EP-4741253-A1 - RAILWAY CONTROL SYSTEMS

Abstract

A method for operating a railway control system for controlling a train travelling along a railway track is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a radio frequency signal from the train describing an operating parameter of the train, for example a mode or level or operation, and a position of the train, determining the operating parameter of the train and the position of the train based on the radio frequency signal, determining whether the operating parameter of the train meets an operating parameter criteria, determining whether the position of the train meets a position criteria, determining a further operating parameter, for example a permission to proceed or an order to stop, for the train based on the determination of whether the operating parameter of the train meets the operating parameter criteria and whether the position of the train meets the position criteria, and transmitting a radio frequency signal to the train describing the further operating parameter.

Inventors

• Baicu, Lavinia
• PLUMB, ANDREW
• Reger, Luke

Assignees

• Siemens Mobility Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20251030

Claims (12)

1. A method for operating a railway control system for controlling a train travelling along a railway track, the method comprising: receiving a radio frequency signal from the train describing an operating parameter of the train and a position of the train, determining the operating parameter of the train and the position of the train based on the radio frequency signal, determining whether the operating parameter of the train meets operating parameter criteria, determining whether the position of the train meets position criteria, determining a further operating parameter for the train based on the determination of whether the operating parameter of the train meets the operating parameter criteria and whether the position of the train meets the position criteria, and transmitting a radio frequency signal to the train describing the further operating parameter.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the position of the train meets the position criteria comprises determining whether the train is positioned along a portion of the railway track that is preconfigured in the railway control system.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the train is positioned along a predefined portion of the railway track comprises determining whether the train is positioned along a portion of the railway track that is preconfigured in the railway control system as permitting generation of an operating parameter in respect of a forward route.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the operating parameter of the train meets operating parameter criteria comprises determining whether the railway control system has previously provided that operating parameter to the train.
5. The method of claim 1, for controlling the train in accordance with the European Train Control System (ETCS), wherein the determining the operating parameter of the train comprises determining the M_level of the train.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining whether the operating parameter of the train meets operating parameter criteria comprises determining whether the M_level of the train is Level 2.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining a further operating parameter for the train comprises determining the further operating parameter to require the train to stop in response to determining that the train does not meet the position criteria.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining a further operating parameter for the train comprises determining the M_level of the train to be Level 2 in response to determining that the train does meet the position criteria.
9. A railway control system comprising: at least one processor, and at least one memory including machine-readable instructions, wherein the at least one memory and the machine-readable instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the railway control system to perform the method of claim 1.
10. The railway control system of claim 9, comprising a radio block centre for location along a railway track, the radio block centre being configured to perform the method of claim 1.
11. A computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by a train control system causes the railway control system to carry out the method of claim 1.
12. A computer-readable data carrier having the computer program of claim 11 stored thereon.

Description

Field of the Disclosure The present disclosure relates to railway control systems. Background of the Disclosure Railway control systems are used to control the movement of trains along a railway track. An objective of such control systems is to optimise utilisation of the railway track by trains whilst ensuring the safety of the trains. An implementation of railway control systems is to supervise trains using automated train control systems distributed along the railway track that communicate with the trains to exchange control information as the train travels along a respective section of the track. Summary of the Disclosure A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for operating a railway control system for controlling a train travelling along a railway track, the method comprising: receiving a radio frequency signal from the train describing an operating parameter of the train and a position of the train, determining the operating parameter of the train and the position of the train based on the radio frequency signal, determining whether the operating parameter of the train meets operating parameter criteria, determining whether the position of the train meets position criteria, determining a further operating parameter for the train based on the determination of whether the operating parameter of the train meets the operating parameter criteria and whether the position of the train meets the position criteria, and transmitting a radio frequency signal to the train describing the further operating parameter. In implementations, the determining whether the position of the train meets the position criteria comprises determining whether the train is positioned along a portion of the railway track that is preconfigured in the railway control system. In implementations, the determining whether the train is positioned along a predefined portion of the railway track comprises determining whether the train is positioned along a portion of the railway track that is preconfigured in the railway control system as permitting generation of an operating parameter, for example, an M_level, in respect of a forward route. In implementation, the determining whether the operating parameter of the train meets operating parameter criteria comprises determining whether the railway control system has previously provided that operating parameter to the train. In implementations, the method is for controlling the train in accordance with the European Train Control System (ETCS), wherein the determining the operating parameter of the train comprises determining an M_level of the train. The 'M_ level' is also often referred to simply as the 'Level'. In implementations, the determining whether the operating parameter of the train meets operating parameter criteria comprises determining whether the M_level of the train is Level 2. A 'Level 2' level is also often referred to within the ETCS nomenclature by the designation 'M_level=3. In implementations, the determining a further operating parameter for the train comprises determining the further operating parameter to require the train to stop in response to determining that the train does not meet the position criteria. In implementations, the determining a further operating parameter for the train comprises determining the M_level of the train to be Level 2 in response to determining that the train does meet the position criteria. A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a railway control system comprising: at least one processor, and at least one memory including machine-readable instructions, wherein the at least one memory and the machine-readable instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the railway control system to perform the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure. In implementations, the railway control system comprises a radio block centre for location along a railway track, the radio block centre being configured to perform the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure. A third aspect of the present disclosure provides a computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by a train control system causes the railway control system to carry out the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure. A fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable data carrier having the computer program of claim 10 stored thereon. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the embodiment(s) described below. Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows schematically an example of a railway embodying the present disclosure, comprising a train control system for controlling trains travelling along the railway track;Figure 2 shows schematically another view of the