Patent Publication Number: US-9423415-B2

Title: Sensor state determination system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a national phase of PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2012/052725 filed Feb. 7, 2012, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a sensor state determination system to determine whether or not an acceleration sensor or the like to be used in a railroad or railway vehicle is in an abnormal state during running of the railroad vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A railroad vehicle uses an accelerator sensor or the like in a vibration damping control system for actively controlling a damper unit, a state monitoring system for monitoring the state of a component or the ride quality, and others. For instance, the vibration damping control system is arranged to execute active damper control in such a manner that the acceleration sensor detects vibration acceleration acting on a vehicle body, and a control unit appropriately determines a damping force to be generated by the damper unit based on the detected vibration acceleration. 
     The aforementioned vibration damper control system is disclosed in for example Patent Document 1 listed below. In the vibration damper control system disclosed in Patent Document 1 mentioned below, the control unit normally executes the active damper control as described above. However, in case the detected vibration acceleration exceeds a threshold value, the control system is determined to be in an abnormal state and the active damper control is unexecuted. This prevents the ride quality from deteriorating due to execution of the active damper control while a vehicle body is excessively vibrating. 
     RELATED ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Documents 
     Patent Document 1: JP-A-2001-271872 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     Meanwhile, in the vibration damping control system disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed above, the active damper control is executed based on the detected vibration acceleration on the precondition that the acceleration sensor is in a normal state, but this precondition does not take into consideration a case where the acceleration sensor itself is broken. Specifically, in case the acceleration sensor itself is broken or malfunctioning, the active damper control is performed based on a signal of the acceleration sensor in an abnormal state. Thus, the vibration damping control could not be conducted appropriately. Accordingly, it is desired to accurately determine first whether or not the acceleration sensor is in an abnormal state. 
     The present invention has been made to solve the above problems and has a purpose to provide a sensor state determination system capable of accurately determining whether or not a detecting sensor such as an acceleration sensor used in a railroad vehicle is in an abnormal state during running of the railroad vehicle. 
     Means of Solving the Problems 
     To achieve the above purpose, one aspect of the invention provides a sensor state determination system to determine whether or not a detecting sensor capable of detecting a physical value acting on a railroad vehicle is in an abnormal state during running of the railroad vehicle, wherein a monitoring sensor equivalent to the detecting sensor is installed in a location equivalent to a location in which the detecting sensor is installed, and the system includes a determination means configured to calculate a coherence value representing a correlation between a first signal detected by the detecting sensor and a second signal detected by the monitoring sensor based on both the signals, and determine that the detecting sensor is in an abnormal state when the coherence value is smaller than an abnormality determination value set in advance. 
     The determination means of the above sensor state determination system is preferably is configured to determine that the detecting sensor is in an abnormal state when a condition that the coherence value is smaller than the abnormality determination value has been established multiple times in succession. 
     The determination means of the above sensor state determination system is preferably is configured to determine that the detecting sensor is in an abnormal state when a condition that the coherence value is always smaller than a normality determination value for a short time from start of running of the railroad vehicle. 
     Advantageous Effects of the Invention 
     According to the invention, accordingly, the monitoring sensor equivalent to the detecting sensor is installed in the location equivalent to the location in which the detecting sensor is installed. When the coherence value indicating the correlationship between the first signal and the second signal is smaller than the abnormality determination value, the detecting sensor is determined to be in an abnormal state. Specifically, the first signal and the second signal are compared in shape with each other based on the coherence value and, based on this comparison, it is determined whether or not the detecting sensor is in an abnormal state. Thus, the first signal and the second signal can be compared strictly, thereby enabling accurate determination about whether or not the detecting sensor is abnormal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view conceptually showing a railroad vehicle employing a sensor state determination system; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram showing a relationship between an electronic control unit, a damper unit, and a notification means shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a graph showing a relationship between elapsed time from the start of running of the railroad vehicle and a first signal detected by a detecting sensor; 
         FIG. 4  is a graph showing a relationship between elapsed time from the start of running of the railroad vehicle and a second signal detected by a monitoring sensor; 
         FIG. 5  is a graph showing a relationship between elapsed time from the start of running of the railroad vehicle and coherence value; 
         FIG. 6  is a graph showing a relationship between elapsed time from the start of running of the railroad vehicle and running speed; and 
         FIG. 7  is a graph showing a relationship between elapsed time from the start of running of the railroad vehicle and a normal signal or abnormal signal output from a state determination section. 
     
    
    
     MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     A detailed description of a sensor state determination system in one embodiment of the present invention will now be given referring to the accompanying drawings.  FIG. 1  is a front view conceptually showing a railroad vehicle  1  employing a sensor state determination system  50 . In this railroad vehicle  1 , a vehicle body  30  is mounted on two bogies  10  arranged in a front-back direction through air springs  20 . Further, a damper unit  40  is provided to attenuate rightward and leftward vibrations acting on the vehicle body  30 . The damper unit  40  is configured to adjust an opening degree of an electromagnetic valve not shown based on a damper control command value F input from an electronic control unit (ECU)  60  to adjust a damping force to be generated. 
     The sensor state determination system  50  is arranged to determine the state of an acceleration sensor. This sensor state determination system  50  includes, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a detecting sensor  51  which is an acceleration sensor capable of detecting vibration acceleration acting on the vehicle body  30 , a monitoring sensor  52  which is an equivalent acceleration sensor configured to output the same values as those output from the detecting sensor  51 , and the aforementioned ECU  60 . 
     The detecting sensor  51  is provided to execute active damper control and output a first signal X representing a vibration acceleration that acts on the vehicle body  30  to the ECU  60 . The monitoring sensor  52  is provided to monitor the detecting sensor  51  and output a second signal Y representing the vibration acceleration that acts on the vehicle body  30  to the ECU  60 . 
     The ECU  60  is provided with a control command value calculation section  61  to compute the damper control command value F, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Specifically, the control command value calculation section  61  calculates an optimal damper control command value F based on the first signal X input from the detecting sensor  51  while the vehicle body  30  is vibrating to the right and left, and outputs the calculated damper control command value F to the damper unit  40 . Accordingly, the damper unit  40  actively generates the damping force, thereby performing the active damper control. 
     Meanwhile, when the detecting sensor  51  is in a normal state, the active damper control is executed based on the first signal X which is normal. Thus, the vibration damping control is appropriately executed to improve the ride quality or comfort. To the contrary, when the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state, or is broken, the active damper control is executed based on the first signal X which is abnormal. Thus, the vibration damping control is not appropriately executed, which may result in a deterioration of ride quality. Therefore, when the detecting sensor  51  is in the abnormal state, it is preferable not to execute the active damper control. The case where the detecting sensor  51  is abnormal includes for example a case where a connector of the detecting sensor  51  is about to be disengaged, a case where wiring of the detecting sensor  51  is cut, and other cases. 
     In the present embodiment, therefore, for the purpose of determining whether or not the detecting sensor  51  is in the abnormal state, the monitoring sensor  52  is installed in to a location equivalent to the location of the detecting sensor  51 , and the ECU  60  is provided with a coherence calculation section  62  and a state determination section  63  both serving as a determination means. The coherence calculation section  62  is arranged to compute a coherence value CXY representing a correlationship between the first signal X and the second signal Y, based on the signals X and Y. 
     Herein, a coherence value C(f) generally defined will be explained. This coherence value C(f) is a value indicating how much two signals x(t) and y(t) are correlated. The coherence value C(f) is defined by expression 1: 
                     C   ⁡     (   f   )       =                S   xy     ⁡     (   f   )            2           S   x     ⁡     (   f   )       *       S   y     ⁡     (   f   )                   (     Expression   ⁢           ⁢   1     )               
where Sxy(f) is a cross spectrum of x(t) and y(t) and is expressed by Fourier transformation of the cross-correlation function of x(t) and y(t), Sx(f) is a power spectrum of x(t) and is expressed by Fourier transformation of a autocorrelation function of x(t), and Sy(f) is a power spectrum of y(t) and is expressed by Fourier transformation of a autocorrelation function of y(t). Further, t denotes time and f denotes frequency.
 
     The coherence calculation section  62  calculates a coherence value CXY between the first signal X and the second signal Y by use of expression 2 obtained by expanding expression 1: 
                     C   XY     =                {       Σ   ⁡     (     X   -   Xa     )       *     (     Y   -   Ya     )       )     }     *            Σ   ⁡     (     X   -   Xa     )       *     (     Y   -   Ya     )                     ∑         (     X   -   Xa     )     2     *     ∑       (     Y   -   Ya     )     2                     (     Expression   ⁢           ⁢   2     )               
where the first signal X detected at every 4 milliseconds by the detecting sensor  51  is input into X in expression 2, the second signal Y detected at every 4 milliseconds by the monitoring sensor  52  is input into Y in expression 2. Furthermore, Xa in expression 2 is an average value of the first signal X detected at every 0.1 second, Ya in expression 2 is an average value of the second signal Y detected at every 0.1 second. It is to be noted that the time for which the first signal X and the second signal Y are input is not limited to the above interval of 4 milliseconds and may be changed as needed. The time interval to calculate the average values Xa and Ya is not limited to the above interval of 0.1 second and may be changed as needed according to the magnitude of frequency.
 
     The coherence value CXY calculated by expression 2 is a value from 0 to 1. This is 1 when the first signal X and the second signal Y completely coincide with each other and is 0 when the first signal X and the second signal Y are not correlated. In other words, the coherence value CXY is a value indicating how much the first signal X and the second signal Y are similar in shape at every 0.1 second. 
     The state determination section  63  is arranged to monitor the coherence value CXY calculated at every 0.1 second and determine whether or not this coherence value CXY is smaller than 0.6 which is an abnormality determination value. If the coherence value CXY is equal to or larger than 0.6, this state determination section  63  determines that the shape of the first signal X is similar to the shape of the second signal Y and thus that the detecting sensor  51  is in a normal state. If the coherence value CXY is smaller than 0.6, to the contrary, the state determination section  63  determines that the shape of the first signal X is dissimilar to the shape of the second signal Y and thus that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state. 
     In the present embodiment, the state determination section  63  is configured to determine that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state when the condition of the coherence value CXY being smaller than 0.6 has been successively established multiple times (e.g., ten times). This is to prevent the detecting sensor  51  from becoming determined to be in abnormal state when the coherence value CXY is smaller than 0.6 only once by influence of the noise input in the detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52 . 
     The state determination section  63  is further configured to determine whether or not the coherence value CXY is always smaller than 0.8 which is a normality determination value set in advance, for a short time (e.g., 10 seconds) from the start of running of the railroad vehicle  1 . This is to determine whether or not the detecting sensor  51  is in a normal state immediately after the railroad vehicle  1  starts running. The state determination section  63  is also configured to determine whether or not the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state based on the coherence value CXY only when the railroad vehicle  1  is running. This is because when the railroad vehicle  1  is being stopped, the first signal X and the second signal Y are inherently “0” and the coherence value CXY is not calculated. 
     Furthermore, the state determination section  63  is configured to output a normality signal α to the notification means  70  when the state determination section  63  determines that the detecting sensor  51  is in a normal state. Based on this normality signal α, the notification means  70  turns on for example a blue lamp to notify a driver or motorman that the detecting sensor  51  is in a normal state. On the other hand, the state determination section  63  is configured to output an abnormality signal β to the notification means  70  when the state determination section  63  determines that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state. Based on this abnormality signal β, the notification means  70  turns on for example a red lamp to notify a driver or motorman that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state. 
     Furthermore, the state determination section  63  is arranged to output an OFF signal γ to the control command value calculation section  61  only when the state determination section  63  determines that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state. Based on this OFF signal γ, the control command value calculation section  61  turns the damper control command value to “0” to inhibit the active damper control, thereby placing the damper unit  40  into a passive state. 
     The operations and effects of the embodiment configured as above will be explained using experimental results shown in  FIGS. 3 to 7 .  FIG. 3  shows a relationship between elapsed time t from the start of running of the railroad vehicle  1  and the X signal detected by the detecting sensor  51 .  FIG. 4  shows a relationship between the elapsed time t and the Y signal detected by the monitoring sensor  52 .  FIG. 5  shows a relationship between the elapsed time t and the coherence value CXY.  FIG. 6  shows a relationship between the elapsed time t and running speed V of the railroad vehicle  1 .  FIG. 7  shows a relationship between the elapsed time t and the normality signal α or the abnormality signal β, each of which is output from the state determination section  63 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , with reference to a short time A (10 seconds) from the start of running of the railroad vehicle  1 , it is found that the coherence value CXY is larger than 0.8. Accordingly, the state determination section  63  determines that the detecting sensor  51  is in a normal state and outputs the normality signal α to the notification means  70  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Thus, immediately after the railroad vehicle  1  starts running, it is possible to inform the driver or motorman or others that no initial failures exist in the detecting sensor  51 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , referring to time B and time C, the coherence value CXY is found to be smaller than 0.6. At the time B and the time C, however, the condition that the coherence value CXY is smaller than 0.6 has not been satisfied multiple times N (ten times) in succession. Accordingly, the detecting sensor  51  is not determined to be in an abnormal state and thus is determined to be in a normal state (see  FIG. 7 ). Consequently, it is possible to prevent the detecting sensor  51  from becoming determined to be in an abnormal state due to the influence of noise input in the detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , furthermore, referring to a certain time period D for which the vehicle running speed V is “0” (see  FIG. 6 ), it is confirmed that the coherence value CXY is smaller than 0.6. However, in this time period D which is a time zone in which the railroad vehicle  1  is being stopped, the state determination section  63  does not determine whether or not the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state based on the coherence value CXY as described above. In the time D, therefore, a determination result that the detecting sensor  51  is in a normal state is maintained. It is to be noted that the coherence value CXY largely varies in the time D due to the influence of noise input in the detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , referring to a time period E, the condition that the coherence value CXY is smaller than 0.6 has been successively satisfied multiple times N (ten times). At that time, the state determination section  63  determines that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state and outputs the abnormality signal β to the notification means  70  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Accordingly, the abnormal state of the detecting sensor  51  can be notified to the driver or motorman, or others. At this time, the state determination section  63  outputs the OFF signal γ to the control command value calculation section  61  to place the damper unit  40  into a passive state. Consequently, the active damper control is not executed while the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state, thereby enabling prevention of deterioration in ride quality. 
     Meanwhile, the ECU may be configured to make a determination without using the coherence value CXY that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state when a difference in amplitude or a difference in power between the first signal X and the second signal Y is a predetermined value or higher. In this configuration, however, the first signal X and the second signal Y are compared in amplitude or power at every certain moment. When random noise is input in the detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52 , therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine whether or not the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state. 
     On the other hand, the ECU  60  in the present embodiment is arranged to determine that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state when the coherence value CXY indicating the correlation degree of the first signal X and the second signal Y is smaller than the abnormality determination value. The ECU  60  thus compares the shape of the first signal X and the shape of the second signal Y at intervals of a predetermined time (0.1 second). This enables strictly comparing the first signal X and the second signal Y even when random noise is input in the detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52 , as compared with the case of comparing the first signal X and the second signal Y in amplitude or power at every certain moment. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state. 
     The above explanation is given to the sensor state determination system  50  according to the invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. 
     For instance, although the above embodiment uses the aforementioned expression 2 to calculate or compute the coherence value CXY, an expression to calculate the coherence value CXY is not limited to expression 2. Accordingly, for example, the coherence value CXY may be calculated using expression 3 described below. 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     The above expression 3 is an expression obtained by removing an absolute value from the numerator of the above expression 2. In the case of using this expression 3, the coherence value CXY is a value from −1 to 1. When a phase is displaced 180 degrees, the coherence values CXY are a predetermined positive value and a predetermined negative value (e.g., 1 and −1). On the other hand, in the case of using the expression 2 including an absolute value in the numerator, the coherence value CXY is a value from 0 to 1. Even when the phase is displaced 180 degrees, accordingly, both the coherence values CXY become a predetermined positive value (e.g., 1). Thus, in the case of using the expression 3, it is possible to further take into consideration a negative value of the coherence value CXY based on the phase displacement. This enables strict comparison between the first signal X and the second signal Y. 
     An expression to calculate the coherence value CXY may also be the following expression 4 simpler than the expression 3. 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     In the present embodiment, furthermore, the short time period A (10 seconds) from the start of running of the railroad vehicle  1 , the abnormality determination value (0.6), the normality determination value (0.8), and the aforementioned multiple times N (ten times) are determined in advance by experiments and may be changed as needed. As an alternative, the abnormality determination value and the normality determination value may coincide with each other. 
     In the present embodiment, the sensor state determination system  50  may also be configured to determine that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state when the condition that the coherence value CXY is smaller than the abnormality determination value (0.6) has been established once, that is, at the time B shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     In the present embodiment, the sensor state determination system  50  determines that the detecting sensor  51  is in an abnormal state when the condition that the coherence value CXY is smaller than the abnormality determination value has been established ten times in succession. As an alternative, for example, the sensor state determination system  50  may be configured to determine that it is in an abnormal state with small or slight failure when the condition that the coherence value CXY is smaller than the abnormality determination value has been established ten or more times in succession but less than twenty times and that it is in an abnormal state with large or severe failure when the condition that the coherence value CXY is smaller than the abnormality determination value has been established twenty or more times in succession. 
     In the present embodiment, the sensor state determination system  50  is configured to determine whether or not the acceleration sensor (the detecting sensor  51 ) used in the vibration damping control system is in an abnormal state. As an alternative, the sensor state determination system may be configured to determine whether or not the acceleration sensor and others used in the state monitoring system that monitors the state of components of the railroad vehicle or monitors the ride quality is in an abnormal state or may be configured to determine whether or not various sensors used for control of the vehicle are in abnormal states. 
     The detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52  in the present embodiment are the acceleration sensors for detecting vibration damping acceleration in right-left directions. As an alternative, they may be an acceleration sensor for detecting vibration damping acceleration in up-down directions or in front-back directions, or a biaxial acceleration sensor or a triaxial acceleration sensor. Furthermore, the detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52  may be selected from a speed sensor, an angle sensor, an angular speed sensor, a displacement sensor, a pressure sensor, etc. The detecting sensor  51  and the monitoring sensor  52  installed in the vehicle body  30 , but may be installed in any part or location of the railroad vehicle  1 . 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           1  Railroad vehicle 
           10  Bogie 
           20  Air spring 
           30  Vehicle body 
           40  Damper unit 
           50  Sensor state determination system 
           51  Detecting sensor 
           52  Monitoring sensor 
           60  Electronic control unit (ECU) 
           61  Control command value calculation section 
           62  Coherence calculation section 
           63  State determination section 
           70  Informing means