EP3363258A1

EP3363258A1 - Communications device and method for producing a data communication

Info

Publication number: EP3363258A1
Application number: EP16800874.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Frank Gerhardt; Uwe Lange; Michael Von Spreckelsen
Original assignee: Ppmnet AG
Current assignee: Ppmnet AG
Priority date: 2015-10-17
Filing date: 2016-10-16
Publication date: 2018-08-22
Also published as: DE102015013360A1; WO2017063628A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a communications device (1) for producing communication (7) between at least one mobile object (2) and at least one access point, which is arranged in a monitored region (5), comprising a data carrier (3) and a radio connection, wherein the data carrier (3) is secured to the at least one mobile object (2) and contains an identifier of the mobile object (2), wherein the identifier can be read by at least one reading device (6), which is arranged in the monitored region (5), and wherein the radio connection exchanges data with the at least one access point if the identifier of the mobile object (2) can be read by the at least one reading device (6).

Description

Communication device and method for producing a

Data Communication The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and method for establishing data communication between at least one mobile object and at least one access point / base station in a monitored area. One possibility of wireless communication between a base station and one or more (mobile) objects is the exchange of data via standardized protected methods, such as wireless local area networks (WLANs). In this case, the mobile objects (clients) search for a base station with a defined radio identifier (SSID: Service Set Identifier). The radio identification must be known to the mobile object and the base station must either allow a group of clients with common characteristics or, for greater security, know the data of all clients, for which a database is necessary, and accept. Typically, this will connect multiple clients to the base station using the same SSID.

In the field of rail transport systems are known in which a train driver in the station area image data, for example, from the door areas of the car, are transmitted. This is done by setting up ad hoc networks. However, these systems are complex to set up and also prone to failure, since antennas must be used with long range in order to ensure the quality of the images. However, this can lead to problems in the assignment of the (radio) signals of the individual trains by overlapping signals, especially at stations with a large number of tracks. Therefore, the antennas used to transmit the signals must be complexly aligned.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a possibility for trouble-free (data) communication between at least one Provide access point / a base station and a plurality of mobile objects in one area.

The object of the present invention is achieved by a communication device for securely establishing a data communication between at least one mobile object and at least one access point or a base station, which is arranged in a monitored area or at least in the vicinity of the monitored area comprising a data carrier and a radio link, wherein the data carrier is fixed to the at least one mobile object and contains an identifier of the mobile object, wherein the identifier is readable by at least one reader arranged in the monitored area, and wherein the radio link in the Data exchange with the at least one access point is available if the identification of the mobile object can be read out by the at least one reading device.

Data carrier in the context of the invention is any device that is able to store an identifier of the mobile object and to transmit this identifier to the reader when passing the reader, such as a bar code which can be read by a scanner (reader).

The monitored area is the area in which the communication between the mobile object and the access point / the base station is established, wherein, in terms of radio technology, the area may be slightly larger than the area to be monitored. The identifier is an individual identifier of the mobile object with which the access point identifies the mobile object.

The communication device makes it possible for security-critical projects to carry out a variable, unlimited number of mobile objects (clients) without manual intervention in the system components, such as the configuration of the mobile object or a base station, and a secure, undisturbed connection to one Access point (to the base station), without that a time-consuming effort, such as the formation of an ad-hoc network, arises. At a location with multiple access points (base stations), this allows a position-dependent assignment of the mobile object to a specific access point (a base station), ie the mobile object only receives the data related to its location.

The communication device thus makes it possible to establish an individual, secure data connection to one or a plurality of access points and to allow the allocation of the access point depending on the position of the mobile object.

Problems of known solutions with alternative, fixed SSID at the access point point (in the base station), which require a constantly high administrative and metrological effort to demonstrate the reliability of wireless isolation of the individual WLAN areas can thus be circumvented, whereby the operation of the communication device to almost all locations is possible.

The data carrier is preferably an RFID transponder and the reading device is a reading device which is suitable for reading out the identifier of the RFID transponder.

The RFID transponder comprises a housing, an RFID chip and an antenna. Suitably, the RFID transponder is a passive RFID transponder, which does not require its own power supply and is powered by the transmission power of the reader.

The radio connection can preferably be established via a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a Bluetooth connection. The radio connection is selected according to the size of the area to be monitored, for large areas a WLAN and for short distances, between the mobile object and the access point, a Bluetooth connection is selected. For this purpose, the mobile object has a transmitter with which the wireless signals of a WLAN, Bluetooth or another known to those skilled in communication, are sent to a receiver of the reader, with embodiments are conceivable in which the receiver on the mobile object and the transmitter are arranged in the reader or both the mobile object and the reader have a transmitter and a receiver ,

The mobile object is preferably a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, a driverless transport system, or a conveyor-mounted component in a factory. In these cases, the monitored area is the road or a portion of the road on which the vehicle is moving or the conveyor belt or a portion of the conveyor belt on which the component is moved.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mobile object is a rail vehicle and the monitored area is a control point or a holding area of the rail vehicle, such as a signal system on the railway line, a railroad crossing or a platform / station.

If the rail vehicle consists of several (mobile) units (cars), a data carrier is preferably arranged on each of these mobile units (cars). This allows the assignment of the individual units even if the train is split and continues as two half trains (two mobile objects).

The readers are in one embodiment in which the mobile object is a rail vehicle is suitably arranged at the platform edges (monitored area).

At the beginning and at the end of the monitored area, at least one reading device is preferably arranged. For the purposes of the invention, the beginning and end of the monitored area means the area in which the mobile object enters or leaves the monitored area. Such an arrangement has the advantage that the communication device registers the passage of a mobile object (train) both when entering the monitored area, in the case of a rail vehicle as a mobile object, the rail area at the beginning of the platform, and when leaving the monitored area whose identifier reads out.

Furthermore, the object of the present invention is achieved by a method of the aforementioned type, in which a data carrier which contains an identifier of the mobile object is read out by at least one reading device when a mobile object enters the monitored area the mobile object and at least one access point / a base station is set up after the identifier of the mobile object has been read by the reader and data is exchanged between the mobile object and the access point / base station via the radio link. This has the advantage that when the mobile object enters the monitored area, data communication between the mobile object and the access point / base station is automatically established. The mobile object brings along the identifier (SSID) itself, so that the access point does not require a fixed SSID and therefore no database. This makes it possible to identify mobile object even with overflowing WLAN.

The radio link between the (at least one) base station / the at least one access point and the mobile object is preferably disconnected when it is detected that the mobile object leaves the monitored area.

As a data carrier, an RFID transponder is preferably used. However, it would also be conceivable to use a barcode which delivers the identifier of the mobile object and is read out by the reading device. The reader programs the access point (WLAN access point), so it is not necessary to use a database or a larger server landscape. The radio connection is preferably established via a wireless local area network or via a Bluetooth connection.

The method enables the establishment and execution of a wireless communication relationship according to IEEE Standard 802.11 (WLAN [Reference: IEEE Standards Association: 802.11-12 Wireless LAN 2012]) between a mobile object and an access point, by means of the mobile object defined and dynamically created in the access point for the duration of the communication relationship Service Set Identifier (SSID). As a mobile object, a vehicle is preferably used and in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a rail vehicle is used as a mobile object, wherein the data carrier on the rail vehicle, when passing the monitored area, is read out by the at least one reading device.

If the rail vehicle consists of several (mobile) units (carriages), preferably the data medium on each of these units, as it passes through the at least one reading device, is read out. At the beginning and at the end of the monitored area, at least one reading device is preferably arranged.

In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to figures and examples. In detail shows

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the communication device; FIG. 2 a schematic representation of the change of the mobile object from a first to a second monitored area,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the movement of the mobile object in a monitored area,

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the communication device in which the monitored area is a platform;

FIG. 5 a schematic representation of the track layout in a station with two platforms,

Figure 6 is a schematic representation of the structure of the communication device for a platform as a monitored area and

Figure 7 is a further schematic representation of the structure of

Communication device.

The communication device 1 makes it possible to set up and handle a direct wireless communication relationship according to IEEE Standard 802.1 1 (Wireless LAN) between a mobile object 2 and an access point (access point), in which the communication is defined via an access point defined by the mobile object 2 Point for the duration of the communication relationship dynamically created service set identifier (SSID) is realized.

The selection of an access point dependent on the position of the mobile object 2 takes place by means of monitoring a defined spatial area in a mechanical, optical, magnetic or electromagnetic manner and by selecting alternative access points depending on the direction of movement, orientation and position of the moving object 2 within one monitored area 5. The data communication 10, between the mobile object 2 and the base station 9, only exists as long as the mobile object is in the monitored area 5. FIG. 1 shows a communication device 1 in which each object from a group of mobile objects 2 receives an individual identifier which is stored both in a data carrier 3 attached to the mobile object 2 and in the (WLAN) access point 4 of the mobile object 2. The entry of a mobile object 2 into the monitored area 5 is detected by a reading device 6 by the detection of the data carrier 3, in this case an RFID tag, and the identification is read out.

The communication 7 between the data carrier 3 and the reading device 6 can be carried out both optically, for example by a barcode, as well as with methods of near field recognition (NFC: Near Field Communication, eg RFID). The object identifier is entered by the reader 6 via a wireless or wired data connection 8 as a radio identifier (SSID) in the base station 9, the connection and the data communication 10 between the access point 4, in this case a WLAN access point, the mobile object 2 and the base station 9, via this radio identifier. The leaving of the monitored area 5 by the mobile object 2 is detected by the reading device 6, in this case an RFID reader, and the radio code in the base station 9 is deleted. In FIG. 2, the movement of the mobile object 2 from a first monitored area 5-1 to a second monitored area 5-2 is illustrated and indicated by an arrow. In this case, the data connection 7 between the data carrier 3 of the mobile object 2 is separated by a first reading device 6-1 and thus also the data communication 10 between the access point 4 of the mobile object 2 and a first base station 9-1. If the mobile object 2 is located in the second monitored area 5-2, then a new communication 7 with a second reading device 6-2 and thus the identifier which is used for the Preparation of data communication 10 with a second base station 9-2 is required.

In the embodiments of the communication device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the identifier of the mobile object 2 is read out on entering the monitored area 5 and a data communication 10 is established. This means that the data communication 10 only exists if at the same time the identifier of the mobile object 2 is read out by a reading device 6 and a communication 7 between the data carrier 3 and the reading device 6 exists.

In FIG. 3, the movement of the mobile object 2 is shown within a monitored area 5 and is indicated by arrows.

In the embodiment of the communication device 1 shown in FIG. 3, two readers 6-1 and 6-2 are connected to a VLAN switch 20 and are centrally located in the monitored area 5 and are connected to a first base station via a data link 8 having a branch 9-1 and a second base station 9-2. The readers 6 (receivers) are connected to antennas, for example RFID antennas, which establish a radio link with the data carrier 3 (transmitter) of the mobile object 2 and thereby stand in (data communication 7. This makes it possible to position the mobile object 2 in the monitored area 5, even if the mobile object 2 moves within the monitored area, and by such an arrangement, the direction of movement and the speed of the moving object 2 can also be determined.

The wireless data communication 10 enabled by the communication device 1 is applicable to an industrial environment in logistics and transportation.

In particular, in rail transport and there in the station area, it is necessary that the trains (mobile objects 2) arranged data with outside the train Base stations 9 and access points (access points) 4- 1 can exchange. Thus, the platoon commander in the monitored area 5 (station area) receives a (quad) image originating from a media converter 12 and containing information from a plurality of (video) cameras 13 located on the platform 14. For this purpose, it is necessary that the individual mobile objects 2, in this case the trains, a fast, secure and trouble-free data communication 10 in the monitored area 5, in this case the platform 14, arranged base stations 9 and access points 4-1, the Antennas 15, can produce.

In the figure 4, such a platform 14 with two tracks 16, which have a plurality of breakpoints H for the trains shown. At the beginning and at the end of the platform 14 is an access point 4-1 with two antennas 15, for each track 16, respectively.

Depending on the track 16 in which the train enters, the mobile object 2 or the train is assigned an SSID right or SSIDiinks, depending on whether the platform 14 runs to the right or left of the train. This assignment allows each train to be identified and transmits to the driver only the data that is relevant to it, i. for the track 16 shown in Figure 4 above, only the data of the cameras 13-1 to 13-4 and for a train on the track 16 shown in Figure 4 below only the data of the cameras 13-5 to 13-8.

Normally, the tracks 16 have a control travel direction, which is shown in the figure 4 by the arrows. However, if 14 readers 6 are arranged at the beginning and at the end of a platform, the direction of entry of the train can also be determined. It follows that for a platform 14 with two tracks 16 four readers 6 are required and for a platform 14 with only one track 16 two readers 6th In a station with several platforms 14 and several tracks 16, as shown for example in Figure 5, accordingly more readers 6 must be arranged. An increased number of tracks 16, which are also arranged close to each other, leads to problems in known Wi-Fi system, since it comes to interference in the transmission of data when the (radio) signals, for example, the WLAN, are too weak. However, if they are strong and have a long range, the signals may overlap.

Even with a large number of closely spaced tracks 16, as shown in Figure 5, allows the communication device 1 that the identifier of multiple mobile objects 2 (trains) read when entering the platform 14 and each train is accurately identified, so that a data communication 10 is established between the access point 4-1 of the mobile object 2 and the base station 9, whereby only the transmission information is transmitted to the platoon driver from the information of a plurality of (video) cameras 13-1 to 13-8 on the platform 14; that are relevant to him. In a train with a large number of cars, a data carrier 3 is arranged on each carriage, which allows a precise separation of the individual cars of a half-train even with a train separation.

As a data carrier 3 suitable (passive) RFID transponders are used, as they are already used in freight, which are suitable for metallic surfaces, so that the metal surface of the rail vehicles does not interfere with the communication 7 with the reader 6.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of the part of the communication device 1 which is arranged, for example, on a platform 14. The data of the cameras 13-1 to 13-4 (first track 16) and 13-5 to 13-8 (second track 16) with which the platform 14 and / or the door areas of a train are monitored, are each to a 2 Wire receiver 17 forwarded and there to a quad (Quadbild) 18 joined together. The data of the quad image 18 are transmitted to an encoder 19, which is connected to a logical subnet (VLAN: Virtual Local Area Network) 20. Also connected to the VLAN switch 20 is a component 25 in which a media converter 12, a PoE power supply 21, two encoders 22 and two WLAN ports 23 (OAP-IA [WLAN 1] / OAP-2E [WLAN 2]) which are connected to WLAN antennas 24, are arranged.

Also connected to the VLAN switch 20 are four readers 6 (RFID readers), each having a media converter 12 (or an access point), located at the entrance E and exit A of each track 16, and wherein each reader 6 is also connected via a data connection 8 to a WLAN antenna 24.

As a result, all the data from the cameras 13 converge in the central VLAN switch 20 and are transmitted from there (via the WLAN antennas 24) to a mobile object 2 when its identifier is detected / read by a reader 6.

In the figure 7 is another schematic representation of a part of the communication device 1 with a distribution system 26, which works without computer, two components 25, which are connected to the distribution system 26 and a respective distribution system (switch) 27, and four readers 6, the are each connected via one of the distribution systems 27 to the component 25 and the distribution system 26 shown. Furthermore, the radii 28 of the emission of the RFID signal are shown in FIG. Information about the radius 28 or the RFID signal is transmitted via the data connections 29, and the video signals of the cameras 13 not shown in FIG. 7 are transported via the data connection 30. In addition to the above-described use for data communication 10 of rail vehicles and a use in the production of motor vehicles is conceivable. Today, motor vehicles have more and more computer-aided electronic components. With the communication device 1 described here, these components, if they are equipped with a data carrier 3, when passing a reader 6, on a conveyor belt or other means of transport, be read and the programming or the import of software on the computer of the components via the data communication 10.

List of reference numbers:

1 communication direction

2 mobile object

3 data carrier, RFID tag

4 access point, WLAN access point

4-1 access point

5 monitored area

5-1 first monitored area

5-2 second monitored area

6 reader

6-1 first reader

6-2 second reader

7 communication

8 data connection

9 base station

9-1 first base station

9-2 second base station

10 data communication

1 1 (RFID) antenna

12 media converters

13 (video) camera

14 platform

15 antenna

16 tracks

17 2-wire receiver

18 quad / quad image

19 encoders

20 VLAN switch

21 PoE power supply

22 encoders

23 WLAN connection 24 WLAN antenna

25 component

26 distribution system / switch

27 distribution system / switch

28 radius

29 data connection

30 data connection

A exit

E entrance

H breakpoint

Left

R right

Claims

claims

Communication device (1) for establishing a data communication (10) between at least one mobile object (2) and at least one access point located in a monitored area (5), comprising a data carrier (3) and a radio link, wherein the data carrier ( 3) is fixed to the at least one mobile object (2) and contains an identification of the mobile object (2), wherein the identifier is readable by at least one reading device (6) arranged in the monitored area (5) and wherein the radio connection is in data exchange with the at least one access point if the identification of the mobile object (2) can be read out by the at least one reading device (6).

Communication device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the data carrier (3) is an RFID transponder and the reading device (6) is a reading device which is suitable for reading the identifier of the RFID transponder.

Communication device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the radio connection can be established via a wireless local area network or is a Bluetooth connection.

Communication device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the mobile object (2) is a vehicle.

Communication device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mobile object (2) is a rail vehicle and the monitored area (5) is a control point or a holding area of the rail vehicle.

Communication device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that when the rail vehicle consists of several units, a data carrier (3) is arranged on each of these mobile units.

Communication device (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that at least one reading device (6) is arranged at the beginning and at the end of the monitored area (5).

Method for producing a data communication (10) between at least one mobile object (2) and at least one base station (9) in a monitored area (5), characterized in that when a mobile object (2) enters the monitored area (5) a data carrier (3) containing an identifier of the mobile object (2) is read by at least one reader (6), a radio link is established between the mobile object (2) and at least one base station (9) after the identifier of the mobile object (2) has been read out by the reading device (6) and data is exchanged between the mobile object (2) and the base station (9) via the radio link.

A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the radio link between the base station (9) and the mobile object (2) is disconnected when it is detected that the mobile object (2) leaves the monitored area (5).

A method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that as data carrier (3) an RFID transponder is used.

1 1. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the radio connection is made via a wireless local area network or via a Bluetooth connection.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 1 1, characterized in that a vehicle is used as a mobile object (2).

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that a rail vehicle is used as a mobile object (2), wherein the data carrier (3) on the rail vehicle, when passing through the monitored area (5), of the at least one reading device (6) is read out.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that when the rail vehicle consists of several units, the data carrier (3) on each of these units, when passing the at least one reading device (6) is read out.

15. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 14, characterized in that at least one reading device (6) is arranged at the beginning and at the end of the monitored area (5).