Abstract: Estimating electrical parameters of a track circuit including a transmitter, a receiver, and a track section between the transmitter and receiver. The transmitter outputs, over the track section towards the receiver, a signal including a data packet part, and the signal received by the receiver is decoded to determine the data packet received. Simulated signals are generated, via a predetermined software model including parameters of the track circuit, by varying an actual value input for the model parameters, each signal generated corresponding to actual values input for the parameters. Each simulated signal is compared with the signal received at a receiver until finding a part of a simulated signal that matches a corresponding part of the signal received at a receiver. The actual parameter values corresponding to the simulated signal that match the signal received at the receiver are estimated as the actual parameters of the track circuit.

Abstract: A system and method are for controlling a train traveling along track blocks. A first signal transmitter is installed at a first track block and transmits, using a predefined range of transmission frequencies, first signals for detecting when the train enters the first track block. A second signal transmitter is installed at an adjacent second track block and transmits, using a predefined range of transmission frequencies different from the predefined range of transmission frequencies used by the first signal transmitter, second signals for detecting when the train enters the second track block. One or more signal receivers on board of the train are configured to receive the transmitted first and second signals, and an onboard controller is configured, based on signals supplied by the one or more receivers indicative of the first and second signals received, to identify when the train enters the first or second track blocks.

Abstract: Method for determining the relationship between a track-circuit current signal and a railway vehicle location, including sending, by a track circuit, a current signal across a railway track block, measuring the current signal for different railway vehicles running successively on the railway track block, thus obtaining a plurality of railway vehicle move samples, normalizing the railway vehicle move samples, initializing a reference curve, and applying a Weighted Dynamic Time Warping Barycenter Averaging algorithm to calculate a final reference curve representing the relationship between the measured track-circuit current signal and the railway vehicle location on the railway track block.

Abstract: A method is for determining a status of a track section of a railroad. Each end of the track section is connected to a respective detector. One of the two detectors transmits a current along the rails of the track section towards the other detector and receives a current transmitted along the rails of the track section from the other detector. The track section is further equipped with a computer in communication with the two detectors. The computer calculates an instant value of the status of the track section as a function of an instant vector based on a measure of an intensity of the current transmitted by a first of the detectors as measured by the first detector (Txl1), a measure of an intensity of the current received by the first detector as measured by the first detector (Rxl1) and a measure of an intensity of the current transmitted by the second detector as measured by the second detector (Txl2).

Abstract: A wayside to railway vehicle communication method including providing a first wayside device with a transmitter device capable of transmitting a data packet message to a railway vehicle travelling along a section of a railway track, through an electric waveform put into a rail of the section, and sending at least one message from the transmitter device to the railway vehicle, wherein the at least one message corresponds to the conversion of the data packet into a modulated electric waveform, the data packet including several data bits providing information relative to a plurality of speed limits the railway vehicle has to respect while travelling along respective portions of the section.

Abstract: A method and system are for estimating forces in rails of a railway line which are due to the temperatures of the rails. Values of the electrical resistance of one rail of a railway track section are calculated. Based on the calculated values of the electrical resistance for the rail, corresponding values of the temperature of the rail can be estimated, and based on the estimated values of the temperature of the rail, estimated values of forces acting in the rail due to the temperature values can be estimated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the relationship between a track-circuit current signal and a railway vehicle location, including: sending, by a track circuit, current signal across a railway track block; measuring the current signal for different railway vehicles running successively on the railway track block; aligning the measured current signals and calculating a reference curve as the average value of all the aligned curves by using a Dynamic Time Warping algorithm, this reference curve representing the relationship between the track-circuit current signal and the railway vehicle location on the railway track block.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is for determining railway vehicle movement profile type of a railway vehicle movement profile. The railway vehicle movement profile includes a sequence of measured transmitted currents of a transceiver of a track circuit with respect to the time.

Abstract: A method is for determining a status of a track section of a railroad. Each end of the track section is connected to a respective detector. One of the two detectors transmits a current along the rails of the track section towards the other detector and receives a current transmitted along the rails of the track section from the other detector. The track section is further equipped with a computer in communication with the two detectors. The computer calculates an instant value of the status of the track section as a function of an instant vector based on a measure of an intensity of the current transmitted by a first of the detectors as measured by the first detector (Txl1), a measure of an intensity of the current received by the first detector as measured by the first detector (Rxl1) and a measure of an intensity of the current transmitted by the second detector as measured by the second detector (Txl2).

Abstract: Method for determining the relationship between a track-circuit current signal and a railway vehicle location, including sending, by a track circuit, a current signal across a railway track block, measuring the current signal for different railway vehicles running successively on the railway track block, thus obtaining a plurality of railway vehicle move samples, normalizing the railway vehicle move samples, initializing a reference curve, and applying a Weighted Dynamic Time Warping Barycenter Averaging algorithm to calculate a final reference curve representing the relationship between the measured track-circuit current signal and the railway vehicle location on the railway track block.

Abstract: Estimating electrical parameters of a track circuit including a transmitter, a receiver, and a track section between the transmitter and receiver. The transmitter outputs, over the track section towards the receiver, a signal including a data packet part, and the signal received by the receiver is decoded to determine the data packet received. Simulated signals are generated, via a predetermined software model including parameters of the track circuit, by varying an actual value input for the model parameters, each signal generated corresponding to actual values input for the parameters. Each simulated signal is compared with the signal received at a receiver until finding a part of a simulated signal that matches a corresponding part of the signal received at a receiver. The actual parameter values corresponding to the simulated signal that match the signal received at the receiver are estimated as the actual parameters of the track circuit.

Abstract: Method and system for communicating data between a transmitter and a receiver via a physical transmission medium interposed there between, wherein the transmitter outputs over the transmission medium towards the receiver, a predefined precursor signal followed by a target signal carrying data packet. Based on the precursor signal received at the receiver, estimated values of actual electrical parameters of the physical transmission medium are computed via a predetermined model of the physical transmission medium, wherein the computed estimated values of the electrical parameters are indicative of a distortion caused by the physical transmission medium on the predefined precursor signal outputted by the transmitter. The data packets originally outputted by the transmitter are estimated based on the computed estimated values of the actual electrical parameters and on the target signal received at the receiver.

Abstract: A method and system for health assessment of a track circuit and/or of a track section, the track circuit being configured for detecting the presence of a vehicle on the track section between a transmitting end and a receiving end of the track circuit. The method, implemented by an electronic device, comprises obtaining, from a sensor device placed near the receiving end, samples of an electrical parameter of an electric signal transmitted between the transmitting end and the receiving end of the track section, forming a temporal series of received samples, applying an automatic clustering algorithm to separate the received samples in a predetermined number of clusters, selecting one of the clusters and determining, for the selected cluster, a first peak value of the received samples classified within the selected cluster, and calculating a track circuit health indicator depending on the first peak value determined for the selected cluster.

Abstract: Method, system and software code for calibrating a rail track circuit comprising a plurality of rails coupled to form a track section having a predefined length, a transmit processing unit coupled to the track section at a first end of the track section, and a receive processing unit coupled at the second end of the track section. A transfer function between a transmit voltage applied by the transmit processing unit at the track section and a resulting receive current detected at the receive processing unit is first determined and then applied to the rail track circuit for automatic initial calibration or recalibration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the relationship between a track-circuit current signal and a railway vehicle location, including: sending, by a track circuit, current signal across a railway track block; measuring the current signal for different railway vehicles running successively on the railway track block; aligning the measured current signals and calculating a reference curve as the average value of all the aligned curves by using a Dynamic Time Warping algorithm, this reference curve representing the relationship between the track-circuit current signal and the railway vehicle location on the railway track block.

Abstract: A wayside to railway vehicle communication method including providing a first wayside device with a transmitter device capable of transmitting a data packet message to a railway vehicle traveling along a section of a railway track, through an electric waveform put into a rail of the section, and sending at least one message from the transmitter device to the railway vehicle, wherein the at least one message corresponds to the conversion of the data packet into a modulated electric waveform, the data packet including several data bits providing information relative to a plurality of speed limits the railway vehicle has to respect while traveling along respective portions of the section.

Abstract: Method and system for communicating data between a transmitter and a receiver via a physical transmission medium interposed there between, wherein the transmitter outputs over the transmission medium towards the receiver, a predefined precursor signal followed by a target signal carrying data packet. Based on the precursor signal received at the receiver, estimated values of actual electrical parameters of the physical transmission medium are computed via a predetermined model of the physical transmission medium, wherein the computed estimated values of the electrical parameters are indicative of a distortion caused by the physical transmission medium on the predefined precursor signal outputted by the transmitter. The data packets originally outputted by the transmitter are estimated based on the computed estimated values of the actual electrical parameters and on the target signal received at the receiver.

Abstract: A system controls a level crossing of a railway track installation. The railway track installation includes at least one track. The system includes at least two magnetometers associated with the at least one track and placed at corners of a crossing area between the at least one track and a road. The system also includes a level crossing control unit configured for receiving data from the magnetometers. Each magnetometer is arranged to detect a respective magnetic field vector of the earth's magnetic field and to send data representative of the magnetic field vector to the control unit. The control unit is configured to elaborate the data to detect changes in the magnetic field vectors due to the presence of a train in the crossing area and to control the level crossing as a function of the detected changes.

Abstract: A train detection system for a railway track defines a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side. Two cameras are arranged along the railway track spaced apart from each other. Each camera is placed on either the first lateral side or the second lateral side. The system includes at least one passive target. Each of the passive targets is placed within the field of view of at least one of the cameras and on the opposite lateral side of the railway track with respect to the at least one of the cameras in whose field of view the respective passive target is placed. The system also includes at least one controller adapted to recognise the passive target in the images provided by at least one of the cameras to the controller to determine whether a train is located on the railway track.

Abstract: Method, system and software code for calibrating a rail track circuit comprising a plurality of rails coupled to form a track section having a predefined length, a transmit processing unit coupled to the track section at a first end of the track section, and a receive processing unit coupled at the second end of the track section. A transfer function between a transmit voltage applied by the transmit processing unit at the track section and a resulting receive current detected at the receive processing unit is first determined and then applied to the rail track circuit for automatic initial calibration or recalibration.