International Standard Electric Corporation

Alcatel N.v.

Alcatel

Alcatel Sel Aktiengesellschaft

Helmut Uebel

Karl U Dobler

Alan C Knight

A method and system of detecting obstacles on railroad lines. Sensors for observing the railroad line are arranged along the railroad line, and automatic evaluation takes place. One advantage of the invention is that the railroad lines are divided into given, known line sections, each of which is monitored by a respective sensor, whereby the evaluation process is simplified. If the sensors are designed as video cameras, for example, a comparison with still images may suffice for the evaluation. Furthermore, as the line sections re known, a simple masking technique can be used. Obstacles outside a set route to be monitored are masked out using suitable masks.

Method of detecting obstacles on railroad lines

An axle counter which compares axle passage pulses generated in an electromagnetic rail contact with a predetermined threshold value and, when this threshold value is exceeded, feeds an axle counter pulse to presence-of-trains indicating equipment, is equipped with overwritable memories (SMA, SMI) for storing this threshold value. In response to a setup command entered manually by depressing a key or transferred from a distant control facility (STW), the memories can be overwritten with a current axle passage pulse value or a statistically determined value corresponding to an average axle passage pulse. This eliminates the need to reposition the rail contact at regular intervals and permits this repositioning to be replaced by an adaptation of the threshold value to the axle passage pulses, which change as a result of rail wear, for example.

Axle counter with variable threshold setting

A train detection system is disclosed which works on the axle-counting principle and in which preprocessing units each containing a two-microprocessor system are associated with the individual detection points. Along the track, a major number of preprocessing units are connected with a central evaluation unit which interrogates the preprocessing units for stored counts on a cyclic basis. This interrogation is performed separately for each microprocessor of a preprocessing unit. In addition to containing counts, data telegrams transmitted to the evaluation unit include functional characters which make it possible to check the correct functioning of the detection points and preprocessing units at short intervals.

Train detection system operating in accordance with the axle-counting

A system for indicating occupancy of track sections in an interlocking area is disclosed comprising a multicomputer system which is assigned to several track circuits and processes the 'unoccupied' or 'occupied' indications of these track circuits. The multicomputer system, which is of a fail-safe design, also checks the operation of the associated track circuits and transfers an 'unoccupied' or 'occupied' indication of an associated track section to the interlocking station only if the test of this track circuit was positive. Any failures detected are also signaled to the interlocking station.

System for indicating track sections in an interlocking area as occupied

A fail-safe 2-out-of-3 selecting facility for a 3-computer system is disclosed which is especially suitable for use together with microprocessors having a large number of outputs. The computers (R1 . . . R3) of the 3-computer system handle the same information in parallel but asynchronously, exchange their results, and compare them. The output buses (A1, A3) of two computers (R1, R3) transfer the results in nonequivalent form, and are connected to two data output channels (AK1, AK2) via separate transfer switches (U1, U2). Depending on the result of the comparisons performed in the computers, the output ports of faulty computers are disconnected and the transfer switches are controlled in such a way that the output port of a faulty computer is disconnected from the associated data output channel, and that the output port (A2) of the third computer (R2) is connected to this channel instead. Depending on which computer is to be replaced, the third computer (R2) delivers its information in uninverted or inverted form. The operation of the transfer switches can be monitored by a serial nonequivalence check on the information transfered over the data output channels (AK1, AK2).

2-out-of-3 Selecting facility in a 3-computer system

A facility is disclosed comprising an on-board interrogator and a passive trackside transponder which transmits data messages to the interrogator on a single FM channel using, for instance, frequency shift techniques and draws the necessary transmitting energy from an alternating magnetic field produced by the interrogator. The antenna of the interrogator and the transponder are ferrite-rod antennas which are enclosed in housings similar to that used in inductive signalling equipment. The magnetic interaction between the active portion and the passive portion of the facility is used to locate faulty passive transponders.

Facility for intermittent transmission of information between guideway

A sensor arrangement is disclosed for detecting the presence of an axle of a rail vehicle in a short length of a track. The arrangement includes a bridge coupled to and including resistances of the rail upon which the vehicle travels. This bridge is unbalanced by wheels of an axle shunting resistance of the bridge with the bridge unbalance producing an output indicative of the presence of the axle. Two such arrangements displaced relative to each other will enable detecting the direction of movement of the vehicle. This sensor arrangement contains no electric components on the rail and is insensitive to interference from rail currents and electromagnetic rail brakes.

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Leonberg, Germany

Helmut Uebel