In the case of FIG. 7, the position
determination unit 32 of the authentication device 30
determines that the electronic key 10 is in the cabin 52 of
10 the train 50. The authority information identifies the
owner of the electronic key 10 as the driver, and the
position determination unit 32 determines that the position
of the electronic key 10 is in the cabin 52 of the train
50. Accordingly, the determination processing unit 35
15 permits the departure of the train 50 and rejects the
operation of the control console in the cab 51.
[0025] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in
which a crew member is in the cab 51 of the train 50 in the
authentication system 100 according to the first
20 embodiment. FIG. 8 illustrates four on-board stations 20
in the authentication system 100 receiving the beacon
signal transmitted from the electronic key 10 possessed by
the crew member. In the case of FIG. 8, the position
determination unit 32 of the authentication device 30
25 determines that the electronic key 10 is in the cab 51 of
the train 50. The authority information identifies the
owner of the electronic key 10 as the crew member, and the
position determination unit 32 determines that the position
of the electronic key 10 is in the cab 51 of the train 50.
30 Accordingly, the determination processing unit 35 permits
the departure of the train 50 and rejects the operation of
the control console in the cab 51. Note that when the crew
member is in the cabin 52 not in the cab, the position
15
determination unit 32 and the determination processing unit
35 operate as in the example of FIG. 8.
[0026] The operation of the determination processing
unit 35 will be described using a flowchart. FIG. 9 is a
5 flowchart illustrating the operation of the determination
processing unit 35 of the authentication device 30
according to the first embodiment. The flowchart of FIG. 9
shows a breakdown of step S14 of the flowchart illustrated
in FIG. 2.
10 [0027] If the position determination unit 32 determines
that the position of the electronic key 10 is in the train
50 (step S21: Yes), the determination processing unit 35
determines whether the owner of the electronic key 10 is
the driver, on the basis of the authority information (step
15 S22). In response to determining that the owner of the
electronic key 10 is the driver (step S22: Yes), the
determination processing unit 35 determines whether the
position of the electronic key 10, that is, the driver, is
in the cab 51 (step S23). In response to determining that
20 the position of the driver is in the cab 51 (step S23:
Yes), the determination processing unit 35 permits the
departure of the train 50 and permits the operation of the
control console in the cab 51 (step S24). That is, when
the position determination unit 32 determines that the
25 position of the electronic key 10 possessed by the owner is
in the cab 51, the determination processing unit 35 permits
the departure of the train 50 and permits the operation of
the control console in the cab 51 if the determination
processing unit 35 determines that the owner is the driver
30 on the basis of the authority information.
[0028] In response to determining that the owner of the
electronic key 10 is the driver but the position of the
driver is in the cabin 52 (step S23: No), the determination
16
processing unit 35 permits the departure of the train 50
and rejects the operation of the control console in the cab
51 (step S25). That is, when the position determination
unit 32 determines that the position of the electronic key
5 10 possessed by the owner is in the cabin 52, the
determination processing unit 35 permits the departure of
the train 50 and rejects the operation of the control
console in the cab 51 if the determination processing unit
35 determines that the owner is the driver on the basis of
10 the authority information.
[0029] In response to determining that the owner of the
electronic key 10 is a crew member (step S22: No), the
determination processing unit 35 permits the departure of
the train 50 and rejects the operation of the control
15 console in the cab 51 (step S25). That is, when the
position determination unit 32 determines that the position
of the electronic key 10 possessed by the owner is in the
cab 51 or the cabin 52, the determination processing unit
35 permits the departure of the train 50 and rejects the
20 operation of the control console in the cab 51 if the
determination processing unit 35 determines that the owner
is a crew member not qualified to drive, on the basis of
the authority information.
[0030] In response to the position determination unit 32
25 determining that the position of the electronic key 10 is
outside the train 50 (step S21: No), the determination
processing unit 35 rejects the departure of the train 50
and rejects the operation of the control console in the cab
51 (step S26). That is, when the position determination
30 unit 32 determines that the position of the electronic key
10 possessed by the owner is outside the train 50, the
determination processing unit 35 rejects the departure of
the train 50 and rejects the operation of the control
17
console in the cab 51 if the determination processing unit
35 determines that the owner is the driver or a crew member
not qualified to drive, on the basis of the authority
information.
5 [0031] Note that the determination processing unit 35
may acquire work information on the driver from, for
example, an operation management system that performs, for
example, operation management of the train 50, and
determine, for example, whether to permit the departure of
10 the train 50. For example, in a time slot outside the
working hours of the driver who possesses the electronic
key 10, the determination processing unit 35 may reject the
departure of the train 50 and may reject the operation of
the control console in the cab 51. In addition, in the
15 event that the driver who possesses the electronic key 10
is on any train 50 outside the scheduled travel route, the
determination processing unit 35 may reject the departure
of the train 50 and reject the operation of the control
console in the cab 51. As a result, the authentication
20 system 100 can avoid a situation in which the driver
intentionally uses an unscheduled train 50, and avoid a
situation in which the driver mistakenly gets on an
unscheduled train 50.
[0032] It is also possible that the position
25 determination unit 32 determines the positions of a
plurality of electronic keys 10 from information provided
by authentication keys. That is, it is possible that there
are a plurality of drivers or crew members who possess the
electronic keys 10 near the train 50. In response to
30 determining from information provided by authentication
keys that a plurality of on-board stations 20 has received
beacon signals from a plurality of electronic keys 10, the
determination processing unit 35 determines whether to
18
permit departure of the train 50 and whether to permit
operation of the control console in the cab 51, using the
electronic key 10 possessed by the driver or crew member on
board the train 50 as a target. In such a case, the
5 determination processing unit 35 determines the electronic
key 10 that is the target, on the basis of the work
schedules of drivers and crew members and information
acquired from, for example, an operation management system
that performs, for example, operation management of the
10 train 50.
[0033] Next, hardware configurations of the
authentication system 100 according to the first embodiment
will be described. In the authentication system 100, the
electronic key 10 and the on-board station 20 are
15 instruments capable of wireless communication. The
authentication device 30 is implemented by processing
circuitry. The processing circuitry may be a memory
storing a program and a processor that executes a program
stored in the memory, or may be dedicated hardware. The
20 processing circuitry is also called a control circuit.
[0034] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary
configuration of processing circuitry 90 in the case that
the processing circuitry provided in the authentication
system 100 according to the first embodiment is implemented
25 by a processor 91 and a memory 92. The processing
circuitry 90 illustrated in FIG. 10 is a control circuit
and includes the processor 91 and the memory 92. In a case
where the processing circuitry 90 is configured with the
processor 91 and the memory 92, each function of the
30 processing circuitry 90 is implemented by software,
firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.
Software or firmware is described as a program and stored
in the memory 92. In the processing circuitry 90, the
19
processor 91 reads and executes the program stored in the
memory 92, thereby implementing each function. That is,
the processing circuitry 90 includes the memory 92 for
storing a program that results in the execution of
5 processing of the authentication system 100. It can also
be said that this program is a program for causing the
authentication system 100 to execute each function
implemented by the processing circuitry 90. This program
may be provided by a storage medium in which the program is
10 stored, or may be provided by other means such as a
communication medium.
[0035] It can also be said that the above program is a
program that causes the authentication system 100 to
execute: a first step in which the electronic key 10
15 transmits a beacon signal including authority information
indicating authority given to the owner and an
authentication key; a second step in which a plurality of
on-board stations 20 installed on the train 50 receive the
beacon signal from the electronic key 10; and a third step
20 in which the authentication device 30 determines the
position of the electronic key 10 from the reception status
of beacon signals including the same authentication key in
the plurality of on-board stations 20, and determines, on
the basis of the position of the electronic key 10 and the
25 authority information, whether to permit departure of the
train 50 and whether to permit operation of the control
console of the train 50.
[0036] The processor 91 is exemplified by a central
processing unit (CPU), a processing device, an arithmetic
30 device, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, or a digital
signal processor (DSP). Examples of the memory 92 include
a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory, a magnetic
disk, a flexible disk, an optical disc, a compact disc, a
20
mini disc, a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like.
Examples of non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memories
include a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory
(ROM), a flash memory, an erasable programmable ROM
5 (EPROM), an electrically EPROM (EEPROM, registered
trademark), and the like.
[0037] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary
configuration of processing circuitry 93 in the case that
the processing circuitry provided in the authentication
10 system 100 according to the first embodiment is implemented
by dedicated hardware. For example, the processing
circuitry 93 illustrated in FIG. 11 is a single circuit, a
composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel
programmed processor, an application specific integrated
15 circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or
a combination thereof. The processing circuitry 93 may be
partially implemented by dedicated hardware, and partially
implemented by software or firmware. In this manner, the
processing circuitry 93 can implement the above-described
20 functions using dedicated hardware, software, firmware, or
a combination thereof.
[0038] As described above, according to the present
embodiment, the authentication device 30 in the
authentication system 100 for use in the automatically
25 operable train 50 can determine the position of the
electronic key 10 from the reception status of beacon
signals in a plurality of on-board stations 20, and
determine, on the basis of the position of the electronic
key 10 and the authority information of the person who
30 possesses the electronic key 10, whether to permit
departure of the train 50 and whether to permit operation
of the control console of the train 50.
[0039] Second Embodiment.
21
In the first embodiment, the authentication system 100
determines the position of the electronic key 10 from the
reception status of beacon signals including the same
authentication key in a plurality of on-board stations 20.
5 The second embodiment describes the authentication system
that determines the position of the electronic key 10, by
using sensors.
[0040] FIG. 12 is a first diagram illustrating an
exemplary configuration of an authentication system 100a
10 according to the second embodiment. The authentication
system 100a is a system for use in the automatically
operable train 50. The authentication system 100a is
different from the authentication system 100 illustrated in
FIG. 1 in deleting the authentication device 30 and adding
15 an authentication device 30a, and cameras 40 serving as the
above-described sensors. The authentication system 100a
includes two cameras 40 in the example of FIG. 12, but may
include three or more cameras 40. The procedure for the
entire operation in the authentication system 100a is
20 similar to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 2 for the
authentication system 100 according to the first
embodiment.
[0041] The cameras 40 installed on the train 50 includes
at least one camera 40 in the cab 51 and one camera 40 in
25 the cabin 52. The cameras 40 is installable in any place,
providing that the cameras can capture the entire cab 51 or
the entire cabin 52. The same number of cameras 40 as the
on-board stations 20 in the train 50 may be installed at
the same positions as the on-board stations 20.
30 [0042] The authentication device 30a is different from
the authentication device 30 according to the first
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 in replacing the control
unit 34 with a control unit 34a. The control unit 34a
22
includes an image processing unit 36 and a determination
processing unit 35a. The image processing unit 36 performs
general image processing on images captured by the cameras
40, and outputs, to the determination processing unit 35a,
5 image information after the image processing. At this
time, the image processing unit 36 ensures that the
determination processing unit 35a can determine the
position of the cameras 40 with which the images
represented by the image information have been captured.
10 [0043] The determination processing unit 35a determines
whether to permit departure of the train 50 and whether to
permit operation of the control console of the train 50, on
the basis of the position of the electronic key 10 and the
authority information acquired from the position
15 determination unit 32 and the image information acquired
from the image processing unit 36. For example, if the
position of the electronic key 10 has been determined to be
in the cab 51 of the train 50 but no person is found at the
corresponding position in the image information acquired
20 from the image processing unit 36, the determination
processing unit 35a rejects the departure of the train 50
and rejects the operation of the control console in the cab
51. An Example where the position of the electronic key 10
has been determined to be in the cab 51 of the train 50 but
25 no person is found at the corresponding position is where
the owner of the electronic key 10 has left or dropped the
electronic key 10 in the cab 51 of the train 50. As a
result, as compared with the determination processing unit
35 in the first embodiment, the determination processing
30 unit 35a can reject the departure of the train 50 in
situations where the departure of the train 50 should be
rejected.
[0044] In addition, the determination processing unit
23
35a may determine, from the image information acquired from
the image processing unit 36, whether the person at the
corresponding position is the driver or crew member.
Generally, railroad company staff including drivers and
5 crew members often wear uniforms. In cases where the
person at the corresponding position in the image
information acquired from image processing unit 36 is
neither the driver nor crew member, it is likely that the
true owner has the electronic key 10 stolen. In view of
10 this, the determination processing unit 35a determines
whether the person at the position of the electronic key 10
captured by the camera 40 is the driver or crew member of
the train 50 or is neither the driver nor crew member, and
rejects the departure of the train 50 in response to
15 determining that the person is neither the driver nor crew
member.
[0045] Note that the authentication system can also use
sensors different from the cameras 40. FIG. 13 is a second
diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an
20 authentication system 100b according to the second
embodiment. The authentication system 100b is a system for
use in the automatically operable train 50. The
authentication system 100b is different from the
authentication system 100a illustrated in FIG. 12 in
25 deleting the authentication device 30a and the cameras 40,
and adding an authentication device 30b, and adding human
sensors 41 as the above-described sensors. The
authentication device 30b is different from the
authentication device 30 according to the first embodiment
30 illustrated in FIG. 1 in replacing the control unit 34 with
a control unit 34b. The control unit 34b includes a
determination processing unit 35b. The authentication
system 100b includes two human sensors 41 in the example of
24
FIG. 13, but may include three or more human sensors 41.
The procedure for the entire operation in the
authentication system 100b is similar to the flowchart
illustrated in FIG. 2 for the authentication system 100
5 according to the first embodiment.
[0046] The human sensors 41 installed on the train 50
includes at least one human sensor 41 in the cab 51 and one
human sensor 41 in the cabin 52. The human sensors is
installable in any place, providing that the human sensors
10 can have a detection range covering the whole cab 51 or
cabin 52. The same number of human sensors 41 as the onboard stations 20 in the train 50 may be installed at the
same positions as the on-board stations 20. In this
manner, the authentication system 100b may include the
15 human sensors 41 as sensors installed in the cab 51 and the
cabin 52 of the train 50 and determine the presence or
absence of a person in the detection range. The
determination processing unit 35b determines whether to
permit departure of the train 50, using detection results
20 provided by the human sensors 41. In this case, unlike in
the case of the cameras 40, the determination processing
unit 35b cannot determine from the human sensors 41
installed in the authentication system 100b whether the
person at the position of the electronic key 10 is the
25 driver or crew member of the train 50 or is neither the
driver nor crew member. The authentication system 100b,
which is in a simpler configuration than that including the
cameras 40, can provide against the owner of the electronic
key 10 having left or dropped the electronic key 10 in the
30 cab 51 of the train 50.
[0047] In addition, the authentication system 100 may
use, as a sensor, a seating sensor installed in the seat of
the control console in the cab 51. In this case, the
25
determination processing unit 35 determines that the driver
is present in the cab 51 upon determining from a detection
result provided by the seating sensor that some person is
seated on the seat of the control console. In addition,
5 the authentication systems 100a and 100b may additionally
use a seating sensor.
[0048] Regarding the hardware configuration of the
authentication system 100a, the cameras 40 are digital
cameras capable of outputting information of captured
10 images. The authentication device 30a is implemented by
processing circuitry. Similarly, regarding the hardware
configuration of the authentication system 100b, the human
sensors 41 are sensors capable of outputting information of
detected images. The authentication device 30b is
15 implemented by processing circuitry. The processing
circuitry may be a memory storing a program and a processor
that executes a program stored in the memory, or may be
dedicated hardware.
[0049] As described above, according to the present
20 embodiment, the authentication device 30a of the
authentication system 100a uses image information obtained
by the cameras 40 which are sensors, as compared with the
authentication device 30 in the first embodiment. As a
result, the authentication device 30a can reject the
25 departure of the train 50 in situations where the departure
of the train 50 should be rejected, such as a situation
where the owner of the electronic key 10 has left or
dropped the electronic key 10 in the cab 51 of the train
50. The authentication system 100b can also achieve a
30 similar effect.
[0050] The configurations described in the abovementioned embodiments indicate examples. The embodiments
can be combined with another well-known technique and with
26
each other, and some of the configurations can be omitted
or changed in a range not departing from the gist.
Reference Signs List
5 [0051] 10 electronic key; 11 authority information
storage unit; 12 authentication key storage unit; 13
signal generation processing unit; 14 beacon transmitter;
20 on-board station; 21 beacon receiver; 22 information
processing unit; 23 clock unit; 30, 30a, 30b
10 authentication device; 31 in-vehicle server; 32 position
determination unit; 33 time generation unit; 34, 34a, 34b
control unit; 35, 35a, 35b determination processing unit;
36 image processing unit; 40 camera; 41 human sensor; 50
train; 51 cab; 52 cabin; 100, 100a, 100b authentication
15 system.
27
We Claim :
[Claim 1] An authentication system comprising:
an electronic key to transmit a signal including
authority information indicating authority given to an
5 owner and an authentication key;
a plurality of on-board stations installed on a train
to receive the signal from the electronic key; and
an authentication device to determine a position of
the electronic key from a reception status of the signal
10 including the same authentication key in the plurality of
on-board stations, and determine, on a basis of the
position of the electronic key and the authority
information, whether to permit departure of the train and
whether to permit operation of a control console of the
15 train.
[Claim 2] The authentication system according to claim 1,
wherein
the plurality of on-board stations includes a first
20 on-board station installed in a cab of the train, and a
second on-board station installed in a cabin of the train,
and
the authentication device determines whether the
position of the electronic key is in the cab, in the cabin,
25 or outside the train.
[Claim 3] The authentication system according to claim 2,
wherein
the authentication device permits departure of the
30 train and permits operation of the control console in the
cab in response to determining that the position of the
electronic key possessed by the owner is in the cab and
determining that the owner is a driver on the basis of the
28
authority information.
[Claim 4] The authentication system according to claim 2,
wherein
5 the authentication device permits departure of the
train and rejects operation of the control console in the
cab in response to determining that the position of the
electronic key possessed by the owner is in the cabin and
determining that the owner is a driver on the basis of the
10 authority information.
[Claim 5] The authentication system according to claim 2,
wherein
the authentication device permits departure of the
15 train and rejects operation of the control console in the
cab in response to determining that the position of the
electronic key possessed by the owner is in the cab or in
the cabin and determining that the owner is a crew member
not qualified to drive, on the basis of the authority
20 information.
[Claim 6] The authentication system according to claim 2,
wherein
the authentication device rejects departure of the
25 train and rejects operation of the control console in the
cab in response to determining that the position of the
electronic key possessed by the owner is outside the train
and determining that the owner is a driver or a crew member
not qualified to drive, on the basis of the authority
30 information.
[Claim 7] The authentication system according to any one of
claims 2 to 6, wherein
29
in response to determining from information provided
by the authentication key that the plurality of on-board
stations has received the signal from a plurality of the
electronic keys, the authentication device determines
5 whether to permit departure of the train and whether to
permit operation of the control console, using the
electronic key possessed by a driver or a crew member on
board the train as a target.
10 [Claim 8] The authentication system according to claim 7,
wherein
the authentication device determines the electronic
key that is the target, on the basis of a work schedule of
the driver and the crew member and information acquired
15 from an operation management system that performs operation
management of the train.
[Claim 9] The authentication system according to any one of
claims 2 to 8, comprising
20 a camera installed in a cab and a cabin of the train,
wherein
the authentication device determines whether a person
at the position of the electronic key captured by the
camera is a driver or a crew member of the train or is
25 neither the driver nor the crew member, and rejects
departure of the train in response to determining that the
person is neither the driver nor the crew member.
[Claim 10] The authentication system according to any
30 one of claims 2 to 8, comprising
a human sensor installed in a cab and a cabin of the
train to determine presence or absence of a person in a
detection range, wherein
30
the authentication device determines whether to permit
departure of the train, using a detection result provided
by the human sensor.
5 [Claim 11] An authentication device constituting an
authentication system together with: an electronic key to
transmit a signal including authority information
indicating authority given to an owner and an
authentication key; and a plurality of on-board stations
10 installed on a train to receive the signal from the
electronic key, the authentication device comprising:
a position determination unit to determine a position
of the electronic key from a reception status of the signal
including the same authentication key in the plurality of
15 on-board stations; and
a determination processing unit to determine, on a
basis of the position of the electronic key and the
authority information, whether to permit departure of the
train and whether to permit operation of a control console
20 of the train.
[Claim 12] The authentication device according to claim
11, wherein
the plurality of on-board stations includes a first
25 on-board station installed in a cab of the train, and a
second on-board station installed in a cabin of the train,
and
the position determination unit determines whether the
position of the electronic key is in the cab, in the cabin,
30 or outside the train.
[Claim 13] The authentication device according to claim
12, wherein
31
the determination processing unit permits departure of
the train and permits operation of the control console in
the cab in response to the position determination unit
determining that the position of the electronic key
5 possessed by the owner is in the cab and determining that
the owner is a driver on the basis of the authority
information.
[Claim 14] The authentication device according to claim
10 12, wherein
the determination processing unit permits departure of
the train and rejects operation of the control console in
the cab in response to the position determination unit
determining that the position of the electronic key
15 possessed by the owner is in the cabin and determining that
the owner is a driver on the basis of the authority
information.
[Claim 15] The authentication device according to claim
20 12, wherein
the determination processing unit permits departure of
the train and rejects operation of the control console in
the cab in response to the position determination unit
determining that the position of the electronic key
25 possessed by the owner is in the cab or in the cabin and
determining that the owner is a crew member not qualified
to drive, on the basis of the authority information.
[Claim 16] The authentication device according to claim
30 12, wherein
the determination processing unit rejects departure of
the train and rejects operation of the control console in
the cab in response to the position determination unit
32
determining that the position of the electronic key
possessed by the owner is outside the train and determining
that the owner is a driver or a crew member not qualified
to drive, on the basis of the authority information.
5
[Claim 17] The authentication device according to any
one of claims 12 to 16, wherein
in response to determining from information provided
by the authentication key that the plurality of on-board
10 stations has received the signal from a plurality of the
electronic keys, the determination processing unit
determines whether to permit departure of the train and
whether to permit operation of the control console, using
the electronic key possessed by a driver or a crew member
15 on board the train as a target.
[Claim 18] The authentication device according to claim
17, wherein
the determination processing unit determines the
20 electronic key that is the target, on the basis of a work
schedule of the driver and the crew member and information
acquired from an operation management system that performs
operation management of the train.
25 [Claim 19] The authentication device according to any
one of claims 12 to 18, wherein
the authentication system includes a camera installed
in a cab and a cabin of the train, and
the determination processing unit determines whether a
30 person at the position of the electronic key captured by
the camera is a driver or a crew member of the train or is
neither the driver nor the crew member, and rejects
departure of the train in response to determining that the
33
person is neither the driver nor the crew member.
[Claim 20] The authentication device according to any
one of claims 12 to 18, wherein
5 the authentication system includes a human sensor
installed in a cab and a cabin of the train to determine
presence or absence of a person in a detection range, and
the determination processing unit determines whether
to permit departure of the train using a detection result
10 provided by the human sensor.
[Claim 21] An authentication method for an
authentication system, the authentication method
comprising:
15 a first step in which an electronic key transmits a
signal including authority information indicating authority
given to an owner and an authentication key;
a second step in which a plurality of on-board
stations installed on a train receive the signal from the
20 electronic key; and
a third step in which an authentication device
determines a position of the electronic key from a
reception status of the signal including the same
authentication key in the plurality of on-board stations,
25 and determines, on a basis of the position of the
electronic key and the authority information, whether to
permit departure of the train and whether to permit
operation of a control console of the train.
Dated this 6th day of September, 2023
30 For MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
By their Agent