Wayside communication system using power grid lines

The present invention relates generally to electric communication between wayside installations next to a railway track by sending a signal through the running rails of the railway track.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,425 discloses an example of such electric communication. A solid state code transmitter and receiver device is located at each end of a railroad track section to alternatively transmit data codes through the rails to be received by the other end receiver element. One rail serves as the signal line while the other rail serves as the return path.

One of the main problems with this type of communication is that signals cannot be sent over long distances. Indeed, in case of poor weather or rail or ballast conditions, rail to rail current leakage as well as current leakage to earth will degrade a signal significantly over long distances.

In one embodiment, a communication system is provided for transmitting through a running rail of a railroad track between wayside control devices a coded current signal representing a wayside condition or control. The system comprises two wayside control devices. Each wayside control device has a coded current signal transceiver for electrical connection to a running rail of a railroad track and for transmission of a coded current signal to the other wayside control device and reception of a coded current signal from the other wayside control device via the running rail, and a power supply connection for connection to a power line of a power substation. The two wayside control devices are configured to, when each is connected via its transceiver to the same running rail and connected via its power supply connection to the same power line, exchange coded current signals by generating a coded current signal representing a wayside condition or control at a first one of the two wayside control devices, transmitting the coded current signal from the first wayside control device to the second wayside control device via the running rail, decoding the coded current signal at the second wayside control device thus obtaining the wayside condition or control and returning the decoded current signal back to the first wayside control device via the power supply connections and the power line thus closing the current signal flow loop.

In another embodiment, a method is provided of transmitting through a running rail of a railroad track between wayside control devices a coded current signal representing a wayside condition or control. The method comprises the consecutive steps of generating a coded current signal representing a wayside condition or control at a first wayside control device, transmitting the coded current signal from the first wayside control device to a second wayside control device via the running rail, decoding the coded current signal at the second wayside control device thus obtaining the wayside condition or control, and returning the decoded current signal back to the first wayside control device via a power line common to the wayside control devices thus closing the current signal flow loop.

In a further embodiment, a railroad track communication network is provided, comprising a railroad track having two parallel running rails, a power line of a power substation for providing electrical power to wayside equipment and two wayside control devices. Each wayside control device has a coded current signal transceiver electrically connected to a running rail of the railroad track for transmission of a coded current signal to the other wayside control device and reception of a coded current signal from the other wayside control device via the running rail, and a power supply connection connected to the power line. The two wayside control devices are configured to exchange coded current signals by generating a coded current signal representing a wayside condition or control at a first one of the two wayside control devices, transmitting the coded current signal from the first wayside control device to the second wayside control device via the running rail, decoding the coded current signal at the second wayside control device thus obtaining the wayside condition or control, returning the decoded current signal back to the first wayside control device via the power supply connections and the power line thus closing the current signal flow loop.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a railroad track communication network using power substation lines in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a railroad track communication network using power substation lines in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating how the railroad track communication network of FIG. 1 is used to detect a broken rail; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating how the railroad track communication network of FIG. 2 is used to detect the presence of a train on the railroad track.

FIG. 1 illustrates a railroad track communication network 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The communication network 100 includes a railroad track 102 , a power line bundle 104 and three wayside control devices 106 f , 106 s and 106 t . At least two of the three wayside control devices together form a communication system 107 .

The railroad track 102 is made of two individual running rails 102 a and 102 b . Trains travel from one station to the other on railroad track 102 .

The power line bundle 104 runs alongside the railroad track 102 . It provides electrical power (preferably AC power) to wayside equipment located along the railroad track 102 . The power line bundle 104 originates at a power substation (not shown). The bundle 104 has three power lines 104 a , 104 b and 104 c . Line 104 a corresponds to the hot line, line 104 b to the neutral line, and line 104 c to the ground line.

The three wayside control devices 106 f , 106 s and 106 t are of the same type. Hence, only one of them, 106 f , will be described in detail, this description also holding for the other two.

The wayside control device 106 f is an electronic installation located next to the railway track 102 . Typically, it has the form of a bungalow housing electronic components, which control the signaling necessary for the safe operation of trains on the railway track 102 .

The wayside control device 106 f features a coded current signal transceiver 108 . The transceiver 108 is electrically connected to running rail 102 b of the railroad track 102 . The transceiver 108 is configured for transmission of a coded current signal A to other wayside control devices 108 and reception of a coded current signal from other wayside control devices 108 via the running rail 102 b.

The wayside control device 106 f is connected to the power lines 104 a , 104 b , 104 c via a power supply connection 110 . The electronic components of the wayside control device are powered via this power supply connection 110 .

Communication between the three wayside control devices 106 f , 106 s and 106 t is performed as follows.

The first one of the three wayside control devices 106 f generates a coded current signal A representing a wayside condition or control. This electric current signal A is injected into the running rail 102 b at a point P. The electric current splits into two components A 1 and A 2 running in opposite directions along the running rail 102 b . The further discussion will focus on current component A 2 . However, this discussion is also applicable in an analogous way to current component A 1 .

The current signal A 2 propagates along the running rail 102 b until it reaches the connection point P of the second wayside control device 106 s . At point P, the current signal A 2 splits into two components A 21 and A 22 . Current signal A 22 runs further along the running rail 102 b , whereas current signal A 21 enters the second wayside control device 106 s . The transceiver 108 of the second wayside control device 106 s having received current signal A 21 decodes the signal to obtain the wayside condition or control. The second wayside control device 106 s then initiates certain signaling actions depending on the contents of the decoded signal. The current signal A 21 then returns back to the first wayside control device 106 f from which it originated via one of the power lines 104 a , 104 b , 104 c , thus closing the current signal flow loop.

The current signal component A 22 splits into current signal components A 221 and A 222 at the connection point P of the third wayside control device 106 t . The current signal component A 221 is then detected by the third wayside control device 106 t , after which it returns back to the first wayside control device 106 f through one of the power lines 104 a , 104 b and 104 c.

The coded current signals sent by the wayside control devices preferably include a unique identifier identifying the sending wayside control device such that a wayside control device receiving a current signal can determine its origin. This is particularly useful when the running rails 102 a and 102 b are continuous, i.e. not sectioned into track circuit blocks via insulated joints.

FIG. 2 illustrates a railroad track communication network 200 in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. This second network 200 has all the elements of the first network 100 of FIG. 1 plus further communication means. Compared to the first network of FIG. 1 , the second network 200 is configured for communication between wayside control devices 206 f , 206 s and 206 t over both rails 202 a and 202 b of the railroad track 202 . Accordingly, the coded current signal transceivers 208 are electrically connected to both running rails 202 a and 202 b at points P and Q such that different coded current signals A and B can be exchanged in parallel between the wayside control devices 206 f , 206 s and 206 t via each of the two running rails 202 a and 202 b.

Communication over the second rail 202 a is performed in the same way as communication over the first rail 202 b explained above with reference to FIG. 1 . A second coded current signal B, different from the first coded current signal A, is generated by the first wayside control device 206 f and injected into the second rail 202 a at a connection point Q. Like signal A, signal B splits into components B 1 and B 2 , B 21 and B 22 , B 221 and B 222 , etc. The various components are received by the other wayside control devices via their transceivers 208 , decoded, and the current returns back to the first wayside control device 206 f via one of the power lines 204 a , 204 b and 204 c of the power line bundle 204 .

The advantage of the second communication network 200 is that more signals can be transmitted in a shorter amount of time, by using both rails 202 a and 202 b as transmission lines.

FIG. 3 illustrates how the communication network 100 of FIG. 1 can be used to detect a broken rail. In the illustration, running rail 102 b has a break K between the two wayside control devices 106 f and 106 s . Accordingly, the current signal A sent by the first wayside control device 106 f cannot reach the second wayside control device 106 s or the third wayside control device 106 t . In the absence of any signals from the first wayside control device 106 f for a certain minimum amount of time, the second wayside control device 106 s and/or the third wayside control device 106 t concludes that there must be a break K in the running rail 102 b.

FIG. 4 illustrates how the communication network 200 of FIG. 2 can be used to detect the presence of a train on the railroad track 202 . To simplify, the drawing omits the third wayside control device 206 t.

When a train is present on the railroad track 202 , its wheel sets S act as an electrical shunt between the two running rails 202 a and 202 b . To simplify, FIG. 4 only shows one wheel set S. The effect of this electrical shunt S is that signal A and its components are no longer confined to the first rail 202 b . Likewise, signal B and its components are no longer confined to the second rail 202 a . As shown in FIG. 4 , components of signal A and signal B cross over from one rail to the other. This cross-talk can be detected by the wayside control devices. In case of cross-talk, one deduces the presence of a train on the railroad track 202 . Depending on which wayside control device receives which type of cross-talk, one can also determine the position of the train on the railroad track 202 .

The communication network 200 of FIG. 2 can of course be used for the detection of a break in the rails 202 a and 202 b using the same method as described for the communication network 100 .

The present invention has in particular the following advantages:

Rail to rail current leakage is no longer an issue in communications between wayside equipment. This is because the invention does not rely on a differential signal between the rails as in the prior art. Instead one or both rails serve as the signal line(s), and the AC power grid is used as the return path. Since multiple wayside installations typically have AC power, this allows sending signals long distances while still having a common return path to complete the circuit; The dominant characteristic that limits signal travel is now the series inductance of the rail and the given return path through the power lines. Ballast conditions no longer limit the signal travel length; There is also the ability to send different signals through each rail to provide broken rail detection as well as train detection; Insulated joints, which are expensive to maintain, are no longer required to provide isolation or block independence; There is no need for additional dedicated communication lines, e.g. via radio or fiber optic cable, between wayside equipment.

While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.