MX2008006690A - Communication system and method for vehicles and line centres - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication system for vehicles (1, 2) and line central stations (7) provided with radiocommunication transmitting and receiving devices (8, 10). For this purpose, the vehicles (1, 2) comprise the transmitting and receiving devices (8) which are located on the front and rear parts thereof and are embodied in such a way that they make it possible to communicate between said vehicles (1, 2) in a first operating mode and between said vehicles (1, 2) and the line central stations (7) in a second operating mode, wherein a switching device is provided for automatically switching between said operating modes according to specific operating parameters.

Description

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES AND FOR TRAIN STATIONS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a communication system for vehicles and for power stations on the way, which have broadcast and reception facilities based on radio communication, as well as a corresponding procedure. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DE 198 28 878 Al is known a communication system in which, for reasons of safety distance between them, several vehicles on rails that move one after another in convoy, communicate with each other, where only one of the vehicles on rails maintains a communication with a central on the way. This results in a reduction in the amount of data regarding radio traffic with all vehicles in the convoy. The disadvantage of this system lies in its quasi-static configuration, which can affect the flexible operation of individual vehicles. It is the task of the invention to propose a communication system and a procedure for communication based on radio communication, which allow reliable communication in all communication systems. operating conditions of the vehicles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Fig. 1 a communication system in a first configuration, and Fig. 2 a communication system according to Fig. 1, in a second configuration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, the task is solved by the fact that the vehicles have transmitting and receiving installations both in their front part and in their rear part, which in a first form of operation are prepared for communication between vehicles, and in a second form of operation, they are prepared for communication between vehicles and exchanges in the journey, where a switching device is provided which, based on certain operating parameters, automatically switches between the modes of operation. In this way, the functionally optimal form of operation is always automatically activated, where there is either a communication between a transmitting and receiving facility in the vehicle and a transmitting and receiving facility of a power station in the vehicle. route, or it exists between transmitting and receiving facilities of different vehicles For example, because on each of both ends of the vehicle there are broadcasting and receiving facilities, the forward transmitting and receiving facility can communicate with the exchange on the way, p. e. for the safety of the train, and forward it through an internal communication of the train to the rear receiving and receiving facility, which, in turn, establishes a communication with the forward transmitting and receiving facility of the following train, so that the information it is retransmitted almost successively to the following trains. In the case of a very weak or nonexistent radial transmission between the vehicle and the control unit on the way, eg due to interruptions when passing through a tunnel, there is an automatic commutation of the communication between the vehicle and the control unit on the way, changing to a communication between two vehicles In this case, the switching point between both forms of operation is established according to certain operating parameters. According to claim 2, in this case a certain distance between trains can act as an operational parameter or, according to claim 3, a certain distance between the trains can also act as a parameter. vehicle and a power station on the way As an operating parameter for switching, the field strength of a specific frequency of the operating modes or of a frequency band, specific to the operating modes, is preferably used. When the distance between two vehicles decreases, the transmitters and receivers at the rear end of the front vehicle and at the front end of the rear vehicle commute to an appropriate transmission power and a frequency that have been provided for communication between nearby vehicles According to claim 5, the transmitting and receiving installations are provided in a redundant arrangement. In this way, the communication system is highly available and suitable for influencing trains, in applications with high technical traffic safety, particularly in narrow tunnels. Claim 6 refers to a procedure based on radio communication between transmitting and receiving installations in vehicles and power plants on the way, which enables reliable communication, where in a first operational form the front transmitting and receiving facilities of the vehicles communicate with each other, and in a second operational form they communicate with broadcasting facilities and Receivers of plants in the path, and where the switching between operational forms occurs automatically based on certain operating parameters. The operating parameters for the switching can be constituted by the distances according to claims 2 and 3, as well as by the field strengths according to claim 4. Preferably a redundancy according to claim 5 is provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is described below in greater detail based on the representations of the Figures, which show: Figure 1 shows two independent vehicles 1 and 2, circulating or stopped, at a distance from each other. vehicles 1 and 2 are provided with a TU (Automotive Unit) 3 in the front and one in the rear. Both TU 3 of a vehicle 1, resp. 2, can communicate through a suitable internal broadband connection 4. In each vehicle 1, resp. 2, the TUs 3 are connected redundantly with applications 5, p e, vehicle control, or on-board surveillance video For the structuring of redundant communication routes 6 between vehicle 1, resp. 2, and a central station on route 7, each TU 3 is connected to two redundant transmitting and receiving facilities 8 The exchanges on the route 7 are divided into APs 9 (access points = access points), which through routing from the communication system establish access on the route side to the network fi a. For this, each AP 9 is provided with at least one transmitting and receiving facility 10. Because vehicles 1 and 2 are at a distance from each other, they can establish independent communication connections with different Aps 9, to the extent in which they are within range and not shaded by the other vehicle, momentary, 2 resp. 1. When the vehicles 1 and 2 approach each other, as shown in Figure 2, the vehicle 2 can no longer reach without interference the APs 9 that are in the area of the vehicle 1, which leads to the cutting of the vehicle. communication or at least an increase in the rate of bit errors and / or bandwidth restrictions. Also, the vehicle 1 can no longer reach the APs 9 located behind the front of the vehicle 2. The mutual approach between the vehicles 1 and 2 can be communicated to them, for example, through a system of influence on trains, of superior hierarchical order. If the distance between trains is below a pre-established value, the TUs 3 that are face to face cut off the communication with the APs 9 on the side of the route. Instead they establish a communication connection 11 between them, which has an appropriate frequency and transmission power. In addition, the internal connections 4 are used between the front installation and the rear installation of the vehicles. The vehicle 1 now communicates by means of the front installation TU 3, through the internal vehicle connection 4, through the communication connection 11 between the rear TU 3 and the front TU 3 of the vehicle 2, and through the internal vehicular connection 4 of the vehicle 2, with two APs 9 on the side of the path, taking advantage of the rear TU 3 of the following vehicle 2 unchanged. In the same sense, the next vehicle 2 also takes advantage of the front TU 3 of the vehicle 1 in order to gain access to the APs 9 that are in front of the vehicle 1. In this way, both vehicles 1 and 2, can communicate in both directions , although always one side is in the shadow of the other vehicle, 2 resp., 1. The number of participating vehicles is not limited. For example, in a longer chain of vehicles, the last one can communicate through all the vehicles that precede it with the APs that are They are in front of the first. In this way, intermediate vehicles, which actually produce a shadow of communication, they become transparent for the applications, that is, the applications do not perceive the configuration of the vehicle chain. For example, in a scenario typical of a large organization, a platform can successively position the desired number of vehicles in order to receive passengers in rapid succession. In another scenario, a vehicle stopped by drive failures, blocks a tunnel and must be rescued. A vehicle that follows it approaches the stopped vehicle to the effect of pushing it forward to the next station. Although in regard to the radial transmission technique they mutually shadow each other, both vehicles can communicate transparently in both directions by means of the communication system described.

Claims (6)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property: CLAIMS 1. Communication system for vehicles (1, 2) and for power stations on the way (7), which presents transmission and reception facilities (8, 10) based on the radial communication, characterized in that both the front and rear vehicles (1, 2) have transmitting and receiving facilities (8), which are prepared for a first form of operation for the communication between the vehicles (1, 2), and for a second form of operation for the communication between the vehicles (1, 2) and the central ones in the path (7), where an automatic device for switching is foreseen between the forms of operation based on certain operating parameters. Communication system according to claim 1, characterized in that a distance between vehicles is provided as an operating parameter. Communication system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, as operational parameters, a distance between the vehicles (1, 2) and the central ones is envisaged in the course 4. Communication system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a specific frequency of the types of operation or a specific frequency band of the types of operation is provided as an operating parameter. Communication system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitting and receiving facilities (8, 10) are provided in a redundant arrangement. 6. Procedure based on the radio transmission for communication between transmitting and receiving facilities (8, 10) located in vehicles (1, 2) and power plants in the path (7), characterized in that in a first form of operation, the broadcast facilities and front and rear receivers (8) of the vehicles (1, 2) communicate with each other and, in a second mode of operation, communicate with the transmitting and receiving facilities (10) of the exchanges in the path (7), where the switching between the forms of operation occurs automatically based on certain operating parameters.