Method for signal-technology safeguarding of rail vehicles and safeguarding systems related thereto

Abstract

A method and a protection system for signaling protection of rail vehicles connected to at least one central monitoring facility through a data radio system. In order to eliminate cost-intensive and highly complicated protection technology, the vehicles convey instantaneous position data through the data radio system to the monitoring facility. A safety area is defined around each of the vehicles. The safety area depends on a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of the positional data collection method being used. A warning area surrounds the safety area and the monitoring facility determines movement-defining data through the vehicle-specific position data, safety areas and warning areas. In order to avoid collision-related overlaps of safety zones and to counteract collision-related overlaps of warning areas, the movement-defining data are transmitted to the affected vehicles by way of the data radio system in the event of collision-relevant overlaps.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A method for signaling protection of rail vehicles, the method comprising the following steps:
 linking the rail vehicles over a data radio system to at least one central monitoring facility;   transmitting instantaneous vehicle-specific position data from the rail vehicles over the data radio system to the monitoring facility;   defining a safety area around the rail vehicles in dependence on a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of a position data recording method being used;   defining a warning area surrounding the safety area around the rail vehicles;   determining movement-defining data in the monitoring facility by using the vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning areas, to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas; and   transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in an event of collision-relevant overlaps, over the data radio system to relevant rail vehicles.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , which further comprises evaluating the received position data by correlation with track data for collision relevance. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , which further comprises identifying overlaps which are not collision-relevant by a token method. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , which further comprises triggering at least one of audible or visual signaling at the vehicle, in an event of collision-relevant overlapping of warning areas. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , which further comprises triggering forced braking at the vehicle, in an event of collision-relevant overlapping of safety areas. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , which further comprises determining the position data with a satellite-assisted position-finding system. 
     
     
         14 . A protection system for carrying out the method according to  claim 8 , the system comprising:
 a device for vehicle-specific position data recording;   a transmitting/receiving appliance disposed in a rail vehicle and having a transmitting component connected to the device for vehicle-specific position data recording;   a device for determining the safety area around the vehicle as a function of a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of the device for vehicle-specific position data recording and for determining the warning area surrounding the safety area around the vehicle; and   the monitoring facility having a device for determining movement-defining data based on the vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning areas to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas, and the monitoring facility transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in the event of collision-relevant overlaps, over the data radio system to the relevant rail vehicles.   
     
     
         15 . A system for signaling protection of rail vehicles, the system comprising:
 a device for vehicle-specific position data recording;   a transmitting/receiving appliance disposed in the rail vehicle and having a transmitting component connected to said device for vehicle-specific position data recording;   a device for determining a safety area around the rail vehicle as a function of a vehicle speed and a measured value scatter of said device for position data recording and for determining a warning area surrounding the safety area around the rail vehicle;   a monitoring facility having a device for determining movement-defining data based on the vehicle-specific position data, the safety areas and the warning areas to avoid collision-relevant overlaps of safety areas and to counteract collision-relevant overlaps of warning areas; and   a data radio system for transmitting the movement-defining data, at least in an event of collision-relevant overlaps, from said monitoring facility to relevant rail vehicles.