Establishing an ad hoc communication network, and priority-controlled data transmission in a rail vehicle

• US 10,358,155 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2015
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Faroul, Farah
• Application Number:
  US15/539,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20170349193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• 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 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

A method for establishing communication and for transmitting data between sensor units in a rail vehicle uses a communication network which has multiple network nodes. An advantageous communication network and/or an advantageous data transmission can be achieved if the sensor units independently form an ad hoc network with a network topology for transmitting data in the rail vehicle, configure the network, and change the network topology over the course of the data transmission and/or if the communication network is an ad hoc network and the network nodes are sensor units. A rail vehicle including a communication network which has multiple network nodes is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communication and for transmitting data between sensors in a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

independently forming and configuring an ad-hoc network having the sensors in a network topology;

transmitting data in the rail vehicle by using the ad-hoc network;

changing the network topology over a course of the data transmission;

transmitting data configured for operational safety and data configured solely for operation over the ad-hoc network; and

providing a part-network topology formed by sensors configured solely for operation within the network topology and additionally directing the data configured for operational safety over the part-network topology formed by sensors configured solely for operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing sensors configured for operational safety and sensors configured solely for operation in the ad-hoc network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data configured for operational safety are at least one of control data or sensor data, and the data configured solely for operation are at least one of seat reservation data, infotainment data or accounting data.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises linking an access point leading to a supervisory cable-based network to the ad-hoc network.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises at least one of forming or configuring the network topology according to a prioritization of the sensors.

6. A method for establishing communication and for transmitting data between sensors in a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

independently forming and configuring an ad-hoc network having the sensors in a network topology;

transmitting data in the rail vehicle by using the ad-hoc network;

changing the network topology over a course of the data transmission; and

at least one of forming or configuring the network topology as a function of a predetermined maximum propagation delay of a data transmission originating from one of the sensors to a cab control point.

7. A method for establishing communication and for transmitting data between sensors in a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

independently forming and configuring an ad-hoc network having the sensors in a network topology;

transmitting data in the rail vehicle by using the ad-hoc network;

changing the network topology over a course of the data transmission; and

directing a warning signal over the ad-hoc network if a predetermined maximum propagation delay of a data transmission originating from one of the sensors to a cab control point is exceeded.

8. A method for establishing communication and for transmitting data between sensors in a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

independently forming and configuring an ad-hoc network having the sensors in a network topology;

transmitting data in the rail vehicle by using the ad-hoc network;

changing the network topology over a course of the data transmission; and

directing a warning signal over the ad-hoc network being at least partially formed if a predetermined maximum time period before complete formation of the ad-hoc network is exceeded.