JP7409248B2 - Railway vehicle operation management method and system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and system for managing the operation of a railway vehicle in which a towed vehicle such as a hot metal holding container containing hot metal is towed by a power vehicle and transported.

In integrated pig iron works, the hot metal tapped in the blast furnace is received in hot metal holding containers such as torpedo cars and blast furnace pots. Transported to steel factory. Usually, the hot metal holding container does not have the power to travel on its own, but is towed by a power vehicle such as a diesel locomotive operated by an operator. The number of motorized vehicles is smaller than the number of hot metal holding containers, and they are also used to tow not only the hot metal holding containers but also the slag ladle. Therefore, after the hot metal holding container, etc. is towed to the designated position, the powered vehicle and the hot metal holding container, etc. are separated, and the powered vehicle moves to another position to tow another vehicle.

By systematically managing the operation of power vehicles and hot metal holding vessels, it is possible to shorten the hot metal operation cycle, improve the rotation rate of the hot metal holding vessels, and increase the temperature of the hot metal received by the steelmaking plant. Moreover, the number of operating hot metal holding containers can be minimized, and the refractory material consumption rate of the hot metal holding containers can be reduced. In order to manage the operation of such hot metal holding containers, it is necessary to detect the location information of each hot metal holding container along with the car number, and to grasp this information with a central control device (traffic control equipment) on the ground. .

Conventionally, various methods have been proposed for detecting the position of railway vehicles operating within a steelworks. Patent Document 1 discloses that a guide wire (loop antenna) laid on a track receives radio waves emitted from a bar antenna attached to a railway vehicle, and transmits the received information to a ground device by wire. A method for obtaining location information of a person is disclosed. Patent Document 2 discloses a method in which a GPS device is mounted on a railway vehicle, the position of the railway vehicle is detected based on a GPS signal, and the detected position information is wirelessly transmitted to a ground device.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-315206 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-347947

The transportation of hot metal has the special feature of storing the high-temperature molten metal in a hot metal holding container and passing through a factory building in a steelworks or a place adjacent to a shield such as a large building. For this reason, when detecting the position information of a railway vehicle by installing a guide wire connected with an electric wire on the track as in Patent Document 1, the guide wire may be damaged or disconnected due to flying objects such as hot metal or molten slag. This may occur. As a result, a phenomenon occurs in which radio waves from the vehicle cannot be received by the guide wire, or even if radio waves can be received, they cannot be transmitted, making it impossible to detect the position of the vehicle. Further, when detecting a position using an artificial satellite as in Patent Document 2, positioning signals from the artificial satellite cannot be received due to shielding by buildings, buildings, etc., and position information may not be detected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a railway vehicle operation management method and system that can reliably detect the position of a vehicle even under a special environment such as when transporting hot metal.

The present invention has the following configuration to solve these problems.
[1] A railway vehicle operation management method for managing the operation of the power vehicle by communicating between an onboard device installed in a power vehicle running on a dedicated track and a central control device, the method comprising:
The positioning information of the power vehicle is acquired based on radio signals transmitted from the artificial satellite, and the position identification is performed when the vehicle runs on a position identifier that is installed in the dedicated orbit and stores position information. a step of acquiring location information from the device without contact;
a step of specifying the vehicle position on the dedicated track based on the positioning position information and the position information;
transmitting body information of the power vehicle together with the vehicle position of the specified power vehicle to the central control device;
a step of generating operation management information for use in managing the operation of the power vehicle in the central control device based on the transmitted vehicle position and the vehicle body information;
A method for managing the operation of railway vehicles having
[2] A step of transmitting the operation management information to an information terminal that performs information transmission with the central control device;
Displaying the transmitted operation management information on the information terminal;
The railway vehicle operation management method according to [1], further comprising:
[3] The railway vehicle operation management method according to [2], including the step of inputting the work details of the worker into the information terminal and transmitting the input information to the central control device.
[4] The railway vehicle operation management method according to [3], wherein the information terminal is a portable information terminal carried by a worker.
[5] The railway vehicle according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the operation management information is tracking information that displays the vehicle position and body information of the power vehicle on a schematic diagram of the dedicated track. operation management method.
[6] The power vehicle travels on the dedicated track while towing a towed vehicle,
When the towed vehicle is coupled to the power vehicle, the vehicle body information of the towed vehicle is acquired, and the vehicle body information of the towed vehicle is transmitted to the central control device together with the vehicle position and body of the power vehicle. The railway vehicle operation management method according to any one of [1] to [5].
[7] The operation management method according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the power vehicle tows a hot metal holding container that stores hot metal.
[8] Operation management comprising an on-board device installed on a powered vehicle running on a dedicated track, and a central control device that communicates with the on-board device and manages the operation of the powered vehicle. A system,
The on-board device is
a positioning unit that acquires positioning information of the power vehicle based on radio signals transmitted from an artificial satellite;
a position acquisition unit that acquires position information from the position identifier in a non-contact manner when the vehicle travels on the position identifier installed on the dedicated track and stores position information;
a vehicle management unit that identifies a vehicle position on the dedicated track based on the positioning position information and the position information;
a vehicle communication unit that transmits vehicle body information of the power vehicle together with the vehicle position of the specified power vehicle to the central control device;
has
The central control device is a railway vehicle operation management system including a monitoring device that generates operation management information for managing the operation of the power vehicle based on the vehicle position and the vehicle body information.
[9] Further comprising an information terminal that transmits information with the central control device,
The railway vehicle operation management system according to [8], wherein the central control device transmits the operation management information to the information terminal, and the information terminal displays the received operation management information.
[10] The railway vehicle operation management system according to [9], wherein the information terminal has a function of inputting the details of the worker's work and transmitting the input information to the central control device.
[11] The railway vehicle operation management system according to [10], wherein the information terminal is a portable information terminal carried by a worker.
[12] The railway vehicle according to any one of [8] to [11], wherein the operation management information is tracking information that displays the vehicle position and body information of the power vehicle on a schematic diagram of the dedicated track. traffic management system.
[13] The power vehicle travels on the dedicated track while towing a towed vehicle,
When the towed vehicle is coupled to the power vehicle, the vehicle body information of the towed vehicle is acquired, and the vehicle body information of the towed vehicle is transmitted to the central control device together with the vehicle position and body of the power vehicle. The railway vehicle operation management system according to any one of [8] to [12].
[14] The operation management system according to any one of [8] to [13], wherein the power vehicle tows a hot metal holding container that stores hot metal.

According to the present invention, by detecting the vehicle position using both the detection of positioning position information based on an artificial satellite and the position information acquired from a position identifier installed along a dedicated orbit, hot metal Even under special circumstances such as transporting vehicles, it is possible to prevent the situation where the vehicle position becomes undetectable and to reliably detect the vehicle position.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a railway vehicle operation management system of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram showing an example of a position identifier. 1 is a flowchart showing a preferred embodiment of the railway vehicle operation management method of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the railway vehicle operation management system of the present invention. A railway vehicle operation management system 1 includes a power vehicle 2 that runs on a dedicated track RL laid from a blast furnace in a steelworks to a steel factory, etc., and a power vehicle 2 that is installed in a ground control room and runs on a dedicated track RL. and a central control device 50 that manages the operation of the towed vehicle 3.

The power vehicle 2 is composed of, for example, a diesel locomotive, and travels on the dedicated track RL under the operation of a driver. The power vehicle 2 is connected to a towed vehicle 3 such as a hot metal holding container (torpedo car), and travels on a dedicated track RL while towing the towed vehicle. Note that the hot metal holding container is a container that receives hot metal tapped in a blast furnace. Hot metal is transported from a blast furnace to a steel factory or the like by driving a powered vehicle 2 towing a towed vehicle 3. The central control device 50 is operated by a controller, and monitors the operating status of the power vehicle 2 and the towed vehicle 3 based on the tapping status of the blast furnace, the position and operation status of the power vehicle 2, etc. , controls the operation of field devices 70 such as traffic lights installed on the dedicated track RL.

At this time, operation management information is generated in the central control device 50 based on the position information of the power vehicle 2 and the towed vehicle 3 by the operation of the controller, and an operation plan is drawn up. Thereafter, instructions based on the operation plan are transmitted from the controller to the driver operating the power vehicle 2. When the operator drives the power vehicle 2 according to the transmitted instructions, the power vehicle 2 and the towed vehicle 3 travel according to the operation plan.

The power vehicle 2 is equipped with an on-board device 10 for managing operation and communicating with a central control device 50 . The onboard device 10 includes a vehicle communication section 11 that communicates with the central control device 50, a positioning section 12 that receives positioning signals transmitted from artificial satellites and acquires positioning information, and a dedicated orbit RL. A position acquisition unit 13 that acquires position information of the powered vehicle 2 from a position identifier 30 installed above, and a vehicle control unit 15 that specifies the traveling position of the powered vehicle 2 based on the measured position information and the position information. Be prepared.

The vehicle communication section 11 communicates with the central control device 50 by radio, and includes a radio antenna 11a and a radio communication section 11b. The vehicle communication unit 11 transmits and receives information to and from the central control device 50 using, for example, a wireless LAN, and may communicate directly with the central control device 50 or via a relay point. . Note that the vehicle communication unit 11 may be connected to the central control device 50 via a local network within the steelworks, or may be connected to the central control device 50 via the Internet.

The positioning unit 12 acquires position information of the power vehicle 2 using the artificial satellite GS. The positioning unit 12 includes a satellite antenna 12a that acquires a positioning signal such as a GPS signal transmitted from an artificial satellite GS, and a positioning unit that acquires positioning information of the power vehicle 2 based on a radio signal received by the satellite antenna 12a. and a receiving section 12b. The positioning receiving unit 12b is a receiver on the user side of a so-called satellite positioning system, and receives signals such as time information and satellite orbit information transmitted from four or more artificial satellites, and receives signals from a receiver on the ground. Calculate and determine location and time. As the satellite positioning system, a GPS system, quasi-zenith satellite system (GZSS), etc. can be used. GZSS consists of three positioning satellites in a quasi-zenith orbit, which passes almost at the zenith (directly above) of Japan, and one satellite in a geostationary orbit, and can be used in mountainous areas and high-rise buildings in urban areas in Japan. , is characterized by a wide range of locations and times when positioning can be performed. Additionally, GZSS is capable of centimeter-level positioning, compared to conventional GPS, which had an error of about 5m to 10m due to the transmission of reinforcement signals. Tracks in steelworks have narrowly spaced branch lines, and with GPS it was difficult to determine vehicle positions between adjacent branch lines, but with GZSS it is possible to accurately determine vehicle positions.

The position acquisition unit 13 acquires position information in a non-contact manner from a position identifier 30 installed on the dedicated track RL and storing position information of the installation location. The position acquisition unit 13 acquires position information by non-contact reading data stored in a memory using radio waves using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), and includes a reader/writer 13a and an RF antenna 13b. The RF antenna 13b is installed, for example, on the lower side of the power vehicle 2 at a position opposite to the installation position of the position identifier 30 when the power vehicle 2 is running. The reader/writer 13a and the RF antenna 13b transmit radio waves (electromagnetic waves) toward the dedicated track RL side when the vehicle is running. Then, when the RF antenna 13b is located on the position identifier 30, the position identifier 30 operates using radio waves (electromagnetic waves) as power, and the position identifier 30 transmits the stored position information to the RF antenna 13b as a radio wave. . The RF antenna 13b acquires the position information of the powered vehicle 2 from the position identifier 30 by receiving the position information from the position identifier 30.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the position identifier 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the position identifier 30 is installed, for example, on a sleeper W on the dedicated track RL, and includes a housing 31 and an IC tag 32 housed on the upper surface side of the housing 31. The casing 31 is made of, for example, a metal box with a heat-resistant board attached to the top surface, and is designed to prevent radiant heat from the towed vehicle 3 from exceeding the allowable heat-resistant temperature of the IC tag 32, and to prevent mechanical damage caused by flying objects, etc. This prevents damage from physical impact. The upper surface 31a of the casing 31 is sloped to prevent leaves, etc., from falling on the upper surface 31a from adhering to the upper surface 31a and interfering with reading position information.

As mentioned above, the IC tag 32 is a passive RFID tag that operates by converting external radio waves into electric power using, for example, electromagnetic induction, and is connected to the position acquisition unit 13 in a non-contact, short-distance manner. It is a small short-range wireless device that performs wireless communication. The IC tag 32 stores position information of the installation location of the position identifier 30. Note that even with a passive RFID tag, a communication distance of, for example, 3 to 5 meters can be ensured, so that communication can be reliably performed with the RF antenna 13b on the power vehicle 2 side.

At least one position identifier 30 may be installed along the dedicated orbit RL, but the position identifier 30 is installed in an area where it is difficult to receive positioning signals transmitted from artificial satellites. Specifically, examples include areas where there are obstacles such as buildings and piping racks, inside buildings, or inside tunnels. Then, even if the positioning section 12 cannot receive a positioning signal from an artificial satellite, the position acquisition section 13 can reliably acquire position information from the position identifier 30. Note that the position identifier 30 is not limited to being installed in an area where radio waves are interrupted, and a plurality of position identifiers 30 may be installed at predetermined intervals on all dedicated tracks RL. Moreover, the installation position of the position identifier 30 is not limited to the dedicated track RL, but may be installed along the dedicated track RL. In this case, the RF antenna 13b is installed at a position opposite to the installation position of the position identifier 30 when the power vehicle 2 is running, for example, on a side surface of the power vehicle 2.

Further, the on-vehicle device 10 includes a connection communication unit 14 that communicates with the towed vehicle 3 by transmitting and receiving microwaves, for example, and acquires vehicle body information of the towed vehicle 3. Similarly, a connection communication section 3a is installed on the towed vehicle 3 side as well, which transmits vehicle body information in the form of microwaves. Then, when the power vehicle 2 is coupled to the towed vehicle 3, the coupling communication section 14 acquires the vehicle body information of the towed vehicle 3 from the coupling communication section 3a on the towed vehicle 3 side.

The vehicle control unit 15 manages the operation of the power vehicle 2, and in particular controls the transmission of information necessary for operation management to the central control unit 50, and also controls the transmission of information necessary for operation management to the central control unit 50, and also transmits information from the central control unit 50 via the vehicle communication unit 11. Information necessary for driving the power vehicle 2 is acquired. In particular, the vehicle control unit 15 specifies the vehicle position of the power vehicle 2 based on the positioning position information and the position information. That is, when the positioning position information has been acquired by the positioning unit 12, the vehicle control unit 15 sets the positioning position information as the vehicle position of the power vehicle 2. If the positioning unit 12 is unable to acquire the positioning position information, the vehicle control unit 15 sets the position information acquired by the position acquisition unit 13 as the vehicle position of the power vehicle 2 . Thereby, the vehicle position of the power vehicle 2 can be reliably detected from any area on the dedicated track RL. Note that if both the position information measured by the position measurement unit 12 and the position information obtained by the position acquisition unit 13 have been acquired, for example, the reception level of both may be compared and the one with the higher reception level may be adopted as the vehicle position. good.

Further, when the towed vehicle 3 is coupled to the power vehicle 2, the vehicle control unit 15 transmits vehicle body information such as the body number of the towed vehicle 3 acquired by the connection communication unit 14 to the vehicle information of the power vehicle 2 and the towed vehicle 3. It is transmitted to the central control device 50 together with the vehicle position. Thereby, on the central control device 50 side, the vehicle body information and vehicle position of not only the power vehicle 2 but also the towed vehicle 3 can be grasped.

Furthermore, the operation management system 1 includes an information terminal 40 operated by a worker such as a driver. The information terminal 40 is, for example, a touch panel tablet terminal with a shoulder strap carried by a worker such as an operator. Although the information terminal 40 is carried by a worker in the example, it may be installed inside the power vehicle 2. The information terminal 40 performs information transmission with the on-board device 10 and the central control device 50, and sends and receives information necessary for operation management. Note that the information terminal 40 may be connected to the central control device 50 via the vehicle communication unit 11 of the on-board device 10, or may transmit information to the on-board device 10 and the central control device 50 on the network. You may also do this.

Although not shown, the information terminal 40 is communicably connected to a terminal display means for receiving and displaying operation information of the power vehicle 2 and an air traffic controller, and receives and displays operation instructions issued from the air traffic controller. , and a terminal communication means for inputting and transmitting messages from the operator to the air traffic controller. Then, the driver operates the power vehicle 2 that the driver is riding in accordance with the operation command received by the information terminal 40. The terminal display means displays, as operation management information, the positions of all operating power vehicles 2 and towed vehicles 3 in real time on a schematic diagram of the route map of the dedicated track RL from the blast furnace in the steelworks to the steelworks. The displayed tracking information etc. will be displayed. Thereby, the operator of the power vehicle 2 can confirm not only the position of his own vehicle but also the position and status of other vehicles in real time.

The operator of the power vehicle 2 confirms the operation command from the controller on the display on the terminal display means, and replies with an acknowledgment on the touch panel. Furthermore, the operator can input the details of the work to be performed on the touch panel before starting the work. Then, the work information is transmitted to the central controller 50, and the controller can grasp the work status of each operator via the central controller 50, in addition to communicating with the operators by voice wireless. become able to. Furthermore, if not only the train operator but also the track maintenance worker carries the information terminal 40, the track maintenance worker can use the information terminal 40 to check the operation status of vehicles in the track maintenance work section (vehicle entry prohibited section) and the vehicle operation section. This will lead to safer work. In addition, the track maintenance worker inputs the status of track maintenance work and failures such as railroad crossings into the information terminal 40, and this status is displayed on the terminal display means of the information terminal 40, so that the operating worker can safely operate the power vehicle 2. can be operated.

The central control unit 50 monitors the operation status of the power vehicles 2, etc. on the dedicated track RL, and manages and controls the operation, and is installed in a ground control room where a controller who issues operation commands is permanently stationed. . The central control device 50 includes a central communication section 51 that communicates with the on-board device 10 and the information terminal 40, a central input section 52 that includes, for example, a touch panel operation panel or a keyboard, and a central input section 52 that displays various information. A display unit 53, a monitoring device 54 that generates operation management information for managing the operation of the power vehicle 2, an interlocking device 55 that controls field devices 70 such as traffic lights via an instrument box 60, and the entire central control device 50. and a central control section 56 that controls the operation of the controller.

The central communication unit 51 includes a wireless antenna and transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle communication unit 11 of the on-vehicle device 10. In particular, the central communication unit 51 receives vehicle body information and vehicle positions of the power vehicle 2 and towed vehicle 3 transmitted from the vehicle communication unit 11. Further, the central communication unit 51 is communicably connected to the information terminal 40 and sends and receives operation management information and the work status of the driver and workers to and from the information terminal 40.

The central input section 52 receives inputs such as commands through operations by air traffic controllers, and the central display section 53 is a display that visualizes and displays information in characters and charts. The central display section 53 displays, for example, operation management information as well as details of work currently being performed by the driver, such as vehicle connection work, connection and disconnection work, and driving.

The monitoring device 54 displays, as operation management information, the positions of all power vehicles 2 and towed vehicles 3 on the dedicated track RL on a schematic diagram of the route map of the dedicated track RL laid from the blast furnace in the steelworks to the steel factory. Generates tracking information displayed in real time. At this time, the monitoring device 54 acquires the vehicle body information and vehicle position of the power vehicle 2 and the like acquired by the central communication unit 51. The monitoring device 54 then generates tracking information by displaying the vehicle position of each vehicle on a pre-stored route map. The tracking information generated by the monitoring device 54 is displayed on the central display section 53, and is also transmitted to the on-vehicle device 10 and the information terminal 40 via the central communication section 51 and displayed thereon.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a preferred embodiment of the traffic management method of the present invention, and the traffic management method will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In addition, in FIG. 3, a case is illustrated in which the vehicle position of the power vehicle 2 is acquired and tracking information is generated using the acquired vehicle position. First, in the on-vehicle device 10, positioning position information is acquired by receiving a positioning signal from the artificial satellite GS, and when the power vehicle 2 runs on the position identifier 30, the position information is acquired from the position identifier 30. (step ST1). In the vehicle control unit 15, the vehicle position of the power vehicle 2 is specified based on the positioning position information and the position information (step ST2). When a positioning signal is received from the artificial satellite GS, the positioning position information is specified as the vehicle position. On the other hand, if the positioning signal cannot be received from the artificial satellite due to an obstruction or the like, the position information acquired from the position identifier 30 is specified as the vehicle position of the power vehicle 2. In addition, when both the positioning position information and the position information about the same position are acquired at the same time, the position information is specified as the vehicle position.

Vehicle body information and vehicle positions of the power vehicle 2 and the towed vehicle 3 coupled thereto are transmitted from the on-vehicle device 10 to the central control device 50 (step ST3). Then, the monitoring device 54 of the central control device 50 generates operation management information (tracking information) in which vehicle positions such as the power vehicle 2 and vehicle information are displayed on the route map (step ST4). The operation management information is transmitted from the central communication department 51 to the information terminal 40 (step ST5), and the operation management information is displayed on the information terminal 40 (step ST6).

According to the embodiment described above, the vehicle position of the vehicle is specified based on both the positioning position information acquired based on the positioning signal from the artificial satellite and the position information acquired non-contactly from the position identifier 30. Therefore, since the position is detected without using a loop coil connected by wire along the dedicated track RL as in the past, the position cannot be detected due to disconnection due to flying objects etc. when transporting hot metal. It is possible to prevent a situation in which it is not possible to do so. In particular, by acquiring position information not only from positioning by artificial satellites but also from the position identifier 30, the vehicle position of the vehicle can be reliably specified even in areas where positioning is impossible due to the presence of obstructing objects. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in operational efficiency due to not knowing the location of the vehicle.

As an example, the effect of the present invention will be verified based on the rotation rate of the hot metal holding container 3 within a certain period in which there are 10 powered vehicles 2 on the dedicated track RL and 45 towed vehicles 3 are in operation. Note that the rotation rate of the hot metal holding vessels 3 is defined as (total number of hot metal holding vessels 3 that received pig iron in the blast furnace in one day)/(number of hot metal holding vessels 3 that were in operation on the same day). Then, the hot metal holding container 3 transports the hot metal tapped from each of the three blast furnaces to one of two steel factories, discharges the hot metal at the steel factory, and then returns it to the blast furnace. Note that slag removal equipment, hot metal pretreatment equipment, slag removal equipment, and metering equipment are arranged between the blast furnace and the steelmaking factory. The power vehicle 2 travels through any or all of the above-mentioned facilities while towing the hot metal holding container 3 in accordance with the operation command.

If the positions of the power vehicle 2 and the hot metal holding container 3 are detected only using position information determined by a guide line or an artificial satellite as in the past, there will be sections where position information cannot be detected. In this case, the controller must wirelessly contact the driver to inquire about where the vehicle is currently traveling, and manually input the obtained position information into the central controller 50. In other words, a certain amount of time is required to confirm the location information. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the on-vehicle device 10 acquires both the measured position information and the position information, thereby eliminating the need for the above-described position information confirmation work. As a result, the rotation rate of the hot metal holding container 3 can be improved by 0.1 point from 1.9 to 2.0.

Further, when the traffic management system 1 includes the information terminal 40, information can be transmitted and received between the controller on the central control device 50 side and the driver on the power vehicle 2 side via the information terminal 40. This eliminates the need to transmit instructions from air traffic control personnel in the ground control room to the operators of power vehicles via voice radio, as was the case in the past, and eliminates the problem of transmitting commands such as difficulty in hearing radio voices. Ru.

For example, consider a case in which a "No. 1 torpedo car" that has received pig iron in a blast furnace is moved from point A in a blast furnace casthouse and is to be delivered to point B in a steelmaking factory. The two power vehicles 2 that can tow the "No. 1 Torpedo Car" are the "A No. Diesel Vehicle" located in the iron making area near Point A and the "B No. Diesel Vehicle" located in the steel manufacturing area near B Point. Suppose there is. Conventionally, the controller in the ground control room would first try to convey the above-mentioned command to the operator "A" of "A diesel vehicle" by voice radio. However, if they are unable to contact operator "A" for reasons such as not being able to hear the voice of the radio contact, not knowing that there was a call, or being unable to respond due to work, the controller will issue a message saying, "Diesel B." The operator of the vehicle ``B'' is contacted and the operation command that was scheduled to be given to the ``A diesel car'' is made to be an instruction to the ``B diesel car.'' As a result, while the "No. A diesel car" would have been able to operate efficiently, the hot metal operation cycle may be delayed due to the "B diesel car" being used. On the other hand, when the information terminal 40 is used, even when the noise around the power vehicle 2 is large, information can be exchanged reliably between the controller and the driver.

In this way, commands and responses are performed through the screens of the central controller 50 and the information terminal 40, allowing the flight operator to check and respond to the command at a time when the response is possible, and the controller to respond to the flight operator's instructions. After checking the work status, you can send commands at a time when a response is possible. In other words, it becomes easy to transmit commands from the controller in the ground control room to the train operator and the like, and to respond to the commands, thereby making it possible to optimally operate the railway vehicle, especially the power vehicle 2.

In particular, by inputting the work details of the driver, etc. into the information terminal 40, the controller can simply confirm that the "A diesel vehicle" is near point X by checking the display on the central control device 50. Therefore, it is possible to grasp the working status of operator "A". If the controller determines that operator "A" is in a state where he or she is likely to be able to receive commands, or is performing work that will allow him to receive commands if he waits a few minutes, the controller may, through input to the central controller 50, Issue the above command to operator "A". As a result, a delay in the operation cycle of hot metal caused by issuing a command to another vehicle, which should originally have been dispatched to the "No. 1 Torpedo car" by the "A diesel vehicle", can be avoided. Furthermore, even though “Diesel Vehicle A” is near point , the operator of the "B diesel car" may be contacted, and the driver may decide that it would be faster to use the "B diesel car" to tow the "No. 1 Torpedo car" and dispatch the vehicle. In this case, the controller will issue the above command to the operator "B" of the "B diesel vehicle" through input to the central control device 50. As a result, hot metal can be sent to the steel factory by the "B diesel car" without waiting until operator "A" finishes his work.

Note that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made. For example, in the embodiment described above, a case is exemplified in which the on-vehicle device 10 acquires positioning position information from an artificial satellite and acquires position information from the position identifier 30. It may also have a complementary function. For example, a speedometer or an acceleration sensor is installed in the power vehicle 2, and the moving distance is calculated from the running direction and the running speed, and the current position information is estimated based on the positioning position information or position information acquired immediately before. , etc. may be corrected for autonomous driving. This prevents the central control device 50 from recognizing the positions of the power vehicle 2 and the hot metal holding container 3 in a state where they are significantly shifted even if the positioning position information and the position information cannot be grasped temporarily. be able to. Further, in the above embodiment, the case where tracking information is generated as the operation management information is exemplified, but when the central control device 50 automatically operates the power vehicle 2, the tracking information necessary for automatic operation is generated as the operation management information. A control signal may also be transmitted.

1 Operation management system 2 Power vehicle 3 Towed vehicle (hot metal holding container)
3a Connection communication unit 10 On-vehicle device 11 Vehicle communication unit 11a Wireless antenna 11b Wireless vehicle communication unit 12 Positioning unit 12a Satellite antenna 12b Positioning reception unit 13 Position acquisition unit 13a Reader/writer 13b RF antenna 14 Connection communication unit 15 Vehicle control unit 30 Position identifier 31 Housing 31a Top surface 32 IC tag 40 Information terminal 50 Central control unit 51 Central communication unit 52 Central input unit 53 Central display unit 54 Monitoring device 55 Interlocking device 56 Central control unit 60 Instrument box 70 Field device GS Artificial satellite RL Dedicated track W sleepers

Claims (14)

A railway vehicle operation management method for communicating between an onboard device installed in a power vehicle running on a dedicated track and a central control device, and managing the operation of the power vehicle by the central control device, the method comprising:
The positioning information of the power vehicle is acquired based on radio signals transmitted from the artificial satellite, and the position identification is performed when the vehicle runs on a position identifier that is installed in the dedicated orbit and stores position information. a step of acquiring location information from the device without contact;
a step of specifying the vehicle position on the dedicated track based on the positioning position information and the position information;
transmitting body information of the power vehicle together with the vehicle position of the specified power vehicle to the central control device;
a step of generating operation management information for use in managing the operation of the power vehicle in the central control device based on the transmitted vehicle position and the vehicle body information;
has
The position identifier is installed in an area within a steelworks where it is difficult to receive the radio signal ,
The operation management method for a railway vehicle , wherein the upper surface of the position identifier is inclined, and a heat-resistant board is provided on the upper surface of the position identifier . transmitting the operation management information to an information terminal that performs information transmission with the central control device;
Displaying the transmitted operation management information on the information terminal;
The railway vehicle operation management method according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The railway vehicle operation management method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of inputting the details of the worker's work into the information terminal and transmitting the information to the central control device. 4. The railway vehicle operation management method according to claim 3, wherein the information terminal is a portable information terminal carried by a worker. The operation management of a railway vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the operation management information is tracking information that displays the vehicle position and the body information of the power vehicle on a schematic diagram of the dedicated track. Method. The power vehicle is one that travels on the dedicated track while towing a towed vehicle,
When the towed vehicle is coupled to the power vehicle, the vehicle body information of the towed vehicle is acquired, and the body information of the towed vehicle is transmitted to the central control device along with the vehicle position and body of the power vehicle. The method for managing the operation of a railway vehicle according to any one of Items 1 to 5. The operation management method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the power vehicle tows a hot metal holding container that stores hot metal. An operation management system comprising an on-board device installed on a powered vehicle running on a dedicated track, and a central management device that communicates with the on-board device and manages the operation of the powered vehicle. ,
The on-board device is
a positioning unit that acquires positioning information of the power vehicle based on radio signals transmitted from an artificial satellite;
a position acquisition unit that acquires position information from the position identifier in a non-contact manner when the vehicle travels on the position identifier installed on the dedicated track and stores position information;
a vehicle management unit that identifies a vehicle position on the dedicated track based on the positioning position information and the position information;
a vehicle communication unit that transmits vehicle body information of the power vehicle together with the vehicle position of the specified power vehicle to the central control device;
has
The central control device includes a monitoring device that generates operation management information for managing the operation of the power vehicle based on the vehicle position and the vehicle body information,
The position identifier is installed in an area within a steelworks where it is difficult to receive the radio signal ,
An operation management system for a railway vehicle , wherein the upper surface of the position identifier is inclined, and a heat-resistant board is provided on the upper surface of the position identifier . further comprising an information terminal that transmits information to and from the central control device;
The railway vehicle operation management system according to claim 8, wherein the central control device transmits the operation management information to the information terminal, and the information terminal displays the received operation management information. 10. The railway vehicle operation management system according to claim 9, wherein the information terminal has a function of inputting the contents of the worker's work and transmitting the input information to the central control device. The railway vehicle operation management system according to claim 10, wherein the information terminal is a portable information terminal carried by a worker. The operation management of a railway vehicle according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the operation management information is tracking information in which the vehicle position and the body information of the power vehicle are displayed on a schematic diagram of the dedicated track. system. The power vehicle is one that travels on the dedicated track while towing a towed vehicle,
When the towed vehicle is coupled to the power vehicle, the vehicle body information of the towed vehicle is acquired, and the body information of the towed vehicle is transmitted to the central control device along with the vehicle position and body of the power vehicle. The railway vehicle operation management system according to any one of items 8 to 12. The operation management system according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the power vehicle tows a hot metal holding container that stores hot metal.

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