Accuracy Verification and Improvement of Occupancy Rate Estimation based on Air Suspension Pressure

• Published in: Denki Gakkai ronbunshi. D, Sangyō ōyō bumonshi 2020/12/01, Vol.140(12), pp.905-910
• Main Authors: Maki, Kentaro, Kimura, Shota, Mitadera, Tsuyoshi, Yagi, Hidenori, Imamura, Kenji
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; jpn
• Subjects: Accuracy; Error analysis; Ground level; Mathematical analysis; Measurement methods; Occupancy; occupancy rate; Onboard equipment; railway; Train Control & Monitoring System; Visual observation
• ISSN: 0913-6339; 2187-1094; 1348-8163; 2187-1108
• DOI: 10.1541/ieejias.140.905

With the advances in information and communication technology, it has become easier to transmit the onboard equipment data of a train to a ground level so that the data can be analyzed for various purposes. We have focused on train occupancy rate data, which are quantitative data of congestion degree, as the onboard equipment data for use. The objective is to improve convenience for railway companies, as well as for passengers. Our goal is the replacement of the current method for measuring occupancy rates based on visual observation with a method that utilizes occupancy rate data based on the results of pressure detection of air suspensions (AS-based occupancy rates). The present study analyzes the error factors in the calculation of occupancy rates and strives to improve the calculation method to improve the accuracy of the AS-based occupancy rates. As a result, for the improved AS-based occupancy rates, the proportion of errors is less than 10%, which is the difference between the AS-based and passenger-count-based occupancy rates. This accuracy is much better than that of the occupancy rate based on visual observation, whose proportion of errors is more than 20%.