Patent ID: 8274180

Claim:
A train configuration recognition system for recognizing a configuration of a train configured with a plurality of carriages that are joined together while carriage groups each made up of a single carriage or two or more carriages are used as units, the train configuration recognition system comprising: train end detection switches that are respectively provided at two ends of each of the carriage groups and each of which is configured so that a contact point thereof is open if another one of the carriage groups is joined to a corresponding one of the two ends and so that the contact point thereof is closed if none of other carriage groups is joined to the corresponding one of the two ends; a pair of transmission lines that are provided in the train in such a manner that, at each of the two ends of each of the carriage groups, one end of a corresponding one of the train end detection switches is connected to one of the pair of transmission lines, whereas other end of the corresponding one of the train end detection switches is connected to other of the pair of transmission lines; and train configuration recognition apparatuses each of which is provided in a different one of the carriages and that recognize the configuration of the train, wherein one of the train configuration recognition apparatuses controls others of the train configuration recognition apparatuses within the train, and each of the train configuration recognition apparatuses includes: a power supply that outputs a direct current; first and second switches that are respectively inserted in the pair of transmission lines and that are configured so as to switch between (a) a state in which the power supply is inserted between the pair of transmission lines, and also, the pair of transmission lines are segmented and (b) another state in which the power supply is not inserted; a resistor that is inserted in at least one of the pair of transmission lines; a voltage detector that measures a voltage between the pair of transmission lines at each of both ends of the resistor; and a controlling unit to which the voltages having been measured by the voltage detector are input and that recognizes the configuration of the train and controls the first and the second switches in such a manner that there is only one location within the train where the power supply is inserted between the pair of transmission lines.