TRAIN CONTROL DEVICE, TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM, AND TRAIN CONTROL METHOD
A train control device includes: a control unit that calculates a control speed of the train at a current position with respect to a target speed at a target position of the train, by using a travel distance from the current position to the target position of the train, an altitude difference between the current position and the target position, a braking force of a brake device of the train, first potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the current position, and second potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the target position.
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The present disclosure relates to a train control device to be installed in a train, a train control system, and a train control method.
BACKGROUNDConventionally, as for stop distance control, a train updates a train position every minute time or every prescribed distance from a current position, and calculates a speed at each train position. When there is a gradient in a track on an on-rail section of the train, the train calculates a speed at the train position in consideration of an influence of the gradient by a method such as performing proportional distribution of the gradient of the track. Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique for generating a speed pattern such that a speed at a stop target point becomes zero on the basis of a distance and a height difference between a current position of a car and the stop target point.
CITATION LIST Patent Literature
- Patent Literature 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 860-167607
However, according to the conventional technique described above, the calculation is repeated every minute time or every prescribed distance. Therefore, there has been a problem in that a computation load of a train control device that requires quick response increases and a calculation error accumulates.
In addition, a train is an object having a length. When there is a gradient on a track on which the train is present, potential energy is different between a head position of the train and a tail position of the train. In the conventional technique described above, a gradient of a track on which the train is present is not considered. Therefore, when conditions at the current position and the stop target point are the same, a similar speed pattern is generated even if the gradient of the track on which the train is present is different. Therefore, there is a possibility that car speed control for setting a speed at the stop target point to zero cannot be performed smoothly, depending on the gradient of the track on which the train is present.
The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to obtain a train control device capable of smoothly performing speed control of a train while reducing a computation load.
Means to Solve the ProblemIn order to solve the problems and achieve an object, the present disclosure is directed to a train control device to be installed in a train. The train control device includes: a storage unit to store a gradient value of a gradient of a track on which the train travels and store a gradient value change point that is a point at which the gradient value changes; and a control unit to calculate a control speed of the train at a current position with respect to a target speed at a target position of the train, the control unit performs calculation by using a travel distance from the current position to the target position of the train, an altitude difference between the current position and the target position, a braking force of a brake device of the train, first potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the current position, and second potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the target position.
Effects of the InventionAccording to the present disclosure, a train control device has an effect of enabling smooth speed control of a train while reducing a computation load.
Hereinafter, a train control device, a train control system, and a train control method according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
In Equation (1), a reference character “a” indicates a train position between the gradient value change points P8 and P7, and is in a range of 0≤s≤P7−P8. As a result, the train control device 10 can express the gradient of the track on which the train 1 travels by a finite number of pieces of data stored in the storage unit 11, that is, a finite number of gradient values and gradient value change points. That is, in the train control device 10, the control unit 12 can calculate a gradient value at a train position by using: a difference between a first gradient value change point and a second gradient value change point; a difference between a first gradient value corresponding to the first gradient value change point and a second gradient value corresponding to the second gradient value change point; a train position of the train 1 between the first gradient value change point and the second gradient value change point, and the first gradient value or the second gradient value.
Note that the method of calculating the gradient value in the section in which the gradient value changes is not limited to the example of Equation (1). For example, the section in which the gradient value changes may be treated as a section in which the gradient value is constant by using, as the gradient value in the section in which the gradient value changes, a larger gradient value or a smaller gradient value preceding and subsequent to the section in which the gradient value changes. Furthermore, with respect to
In a state illustrated in
In the train control device 10, the control unit 12 can obtain the control speed vt as shown in Equation (3) by solving Equation (2) for the control speed vt.
Note that the control unit 12 can calculate the altitude h (s) of the train 1 by integrating the gradient values.
Formula 4:
h(s)=∫s
In addition, the control unit 12 can calculate potential energy of the train 1 by integrating gradient values of the track on which the train 1 is present twice, that is, by further integrating the altitude h(s) of the train 1. Here, when the control unit 12 calculates the altitude h(s) of the train 1 and the potential energy of the train 1, constant terms are generated in the altitude h(s) and the potential energy of the train 1 by the integration processing. However, as shown in Equation (2), the control unit 12 obtains a difference between the potential energy of the train 1 at the current position St and the potential energy of the train 1 at the target position S0, in the second bracket on the right side. At this time, the constant terms are canceled out. That is, the control unit 12 does not need to calculate the absolute altitude h(s) of the train 1 and the absolute potential energy of the train 1 at the current position St and the target position S0 of the train 1, and only needs to calculate a relative difference, and thus does not need to consider the constant terms to be canceled out.
An operation of the train control device 10 will be described with reference to a flowchart.
The control unit 12 calculates potential energy of the train 1 at the current position St (step S2). Specifically, the potential energy of the train 1 at the current position St in potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section in which the train 1 is located between the current position St and a position St+L on a rear side from the current position St by a train length L in
The control unit 12 calculates potential energy of the train 1 at the target position S0 (step S3). Specifically, the potential energy of the train 1 at the target position S0 is potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section in which the train 1 is located between the target position S0 and the position S0+L on a rear side of the target position S0 by the train length L in
The control unit 12 generates an equation shown in Equation (2) and calculates the control speed vt by solving Equation (2) for the control speed vt (step S4).
In this manner, the control unit 12 calculates the travel distance ΔS from the current position St to the target position S0 of the train 1 and the altitude difference Δh between the current position St and the target position S0, with respect to the target speed ye at the target position S0 of the train 1. In addition, the control unit 12 calculates the first potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in the section from the head position to the tail position of the train 1 at the current position St, and the second potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in the section from the head position to the tail position of the train 1 at the target position S0. The present embodiment uses a relationship between a potential energy difference of the train 1 and a value of “braking force of the brake device 13 of the train 1×the travel distance ΔS of the train 1”. Therefore, the control unit 12 can calculate the control speed vt of the train 1 at the current position St by using these calculation results and the brake braking force of the brake device 13 of the train 1.
Next, a hardware configuration of the train control device 10 will be described. In the train control device 10, the storage unit 11 is a memory. The control unit 12 is implemented by processing circuitry. The processing circuitry my be a memory and a processor that executes a program stored in the memory, or may be dedicated hardware.
Here, the processor 91 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a processing device, an arithmetic device, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a digital signal processor (DSP), or the like. Further, the memory 92 corresponds to a nonvolatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a random access memory (RAN), a read only memory (RON), a flash memory, an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), or an electrically EPROM (EEPROM, registered trademark), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, or a digital versatile disc (DVD).
Note that some of the individual functions of the train control device 10 may be implemented by dedicated hardware, and some of the individual functions may be implemented by software or firmware. In this manner, the processing circuitry can implement the individual functions described above by dedicated hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the train control device 10, when information on the target position S0, the target speed v0, and the current position St is given, the control unit 12 calculates the altitude difference Δh between the altitude ht at the current position St and the altitude h0 at the target position S0 of the train 1, calculates the potential energy of the train 1 at the current position St, and calculates the potential energy of the train 1 at the target position S0. Furthermore, the control unit 12 calculate the control speed vt from the relationship between the kinetic energy and the potential energy of the train 1 at the current position St and the kinetic energy and the potential energy of the train 1 at the target position S0. As a result, the train control device 10 can smoothly perform speed control of the train 1 while reducing the computation load. In addition, since the train control device 10 does not need to repeatedly perform calculation, there is no concern of accumulation of a calculation error. Since the train control device 10 calculates the potential energy by detailed calculation including an altitude difference of an on-rail position of the train 1, efficient brake control of the brake device 13 can be performed.
Second EmbodimentIn a second embodiment, a situation where passengers are on the train 1 will be described.
In the second embodiment, a configuration of the train control device 10 is similar to the configuration of the train control device 10 in the first embodiment illustrated in
Specifically, when a difference between the potential energy at the current position St and the potential energy at the target position S0 of the train 1 is positive, the control unit 12 determines that the train 1 is full at the current position St and the train 1 is vacant at the target position S0, and calculates the control speed vt on the assumption of a case of the worst condition. When a mass of passengers when the train 1 is full is “m”, and a difference between the potential energy at the current position St and the potential energy at the target position S. of the train 1 is “ΔEP”, the control unit 12 calculates a difference “ΔEP” as shown in Equation (5).
Whereas, when the difference between the potential energy at the current position St and the potential energy at the target position S0 of the train 1 is negative, the control unit 12 determines that the train 1 is vacant at the current position St and the train 1 is full at the target position S0, and calculates the control speed vt on the assumption of a case of the worst condition. In this case, the control unit 12 calculates the difference “ΔEP” as in Equation (6).
That is, when the first potential energy is larger than the second potential energy, the control unit 12 determines that the train 1 is full at the current position St and the train 1 is vacant at the target position S0, to calculate the control speed vt. When the second potential energy is larger than the first potential energy, the control unit 12 determines that the train 1 is full at the target position S0 and the train 1 is vacant at the current position St, to calculate the control speed vt.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the train control device 10, the control unit 12 determines whether the train 1 is full or vacant to perform calculation, on the basis of positive or negative of a difference between potential energy at the current position St of the train 1 and potential energy at the target position S. of the train 1. As a result, the control unit 12 can calculate a sufficiently long stop distance to the target position S0 and a sufficiently low control speed vt, for any boarding rate of the train 1.
Third EmbodimentIn the second embodiment, the train is full in which passengers are on the train 1 or the train is vacant in which no passenger is on the train 1 has been assumed. In a third embodiment, a situation where passengers are unevenly boarding on the train 1 will be described.
In the third embodiment, a configuration of the train control device 10 is similar to the configuration of the train control device 10 in the first embodiment illustrated in
Here, as illustrated in
In addition, when the train 1 includes a plurality of cars and the unevenness of the passengers is known for each car, the control unit 12 may segment the integration section of the train 1 for each car to perform the integration processing.
In addition, although the overall altitude difference is similar between the train 1 at the current position St and the train 1 at the target position Se, the control unit 12 may assume that the passengers are unevenly present in a portion where the altitude ht at the current position St of the train 1 is higher than the altitude h0 at the target position S0 of the train 1, and perform the integration processing by segmenting the integration section of the train 1.
Kinetic energy, potential energy, and the control speed vt of the train 1 when passengers are unevenly present on the train 1 in the third embodiment will be described.
Here, being full refers to a state in which passengers ride on the train 1 as much as possible. Specifically, the mass “m” of the passengers at the time of being full can be calculated as in Equation (9), for example, on the basis of: (1) a capacity of the train 1, (2) a standard mass of the passengers, and (3) a maximum congestion rate of the train 1.
“m”=(capacity of train 1)×(standard mass of passengers)×(maximum congestion rate of train 1) (9)
The capacity of the train 1 is defined as a specification for each car. Further, as the standard mass of the passengers, for example, a value of 60 kg is used. Moreover, as the maximum congestion rate of the train 1, for example, 2.5 is used. Note that a method may be adopted in which the maxima congestion rate of the train 1 may be determined by a railway company in accordance with each train operation standard. Further, the mass of passengers may also be changed in accordance with an actual situation of train operation. Alternatively, when the train 1 includes a variable load device, an actual maximum value of a mass of passengers may be measured, and the mass “m” of the passengers when the train 1 is full may be determined on the basis of the maximum value. In this way, when the actual value is used, a value equal to or larger than the actual value may be used as the mass “m” of the passengers at the time of being full, by multiplying the actual value by a coefficient equal to or larger than “1”, for example, “1.1”.
Next, a maximum value of a passenger density per unit train length when passengers are unevenly present is set to a value that does not exceed the full state described above, even if the passengers are on the entire train at the corresponding passenger density. This can be expressed as Equation (10). Note that the reference character “L” is the train length of the train 1 as described above.
Maximum value of passenger density=“m/L” (10)
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the train control device 10, even when there is unevenness of passengers on the train 1, the control unit 12 can perform the brake control of the brake device 13 based on an actual distribution of the passengers of the train 1, by segmenting the integration section into a plurality of sections in accordance with unevenness of the passengers to perform the integration processing.
The configurations illustrated in the above embodiments illustrate one example and can be combined with another known technique, and it is also possible to combine embodiments with each other and omit and change a part of the configuration without departing from the subject matter of the present disclosure.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
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- 1 train; 2 to 4 car; 10 train control device; 11 storage unit; 12 control unit; 13 brake device; 14 train control system.
Claims
1. A train control device to be installed in a train, the train control device comprising:
- a storage to store a gradient value of a gradient of a track on which the train travels and store a gradient value change point that is a point at which the gradient value changes; and
- processing circuitry
- to calculate a control speed of the train at a current position with respect to a target speed at a target position of the train, the processing circuitry using a travel distance from the current position to the target position of the train, an altitude difference between the current position and the target position, a braking force of a brake device of the train, first potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the current position, and second potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the target position, and performing calculation based on a relationship between: kinetic energy and the first potential enemy of the train at the current position, and kinetic energy and the second potential energy of the train at the target position.
2. The train control device according to claim 1, wherein
- the processing circuitry integrates a gradient value of the track in a section from the current position to the target position to calculate the altitude difference, the gradient value being stored in the storage.
3. The train control device according to claim 1, wherein
- the processing circuitry calculates the gradient value at a train position by using: a difference between a first gradient value change point and a second gradient value change point; a difference between a first gradient value corresponding to the first gradient value change point and a second gradient value corresponding to the second gradient value change point; the train position of the train between the first gradient value change point and the second gradient value change point; and the first gradient value or the second gradient value.
4. The train control device according to claim 1, wherein
- the storage further stores information on an altitude at each position of the track, and
- the processing circuitry calculates the altitude difference from a difference between an altitude at the current position and an altitude at the target position that are stored in the storage.
5. The train control device according to claim 1, wherein
- the processing circuitry calculates the control speed in such a manner that, when the first potential energy is larger than the second potential energy, the processing circuitry determines that the train is full at the current position and the train is vacant at the target position to calculate the control speed, and when the second potential energy is larger than the first potential energy, the processing circuitry determines that the train is full at the target position and the train is vacant at the current position to calculate the control speed.
6. The train control device according to claim 1, wherein
- when the train at the current position and the train at the target position are superimposed, the processing circuitry determines that passengers are unevenly present at one of the head position or the tail position having a larger altitude difference, to calculate the control speed.
7. The train control device according to claim 6, wherein
- when the train includes a plurality of cars and a mass of passengers in each of the cars is known, the processing circuitry determines that passengers are unevenly present in each of the cars, to calculate the control speed.
8. The train control device according to claim 1, wherein
- when the train at the current position and the train at the target position are superimposed, the processing circuitry determines that passengers are unevenly present in a portion of the train where an altitude at the current position is higher than an altitude at the target position, to calculate the control speed.
9. A train control system comprising:
- the train control device according to claim 1; and
- a brake device.
10. A train control method of a train control device to be installed in a train, wherein
- the train control device includes a storage to store a gradient value of a gradient of a track on which the train travels and store a gradient value change point that is a point at which the gradient value changes,
- the train control method comprising:
- calculating a control speed of the train at a current position with respect to a target speed at a target position of the train, using a travel distance from the current position to the target position of the train, an altitude difference between the current position and the target position, a braking force of a brake device of the train, first potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the current position, and second potential energy including an influence of an altitude difference based on a gradient of the track in a section from a head position to a tail position of the train at the target position, and based on a relationship between: kinetic energy and the first Potential energy of the train at the current position, and kinetic enemy and the second potential energy of the train at the target position.
11. The train control method according to claim 10, wherein
- in the calculating, a gradient value of the track in a section from the current position to the target position is integrated to calculate the altitude difference, the gradient value being stored in the storage.
12. The train control method according to claim 10, wherein
- in the calculating, the gradient value at a train position is calculated by using: a difference between a first gradient value change point and a second gradient value change point; a difference between a first gradient value corresponding to the first gradient value change point and a second gradient value corresponding to the second gradient value change point; the train position of the train between the first gradient value change point and the second gradient value change point; and the first gradient value or the second gradient value.
13. The train control method according to claim 10, wherein
- the storage further stores information on an altitude at each position of the track, and
- in the calculating, the altitude difference is calculated from a difference between an altitude at the current position and an altitude at the target position that are stored in the storage.
14. The train control method according to claim 10, wherein
- in the calculating, when the first potential energy is larger than the second potential energy, it is determines that the train is full at the current position and the train is vacant at the target position to calculate the control speed, and when the second potential energy is larger than the first potential energy, it is determines that the train is full at the target position and the train is vacant at the current position to calculate the control speed.
15. The train control method according to claim 10, wherein
- in the calculating, when the train at the current position and the train at the target position are superimposed, it is determines that passengers are unevenly present at one of the head position or the tail position having a larger altitude difference, to calculate the control speed.
16. The train control method according to claim 15, wherein
- in the calculating, when the train includes a plurality of cars and a mass of passengers in each of the cars is known, it is determines that passengers are unevenly present in each of the cars, to calculate the control speed.
17. The train control method according to claim 10, wherein
- in the calculating, when the train at the current position and the train at the target position are superimposed, it is determines that passengers are unevenly present in a portion of the train where an altitude at the current position is higher than an altitude at the target position, to calculate the control speed.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 20, 2021
Publication Date: Feb 29, 2024
Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Inventors: Masashi ASUKA (Tokyo), Makoto TOKUMARU (Tokyo), Mototsugu KOZAKI (Tokyo), Akira NAKANISHI (Tokyo)
Application Number: 18/261,323