Railway Vehicle

The present invention concerns a railway vehicle.

In the field of railway passengers' transportation, the railway vehicles comprise a driving cabin, in which the driver drives the vehicles, followed by passenger cars, which transports passengers. The driver has to see the side and the rear of the railway vehicle, in particular the doors of the railway vehicle, to assure the passengers' safety when the passengers get in and off the railway vehicle.

It is known to equip the railway vehicle with a rear vision system. The rear vision system comprises a mirror, placed on the side of the vehicle at the exterior of the driving cabin, to reflect the side and the rear of the railway vehicle. The field view of the mirror is narrow and limit the driver's vision of the side and rear of the railway vehicle. Thus the use of mirror does not assure enough the safety of the passengers.

Video camera can be used instead of mirror thanks to its wider field view. The image filmed by the video camera is casted on a display in the driving cabin, so that the driver check the side and the rear of the vehicle by looking on the image on the display. Nevertheless, if the image on the display remains the same and stops to match with the reality, the driver does not realize and the passengers' safety can be involved.

The invention aims at creating a railway vehicle with a rear vision system that guarantees the passengers' safety.

a driving cabin, in which the railway vehicle is drivable by a driver and which is positioned at front of the railway vehicle; at least one passenger car, which is positioned at rear of the driving cabin and which comprises, on at least one lateral side, at least one door that is movable between an opened configuration, in which the door allows passengers to get on and off the passenger car, and a closed configuration, in which the door prevents passengers to get on and off the passenger car; a video camera, which is carried outside by the driving cabin or the at least one passenger car and which is directed to see the at least one lateral side of at least one passenger car so that a field view of the camera sees the at least one door; an internal display, which is positioned in the driving cabin so as to be seen by the driver and which is connected to the video camera to cast an image filmed by the video camera; and an animated device, which is carried outside by the at least one passenger car in the field view of the video camera and which is adapted to change visually at a predetermined frequency so as to detect when the image casted on the display is frozen To this end, aspects of the invention pertains to a railway vehicle, comprising:

Thanks to the invention, in particular thanks to the animated device, the driver can notice if the image remains the same instead of changing. Indeed, the driver knows that the image of the animated device has to change with a predetermined frequency and the driver verifies that it is the case. Thus, even if the railway vehicle is stopped at a station without any passengers' movement or any movement of the environment around the railway vehicle, the driver can checks the image with the animated device, which changes whatever happens.

the animated device comprises light emitting means, for example a lamp, which blinks at the predetermined frequency, the animated device comprises external display, for example a screen, on which a message is displayed, the message scrolling on the screen at the predetermined frequency, the animated device comprises external display, for example a screen, on which a message is displayed, the message blinking on the screen at the predetermined frequency, the animated device comprises a clock with moving elements, for example hands, which move at the predetermined frequency, a period of the predetermined frequency is comprised between 100 milliseconds and 1000 milliseconds, in particular between 250 milliseconds and 350 milliseconds, the railway vehicle further comprises an image processing unit connected to the video camera and the animated device, the image processing unit being adapted to detect when the image filmed by the video camera is unchanged at the predetermined frequency, the image processing unit is also connected to the display and adapted to cast the image filmed by the video camera on the display, the image processing unit displays an error message on the display when the image processing unit detects that the image filmed by the video camera is unchanged at the predetermined frequency, the railway vehicle further comprises an alarm inside the driving cabin that is triggered when the image processing unit detects that the image filmed by the video camera is unchanged at the predetermined frequency. According to advantageous but optional aspects, such a railway vehicle may incorporate one or more of the following features, considered alone or according to any technically allowable combination:

1 1 1 2 3 1 1 5 7 1 FIG. A railway vehicleis represented on. The railway vehicleis configured to carry passengers and is preferably a regional or suburban train, or metro, or a tramway. The vehiclecomprises wheels, in order to roll on a rail track. The railway vehicle, also simply said “vehicle” within the scope of the present description, comprises a driving cabinand a passenger car.

5 1 1 5 1 The driving cabinis positioned at the front of the vehicle. The railway vehicleis drivable by a driver. The driver inside the driving cabincontrols the vehicleto carry passengers from one place to another.

7 5 7 5 1 7 The passenger caris positioned at rear of the driving cabin. More precisely the passenger caris hung behind the driving cabin. In this example, the passenger car is a long car with articulation to facilitate the turning of the vehicle. In a variant not shown, the vehicle comprises several passenger carshung each other.

7 11 7 7 7 11 7 7 The passenger carcomprises doorson a lateral side of the passenger car. In this example, the passenger carcomprises six doors. Each dooris movable between an opened configuration and a closed configuration. In the opened configuration, the doorallows passengers to get on and off the passenger car. In the closed configuration, the door prevents passengers to get on and off the passenger car.

11 11 11 Each dooris controlled by the driver in the driving cabin. Each doorcan be in the closed or opened configuration independently of the other doors.

12 13 14 15 5 FIG. The vehicle also comprises a rear vision system, according to a first embodiment shown on, comprising a internal display, a video cameraand an animated device.

13 1 The internal displayis positioned in the driving cabin so that the driver is able to have quick look at the display when the driver is driving the vehicle.

14 1 1 1 11 14 14 5 The video camerais carried outside by the vehicle, on the lateral side of the vehicleand directed to the lateral side and the rear of the vehicle. Thus, the doorsare in a field view of the video camera. In this example, the video camerais hung on the lateral side of the driving cabin.

14 5 5 1 1 11 13 11 11 5 FIG. The video camera, as shown in, is connected to the displayso that the driver can see from the driving cabinwhat happens outside the vehicle, in particular on the lateral side and rear of the vehicle. Thus, the driver controls the opening and the closing of the doorsfrom the driving cabin without endangering the passengers. More precisely, the driver verifies on the internal displaythat no passenger is going through the doorsbefore closing the doors.

15 15 1 14 15 13 11 5 The animated devicevisually changes with a predetermined frequency. The animated deviceis carried outside by the vehicle, on the field view of the video cameraso that the driver sees the animated deviceon the image casted on the internal display. In this example, the animated device is hung above the second and the third doorsfrom the driving cabin.

15 17 Advantageously, the animated devicecomprises light emitting means, a lampin this example, which blinks at the predetermined frequency.

2 3 4 FIGS.,and 19 21 23 19 21 23 In this example, as shown on, the animated device comprises a first lamp, a second lampand a third lamp. Each lamp,,blinks at the predetermined frequency successively.

15 19 21 23 19 21 23 21 23 19 2 FIG. In particular, a first, a second and a third configuration of the animated devicefollow one from another at the predetermined frequency. In a first configuration, shown on, the first lampis turned on while the second and the third lampandare off. In the second configuration, the first lampis off while the second lampis turned on and the third lampstays off. In the third configuration, the second lampis off while the third lampis turned on and the first lampstays off.

15 15 13 13 The predetermined frequency is detectable by the human eye so that the driver is able to see if the animated devicechanges. Thus, the animated device helps the driver to detect when the image casted on the display is frozen. More precisely, the driver, by monitoring the change of the animated deviceon the image casted on the internal display, detects when the image casted on the internal displayremains the same whereas the image must change.

Advantageously, a period of the predetermined frequency is comprised between 100 milliseconds and 1000 milliseconds and advantageously between 250 milliseconds and 350 milliseconds.

15 13 1 15 13 11 11 11 The presence of the animated device, which visually changes, enhances the passenger safety. Indeed the driver can check the image casted on the internal displayto be sure that the image changes and effectively shows the outside of the vehiclein real time. Thus, the presence of the animated device, prevents the case when the image casted on the internal displayremains the same showing no passengers going through the doorsso that the driver closes the doorswhereas in reality passengers going through the doors.

15 As an alternative not shown, the animated devicecomprises an external display, for example a screen, on which a message is displayed, the message scrolling on the display at the predetermined frequency.

15 As an alternative not shown, the animated devicecomprises an external display, for example a screen, on which a message is displayed, the message blinking at the predetermined frequency.

15 As an alternative not shown, the animated devicecomprises a display based on LED, on which a message is displayed, the message blinking at the predetermined frequency.

15 As an alternative not shown, the animated devicecomprises a clock with moving elements, which move at the predetermined frequency.

14 7 As an alternative not shown, the video camerais hung on the lateral side of the passenger car.

1 1 11 1 1 As an alternative not shown, the vehiclecomprises more than one video camera placed on the outside of the vehicleto have a better vision of the different doorsof the vehicle. For each video camera, the vehiclecomprises an animated device in the field view of the camera to allow the driver to verify if the image of the video camera remains the same whereas the image must change.

6 FIG. 112 112 12 112 12 112 shows a rear vision systemaccording to a second embodiment. The rear vision systembeing identical to the rear vision systemof the first embodiment except for the features described below. Reference signs of the rear vision systemcorrespond to those of the rear vision systemwhen the referenced element is the same. The reference signs are increased by 100 when it designs similar elements but modified in the rear vision.

112 13 14 15 125 The rear vision systemcomprises, in addition of the internal display, the video cameraand the animated device, an image processing unit.

125 101 14 15 125 14 15 15 The image processing unitis embedded on the vehicleand connected to the video cameraand the animated device. The image processing unitis adapted to detect when the image filmed by the video camerais unchanged at the predetermined frequency despite the change of the animated device. In particular, the image processing unit can comprises an algorithm able to detect if the pixels of the image showing the animated devicechange with the predetermined frequency.

125 13 14 13 125 14 15 125 13 Advantageously, the image processing unitis also connected to the internal displayand manages the casting of the image filmed by the video cameraon the internal display. When the image processing unitdetects that the image filmed by the video cameraremains the same despite the change of the animated device, the image processing unitdisplays an error message on the internal displayto warn the driver.

125 14 15 125 13 As an alternative, when the image processing unitdetects that the image filmed by the video cameraremains the same despite the change of the animated device, the image processing unitshuts down the internal displayto warn the driver.

112 127 5 125 125 125 14 15 The rear system visioncomprises an alarm. The alarm is placed in the driving cabinand connected to the image processing unit. The alarm is triggered by the image processing unit, when the image processing unitdetects that the image filmed by the video cameraremains the same despite the change of the animated device.

127 127 The alarm, when it is triggered, is audible by the driver. More precisely, the alarmrings to warn the driver.

127 127 127 The alarmcomprises a lamp, which is turned on with flashy colour when the alarmis triggered. Thus, the alarmis visible by the driver.

15 13 1 15 13 11 11 11 125 127 125 14 1 13 127 15 112 The presence of the animated device, which visually changes, enhances the passengers' safety. Indeed the driver can check the image casted on the internal displayto be sure that the image changes and effectively shows the outside of the vehiclein real time. Thus, the presence of the animated device, prevents the case when the image casted on the internal displayremains the same showing no passengers going through the doorsso that the driver closes the doorswhereas in reality passengers going through the doors. Moreover, the passengers' safety is increased by the image processing unitand the alarm. Indeed, the image processing unitchecks if the image filmed by the video cameraeffectively shows the outside of the vehiclein real time and warns the driver, with the internal displayor with the alarm, when the image remains the same despite the change of the animated device. Thus, the rear system visionlimits the human error.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the aspects described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present disclosure and appended claims. In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed aspects for purposes of illustration only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the disclosure being set forth in the following claims.