EA032066B1 - Method and apparatus related to on-board message repeating for vehicle consist communications system - Google Patents

Abstract

A communications method for a vehicle consist (10) comprising a lead (14) and a remote (12A/12B/12C) powered vehicle, the lead (14) vehicle comprising first (29A) and second (29B) spaced antennas each associated with a radio, and the remote vehicle (12A/12B/12C) comprising third (29A) and fourth (29B) spaced antennas each associated with a radio. The method comprises transmitting an outbound message from the lead (14) powered vehicle, receiving the outbound message at the third antenna (29A) and supplying a signal to the associated radio for producing a first received signal, receiving the outbound message at the fourth antenna (29B) and supplying a signal to the associated radio for producing a second received signal, determining quality metrics for the respective first and second received signals, selecting the first or second received signal for processing by the remote vehicle (12A/12B/12C) in response to the first and second signal quality metrics.

Description

The present invention, additional advantages and methods of its use will be better understood when considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which in FIG. 1 and 2 are schematic views of a distributed traction train in which the present invention can be applied;

in FIG. 3 is a timing diagram for a communication system of a conventional prioritized messaging protocol used in the prior art;

in FIG. 4 is a timing chart of an integrated priority messaging protocol in accordance with the present invention applied to a train consisting of four remote units;

in FIG. 5 is a table illustrating the timing of the airborne priority message protocol in accordance with the present invention;

in FIG. 6 is a timing chart of another embodiment of an airborne priority message transmission protocol in accordance with the present invention applicable to a train consisting of four remote units;

in FIG. 7 is a timing chart of an airborne priority message protocol in accordance with the present invention applied to a train consisting of three remote units;

in FIG. 8 is a timing chart of an external message relay system in accordance with the present invention;

in FIG. 9 is a table comparing the time parameters of a conventional priority message transfer protocol, an on-board priority message transmission protocol, and an external priority message transmission protocol;

in FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a distributed traction train in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

in FIG. 11 and 12 show an algorithm for performing processing steps in accordance with two embodiments of the present invention.

In accordance with general practice, the various features described are not shown to scale, but are depicted in order to emphasize specific features related to the invention.

Reference numerals denote similar elements throughout the drawings and throughout the text.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Before a detailed description of the specific method and device for implementing the priority message transmission protocol for the on-board message relay system in accordance with the present invention, it should be noted that the present invention mainly has new combinations of hardware and software elements associated with the specified method and device. Accordingly, hardware and software elements are presented in the form of conventional elements in the drawings, illustrating only those specific details that relate to the present invention, so as not to complicate the disclosure of the present invention with structural details obvious to a person skilled in the art who wants to take advantage of the advantages set forth in this description.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a priority messaging protocol for an integrated message relay system in a distributed train, such as a distributed train 10, so far

- 7 032066 shown in FIG. 1, according to which messages are hopped along the length of the composition from the leading unit 14, starting from the head and ending with the tail of the composition, as each subsequent remote unit 12A-12C receives and relays the message.

In addition, if the train enters an area in which the lead locomotive cannot successfully communicate directly with each remote unit (for example, if the train enters the tunnel), the communication system in accordance with the present invention can automatically switch to the priority protocol for the on-board relaying messages (ΟΒΜΚ, ooobb tekkade tereayid). Such a switching occurs, for example, if an interrupt is registered in the communication system, the duration of which exceeds a predetermined fixed time interval, for example, one minute. After activation, protocol ΟΒΜΚ is used for 15 minutes, after which the communication system returns to the operating mode according to the usual protocol for transmitting priority messages, that is, to the mode described in conjunction with FIG. 3. In another embodiment, the communication system may be configured to operate continuously under protocol ΘΒΜΚ, or protocol ΘΒΜΚ. can be activated manually by the driver of the lead locomotive.

In FIG. 4 illustrates an example protocol ΟΒΜΚ for a train comprising a lead unit and four remote units. In this mode, the lead unit transmits a command message (that is, a message ordering the new function to be performed in remote units or containing a status update message requesting information about the status of the remote unit, as well as including the most recently transmitted command). The first remote unit receives an outgoing command message and relays this message so that it can be received by other remote units of the train.

As shown in FIG. 4, a transmission session performed by the host unit begins 625 ms after the time indicated by ΐ = 0. This interval is provided as an example only and represents a predetermined minimum interval between receiving a message in a leading unit and transmitting a subsequent command from a leading unit. It should be noted that, as an example, a delay interval of 50 ms between the completion of the transmission and retransmission of the message is indicated, and the approximate interval of 30 ms required to turn on the radio (transceiver) is also indicated. Typically, command messages transmitted by a leading unit, messages transmitted by a remote unit, and the interval between message transmission sessions are of a fixed length. However, the lengths of these intervals may, if necessary, vary in the specific application of the present invention, and may also vary with different railway operators.

Unlike the conventional communication mode described above, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the first remote unit does not transmit a status response message after receiving an outgoing message transmitted from the lead locomotive. Instead, the first remote unit (and each subsequent remote unit) retransmits the outgoing message, as a result of which this message is distributed along the entire length of the train without time delays caused by the transmission of status messages from each remote unit (i.e., sent towards the lead locomotive) . As shown in FIG. 4, each remote unit relays the outgoing message in its respective predetermined time interval (a predetermined time interval after receiving the outgoing message) after transmitting the transmitted outgoing message to another remote unit or transmitting the response to another remote unit. Thus, the message is hopped along the length of the train so that each remote unit can receive this message. At the moment when the outgoing message is relayed by the last deleted unit, status messages have not yet been returned to the lead locomotive.

One of the prerequisites of certain embodiments of the present invention is that each train locomotive receives (e.g., listens) messages transmitted from the lead locomotive and from the remote locomotive (s), although this is not always possible due to interference, low signal strength, etc. d. Timing parameters of signals and actions performed by the master and slave units and indicated in this description are based on this premise. If the remote unit does not receive a message from the leading unit, then this situation is detected, for example, when the leading unit does not receive a response from this remote locomotive. The lead locomotive takes corrective action, including retransmission of the original message.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, each remote locomotive is in a standby state for a predetermined period of time from the moment of receiving the message (either from the moment of receiving the outgoing message or from the moment of receiving the incoming message) from the leading locomotive or from the previous remote locomotive, while the term previous means the locomotive, who received the message earlier and transmits a response message or relays the received message. However, if the preceding remote locomotive is not receiving the message, obviously it cannot transmit the response message or relay the original message. Under these conditions, a remote locomotive awaiting a response from a previous locomotive does not receive this response. A remote locomotive awaiting a response is thus pending in

- 8 032066 during a predetermined time interval from the moment of receiving the last message to the moment of sending own message or relaying of the original message.

When setting up the communication system as described above, each locomotive is configured to display its position in the train. Thus, each message transmitted by the locomotive contains the identifier of the transmitting locomotive. Each locomotive receiving the message can thus determine which locomotive has transmitted the message, and can also determine the position of the transmitting locomotive in the train relative to the position of the receiving locomotive.

If the last remote unit (ηth remote unit) receives a command message, the last remote unit transmits its status message (i.e., incoming message) back to the previous (n-1) th remote unit. In accordance with common practice, if a communication system is configured or the leading and remote units are connected, the farthest remote unit from the leading unit is configured as the last remote unit, i.e. the last remote unit is aware of its position in the train. Thus, if the last remote unit receives an outgoing message, it responds to it by transmitting its status message. The third remote unit (if n = 4) receives a status message from the fourth remote unit and stores the received status message until its designated time interval, in which the third remote unit relayes the status message of the fourth remote unit together with its own a status message, thus transmitting both status messages in the direction of the leading unit, that is, to the second remote unit. The second remote unit receives status messages from the fourth and third remote units and transmits these messages plus its own status message in the direction of the leading unit. This process continues until the status message of each deleted unit reaches the leading unit in the form of a combined message containing the status messages of each deleted unit.

As shown in FIG. 4, this happens at time 1 = 4377 ms, that is, from the beginning of the transmission of the outgoing command message to the moment of receiving all status messages in the leading unit, a total of 3752 ms passes.

According to the standard procedure for the operation of a distributed train communication system, if a remote unit does not receive an outgoing message after it has been transmitted from the leading unit in its original form or after it has been successfully relayed by remote units, the remote unit that did not receive the message does not return a message about the status of the lead unit. The lead unit expects to receive a status message from each remote unit and can, based on the received status messages (each status message of the remote unit contains the identifier of the deleted unit) determine which remote units, if any, did not receive the command message. Thus, if the lead unit does not receive a status message from one or more remote units, the command is retransmitted by the lead unit. In accordance with one embodiment, the driver of the lead unit is informed about this remote unit that has missed a command by a corresponding indication on the display of the lead unit.

One skilled in the art will understand that a status message transmitted by a remote unit may be received by other remote units, in addition to the remote unit intended to be received located next to the transmitting remote unit in the direction of the leading unit. For example, in FIG. 4, a distributed draft train contains four remote units, with the second and third remote units receiving a status message transmitted by the fourth remote unit. The second remote unit until the time of transmission of the message stores a message about the state of the fourth remote unit until its designated time interval for transmission or to the designated time interval, counted from the moment the message was received from the last remote unit. Thus, the second remote unit can receive the status message of the fourth remote unit twice: (1) when the message is first transmitted by the fourth remote unit and (2) when the message is relayed by the third remote unit. The ability to receive a status message repeatedly increases the likelihood that the lead unit will receive a status message from each remote unit that has received the command message.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a remote unit receiving a message twice, as described immediately above, compares two messages byte by byte. Each byte of the message contains an error detection code (for example, parity), which allows you to determine whether each byte is error-free (parity indicates no errors) or contains errors (parity indicates at least one error) . If the byte in the first message does not pass parity, and the same byte in the second message passes parity, then the erroneous byte of the first message is replaced with the correct byte of the second message.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the message is received by two antennas

- 9 032066 by us 29A and 29B and is processed by the associated transceivers 28A and 28B of any of the remote locomotives 15, 12A, 12B and 12C and the leading locomotive 14 (see Fig. 1). Both messages are processed respectively by the master station 30 or the remote station 32, in which two messages are compared byte by byte. Each byte of the message contains an error detection code (for example, parity), which allows you to determine whether each byte is error-free (parity indicates no errors) or contains at least one error (parity indicates at least at least one mistake). If the byte in the first message does not pass parity, and the same byte in the second message passes parity, then the erroneous byte of the first message is replaced with the correct byte of the second message to assemble the corrected message. Then, the corrected message is processed using the corresponding master station 30 or remote station 32.

In FIG. 5 is a table showing the relative transmission order, delay time and message content according to the priority message transmission protocol for the on-board message relay system in a train comprising one lead locomotive and four remote locomotives shown in FIG. 4. However, when the remote unit is transmitting, the time delay period indicated in the third column of the table shown in FIG. 5, for each remote unit transmitting at a later point in time, it is reduced in the manner described below.

In the shown embodiment of the present invention, the time delay between the completion of transmission from one unit and the start of transmission from another unit is 50 ms. As messages are sent by each remote unit, the transmission time delay for each subsequent remote unit is reduced by 50 ms, which allows each remote unit to transmit in an orderly manner, while maintaining a 50 ms interval between each unit's transmission sessions. If the remote unit does not transmit after a specified time delay has elapsed, then each subsequent remote unit recognizes this and adjusts its own time delay accordingly when a subsequent unit is transmitting.

For example, if the first remote unit does not transmit data, the second remote unit before the start of the transmission session waits 100 ms after the end of the transmission by the leading unit. If the second remote unit transmits data, then each subsequent transmitting remote unit recognizes that the two remote units require such time frames for transmission, and subtracts 100 ms from its time delay interval; the third remote unit starts transmitting 50 ms (150-100 ms) after the end of the data transfer by the second remote unit, and the transmission delay for the fourth remote unit is set to 100 ms (200-100 ms) after the end of the data transfer by the second remote unit, etc. .

However, if the second remote unit does not transmit data (and the first remote unit does not transmit data), then the third remote unit is configured to transmit after a time interval of 150 ms after the end of the data transmission by the leading unit, and each subsequent transmitting unit when transmitting data by the third remote unit the remote unit recognizes that the three remote units must transmit within this time frame, and each of them subtracts 150 ms from its time delay interval.

Finally, if the first, second, and third remote units do not transmit data, then the fourth remote unit before the start of the transmission session waits 200 ms after the data has been transmitted by the leading unit, and when transmitting data by the fourth remote unit, each subsequent transmitting remote unit recognizes that four remote units must transmit within this time frame, and each of them, therefore, subtracts 200 ms from its time delay interval.

In another example, if the leading unit and the first remote unit transmit data, then the second remote unit transmits data 100-50 = 50 ms after the end of the transmission session of the first remote unit. The third and fourth remote units also subtract 50 ms from their delay period and are configured to transmit respectively 100 and 150 ms after the end of the data transfer by the first remote unit, if the second remote unit does not transmit data.

If the second remote unit transmits data 50 ms after the end of the data transfer by the first remote unit, then all subsequent remote units subtract 50 ms from their pre-configured delay time interval (that is, from the interval pre-configured as a result of subtracting 50 ms due to data transfer from the first remote unit), and the third remote unit transfers data 100–50 = 50 ms after the end of the transmission by the second remote unit. The fourth remote unit also subtracts 50 ms from its pre-configured delay period and is configured to transmit 150-50 = 100 ms after the second remote unit has finished transmitting data if the third remote unit is not transmitting data. If the third remote unit transmits data 50 ms after the end of the data transfer by the second remote unit, then all subsequent remote units again subtract 50 ms from their previously

- 10 032066 of the set delay time interval, and the fourth remote unit transfers data 100-50 = 50 ms after the end of the transmission by the third remote unit.

In general, as a message is transmitted by each remote unit and a message is received by all other remote units, each remote unit that has not yet transmitted a message subtracts 50 ms from its assigned time delay period. This reduction in the time delay period allows to reduce the time interval required for sending a message from the head of the train to its final part, and vice versa.

The following describes a scenario whereby one or more remote units do not transmit. For example, suppose a host unit transmits a command message, and 50 ms after completion of the transmission, the first remote unit transmits this command message. At this point in time, each remote unit listened for data transmitted from the first remote unit, and thus reduced its assigned time delay interval by 50 ms. Suppose also that the second remote unit does not transmit data 50 ms after the completion of data transfer by the first remote unit. The third remote unit, thus, reduces its time delay to 150-50 = 100 ms, and a decrease of 50 ms is caused by the transmission of data by the first remote unit. The third remote unit starts transmission 100 ms after the end of the last transmission session, which in this case is the data transfer session from the first remote unit.

Instead, suppose that the first remote unit does not transmit a message from the leading unit and the second remote unit also does not transmit a message. Consequently, the third remote unit transmits data 150 ms after the end of the transmission of data by the leading unit. The fourth remote unit subtracts 150 ms (because it recognizes that the remote units 1, 2, and 3 should transmit data in this time frame) from the time delay interval assigned to it: 200-150 = 50 ms. The fourth remote unit transmits data 50 ms after the end of the data transfer by the third remote unit.

As can be seen from the description, an interval of 50 ms is a moving interval, so that whenever a signal is sent by a remote unit, the next remote unit waits 50 ms from the end of the transmission before initiating its transmission session. If the remote unit does not transmit the signal, then subsequent remote units during their assigned time delay period, reduced by 50 ms, wait for the signal of each remote unit that transmitted or should transmit the signal.

In accordance with an embodiment of the HMC protocol described in conjunction with FIG. 4 and 5, during the period of transmitting status messages by the remote units towards the leading unit, the outgoing command message is also transmitted by the remote units to maximize the likelihood of receiving a command message by each remote unit. This scenario shown in FIG. 6, allows to increase the time interval between the transmission of a command message from the leading unit and the receipt of status messages in the leading unit, thereby mainly increasing the likelihood that each remote unit will receive an outgoing message.

In FIG. 7 is a timing chart of a priority message transmission protocol for an on-board message relay system in a train comprising a lead locomotive and three remote locomotives. The principles for implementing the present invention for a distributed train comprising three remote locomotives are identical to those for a distributed train containing four remote units and described above with reference to the example of FIG. 4. One skilled in the art should understand that The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, according to which the remote units relay the command message, can also be applied to a train containing a lead unit and three remote locomotives (or to a train containing any number of remote units).

In FIG. 8 is a timing chart for a conventional communication synchronization protocol when operating with an external message relay 26 described above with reference to FIG. 1. The leading unit transmits a command message during a time interval 200, and this message is received and relayed by a relay 26 messages during a time interval 202. Each of the four remote units receives a relay command message and in response sends its status message in the allocated for this unit time interval. The relay 26 receives all status messages transmitted by the remote unit and relays them to the leading unit 14 in the time interval 206, after which the message transmission interval ends.

The service message 210 shown in FIG. 8 is a message transmitted by repeater 26 to all leading units in the radio range of repeater 26, whereby all receiving leading units delay the start of transmission sessions. For example, a service message prevents data from being transmitted simultaneously by a leading unit located outside the tunnel and a remote unit located in the tunnel.

In FIG. Figure 9 compares the delay intervals for transmitting messages using the conventional protocol.

- 11 032066 messaging of the prior art, according to the protocol раскры disclosed in the present invention, and according to the conventional message synchronization protocol when working with an external message relay.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the communication system according to the present invention also performs the functions of diversity of antennas / radios and / or signal selection, which mainly helps to prevent disturbances in the signal transmission path, caused, for example, by the passage of the signal along multiple paths, signal reflections and obstacles signal passage (for example, a current collector mounted on a locomotive to supply electric power to the locomotive via cables laid on top).

Each train of two locomotives contains a head locomotive 250A / 250V / 250C and a tail locomotive 252A / 252V / 252C (see Fig. 10), each of which also contains a head radio station 260A / 260V / 260C and a tail radio station 262A / 262B / 262C, moreover, each head radio station works in conjunction with the 266A / 266V / 266C antenna, and each tail radio station works in conjunction with the 268A / 268V / 268C antenna, respectively, to receive messages transmitted from other locomotives of the railway train 270. The composition of the locomotives is connected by cable 253A / 253V / 253C MI (ty1ir1e ipy, multiple unit initsa). In accordance with the usual railway term, the lead locomotive 250A / 250V / 250C is denoted by unit A controlling the locomotive 252A / 252V / 252C or unit B by means of control signals initiated by the train driver in unit A and supplied to unit B via cable 253A / 253B / 253C MI.

It should be noted that the concepts described here are also applicable to a separate locomotive containing two radio stations and two associated antennas, one from each end of the locomotive, with a current collector or other obstruction located between the two antennas.

If the communication system is activated, the head radio stations 260A / 260V / 260C and the tail radio stations 262A / 262V / 262C in each locomotive structure are also activated. Thus, the radio stations in each train receive messages transmitted by other railway units 270. Both the lead radio stations 260A / 260V / 260C and the tail radio stations 262A / 262V / 262C determine the signal quality indicators (such as level, bit error rate or reception of valid data) for each received message. Signal quality indicators are compared in a comparison tool / processor 276A / 276B / 276C, and as a working message used by the locomotive composition, a message with the best signal quality indicators is selected.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in order to select a working message for a particular composition, signal quality indicators are determined for all messages received at the head radio stations 260A / 260V / 260C and at the tail radio stations 262A / 262B / 262C. For example, each received radio message can be checked for correctness by applying an error detection and correction algorithm to it, after which the processing according to the present invention is carried out to determine the quality indicators of the signal received at each radio station of the composition, on the basis of which a working message is selected for the link.

Alternatively, to determine the quality of the message signal, instead of processing the entire signal, the first group of message bits is analyzed. As a working message for the composition, a message with the best signal quality indicators is selected.

Typically, outgoing messages are transmitted from the lead train antenna / radio 268A / 262A, and status messages are sent from the remote train antennas / radio stations 266B / 260V and 266C / 260C. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, to minimize interference that may affect the accuracy of signal reception, one of the antennas 266A / 266V / 266C (and the corresponding radio station 260A / 20V / 260C) or one of the antennas 268A / 268V / 268C (and the corresponding radio station 262A / 262B / 262C) is selected as the transmitting antenna depending on the desired direction of the transmitted signal. It should be noted that antennas 266A / 266B / 266C are located closer to the head of the corresponding composition of locomotives (assuming that the direction of movement is indicated by arrow 11), and antennas 268A / 268B / 268C are located in the tail of the corresponding composition of locomotives.

Radio 260A / 260V / 260C / 262A / 262V / 262C determines the desired direction of the transmitted signal (for example, incoming or outgoing) based on the type of signal and / or information contained in the signal, and selects the transmitting antenna / radio station that is closest to desired receiving antenna / radio station. For example, if the composition of locomotives, consisting of locomotives 250A and 252A, is leading and you want to send an outgoing message to the composition of locomotives, consisting of locomotives 250V and 252B, then the antenna / radio station 268A / 262A is selected as the working antenna. This property can be especially useful if each locomotive is equipped with a current collector 280 designed to supply current to the locomotives from a current source located above (not shown in FIG. 10). According to this embodiment of the present invention, the antenna (and the corresponding radio station) is selected so that in a desired direction the signal propagates far from the current collector. For example, if a remote locomotive,

- 12 032066, consisting of locomotives 250V and 252V, must transmit a signal to the composition of locomotives, consisting of locomotives 250A and 252A, then the antenna / radio station 266V / 260V is selected as the working antenna / radio station.

In FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for implementing a signal selection function in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method shown in FIG. 11 is implemented by a microprocessor and associated memory elements located in locomotives of a train, for example, in locomotives 260A / 260V / 260C / 262A / 262V / 262C. In such an embodiment of the present invention, the steps shown in FIG. 11 correspond to a program stored in a memory element and executed by a processor. When implementing the algorithm in a microprocessor, the program code configures the microprocessor to generate logical and arithmetic operations in order to process the steps of the algorithm. The invention can also be implemented in the form of computer program code written in any of the known programming languages and containing instructions stored on physical media, such as floppy disks, SE-VOM disks, hard disks, ΌνΌ disks, removable media, or any other machine-readable medium data carrier. When downloading and executing program code into a universal or specialized computer controlled by a microprocessor, the computer becomes a device for putting the invention into practice. The invention can also be implemented in the form of computer program code, which, for example, is either stored on a storage medium and downloaded and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through a transmission medium, for example, via electric wires or cable connections, via fiber-optic connections or using electromagnetic radiation, and after downloading the program code to the computer and executed by the computer, this computer becomes a device for implementing the invention in practice.

Shown in FIG. 11, the algorithm begins at step 300, in which the communication system is activated, as a result of which the head radio stations (260A / 260V / 260C shown in FIG. 10) and the tail radio stations (262A / 262B / 262C shown in FIG. . ten). As shown in step 302, both radios in each train receive messages transmitted by the other units of the train 270. As shown in step 304, both the head radios and the tail radios determine signal quality metrics (such as level, bit error rate, or reception of valid data) for each received message. The signal quality indicators are compared at step 306, and as the working message used by the locomotive structure, the message with the best signal quality indicators is selected (see step 310).

In FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an antenna / radio diversity function according to one embodiment of the present invention. At step 330, a signal is generated for transmission to another locomotive of the train. At 332, the desired direction for the transmitted signal (e.g., incoming or outgoing) is determined based on the type of signal and / or information contained in the signal. At step 334, a transmit antenna / radio station that is closest to the desired receive antenna / radio station is selected.

Certain embodiments of the present invention are described herein by train. Any of such embodiments, unless otherwise indicated (for example, in the claims), is also applicable to rail vehicles or other vehicle compositions, in general to a vehicle composition, which is a group of connected vehicles that move together on one route. For example, the term composition of railway vehicles defines a group of related vehicles moving together on rails or other guides. Another example is the term marine composition of vehicles, which refers to a group of ships connected to each other to move along the fairway. In addition, other embodiments of the present invention are described by the example of locomotives. Any of such embodiments, unless otherwise indicated (for example, in the claims), is also applicable to a power railway vehicle or, in general, to another power vehicle. A power vehicle is a vehicle (sea, road, off-road, etc.) capable of independent progressive movement. Power railway vehicle is a vehicle made with the possibility of movement along a pair of rails or along another guide.

While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes may be made and equivalent elements may be replaced with other elements without violating the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention further includes any combination of elements from various embodiments set forth herein. In addition, to adapt a particular situation to the ideas of the present invention, changes can be made without violating the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is understood that the invention should not be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed as the best practice.

- 13 032066 of the considered embodiment for the implementation of the present invention, and includes all embodiments included in the scope of the attached claims.

Claims (12)

CLAIM 1. A communication method for a composition of vehicles comprising a lead power vehicle and a remote power vehicle, wherein the lead power vehicle comprises first and second spaced antennas, each of which is associated with a radio station, and the remote power vehicle contains a third and fourth spaced antennas, each of which is connected to a radio station, the method comprising transmitting an outgoing message from a lead power vehicle; receiving an outgoing message in a remote power vehicle through a third antenna and supplying a signal representing this message to a connected radio station to generate a first received signal, as well as receiving an outgoing message through a fourth antenna and applying a signal representing this message to a connected radio station to generate a second received signal; determining a quality indicator of the first received signal; determining a quality indicator of a second received signal; the selection of the first or second received signal for processing by a remote power vehicle according to the quality indicators of the first and second signals; sending an incoming message from a remote power vehicle; receiving an incoming message in the lead power vehicle through the first antenna and supplying a signal representing this message to the associated radio to generate the third received signal, as well as receiving an outgoing message through the second antenna and supplying the signal representing this message to the connected radio to form the fourth received signal; determination of the quality indicator of the third received signal; determining a quality indicator of the fourth received signal and selecting a third or fourth received signal for processing by the lead power vehicle according to the quality indicators of the third and fourth signals. 2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that the quality indicators of the first, second, third and fourth signals are one of the following characteristics: signal level, bit error rate, or signal to noise ratio. 3. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that the steps of determining the quality indicators of the first, second, third and fourth signals also include determining at least one of the quality indicators of the first, second, third or fourth signals for the segment of the corresponding received first, second , third and fourth signals. 4. The communication method for the composition of vehicles containing the lead composition, including the head and tail power vehicles, and a remote composition containing the head and tail power vehicles, while the head and tail vehicles of each of the lead and remote composition contain an antenna and a related radio station, the method comprising transmitting an outgoing message from the lead; receiving an outgoing message in a remote composition through the antenna of the head power vehicle and supplying the received signal to the associated radio station to generate the first received signal, as well as receiving an outgoing message through the antenna of the tail vehicle and supplying the received signal to the associated radio station to form the second received signal; determining a quality indicator of the first received signal; determining a quality indicator of a second received signal; the selection of the first or second received signal for processing by the remote composition according to the quality indicators of the first and second signals; sending an incoming message from a remote staff; receiving an incoming message in the lead train through the antenna of the lead power vehicle and supplying the received signal to the associated radio station to generate a third received signal, as well as receiving an incoming message through the antenna of the tail power vehicle and supplying the received signal to the connected radio station to generate the fourth received signal; determination of the quality indicator of the third received signal; determining a quality indicator of the fourth received signal and selecting a third or fourth received signal for processing by the lead train according to the quality indicators of the third and fourth signals. 5. The communication method according to claim 4, characterized in that the quality indicators of the first, second, third and - 14 032066 of the fourth signal represents one of the following characteristics: signal level, bit error rate, or signal to noise ratio. 6. The communication method according to claim 4, characterized in that the steps of determining the quality indicators of the first, second, third and fourth signals also include determining the quality indicators of the first, second, third or fourth signals for the segment of the corresponding received first, second, third and fourth signals . 7. A communication system using the method according to claim 4, for the composition of vehicles, consisting of a leading power vehicle and a remote power vehicle, each of which is equipped with a head antenna and a tail antenna, while the communication system contains a communication channel; said driving power vehicle for transmitting an outgoing message through a communication channel for receiving by a remote power vehicle; a first radio station associated with the head antenna in the remote power vehicle for receiving the first received signal in response to the outgoing message and a second radio station associated with the tail antenna in the remote power vehicle for receiving the second received signal in response to the outgoing message, wherein the first radio station determines an indicator of the quality of the first received signal, and the second radio station determines an indicator of the quality of the second received signal; means for comparing the quality indicators of the first and second signals; a processor for processing the first or second received signal, depending on which quality indicator of which of these signals is better; said remote power vehicle for transmitting, via a communication channel, an incoming message intended to be received by a lead power vehicle; a third radio station associated with the lead antenna in the lead power vehicle for receiving the third received signal in response to the incoming message and a fourth radio station associated with the tail antenna in the lead power vehicle for receiving the fourth receive signal in response to the incoming message, wherein a third radio station determines a quality indicator of a third received signal, and a fourth radio station determines a quality indicator of a fourth received signal; means for comparing the quality indicators of the third and fourth signals; a processor for processing the third or fourth received signal, depending on which quality indicator of which of these signals is better. 8. The communication system according to claim 7, characterized in that the signal quality indicator is one of the following characteristics: signal level, bit error rate, or signal to noise ratio. 9. The communication system according to claim 7, characterized in that the quality indicators of the first, second, third and fourth signals are determined based on the segment of the corresponding first, second, third and fourth received signals. 10. A communication system using the method according to claim 4, for the composition of vehicles, consisting of a lead composition and a remote composition, each of which contains the head vehicle and the tail vehicle, the system contains a communication channel; the said master composition for transmitting over the communication channel an outgoing message intended for reception by a remote composition; a first radio station associated with the head antenna in the head remote power vehicle in order to receive the first received signal in response to the outgoing message and a second radio station associated with the tail antenna in the tail remote power vehicle for receiving the second received signal in response to the outgoing message, wherein the first radio station determines a quality indicator of a first received signal, and the second radio station determines a quality indicator of a second received signal; remote comparison tool for comparing quality indicators of the first and second signals; a remote processor for processing the first or second received signal, depending on which quality indicator of which of these signals is better; the said remote composition for transmitting through the communication channel an incoming message intended for reception by the leading composition; a third radio station associated with the head antenna in the lead host power vehicle for receiving the third received signal in response to the incoming message and a fourth radio station associated with the tail antenna in the tail host power vehicle for receiving the fourth received signal in response to the incoming message, wherein the third radio station determines a quality indicator of the third received signal, and the fourth radio station determines a quality indicator of the fourth received signal; - 15 032066 comparison tool in the lead composition for comparing the quality indicators of the third and fourth signals and a processor in the lead composition for processing the third or fourth received signal, depending on which quality indicator of which of these signals is better. 11. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the signal quality indicator is one of the following characteristics: signal level, bit error rate, or signal to noise ratio. 12. The communication system of claim 10, characterized in that the quality indicators of the first, second, third and fourth signals are determined based on the segment of the corresponding first, second, third and fourth received signals.