Method and device for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle

• US 10,370,016 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2015
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Fischer, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Brushaber, Frederick M
• Application Number:
  US15/539,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20170361856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/10 for detecting cracks in rails or welds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/042 Track changes detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/53 for trackside elements or systems, e.g. trackside supervision of trackside control system conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/60 Testing or simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/08 Railway vehicles

Abstract

A method for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle achieves a fast-working, flexible, and in the event of a misdetection, precise monitoring environment, in particular without complex system or architectural adjustments to the rail vehicle. A stationary control unit and a simulation unit are provided on the land side. A data connection is established between the stationary control unit and the rail vehicle. A data connection is established between the stationary control unit and the simulation unit. The test process includes providing data traffic between the stationary control unit and the rail vehicle and the simulation unit. A device for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

providing a stationary control unit and a simulator on a land side, the simulator including at least one processor;

providing the simulator with a simulation environment and real vehicle components embedded in the simulation environment, and using the simulation components of the simulation environment to reproduce a real environment of the vehicle components in a system constituted by the rail vehicle;

establishing a data connection between the stationary control unit and the rail vehicle;

establishing a data connection between the stationary control unit and the simulator; and

providing the stationary control unit with data traffic of the rail vehicle and of the simulator and carrying out the test process by evaluating, with the stationary control unit, the data traffic of the rail vehicle and of the simulator.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transferring process data of a vehicle process to the stationary control unit, and using the stationary control unit to perform an assessment of the process data based on simulation data of a simulation process.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transferring process data of a vehicle process to the stationary control unit, and using the stationary control unit to effect a change in simulation data of the simulator based on the process data.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the change in the simulation data includes an adjustment of at least one data set based on the process data.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the stationary control unit to influence at least one vehicle process at least partially based on simulation data of a simulation process.

6. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises using the simulation data to reproduce at least one fault in the rail vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises:

providing a computer-aided development system; and

providing the simulator with an interface establishing data communication with the computer-aided development system.

8. The method according to claim 7, which further comprises providing the computer-aided development system with at least one data set of simulation data selected from the group consisting of circuit diagram data, component libraries and library data for a design program.

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises performing the test process during line operation of the rail vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 9, which further comprises using the test process to detect an unsafe condition of the rail vehicle and restoring the rail vehicle to a safe condition.

11. The method according to claim 10, which further comprises triggering emergency braking of the rail vehicle in an event of an unsafe condition.

12. A device for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle, the device comprising:

a stationary control unit, a simulator and a data interface provided on land, said simulator including at least one processor;

said simulator having a simulation environment and real vehicle components embedded in the simulation environment, wherein the simulation components of the simulation environment reproduce a real environment of the vehicle components in a system constituted by the rail vehicle;

said stationary control unit being operatively connected to said simulator in terms of data;

said stationary control unit being configured to establish a data connection with the rail vehicle through said data interface; and

said stationary control unit being configured to carry out the test process by evaluating data traffic of the rail vehicle and of the simulator.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said stationary control unit is configured to evaluate process data of a vehicle process of the rail vehicle based on simulation data of a simulation process of said simulator.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein said stationary control unit is configured to influence at least one vehicle process at least partially based on simulation data of a simulation process.