Method of Maintaining Separation Between Vehicles in a Fixed Guideway Transportation System Using Dynamic Block Control

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to ground transportation systems, and more particularly to a fixed guideway transportation system that achieves a superior ratio of benefits per cost, is lower in net present cost and thus more easily justified for lower density corridors, and can provide passenger carrying capacities appropriate for higher density corridors serviced by mass rapid transit systems today.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a plurality of driverless vehicles in a fixed guideway system, comprising:
 determining that there are no fixed obstacles in the system; and   maintaining separation between the vehicles using dynamic block control that takes into account a controlled braking rate of one or more of the vehicles.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein maintaining separation includes calculating a stopping distance delta between a leading vehicle and a trailing vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the stopping distance delta includes a worst case stopping distance of the trailing vehicle and a best case stopping distance of the leading vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , further comprising calculating the worst case stopping distance and the best case stopping distance using the controlled braking rate. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein maintaining separation includes:
 continually monitoring the stopping distance delta; and   causing certain of the vehicles to stop if the separation between two or more vehicles is less than the stopping distance delta.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 transmitting a safety enable signal to the vehicles if the monitoring step does not detect any safety issues, wherein the causing step includes withholding transmission of the safety enable signal to the certain vehicles.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein continually monitoring the stopping distance delta includes periodically receiving location information from the plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein communication based train control is used to periodically receive the location information from the plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         9 . A system for controlling a plurality of driverless vehicles in a fixed guideway system, comprising:
 an interface in each of the vehicles; and   a station controller that communicates with the interface in each of the vehicles and maintains separation between the vehicles using dynamic block control that takes into account a controlled braking rate of one or more of the vehicles.   
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein the station controller maintains separation by calculating a stopping distance delta between a leading vehicle and a trailing vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 10 , wherein the stopping distance delta includes a worst case stopping distance of the trailing vehicle and a best case stopping distance of the leading vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein the station controller calculates the worst case stopping distance and the best case stopping distance using the controlled braking rate. 
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 10 , wherein the station controller maintains separation by continually monitoring the stopping distance delta, and causing certain of the vehicles to stop if the separation between two or more vehicles is less than the stopping distance delta. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a transmitter in the station controller that transmits a safety enable signal to the vehicles if the station controller does not detect any safety issues, wherein the station controller withholds transmission of the safety enable signal to the certain vehicles.   
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a receiver in the station controller that periodically receives location information from the plurality of vehicles.   
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 15 , wherein communication based train control is used to periodically receive the location information from the plurality of vehicles.