Method for trains to establish virtual coupling operation mode

Abstract

A method for trains to establish a virtual coupling (VC) operation mode, which includes: successively determining whether adjacent preceding and following trains on a same line meet initial conditions and formation conditions of the VC; and performing VC on both trains meeting the initial conditions and formation conditions, and determining the VC of all trains on the line through the above determination method to obtain an overall VC. The method further including controlling operation of a leading train in the overall VC according to driving permission of the VC, and controlling operation of each of remaining following trains based on communication with the corresponding adjacent preceding train in combination with the following train's own driving information. An establishment process of forming a VC operation mode, thereby improving efficiency of train transportation and flexibility of organization and scheduling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for trains to establish a virtual coupling (VC) operation mode, comprising:
 controlling, by vehicle on-board controllers (VOBCs), corresponding trains on a same line meeting initial conditions of the VC to form an initial coupling, wherein initial states of all the corresponding trains are a stable platform stop status;   determining, by a zone controller (ZC), whether each train in the initial coupling meets formation conditions of the VC according to first coupling train IDs and a first coupling sequence in the initial coupling;   when trains in the initial coupling meet the formation conditions of the VC, controlling, by the VOBCs meeting the formation conditions of the VC, corresponding trains to form an overall VC;   calculating, by the ZC, driving permission of the VC according to line engineering data, an incoming route state of the overall VC, and a position of a leading train in the overall VC, wherein the incoming route state comprises an incoming route locking state and an incoming route unlocking state;   controlling, by a VOBC of the leading train, operation of the leading train according to the driving permission of the VC, wherein each following train in the overall VC is communicatively connected with an adjacent preceding train; and   controlling, by a VOBC of each following train, operation of the corresponding following train according to each following train's own driving information and driving information of the adjacent preceding train, wherein each following train's own driving information comprises each following train's own driving speed and each following trains own driving position, and the driving information of the adjacent preceding train comprises a speed and position of the adjacent preceding train.   
     
     
         2 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 1 , wherein before VOBCs control the corresponding trains on the same line meeting initial conditions of the VC to form the initial coupling, perform processes comprising:
 controlling, by each VOBC, a corresponding train in an operation state to drive into a same platform for stop, which comprises: for any two adjacent trains including a preceding train and a following train, sending, by a VC plan management (VCPM) subsystem, VC operation plan information to a VOBC of the preceding train and a VOBC of the following train in a fully automatic operation mode, wherein the VC operation plan information comprises IDs of trains to be coupled, a train model, a designated stop position, a stop sequence, a follow-up operation plan, and a coupling command;   determining, respectively by the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train, whether the coupling command is received;   when both the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train do not receive the coupling command, continuing to control, respectively by the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train, the preceding train and the following train to operate in the fully automatic operation mode;   when the preceding train drives into a platform for a stop and clears out, controlling, by the VOBC of the following train, the following train to drive into the same platform for a stop;   when both the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train receive the coupling command, calculating, by the ZC, the driving permission according to the line engineering data, an incoming route of the preceding or following train, and positions of all trains on a governed line, wherein the driving permission comprises an end position of driving permission of the preceding train, an end position of driving permission of the following train, and line data between a current position of the following train and the end position of driving permission of the preceding train; and   controlling, by the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train, the preceding train and the following train to drive into designated stop positions on the same platform for a stop in the fully automatic operation mode according to the driving permission.   
     
     
         3 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 2 , wherein the incoming route of the preceding or following train is obtained by a computer-based interlocking (CBI) device based on a moving block mode according to the VC operation plan information, the position of the preceding or following train and an interlocking table, wherein an end point of the incoming route of the following train is identical to an end point of the incoming route of the preceding train. 
     
     
         4 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 2 , wherein the initial conditions of the VC comprise:
 an on-board-on-board coupling plan that is consistent with an on-board-coupling system coupling plan, wherein the on-board-on-board coupling plan refers to the VC operation plan information received from the VCPM subsystem that the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train send to each other, and the on-board-coupling system coupling plan refers to the VC operation plan information sent by the VCPM subsystem respectively to the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train;   both the preceding train and the following train stop at the corresponding designated stop positions;   both the preceding train and the following train are in the fully automatic operation mode;   there is no other train between the preceding train and the following train; and   both the preceding train and the following train are in a dry rail condition.   
     
     
         5 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 2 , wherein determining, by the ZC, whether each train in the initial coupling meets the formation conditions of the VC according to the first coupling train IDs and the first coupling sequence in the initial coupling, comprises:
 determining respectively, by the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train, whether vehicle-vehicle coupling information and vehicle-supervision system coupling information are consistent, wherein the vehicle-vehicle coupling information refers to current positions and IDs of respective trains that the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train send to each other, and the vehicle-supervision system coupling information refers to the first coupling train IDs and the first coupling sequence received by the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train from an automatic train supervision (ATS) system;   when the vehicle-vehicle coupling information and the vehicle-supervision system coupling information are consistent, controlling respectively, by the VOBC of the preceding train and the VOBC of the following train, the preceding train and the following train to form a first VC; and   determining, by the ZC, whether second coupling train IDs in the first VC and first coupling train IDs are consistent as well as a second coupling sequence in the first VC and a first coupling sequence are consistent;   when the second coupling train IDs in the first VC and the first coupling train IDs are consistent as well as the second coupling sequence in the first VC and the first coupling sequence are consistent, taking the first VC as the final overall VC.   
     
     
         6 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 1 , after controlling, by the VOBCs meeting the formation conditions of the VC, corresponding trains to form the overall VC, further perform processes comprising:
 acquiring, by the ZC, an occupancy status of each train in the overall VC on each section of the line, wherein the occupancy status refers to whether the section is occupied; and   locking or unlocking, by a computer-based interlocking (CBI) device, an incoming route of the overall VC according to the occupancy status.   
     
     
         7 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 1 , wherein the leading train operates according to a first self-emergency braking trigger curve;
 each following train operates according to a second self-emergency braking trigger curve;   the first self-emergency braking trigger curve is obtained according to an absolute braking distance; and   the second self-emergency braking trigger curve is obtained according to a relative braking distance.   
     
     
         8 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 1 , after the leading train and each following train run to a next station and stop, further perform processes comprising:
 sending, by the leading train, a control demand command to a CBI device, wherein the control demand command comprises demand information of opening or closing of platform screen doors (PSDs) and train doors for all trains in the overall VC;   opening or closing, by the CBI device, a rail transit PSD system according to the control demand command, and feeding back a control state of the rail transit PSD system to the leading train;   sending, by the leading train, the control state to each following train; and   opening or closing, by each following train, the PSDs and the train doors according to the control state.   
     
     
         9 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 6 , wherein locking or unlocking, by the CBI device, the incoming route of the overall VC according to the occupancy status comprises:
 sending, by an automatic train supervision system, an incoming route trigger command to the CBI device;   after the CBI device receives the incoming route trigger command, locking, by the CBI device, the incoming route of the overall VC according to the occupancy status; and   after the incoming route is cleared, automatically unlocking, by the CBI device, the incoming route in sections.   
     
     
         10 . The method for the trains to establish the virtual coupling operation mode according to  claim 2 , wherein before the overall VC is formed, the preceding train and the following train operate in a mode of hitting a hard wall; and after the overall VC is formed, the preceding train and the following train operate in a mode of hitting a soft wall.