DESCRIPTION
TITLE OF INVENTION
-BOARD DEVICE, TRAIN, AND SIGNALING SAFETY SYSTEM
5 TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
A technical field of the present disclosure relates to an on-board device, a train,
and a signaling safety system.
10 BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-232106, i.e., Patent Literature 1, relates to a
signaling safety system, which recognizes, as technical problems, the fact that "a high cost is
required for conducting device maintenance in a track circuit device that is configured to
15 electrically insulate a rail, to connect a power supply to one end of the rail and a relay to the
other end at the opposite side to detect a short circuit between rails due to a train" (see [0006] of
Patent Literature 1) and provides a solution in which, "in a signaling safety system that secures
safety of the train which travels within a predetermined interval based on a telegram, the
telegram is circulated through trains or wayside equipment existing in the predetermined interval
20 and has block occupancy information in which the occupancy right of the train is capable of
being set with respect to each of a plurality of blocks into which the interval is divided" (see
[0010] of Patent Literature 1).
CITATION LIST
25 PATENT LITERATURE
[0003]
PATENT LITERATURE 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-232106
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
30 TECHNICAL PROBLEM
[0004]
However, in the signaling safety system of Patent Literature 1, there is still room
for improvement in reduction of a period of time from when an on-board device of a preceding
3
train releases the right of occupying the block to when a following train can travel on the block.
SOLUTION TO PROBLEM
[0005]
In order to solve the above-5 described problem, configurations in the claims are
employed.
The present application includes multiple means for solving the problem, and
examples of the means include an on-board device for receiving a telegram and transmitting the
telegram to another device, the telegram patrolling a train or wayside equipment located within
10 an area composed of one or more blocks in which a right of occupancy of the train is set and
including block occupancy information capable of setting a right of occupying the block in one
train, wherein the telegram includes block occupancy reservation information indicating a train
in which a right of occupying the block is set, subsequently to a train in which the right of
occupying the block is set by the block occupancy information, and as the right of occupying the
15 block set in the train, on which the on-board device is mounted, is released by the block
occupancy information, the on-board device rewrites the block occupancy information of the
block such that the right of occupying the block is set in a train indicated by block occupancy
reservation information corresponding to the block.
20 ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION
[0006]
According to the above-described means, it is possible to reduce a period of time
from when an on-board device of a preceding train releases the right of occupying the block to
when a point belonging to the block initiates conversion to a position of a route on which a
25 subsequent train travels. The problems, configurations, and effects other than those mentioned
above will be explained using the following embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007]
30 FIG. 1 shows a diagram representing an example of a signaling safety system.
FIG. 2 shows a diagram representing areas and blocks in Embodiment 1.
FIG. 3 shows a diagram representing a train route in Embodiment 1.
FIG. 4 shows a diagram representing content of a signaling telegram in
Embodiment 1.
4
FIG. 5 shows content of a signaling telegram of steps 1 to 4 in Embodiment 1.
FIG. 6 shows content of a signaling telegram of steps 5 to 9 in Embodiment 1.
FIG. 7 shows a diagram representing a position of a train in step 7 of Embodiment
1.
5
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0008]
In a signaling safety system using circulation of a telegram, an on-board device
mounted on a train is configured to secure a right of occupying a block on a route on which the
train is going to travel by updating information of 10 a telegram to be circulated, and to give lock
position instructions to a point belonging to the block. Therefore, in a case where a plurality of
trains are going to sequentially travel on a conflicting route in the order, after a first train has left
the conflicting block, an on-board device mounted on the train releases the right of occupying
the conflicting block in the telegram, and subsequently, an on-board device mounted on a second
15 train, which has received the telegram, secures the right of occupying the block in the telegram
and gives lock position instructions to a point belonging to the block. Further, the telegram is
transferred to a point device and the point starts to be switched over to a lock position on the
route on which the second train travels.
[0009]
20 In this case, if the order of circulation of the telegram is the order of the on-board
device of the first train, the point device, and the on-board device of the second train, until the
on-board device of the second train gives point switching instruction after the on-board device of
the first train releases the right of occupying the block, the telegram passes through the point
device, and therefore two transmissions and receptions are required. Also, in order to transfer
25 the switching instruction to the point device, the switching instruction passes through the onboard
device of the first train and therefore, two transmissions and receptions are required.
Accordingly, total four transmissions and receptions of the telegram are required, that is, more
than one circulation of the telegram is needed.
[0010]
30 That is, the point control apparatus needs to wait for two circulations of the
telegram until a new switching instruction is received, depending on the order of telegram
circulation. This means that a time for the telegram to patrol devices existing in a control area
once or more times until a point belonging to the block starts switching to a lock position of a
route on which a subsequent train travels after an on-board device of a preceding train releases
5
the right of occupying the block. The time may cause interruption to operate trains with high
density.
[0011]
In the present embodiment, there is disclosed a signaling safety system in which,
after an on-board device of a preceding 5 train releases the right of occupying the block, a point
belonging to the block shortens a time to a time point to turn in the direction of a traveling route
of a following train, and allows trains to travel with high density without the order of circulating
a telegram.
[0012]
10 According to the present embodiment, in a case where a plurality of trains are
going to travel on a conflicting route in turn, after a first trains has left the conflicting route, an
on-board device mounted on the train releases the right of occupying the conflicting block in the
telegram and activates both block occupancy reservation information and switching instruction
reservation information to a point belonging to a traveling route of a second train at the same
15 time. Therefore, after the first train has left the conflicting block, regardless of the order of
circulation of the telegram, the point control apparatus can start switching of the point to lock
position of a route on which the second train travels based on the switching instruction of the
telegram received by the first train.
[0013]
20 Hereinafter, detailed description will be given with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment 1
[0014]
Referring to FIG. 1, the signaling safety system of the present embodiment
includes an on-board device 101 mounted on a train 1, an on-board device 102 mounted on a
25 train 2, a point control apparatus 103 that controls a point 3, and a signaling telegram 201 that is
a telegram circulated between the on-board devices and the point control apparatus.
[0015]
The entire route on which a train travels is divided into a plurality of
predetermined areas and further, one area is divided into units which one train only is permitted
30 to occupy. The divided intervals are referred to as blocks. In the present embodiment, as
illustrated in FIG. 2, the entire route is divided into three areas of an area 10, an area 20, and an
area 30 and the area 10 is divided into four blocks of a block 11, a block 12, a block 13, and a
block 14.
[0016]
6
In FIG. 3, bold line arrow designates the route of a train in the area 10. The
route is a path on which a train travels, and the route 15 is a path from the block 11 to the block
13 via the block 12 and the route 16 is a path from the block 14 to the block 11 via the block 12.
Also, with respect to the lock position of the point 3, a lock position for clearing the route 15 is
referred to as a normal p 5 osition and, a lock position for clearing the route 16 is referred to as a
reverse position. Also, the normal position and reverse position are terms representing lock
positions of points. The normal position denotes the normal position of the point. The reverse
position is the opposite of the normal position.
[0017]
10 Further, information on occupancy of each of all blocks in the area 10 and its
reservation information, all point lock position instruction information and its reservation
information, and all point position status are managed with a single signaling telegram and the
signaling telegram is circulated between on-board devices of all trains traveling in the area and
all point devices in the area.
15 [0018]
While, the signaling telegram may manage the above-described information with
any form, in the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the signaling telegram is managed
by using an area identification column 211, a member list column 212, a block occupancy
column 213, a block occupancy reservation column 214, a point lock position instruction column
20 215, a point lock position instruction reservation column 216, and a point position status column
217.
[0019]
The area identification column 211 includes the identification data of the area
under the control of the signaling telegram. The member list column 212 includes a list of
25 devices which are allowed to circulate the signaling telegram and the circulation order thereof.
[0020]
The block occupancy column 213 includes identification information of trains
each having the right of occupying the block. The right of occupying the block is what is
necessary for a train to enter a block. Only one row of trains may secure the right of occupying
30 the block with respect to one block. In a case where the signaling telegram is received, as long
as there is no writing by another train, it is possible to secure the right of occupying the block by
writing identification information of a host train.
[0021]
The block occupancy reservation column 214 includes identification information
7
of a train which has reserved the right of occupying a block. In a case where the signaling
telegram is received, when the right of occupying the block cannot be secured since there is a
writing of another train, it is possible to reserve the right of occupying the block by writing
identification information of a train in the block occupancy reservation column. When the right
of occupying the block is released, this reservation is 5 performed by transcribing the identification
information of the train, which is being written in the reservation column, in the block occupancy
column corresponding to the reservation column, by the on-board device which has released.
[0022]
In the point lock position instruction column 215, by the on-board device of the
10 train having the right of occupying the block to which the point belongs, the instruction
information for instructing the position to the point is written. The point control apparatus
reads the instruction column and locks the point according to the instruction.
[0023]
In the point lock position instruction reservation column 216, by the on-board
15 device of the train which has reserved the right of occupying the block to which the point
belongs, the instruction reservation information for reserving the position instruction to the point
is written. When the right of occupying a block, to which the point belongs, is released, this
reservation is performed by transcribing the point instruction, which is being written in the
reservation column, in the point lock position instruction column corresponding to the
20 reservation column, by the on-board device which has released.
[0024]
The point position status column 217 includes information on the state of the
point by the point control apparatus. Normal position lock is written in the case of being locked
in a normal position, reverse position lock is written in the case of being locked in a reverse
25 position, and non-lock is written in the case of switching or in other cases. When receiving a
signaling telegram, the on-board device can check the lock position of the point by checking the
point position status column.
[0025]
Subsequently, a configuration in which the signaling safety system of the present
30 embodiment realizes interval control of the train, exclusive control, and configuration control of
a route in a control area will be described by taking, as an example, a case where a train 1 travels
on a route 15 shown in FIG. 3. Also, content of the signaling telegram in each step is shown in
FIG. 5.
[0026]
8
Step 1: When the train 1 is going to travel on the route 15, the on-board device
101 mounted on the train 1 secures the right of occupying the block of blocks 11, 12, and 13 in
the block occupancy column of the received signaling telegram 201, writes a position change
instruction to a point 3 on the route in the point lock position instruction column of the received
signaling telegram 201, a 5 nd transmits the signaling telegram 201 to a subsequent device.
[0027]
Step 2: The point control apparatus 103 initiates conversion of the point 3 to a
normal position, based on point lock position instruction information written in the point lock
position instruction column of the signaling telegram 201 when the signaling telegram 201 is
10 received.
[0028]
Step 3: Thereafter, the point control apparatus 103 checks the status of the point 3
each time the signaling telegram 201 is received, and in case that the point 3 is locked to a
normal position, it is written in the point position status column that the point 3 of the signaling
15 telegram 201 is locked in the normal position.
[0029]
Step 4: In addition, when the signaling telegram 201 is circulated to the on-board
device 101, the on-board device 101 checks that the point 3 is locked in the normal position, and
permits the train 1 to travel on the route 15.
20 [0030]
When a signaling telegram is exchanged, it is necessary to use the procedure
capable of ensuring that the telegram has been safely sent to the other party, thereby avoiding
possible interception or interference of radio waves and tampering, copying and loss of data.
This procedure includes encryption and decryption of the message, addition of serial numbers
25 and chronological information, checking of communication time, preliminary check and followup
check of the sending and receiving ends, reply of the data, and checking validity of the data
by error-detecting code to the data.
[0031]
Next, the signaling safety system of the present embodiment will be described by
30 taking as an example, a case where a first train travels on a route 15 shown in FIG. 3 and
thereafter a second train 2 travels on a route 16 shown in FIG. 3, the signaling safety system
being configured such that, in a case where a plurality of trains are going to travel on a
conflicting route in turn, after a first train has released the right of occupying a conflicting block,
regardless of the order of circulation of the signaling telegram, the point control apparatus can
9
start switching of the point to lock position of a route on which the second train travels based on
the switching instruction of the signaling telegram received in the first time. Also, content of
the signaling telegram in each step is illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0032]
First, the configuration unti 5 l the train 1 is permitted to travel on the route 15 is
equal to steps 1 to 4 as described above.
[0033]
Next, there will be described the operation of the system in a case where the train
2, which is going to travel on the route 16, reserves the right of occupying the block and point
10 lock position instructions and these right and instructions are activated by a on-board device
mounted on the train 1.
[0034]
Step 5: The on-board device 102 mounted on the train 2 checks the right of
occupying the blocks 14, 12, and 11 when the signaling telegram 201 is received. As a result,
15 the right of occupying the block 14 is secured but the right of occupying the blocks 12 and 11
which is secured by the train 1 cannot be secured. In this case, the on-board device 102
reserves the right of occupying the block by writing the identification information of the host
train in the block occupancy reservation columns of the block 12 and the block 11. Also,
reverse position switching instruction is reserved in the point lock position instruction
20 reservation column of the point 3 belonging to the block 12.
[0035]
Step 6: After the trailing end of the train 1, which travels on the route 15, has left
the block 11, the on-board device 101 releases the right of occupying the block 11, when the
signaling telegram 201 is received, checks the reservation column, writes the identification
25 information of the reserved train 2 in the block occupancy column, erases the identification
information of the train 2 of the reservation column of the block 11, and transmits the telegram to
the subsequent device. Also, it is not necessary to erase the identification information of the
train 2 in the reservation column of the block 11 and, when the same identification information
of the train is written in the block occupancy column and the reservation column of the block 11,
30 another train or the point control apparatus may be configured to erase the identification
information written in the reservation column.
[0036]
Step 7: Similarly, after the trailing end of the train 1 has left the block 12 as
shown in FIG. 7, the on-board device 101 releases the right of occupying the block 12, when the
10
signaling telegram 201 is received, checks a reservation column accompanied thereby, writes the
identification information of the reserved train 2 in the block occupancy column, and erases the
identification information of the train 2 of the reservation column of the block 12. Also, the
point lock instruction reservation column of the point 3 belonging to the block 12 is checked, the
reserved lock posit 5 ion instruction to the reverse position is written in the point lock position
instruction column of the point 3, the lock position instruction to the reverse position is erased in
the point lock position instruction reservation column of the point 3, and the signaling telegram
is transmitted to the point control apparatus 103 that is a subsequent apparatus. Also, it is not
necessary to erase the lock position instruction of the point 3 or the lock position instruction of
10 the reverse position and, when the same point lock position instruction is written in the point
lock position instruction column and the point lock position instruction reservation column,
another train or the point control apparatus may be configured to erase the identification
information written in the point lock position instruction reservation column.
[0037]
15 Step 8: When the signaling telegram 201 is received, the point control apparatus
103 initiates conversion of the point 3 to a reserve point lock position instructed and updates the
point position status column of the signaling telegram 201 to be unlocked.
[0038]
Step 9: After the conversion to the reverse point lock position of the point 3 and
20 the locking are completed, the point control apparatus 103 updates the point position status
column of the signaling telegram to be a reverse position locking, and the on-board device 102
which received it permits the train 2 to travel on the route 16.
[0039]
In this way, with respect to the train 1 traveling on the route 15 and the train 2
25 attempting to travel on the route 16, interval control of the trains, exclusive control, and
configuration control of a route are realized. In particular, in Step 7, since the on-board device
101 mounted on the train 1, not the on-board device 102 mounted on the train 2, activates
reservation of lock position instruction to the point 3 for the train 2 accompanied by release of
the right of occupying the block 12. Even when the signaling telegram 201 is circulated in
30 order in such a way that the signaling telegram 201 is circulated by the on-board device 102
before being circulated by the point control apparatus 103, the point control apparatus 103 can
start conversion of the point 3 to a point indicated by the on-board device 102 based on the
signaling telegram received at the first time.
[0040]
11
Also, although it is described that two on-board devices and a single point control
apparatus exist in an area in the present embodiment, three or more on-board devices or point
control apparatuses may exist. Also, although an area 10 is divided into four blocks, it may be
possible to finely divide the area 10 into five or more blocks. Although all the rights of block
occupancy, lock position 5 instruction to all the points, and status information in one area are
managed with a single signaling telegram, management may be performed with a plurality of
signaling telegrams when contents to be managed are not duplicated.
[0041]
In the case of applying the signaling safety system of the present embodiment to a
10 route in which trains are operated with high density, since a number of on-board devices or point
control apparatuses exist in one area, and a signaling telegram is circulated among those devices,
a time taken for the signaling telegram to be circulated among the devices is longer as the
number of the devices increases. Even in the above case, the signaling safety system of the
present embodiment activates reservation of block occupancy by an on-board device of a
15 following train and reservation of conversion instruction to a point belonging to a traveling route
thereof, accompanied by release of a right of occupying the block by an on-board device of a
preceding train, and therefore, regardless of the circulation order of the signaling telegram, the
point control apparatus can start conversion of the point to a position of a route of a following
train at a time point when the signaling telegram is received at the first time. That is, in the
20 case of operating a number of trains, it is possible to shorten an operating interval thereof, and
operate the trains with high density.
[0042]
Although it is described that a single reservation column is provided in a telegram
in the present embodiment, it may be possible to provide a plurality of reservation columns with
25 different priorities and activate reservation execution of a reservation column with the highest
priority and raising of priorities of other reservation columns, accompanied by release of the
right of occupying the block of a preceding train.
[0043]
In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described
30 embodiments, and includes various modification examples. The above-described embodiments
describe in detail the present invention in order to be easy to be understood, and the invention is
not necessarily limited to the one in which all the configurations described above are provided.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
12
[0044]
1, 2 train
3 point
10, 20, 30 area
5 11, 12, 13, 14 block
15, 16 route
101, 102 on-board device
103 point control apparatus
201 signaling telegram

CLAIMS
1 An on-board device for receiving a telegram and transmitting the telegram to
another device, the telegram patrolling a train or wayside equipment located within a area
composed of one or more 5 blocks in which a right of occupying the block of the train is set and
includes block occupancy information capable of setting a right of occupying the block in one
train,
wherein the telegram includes block occupancy reservation information indicating
a train in which a right of occupying the block is set, subsequently to a train in which the right of
10 occupying the block is set by the block occupancy information, and
as the right of occupying the block set in the train, on which the on-board device
is mounted, is released by the block occupancy information, the on-board device rewrites the
block occupancy information of the block such that the right of occupying the block is set in a
train indicated by block occupancy reservation information corresponding to the block.
15
2 The on-board device according to Claim 1, wherein
the telegram includes point lock position instruction information indicating a
point lock position instruction and point lock position instruction reservation information
indicating a point lock position instruction after an on-board device of a train, in which a right of
20 occupying a block in which the point is installed is set, releases the right of occupying the block,
and
as the right of occupying the block set in the train, on which the on-board device
is mounted, is released, the on-board device rewrites point lock position instruction information
of a point such that a point lock position instruction indicated by point lock position instruction
25 reservation information of a point mounted in the block is set in point lock position instruction
information.
3 The on-board device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the on-board device
checks block occupancy information of the telegram, and when the right of occupying the block
30 on which traveling is attempted is set in the block occupancy information by another train, the
on-board device writes information of a train on which the on-board device is mounted in
occupancy reservation information of the block.
4 The on-board device according to Claim 2, wherein the on-board device checks
14
the point lock position instruction information of the telegram, and when the point lock position
instruction of a point installed in a block on which traveling is attempted is set by another train,
the on-board device writes the lock position at which the train travels in the point lock position
instruction reservation information of the point.
5
5 A train mounting the on-board device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.
6 A signaling safety system comprising:
a train mounting the on-board device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4; and
10 a point control apparatus configured to switch a point lock position of a point
based on point lock position instruction information included in the telegram and indicating a
point lock position instruction.