Control of a rail vehicle

Abstract

An infill balise is provided for making available a state of a route component (for example of a signal) which lies ahead in the direction of travel of a rail line. Depending on a state of the route component, the infill balise brings about a change of the European train control system (ETCS) mode of a rail vehicle if the rail vehicle is in a manual travel mode or is not in a monitored travel mode. The presented solution has the advantage that the infill balise can ensure safety even in a manual ETCS mode (for example a staff responsible mode or an on-site mode). The solution can preferably be used in conjunction with ETCS level 1 applications.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for controlling a rail vehicle, which comprises the steps of:
 making available, via an infill balise, a state of a lineside component lying ahead in a direction of travel; and   depending on the state of the lineside component lying ahead, the infill balise initiates a European train control system (ETCS) mode change of the rail vehicle if the rail vehicle is in a manual driving mode or not in a supervised driving mode.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the lineside component lying ahead outputs a signal having a STOP state or THROUGH MOVE state; and   in an event that a signal state is the STOP state, the infill balise initiates the ETCS mode change of the rail vehicle if the rail vehicle is in the manual driving mode or not in the supervised driving mode.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein, in an event that the signal state is the THROUGH MOVE state, the infill balise does not initiate the ETCS mode change. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the ETCS mode change involves a change to the supervised driving mode which initiates a braking operation so that the rail vehicle comes to a stand before an end of movement authority. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the infill balise does not initiate the ETCS mode change of the rail vehicle if the rail vehicle is in the supervised driving mode or in a shunting mode. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the supervised driving mode is an ETCS full supervision mode. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the shunting mode is an ETCS shunting mode. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the manual driving mode is an ETCS staff responsible mode or ETCS on-sight mode. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 17 , which further comprises making available the state of the lineside component lying ahead not only to the infill balise but also to a further balise in a vicinity of the lineside component lying ahead. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , which further comprises calculating a distance between the infill balise and the further balise such that the rail vehicle can be braked to a stand before reaching the further balise or clear of a danger point. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the infill balise initiates the ETCS mode change of the rail vehicle by using, for the infill balise, an ID of the further balise instead of an ID of the infill balise. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the lineside component contains at least one of the following components:
 a signaling unit for a speed restriction;   a signaling unit for a temporary speed restriction,   a switch,   a grade crossing, and   a rail operation component which can have at least one state, wherein the state can be made available to the rail vehicle by means of a balise.   
     
     
         29 . A system for controlling a rail vehicle, comprising:
 a lineside component lying ahead in a direction of travel;   a balise in a vicinity or a distance in rear of said lineside component lying ahead, and to said balise a state of said lineside component being made available; and   an infill balise to which the state of said lineside component lying ahead being made available, wherein, depending on the state of said lineside component ahead, said infill balise initiating an European train control system mode change of the rail vehicle if the rail vehicle is in a manual driving mode or not in a supervised driving mode.   
     
     
         30 . A European train control system (ETCS) lineside equipment, comprising:
 an infill balise; and   another balise in a vicinity of a lineside component, wherein the another balise is disposed beyond said infill balise in a direction of travel, wherein, depending on a state of the lineside component, said infill balise can initiate an ETCS mode change of a rail vehicle if the rail vehicle is in a manual driving mode or not in a supervised driving mode.   
     
     
         31 . The ETCS lineside equipment according to  claim 30 , wherein said infill balise is disposed far enough from said another balise to ensure that the rail vehicle, on passing over said infill balise, can initiate a braking operation so that the rail vehicle can be braked to a stand before reaching said another balise or in rear of a danger point. 
     
     
         32 . The ETCS lineside equipment according to  claim 30 , wherein a distance between said infill balise and the another balise is at least 100 m. 
     
     
         33 . The ETCS lineside equipment according to  claim 30 , wherein a distance between said infill balise and the another balise is at least 150 m. 
     
     
         34 . The ETCS lineside equipment according to  claim 30 , wherein a distance between said infill balise and the another balise is at least 200 m. 
     
     
         35 . The ETCS lineside equipment according to  claim 30 , wherein a distance between said infill balise and the another balise is at least 240 m.