Railway vehicle, combination of railway vehicles and telecommunication method implemented by at least one railway vehicle

Abstract

Rail vehicle, combination of rail vehicles, and telecommunication method implemented by at least one rail vehicle. Rail vehicle (10) comprising: at least one headlight assembly; a coupling device for coupling said rail vehicle to another rail vehicle comprising at least one headlight assembly, said headlight assemblies facing each other; a telecommunication module (50). The telecommunication module (50) comprises at least one of a transmitting block (510e, 512) and / or a receiving block (510r, 511), said transmitting block being adapted to collect data, to transmit said data by modulation, of the light emitted by said headlight assembly (512), and / or said receiving block being adapted to receive a signal from a headlight assembly of another rail vehicle, to transform said light signal into an electrical signal, and to determine data. Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: Railway vehicle, set of railway vehicles and telecommunications method implemented by at least one railway vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications for railway vehicles, and in particular relates to a railway vehicle comprising: - at least one headlight unit, among a front headlight unit, arranged at the front of the vehicle and a rear headlight unit, arranged at the rear of the vehicle; - a coupling device adapted to couple said railway vehicle to another railway vehicle also comprising at least one headlight unit and adapted to be coupled to said railway vehicle via said coupling device, said headlight units of the railway vehicle and said other coupled railway vehicle then facing each other; - a telecommunications module adapted to implement telecommunications between said railway vehicle and another railway vehicle coupled via said coupling device.

[0002] The railway vehicles coupled via their coupling device are in particular the power units of train sets. The coupling device, generally an automatic coupling, comprises, among other things, an electrical connector module comprising 150 to 200 contact pins, allowing, via each of these pins coupled to the corresponding pin of the other railway vehicle, the implementation of telecommunications: one set of pins can be dedicated to data telecommunications relating to the closing of train doors, another set of pins to braking data, to the drivers' voice, etc.

[0003] However, this electrical connector module is now saturated.

[0004] There is therefore a need to relieve the telecommunications load of the connector module, the freed telecommunications capacity then being able to be reallocated to the main and safety functions of the train.

[0005] To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a railway vehicle of the aforementioned type, in which the telecommunications module comprises at least one block from a VLC transmission block (acronym for Visible Light Communication, transmission by visible light) and / or a VLC reception block,

[0006] said VLC transmission block being adapted to collect data to be transmitted, to transmit said data by modulation, as a function of said data, of the light emitted by said headlight block, and / or

[0007] said VLC reception block comprising a photoreceptor arranged at the block headlight, said VLC receiving block being adapted to receive, on said photoreceptor, a light signal coming from a headlight block of another railway vehicle coupled to said railway vehicle by said coupling device, to transform said light signal into an electrical signal, and to determine data by demodulation of said electrical signal.

[0008] The invention thus makes it possible to provide an additional communication channel in railway vehicles, taking advantage of the specificities of coupling between railway vehicles.

[0009] In embodiments, a railway vehicle according to the invention further comprises one or more of the following features.

[0010] Said telecommunications module comprises: - said VLC transmission block adapted to transmit data to be transmitted by modulation of the light emitted by said headlight block, and - said VLC reception block comprising a photoreceptor arranged at said headlight block.

[0011] Said telecommunication module is adapted for VLC transmission and VLC reception via the front headlight unit, said railway vehicle further comprising another telecommunication module adapted for VLC transmission and VLC reception via the rear headlight unit, said other telecommunication module comprising another VLC transmission unit and another VLC reception unit; - said other VLC transmission block being adapted to collect data to be transmitted, to transmit said data by modulation, as a function of said data, of the light emitted by said rear headlight block; - said other VLC reception block comprising a photoreceiver arranged at the level of the rear headlight block and being adapted to receive, on said photoreceiver, a light signal coming from a headlight block of another railway vehicle coupled to said railway vehicle, to transform said light signal into an electrical signal, and to determine data by demodulation of said electrical signal.

[0012] The implemented VLC technology complies with the Li-Fi protocol.

[0013] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a set of coupled railway vehicles comprising said railway vehicle as mentioned above coupled to another railway vehicle as mentioned above, said railway vehicles being adapted to implement VLC telecommunication between them via their respective telecommunication module.

[0014] According to a third aspect, the present invention proposes a telecommunications method implemented by at least one railway vehicle.

[0015] These characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, given solely as an example, and made with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0016] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a schematic view of a set of railway vehicles in one embodiment of the invention;

[0017] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a set of wireless telecommunication modules Li-Fi in one embodiment of the invention;

[0018] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a flowchart of steps implemented in a rea lization of the invention.

[0019] [Fig.l] represents a set 20 of railway vehicles comprising here two railway vehicles 10 coupled together. In this case, the coupled railway vehicles 10 are referenced respectively 10A and 10B.

[0020] Each railway vehicle 10A, 10B comprises a front end car and a rear end car between which extends a set of railway cars.

[0021] In the present case a rear end car of the railway vehicle 10A is coupled to a rear end of the railway vehicle 10B.

[0022] In the present case, each end car of each railway vehicle comprises a coupling device.

[0023] The coupling devices of the railway vehicles 10A and 10B when coupled to each other form an automatic coupler 15.

[0024] Each coupling device comprises an electrical connector adapted to, during a coupling operation with another coupling device of another vehicle, implement telecommunication between the vehicles via their respective coupling device and in particular via the contacts of their respective electrical connector.

[0025] Each end car of each vehicle 10 comprises a Li-Fi telecommunications module 51.

[0026] More precisely when the end cars of the vehicles 10A, 10B are coupled their respective Li-Fi telecommunication modules 51 form a set 50 of Li-Fi telecommunication modules, shown in [Fig.2].

[0027] The set 50 of Li-Fi telecommunication modules comprises two similar Li-Fi telecommunication modules 51 each embedded in a respective end car 10A, 10B.

[0028] Each end car 10 comprises at least one of these ends, a set of headlights 512 adapted to emit light facing the relevant end of the train.

[0029] To do this, each set of headlights 512 comprises, for example, LEDs.

[0030] When two end cars 10 are coupled to each other, the sets of lighthouse 512 located at their end by which they are coupled, face each other.

[0031] Each Li-Fi telecommunications module 51 thus comprises a set of headlights 512, a Li-Fi photoreceiver 511 and a Li-Fi controller 510.

[0032] The Li-Fi 510 controller comprises a Li-Fi 510e transmit controller and a Li-Fi 510r receive controller.

[0033] Within a Li-Fi telecommunications module 51: - the Li-Fi transmission controller 510e is adapted to collect the digital data to be transmitted via Li-Fi from said Li-Fi telecommunication module 51, to determine, as a function of said collected data, variations in the light intensity of the light emitted by the set of headlights 512 of the Li-Fi telecommunication module 51 - i.e. to modulate the light intensity, in accordance with the Li-Fi protocol -, and to control, at the set of headlights 512, the implementation of said determined variations; the modulation used is for example the On-Off Keying (OOK) modulation where logical 0s and 1s are transmitted according to Manchester coding; - the Li-Fl photoreceiver 511 (comprising for example a camera, photodiodes, etc.) is adapted to receive a light signal (emitted by a headlight assembly of a coupled power unit); it is typically installed in the headlight assembly 512 of the telecommunications module 51 of which this photoreceiver 511 is part, or at least not further than 400 cm from this headlight assembly 512; the Li-Fl photoreceiver 511 is adapted to convert a received light signal into an electrical signal and to supply the resulting electrical signal to the Li-Fi reception controller 510r; - the Li-Fi 5 lOr reception controller is adapted to demodulate the electrical signal in accordance with the Li-Fi protocol, to extract the data transmitted in the light signal received by the photoreceiver 511 and to deliver the latter.

[0034] In each vehicle, the one of the two Li-Fi telecommunications modules 51 comprising the set of headlights 512 located at the front of the vehicle is referenced Li-Fi telecommunications module 51_1 in [Fig.2], while the one of the Li-Fi telecommunications modules 51 comprising the set of headlights 512 located at the rear of the vehicle is referenced Li-Fi telecommunications module 51_2.

[0035] In each vehicle 10, the two Li-Fi telecommunications modules 51 of the two end cars are, in one embodiment, connected by a telecommunications link, wired or wireless.

[0036] [Fig. 3] represents the steps of a method 100 of Li-Fi telecommunication between the railway vehicles 10A and 10B of [Fig. 1], which can be implemented when the railway vehicles 10A and 10B are coupled together, during their movement. on railway tracks or when stopped.

[0037] In the Li-Fi telecommunication module 51_1 of the front end car of the vehicle 10A, in a step 200 relating to the transmission of data: - the Li-Fi transmission controller 510e collects, in a step 201, digital data to be transmitted via Li-Fi (for example originating from the system, on board the front end car of the vehicle 10A, for monitoring the doors of the cars of the train connected to the rear end of the front end car of the vehicle 10A) and the Li-Fi transmission controller 510e then determines, as a function of said collected data, variations in the light intensity of the light emitted by the set of headlights 512 of the Li-Fi telecommunication module 51_1, in accordance with the Li-Fi protocol, - in a step 202, the Li-Fi transmission controller 510e of the Li-Fi telecommunication module 51_1 of the front end car of the vehicle 10A commands, to the set of headlights 512 of the Li-Fi telecommunication module 51_1 (i.e. to the set of front headlights of the vehicle 10A making then facing vehicle 10B),the implementation of said determined light variations: the data are thus transmitted by modulation of the light of the LEDs of the set of headlights of the front end car of the vehicle 10A;,

[0038] then, in the Li-Fi telecommunication module 51_2 of the rear end car of the vehicle d 10B, in a step 300 relating to the reception of data: - the Li-Fl photoreceiver 511 receives, in a step 301, this light signal thus modulated from the set of headlights of the front end car of the vehicle 10A facing it and it converts it into an electrical signal and provides this resulting electrical signal to the Li-Fi reception controller 510r; - in a step 302, the Li-Fi reception controller 511 demodulates the electrical signal in accordance with the Li-Fi protocol, extracts the data transmitted in the light signal received by the photoreceiver 511 and delivers the latter, typically these data are transmitted to the central computer of the rear end car of the vehicle 10B and / or to the central computer of the front end car of the vehicle 10B (Main Processor Unit) via the main communication network of the train (Train Control Monitoring System).

[0039] In one embodiment, this data is advantageously transmitted, within the power unit 10B, from the Li-Fi telecommunications module 51_2 of the rear end car of the vehicle 10B, via the communication link within the vehicle 10B, to the Li-Fi telecommunications module 51_1 of the front end car of the vehicle 10B.

[0040] The invention thus increases the telecommunication capacities between the two trains.

[0041] The fact that, in one embodiment of the invention, the front headlight units and the rear headlight units are both equipped with these Li-Fi communications capabilities, allows, since the vehicles are equipped with coupling devices at the rear and at the front, an implementation of Li-Fi telecommunications whether the vehicles are coupled by their front or their rear.

[0042] The invention allows specific preparation (in particular rapid cab taking by the drivers) of a train being driven just before arrival at a station where the convoy will be separated into two, for two specific destinations.

[0043] In the embodiment described above, each railway vehicle 10 comprises, on the one hand, front and rear headlight units each equipped with a Li-Fi telecommunications module and, on the other hand, each telecommunications module is adapted for transmitting and receiving data. This makes it possible, on the one hand, to be able to couple two railway vehicles face to face in all the front / rear configurations of each while allowing telecommunications between them, and, on the other hand, bilateral communication between two coupled railway vehicles. In other embodiments, a single Li-Fi telecommunications unit is included in a railway vehicle, associated with the front or rear headlight unit of a vehicle.In other embodiments, the Li-Fi telecommunication block does not include the Li-Fi transmitting elements (no 510e sub-blocks) and only includes the Li-Fi receiving elements or does not include the Li-Fi receiving elements (no 510e sub-blocks) and only includes the Li-Fi transmitting elements.

[0044] The embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0045] Above, a set of two coupled railway vehicles has been considered, however, it will be noted that a set of railway vehicles coupled in a chain of vehicles arranged one after the other can comprise a number of vehicles strictly greater than two: in this case, each intermediate vehicle serves as a Li-Fi relay, receiving data from the preceding vehicle from the Li-Fi module associated with its front (respectively rear) headlights, and retransmitting this data from the Li-Fi module associated with its rear (respectively front) headlights: in such a case, it is necessary to have a telecommunications link between the two Li-Fi modules 51_1,51_2.

[0046] The invention has been described above considering a Li-Fi communication technology. Other implementations can be carried out by replacing the Li-Fi technology with other types of visible light transmission (VLC for "Visible Light Communication"), this same light also being usable as a railway vehicle headlight light.

[0047] In the embodiment described, the railway vehicle equipped with Li-Fi telecommunication means is a motor vehicle, but the invention can of course be implemented in any type of railway vehicle equipped with a headlight unit.

Claims

Claims

1. Rail vehicle (10) comprising: - at least one headlight unit (512, 512), among a front headlight unit, arranged at the front of the vehicle and a rear headlight unit, arranged at the rear of the vehicle; - a coupling device (15) adapted to couple said railway vehicle (10) to another railway vehicle also comprising at least one headlight unit and adapted to be coupled to said railway vehicle via said coupling device, said headlight units of the railway vehicle and said other coupled railway vehicle then facing each other; - two telecommunication modules (50) adapted to implement a telecommunication between said railway vehicle and another railway vehicle coupled via said coupling device, each telecommunication module (50) being on board a respective end car (10A, 10B) and being connected by a telecommunication link; said railway vehicle being such that said telecommunication module comprises a VLC transmission block (510e, 512) and a VLC reception block (51 Or, 511), said VLC transmission block being adapted to collect data to be transmitted, to transmit said data by modulation, as a function of said data, of the light emitted by said headlight block (512), and said VLC receiving block comprising a photoreceiver (511) arranged at the headlight block (512), said VLC receiving block being adapted to receive, on said photoreceiver, a light signal coming from a headlight block of another railway vehicle coupled to said railway vehicle by said coupling device, to transform said light signal into an electrical signal, and to determine data by demodulation of said electrical signal, the modulation being an On-Off Keying modulation where logical 0s and 1s are transmitted according to Manchester coding.

2. A railway vehicle (10) according to claim 1, wherein said telecommunication module (50) is adapted for VLC transmission and VLC reception via the front headlight unit, said railway vehicle further comprising another telecommunication module adapted for VLC transmission and VLC reception via the rear headlight unit, said other telecommunication module comprising another VLC transmission unit and another VLC reception unit; said other VLC transmission unit being adapted to collect data to be transmitted, to transmit said data by modulating, as a function of said data, the light emitted by said rear headlight unit;said other VLC receiving block comprising a photoreceiver arranged at the rear headlight block and being adapted to receive, on said photoreceiver, a light signal coming from a headlight block of another railway vehicle coupled to said railway vehicle, to transform said light signal into an electrical signal, and to determine data by demodulation of said electrical signal.;

3. Rail vehicle (10) according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the implemented VLC technology complies with the Li-Pi protocol

4. JT 1. Set of coupled railway vehicles (20) comprising said railway vehicle (10A) according to one of the preceding claims coupled to another railway vehicle (10B) according to one of the preceding claims, said railway vehicles being adapted to implement VLC telecommunication between them via their respective telecommunication module.

5. Telecommunication method implemented by at least one railway vehicle according to claims 1 to 3, implementing a VLC transmission of data (200) by a VLC transmission block or implementing a VLC reception of data (300) by a VLC reception block, the VLC transmission of data (200) comprising: - a collection (201) of data to be transmitted, - a transmission (202) of said data by modulation, as a function of said data, of the light emitted by said block of headlights, the modulation being an On-Off Keying modulation where logical 0s and 1s are transmitted according to Manchester coding, the VLC reception of data (300) comprising: - a reception (301) of a light signal from a block of

6.

7. headlight of another railway vehicle coupled to said railway vehicle by said coupling device, - a transformation (301) of the light signal into an electrical signal, and - a determination (302) of data by demodulation of said electrical signal. The method of claim 5, implementing said VLC transmission of data (200) by a VLC transmission block and implementing said VLC reception of data (300) by a VLC reception block. Method according to one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the implemented VLC technology complies with the Li-Fi protocol.

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