EP1205370B1 - Communication system between two adjacent units in a vehicle train and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has short distance communications devices (2.1,2.2) in adjacent vehicle units (3.1,3.2) for communicating with each other via directional transmission and reception antennas (1.1,1.2). Adjacent short distance communications devices are mutually offset relative to a central axis of the compound vehicle and their antenna transmit/receive areas overlap each other. Independent claims are also included for the following: a method of checking the completeness of a compound vehicle.

Description

The invention relates to a system for communication between two neighboring vehicle units in a vehicle network at least two units, the neighboring units each short-distance communication means to communicate with each other, and a procedure for checking the completeness of a Vehicle network.

From DE 4027186 a system is known in which data between neighboring rail vehicles using microwave transmitters and Microwave receivers each with divergent radiation characteristics in the plane of symmetry (longitudinal axis) of the rail vehicle receiver be replaced.

DE 198 30 053 C1 describes a device for detecting a train termination known, on the part of the motor vehicle radio telegrams in the polling process are sent to the individual wagons one after the other, which in turn acknowledge these radio telegrams to the locomotive. This is a permanent monitoring of train integrity possible, i.e. safe information about whether a derailment or a separation of the train network has taken place. The reach of the Communication medium must be at least the length of the Train network, for example up to 1.5 km.

The invention has for its object a generic system for Specify communication between units in a vehicle network, in which a separation of two coupled units in the shortest possible time Distance can be detected safely.

According to the invention the task with the features of claim 1 solved.

For quick and safe detection of an accident, the Directional antennas that do not transmit parallel to the axis and receive, i.e. whose send and receive axes each with the Longitudinal axes of the associated unit not equal to a certain angle form zero degrees. This results in disconnection of two Vehicle units or cars have a radio transmission interference (for example, the radio link is broken) long before the Radio transmission range limit is reached.

Due to the successive forwarding of information only between neighboring cars, the communication devices acting as relay stations, the range of the communication means can be reduced to a few meters. Bluetooth technology is particularly suitable for this ultra short-distance communication. So far, Bluetooth chips have primarily been provided as a communication medium between computers and peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners, digital cameras, and mobile devices. The basic idea is to use Bluetooth chips as a very cheap wireless radio LAN ( L ocal A rea N somewhat). Very little power is required to power the Bluetooth chips. As energy suppliers, for example, accumulators, compressed air, solar cells, axle generators or unrest converters come into question. Because of the low power consumption and the very low price of the Bluetooth chips, these can also be provided several times in order to increase the availability. Of course, the range does not have to be used. To bridge the transmission path between two neighboring cars, several Bluetooth chips can also be arranged per car. The information stored in the identification means of the last car is forwarded to the vehicle computer via all upstream Bluetooth chips, so that if the information is properly transmitted, it can be assumed that the train is complete, ie that no car has been disconnected from the vehicle network.

In order to meet the high security requirements in the railway sector, in addition to the identification number or wagon number, an electronic key to form security information or a so-called test pattern is also stored in the identification means of the individual units. A so-called cyclic redundancy code (CRC) can be used as the electronic key, for example. To further increase security, each unit has a unit-specific electronic key. The storage parameters, car number, and electronic key are (R ead o nly M emory rogrammable P) for example, stored in a PROM, which is housed along with the Bluetooth chip in a small box for the mechanical and possibly also thermal protection.

The use of a so-called asymmetric key system. It is used for encryption or Signature of data and for decryption or verification of the signature different keys used. Each unit has one specific private key, which in the corresponding identification devices is stored. in the The vehicle computer is then at least the last public key Unit saved Of course, the private key of all units of the train association. In this way, the correctness of a given one Wagon order will be checked. It is also a support possible in shunting operations or the so-called train baptism.

Further advantageous configurations of the invention are the dependent ones Claims and the description can be found.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung wichtiger Komponenten und eines Verfahrens zur Zugschlusserkennung,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf zwei ordnungsgemäß gekoppelte Wagen und

Fig. 3

eine Fig. 2 entsprechende Ansicht bei entkoppelten Wagen.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawings:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of important components and a method for train termination detection,

Fig. 2

a top view of two properly coupled cars and

Fig. 3

a Fig. 2 corresponding view with decoupled car.

Fig. 1 illustrates the interaction of the components of the Traction vehicle with the components of the car. It can be seen that the vehicle computer with a power supply, a signaling secure (e.g. redundant) computer and a wireless LAN Device, in particular equipped with at least one Bluetooth chip is, while the car is only a wireless LAN in addition to a power supply Device, in particular at least one Bluetooth chip, and one have simple (not technically secure) computers. to Preparation for a safe, i.e. against transmission errors and Computer errors secured, train termination detection are at the Compilation of the train, the so-called train baptism, in the safe Computer of the locomotive with the corresponding car numbers Sequence and associated electronic keys - e.g. the public keys - stored.

During the train journey, periodically, for example every three seconds, generates a (sufficiently large) random number, which together with the The car number of the last car using the Bluetooth chip to the Bluetooth chip of the first car is sent. The calculator of the first Wagens compares the received car number with your own Wagon number and detects mismatch. As a result, enough the first car the random number and the car number of the last Carriage to the second carriage, which in turn, if it is not the last wagon of the train is the random number and the wagon number of the passes the last car to the next car until the last one Car that received the information. This last car is encrypted the random number with its private key and sends that Encryption result in the same way backwards to the Traction vehicle back - represented by arrows. The (secure) computer of the The locomotive decodes the encryption result using the saved public key of the last car. As a result result in the random number so that it can be assumed that the train configuration is in good condition, i.e. that the last car is still on the train. If there is another number or the vehicle computer receives no answer, it is not certain whether the last one The wagon is still properly coupled to the train network. In In this case, appropriate measures must be initiated that either manually by a driver or automatically by the vehicle computer - for example emergency braking - be initiated.

Fig. 2 shows a possibility for the arrangement of directed transmit and Receiving antennas 1.1 and 1.2 of the radio LAN devices 2.1 and 2.2 neighboring wagons 3.1 and 3.2. The antennas 1.1 and 1.2 are arranged offset with respect to the central axis 4 of the train composite. The Alignment of antennas 1.1 and 1.2, i.e. whose angle to the central axis 4 depends on the size of the offset b and the axial distance d Antennas 1.1 and 1.2. This arrangement allows a very sensitive communication between the radio LAN devices 2.1 and 2.2. A decoupling of the car 3.2 from the car 3.1 is instantly recognizable and not from the range of the radio signal dependent.

Other applications based on the radio LAN are, for example Brake label replacement, sensor information transmission, Passenger information, passenger space monitoring or transmission of data for driverless operation possible.

The group of vehicles to be monitored can also be lined up Objects of all kinds represent containers or Land vehicles that are transported on a ship. through Adjacent short-distance communication devices arranged offset from one another (2.1, 2.2) according to the invention Systems can, for example, already have one Slight shifting of the cargo on the ship can be detected. The vehicle network can be coupled together Rail vehicles, land vehicles or ships exist. The coupling can be done mechanically or electronically, for example the so-called electronic drawbar of two trucks.

Claims (5)

1. A system for communication between two adjacent (vehicle) units (3.1, 3.2) in a group of at least two connected (vehicle) units wherein adjacent units (3.1, 3.2) are each provided with (short-distance) communication means (1.1, 2.1) for communicating with each other, characterized in that the short-distance communication devices (2.1, 2.2) have directional transmitting and receiving antennas (1.1, 1.2), with adjacent short-distance communication devices (2.1, 2.2) being offset from a central axis (4) of the group of connected (vehicle) units and relative to each other, and the effective areas of the directional antennas (1.1, 1.2) overlapping one another.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in order to check the group of connected (vehicle) units for completeness, a first unit (3.1), particularly a leading unit, comprises an on-board computer and the further units (3.2) comprise identification devices, with

   the on-board computer comprising means for transmitting to the next unit (3.2) an interrogation for completeness which contains the identification number of the last unit (3.2) in the group of connected units, and means for checking a completeness message received from said next unit (3.2), and

   the identification devices each comprising means for storing their respective own identification numbers, means for receiving the interrogation for completeness from the identification device of the preceding unit, means for comparing the received identification number with their own identification number, and means for passing the interrogation for completeness on to the identification device of the next unit or for generating the completeness message and sending it back to the on-board computer.
3. A system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that at least the identification device of the last unit (3.2) comprises means for generating a completeness message encoded with an individual electronic key.
4. A system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the on-board computer comprises a decoder for decoding an encoded completeness message.
5. A method of checking a group of at least two connected (vehicle) units (3.1, 3.2) provided with short-distance communication devices (2.1, 2.2) for completeness, characterized in that the short-distance communication devices have directional transmitting and receiving antennas (1.1, 1.2), with adjacent short-distance communication devices (2.1, 2.2) being offset from a central axis (4.4) of the group of connected (vehicle) units and relative to each other, the method comprising the following steps:

   the on-board computer of the first unit (3.1) transmits a message containing the identification number of the last unit (3.2) to the identification device of the next unit (3.2);

   the identification device of the next unit (3.2) compares the received identification number with its own stored identification number;

   if the received identification number is not identical with the unit's own identification number, the identification device will send the received message to the following unit;

   if the received identification number is identical with the unit's own identification number, the identification device will send a completeness message back to the on-board computer of the first unit (3.1); and

   the on-board computer checks the completeness message to determine whether it originates from the identification device of the last car (3.2).

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