Land-based virtual spreading agent level indicator

Abstract

A grit level monitoring device (50) for a rail vehicle is described. The grit level monitoring device (50) has a vehicle-mounted fill level sensor (51), which is arranged inside a grit container (1) of the rail vehicle and for detecting sensor data (SD). A data readout unit (52) for reading the sensor data (SD) is also part of the grit level monitoring device (50). The grit level monitoring device (50) also comprises a data transmission unit (53) for wirelessly transmitting the sensor data (SD) to a land-based data reception device. A rail vehicle is also described. Furthermore, a land-based grit level indicator device (60) is described. Furthermore, a system (70) for simulating a land-based virtual fill level indicator (FSD) of a rail vehicle is described.Furthermore, a method for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a grit container (1) of a rail vehicle is described. A method for generating a virtual fill level indicator is also described. Furthermore, a method for monitoring a fill level of a grit container (1) of a rail vehicle is described.

Description

The invention relates to a scattering agent fill level monitoring device. The invention also relates to a rail vehicle having such a scattering agent fill level monitoring device. The invention further relates to a land-side fill level display device. Moreover, the invention relates to a system for simulating a landside virtual fill level display of a rail vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for generating a virtual fill level display and to a method for monitoring a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle.Railway vehicles have sand systems with scattering medium containers for improving traction. In addition to a spreading agent container, a sanding system also has a spreading tube, with which the spreading material stored in the spreading agent container is applied to the rails with the aid of compressed air. In order for the sanders to function, the scattering agent containers must be sufficiently filled. Consequently, their fill level must be regularly monitored and sand or scattering agent must be replenished if necessary.At present, the respective scattering agent container must be physically accessed in order to look at the human eyes on a sight glass in order to identify how much sand or scattering agent is contained per scattering agent container. If too little scattering agent (sand or aluminum oxide) is present in the scattering agent container, this must be replenished. An assessment as to whether too little spreading agent is present in the spreading agent container must be automatically decided by humans (generally the doctor or workshop personnel). The fill level in the inspection glass is often very unclear to recognize, since dirt on the glass, "milky" glass or even the relatively small size of the inspection glass does not always allow an approximate determination of the fill quantity.It is therefore the object to provide a device and a method with which a fill level of a scattering agent container can be monitored more easily and reliably.This object is achieved by a spreading agent fill level monitoring device according to claim 1, a rail vehicle according to claim 5, a landside spreading agent fill level display device according to claim 6, a system for simulating a landside virtual fill level display of a rail vehicle according to claim 7, a method for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a spreading agent container of a rail vehicle according to claim 8, a method for generating a virtual fill level display according to claim 9 and a method for monitoring a fill level of a spreading agent container of a rail vehicle according to claim 10.The scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention for a rail vehicle has a vehicle-side fill level sensor, which is preferably arranged in the interior of a scattering agent container of the rail vehicle, for detecting sensor data, on the basis of which a fill level of the scattering agent container can be determined.The scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention also has a data reading unit for reading out the sensor data. The data reading unit serves for reading out the sensor data from the fill level sensor and for transmitting the captured sensor data within the rail vehicle.The scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention has a data transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting the sensor data to a land-side data receiving device. The data transmission unit is configured to wirelessly transmit the sensor data detected by the fill level sensor to a land-side receiving device.Advantageously, the fill level of the scattering agent containers of the sanding systems of a rail vehicle can be monitored continuously. In particular, the continuous monitoring can prevent unnecessary feeding of the rail vehicle into the workshop for renewed filling of the scattering agent containers. On the other hand, idling of the scattering agent containers and thus failure of a sanding system can likewise be prevented, since the filling levels are monitored continuously. The availability of the rail vehicle is thus also advantageously increased. Furthermore, the monitoring of the fill level of the scattering agent containers no longer has to be carried out by personnel. In this way, the time for the inspection is saved.The rail vehicle according to the invention has a sanding system with a scattering agent container and a scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention. The rail vehicle according to the invention shares the advantages of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention.The landside scattering medium fill level display device has a landside data receiving device for wirelessly receiving sensor data from a data transmission unit of a rail vehicle.The landside scattering agent fill level display device also has a landside data display device for displaying fill level data relating to a scattering agent container of the rail vehicle on the basis of the received sensor data. Advantageously, the filling levels can be monitored directly by a land-side central monitoring device, so that the personnel of the rail vehicle themselves do not need to be trained about this. The rail vehicle receives a message at a determined low fill level that the rail vehicle requires maintenance on the next occasion, follows this message and otherwise does not need to take care of the monitoring of the fill level. By monitoring the fill level on the land side, the use of an entire rail vehicle park can also be better planned, since the information regarding the fill level merges centrally and thus a disposition of the individual rail vehicles can also be planned centrally as a function of the current and anticipated use capability.The system according to the invention for simulating a land-side virtual fill level display of a rail vehicle has a scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention and a land-side scattering agent fill level display device according to the invention. The system according to the invention combines the advantages of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention and of the fill level display device according to the invention on the land side.In the method according to the invention for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle, sensor data is detected on the vehicle side by a fill level sensor which is arranged in the interior of a scattering agent container of the rail vehicle.The sensor data are read out and the sensor data are wirelessly transmitted to a land-side data receiving device. The method according to the invention for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle shares the advantages of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention.In the method according to the invention for generating a virtual fill level display, a landside wireless reception of sensor data from a data transmission unit of a rail vehicle takes place.Finally, fill level data relating to the fill level of a scattering agent container of the rail vehicle is displayed on the land side on the basis of the received sensor data. The method according to the invention for generating a virtual fill level display shares the advantages of the landside scattering agent fill level display device.In the method according to the invention for monitoring a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle, the method according to the invention for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle and subsequently the method according to the invention for generating a virtual fill level display are carried out.The rail vehicle according to the invention has a central data bus system which is set up to transmit data which characterise the state of technical devices of the rail vehicle. The central data bus system preferably has a field bus which is designed for data communication between a vehicle controller and sensors and actuators and communication devices.Part of the rail vehicle according to the invention is also a cab display which is designed to display current technical information about the operating state of the rail vehicle in the form of display data on the basis of the data transmitted by the central data bus system. The rail vehicle according to the invention shares the advantages already mentioned in connection with the scattering agent fill level display device according to the invention.A part of the aforementioned components of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention, of the landside scattering agent fill level display device and of the system according to the invention for simulating a landside virtual fill level display of a rail vehicle can be realized wholly or partly in the form of software modules in a processor of a corresponding computing system, for example by a control unit or an already present computing system of a rail vehicle and / or a computing system in a landside monitoring device or maintenance device. A realization largely through software has the advantage that even previously used computing systems can be easily retrofitted with a software update in order to operate in the manner according to the invention.In this respect, the object is also achieved by a corresponding computer program product having a computer program which can be loaded directly into a computing system of a rail vehicle or a computing system in a landside monitoring device or maintenance device, having program sections in order to carry out the steps of the method according to the invention for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle, for generating a virtual fill level display and for monitoring a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle when the program is executed in the computing system.In addition to the computer program, such a computer program product can optionally comprise additional components, such as documentation, for example, and / or additional components, including hardware components, such as hardware keys (dongles, etc.) for using the software.For transport to the computing system and / or for storage on or in the computing system, a computer-readable medium, e.g. a memory stick, a hard disk or another transportable or permanently installed data carrier, can be used, on which the program sections of the computer program that can be read in and executed by a computing system are stored. For this purpose, the computing system can have one or more cooperating microprocessors or the like, for example.The dependent claims and the following description each contain particularly advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention. In this case, in particular, the claims of one claim category can also be developed analogously to the dependent claims of another claim category and the parts of the description thereof. In addition, within the scope of the invention, the various features of different exemplary embodiments and claims can also be combined to form new exemplary embodiments.In a preferred variant of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention, the data reading unit comprises an internal data transmission unit of at least one of the following types:a central data bus system which is configured for transmitting data which identify the state of technical devices of the rail vehicle,an Ethernet system,an internal wireless data transmission unit,a combination of a sensor box and a switch.The central data bus system is used for internal data transmission in a rail vehicle and is advantageously also used for internal transmission of the fill level sensor data. Likewise preferably, the central data bus system of the rail vehicle has a multifunction vehicle bus system.An Ethernet system can be used in particular for the transmission of data between the moving bogies and the car body. The wireless data transmission can also take place within the car body, in particular between a switch and an RDA box.Most preferably, the data reading unit of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention has an RDA box. Such an RDA box has a reading unit with software for detecting and reading out and wirelessly transmitting the data relevant for reproducing the current technical state of the rail vehicle. This type of read-out unit, which is suitable in particular for reading out data of a central data bus system of a rail vehicle, can advantageously also be used for reading out and transmitting filling level data without additional components having to be integrated.If the vehicle-side data readout unit comprises a central bus system, the vehicle-side data readout unit of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention has a readout frequency adapted to a real-time determination of the relevant data in the central data bus system of the rail vehicle, or its readout process is operated at a readout frequency adapted in this way. The relevant data are advantageously read from the central data bus system at a sufficiently high read-out frequency in order to be able to simulate a land-based virtual data display without a greater delay, that is to say virtually in real time. Real-time-dependent reactions to a current operating state of a rail vehicle can advantageously be carried out from the land side. In particular, it is advantageous if the read-out frequency is synchronized with the clocking of the central data bus system in order to avoid a partial loss of data during the read-out process.Particularly preferably, the central data bus system of the rail vehicle according to the invention has a multifunction vehicle bus system. A multifunction vehicle bus, referred to in English as "multifunction vehicle bus" and abbreviated as "MVB", comprises a field bus for data communication within a rail vehicle. The MVB connects the most important components of the guidance technology of a rail vehicle to one another. These include the drive control, the train safety system, cab displays, central control units, decentralized inputs / outputs, door controls, air conditioners, auxiliary converters and recorders.The MVB is mostly used as part of a train communication network, referred to in English as "Train Communication Network" and abbreviated as "TCN". Such a multifunction vehicle bus provides an on-board diagnostic system. The MVB is a true data bus with one master and multiple slaves. Thus, a plurality of bus connections can be connected to one line. At one time, only one of these actuators may transmit data. The MVB master specifies the time slot with its master frame. The slave then sends its slave frame, which is comparable to a CAN-RTR method (CAN=controller area network, a serial field bus system, RTR= remote transmission request, to German: request for remote transmission of data; with the aid of a remote frame, a subscriber can request another to send its data). As in FlexRay (FlexRay is a serial deterministic and fault-tolerant fieldbus system for use in the automobile), the operating system as well as the application must be synchronous with the MVB bus. If this is not the case, data loss also occurs during oversampling, since MVB clusters and CPU drift. It is therefore also advantageous or necessary to synchronize the reading out of the relevant data for the land-side fill level display with the clocking of the MVB. CPU and MVB master controller have their own clock supplies. Real-time operating systems according to the AUTOSAR standard (AUTOSAR= Auto Open System Architecture, for German: open system architecture used in the automobile industry) have such synchronization mechanisms. The data is then received by all other connected units. The data is transmitted in a synchronous time division multiplex method. The signal levels on the line are preferably RS232 levels.The vehicle-side data reading device of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to the invention likewise preferably has a reading unit with software for detecting and reading out and wirelessly transmitting the data relevant for the reproduction of the current technical state of the rail vehicle. The reading unit and the vehicle-side data reading device are preferably part of a so-called RDA box (RDA= Remote Data Access, for German: remote data access, for example to vehicles or installations), which also has RDA software. Such RDA software is located on an SD card of the RDA box. The RDA software stores information about sampling rates, transmission units per process data, diagnostic data, event messages and environment data. In particular, the RDA software comprises information about how the RDA box is to transmit the relevant data of the central data bus of the rail vehicle and at what time interval to the land side.An RDA-RT (RDA train router: German: RDA network device for a rail vehicle) has a universal onboard computer and offers a multiplicity of data acquisition interfaces and a wide variety of wireless interfaces for land communication. Alternatively, an SD card and USB are also supported. Thus, the RDA-RT is best suited for a DFÜ connection between a rail vehicle and a land-side server (DFÜ= Daten Transmission). Its different internal storage media permit use as data storage. For communication with the vehicle side, the RDA RT provides both transformer and opto coupling, CAN bus, Ethernet and discrete interfaces.All electronic components of the RDA-RT are preferably integrated in an IP50 housing (IP50: degree of protection for operating means: dust protection housing). They are preferably located on the underside of the housing and are preferably designed such that they can be plugged in and can preferably be fixed or latched by screwing, with the exception of the USB plug.Advantageously, the read-out data are converted on the land side into standardized display data of a fill level display, which can be easily understood for each vehicle driver or each technician charged with maintenance of a rail vehicle. This facilitates influencing the operation of a rail vehicle on the land side.The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached figures on the basis of exemplary embodiments. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a sanding system of a rail vehicle, FIG. 2 is a top view of two bogies of a rail vehicle, FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a circuit diagram of a bus system of a rail vehicle, FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a landside display of the fill level of four scattering agent containers, FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a scattering agent fill level monitoring device for a rail vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a landside scattering agent fill level display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of a system for simulating a landside virtual fill level display of a rail vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a spreading agent container of a rail vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method for generating a virtual level indicator, FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method for monitoring a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.In FIG. 1, a sanding system 10 of a rail vehicle is shown pictorially. The sanding system 10 has a scattering agent container 1, in which scattering agent is stored. The scattering agent container 1 comprises a sight glass 2, through which a fill level of the scattering agent container 1 can be observed. Furthermore, the sanding system 10 also comprises a spreader tube 3, through which the scattering agent is discharged to the leading wheelset (not shown) of a rail vehicle.FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view 20 of two bogies DG of a rail vehicle. The two bogies DG each have two axles A 1, A 2, A 3, A 4 each with two wheels. Each of the wheels is assigned a sanding system 1.FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration 30 of a circuit diagram of a bus system of a rail vehicle. The bus system has a multiplicity of sensors 51, 51 a, 51 b, 51 c, 51 d. The sensors 51, 51 a, 51 b, 51 c, 51 dcomprise in particular sensors 51 for measuring the fill level of scattering medium in a scattering medium container of a sanding system. Furthermore, the sensors comprise fill level sensors 51 afor measuring the fill level of fountain solutions. In addition, there are sensors 51 bfor measuring the humidity, sensors 51 cfor measuring the battery state of charge, and sensors 51 dfor measuring the inside temperature and inside humidity in the inside of the railway vehicle. Part of the bus system is in each case a sensor box 52 aper bogie, a common switch 52 bconnected to the two sensor boxes via Ethernet, and an RDA box 52 cconnected to the so-called MVB bus of the rail vehicle. A radio antenna 53 is connected to the RDA box as a data transmission unit. The sensor boxes 52 a, the common switch 52 band the RDA box 52 care part of a "multifunction vehicle bus" and MVB bus, respectively.FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration 40 of a landside display of the fill level of four scattering medium containers of the first axis A 1 and the fourth axis A 4 of a rail vehicle. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the fill levels of the scattering agent containers of the sanding systems vary considerably. In particular, the fill level of the scattering agent container A 4R of the right wheel of the fourth axle A 4 fluctuates between 70 and 90 percent of the maximum fill level.FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a scattering agent fill level monitoring device 50 for a rail vehicle. The scattering agent fill level monitoring device 50 has a vehicle-side fill level sensor 51, which is arranged in the interior of a scattering agent container of the rail vehicle, for capturing sensor data SD.Part of the scattering agent fill level monitoring device 50 is also a data reading unit 52 for reading out the sensor data SD.The scattering agent fill level monitoring device 50 also comprises a data transmission unit 53 for wirelessly transmitting the sensor data SD to a landside data receiving device.Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a schematic illustration of a landside scattering agent level indicator 60. The scattering agent fill level display device 60 comprises a land-side data receiving device 61 for wirelessly receiving sensor data SD from a data transmission unit of a rail vehicle and a land-side data display device 62 for displaying fill level data FSD relating to a scattering agent container of the rail vehicle on the basis of the received sensor data SD.FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of a system 70 for simulating a landside virtual fill level display FSD of a rail vehicle. The system includes the scattering agent level monitoring device 50 shown in FIG. 5 and the landside scattering agent level display device 60 shown in FIG. 6.FIG. 8 shows a flow chart 800 which illustrates a method for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.In step 8.I, sensor data SD relating to the fill level FS of the scattering agent container of the rail vehicle is detected on the vehicle side by a fill level sensor which is arranged in the interior of the scattering agent container of the rail vehicle.In step 8.II, the sensor data SD are read out from the fill level sensor.In step 8.III, the sensor data SD is wirelessly transmitted to a land-side data receiving device 61.Referring now to FIG. 9, a flowchart 900 is shown illustrating a method for generating a virtual level indicator.In step 9.I, sensor data SD is wirelessly received on the land side from a data transmission unit 53 of a rail vehicle.In step 9.II, fill level data FSD relating to a scattering agent container of the rail vehicle is displayed on the land side on the basis of the received sensor data SD.FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram 1000, which illustrates a method for monitoring a fill level of a spreading agent container of a rail vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.In step 10.I, the method illustrated in FIG. 8 for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container of a rail vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated.In step 10.II, the method illustrated in FIG. 9 for generating a virtual fill level display is carried out according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.Finally, it is pointed out once again that the methods and apparatuses described above are merely preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention and that the invention can be varied by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, insofar as it is specified by the claims. For the sake of completeness, it is also pointed out that the use of the indefinite articles "a" or "an" does not exclude that the features in question can also be present multiple times. Likewise, the term "unit" does not exclude it being composed of a plurality of components which may optionally also be spatially distributed. Regardless of the grammatical sex of a certain term, individuals with male, female or other sex identity are included.

Claims

A spreading agent fill level monitoring device (50) for a rail vehicle, comprising: - a vehicle-side fill level sensor (51), which is arranged in the interior of a spreading agent container (1) of the rail vehicle, for detecting sensor data (SD), - a data reading unit (52) for reading out the sensor data (SD), - a data transmission unit (53) for wirelessly transmitting the sensor data (SD) to a land-side data receiving device.The scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the data reading unit (52) comprises an internal data transmission unit (52a, 52b, 52c) of one of the following types: - a central data bus system which is configured for transmitting data (SD) which characterises the state of technical devices of the rail vehicle, - an Ethernet system, - an internal wireless data transmission unit, - a combination of a sensor box and a switch.The scattering agent fill level monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the central data bus system of the rail vehicle comprises a multifunction vehicle bus system.The scattering agent fill level monitoring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data reading unit (52) comprises an RDA box.Rail vehicle, comprising: - a sanding system (10) with a scattering agent container (1), - a scattering agent fill level monitoring device (50) according to one of the preceding claims.Landside spreading agent fill level display device (60), comprising: - a landside data receiving device (61) for wirelessly receiving sensor data (SD) from a data transmission unit (53) of a rail vehicle, - a landside data display device (62) for displaying fill level data (FSD) relating to a spreading agent container (1) of the rail vehicle on the basis of the received sensor data (SD).System (70) for simulating a landside virtual fill level indicator (FSD) of a rail vehicle, comprising: - a scattering agent fill level monitoring device (50) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, - a landside scattering agent fill level indicator device (60) according to Claim 6.Method for detecting and transmitting a fill level of a scattering agent container (1) of a rail vehicle, comprising the steps: - vehicle-side detection of sensor data (SD) by a fill level sensor (51) which is arranged in the interior of a scattering agent container (1) of the rail vehicle, - reading out the sensor data (SD), - wireless transmission of the sensor data (SD) to a land-side data receiving device (61).Method for generating a virtual fill level display, comprising the steps: - land-side wireless reception of sensor data (SD) from a data transmission unit (53) of a rail vehicle, - land-side display of fill level data (FSD) relating to a scattering agent container (1) of the rail vehicle on the basis of the received sensor data (SD).Method for monitoring a fill level of a scattering agent container (1) of a rail vehicle, comprising the steps of: - carrying out the method according to claim 8, - carrying out the method according to claim 9.Computer program product comprising a computer program which can be loaded directly into a storage unit of a computing system of a rail vehicle or of a computing system of a landside scattering agent fill level display device (60), comprising program sections for carrying out a method according to one of Claims 8 to 10 when the computer program is executed in the computing system.Computer-readable medium on which computer-executable program sections are stored for carrying out a method according to one of Claims 8 to 10 when the program sections are executed by the computer unit.

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