JP7436232B2 - Level crossing information transmitter - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a level crossing information transmitting device that acquires information from a level crossing warning device or a barrier installed at a level crossing and transmits the information to the outside.

Level crossings where railways and roads intersect at level are usually equipped with level crossing alarms, gates, etc. Workers regularly go to the site and perform inspection work on such level crossing alarms and gates to check whether they are operating normally or not.

Therefore, in the past, there was a problem in that inspection was performed manually, which was very time-consuming. Therefore, Patent Document 1 describes a level crossing condition monitoring device that is capable of collecting information regarding a level crossing from a plurality of devices for monitoring the level crossing condition and transmitting the collected information to a monitoring center, etc. .

JP2018-69811A

The level crossing condition monitoring device described in Patent Document 1 outputs information collected based on instructions from a monitoring center or the like. Therefore, for example, when information indicating an abnormality is collected, it is difficult to notify immediately, and it is not possible to respond flexibly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a level crossing information transmitting device that can acquire information on level crossing alarms and gates installed at level crossings and transmit the information at appropriate timing.

The invention has been made to solve the above problems, and includes: an alarm information acquisition unit that acquires alarm information within the operating period of a railroad crossing alarm installed at a level crossing; a circuit breaker information acquisition section that acquires circuit breaker information; first information based on the alarm information acquired by the alarm information acquisition section; and second information based on the circuit breaker information acquired by the circuit breaker information acquisition section. a transmission section that transmits at least one of the information to the outside; and a transmission control section that controls transmission determination of the first information and the second information in the transmission section; The operating period of the level crossing alarm and the operating period of the barrier are determined based on a level crossing operation signal indicating the start of sounding of the alarm and a level crossing operation signal indicating the end of sounding, and the alarm information is determined during the operating period. and the barrier information is acquired, and the operating period of the railroad crossing alarm and the operating period of the barrier are such that the railroad crossing alarm starts sounding after a railroad crossing operation signal indicating the start of sounding is input from the railroad crossing alarm. It is characterized in that it is a period until a level crossing operation signal indicating completion is inputted from the level crossing warning device .

The transmission control unit may further include a storage unit that stores the first information and the second information, and the transmission control unit periodically stores at least one of the first information and the second information stored in the storage unit. It is preferable that the transmission section transmits the information.

Further, the transmission control unit determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the level crossing alarm based on the alarm information, determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the crossing gate based on the crossing gate information, and transmits the results of these determinations. If there is an abnormality, the first information based on the alarm information with the abnormality or the second information based on the barrier information with the abnormality is transmitted to the transmitter immediately after the operation of the level crossing is completed. It is preferable that the feature is as follows.

Further, it is preferable that the transmission control unit determines the operation status of the railroad crossing based on a railroad crossing control signal input from the outside, and controls the transmission determination of the first information and the second information. .

Further, the alarm information includes at least one of a current value outputted by a warning light sensor provided in the level crossing alarm, and a sound pressure value outputted by an alarm sound sensor provided in the level crossing alarm. It is preferable that the feature is as follows.

Further, the circuit breaker information includes a current value outputted by a current sensor provided on the circuit breaker, a voltage value acquired from the circuit breaker, and a slope value of the barrier rod outputted by a tilt sensor installed in the circuit breaker. It is preferable to include at least one of these.

According to the present invention, since the transmission determination control is performed by the transmission control unit, the level crossing information transmitting device can actively transmit information on the level crossing alarms and barriers installed at the level crossing at appropriate timing. .

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a system including a level crossing information transmitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the level crossing information transmitting device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a periodic transmission operation of the level crossing information transmitting device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the level crossing information transmitting device shown in FIG. 2 when acquiring information.

A level crossing information transmitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a system 100 including a level crossing information transmitting device 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 includes a level crossing information transmitting device 1, a warning light sensor 2, a circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3, a wireless module 4, an alarm sound sensor 5, and a circuit breaker tilt sensor 6. , a power source 7 , a contact input section 8 , a wireless module 9 , and current sensors 10 and 11 .

The level crossing information transmitting device 1 acquires information collected by the warning light sensor 2, the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3, the alarm sound sensor 5, and the circuit breaker tilt sensor 6, and transmits the information to the monitoring center 50 via the wireless module 9. .

As shown in FIG. 2, the level crossing information transmitting device 1 includes a logic section 1a, a network section 1b, a relay I/F section 1c, a wireless transmission section 1d, an RS485 transmission section 1e, and an RS232C transmission section 1f. , and a power supply circuit 1g.

The logic unit 1a controls the transmission timing of each piece of acquired information and determines whether there is an abnormality based on each piece of information. These controls and determinations constitute transmission determination control in this embodiment. Furthermore, the logic unit 1a includes a storage unit 1a1 such as a memory for storing each piece of acquired information until the transmission timing. Details of the operation of the logic section 1a will be described later. The logic unit 1a may be configured with a microprocessor having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the like, or may be configured with hardware such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

The network unit 1b outputs the information output from the logic unit 1a to the wireless module 9. In this embodiment, the network unit 1b and the wireless module 9 are connected, for example, by Ethernet (registered trademark), but other communication standards may be used.

The relay I/F unit 1c receives a level crossing operation signal from the contact input unit 8 indicating the sounding state of the level crossing alarm, the opening/closing state of the barrier, etc., and controls the acquisition and transmission of various information described below and the internal clock. This is an interface (I/F) used for time correction, etc.

The wireless transmission unit 1d transmits the sound pressure information of the alarm sound transmitted from the alarm sound sensor 5 via the wireless module 4 (hereinafter referred to as "alarm sound pressure information") and the circuit breaker interruption transmitted from the circuit breaker tilt sensor 6. Obtain rod slope value information (hereinafter referred to as cutoff rod slope value information) and output it to the logic section 1a.

The RS485 transmission section 1e acquires information input from the warning light sensor 2 and outputs it to the logic section 1a. In this embodiment, communication is performed between the level crossing information transmitting device 1 and the warning light sensor 2, and between the warning light sensor 2 and the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3 according to the RS485 standard.

As is well known, RS485 can configure a daisy chain network, so even devices other than those directly connected to the level crossing information transmitting device 1 can transmit data (information) from devices that configure the daisy chain network. can be obtained. In other words, the RS485 transmission unit 1e not only transmits the warning light current information (hereinafter referred to as warning light current information) acquired by the directly connected warning light sensor 2, but also the interrupt information acquired by the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3. Machine current information (hereinafter referred to as breaker current information) and circuit breaker voltage information (hereinafter referred to as breaker voltage information) are also input.

Further, by forming a daisy chain network, it becomes easy to connect a plurality of warning light sensors 2 and circuit breaker current/voltage sensors 3. Note that instead of the daisy chain network as in this embodiment, the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3 may be directly connected to the level crossing information transmitting device 1, and in that case, a communication standard other than RS485 may be adopted. good.

A PC 30 for maintenance is connected to the RS232C transmission unit 1f. The PC 30 is a general personal computer, and can, for example, change the determination conditions in the logic section 1a. Furthermore, the PC 30 stores warning sound pressure information, cutoff rod inclination value information, and warning light current information acquired by the level crossing information transmitting device 1 and stored in the storage unit 1a1 as necessary, such as during maintenance work performed by a worker on site. , breaker current information, breaker voltage information, etc. can also be read out. In this embodiment, communication with the PC 30 is performed using the RS232C standard, but other communication standards may be used.

The power supply circuit 1g converts the power supplied from the power supply unit 7 into voltages and the like required by each of the above-mentioned blocks and supplies the converted power.

As explained above, the alarm light current information and the alarm sound pressure information are the alarm information in this embodiment, and the wireless transmission section 1d and the RS485 transmission section 1e function as the alarm information acquisition section. Further, the circuit breaker current information, the circuit breaker voltage information, and the circuit breaker inclination value information are the circuit breaker information in this embodiment, and the wireless transmission section 1d and the RS485 transmission section 1e function as a circuit breaker information acquisition section. Further, the network section 1b functions as a transmitting section. Further, the logic section 1a functions as a transmission control section.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. The warning light sensor 2 acquires the detection result (current value) of the current sensor 10 that detects the current flowing through the warning light of the level crossing alarm installed at the level crossing, and outputs it to the level crossing information transmitting device 1 as warning light current information. do. In FIG. 1, only one current sensor 10 is connected to the warning light sensor 2, but a plurality of current sensors 10 may be connected. By allowing multiple connections, one warning light sensor 2 can obtain current values of multiple warning lights.

The circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3 acquires the detection result (current value) of the current sensor 11 that detects the current flowing through the drive part of the circuit breaker of the circuit breaker installed at the level crossing, and provides the level crossing information as the circuit breaker current information. Output to transmitting device 1. Further, the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3 acquires the voltage value of the drive section of the circuit breaker's barrier rod, and outputs it to the level crossing information transmitting device 1 as circuit breaker voltage information. In addition, although only one current sensor 11 is connected to the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3 in FIG. 1, a plurality of current sensors 11 may be connected. By allowing multiple connections, one breaker current/voltage sensor 3 can obtain current values of multiple drive units. Similarly, a plurality of voltage values may be obtained.

The wireless module 4 receives the warning sound pressure information of the level crossing alarm acquired by the warning sound sensor 5 and the barrier inclination value information acquired by the barrier inclination sensor 6, and outputs the information to the level crossing information transmitting device 1. In the present embodiment, the wireless module 4 is connected to the alarm sound sensor 5 and the circuit breaker tilt sensor 6 by wireless communication based on the Zigbee (registered trademark) standard. Note that standards other than Zigbee (registered trademark) may be used, and wired communication may be used instead of wireless communication.

The warning sound sensor 5 is installed near the speaker of the level crossing warning device, and detects the sound pressure of the warning sound emitted from the speaker. The detected sound pressure is transmitted to the wireless module 4 by wireless communication as alarm sound pressure information.

The circuit breaker tilt sensor 6 is installed in the circuit breaker and detects the tilt of the circuit breaker. The detected inclination is transmitted to the wireless module 4 by wireless communication as cutoff rod inclination value information.

The power source 7 receives power from an external source such as a commercial power source, and supplies each of the level crossing information transmitting device 1 , the warning light sensor 2 , the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3 , the wireless module 4 , the contact input section 8 , and the wireless module 9 . Supplies power to the block.

The contact input unit 8 receives a level crossing operation signal from a level crossing alarm indicating a ringing state, an open/closed state of a barrier, and the like.

The wireless module 9 transmits the information outputted to be transmitted by the level crossing information transmitting device 1 to the monitoring center 50 via the network N. In this embodiment, wireless communication is performed between the wireless module 9 and the network N. As a wireless communication standard, LoRa (Long Range), which is a type of LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), can be used. Of course, other wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) may also be used. Alternatively, wired communication may be used. Further, although the network N is preferably a dedicated line due to the nature of the information to be transmitted, it may be a public line such as a VPN (Virtual Private Network) as long as security can be ensured.

The above-mentioned level crossing information transmitting device 1, warning light sensor 2, circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3, wireless module 4, power supply 7, contact input section 8, and wireless module 9 are used for the level crossing warning system. It is installed in an instrument box 20 provided nearby.

Next, the operation of the level crossing information transmitting device 1 having the above-described configuration will be explained with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a flowchart when the level crossing information transmitting device 1 periodically transmits the acquired information.

First, the logic unit 1a of the level crossing information transmitting device 1 determines whether it is time to transmit information (step S11). That is, in step S11, a transmission determination is made. Step S11 determines the timing for periodically transmitting the warning light current information, circuit breaker current information, circuit breaker voltage information, alarm sound pressure information, and barrier rod inclination value information acquired by the level crossing information transmitting device 1. ing. The logic unit 1a has a clock function such as an RTC, and may determine whether or not a predetermined transmission timing has arrived. Further, the time to be used as the transmission timing may be determined as appropriate, such as midnight, for example. Of course, it is not limited to once a day, but may be multiple times, or may be once every few days. Furthermore, in addition to transmitting each piece of information at predetermined time intervals as described above, it may also be possible to transmit each information every time the railroad crossing operation is completed. It is possible to set in the logic unit 1a whether the information is to be transmitted at fixed intervals or every time the railroad crossing operation is completed.

Further, in step S11, all information is determined at the same timing, but the timing may be determined individually for each piece of information mentioned above. That is, in step S11, the logic unit 1a performs determination control to transmit at least one of the alarm information and the circuit breaker information.

If it is determined that it is the transmission timing as a result of the determination in step S11 (step S11; YES), the logic unit 1a outputs the information accumulated in the storage unit 1a1 to the network unit 1b and causes the network unit 1b to transmit it (step S12). . On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not the transmission timing as a result of the determination in step S11 (step S11; NO), the logic unit 1a repeatedly determines step S11 until the transmission timing.

Here, in the explanation of the flowchart mentioned above, each piece of information acquired by the level crossing information transmitting device 1 is transmitted as is. Therefore, the alarm information becomes the first information, and the circuit breaker information becomes the second information. Further, for example, representative values such as the maximum value, minimum value, or average value of each piece of information in one movement of a railroad crossing may be transmitted. In that case, the alarm information and the first information may be different, and the circuit breaker information and the second information may be different.

Up to this point, we have described the procedure for voluntarily (actively) transmitting information, but in addition to this function, the level crossing information transmitting device 1 It is also possible to send each piece of information acquired by. It may be information within a predetermined time/period, or it is also possible to read only information such as maximum value, minimum value, and average value. These can also be arbitrarily set by setting conditions for the logic section 1a.

Next, the operation when information is acquired from each sensor of the warning light sensor 2, the circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 3, the alarm sound sensor 5, and the circuit breaker tilt sensor 6 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the logic unit 1a determines whether any of the warning light current information, circuit breaker current information, circuit breaker voltage information, alarm sound pressure information, and circuit breaker inclination value information acquired from each sensor has been acquired (received). (Step S21).

In this embodiment, the operation status is determined based on the level crossing operation signal acquired by the relay I/F section 1c via the contact input section 8. For example, a period from when a level crossing operation signal indicating the start of sounding of a level crossing alarm is input until a level crossing operation signal indicating the end of sounding is input is determined to be the information acquisition period, and the above acquisition determination is performed during that period. Alternatively, the period from when the level crossing operation signal indicating that the barrier has started to close is input until the level crossing operation signal indicating that the barrier has opened is input is determined to be the information acquisition period, and the above acquisition determination is performed during that period. You can do it like this. Further, the threshold value for abnormality determination may be changed based on the level crossing operation signal. For example, if the sound volume of a railroad crossing alarm changes over time, the threshold value may be changed in accordance with the change.

If it is determined that the information has not been acquired as a result of the determination in step S21 (step S21; NO), the logic unit 1a repeats step S21 until the information is acquired. On the other hand, if it is determined that the information has been acquired as a result of the determination in step S21 (step S21; YES), it is determined whether the acquired information is an abnormal value (step S22). The determination in step S22 may be made, for example, by comparing with a predetermined threshold value. For example, if the current value indicated by the warning light current information acquired by the warning light sensor 2 is less than the threshold value, an abnormality in which the warning light is turned off is suspected. The above-mentioned predetermined threshold value is appropriately set for each piece of information.

Here, the abnormality in this embodiment is not limited to a failure. For example, it may be a device that requires inspection by a worker, such as a device that has not yet reached a failure but is likely to deteriorate in the near future due to progressing deterioration. Further, abnormalities in operation that are not related to the content of information, such as failure to obtain information to be obtained (not transmitted from the sensor) after receiving the above-mentioned level crossing operation signal to start sounding, may also be included in the abnormalities in this embodiment. good.

Next, the logic unit 1a stores the acquired information in the storage unit 1a1 (step S23). Note that when transmitting the representative value as the first information or the second information, the representative value is accumulated in the accumulation section 1a1. Immediately after the railroad crossing operation is completed, the first information or the second information acquired in step S21 is outputted to the network unit 1b for transmission (step S24), and the process returns to step S21. Furthermore, in step S24, the first information or the second information includes the determination result of step S22, that is, information indicating whether the acquired information is abnormal. By doing so, it is possible to transmit not only information on the presence of an abnormality but also information on the absence of an abnormality, so information can be transmitted not only when an abnormality is detected but also when an abnormality is recovered.

Further, in the above-described flowchart, in step S22, when an abnormality is detected, it may be determined whether it is the first time or a frequent occurrence, or recovery from the abnormality may also be determined. Then, these determination results may be included in the information transmitted in step S24.

According to the present embodiment, in the level crossing information transmitting device 1, the RS485 transmitting unit 1e acquires the warning light current information of the level crossing alarm, the circuit breaker current information, and the circuit breaker voltage information, and the wireless transmitting unit 1d acquires the warning light current information of the level crossing alarm. Obtain the alarm sound pressure information of the alarm device and the barrier inclination value information of the circuit breaker. Then, the logic unit 1a uses the warning light current information, the circuit breaker current information, the circuit breaker voltage information, the alarm sound pressure information, and the circuit breaker inclination value information as first information and second information, and the network unit 1b. Controls the timing of transmission.

By configuring the level crossing information transmitting device 1 as described above, the transmission timing is controlled by the logic unit 1a, so that information on the level crossing alarms and barriers installed at the level crossing is actively transmitted at appropriate timing. be able to. Further, according to the level crossing information transmitting device 1, even if a failure does not occur, by analyzing data in time series and grasping trends, it is possible to know the signs of failure, which can lead to prediction and prevention of failure. In particular, at level crossings where railways and roads intersect, failure of equipment such as level crossing alarms and crossing gates can lead to serious accidents, so this information can also be used to plan the maintenance of level crossing equipment.

In addition, warning light current information, circuit breaker current information, circuit breaker voltage information, alarm sound pressure information, and circuit breaker slope value information are stored in the storage section 1a1, and the logic section 1a periodically updates the information stored in the storage section 1a1. The data is sent to the network section 1b. By doing so, it becomes possible to periodically transmit information regarding the operation of the level crossing alarm and the barrier, and no operation from the monitoring center 50 is required.

The logic unit 1a also determines whether there is an abnormality in the level crossing alarm or the circuit breaker based on the warning light current information, the circuit breaker current information, the circuit breaker voltage information, the alarm sound pressure information, and the circuit breaker inclination value information. If there is an abnormality as a result, information about the abnormality is sent to the network unit 1b immediately after the level crossing operation is completed. By doing so, the level crossing information transmitting device 1 side determines whether there is an abnormality such as failure or deterioration of the level crossing alarm or barrier from the acquired information, and promptly notifies that it has been determined to be abnormal. becomes possible.

In addition, the logic unit 1a determines the operation status of the level crossing based on the level crossing control signal and controls the transmission determination of the first information and the second information, so for example, it acquires each piece of information from the start to the end of the sound. It becomes easy to control the timing, such as transmitting the acquired information at the end of the ringing.

Furthermore, by acquiring the warning light current information by the level crossing information transmitting device 1, it is possible to detect an abnormality such as a burnout of a warning light. By acquiring the circuit breaker current information and the circuit breaker voltage information, the level crossing information transmitting device 1 can detect an abnormality in the motor that drives the circuit breaker or the like. By acquiring the warning sound pressure information, the level crossing information transmitting device 1 can detect an abnormality in a speaker or the like that emits the warning sound. The level crossing information transmitting device 1 can detect an abnormality in the operating state of the crossing rod by acquiring the crossing rod inclination value information.

In the embodiment described above, the presence or absence of an abnormality is determined for each piece of information, but the presence or absence of an abnormality may be determined by combining a plurality of pieces of information. For example, the presence or absence of an abnormality in the circuit breaker may be determined by combining circuit breaker current information, circuit breaker voltage information, and circuit breaker inclination value information. Alternatively, if two level crossing warning devices are installed at the same level crossing, abnormality may be determined by comparing information acquired from the respective sensors.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. That is, those skilled in the art can implement various modifications based on conventionally known knowledge without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course, such modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as long as they still have the configuration of the level crossing information transmitting device of the present invention.

1 Level crossing information transmitting device 1a Logic section (transmission control section)
1b Network section (transmission section)
1d Wireless transmission section (alarm information acquisition section, circuit breaker information acquisition section)
1e RS485 transmission section (alarm information acquisition section, circuit breaker information acquisition section)
2 Warning light sensor 3 Circuit breaker current/voltage sensor 4 Wireless module 5 Alarm sound sensor 6 Circuit breaker tilt sensor 9 Wireless module 10 Current sensor 11 Current sensor

Claims (5)

a warning device information acquisition unit that acquires warning device information within an operating period of a level crossing warning device installed at a level crossing;
a barrier information acquisition unit that acquires barrier information within an operating period of a barrier provided at the level crossing;
a transmitter that transmits to the outside at least one of first information based on the alarm information acquired by the alarm information acquisition unit and second information based on the circuit breaker information acquired by the circuit breaker information acquisition unit; ,
a transmission control unit that controls transmission determination of the first information and the second information in the transmission unit,
The transmission control unit determines the operating period of the level crossing alarm and the operating period of the barrier based on a level crossing operation signal indicating the start of sounding of the level crossing alarm and a level crossing operation signal indicating the end of sounding, acquiring the alarm information and the circuit breaker information during the operation period;
The operating period of the level crossing alarm and the operating period of the barrier are from when a level crossing operation signal indicating the start of sounding of the level crossing alarm is input from the level crossing alarm to when a level crossing operation signal indicating the end of sounding is input from the level crossing alarm. This is the period from the alarm to the input.
A railroad crossing information transmitting device characterized by: further comprising a storage unit that stores the first information and the second information,
The railroad crossing information according to claim 1, wherein the transmission control section causes the transmission section to periodically transmit at least one of the first information and the second information stored in the storage section. Transmitting device. The transmission control unit determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the level crossing alarm based on the alarm information, determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the crossing gate based on the crossing gate information, and determines whether there is an abnormality as a result of these determinations. If there is, the first information based on the abnormality alarm information or the second information based on the abnormality barrier information may be caused to be transmitted to the transmitter immediately after the operation of the level crossing is completed. A railroad crossing information transmitting device according to claim 1 or 2. The alarm information includes at least one of a current value outputted by a current sensor provided in the level crossing alarm, and a sound pressure value outputted by an alarm sound sensor provided in the level crossing alarm. The railroad crossing information transmitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The circuit breaker information includes a current value outputted by a current sensor provided on the circuit breaker, a voltage value acquired from the circuit breaker, and a slope value of the barrier rod outputted by a tilt sensor installed in the circuit breaker. The railroad crossing information transmitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that the device includes at least one.

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