Automatic train operation system and brake control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10023162-B2
Application number	US-201515507873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

There is provided an automatic train operation system which can stop a train precisely at a stop target position without worsening ride quality even with the control system being a discrete system. The automatic train operation system comprises a relative distance measuring device to acquire information about a relative distance of the train relative to a stop position of a station to output average distance information that is the average of relative distances and a brake control device. The brake control device includes a sensor information holding unit to hold speed information and position information detected by sensors to output; a correction amount computing unit to compute a specifying value correction amount to output; and an instruction planning unit to compute a deceleration specifying value based on the specifying value correction amount and sensor information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic train operation system comprising:
relative distance measuring circuitry configured to acquire information about a relative distance between a train and a stop target position at a time when the train is stopped to output average distance information that is an average of the information about the relative distances obtained by stops of the train in a plurality of times of operations; and
brake control
circuitry configured:
to hold and output speed information and position information detected by sensors;
to automatically compute a specifying value for correcting a deceleration from the speed information, the position information, and the average distance information to output the specifying; value, the specifying value being used after next time of stopping the train; and
to generate a brake specifying value based on the speed information, the position information, and the specifying value for correcting the deceleration, so as to output the brake specifying value to a brake.

2. An automatic train operation system for a train comprising:
relative distance measuring circuitry configured to acquire information about a relative distance between a train and a stop target position at a time when the train is stopped to output stop distance information; and
brake control circuitry to output a brake specifying value to a brake,
the brake control circuitry configured:
to output route information stored therein;
to estimate a population mean of the stop distance information from a. plurality of stop distance information that are acquired at a plurality of times of the stops of the train and are outputted by the relative distance measuring circuitry, so as to output average distance information;
to hold speed information and position information detected by sensors to output;
to estimate and output the current speed and current position of the train from the speed information and the position information and to output corrected sensor information that is information about position and speed in the future, estimated taking into account a response delay from issuing a specifying value to responding;
to automatically compute a specifying value for correcting a deceleration from the route information, the average distance information, the current speed, and the current position to output the specifying value correction amount, the specifying value being used after next time of stopping the train;
to estimate brake characteristics from the current speed and the current position to output the brake characteristics;
to hold the brake characteristics and to output target deceleration corresponding to a notch specifying value based on a deceleration model for each notch;
to generate a brake specifying value from the corrected sensor information, the target deceleration, and the specifying value for correcting the deceleration, so as to output the brake specifying value; and
to store history information of the brake specifying values, the route information, and the corrected sensor information.

3. The automatic train operation system according to claim 2 , the circuitry further configured:
to elaborate a model for deceleration attributed to train resistance using the brake specifying values, the speed information, and the position information that is stored in chronological order.

4. The automatic train operation system according to claim 2 , wherein the relative distance measuring circuitry is placed in a station on a ground side, and the average distance information outputted by the relative distance measuring circuitry is transmitted to the brake control circuitry by radio.

5. The automatic train operation system according to claim 2 , wherein the train is provided with non-contact measuring circuitry,
wherein the system inputs to the brake control circuitry the speed information and non-contact speed information from the non-contact measuring circuitry, and
wherein the brake control circuitry estimates a population mean of the stop distance information from a plurality of stop distance information that are outputted to output the average distance information.

6. The automatic train operation system according to claim 2 , wherein the relative distance measuring circuitry:
acquires information about the position of the train relative to the stop position of a station;
acquires at least one of the speed and acceleration of the train relative to the stop target position;
computes information about a relative distance between the stop target position and the train with the position information as a reference to output the average distance information.

7. The automatic train operation system according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
compute a deceleration specifying value from the speed information, the position information, and the specifying value for correcting the deceleration;
generate a notch specifying value corresponding to the deceleration specifying value; and
generate a brake specifying value from target deceleration corresponding to the notch specifying value based on the notch specifying value or deceleration model for each notch.

8. A brake controller used for an automatic train operation system including relative distance measuring circuitry to acquire information about a relative distance between a train and a stop target position at a time when the train is stopped to output average distance information that is an average of the information about the relative distances obtained by stops of the train in a plurality of times of operations,
the brake controller including circuitry configured:
to hold and output speed information and position information detected by sensors;
to automatically compute a specifying value for correcting a deceleration from the speed information, the position information, and the average distance information and output the specifying value, the specifying value being used after next time of stopping the train; and
to generate a brake specifying value based on the speed information, the position information, and the specifying value for correcting the deceleration, so as to output the brake specifying value to a brake.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Shiratsuchi Koji

Classifications

• B61L23/14

  automatically operated · CPC title

• B60T7/22

  initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle} · CPC title

• B60T8/1705 Primary

  for rail vehicles · CPC title

• B60T13/665

  the systems being specially adapted for transferring two or more command signals, e.g. railway systems (B60T13/662 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B61L25/026

  Relative localisation, e.g. using odometer · CPC title