Detecting and optimizing the stopping-point accuracy of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11708100-B2
Application number	US-201816649419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	Sep 21, 2017
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus for sensing and optimizing the stopping-point accuracy of a vehicle. The apparatus includes at least one sensor unit, which can be arranged on the vehicle, and at least one evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. The at least one sensor unit is configured to measure a distance relative to a gap profile arranged at a stopping point to which the vehicle travels and to transmit the measurement result to the evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. There is also described a corresponding system including the apparatus and the distance profile, and also a vehicle with such an apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for ascertaining and optimizing a stopping point accuracy of a rail-bound vehicle, the system comprising:
at least one sensor unit arranged on the rail-bound vehicle;
at least one gap profile arranged at a stopping point towards which the vehicle travels;
at least one evaluating unit connected to said at least one sensor unit;
said at least one sensor unit including two sensors each being configured to measure a spacing distance from said at least one gap profile, the spacing distance being measured in a direction perpendicular to a travel direction of the rail-bound vehicle, and to transmit a measurement result with the respective spacing distance to said at least one evaluating unit; and
said at least one gap profile being disposed:
on a rail that is traveled on by the vehicle or on a track adjacent the rail, wherein a vertical gap between each of said sensors of said sensor unit and said gap profile is measured; or
on a surrounding wall adjacent the vehicle and located at the stopping point, wherein a horizontal gap defined by the spacing distance in a transverse direction perpendicular to a travel direction of the vehicle between each of said sensors of said sensor unit and said gap profile is measured; and

said at least one evaluating unit being configured to compare the vertical gaps measured by the two sensors to one another or to compare the horizontal gaps measured by the two sensors to one another and, if the vertical gaps or the horizontal gaps are identical, to conclude that the rail-bound vehicle has accurately stopped at a desired stopping point.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor unit on said vehicle comprises at least two sensors for measuring the spacing distance.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor unit is disposed below a door of the vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one evaluating unit is one of at least two evaluating units arranged on selected sides and said at least one sensor unit is one of a plurality of sensor units connected to said evaluating units on the vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein each side of the vehicle is provided with at least two evaluating units and also sensor units that are connected to said evaluating units.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein an evaluating unit and also a sensor unit that is connected to said evaluating unit are provided both on a first door and on a last door on each side of the vehicle.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a train and said at least one evaluating unit is integrated into a train safety computer of the vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one evaluating unit is configured for an automated correction of a braking curve of the vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said at least one evaluating unit is configured for transmitting values concerning the automated correction of the braking curve of the vehicle to a control facility of the vehicle.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one gap profile has a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangle, a triangle, and a trapezoid.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one gap profile is a structure selected from the group consisting of curved sheet metal, a synthetic material body, and a concrete molded part.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one gap profile is formed with steps on obliquely extending surfaces thereof.

13. A method of ascertaining and optimizing a stopping point accuracy of a rail-bound vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a sensor unit with two sensors on the rail-bound vehicle and an evaluating unit connected to the sensor unit;
providing at least one gap profile at a stationary stopping point towards which the vehicle travels, the at least one gap profile being disposed on a rail that is traveled on by the vehicle or on a track adjacent the rail or the track profile being disposed on a surrounding wall adjacent the vehicle at the stopping point; and
measuring with each of the sensors of the sensor unit a spacing distance from the at least one gap profile and transmitting a measurement result with the spacing distance from each of the sensors to the evaluating unit, the measuring step comprising:
measuring a vertical spacing distance between each of the sensors and the gap profile on the rail or on the track adjacent the rail, the vertical spacing distance being measured in a direction perpendicular to a travel direction of the rail-bound vehicle; or
measuring a horizontal spacing distance between each of the sensors and the gap profile on the surrounding wall adjacent the vehicle at the stopping point, the horizontal spacing distance being measured in a transverse direction perpendicular to a travel direction of the vehicle; and

comparing with the evaluating unit the vertical gaps measured by the two sensors to one another or comparing the horizontal gaps measured by the two sensors to one another and, if the vertical gaps or the horizontal gaps are identical, concluding that the rail-bound vehicle has accurately stopped at the stopping point.

Assignees

• Siemens Mobility GmbH

Inventors

• Bienek Frank
• Knollmann Volker
• Poesel Bernhard
• Tasler Gerd

Classifications

• B61L25/025 Primary

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

• B61L3/008

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60L2200/26

  Rail vehicles · CPC title

• B61L3/006

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B61L23/00

  Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains · CPC title