HVIP – New Generation of Generic Point Controller

More than 100 public transport operators all over the world use HANNING & KAHL point controllers.  All our point controllers are developed individually and customer-specifically with regard to the hardware and in particular the software. By Hendrik Rohlfing

In order to meet individual customer requirements and take all current normative and process specifications into account without having to subject every single point controller to a new assessment process in line with EN 5012x each time, we developed a generic point controller on the basis of the HANNING & KAHL processor system HN-P which has had approval since 2022.

After the market launch of HANNING & KAHL‘s HVIP processor system, the new generation of generic point controller is now in the development stage. Apart from the function block of the generic software core for implementing protective functions in line with VDV331 which users are familiar with, additional proven regulating circuits for part systems of the point controller are used. In each case, these regulating circuits combine the hardware circuit and the corresponding software module. As part of the new generic point controller which is based on the vital HVIP processor system, tried and tested regulating circuits are implemented for vehicle detection, signal switching / signal monitoring, and for activation of the point machine including end-position monitoring. There is also a software module for adaptation to customer-specific requirements. This module enables us to cater more precisely for customer requirements and to maintain the uniqueness of each respective transport operator.

In addition to the ONLINE, OFFLINE, and FAILSAFE operating modes which customers are already familiar with, the ONLINE-RESTRICTED operating mode is also available. In this operating mode, a fault leads to switch-off of system parts provided a partial shutdown is justifiable from a safety point of view. One such example would be a cable fault on the end-position monitoring of a manual secondary point which can lead to switch-off of this system part. After rectification, the fault in the defective system part can also be acknowledged by pushbutton without the need to restart the overall system, thus further increasing availability.

The new generation of the generic point controller also has the well-known strict separation between safety-relevant and non-safety-relevant standard functions. While all safety-relevant functions are performed via the vital HVIP processor system, the HLUmulti controller is deployed for all non-safety-relevant functions. This will continue to enable a high degree of flexibility and allow subsequent customer-specific adjustments in the non-safety-relevant part of the point controller without impairing the safety-relevant part. Renewed acceptance by an assessor is not necessary, and any adjustments required can be carried out as efficiently as possible.

All in all, the new generation generic point controller combines a multitude of advantages. To sum up, these include the generic software core for implementation of the protective functions in line with VDV331, proven regulating circuits for vehicle detection, point machine and signalling, and the high availability of the SIL4-certified HVIP processor system.