Method for transmitting a data telegram to an onboard unit of a rail vehicle
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023716488
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-05-13
- Filing Date
- 2023-03-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-19
AI Technical Summary
The existing methods for transmitting data telegrams to rail vehicles, such as those used in the European Train Control System (ETCS), are costly and complex, particularly due to the use of loop modems and leaky cables, which also conflict with radio amateur frequencies and are inefficient for stationary or slow-moving vehicles.
A method that transmits data telegrams from an electronic control unit to a transponder on the trackside, then through a data gateway to secure servers and back to the vehicle via mobile radio, eliminating the need for leaky cables and loop modems, ensuring reliable and secure communication.
This solution simplifies and cost-reduces data transmission, avoids frequency conflicts, and maintains reliability and safety by using secure mobile connections, enabling real-time data delivery even when vehicles are stationary or moving slowly, with redundant servers ensuring continuous operation.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Method for transmitting a data telegram to an onboard unit of a rail vehicle
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for transmitting a data telegram to an onboard unit of a rail vehicle.
[0003] In train control and protection systems operating according to the "European Train Control System ETCS" standard, so-called ETCS telegrams—that is, information on movement authority (MA), the range of this MA (End of Authority EoA), specified braking curves, etc.—are transmitted wirelessly via so-called ETCS beacons to the control unit of a rail vehicle (Onboard Unit OBU). A 27 MHz telepowering signal is transmitted from the front of the train, inducing a sufficient amount of energy into the beacons to trigger the transmission and actually transmit the ETCS telegrams.
[0004] However, in order to transmit an ETCS telegram to a train stopped at a point on the line, e.g., a signal in ETCS Level 1, data transmission to the OBU is provided via a leaky cable, which is referred to in the standardized ETCS under the name "EUROLOOP." For this purpose, the ETCS telegram to be transmitted is picked up at an electronic control unit (line-side electronic unit LEU) for the point on the line, i.e., also for the beacons assigned to this point, and converted by a loop modem into the corresponding signal to be transmitted via the leaky cable.
[0005] Unfortunately, it has become apparent over time that the use of the loop modem and the leaky cable entails expensive installation and maintenance work. Furthermore, there is a conflict with the radio amateur community, which enjoys primary protection for the 13 MHz frequency range, in which the leaky cable also transmits. The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method for transmitting a data telegram to an onboard unit of a rail vehicle that can be designed considerably simpler and less costly, while also avoiding conflict with the radio amateurs. Furthermore, this transmission must also function when the rail vehicle is stationary or traveling at a low speed.
[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for transmitting a data telegram to an onboard unit of a rail vehicle, comprising the following method steps: a) providing the data telegram to an electronic control unit for a track point and outputting the data telegram to a transponder arranged trackside; b) transmitting the data telegram to a data gateway coupled to the electronic control unit; c) transmitting the data telegram from the data gateway via a preferably secured data connection to a first server S1 and preferably to a second server S2 which is designed redundantly thereto;d) transmitting the data telegram from one of the two servers to a data gateway arranged on the vehicle, wherein the data telegram is delivered to the vehicle-side data gateway via a mobile radio connection, and e) transmitting the data telegram from the vehicle-side data gateway to the onboard unit and evaluating the data telegram and correspondingly processing the data telegram in the onboard unit, preferably for displaying information relevant to the journey on a display of the onboard unit.;
[0007] In this way, a communication solution is found that is comparatively easy to implement and makes the transmission of data telegrams via the leaky cable described above obsolete.
[0008] Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be realized if: a) the data telegram is designed as an ETCS telegram; and / or b) the transponder is designed as an ETCS balise; and / or c) the data telegram comprises infill information which would otherwise be provided via a leaky cable and which, among other things, also contains a unique assignment to the route point; and / or d) one of the two servers or both servers simultaneously monitor the function of the electronic control unit (LEU) via the data connection to the data gateway (CL-IT) coupled to the electronic control unit (LEU).
[0009] Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention can be found in the remaining subclaims.
[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail with reference to the attached drawing. The figure shows a schematic representation of a structure for achieving a method for transmitting a data telegram to an onboard unit of a rail vehicle, which replaces the transmission of these data telegrams via leaky cables.
[0011] To implement the procedure, the telegram in the form of a CL1 telegram CL1-Te is generated by a signal box instance (physical signal box or distributed decentralized signal box architecture) and provided to an electronic control unit (LEU) for a track point and for the output of the data telegram to a trackside transponder (balise). The dashed lines show the data branch to the loop modem and the leaky cable including its terminating resistor, which are now obsolete due to the procedure. Instead, the data telegram is transmitted to a data gateway (CL-1-T) coupled to the electronic control unit and from there via a data connection, however designed but sufficient in terms of interference resistance and encryption (e.g.encrypted priority IP connection and / or mobile radio connection GSM-R, 4G / 5G) to a first server S1 and preferably to a second server S2 which is designed to be redundant therewith. The data telegram is transmitted from the respectively active server of the two servers to a data gateway (CL-1-T1) arranged on the vehicle, wherein the data telegram is made available to the vehicle-side data gateway via a mobile radio connection (i.e. the entire transmission path does not have to be designed as a mobile radio path). On the rail vehicle itself, the data telegram is then transmitted from the vehicle-side data gateway to the onboard unit. There, the data telegram is evaluated and processed accordingly in the onboard unit, preferably to display information relevant to the journey (as already mentioned above, for example) on a display of the onboard unit.
[0012] The CL1 telegrams are thus read via the CL1-T hardware module (here the data gateway) and forwarded transparently via a secure radio channel W1 to the first server S1 or the redundant second server S2. Each CL1-T gateway has data connection detection (SIM card and / or VPM channel) and is operated on the LEU. Preferably, the CL1-T gateway also queries and forwards the diagnostic status of the LEU, which is a clear additional benefit compared to the leaky cable solution. In tunnel applications, the CL1 transmission can also be extended by several hundred meters up to 6 km, as is usual, so that the CL1-T gateway can be located within the reception range of the radio cell (e.g., 4G / 5G). The option of operating the CL1-T gateway on a powerline adapter is therefore also possible.
[0013] Servers S1 and S2 are used for availability reasons, because if just one existing server fails, the infill information (the data telegrams) could not be transmitted to the rail vehicles from any trackpoint. Server S1 / S2 forwards the infill information to the on-board endpoints, including the on-board gateways CL1-T1, in near real time. Typical latency times of less than 500 ms are thus achieved. Because the infill information includes unique trackpoint assignments, the safety objectives for the railway approval of the process can be achieved relatively easily. To ensure that not every rail vehicle receives all the infill information, a geofencing process can be used where necessary. An interface D4 can be used for monitoring and incident management.
[0014] Errors / failures in the LEU and on the rail vehicle can also be remedied relatively easily and cost-effectively using this solution.
[0015] In addition, migration to the new method is simple and possible from any point of the route because at every point of the route previously equipped with a Euroloop leakage cable, the space freed up by the elimination of the Euroloop modem, including the power supply for the leakage cable, is available.
Claims
Patent claims 1. Method for transmitting a data telegram to an onboard unit of a rail vehicle, comprising the following process steps: a) providing the data telegram to an electronic control unit (LEU) for a trackside point and outputting the data telegram to a trackside transponder; b) transmitting the data telegram to a data gateway (CL-IT) coupled to the electronic control unit; c) transmitting the data telegram from the data gateway via a preferably secure data connection to a first server S1 and preferably a second server S2 configured redundantly for this purpose;d) Transmitting the data telegram from one of the two servers to a vehicle-side data gateway (CL-l-Tl), wherein the data telegram is provided to the vehicle-side data gateway via a mobile communication connection, and e) transmitting the data telegram from the vehicle-side data gateway to the onboard unit and evaluating and processing the data telegram accordingly in the onboard unit, preferably for displaying driving commands on a display of the onboard unit.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data telegram is an ETCS telegram.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transponder is an ETCS balise.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the data telegram comprises infill information otherwise provided via a leakage cable, which also includes, inter alia, a unique assignment to the route point.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one or both servers simultaneously monitor the function of the electronic control unit (LEU) via the data connection to the data gateway (CL-LT) coupled to the electronic control unit (LEU).