Safety Method And Safety System For A Railway Network

Abstract

A safety method is provided for a railway network that is divided into track sections by track elements, and can be travelled by vehicles in accordance with data from components of a track atlas. The vehicles request steps, from selections of the track elements, for assignment as a travel path element, and in which each of the selected track elements automatically assigns itself as a travel path element for each vehicle that requests the steps for assignment as a travel path element, under predetermined conditions. In order to optimize the loading of the track atlas relating to each vehicle, the data at least of one of the components of the track atlas is stored locally by the track elements in parts relating to the track elements in the form of datasets. A safety system for the railway network implements the safety method.

1 - 23  (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method for safely operating a rail network, the rail network being divided by track elements into track sections and on the track sections vehicles can travel in dependence on data from components of a track atlas, which comprises the steps of:
 requesting, via the vehicles, from selected track elements, steps for assignment as a route element;   each of the selected track elements in each case automatically assigning itself, under predefined conditions, as the route element for each vehicle that requests the steps for assignment from a selected track element to be the route element; and   depositing data of at least one of the components of the track atlas locally in the track elements in parts related to the track elements in a form of data records.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein a first component of the track atlas is provided as a geometric component with geometric and position-finding data for determining a position of the vehicles in the rail network, data of the first component is deposited in parts in the track elements. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , which further comprises selecting the geometric and position-finding data from the group consisting of:
 position data for the track elements in the rail network;   position data for ends of the track sections of the track elements linked by the track sections in the rail network;   position data for adjusting elements in the track sections linked by the track elements;   length data for the track sections linked by the track elements; and   course data for the track sections linked by the track elements.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein a second component of the track atlas is provided as a driving-operation component with location-related driving operation data for controlling and monitoring a driving performance of the vehicles and/or for controlling the track elements, the second component having data being deposited in parts in the selected track elements. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , which further comprises selecting the driving operation data from the group consisting of:
 gradient profile data for the track sections linked by the track elements;   train-class-dependent speed-limiting data relating to the track sections linked by the track elements;   braking target point data for braking target points on the track sections linked by the track elements;   release-point data for release points on the track sections linked by the track elements; and   supporting-point data for supporting points on the track sections linked by the track elements.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 24 , which further comprises providing a third component of the track atlas as a topographic component with topological data that reflects a topological structure of the rail network, the third component having data deposited in parts in the track elements. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , which further comprises selecting the topological data from the group consisting of:
 linking data for ends of the track sections of the track sections linked by the track elements in the rail network; and   orientation data for the track sections linked by the track elements in the rail network.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 24 , which further comprises providing a track-element identification as part of each of the data records and uniquely identifies the track element to which the data record relates. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 24 , which further comprises providing an up-to-dateness identification as part of each of the data records and identifies a degree of up-to-dateness of the data record. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the track-element identification or the up-to-dateness identification is provided by a version number. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein on a modification of the rail network, the data records for the track elements affected by the modification are modified locally in the track elements. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein in a case of a first-time authorization or in a case of a first-time registration of the selected track element for a respective vehicle, the data record of the selected track element is transmitted in its entirety to the vehicle and deposited there. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein in a case of a repeat authorization or in a case of a repeat registration of the selected track element for the respective vehicle, at least some items of the data from the data record, which was deposited in the selected track element, are transmitted to the respective vehicle if the degree of up-to-dateness of the data record deposited in the respective vehicle and assigned to the selected track element deviates from the degree of up-to-dateness of the data record deposited with the selected track element. 
     
     
         37 . A safety system for a rail network, the safety system comprising:
 a track atlas having components;   track elements dividing the rail networks into track sections and on the track sections vehicles can travel in dependence on data from said components of said track atlas;   the vehicles being embodied to request, from selected track elements, steps for assignment as a route element;   each of said selected track elements being embodied in each case automatically to assign itself, under predefined conditions, for each vehicle that requests the steps for assignment as the route element from a selected track element, as the route element; and   the data of at least one of said components of said track atlas is deposited locally in said track elements in parts related to said track elements in a form of data records.   
     
     
         38 . The safety system according to  claim 37 , wherein a first component of the track atlas is provided as a geometric component with geometric and position-finding data for determining a position of the vehicles in the rail network, and data of said first component is deposited in parts in said track elements. 
     
     
         39 . The safety system according to  claim 37 , wherein a second component of said track atlas is provided as a driving-operation component with location-related driving operation data for controlling and monitoring a driving performance of the vehicles and/or for controlling said track elements, data of said second component is deposited in parts in said track elements. 
     
     
         40 . The safety system according to  claim 37 , wherein a third component of the track atlas is provided as a topographic component with topological data that reflects a topological structure rail network, data of said third component is deposited in parts in said track elements. 
     
     
         41 . The safety system according to  claim 37 , further comprising a track-element identification which is provided as part of each of the data records and uniquely identifies said track element to which the data record relates. 
     
     
         42 . The safety system according to  claim 37 , further comprising an up-to-dateness identification which is provided as part of each of the data records and identifies a degree of up-to-dateness of the data record. 
     
     
         43 . The safety system according to  claim 42 , wherein at least one of the track-element identification or the up-to-dateness identification is provided by a version number. 
     
     
         44 . The safety system according to  claim 38 , wherein said track elements are embodied such that, on a modification of the rail network, the data records for said track elements affected by the modification can be modified locally in said track elements. 
     
     
         45 . The safety system according to  claim 42 , wherein said track elements and the vehicles are embodied such that in a case of a first-time authorization or in a case of a first-time registration of a respective track element for a respective vehicle, an entire data record of the track element is transmitted to the vehicle and deposited there. 
     
     
         46 . The safety system according to  claim 45 , wherein said track elements and the vehicles are embodied such that in a case of a repeat authorization or in a case of a repeat registration of a respective track element for a respective vehicle, at least some items of the data from the data record, which was deposited in said track element, are transmitted to the vehicle and deposited there if the degree of up-to-dateness of a data record deposited in the vehicle and assigned to said track element deviates from the degree of up-to-dateness of the data record deposited with said track element.