EP0943522B1 - Funkkommunikationsgerät für Schienenfahrzeuge und Stadtbahnwagen - Google Patents

Funkkommunikationsgerät für Schienenfahrzeuge und Stadtbahnwagen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0943522B1
EP0943522B1 EP99830151A EP99830151A EP0943522B1 EP 0943522 B1 EP0943522 B1 EP 0943522B1 EP 99830151 A EP99830151 A EP 99830151A EP 99830151 A EP99830151 A EP 99830151A EP 0943522 B1 EP0943522 B1 EP 0943522B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
signals
coaches
transmission
antennae
reception
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP99830151A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0943522A1 (de
Inventor
Maurizio Piattelli
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
RAIL & RADIOPATENT L.L.C.
Original Assignee
Rail & Radiopatent LLC
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Publication date
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Publication of EP0943522A1 publication Critical patent/EP0943522A1/de
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
    • B61L15/00—Indicators provided on the vehicle or train for signalling purposes
    • B61L15/0018—Communication with or on the vehicle or train
    • B61L15/0027—Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
    • B61L15/00—Indicators provided on the vehicle or train for signalling purposes
    • B61L15/0072—On-board train data handling

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to a radio communication apparatus for rail and tram vehicles.
  • the communications on board of trains take place mainly via cable, with an array of connections which can be found only on special vehicles, having a strictly fixed composition or configuration, such as the underground and the so-called "Eurostar" trains.
  • vehicles whose composition or configuration may be varied, such as the express or local passenger trains and goods trains, no means or system of communication is provided for exchanging communications, that is, signals forwarding information of a preset nature and type to and from the components of the vehicle and able, for example, to control the coaches being pulled, that is, to control identification data of the individual coaches, as well as diagnostics and automation data of on-board subsystems among which, for example, bu not exclusively, the braking subsystem.
  • radio connections have been experimented based on the use of standard radiotelephones or microwave directional systems.
  • connection between locomotives and coaches or wagons requires the use of higly powerful transceivers whose antennae are usually positioned on the roof.
  • This system is essentially based on the so-called brute-force principle, which provides for considerable powers to counteract the fading effect (drastic attenuation of the transmitted signals) correlated to the multipath phenomenon (according to which, the electromagnetic waves travel on multiple paths due to reflections from obstacles).
  • the said system is exclusively suitable for so-called "head-tail” and "head-mid-tail” transmissions, that is, for transmission between the leading and trailing locomotives, as weel as mid locomotives if any, and allows a correct transmission and reception of signals only on open spaces.
  • the transmissions are ineffective and characterized by long periods of blackout, that is, by a connection interruption (fading).
  • the main object of the present invention is to provide a radio communication apparatus for railway vehicles which is of high reliability, applicable to existing rolling equipment, without requiring heavy standardization and with no need of providing each wagon or coach with a transceiver unit.
  • the advantages deriving from the present invention lie essentially in that it is possible to ensure a perfect continuity of radio link under any travel condition, for any composition and length of the vehicle, also under particularly adverse environmental conditions, as well inside tunnels and closed spaces; that the connection is ensured even when not all the wagons or coaches of the vehicle are equipped with the apparatus according to the invention; that it is possible to establish a connection with one or more stationary posts located along the vehicle route, also when the vehicle is running; that an apparatus according to the invention is relatively simple to make, lightweight and easily installable on existing rolling equipment without any structural modification of the latter.
  • a radio communication apparatus for railway vehicles comprises at least one transmission unit (T) mounted on a corresponding locomotive or coach or wagon, and at least one reception unit (R) mounted on a corresponding locomotive or coach or wagon, to said units (T, R) being associated at least a corresponding antenna (1; 2) to allow them to be radio-linked.
  • the said antennae (1, 2) have longitudinal development and are vertically mounted in correspondence of the bottom metal platform or underbody (30) of the respective coaches (3) and oriented toward the plane (4) of the rails, so that the waves transmitted by at least one antenna (1) of said at least one transmission unit (T) will propagate in a wave guide delimited on top by the platforms or underbodies (30) of the coaches (3) that form the vehicle, at the bottom by the surface (4) of the rails and laterally by the metal trucks and wheels (31) of the same coaches (3).
  • the vehicle cooperatively delimited by the rails surface and the vehicle coaches, is used as a wave guide for the signals exchanged between said transmission and reception units, the antennae of said units being permanently positioned inside this guide.
  • the wavelength of the signals exchanged between said transmission and reception units may be in the range of about one tenth to few times the height of the platform (30) of the coaches (3) from the plane (4) of the rails.
  • the optimal wavelength value could be between fifty and one hundred centimeters.
  • the wave guide being used supports preferably the vertical polarization, especially when the height of the propragation channel is less than half a wavelength. Hoever, upon using lower wavelengths, it is possible to resort also to the circular polarization.
  • the available band may be subdivided into two or more subands to each of which a transceiver unit is made to correspond - as illustrated in the diagram of Fig. 5 which indicates the case of transmission and reception of signals over four channels (C1, C2, C3, C4).
  • the antennae (1, 2) that can be used for an apparatus according to the invention, both for the transmitting and receiving sections, may be of monopole quarter-wave stylus type, in their most simple constructional form. Use may however be made of flat or stripline antennae provided on printed circuits.
  • each transmitting unit (T) and for each receiving unit (R) use may be made, according to the example referring to the figures of the attached drawings, of four like antennae (1; 2) disposed in alignment with and equidistant from each other along an axis (r-r; r'-r') transversal to the direction of development of the coaches (3) which support the same antennae, so as to form curtains (CT; CR) inside the said wave guide which are orthogonal to the direction of advancement of the vehicle.
  • the antennae (1, 2) of each transmitting (T) and receiving (R) unit may be spaced apart by at least half a wavelength. In the example of Figs.
  • the antennae (1) of the transmitting unit (T) are fed in parallel and in-phase, to obtain the effect of a single antenna with maximum directivity towards the receiving unit (R).
  • the signals to be transmitted are fed to a modem (5) and from this to four radiotransmitters (6) associated to a duplexer (7) which, in turn, is connected to a power adder (8) which the antennae (1) lead to.
  • Each of the antennae (2) of the receiving unit (R) feeds a corresponding receiver (60) via a diplexer (80).
  • the output of the receivers (60) is connected to a logic adder (70) associated to a corresponding modem (50) whose output corresponds to the signals transmitted via the modem (5) of the transmitting unit (T).
  • Each curtain of antennae (CT, CR) is easily reconfigurable by means of electronic switches to function both as transmitting and receiving means.
  • the operating frequence may be conveniently in the range of 30 to 3000 MHz and more advantageously 100 to 1000 MHz.
  • signals at 433.92 MHz With this frequency it is possible to transmit up to 10 mW ERP (Equivalent Radiated Power) without needing any licence.
  • LPD Low Power Devices
  • the present apparatus is able to meet such requirement even if applied to transportation means such as goods trains longer than a kilometer, thanks to the low attenuation of the signals within the selected propagation channel which causes the same signals fading as in the free space.
  • said signals fading is far more marked owing to the presence of multiple obstacles like the tunnels.
  • the antennae that can be used for this application may be of stylus type and as long as eighteen centimeters approximately, that is, of negligible dimensions with respect to the size of the coaches to which they are anchored.
  • the anchorage of the antennae (1, 2) to the platform or underbody of the coaches may be made in the same way as for common antennae on vehicles, and the feeding thereof is ensured by means of common coaxial cables.
  • the transmission and reception units (T, R) of the apparatus can be housed in the respective coaches (3) under favourable environmental conditions.
  • the antennae (2) are associated to corresponding receivers (60), the latter being in a number equal to that of transmitters (6) of the transmitting unit (T).
  • the output signal on the receiving curtain (CR) are sent to a processor able to discriminate the best signal and reconstruct the original message, transmitted by the unit (T), also by deriving it from the signals transmitted in parallel on the other channels.
  • this band may be subdivided into four 400 kHz channels (C1, C2, C3, C4) of amplitude (A), while leaving a guard channel of about 40 kHz for each pair of adjacent operating channels.
  • signals can be transmitted with a speed up to 100 Kbit/s, so that a digital message of 100 bits can be transmitted in one thousandth of a second.
  • the present apparatus is intended in particular for application in rail and tram vehicles in which the need arises for radio-linking always a huge number of coaches belonging to the same train.
  • the electromagnetic field (schematically represented by a plurality of vertical arrows oriented upwards in Fig. 2) is not fully confined inside the above defined wave guide, but it results partly scattered outside because of the wave-guide's side walls delimited by the trucks and the wheels of the coaches being discontinuous, the signals result capable of being received also by fixed stations located at predetermined sites of the railway line.
  • one or more fixed stations may send signals for enquiries and data to one or more receiving units (R) of the present apparatus.
  • the link between the vehicle and the fixed stations along the route can be ensured even if the running vehicle's speed is very high.
  • the signals corresponding to the image taken by the TV camera can be sent, either via cable or radio, to a station located at a predetermined distance upstream of the level-crossing, in order to transmit the said signals to the vehicle upon the transit of the latter past the said station.
  • the said image is made available to the engine driver a long way off from the monitored site.
  • the possibility of establishing a link with a fixed station allows transmitting, from the vehicle, data relevant to the identification and composition of the train.
  • the transmission band available is more than sufficient for transmitting also vocal messages in digital form, which allows avoiding any fading and distorsion of the propagation channel.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Train Traffic Observation, Control, And Security (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
  • Input Circuits Of Receivers And Coupling Of Receivers And Audio Equipment (AREA)
  • Structure Of Receivers (AREA)
  • Transceivers (AREA)
  • Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)
  • Near-Field Transmission Systems (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Funk-Kommunikationsvorrichtung für Eisenbahn- und Straßenbahn-Züge, die wenigstens eine Sendeeinheit (T) und wenigstens eine Empfangseinheit (R) umfasst, die an entsprechenden Waggons (3) eines Zuges montiert sind, der von einer Vielzahl von Waggons (3) gebildet wird, wobei jeder der Sendeeinheiten (T) und der Empfangseinheiten (R) wenigstens eine entsprechende Antenne (1: 2) zugeordnet ist, die in der Lage ist, Funksignale zu senden bzw. zu empfangen, die von den Einheiten (T, R) in dem Raum, in dem sich die Signale ausbreiten, ausgetauscht werden, wobei der Ausbreitungsraum dieser Signale aus einem Wellenleiter besteht, der auf der Oberseite durch die Plattform oder das Chassis (30) der Waggons (3), die den Zug bilden, an der Unterseite von der Gleisebene (4) und seitlich von den Schienen und den Rädern (31) der Waggons (3) begrenzt wird, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Antennen (1, 2) der Sendeeinheiten (T) und der Empfangseinheiten (R) von der Plattform oder dem Chassis (30) des entsprechenden Waggons (3) getragen werden und daß jeder der Sendeeinheiten (T) und jeder der Empfangseinheiten (R) eine entsprechende Vielzahl von äquidistant angeordneten, miteinander und quer zur Längserstreckungsebene der entsprechenden Waggons (3) ausgerichteten Antennen (1; 2) zugeordnet ist.
  2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Wellenlänge der Signale, die zwischen der wenigstens einen Sendeeinheit (T) und der wenigstens einen Empfangseinheit (R) ausgetauscht werden, im Bereich von ungefähr einem Zehntel bis einem kleinen Vielfachen der Höhe der Plattform oder des Chassis (30) der Waggons (3) über der Gleisebene (4) liegt.
  3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 und 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Wellenlänge der Signale zwischen 50 bis 100 cm liegt.
  4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Übertragung der Signale in einem Breitbandverfahren über eine Vielzahl von Kanälen erfolgt.
  5. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Signale Digitalsignale sind.
  6. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Antennen (1, 2) mit Hilfe von elektronischen Schaltern so einstellbar sind, daß sie sowohl für die Übertragung als auch für den Empfang der Signale geeignet sind.
EP99830151A 1998-03-20 1999-03-19 Funkkommunikationsgerät für Schienenfahrzeuge und Stadtbahnwagen Expired - Lifetime EP0943522B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT98FI000063A ITFI980063A1 (it) 1998-03-20 1998-03-20 Dispositivo di radiocomunicazione per convogli ferrotramviari
ITFI980063 1998-03-20

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0943522A1 EP0943522A1 (de) 1999-09-22
EP0943522B1 true EP0943522B1 (de) 2004-07-14

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ID=11352448

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99830151A Expired - Lifetime EP0943522B1 (de) 1998-03-20 1999-03-19 Funkkommunikationsgerät für Schienenfahrzeuge und Stadtbahnwagen

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0943522B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE270990T1 (de)
DE (1) DE69918582T2 (de)
IT (1) ITFI980063A1 (de)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4207569A (en) * 1977-08-09 1980-06-10 Meyer Jack R Railroad radio frequency waveguide
US4582280A (en) * 1983-09-14 1986-04-15 Harris Corporation Railroad communication system
GB2237959B (en) * 1989-09-01 1994-02-16 Adcount Ltd A transmission system for rail vehicles
US5351919A (en) * 1993-03-29 1994-10-04 Primetech Electroniques Inc. Trainline communication link using radio frequency signal

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITFI980063A1 (it) 1999-09-20
ATE270990T1 (de) 2004-07-15
ITFI980063A0 (it) 1998-03-20
EP0943522A1 (de) 1999-09-22
DE69918582D1 (de) 2004-08-19
DE69918582T2 (de) 2005-08-11

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