Analysis of Representative Invention Patents on Train Signal Control Technique of Thales SEC Transport

Urban rail transit signal system is a kind of complex large-scale system, which is used for train dispatching command, traffic control and other aspects. It is the core to ensure high safety and high efficiency of urban rail transit organization and operation control. Its research and development (R&D) enterprises usually have high industry qualifications. As the first enterprise undertaking the communication based train control (CBTC) system applied to urban rail transit in China, it is of no doubt that Thales Shanghai Electric Group Company (SEC) Transport has strong R&D ability in signal system, and it has applied for a large number of invention patents in this field in the past 20 years. Invention patent is the very scientific and technological literature that can best reflect the strategic layout of enterprise and even industry technology development. However, up to now, there is little discussion on the technical development of rail transit signal system from the perspective of invention patents applied by an enterprise. In this paper, the invention patents applied by Thales SEC Transportation in the field of train signal control technique has been taken as the research object, combined with the company situation, its core patents has been interpreted, and the technological development context of the railway signal control industry reflected by the enterprise has also been analyzed and sorted out.