Method and device for determining a signal aspect for a rail vehicle

A method of determining a signal aspect representing a vacant or an occupied state of a track section for a rail vehicle, on a communication-based train control track, wherein the rail vehicle does not have an on-board CBTC device, the method comprising:

• initiating the following steps with a software application running on a smartphone:
• A) photographing a track balise located in a direction of travel of the rail vehicle;
• B) determining an identification signature of the track balise;
• C) sending the ID of the track balise to a CBTC track control center, wherein the CBTC track control center determines the signal aspect for the track section that starts with the track balise;
• and
• D) receiving the signal aspect determined by the CBTC track control center for the track section starting with the track balise.