Redundancy switching of detection points

• Main Authors: Hillmer, Frank, Klemm, Rainer
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.01.2021
• Subjects: ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC; GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; RAILWAYS; TRANSPORTING

C:\Interwo n\NRPortbl\DCC\DXL\19474705_i.docx-29/l0/2019 A method for operating an axle counter system (AC1, AC2, AC3, AC4, AC5, AC6) for monitoring the occupation status (F, 0) of a given track section (TS1, TS2), the track section (TS1, TS2) being limited by counting positions (CP1, CP2, CP3), wherein at least one counting-in-position and at least one counting-out-position is provided, wherein at each counting position (CP1, CP2, CP3) at least one detection point (DP1, DP2, DP3) is provided and at at least one counting position (CP1, CP2, CP3) a set of redundant detection points (DP1, DP2, DP3, RDP1, RDP2, RDP3) is provided, said method comprising: (a) incrementing or decrementing axle counter values (#) by means of the detection points (DP1, DP2, DP3) in dependence of the moving direction of a passing axle; (b) transmitting the axle counter value (#) of each detection point (DP1, DP2, DP3) to an axle counter evaluator (ACE1, ACE2, ACE3, ACE4, ACE5); (c) determining the number of remaining axles within the track section (TS1, TS2) by means of the axle counter evaluator (ACE1, ACE2, ACE3, ACE4, ACE5) by comparing the axle counter values (#) at the counting-in positions with those at the counting-out-positions; and (d) outputting a track occupation status (F, 0) report in dependence of the number of remaining axles within the track section; wherein prior to step (c) for each counting position exactly one detection point is selected for further processing independent of the selection at any other counting position; wherein in step (c) the counter values of the selected detection points are used for determining the number of remaining axles within the track section and that the counter values of the non-selected redundant detection points are ignored, wherein for each set of redundant detection points the difference between the counter values of the two detection points of a set of redundant detection points is determined, and wherein the selection of the detection points is carried out in dependence of the determined difference between the counter values, wherein the detection point having the higher counter value is selected, in case that the difference of the counter values exceeds a predefined threshold. coo 0: a.! 0* co 0: -J <