Method for state determination in a rail vehicle

• US 10,343,700 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brundisch, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Saint Surin, Jacques M
• Application Number:
  US15/513,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20170305445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 73579
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/08 Measuring installations for surveying permanent way applications of measuring apparatus or devices for track building purposes E01B35/00; measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0094 Recorders on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations by using a detector in a fluid G01H7/00, G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/08 Railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining a value of at least one state parameter of a rail vehicle and/or of a track for a railway vehicle, wherein in at least one capturing step, at least one actual first capturing signal correlated with the actual value of the state parameter is captured, via a first signal sensor on a structure in the interior of the rail vehicle, wherein, for capturing the actual first capturing signal, a first signal sensor of a mobile end device is used. For determining the value of the at least one state parameter a frequency range of the first capturing signal actual above 1 Hz to 2 Hz, preferably 4 Hz to 15 kHz, more preferably from 10 Hz to 1 kHz, is evaluated.

Claims

1. A method for determining a value of at least one state parameter of at least one of a rail vehicle and a track for the rail vehicle, the method comprising:

capturing, in at least one capturing step, at least one actual first capturing signal correlated with the actual value of the state parameter, via a first signal sensor of a mobile end device on a structure in an interior of the rail vehicle, wherein the first signal sensor of the mobile end device is internal to the mobile end device; and

evaluating, with at least one processor, the at least one actual first capturing signal in a frequency range of least one of;

1 Hz to 2 Hz, 4 Hz to 15 kHz, and 10 Hz to 1 kHz to determine the value of the at least one state parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile end device comprises one of the following:

a mobile telephone, a tablet computer, a mobile navigation device, and a smartwatch.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first signal sensor comprises at least one of the following:

at least one acceleration sensor of the mobile end device, at least one rotation rate sensor of the mobile end device, at least one microphone of the mobile end device, at least one camera of the mobile end device, at least one temperature sensor of the mobile end device, at least one magnetic field sensor of the mobile end device, or any combination thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following:

(i) the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle includes a storage device including at least one of the following;

a luggage rack, a table, storage of a seat, a lockable compartment of the vehicle, or any combination thereof, and the mobile end device, during the at least one capturing step, is connected to the storage device,

(ii) the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle includes a wall, and the mobile end device, during the at least one capturing step, is connected to the wall,

(iii) the mobile end device, for the at least one capturing step is substantially rigidly connected to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle,

(iv) the mobile end device, for the at least one capturing step, is connected to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle by a clamping device,

(v) the mobile end device, for the at least one capturing step, is connected to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle by a holder, wherein the holder is arranged in a compartment of the rail vehicle, wherein the compartment is lockable, and wherein the holder is spatially associated to a charging device for the mobile end device,

(vi) the mobile end device, for a first capturing step of the at least one capturing step in a first passing through of a predetermined track section of the track, is connected to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle in at least one of a predeterminable first measurement position and a predeterminable first measurement orientation, and the mobile end device, for a second capturing step on a second passing of the predetermined track section, is connected to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle in at least one of a predeterminable second measurement position and a predeterminable second measurement orientation different than the at least one of the predeterminable first measurement position and the predeterminable first measurement orientation,

or any combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, with at least one processor in a determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter using the at least one actual first capturing signal from at least one previous capturing step, and

determining, with at least one processor in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter using actual first capturing signals of a plurality of previous capturing steps.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter is determined using at least one comparison capturing signal from at least one previous comparison capturing step, and

wherein at least one of the following:

(i) in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter is determined using the actual first capturing signals of the plurality of previous capturing steps, and a plurality of comparison capturing signals of a plurality of previous comparison capturing steps,

(ii) the at least one comparison capturing step is performed on the rail vehicle or on a comparison vehicle corresponding to the rail vehicle at least according to the type of vehicle,

(iii) the at least one comparison capturing step is performed on the rail vehicle in a known state in which a defined value of the at least one state parameter is given,

or any combination thereof.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter is determined using at least one comparison model value, wherein the at least one comparison model value is determined from a comparison model of the rail vehicle, and wherein the comparison model provides at least an expected value of the at least one actual first capturing signal at the time of capturing of the at least one actual first capturing signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the at least one capturing step, at least one actual second capturing signal correlated with the actual value of the at least one state parameter is captured using a second signal sensor on the rail vehicle, wherein, in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter is determined using the at least one actual first capturing signal and the at least one actual second capturing signal of at least one previous capturing step of a plurality of previous capturing steps, and

wherein at least one of the following:

(i) for capturing the at least one actual second capturing signal a second signal sensor of the mobile end device is used,

(ii) for determining the value of the at least one state parameter the at least one actual second capturing signal is evaluated in a frequency range of at least one of;

1 Hz to 2 Hz, 4 Hz to 15 kHz, and 10 Hz to 1 kHz,

(iii) for determining the value of the at least one state parameter substantially the same frequency range of the at least one actual first capturing signal and the at least one actual second capturing signal is evaluated,

(iv) the first signal sensor includes at least one of at least one acceleration sensor and at least one rotation rate sensor of the mobile end device, and the second signal sensor includes at least one microphone of the mobile end device,

or any combination thereof.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the value of the at least one state parameter is representative of a state of at least one of wear and integrity of at least one vehicle component of the rail vehicle,

wherein at least one of the following:

(i) the vehicle component is a component of a running gear of the rail vehicle,

(ii) the vehicle component is a component of a drive device of the rail vehicle

(iii) the vehicle component is a component of an auxiliary operation device of the rail vehicle including at least one of an air conditioner and a compressor of the rail vehicle,

or any combination thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one actual first capturing signal is stored in a manner linked with at least one of a time identification representative of a time of detection of the at least one actual first capturing signal, a position identification representative of an actual position of at least one of the rail vehicle and the mobile end device, at least one operational information representative of at least one actual operating state of the rail vehicle including an actual speed of the rail vehicle, an identifier of the rail vehicle including a unique and unambiguous identifier of the rail vehicle, a measurement position information representative of the position of the mobile end device within the rail vehicle during the capturing step, or any combination thereof, and

wherein at least one of the following:

(i) in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter is determined using the position identification and a track information representative of the state of the track used,

(ii) the at least one state parameter is a state parameter of the rail vehicle and, in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter is determined using the position identification and first capturing signals of a plurality of passings of the rail vehicle over a predeterminable track section of the track,

(iii) the at least one state parameter is a state parameter of the track, and, in the determination step, the value of the at least one state parameter is determined using the position identification and first capturing signals of at least one of a plurality of passings of the rail vehicle over a predeterminable track section of the track and passings of a plurality of different vehicles over a predeterminable track section of the track,

(iv) the at least one actual first capturing signal is at least one of encrypted and provided with a digital signature,

(v) in a detection step, at least one of the identification of the rail vehicle and the measurement position information is entered into the mobile end device via at least one of a wireless communication device and a bar code scanner automatically upon at least one of entering the rail vehicle and connecting the mobile end device with a holder of the rail vehicle,

or any combination thereof.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of:

(i) the determination step is carried out in a data processing unit of at least one of the mobile end device, the rail vehicle, and a remote data center,

(ii) at least one of the capturing signals of the mobile end device captured in the at least one capturing step and evaluation data derived therefrom, for carrying out the determination step, are transmitted as transmission data in a transmission step via a communication device of the mobile end device, through a wireless communication network, to at least one of a data processing unit of the rail vehicle and a remote data center, wherein in a remuneration step subsequent to the transmission step, a remuneration for the transmission of the transmission data is executed,

(iii) in a reaction step, a reaction is carried out dependent on the value of the at least one state parameter which has been determined in the determination step,

or any combination thereof.

12. A system for determining a value of at least one state parameter of at least one of a rail vehicle and a track for the rail vehicle, comprising:

the rail vehicle;

a capturing device; and

at least one data processing device,

wherein the capturing device is configured to capture, in at least one capturing step via a first signal sensor of a mobile end device on the rail vehicle, at least one actual capturing signal correlated with the actual value of the state parameter,

wherein the data processing device is configured to determine the value of the at least one state parameter using the at least one actual capturing signal of the first capturing device from at least one previous capturing step,

wherein the capturing device includes the first signal sensor of the mobile end device, wherein the mobile end device is arranged on a structure in an interior of the rail vehicle at least one of at least one measurement position and at least one measurement orientation, and wherein the first signal sensor of the mobile end device is internal to the mobile end device, and

wherein the data processing device is configured to evaluate, for determining the value of the at least one state parameter, the at least one actual capturing signal in a frequency range of at least one of 1 Hz to 2 Hz, 4 Hz to 15 kHz, and 10 Hz to 1 kHz.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of:

(i) the mobile end device comprises one of the following;

a mobile telephone a tablet computer, a mobile navigation device, and a smart watch,

(ii) the first signal sensor comprises at least one of the following;

at least one acceleration sensor, at least one rotation rate sensor, at least one microphone, a camera, at least one temperature sensor, at least one magnetic field sensor, or any combination thereof,

(iii) the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle includes a storage device including at least one of a luggage rack, a table, a storage of a seat, a lockable compartment of the rail vehicle, or any combination thereof, and the mobile end device, during the capturing step, is connectable to the storage device,

(iv) the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle has a wall, and the mobile end device, for the capturing step, is connectable to the wall,

(v) the mobile end device, for the capturing step, is fixedly and substantially rigidly connected to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle,

(vi) the system further comprises a clamping device that connects the mobile end device, for the capturing step, to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle,

(vii) the system further comprises a holder that connects the mobile end device, for the capturing step, to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle, wherein the holder is at least one of located in a lockable compartment of the rail vehicle, and spatially associated to a charging device for the mobile end device,

(viii) the system further comprises the holder connectable to the structure in the interior of the rail vehicle, wherein the holder is configured to hold the mobile end device, for the first capturing step, in at least one of a predeterminable first measurement position and a predeterminable first measurement orientation, and, for a second capturing step, in at least one of a predeterminable second measurement position and a predeterminable second measurement orientation different than the at least one of the predeterminable first measurement position and the predeterminable first measurement orientation,

or any combination thereof.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one data processing device is data processing device of at least one of the rail vehicle and the mobile end device.

15. A mobile end device for determining a value of at least one state parameter of at least one of a rail vehicle and a track for the rail vehicle, comprising:

at least one first signal sensor; and

a data processing device,

wherein the at least one first signal sensor is configured for capturing at least one actual first capturing signal correlated to the actual value of the state parameter,

wherein the at least one first signal sensor is internal to the mobile end device,

wherein, for determining the value of the at least one state parameter, the data processing device is configured to at least one of;

(i) evaluate the at least one actual first capturing signal in a frequency range of at least one of;

1 Hz to 2 Hz, 4 Hz to 15 kHz, and 10 Hz to 1 kHz, and

(ii) output the at least one actual first capturing signal to a further data processing device in a manner which allows evaluation of the at least one actual first capturing signal in a frequency range of least one of;

1 Hz to 2 Hz, 4 Hz to 15 kHz, and 10 Hz to 1 kHz, in the further data processing device.