Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-01
2001-06-12
Nguyen, Tan (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
C701S020000, C246S18200B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246956
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle traffic control apparatus for performing running control and traveling control on vehicles (including trains, monorails, automobiles, buses, and trucks) in a train railway system, new traffic system, or the like and, more particularly, to a vehicle traffic control apparatus which can attain increases in running density and efficiency of vehicles and a reduction in cost while ensuring safety by preventing vehicle-vehicle collision, vehicle-vehicle contact, bumping, derailment, turnover, and the like.
A train running control system in current railroads is basically a block system based on train location detection by means of track circuits using rails and train traveling control using signals. The closed system is designed to prevent a collision between trains by allowing only one train in a given section (one block-one train).
Likewise, in a railroad station, to allow each train to enter a corresponding platform, an interlock control device controls a branch device installed at a branch point of the track and also controls a signal for controlling the movement of the train.
The running density of trains, however, depends on the length of the above block. In order to increase the running density, therefore, ground-based equipment such as track circuits and ground-based signals must be reformed. This requires a great deal of expense and effort.
In addition, one track-one train control is performed in a railroad station. In increasing the running density, therefore, increases in expense and effort with addition of signals pose a problem.
In general, ground-based equipment demands maintenance along a railroad, and a reduction in this maintenance cost presents a significant technical challenge to railroad management.
Furthermore, if the equipment cannot be placed optimally owing to the conditions of location, complicated control logic is required to ensure safety running of trains. This may make it difficult to realize safety control.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle traffic control apparatus which can realize high-density, efficient vehicle running operation with a reduction in cost while securing safety by preventing accidents between stations and within stations, e.g., vehicle-vehicle collision, vehicle-vehicle contact, bumping, derailment, turnover, railroad crossing disasters, and also preventing accesses of trains to no-accessing sections in a running system for vehicles that run on a track, e.g., a train railway system or new traffic system.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle traffic control apparatus which performs running control and traveling control on vehicles that run on a track, comprising a vehicle location detection unit which detects locations of the vehicles within the track, a track monopolized state control unit for storing and controlling a monopolized state of the track, a dynamic monopolized section allocation request unit which requests allocation of a dynamic monopolized section as a range in which each vehicle can freely run in both inbound and outbound directions on the basis of the locations of the vehicles which are detected by the vehicle location detection unit, a dynamic monopolized section allocation unit which inquires of the track monopolized state control unit as to the allocation of the dynamic monopolized section to each vehicle, which is requested by the allocation request unit, to perform collating operation, the allocation unit executing actual allocation of dynamic monopolized sections on the basis of a collation result, causing the track monopolized state control unit to store an allocation result, and outputting the allocation result, a ground/vehicle transfer unit which transfers the dynamic monopolized sections allocated by the dynamic monopolized section allocation unit to the respective vehicles, and a vehicle speed control unit which performs speed control on the vehicles in accordance with the allocated dynamic monopolized sections transferred by the ground/vehicle transfer unit.
In the vehicle traffic control apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, running sections are uniquely allocated to the vehicles to prevent collisions such as vehicle/vehicle bumping. This allows the respective vehicles to run with safety.
In addition, as the vehicles run, exclusive rights to portions of the dynamic monopolized sections which are located behind the respective vehicles are automatically deallocated to sequentially update the sections monopolized by the vehicles. This makes it possible to perform flexible running control on the respective vehicles.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle traffic control apparatus which performs running control and traveling control on vehicles that run on a track having a branch, comprising a vehicle location detection unit which detects locations of the vehicles on the track, a branch device state control unit which controls a joining direction of a branch device installed at a branch point on the track and a state of the branch device whose direction is being changed or fixed, a track/branch device monopolized state control unit which stores and controls a monopolized state of the track and a monopolized state of the branch device, a dynamic monopolized section allocation request unit which requests allocation of a dynamic monopolized section as a range in which each vehicle can freely run in both inbound and outbound directions and allocation of the branch device on the basis of the locations of the vehicles, which are detected by the vehicle location detection unit, and the state of the branch device, which is controlled by the branch device state control unit, a dynamic monopolized section allocation unit which inquires of the track/branch device monopolized state control unit as to the allocation of the dynamic monopolized section and the branch device to each vehicle, which is requested by the dynamic monopolized section allocation request unit, to perform collating operation, the allocation unit executing actual allocation of a dynamic monopolized section and branch device to each vehicle on the basis of a collation result, causing the track/branch device monopolized state control unit to store an allocation result, and outputting the allocation result, a ground/vehicle transfer unit for transferring the dynamic monopolized sections allocated by the dynamic monopolized section allocation unit to the respective vehicles, a vehicle speed control unit which performs speed control on the vehicles in accordance with the allocated dynamic monopolized sections transferred by the ground/vehicle transfer unit, and a branch device control unit which changes and fixes a joining direction of the branch device allocated by the dynamic monopolized section allocation unit.
In addition to the same effects as those of the first aspect, the vehicle traffic control apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention has the following effect. Even a track having a branch is uniquely allocated to a vehicle when the direction of the branch device is to be changed and the vehicle is to pass through it, and the vehicle is made to run after the direction of the branch device is changed and fixed. This prevents the vehicle from colliding with another vehicle face to face or side to side, derailing, and turning over, and can ensure safety running.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the vehicle traffic control apparatus according to the first or second aspect further comprises a running diagram input unit which inputs a vehicle running diagram, and the dynamic monopolized section allocation request unit determines an allocation request range of a dynamic monopolized section by using the vehicle running diagram input by the running diagram input unit.
In the vehicle traffic control apparatus according to the third aspect, since allocation of dynamic m
Fujiwara Yuji
Koyama Toshihiro
Miyoshi Miyako
Nagashima Kizo
Oba Yoshikazu
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Nguyen Tan
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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