Failsafe electronic braking system for trains
AssigneeInvensys Rail Corporation
InventorMark Kane
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for providing true failsafe control of an electronic braking system by a train control system which controls a switch that supplies power to the electronic braking system. When the train control system determines that it is necessary to activate the train's brakes, it controls the switch so as to remove power to the electronic braking system, which results in activation of the train's brakes. In highly preferred embodiments, the switch is of a type that is normally open and that requires the presence of an electrical signal to close the switch to supply power to the electronic braking system. In such embodiments, any loss in power to the train control system will result in a loss of signal to the switch, thereby causing activation of the train's brakes.
Claims18
A method for controlling a train comprising the steps of:
- determining on a computer that a train's brakes should be activated in order to prevent an unsafe condition, the train's brakes being controlled by an electronic braking system on the train, the electronic braking system being configured to activate the train's brakes if power to the electronic braking system is disrupted;
- and
- controlling an electrically operated switch connected between the electronic braking system and a power source so as to prevent the power source from supplying power to the electronic braking system such that the train's brakes are activated, whereby the unsafe condition is prevented.
A system comprising:
- a power source;
- an electronic braking system, the electronic braking system being configured to activate the train's brakes if power to the electronic braking system is disrupted;
- an electrically controlled switch connected between the power source and the electronic braking system, the electrically controlled switch being operable to disrupt a supply of power from the power source to the electrically controlled switch;
- and
- a train control system connected to control the electrically controlled switch, the train control system being configured to prevent an unsafe condition by controlling the electrically operated switch to disrupt the flow of power from the power source to the electronic braking system, whereby the train's brakes are activated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.