Train and Method for Safely Determining the Configuration of such a Train

• US 20140005863A1
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alstom Transport Technologies
• Original Assignee: Alstom Transport SA (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Linares, Herve, Van Den Hende, Jean-Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 9,221,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0036 Conductor-based, e.g. using CAN-Bus, train-line or optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/028 Determination of vehicle position and orientation within a train consist, e.g. serialisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

A method for determining the configuration of a train and a train is provided. The train includes a plurality of vehicles in succession connected to each other, one safety management device per unit, each device having two designated identifiers, one coupling communication for each pair of adjacent unit and a general network for connecting all the devices to each other. An initial step of transmitting, with each device, over the general network, a non-secured broadcast message and a step of receiving, with each device, messages including the identifiers of the other modules is performed. The method includes transmitting, over the general network and over each coupling communication link, with at least one device, a secured message to one of the adjacent devices to the device, the message including one of the identifiers of the device transmitting, over the general network, with each device having received an identifier of another connected through a coupling communication link, at least one restoration message including both identifiers of the device as well as the received identifier, receiving, with each device, the transmitted restoration messages, and determining, with at least one device, the configuration of the train.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for determining a configuration of a train, the train including a plurality of vehicles grouped as successive units connected to each other, including a head unit and a tail unit, the train including one safety management device per unit, each safety management device having two designated identifiers, one coupling communication link for each pair of adjacent units, each coupling communication link only connecting two safety management devices of adjacent units and a general network connecting all the safety management devices to each other, the method comprising an initial step of transmitting with each safety management device, over the general network, a non-secured broadcast message including the two designated identifiers, and a step of receiving, with each safety management device, messages including the identifiers of the other safety management devices, the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting over the general network and over each coupling communication link, with at least one safety management device a secured message to one of the safety management devices adjacent to the at least one safety management device, the message including one of the designated identifiers of the at least one safety management device;

transmitting over the general network, with each safety management device having received an identifier of another safety management device connected through a coupling communication link, at least one restoration message including the two designated identifiers of the safety management device as well as the received identifier;

receiving, with each safety management device, transmitted restoration messages; and

determining, with at least one safety management device, the configuration of the train, by applying a predetermined algorithm within the device.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein each unit further includes two coupling electric couplers, each coupling electric coupler being capable of detecting the presence of another unit connected to the unit and wherein, during the step of determining the configuration of the train, applying the predetermined algorithm further includes the steps of:

seeking an assumed tail device of the train by identifying two devices which are only connected to a single other device via a coupling communication link and the selection of one of the these two devices,

seeking a second device connected to the assumed tail device via a coupling communication link,

repeating the preceding step, step-by-step as far as the other device which is only connected to a single other device via a coupling communication link the other device forming the assumed head device, and

validating the completeness of the train the assumed head and tail units respectively corresponding to the assumed head device and to the assumed tail device, having to be confirmed as ends of the train by reading the corresponding coupling electric couplers.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein each device includes two safety management modules, each module having a designated identifier, and wherein, during the initial step of transmitting, with each device, over the general network, a non-secured broadcast message including the two designated identifiers, and during the step of transmitting, with each device, over the general network, at least one restoration message including the two designated identifiers as well as the received identifier, the two designated identifiers are the two designated identifiers of the two safety management modules.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein each device includes a safety management module, each module having two designated identifiers, and wherein during the initial step of transmitting, with each device, over the general network, a non-secured broadcast message including the two designated identifiers and during step of transmitting, with each device, over the general network, at least one restoration message including the two designated identifiers as well as the received identifier, the two designated identifiers are the identifiers of the safety management module.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein during step of transmitting, with each device, over the general network, at least one restoration message including the two designated identifiers as well as the received identifier, two safety and management devices further transmit in parallel over the general network, a message including the two designated identifiers as well as the value of a variable indicative of a presence or absence of an adjacent unit.

20. A train including a plurality of vehicles grouped in successive units connected together, including a head unit and a tail unit, the train comprising:

one safety management device per unit, each device having two designated identifiers and a first memory storage for storing the two designated identifiers, a processor for processing messages capable of elaborating a message including the two designated identifiers, a transmitter for transmitting a message to another safety management device of another unit and a receiver for receiving a message from the other safety management device;

one coupling communication link for each pair of adjacent units, each coupling communication link only connecting two safety management devices of adjacent units; and

a general network connecting all the safety management devices to each other;

wherein in each safety management device, the processor is capable of elaborating a restoration message including the two designated identifiers of the device as well as one of the designated identifiers of a safety management device of an adjacent unit; and

wherein at least one safety management device further includes a module for determining a configuration of the train.

21. The train according to claim 20, wherein the module for determining the configuration of the train includes a second memory storage and a computer for executing an algorithm, the second memory storage being capable of storing an algorithm for determining the configuration of the train, the execution module being capable of applying the algorithm for determining the configuration of the train.

22. The train according to claim 20, wherein each safety management device further includes two safety management modules, each module having a designated identifier.

23. The train according to claim 20, wherein each safety management device further includes a safety management module, the module having two designated identifiers.

24. The train according to claim 20, wherein the first memory storage is capable of storing at least one variable, the value of which indicates a presence or an absence of an adjacent unit, the processor being capable of elaborating a message including the two designated identifiers of the device as well as the value of the variable.

25. The train according to claim 20, wherein the general network is an Ethernet network.

26. The train according to claim 20, wherein each unit further includes two coupling electric couplers, each coupling electric coupler being capable of detecting a presence of another unit connected to the unit.

27. The train according to claim 20, wherein each coupling communication link is compliant with an IEEE-802.1q standard or with an IEEE-802.1 ab standard.

28. The train according to claim 20, wherein the processor is capable of elaborating a message including a configuration of the train provided by the module for determining the configuration of the train.