Positioning system and method for monorail train

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433932-B2
Application number	US-201716473780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2017
Priority date	Dec 27, 2016
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A positioning system and method for a monorail train are disclosed. The system includes: a first beacon, laid on one side of an up-going rail; a second beacon, laid on one side of a down-going rail, the first beacon and the second beacon being laid asymmetrically; a first beacon antenna and a second beacon antenna, the first beacon antenna being provided at a front carriage of the monorail train, the second beacon antenna being provided at a rear carriage of the monorail train, and the first beacon antenna and the second beacon antenna being provided on two opposite sides of the monorail train; and a positioning device, configured to acquire beacon data read by the first beacon antenna and beacon data read by the second beacon antenna and to determine a running direction and position information of the monorail train according to the beacon data read by the first beacon antenna and the beacon data read by the second beacon antenna.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positioning system for a monorail train, comprising:
a first beacon, laid on an outer side with respect to a first rail configured for the monorail train to run in a first direction;
a second beacon, laid on an outer side with respect to a second rail configured for the monorail train to run in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the second rail being parallel to the first rail, and the second rail being adjacent to the first rail;
a first beacon antenna and a second beacon antenna, the first beacon antenna being provided at a head compartment of a plurality of compartments of the monorail train, the second beacon antenna being provided at a tail compartment of the plurality of compartments of the monorail train, and the first beacon antenna and the second beacon antenna being provided on two opposite sides of the monorail train; and
a positioning device, configured to acquire beacon data read by the first beacon antenna and beacon data read by the second beacon antenna and to determine a running direction and position information of the monorail train according to the beacon data read by the first beacon antenna and the beacon data read by the second beacon antenna, wherein:
the first beacon and the second beacon being spaced apart by a predetermined distance along the running direction;
in the first direction, both the first beacon antenna and the first beacon are located on an outer side with respect to the first rail; and in the second direction, both the second beacon antenna and the second beacon are located on an outer side with respect to the second rail.

2. The positioning system for the monorail train according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance between the first beacon and the second beacon along the running direction is an entire train length of the monorail train.

3. The positioning system for the monorail train according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning device determines that the running direction of the monorail train is consistent with the direction that the head compartment faces forward when the first beacon antenna reads the beacon data, and determines that the running direction of the monorail train is consistent with the direction that the tail compartment faces backward when the second beacon antenna reads the beacon data.

4. The positioning system for the monorail train according to claim 1 , wherein the first beacon and the second beacon are passive beacons, and information stored in the first beacon and the second beacon is fixed.

5. The positioning system for the monorail train according to claim 1 , wherein the first beacon and the second beacon are active beacons, and information stored in the first beacon and the second beacon is changeable.

6. A positioning method for a monorail train, comprising:
laying a first beacon on an outer side of a first rail configured for the monorail train to run in a first direction, and laying a second beacon on an outer side of a second rail configured for the monorail train to run in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the second rail being parallel to the first rail, and the second rail being adjacent to the first rail;
providing the first beacon antenna at a head compartment of a plurality of compartments of the monorail train, and providing the second beacon antenna at a tail compartment of the plurality of compartments of the monorail train, the first beacon antenna and the second beacon antenna being provided on two opposite sides of the monorail train; and
acquiring beacon data read by the first beacon antenna and beacon data read by the second beacon antenna, and determining a running direction and position information of the monorail train according to the beacon data read by the first beacon antenna and the beacon data read by the second beacon antenna, wherein:
the first beacon and the second beacon are spaced apart by a predetermined distance along the running direction;
in the first direction, both the first beacon antenna and the first beacon are located at an outer side with respect to the first rail; and in the second direction, both the second beacon antenna and the second beacon are located at an outer side with respect to the second rail.

7. The positioning method for the monorail train according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined distance between the first beacon and the second beacon along the running direction is an entire train length of the monorail train.

8. The positioning method for the monorail train according to claim 6 , wherein it is determined that the running direction of the monorail train is consistent with the direction that the head compartment faces forward when the first beacon antenna reads the beacon data, and it is determined that the running direction of the monorail train is consistent with the direction that the tail compartment faces backward when the second beacon antenna reads the beacon data.

9. The positioning method for the monorail train according to claim 6 , wherein the first beacon and the second beacon are passive beacons, and information stored in the first beacon and the second beacon is fixed.

10. The positioning method for the monorail train according to claim 6 , wherein the first beacon and the second beacon are active beacons, and information stored in the first beacon and the second beacon is changeable.

Assignees

• Byd Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Chujun
• Zhuo Kaikuo
• Wang Faping

Classifications

• G01S3/46

  using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems · CPC title

• B61L25/025

  Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates · CPC title

• G01S5/0205

  Details · CPC title

• B61L25/028 Primary

  Determination of vehicle position and orientation within a train consist, e.g. serialisation · CPC title

• B61L3/125

  using short-range radio transmission · CPC title