AU2010223446B2

AU2010223446B2 - Method for operating a train control device, trackside electronic unit and balise for a train control device and train control device

Info

Publication number: AU2010223446B2
Application number: AU2010223446A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gerd Hollnagel; Andreas Liebig; Uwe Seifried
Original assignee: Siemens AG; Siemens Corp
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2009-03-12
Filing date: 2010-02-23
Publication date: 2013-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2030-02-23
Also published as: EP2406117B1; WO2010102898A9; WO2010102898A1; AU2010223446A1; EP2406117A1; DE102009012986A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a particularly flexible and simultaneously cost-effective method for operating a train control device, wherein a data signal (DS) is selected by a trackside electronic unit (LEU) in dependence on a signal aspect and transferred to a balise (B) arranged in the track, a request signal (AS) is transferred to the trackside electronic unit (LEU) from the balise (B) during receiving of an activation signal emitted from a vehicle-side antenna and the data signal (DS) is transferred from the trackside electronic unit (LEU) for the duration of the receiving of the request signal (AS) to the balise (B). The invention further relates to a trackside electronic unit (LEU) and a balise (B) for a train control device and to a train control device.

Description

Description Technical Field Method of operation of a train control device, trackside electronic unit and balise for a train control device, as well as a train control device. The present invention relates to a method for operation of a train control device, with a trackside electronic unit selecting a data signal as a function of a signal element, and the data signal is transmitted to a balise which is arranged in the track. Background One such method is known from the specification "FFFIS for Eurobalise - ERMTS/ETC Class 1, SUBSET-036, Issue 2.4.1, September 7, 2007". For the purposes of the "European Train Control System (ETCS)", track points in the form of trackside electronic units are used, which are arranged adjacent to the track and are referred to as "Lineside Electronic Units (LEU)". In this case, the trackside electronic unit is used to transmit a data signal in the form of a data message to a (Euro) balise which, because of its method of operation, is also referred to as a transparent data balise or "Controlled Data Balise". A corresponding balise is a device which is arranged in the track for point data transmission to a vehicle which is moving over the balise. The trackside electronic unit taps off a signal element for example from a lamp circuit, selects a data signal as a function of the signal element tapped off, and transits this data signal, which is associated with the signal element, continuously to the balise via the so-called "C" interface specified in said document. In this case, the data signal which is transmitted by the trackside electronic unit to the balise may contain not only signal elements but also, for example, instructions for speed control which result from them. A need exists to provide a method, which can be used particularly flexibly and is at the same time particularly cost-effective, of the type mentioned initially for operation of a train control device.

2 Summary A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for operation of a train control device, with a trackside element unit selecting a data signal as a function of a signal element, the data signal being transmitted to a balise arranged in the track, wherein, during reception of a activation signal emitted by a vehicle-side antenna, the balise transmits a request signal to the trackside electronic unit, and the data signal is transmitted by the trackside electronic unit to the balise for the time duration of reception of the request signal. The method according to the first aspect advantageously results in reduction in the power and energy demand of the train control device. This is made possible by not continuously transmitting the data signal from the trackside electronic unit to the balise. Instead of this, the data signal is transmitted to the balise only when the balise itself also actually has to transmit the data signal to a vehicle-side antenna. In this case, the trackside electronic unit is informed of the need to transmit the data signal by the balise by transmitting an appropriate request signal to the trackside electronic unit during the reception of an activation signal which is emitted by a vehicle-side antenna. In this case, the activation signal is preferably the so-called "Tele Powering Signal" which is defined in Eurobalise specification, which has already been mentioned above, and is transmitted via the so-called "A" interface. According to the specification, this is transmitted at a frequency of about 27.095 MHz, and is used to activate and supply power to the balise for transmission of the data signal to the vehicle-side antenna. Since, according to the present disclosure, the data signal is transmitted by the trackside electronic unit to the balise only when the request signal is present, and this results in a significant reduction in the power demand of the trackside electronic unit, this results in considerable advantages, particularly in the situation in which no external power supply is available at an intended installation location for the trackside electronic unit. The method according to the invention therefore satisfies the precondition for making it possible, if required, to dispense with a corresponding external power supply, or the laying of cables which is normally associated with comparatively high costs, since the power demand, which is now considerably recued, of the trackside electronic unit is fundamentally suitable for being covered by alternative energy sources. In addition to a cost saving - both as a result of a reduction in the 3 energy demand of the train control device and because of the fundamental capability to dispense with an external power supply for the trackside electronic unit - this therefore also results in advantages to the effect that the method according to the first aspect can also be used in those situations in which the power which is required to continuously transmit the data signal from the trackside electronic unit to the balise cannot be provided, or can be provided only with a disproportionately high level of complexity. According to one preferred embodiment of the method, the trackside electronic unit transmits a power supply signal to the balise. In this case, the power supply signal is preferably the signal which is defined in the course of the Eurobalise specification and is transmitted by the trackside electronic unit to the balise via the so-called "C6" interface, in order to ensure the power supply for the interface circuit of the balise, that is to say the balise circuit for the interface in the direction of the trackside electronic unit. A corresponding power supply signal is normally required for transparent data balises, in order to provide the balise, which normally does not have its own power supply, with the power required to receive the data signal. In principal, the request signal can be transmitted in various ways from the balise to the trackside electronic unit. For example, it is feasible to modulate.a frequency with a small shift onto an electronic connecting line between the balise and the trackside electronic unit, or onto a signal transmitted via such a connecting line. According to one particularly preferred embodiment, the method according to the first aspect is configured such that the request signal is transmitted to the trackside electronic unit in the form of periodic load modulation of the power supply signal. In this case, the periodic load modulation may be implemented, for example, by periodic connection of a resistance. By means of the periodic load modulation of the power supply, the balise periodically sends signals, whose function can also be referred to as "attention pulses" to the trackside electronic unit. This requests the trackside electronic unit to transmit the data signal, with the transmission of the data signal being maintained for as long as the request signal, that is to say if appropriate the corresponding pulses, is present. Absence of the request signal because the balise is no longer receiving an activation signal from a vehicle-side antenna therefore results in the transmission of 4 the data signal from the trackside electronic unit being terminated or ended, because of the absence of the request signal. The method can also preferably be configured such that the trackside electronic unit is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the request signal. This offers the advantage that switching in the energy-saving rest state, which can also be referred to as a standby mode, results in a further reduction in the power consumption or energy consumption of the train control device and, specifically, the trackside electronic unit. According to a further particularly preferred refinement of the method according to the first aspect, the balise is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the activation signal. By way of example, this can be done by a clock oscillator switching off the balise and switching it on again only when a vehicle moving over is identified, that is to say on reception of an activation signal emitted from a vehicle-side antenna. Switching the balise to the energy-saving rest state in the absence or lack of the activation signal offers the advantage that this makes it possible to reduce the energy consumption of the balise. In this case, it must be remembered that the energy which is required by the balise in the absence of an activation signal is normally transmitted completely by means of a power supply signal from the trackside electronic unit to the balise. A reduction in the energy consumption of the balise therefore also results in a reduction in the energy requirement for the trackside electronic unit, in which case a reduction in the energy consumption such as this can be used in particular, in accordance with the above statements, to dispense with a cable-based power supply for the trackside electronic unit. For example, according to a further preferred embodiment, the method according to the fisrst aspect is configured such that the trackside electronic unit is operated by means of energy which is provided autonomously and independently of lines. This means that the power required by the trackside electronic unit can be produced by means of primary or secondary cells for example. Furthermore, the power which is required for operation of the trackside electronic unit can alternatively or additionally also be obtained or produced from the environment of the trackside electronic unit ("Energy Harvesting"). For 5 example, for power production, it is possible to use solar cells or transducers for producing electrical energy from mechanical oscillations. In the latter case, the trackside electronic unit is preferably at least partially operated using electrical energy which is produced from mechanical oscillations caused by trains moving past. Furthermore, the method according to the first aspect can preferably also be distinguished in that the trackside electronic unit is operated by means of energy output from a signal current. The reduction in the power consumption of the trackside electronic unit that is made possible according to the invention therefore also makes it possible for power to be output from a signal current, in addition to or as an alternative to line-independent, autonomous production of the power required for operation of the trackside electronic unit. Because of the freedom from feedback, which is required for safety reasons, of power being output in this way from the signal current, only comparatively small power levels can in this case be drawn, which would not be sufficient for operation of trackside electronic units which do not implement the method according to the invention, that is to say those which, in contrast to this, transmit the data signal continuously. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a trackside electronic unit for a train control device, with the trackside electronic unit being designed to select a data signal as a function of a signal element and for transmission of the data signal to a balise which is arranged in the track. One such trackside electronic unit is known from the Siemens AG company publication "LEU 821 for Trainguard 100 - The central element of trackequipmentat ETCS - Level 1, order No. A 191 00-VIOO-B875-Vl,Siemens AG 2008". With regard to the trackside electronic unit, the present disclosure is based on the need of specifying a trackside electronic unit of the type mentioned above which supports a method for operation of the train control device which can be used particularly flexibly and is at the same time particularlycost-effective.

6 According to a second aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a trackside electronic unit for a train control device, with the trackside electronic unit being designed to select a data signal as a function of a signal element and for transmission of the data signal to a balise which is arranged in the track, and wherein the trackside electronic unit is designed such that it receives a request signal which is transmitted by the balise, and transmits the data signal to the balise for the time duration of reception of the request signal. The advantages of the trackside electronic unit according to the second aspect correspond essentially to those of the method according to the invention, as a result of which reference is in this case made to the corresponding statements above. This also applies to the preferred developments of the trackside electronic unit according to the second aspect mentioned in the following text, with respect to the corresponding preferred developments of the method according to the invention, as a result of which reference is likewise made in this case to the corresponding statements above. Preferably, the trackside electronic unit according to the second aspect is configured such that it is designed to transmit a power supply signal to the balise. Advantageously, the trackside electronic unit according to the second aspect can also be developed such that it is designed to receive the request signal in the form of periodic load modulation of the power supply signal. According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the trackside electronic unit, the trackside unit it is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the request signal. According to one particularly preferred embodiment, the trackside electronic unit according to the second aspect has a power supply device which is autonomous and independent of lines.

7 The trackside electronic unit according to the second aspect can preferably also be configured designed to output energy from a signal current. A third aspect of the present disclosure relates to a balise for a train control device, with the balise being designed to receive a data signal, which is dependent on a signal element, from a trackside electronicunit. One such balise is known from the company publication from Siemens AG "Eurobalise S21 for Trainguard. For communication between track and vehicle, order No. A 19100- V100-B875 VI, Siemens AG 2008". With regard to the balise, a need exists for specifying a balise of the abovementioned type which supports a method of operation of a train control device which can be used particularly flexibly and is at the same time particularly cost-effective. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure a balise for a train control device is provided, the balise being designed to receive a data signal, which is dependent on a signal element, from a trackside electronic unit, and wherein the balise is designed to transmit a request signal to the trackside electronic unit during the reception of an activation signal from a vehicle-side antenna, and receives the data signal for the time duration of the transmission of the request signal by the trackside electronic unit. The advantages of the balise according to the third aspect also correspond essentially to those of the method according to the invention, as a result of which reference is in this case once again made to the corresponding explanations above. This also applies once again to the preferred developments of the balise according to the invention mentioned in the following text, with respect to the corresponding preferred developments of the method according to the invention. Preferably, the balise according to the third aspect can be developed to be designed to receive a power supply signal from the tracksideelectronic unit.

8 According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, the balise according to the invention is configured to be designed to transmit the request signal to the trackside electronic unit in the form of periodic load modulationof the power supply signal. According to a further particularly preferred development, the balise according to the third aspect is designed such that it is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the request signal. The present disclosure furthermore provides a train control device having at least one trackside electronic unit according to the second aspect and/or at least one trackside electronic unit according to one of the preferred developments of the trackside electronic unit mentioned above, and having at least one balise according to the third aspect and/or at least one balise according to one of the preferred developments of the balise according to the invention mentionedabove. Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be explained in more detail in the following text with reference to exemplary embodiments. In this context, Figure 1 shows a schematic sketch for a first arrangement having a trackside electronic unit as well as a balise, in order to explain a first exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, and Figure 2 shows a schematic sketch of a second arrangement having a trackside electronic unit as well as a balise, in order to explain a second exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. the next page is page 12 PCT/EP2010/052260 - 12 2009P03785WOIN Figure 1 shows a schematic sketch of a first arrangement having a trackside electronic unit and a balise, in order to explain a first exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. The illustration shows a balise B which is electrically connected to a trackside electronic unit LEU via a first two-wire line Li and a second two-wire line L2. The balise B is used for point transmission of a data signal DS to an antenna on a rail vehicle passing the balise B. The following text assumes that the balise B is a Eurobalise for the standard European Train Control System (ETCS). In this case, a trackside electronic unit LEU, which is referred to in the ETCS specification as a "Lineside Electronic Unit (LEU) ", is used as a linking element between existing fixed-position signal systems and the balise B. For this purpose, the trackside electronic unit LEU taps off a signal element, for example from the lamp current of a signal, selects a data signal DS, which is associated with the relevant signal element, in the form of a data message, and transmits the data signal DS in serial form via the first two-wire line Ll to the balise B. According to the present ETCS specification, the data signal DS is transmitted all the time, that is to say continuously, to the balise B by means of a serial datastream. According to the specification for the SUBSET-036, which has already been mentioned above, a signal mixture comprising a square-wave, biphase-coded data signal and an 8.8 kHz sinusoidal signal for supplying power to the interface circuit in the balise B is transmitted continuously via the interface between the balise B and the trackside PCT/EP2010/052260 - 13 2009P03785WOIN electronic unit LEU, via a balanced two-wire line. This results in the balise B having a continuous total power consumption of about 1 W at medium signal levels. The trackside electronic unit LEU, which has to cover not only the power supply for the balise B but also its own power consumption, accordingly requires a power of about 2 W all the time for its operation. This comparatively high power consumption in practice means that comparatively expensive and complex cable laying is required in the situation where no external power supply is available at the location where the trackside electronic unit LEU is installed. The method according to the invention is now advantageous because it results in a significant reduction in the power consumption of the trackside electronic unit LEU. This is achieved by the data signal DS being transmitted by the trackside electronic unit LEU to the balise B only when this is requested by the balise B. The balise B therefore transmits a request signal AS to the trackside electronic unit LEU during reception of an activation signal which is emitted by a vehicle-side antenna. On the basis of the reception of the request signal AS, and only for the time duration for the reception of this signal, the data signal DS is transmitted by the trackside electronic unit LEU to the balise B. Because data is normally transmitted from the balise B to a vehicle-side antenna only for comparatively short time periods, while no data transmission is required for the majority of the time, this makes it possible to achieve a considerable energy saving.

PCT/EP2010/052260 - 14 2009P03785WOIN In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, a power supply signal ES is transmitted to the balise B via the second two-wire line L2. In this case, the request signal AS is transmitted to the trackside electronic unit LEU by means of periodic load modulation of the power supply signal ES. By way of example, such load modulation can be carried out by periodic connection of a resistance. The request signal AS, which can also be referred to as an "Attention Signal", may, for example, be configured such that two pulses with a width of 3 ps are in each case transmitted at a time interval of 5 ms in each case by the balise B to the trackside electronic unit LEU, in which case the interval between the two pulses may be, for example, 25 ps. It should be noted that it would, of course, also be possible to transmit only a single pulse in each case. The pulses, to be precise the request signal AS, wake up or activate the trackside electronic unit LEU from an energy-saving rest state, and cause it to transmit the data signal DS for 6 ms in each case via the first two-wire line Ll to the balise B, after reception of a pulse of the request signal AS. As long as the balise B is receiving the activation signal emitted by the vehicle side antenna, the balise B continues to send new pulses to the trackside electronic unit LEU every 5 ms, that is to say it continues the transmission of the request signal AS. When the request signal AS, that is to say the pulses, remains off, then the trackside electronic unit LEU switches back to the energy-saving rest state again after 6 ms. Furthermore, the balise B also switches to an energy-saving rest state, that is to say a standby mode, when it does not receive an activation signal.

PCT/EP2010/052260 - 15 2009P03785WOIN On the basis of the above statements, the procedure described above results in a considerable reduction in the power consumption of the trackside electronic unit LEU. Furthermore, further energy optimization measures are fecdsible. By way of example, one such measure may be to choose the amplitude for the data signal DS to be considerably lower than is envisaged in the ETCS specification. This is possible in particular in those situations in which only comparatively small distances have to be bridged between the trackside electronic unit LEU and the balise B, that is to say for example distances of less than 300 m. Furthermore, power is preferably likewise supplied for the interface circuit of the balise B with minimal power via a DC voltage or an AC voltage. According to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, the power is supplied by the power supply signal ES via two additional cores in the cable, that is to say via the second two-wire line L2. In this case, the connecting cable which is used may have four cores, as a star-configuration four-core cable, with two opposite cores being used for the data signal DS, and the two further cores being used for transmission of the power supply signal ES. Experiments have shown that the measures mentioned above make it possible to reduce the required power consumption of the trackside electronic unit LEU by more than two orders of magnitude, that is to say to a mean value of about 15 mW. This clearly shows that the invention creates the precondition for being able to use alternative energy sources for supplying power to the trackside electronic unit LEU. This offers the advantage of being able to dispense with complex and PCT/EP2010/052260 - 16 2009PO3785WOIN costly cable laying for the power supply. Appropriate alternative energy sources used for operation of the trackside electronic unit LEU may, for example, be primary cells or secondary cells. In addition to or as an alternative to ~this, it is also feasible to use solar cells or other devices for production of electrical energy from the environment. Corresponding devices, which are known per se by the expression "Energy Harvesting", are illustrated in Figure 1 as a line-independent, autonomous power supply device EE, and can produce the required energy from, for example, thermal energy, wind energy or mechanical energy. Furthermore, in addition to or as an alternative to this, it is also feasible to output the power which is required for operation of the trackside electronic unit LEU from a signal current. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the power output is free of feedback, that is to say that there is no adverse effect on the safety requirements. Figure 2 shows a schematic sketch of a second arrangement having a trackside electronic unit and a balise, in order to explain a secondary exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. In this case, the illustration in Figure 2 corresponds essentially to that in Figure 1, with the only difference being that, in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, only a two-core connecting line is provided between the balise B and the trackside electronic unit LEU. This is made possible because the power supply, that is to say the power supply signal ES and the request signal AS for requesting the data signal DS, is input and output via inductors or feed inductors D1, D2, D3, D4 into and out of the first two-wire line L1, PCT/EP2010/052260 - 17 2009P03785WOIN and are transmitted with a limited bandwidth via the first two-wire line Ll. The embodiment shown in Figure 2 offers the advantage that only one connecting line, in~ the form of the first two wire line L1, is required. However, the overall efficiency of this circuit variant is poorer than that of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 with a second two-wire line L2, as a result of which the embodiment shown in Figure 1 is preferable in terms of minimizing the energy consumption.

Claims

1. A method for operation of a train control device, with a trackside electronic unit selecting a data signal as a function of a signal element, the data signal being transmitted to a balise arranged in the track, wherein - during reception of an activation signal emitted by a vehicle-side antenna, the balise transmits a request signal to the trackside electronic unit, and - the data signal is transmitted by the trackside electronic unit to the balise for the time duration of reception of the request signal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trackside electronic unit transmits a power supply signal to the balise.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the request signal is transmitted to the trackside electronic unit in the form of periodic load modulation of the power supply signal.

4. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the trackside electronic unit is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the request signal.

5. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the balise is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the activation signal.

6. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the trackside electronic unit is operated by means of energy which is provided autonomously and independently of lines.

7. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the trackside electronic unit is operated by means of energy output from a signal current.

8. A trackside electronic unit for a train control device, the trackside electronic unit being designed to select a data signal as a function of a signal element and for transmission of the data signal to a balise arranged in the track, wherein the trackside electronic unit is designed to receive a request signal which is transmitted by the balise, and 19 - transmit the data signal to the balise for the time duration of reception of the request signal.

9. The trackside electronic unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the trackside unit is designed to transmit a power supply signal to the balise.

10. The trackside electronic unit as claimed in claim 9, the trackside unit is designed to receive the request signal in the form of periodic load modulation of the power supply signal.

11. The trackside electronic unit as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the trackside unit is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the request signal.

12. The trackside electronic unit as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the trackside unit has a power supply device which is autonomous and independent of lines.

13. The trackside electronic unit as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the trackside unit is designed to output energy from a signal current.

14. A balise for a train control device, with the balise being designed to receive a data signal, which is dependent on a signal element, from a trackside electronic unit, wherein the balise is designed to: - transmit a request signal to the trackside electronic unit during the reception of an activation signal from a vehicle-side antenna, and - receive the data signal for the time duration of the transmission of the request signal by the trackside electronic unit.

15. The balise as claimed in claim 14, wherein the balise is designed to receive a power supply signal from the trackside electronic unit. 20

16. The balise as claimed in claim 13, wherein the balise is designed to transmit the request signal to the trackside electronic unit in the form of periodic load modulation of the power supply signal.

17.. The balise as claimed in one any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the balise is switched to an energy-saving rest state in the absence of the request signal.

18. A train control device having at least one trackside electronic device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13, as well at least one balise as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17.

19. A method for operation of a train control device, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference with reference to any one of the embodiments as that embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings.

20. A trackside electronic unit for a train control device, the trackside electronic unit being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference with reference to any one of the embodiments as that embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings. Dated 7 December 2012 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON