Method for monitoring at least one system parameter which influences the operating behaviour of vehicles or trains of vehicles

• US 8,577,522 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Walter, Manfred, Nock, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US12/988,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/20, 701/36, 701/45, 701/48, 701/29.1, 701/29.3, 701 301- 303, 701/30.5, 701/30.8, 701/30.9, 701/31.1, 701/32.7, 701/32.9, 701/33.8, 701/33.9, 246/167.R, 246/169.R, 246/182.R
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/00 Railway vehicle profile gauges; Detecting or indicating overheating of components; Apparatus on locomotives or cars to indicate bad track sections; General design of track recording vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00

Abstract

A method monitors at least one system parameter which influences an operating property of vehicles or trains of vehicles, using an adaptable theoretical model which generates a theoretical behavior of a vehicle or train of vehicles from operating data of the vehicle or train of vehicles. The method includes determination of a real behavior of a vehicle or train of vehicles from operating data such as acceleration and/or deceleration of the vehicle or of the train of vehicles, comparison of the real behavior of the vehicle or train of vehicles with the theoretical behavior of the vehicle or train of vehicles, and monitoring of the system parameter by the theoretical model if the theoretical behavior of the vehicle or train of vehicles corresponds to the real behavior of the vehicle or train of vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring at least one system parameter which influences an operating property of vehicles, the method comprising:

acquiring operating data during operation of a real vehicle, the operating data being measured using at least one sensor;

determining real vehicle behavior based on the operating data of the vehicle;

comparing the real vehicle behavior with theoretical vehicle behavior determined using an original theoretical model; and

monitoring the at least one system parameter if the theoretical vehicle behavior corresponds to the real vehicle behavior,

wherein, if the at least one system parameter value lies outside a predefined parameter value range, the original theoretical model is adapted to adapt the original theoretical model to provide an adapted theoretical model until the theoretical vehicle behavior corresponds to the real vehicle,

wherein the method further comprises generating and outputting at least one of a fault message and instructions for the vehicle driver via a vehicle driver interface and initiating at least one countermeasure, and

wherein the method further comprises, if a deviation between the at least one system parameter acquired with the original theoretical model and the at least one system parameter acquired with the adapted theoretical model lies within a predefined deviation value range, the at least one system parameter acquired with the adapted theoretical model is monitored but no fault message, or instructions are generated until the deviation value no longer lies within the predefined deviation value range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating data of the vehicle contain request signals of at least one of the driver, route data, and vehicle data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored at least one system parameter is a safety-relevant system parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the countermeasure is rapid braking.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the safety-relevant system parameter is the braking power of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the original theoretical model is an adaptable theoretical model configured to generate the theoretical vehicle behavior based on historical operating data of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating data includes at least one of acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle or of the vehicle train.

8. A system for monitoring at least one system parameter which influences an operating property of vehicles, the system comprising an adaptable theoretical model configured to generate theoretical vehicle behavior from operating data of the vehicle, the system comprising:

means for determining real vehicle behavior based on operating data of the vehicle;

means for comparing the real vehicle behavior with the theoretical vehicle behavior;

means for monitoring the at least one system parameter to determine if the theoretical vehicle behavior corresponds to the real vehicle behavior;

means for generating and outputting at least one of a fault message and instructions for the vehicle driver and initiating at least one countermeasure if the at least one system parameter value lies outside a predefined parameter value range; and

means for adapting the original theoretical model to provide an adapted theoretical model, wherein the adaptation continues until an adapted theoretical vehicle behavior corresponds to the real vehicle or vehicle,

wherein if a deviation between the at least one system parameter acquired with the original theoretical model and the at least one system parameter acquired with the adapted theoretical model lies within a predefined deviation value range, the means for monitoring continues to monitor the at least one system parameter acquired with the adapted theoretical model without issuance of the fault message or instructions until the deviation value no longer lies within the predefined deviation value range.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operating data of the vehicle contain request signals of at least one of the driver, route data, and vehicle data.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the monitored at least one system parameter is a safety-relevant system parameter.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the initiated countermeasure is rapid braking.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the safety-relevant system parameter is the braking power of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the original theoretical model is an adaptable theoretical model configured to generate the theoretical vehicle behavior based on operating data of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operating data includes at least one of acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle.