Method for operating a train safety assembly, train safety assembly and rail vehicle comprising a train safety assembly

• US 10,214,226 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Simon, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US15/566,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20180118241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 116 30, 246 3- 18, 2461661, 246208, 717120, 717121, 717168, 717170, 717171
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0063 Multiple on-board control systems, e.g. "2 out of 3"-systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2027/202 using European Train Control System [ETCS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/20 Trackside control of safe travel of vehicle or train, e.g. braking curve calculation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/70 Details of trackside communication

Abstract

A train safety assembly has an onboard apparatus of a first train safety system and a specific transmission device for transmission with a trackside part of a second train safety system. The onboard apparatus is started using a version of a first software and the specific transmission device is started using a version of a second software. The versions of the first and second software are checked for their compatibility. In order to be able to provide the train safety assembly for use on a track section, which is equipped with the trackside part of the second train safety system, and to put same into operation in a faster and more cost-efficient manner, if the started versions of the first and second software are incompatible, the transmission device is automatically restarted with another version of the second software, and the started first and second software are checked for their compatibility.

Claims

1. A method for operating a train safety assembly (34) having an onboard apparatus of a first train safety system with a specific transmission device connected to the onboard apparatus via an interface, and configured for communication with a trackside part of a second train safety system, the method comprising:

starting the onboard apparatus using a given version of a first software;

starting the specific transmission device using a given version of a second software;

checking the given version of the first software and the given version of the second software for compatibility;

in the case of incompatibility of the given version of the first software and the given version of the second software, automatically restarting the specific transmission device with another version of the second software; and

checking the given version of the first software and the other version of the second software for compatibility.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the case of incompatibility of the given version of the first software and the started other version of the second software, automatically restarting the specific transmission device with a further version of the second software and checking the given version of the first software and the started further version of the second software for compatibility.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises, on each restart of the specific transmission device, automatically restarting the onboard apparatus with the given version of the first software.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a data memory with stored version-information on the version of the second software to be started is assigned to the specific transmission device, and the method further comprises:

on each start and on each restart, determining the version of the second software to be started by transmitting from the specific transmission device a version-request signal to the data memory via a data-transmission connection;

in response to the version-request signal, communicating with the data memory a version-response signal comprising the stored version-information on the version of the second software to be started to the specific transmission device via the data-transmission connection; and

in response to the version-response signal, starting the version of the second software to be started with the specific transmission device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the data memory is a non-volatile data memory.

6. The method according to claim 4, which comprises, before the specific transmission device starts, storing information on the given version of the second software as version-information in the data memory so that, in response to the version-response signal, the specific transmission device starts with the one version of the second software.

7. The method according to claim 5, which comprises:

in the case of compatibility of the given version of the first software with the given version of the second software, the specific transmission device communicates a version-retain signal to the data memory; and

in response to the version-retain signal, retaining the information on the given version of the second software or storing the information anew in the data memory.

8. The method according to claim 5, which comprises:

in the case of incompatibility of the given version of the first software and the given version of the second software, communicating with the specific transmission device a version-change signal to the data memory; and

in response to the version-change signal, instead of the information on the given version of the second software, storing information on the other version of the second software as version-information in the data memory so that, in response to the version-response-signal, the specific transmission device restarts with the other version of the second software.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, in the case of compatibility of the given version of the first software and the started other version of the second software, communicating with the specific transmission device a version-retain signal to the data memory, and

in consequence of the version-retain signal, retaining the information on the other version of the second software stored in the data memory or storing the information anew in the data memory.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, in the case of incompatibility of the given version of the first software and the started other version of the second software, communicating with the specific transmission device a version-change signal to the data memory;

and

in response to the version-change signal, instead of the information on the other version of the second software, storing information on the further version of the second software as version-information in the data memory so that, in response to the version-response signal, the specific transmission device restarts with the further version of the second software.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the specific transmission device communicates a version-indication signal comprising the version-information on the started version of the second software to the onboard apparatus via the interface, that the onboard apparatus uses the communicated version-information on the started version of the second software and version-information on the started version of the first software to check whether the started versions are compatible or incompatible;

and

the onboard apparatus blocks the interface for further communication with the specific transmission device if it identifies the started versions as incompatible;

the onboard apparatus communicates a version-indication signal comprising the version-information on the started version of the first software to the specific transmission device via the interface if it identifies the started versions as compatible;

the specific transmission device uses the communicated version-information on the started version of the first software and the version-information on the started version of the second software to check whether the started versions are compatible or incompatible;

the specific transmission device blocks the interface for further communication with the onboard apparatus if it identifies the started versions as incompatible;

the specific transmission device communicates the version-change signal to the data memory if it identifies the started versions as incompatible; and

the specific transmission device communicates the version-retain signal to the data memory if it identifies the started versions as compatible.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the onboard apparatus keeps the interface free for further communication with the specific transmission device if the started versions are identified as compatible and the specific transmission device keeps the interface free for further communication with the onboard apparatus if the started versions are identified as compatible.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the specific transmission device communicates a version-indication signal comprising the version-information on the started version of the second software to the onboard apparatus via the interface, that the onboard apparatus uses the communicated version-information on the started version of the second software and version-information on the started version of the first software to check whether the started versions are compatible or incompatible;

and

the onboard apparatus blocks the interface for further communication with the specific transmission device if it identifies the started versions as incompatible;

the onboard apparatus communicates a version-indication signal comprising the version-information on the started version of the first software to the specific transmission device via the interface if it identifies the started versions as compatible;

the specific transmission device uses the communicated version-information on the started version of the first software and the version-information on the started version of the second software to check whether the started versions are compatible or incompatible;

the specific transmission device blocks the interface for further communication with the onboard apparatus if it identifies the started versions as incompatible;

the specific transmission device communicates the version-change signal to the data memory if it identifies the started versions as incompatible; and

the specific transmission device communicates the version-retain signal to the data memory if it identifies the started versions as compatible.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the onboard apparatus keeps the interface free for further communication with the specific transmission device if the started versions are identified as compatible and the specific transmission device keeps the interface free for further communication with the onboard apparatus if the started versions are identified as compatible.

15. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

providing the given version of the first software of the onboard apparatus and the versions of the software of the specific transmission device in accordance with a System Requirements Specification Version of a European Train Safety System, wherein the System Requirements Specification versions of the European Train Safety System are different from those corresponding to different versions of the second software of the specific transmission device.

16. The method according to claim 4, wherein the version-information on the respective version of the software is provided in form of a number.

17. A train safety assembly for a rail vehicle, comprising an onboard apparatus of a first train safety system and a specific transmission device, which is connected via an interface to said onboard apparatus and which is adapted to a trackside part of a second train safety system, and wherein the train safety assembly is configured to carry out the method according to claim 1.

18. A rail vehicle, comprising a train safety assembly according to claim 17.