# US 2014/0191090 A1 · Method for operating a railway safety system, and railway safety system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191090 A1 - Document ID: US20140191090A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/232,683 - Filed: 2012-06-25 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-14 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Robert Busse; Thomas Kohlmeyer; Christoph Kutschera; Dominik Lüthe; Jens-Harro Oechsner; Thomas Schmidt; Michael Schulze; Wolfgang Windolf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191090A1 ## CPC - B61L 29/28: electrically operated - B61L 29/284: {using rail-contacts, rail microphones, or the like, controlled by the vehicle} - B61L 29/30: Supervision, e.g. monitoring arrangements - B61L 29/32: Timing, e.g. advance warning of approaching train - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) ## Abstract A method operates a railway safety system having at least one trackside device while taking into account a measured velocity value recorded when the rail vehicle drives into a switch-on section of the railway safety system. In order to minimize the closing times for a level crossing by such a method, the measured velocity value is used as the basis for checking whether a correction time for forwarding a signal from the one trackside device to an associated railway safety assembly is to be set according to the measured velocity value when the rail vehicle drives into the switch-on section. Thereafter, a set correction time is checked to determine if the set correction time should remain effective according to at least one further influencing variable of the rail vehicle that determines the travel time. A railway safety system for carrying out the method is also provided. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-38. (canceled) ### Claim 39 A method for operating a railway safety system having at least one trackside device while taking into account a measured velocity value recorded when a rail vehicle drives into a switch-on section of the railway safety system, which comprises the steps of: using the measured velocity value measured when the rail vehicle drives into the switch-on section as a basis for checking whether a correction time for forwarding a signal from the trackside device to an associated railway safety system is to be set according to the measured velocity value; and subsequently, checking a set correction time to determine whether the set correction time should remain effective as a function of at least one further influencing variable of the rail vehicle that determines a travel time. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, which further comprises using a recorded number of axles of the rail vehicle as the further influencing variable. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, which further comprises using a recorded distance between axles of the rail vehicles as the further influencing variable. ### Claim 42 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, which further comprises using a recorded length of the rail vehicle as the further influencing variable. ### Claim 43 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, which further comprises: determining a rail vehicle type on a basis of the measured velocity value and the at least one further influencing variable; and using the rail vehicle type determined as a decision criterion for checking whether the set correction time remains effective. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The method according to claim 43, which further comprises using at least one of a number of axles, distance between axles, or a train length as further influencing variables for determining the rail vehicle type. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method according to claim 44, wherein if the number of axles is low, a conclusion is made that the rail vehicle type is a passenger train. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The method according to claim 45, wherein if the measured velocity value is comparatively low, the set correction time is deleted or reduced in a case of the passenger train. ### Claim 47 (depends on 44) The method according to claim 44, wherein if the number of axles is high, a conclusion is made that the rail vehicle type is a freight train. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method according to claim 47, wherein if the measured velocity value is comparatively low, the set correction time is retained or extended in a case of the freight train. ### Claim 49 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, wherein if the measured velocity value is comparatively high, a check causes the signal to be output immediately. ### Claim 50 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, which further comprises: recording an acceleration of the rail vehicle when the rail vehicle drives into the switch-on section for obtaining the further influencing variable that determines the travel time; and taking into account the further influencing variable when setting and checking the set correction time. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The method according to claim 50, which further comprises determining repeatedly the measured velocity value and the acceleration when the rail vehicle drives into the switch-on section. ### Claim 52 (depends on 50) The method according to claim 50, which further comprises determining repeatedly the measured velocity value and the acceleration when the rail vehicle travels through the switch-on section. ### Claim 53 (depends on 51) The method according to claim 51, which further comprises determining continuously the measured velocity values and the further influencing variable. ### Claim 54 (depends on 50) The method according to claim 50, which further comprises recording the velocity and the acceleration of the rail vehicle by means of a global positioning device or an odometer with a connected radio. ### Claim 55 (depends on 54) The method according to claim 54, which further comprises providing a global positioning system device as the global positioning device. ### Claim 56 The method according to 54, wherein the radio corresponds to a gobal positioning system-railway standard or works with a transmission protocol as per IEEE 802.15.4 standard. ### Claim 57 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, which further comprises taking into account parameter data specific to a rail vehicle type as further influencing variables that determine the travel time. ### Claim 58 (depends on 57) The method according to claim 57, wherein at least one of a maximum speed specific to the rail vehicle type, an acceleration capability specific to the rail vehicle type, or a motive force are used as the parameter data specific to the rail vehicle type. ### Claim 59 (depends on 58) The method according to claim 58, which further comprises taking the parameter data specific to the rail vehicle type from an on-board computer of the rail vehicle. ### Claim 60 (depends on 52) The method according to claim 52, which further comprises recording the measured velocity value and the further influencing variable of the rail vehicle by means of a further trackside device provided on a drive-in end of the switch-on section. ### Claim 61 (depends on 60) The method according to claim 60, which further comprises providing a wheel sensor with a radio as the further trackside device. ### Claim 62 (depends on 60) The method according to claim 60, which further comprises: providing an approach annunciator disposed beside a track with the radio as the further trackside device; and providing a central train approach annunciator as the trackside device. ### Claim 63 (depends on 61) The method according to claim 61, wherein the radio has a receiver for receiving parameter data specific to a rail vehicle type of the rail vehicle driving past, and a transmitter for transmitting the measured velocity value and the further influencing variable to the trackside device. ### Claim 64 (depends on 60) The method according to claim 60, wherein the measured velocity value and the acceleration are recorded and transferred to the trackside device by means of additional trackside devices having a radio module disposed along a track on the switch-on section of the railway safety system. ### Claim 65 (depends on 64) The method according to claim 64, which further comprises using radio routers in the further trackside devices. ### Claim 66 (depends on 65) The method according to claim 65, which further comprises using the radio routers with a receiver for parameter data specific to a rail vehicle type. ### Claim 67 (depends on 39) The method according to claim 39, wherein upon receipt of measured velocity values and transferred, further influencing variables recorded and transferred to the trackside device when the rail vehicle drives into the switch-on section and travels through the switch-on section, the set correction time is calculated by weighting the individual variables and a timer is set accordingly. ### Claim 68 (depends on 67) The method according to claim 67, which further comprises using a counter as the timer, after expiration of the timer the signal is issued to the railway safety system. ### Claim 69 A railway safety system, comprising: a switch-on section having a drive-out end and a drive-in end; a trackside device on said drive-out end of said switch-on section; a further trackside device on said drive-in end of said switch-on section, said further trackside device equipped for recording a measured velocity value when a rail vehicle drives into said switch-on section; and said trackside device having a train recognition device with inputs for recording the measured velocity value and further influencing variables that determine a travel time, and an adjustable timer being subordinated to said train detection device, said trackside device outputting a signal to an associated railway safety system being connected to said adjustable timer. ### Claim 70 (depends on 69) The railway safety system according to claim 69, wherein said adjustable timer is an electronic counter, after expiration of said adjustable time the signal is generated. ### Claim 71 (depends on 69) The railway safety system according to claim 69, wherein said further trackside device is a wheel sensor with a radio. ### Claim 72 (depends on 69) The railway safety system according to claim 69, wherein said further trackside device is an approach annunciator disposed beside a track with said radio and said trackside device is a central train approach annunciator. ### Claim 73 (depends on 71) The railway safety system according to claim 71, wherein said radio is configured such that said radio can transfer recorded measured velocity values and the further influencing variables wirelessly to said trackside device. ### Claim 74 (depends on 71) The railway safety system according to claim 71, wherein said radio is configured such that the further influencing variables showing parameter data specific to a rail vehicle type of a rail vehicle driving past can be recorded. ### Claim 75 (depends on 71) The railway safety system according to claim 71, wherein said radio has a receiver for receiving parameter data specific to a rail vehicle type of the rail vehicle driving past and a transmitter for transmitting measured velocity values recorded by said further trackside device and the further influencing variables to said trackside device. ### Claim 76 (depends on 69) The railway safety system according to claim 69, further comprising additional trackside devices having radio routers, from which additional measured velocity values are transferred to said trackside device, and said additional trackside devices are disposed along a track in said switch-on section.