Architecture for data transmission between multiple electric tow vehicles and corresponding remote control centers - Patents.com

Abstract

An architecture (10) for data transmission between a plurality of electric traction vehicles (12) moving within a transportation network (11) and a backbone Ethernet network (14) is described, the transportation network (11) having a plurality of substations (15) connecting to a low / medium voltage power supply network (16) for the vehicles (12), the power supply network (16) being used for continuous data transmission according to the BPLC communication mode over the vehicles (12) and the backbone Ethernet network (14) by a transmission and isolation system (20) interposed between the vehicles (12) and the substations (15) connected to the power supply network (16), the transmission and isolation system (20) comprising: an on-board device (20A) adapted to be mounted and placed inside each vehicle (12); and a plurality of grounding devices (20B), each grounding device (20B) adapted to be coupled to at least one of said substations (15); the on-board device (20A) can be connected to one of the grounding devices (20B) when the vehicle (12) is transported corresponding to the grounding device (20B); Each of the grounding devices (20B) has at least an adapter (23B) that is directly connected to the Ethernet backbone network (14) and is a PLC master device; The on-board device (20A) of each vehicle (12) has an adapter (23A) which is a PLC slave device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention refers to an architecture for data transmission between a plurality of vehicles and a remote control center of a transportation network.

[0002] The present invention refers particularly, although not exclusively, to architectures for data transmission for communication in large-scale transport networks such as railway or underground networks, and the following description is made with reference to this field of application, solely for the purpose of simplifying its presentation. [Background technology]

[0003] As is well known, in the field of so-called mass transport, systems based on the use of electric motors are widely used, and these systems, defined as electric traction, are currently the most technologically advanced.

[0004] In particular, all of the high-speed railroads built in recent years, and most of the underground railroads, are built with electric traction systems.

[0005] The main reasons for the success of electric traction systems, especially in the field of mass transport, are their electromechanical reliability and more affordable operation, especially during heavy traffic situations, in addition to the reduced environmental pollution they produce. There are also suitable devices that make it possible to recover energy when going downhill or during deceleration or braking phases, which further improves the performance of these systems.

[0006] In its most general form, a mass transportation system with electric traction includes a plurality of vehicles adapted to accommodate a plurality of passengers or vehicles, traveling on suitable tracks, and a power supply line capable of supplying power to the vehicles; said system is also referred to as a transportation network.

[0007] Most of the transport networks use so-called overhead power supply lines, and vehicles are provided with pantograph structures for connection to power supply cables located above the tracks. In particular, the term pantograph generally defines a device that obtains electrical current from overhead lines located on the roof of a vehicle, such as a rail or tram vehicle.

[0008] Alternatively, the use of so-called third-rail power supplies is known, in which an additional rail is placed between or alongside two tracks or rails on which vehicles such as trains or underground transport vehicles are transported, on which electrical contact is ensured by means of sliding shoes or rotating lateral wheels, and which is provided with a suitable insulating cover to protect possible personnel on the track.

[0009] One of the problems to be addressed in managing a transport network of the type indicated above is data transmission, particularly between the single transport vehicles circulating in the network and its control center.

[0010] The above data transmissions are usually assigned to designated data networks, including transmission support by optical fiber and copper cables inserted into the system infrastructure along the transport network, used in particular for transmitting data related to circulating vehicles, as well as corporate communications of management and administrative type. Currently, in Italy, railway data networks cover more than 12,000 km of railway track and provide the basic support for all railway transmission systems.

[0011] It is known to use GSM-R, a radio communication system for transport networks standardized at European level, which provides a wide range of voice, SMS and data services necessary to ensure interoperability and the normal operation of the transport network as a whole. At the end of 2021, Italy had coverage equal to 11,633 km of national railway lines (high speed / high capacity, conventional and HS / HC) with GSM-R signals, with coverage of the rest of the railway lines being ensured by roaming by mobile phone operators.

[0012] Naturally, fixed telephone lines are used in the management of transportation lines. In particular, fixed telephone systems are used by circulation and maintenance operators for communications related to the operation of the railway. In addition, designated telephone stations exist on the desks of circulation operators such as station masters (DM from the Italian "dirigenti movimento"), train dispatchers (DC from the Italian "dirigenti centrali"), and operating train dispatchers (DCO from the Italian "dirigenti centrali operativi"), in driver's cabs, electric substations (ESS), electric traction (ET) desks such as the DOTE central desk, in station yards, and along the tracks, outdoors or in galleries.

[0013] In recent years, the above communication systems have been shifting from traditional telephone systems to IP networks and VoIP systems.

[0014] A communication system for a train or other such consist is described in Patent No. US8,825,239 B2, issued September 2, 2014, in the name of General Electric Company, but the system does not in any way enable continuous data transmission when the consist is moving.

[0015] Also known from a document by Belhassen Hatem et al. entitled "Proof of Concept of Vehicle to Infrastructure Power Line Communication Link for Tramway CCTV" in IEEE INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTAION SYSTEMS MAGAZINE, Volume 13, Issue 3, March 3, 2020, is PLC communication in vehicles.

[0016] In most modern transport networks, wired data transmission modes are commonly used, especially in the case of stations, and wireless ones, especially in the case of communication between moving vehicles and corresponding remote control centers.

[0017] However, due to the presence of moving vehicles, the implementation of wireless communication is not sufficiently deterministic and requires the installation of specific equipment placed along the tracks along which the vehicles travel, said additional equipment having significant economic and environmental impacts, in particular due to the need for the presence of transmitting antennas.

[0018] The technical problem of the present invention is to provide an architecture for continuous data transmission in a transportation network comprising a plurality of vehicles moving on tracks, powered by low / medium voltage power lines and in communication with a remote control center, which has structural and functional features that ensure a transmission that is always reliable, uninterrupted and at low additional costs, thereby overcoming the limitations and drawbacks that still affect prior art solutions. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The underlying solution of the present invention is to modify the BPLC communication mode (Broadband over Power Lines Communication) to allow continuous data transmission between vehicles moving within a transport network and a remote control center using the low / medium voltage power lines of the same vehicle, where the term low / medium voltage means voltage values ​​below 30 kV.

[0020] Based on the above solution, the technical problem is solved by an architecture for data transmission between a plurality of electric traction vehicles moving in a transportation network and an Ethernet backbone network, said transportation network having a plurality of substations connecting to a low / medium voltage power supply network for said vehicles, said power supply network being used for continuous data transmission according to said BPLC communication mode over said vehicles and said backbone Ethernet network by means of a transmission and separation system inserted between said vehicles and substations connecting to said power supply network, said transmission and separation system being: - an on-board device adapted to be mounted and positioned within each vehicle; and a plurality of grounding devices, each grounding device adapted to be coupled with at least one of said substations; the on-board device is connectable to one of the grounding devices when the vehicle is transported corresponding to the grounding device; Each of the grounded devices has at least an adapter that is directly connected to the Ethernet backbone network and is a PLC master device; and the on-board devices of each vehicle have an adapter that is a PLC slave device.

[0021] More particularly, the invention includes the following additional and optional features, taken alone or in combination where appropriate:

[0022] According to an aspect of the invention, the on-board devices may be connected to the grounding device based on a signal-to-noise ratio adapted to ensure bidirectional communication with the Ethernet backbone network.

[0023] The on-board device may also be connected to the grounding device based on additional link quality parameters selected from among the authentication status of the master and / or slave PLC module, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of the beacon frame between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module, the AGC (Automatic Gain Control) on the RxPGA (Receiver Programmable Gain Amplifier) ​​used to compensate the amplitude of the signal received from the receiver, and the physical data rate based on the data dynamically exchanged on the estimated channel between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, the adapter includes at least one first PLC module of a first type and a second PLC module of a second type connected to a management module having a gateway function, the adapter is adapted to convert digital data in an analog radio frequency signal, and when connected to the on-board device, is connected to the low / medium voltage local power line of the vehicle and to the grounding device.

[0025] According to this aspect of the invention, the on-board device of each vehicle may further include a decoupler adapted to eliminate continuous components of the power supply voltage on the local power line and to implement a high-pass filter when connected to the on-board device to eliminate low-frequency noise in an input signal to obtain an information signal to be transmitted to the grounding device, enabling connection to the power supply network and data transmission according to the BPLC communication mode towards the backbone Ethernet network.

[0026] According to another aspect of the invention, the decoupler may be a passive component and the adapter may be an active component.

[0027] According to yet another aspect of the invention, the on-board device may be connected to a local network of the vehicle.

[0028] According to another aspect of the invention, the architecture for data transmission may include a plurality of first type grounding devices and a plurality of second type grounding devices that are alternating with each other and spaced apart according to a distance.

[0029] More specifically, each of the grounding devices of the first type may include at least one adapter, which in turn includes a PLC module of the first type and a corresponding management module that can be connected to the first PLC module of the first type of the adapter of the on-board device, and each of the grounding devices of the second type may include at least one adapter, which in turn includes a PLC module of the second type and a corresponding management module that can be connected to the second PLC module of the second type of the adapter of the on-board device.

[0030] According to another aspect of the present invention, the grounding devices of the first type and the second type may each include a management module connected to the PLC modules of the first type and the second type.

[0031] According to yet another aspect of the invention, each of the grounding devices may include a decoupler adapted to eliminate continuous components from the power supply voltage and to implement a high-pass filter to eliminate low-frequency noise in the input signal to obtain an information signal to be transmitted to the on-board device.

[0032] According to another aspect of the invention, each of the grounding devices may further include a connector block and a grounding device.

[0033] According to yet another aspect of the invention, the decoupler may be a passive component and the adapter may be an active component.

[0034] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the invention, the substation may be selected from among a railway or tram station, a railway or tram station, an electrical substation of a railway or tram network, an additional structure located along the railway or tram line.

[0035] Furthermore, the vehicle may be selected from among trains, trolleybuses, trams, and other electrically-tracted transport means.

[0036] According to another aspect of the invention, the grounding device may be located at a distance comprised between 1 m and 1500 m from the on-board device of the vehicle.

[0037] Furthermore, according to yet another aspect of the present invention, the architecture for data transmission may perform data handover from one ground device to the next by verifying a minimum signal-to-noise ratio transmitted between the ground device and the onboard device.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present invention, said architecture for data transmission comprises: Critical data, which is data necessary for the correct operation of the vehicle and the transport network as a whole; and - May transmit non-critical data, that is data related to enhanced passenger comfort on board the vehicle.

[0039] The technical problem is also solved by a method for continuous data transmission in an architecture made as shown above, wherein the grounding devices are divided between a first type and a second type, alternating with respect to each other, each device type being adapted to be connected to a separate module of the on-board device, said method comprising: transmitting a signal from each of the modules of the on-board device toward the same type of grounding device; verifying a signal-to-noise ratio value of the transmitted signal as a link quality parameter; selecting from the transmitted signals the signal having the maximum signal-to-noise ratio; and connecting one of the modules of the on-board device to one of the grounding devices corresponding to the signal having a maximum signal-to-noise ratio; To ensure the continuous data transmission, the steps are repeated at subsequent times while the vehicle is moving.

[0040] According to an aspect of the invention, an additional link quality parameter may be used to evaluate the grounding device to be connected to one of the modules of the on-board device.

[0041] In particular, the additional link quality parameters may be selected from among the authentication status of the master and / or slave PLC modules, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of the beacon frames between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module, the AGC (Automatic Gain Control) on the RxPGA (Receiver Programmable Gain Amplifier) ​​being used to compensate for the amplitude of the signal received from the receiver, and the physical data rate based on the data dynamically exchanged on the estimated channel between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module.

[0042] According to another aspect of the invention, several handover rules may be used to drive the handover mechanism, chosen from: the time of evaluation of the link quality parameters; the time between two scans, which is the frequency of information acquisition from the slave module of the ground device and roaming estimation; the no-return delay, which is the minimum delay before returning to an already used master module; and a smoothing factor, which is the weighting of the most recent signal versus older ones.

[0043] According to a further aspect of the invention, different combinations of the handover rules and additional link quality parameters may be used based on the application scenario.

[0044] The features and advantages of the architecture for data transmission according to the invention will become apparent from the description given hereinafter, of one embodiment of which is given by way of suggestive and non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0045] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates schematically an architecture for data transmission for a transportation network including a plurality of moving vehicles made in accordance with the present invention; [Figure 2] The architecture of Figure 1 is shown in more detail. [Figure 3] 2 illustrates a system used by the architecture of FIG. 1 having a grounded portion and an on-board portion of a vehicle moving in a transportation network. [Figure 4] 4 shows the system of FIG. 3 in more detail. [Figure 5] 4 shows the system of FIG. 3 in more detail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] Referring to the figures above, and particularly to FIG. 1, an architecture for data transmission made in accordance with the present invention is generally and generally indicated at 10.

[0047] It should be noted that the figures represent schematic diagrams of the architecture according to the invention and are not drawn to scale, but instead are drawn to highlight key features of the invention. Furthermore, different aspects of the invention depicted as examples in the figures may of course be combined with one another and interchanged from one embodiment to another.

[0048] The architecture 10 for data transmission is particularly adapted to connect a plurality of vehicles 12, for example moving along tracks 13, in a transport network 11 with a so-called backbone or earthed network 14, which is a network, in particular an Ethernet network, interconnecting said LAN subnetworks for the exchange of information between said LAN subnetworks; the transport network 11 including a plurality of substations 15 connecting with a low / medium voltage power supply network 16, for example in the form of overhead power supply lines, used to provide electric traction energy EET to the vehicles 12 and to local power supply lines 17 connected to the vehicles 12, each vehicle 12 being provided with a pantograph 18 for connection to said local power supply line 17. It is likewise possible to use vehicles 12 with a third-rail power supply, the low / medium voltage power supply network 16 being adapted to provide electric traction energy to the vehicles 12 by means of said third rail, supplementing the track 13, which therefore essentially constitutes a local power supply line. It is pointed out that low / medium voltage means a voltage value lower than 30 kV.

[0049] Preferably, according to the invention, the power supply network 16 is also used for continuous data transmission between the vehicles 12 and the Ethernet backbone network 14, in particular using the BPLC communication mode (Broadband over Power Lines Communication).

[0050] In fact, the present invention is initiated from the consideration that the above-mentioned broadband over electric lines BPLC communication mode allows digital data transmission at relatively high speeds using public cable networks for the distribution of electric energy. In order to apply the above-mentioned BPLC communication mode to transportation networks, the following critical aspects have been advantageously addressed and overcome: - making data communications compatible with low / medium voltage power supply networks such as the power supply network 16 of the transport network 11; and - Ensuring connectivity under highly time-varying and dynamic conditions due to the movement of vehicles 12 on tracks 13 of the transport network 11 and the information exchanged, which may vary at defined time intervals.

[0051] To overcome these problems, the architecture 10 for data transmission is advantageously provided with a transmission and separation system 20 inserted between the vehicles 12 moving in the transport network 11 and the substations 15 connecting to the power supply network 16, which: an on-board device 20A adapted to be placed on board each vehicle 12 of the transport network 11; and It particularly comprises a plurality of grounding devices 20B, each grounding device 20B adapted to be coupled to at least one substation 15 connecting with the power supply network 16.

[0052] The architecture 10 for data transmission includes an Ethernet backbone network 14 in bidirectional communication with a transmission and separation system 20 of a vehicle 12 and enabling continuous bidirectional data transmission between the vehicle 12 and the Ethernet backbone network 14.

[0053] 2, the on-board device 20A of each vehicle 12 provides electric traction energy EET to the same vehicle and includes a decoupler 22A, which is a passive component connected to the local network 21 via a local power supply line 17 connected to the power supply network 16, and to a grounding device 20B of the substation 15. Similarly, a connection via the third rail acting as a local power supply line makes it possible to connect the decoupler 22A of a vehicle with a third-rail power supply to the grounding device 20B.

[0054] Preferably, the substation 15 in which the grounding device 20B is installed may be selected from, for example, a railway or tram station, a railway or tram station, an electrical substation of a railway or tram network, or other structure located along the railway or tram line.

[0055] Similarly, on-board devices 20A can be installed, for example, on trains, trolleybuses, trams, and other similar means of transport.

[0056] More specifically, as shown schematically in FIG. 3, the on-board device 20A includes a decoupler 22A that enables connection to a low / medium voltage power line, such as the local power line 17 of the vehicle 12, and data transmission over the power network 16 in accordance with the BPLC communication mode.

[0057] The on-board device 20A further includes an adapter 23A, which is an active component for converting digital data into an analog radio frequency signal to be transmitted to the Ethernet backbone network 14 via a decoupler 22A and via a grounding device 20B.

[0058] In particular, decoupler 22A eliminates the continuous component of the power supply voltage on local power line 17, allowing it to be connected to adapter 23A.

[0059] The passive component, the decoupler 22A, can be installed outside the vehicle 12, for example on the roof of the vehicle if power is supplied by a pantograph, or under its fairing in the case of third-rail power supply, while the active component, the adapter 23A, is typically housed inside the same vehicle, for example inside a transporter.

[0060] Similarly, the grounding device 20B includes a decoupler 22B (passive component) that is also used to eliminate continuous components from the power supply voltage, and an adapter 23B (active component) for conversion of digital data in analog radio frequency signals to be transmitted to the Ethernet backbone network 14. Thereby, advantageously, antennas along the tracks 13 of the transportation network 11 are not required, and communication takes place via the power supply network 16 and the Ethernet backbone network 14.

[0061] In other words, on-board device 20A includes decoupler 22A (a passive component) and adapter 23A (an active component), and similarly, grounding device 20B includes decoupler 22B (a passive component) and adapter 23B (an active component).

[0062] The grounding device 20B may also include a power supply junction box 24 along the track 13, and possible other grounding devices (not shown).

[0063] Preferably, the decouplers 22A and 22B of the on-board device 20A and of the grounding device 20B, respectively, can be made identical to each other.

[0064] 4, an adapter 23B of grounding device 20B, connected in a bidirectional manner to Ethernet backbone network 14 and to decoupler 22B, includes at least one PLC module 25B and a management module 26B of said PLC module 25B, said management module 26B essentially acting as a gateway. Adapter 23B is a PLC master device that is directly connected to Ethernet backbone network 14 and, as such, is connected to one or more remote control centers connected thereto.

[0065] Furthermore, the decoupler 22B includes a pair of input terminals P1 for receiving an input signal or native signal that is affected by noise, particularly low-frequency interference, and is configured to provide a high-pass filter that can separate the continuous traction voltage and similarly eliminate low-frequency noise to obtain an information signal that is accurate and usable for transmission to the onboard device 20A on a pair of output terminals P2.

[0066] Preferably, the architecture 10 for data transmission according to the invention comprises an adapter 23B with its PLC module 25B and its management module 26B, and a plurality of grounding devices 20B including decouplers 22B.

[0067] The decoupler 22A of the on-board device 20A has a structure corresponding to one of the decouplers 22B of the grounding device 20B and performs a similar high-pass filtering operation on the received signal.

[0068] In fact, it should be noted that while an electric towing vehicle is operating, electromagnetic noise may occur due to the presence of on-board electrical equipment (air conditioning system, chopper for DC power supply, etc.), the electric motor for towing the vehicle, as well as noise / interference introduced by external systems.

[0069] According to the present invention, the decouplers 22A and 22B of the on-board device 20A and the grounding device 20B, respectively, use an operating band between 2 MHz and 50 MHz, more preferably between 12 MHz and 30 MHz, to avoid the noise and interference indicated above.

[0070] The adapter 23A of the on-board device 20A instead comprises at least one pair of PLC modules 25A1, 25A2 of different types connected to a management module 26A acting as a gateway. Preferably, the PLC modules 25A1, 25A2 are adapted to transmit diagnostic data of the on-board device 20A, in particular relating to connection quality, to the management module 26A, which makes it possible to carry out so-called handovers, which are handovers from one grounding device 20B to another during the movement of the associated vehicle 12, independent of the direction of movement of said vehicle, as will be clarified below. The PLC modules 25A1, 25A2 of the adapter 23A of the on-board device 20A are configured as PLC slave devices.

[0071] Preferably, according to the present invention, communication between the on-board device 20A and the grounding device 20B is guaranteed for a distance comprised between 1 m and 1500 m. Therefore, a suitable number of grounding devices 20B are provided along the transportation network 11 to ensure safe and constant transmission.

[0072] Taking into account the Italian railway network, which includes tracks approximately 20 km long, it is possible to ensure constant and safe communication by positioning a grounding device 20B every 200 m along the track 13, with adapters 23A in the on-board device 20A of the vehicle 12 allowing handover from one grounding device 20B to the next.

[0073] The mode of operation of the transmission and separation system 20 in handover between one ground device and another while the vehicle 12 is moving is illustrated schematically in FIG.

[0074] In this figure, the transmission and isolation system 20 includes, in particular, four grounding devices 20B, each including a decoupler 22B and adapters 23B, each in turn including a PLC module 25B and a management module 26B, as well as on-board devices 20A, which are particularly installed on a moving vehicle 12 and are shown at different times t=t1, t=t2, t=t3.

[0075] As previously described and illustrated in FIG. 5, each on-board device 20A includes a pair of PLC modules 25A1, 25A2 connected to a management module 26A.

[0076] For correct data transmission, the PLC modules of the grounding device 20B are divided into a first type denoted as Type 1 and a second type denoted as Type 2, which alternate with each other. Similarly, the on-board device 20A includes a first PLC module of the first type and a second PLC module of the second type.

[0077] In particular, in the example illustrated in FIG. 5, the transmission and separation system 20 includes a first grounding device of a first type designated as Type 1-DT1-20B, a second grounding device of a second type designated as Type 2-DT2-20B, a third grounding device of a first type designated as Type 1-DT3-20B, and a fourth grounding device of a second type designated as Type 2-DT4-20B.

[0078] More specifically: a first grounding device Type 1-DT1-20B of a first type including a decoupler DT1-22B and an adapter Type 1-DT1-23B which in turn includes a PLC module Type 1-DT1-25B of a first type and a corresponding management module Type 1-DT1-26B; a second grounding device Type 2-DT2-20B of a second type including a decoupler DT2-22B and an adapter Type 2-DT2-23B which in turn includes a PLC module Type 2-DT2-25B of a second type and a corresponding management module Type 2-DT2-26B; - a third grounding device of the first type Type 1-DT3-20B including a decoupler DT3-22B and an adapter Type 1-DT3-23B which in turn includes a PLC module of the first type Type 1-DT3-25B and a corresponding management module Type 1-DT3-26B; The fourth grounding device of the second type Type 2-DT4-20B includes a decoupler DT4-22B and an adapter Type 2-DT4-23B which in turn includes a PLC module of the second type Type 2-DT4-25B and a corresponding management module Type 2-DT4-26B.

[0079] The on-board device 20A similarly includes a decoupler 22A and an adapter 23A which in turn includes a first PLC module Type 1-25A of a first type and a second PLC module Type 2-25B of a second type, and a management module 26A.

[0080] Preferably, the first PLC module Type1-25A of the first type of the on-board device 20A can only communicate with the first type modules of the grounding device 20B, i.e., in this example, the first type PLC module Type1-DT1-25B of the first grounding device Type1-DT1-20B and the first type PLC module Type1-DT3-25B of the third grounding device Type1-DT3-20B, and the second PLC module Type2-25A of the second type of the on-board device 20A can only communicate with the second type modules of the grounding device 20B, i.e., in this example, the second type PLC module Type2-DT2-25B of the second grounding device Type2-DT2-20B and the second type PLC module Type2-DT4-25B of the fourth grounding device Type2-DT4-20B.

[0081] The grounding devices 20B are preferably spaced apart from one another at equal distances L1, L2, and L3. These distances are determined based on the required minimum signal-to-noise ratio, which serves as a link quality parameter for obtaining the required throughput for a particular application using this type of communication, such as voice, data, etc. These distances depend on the type of power supply network of the architecture 10 for data transmission, such as overhead lines for railways or trams or third-rail power supply, to name a few. For example, to guarantee a throughput of 2 Mbps for a power supply network with overhead lines, it can be verified that the maximum distance between two grounding devices 20B is approximately equal to 700 m. In this way, grounding devices 20B including adapters 23B, which are PLC master devices with different types of master PLC modules 25B, alternate with one another to form a PLC network on the overhead lines of railways or trams.

[0082] 5, when the vehicle 12, and therefore its on-board device 20A, is in a first position corresponding to a first time t=t1, the first PLC module Type1-25A1 of a first type of the on-board device 20A is connected only with the first PLC module Type1-DT1-25B of the first grounding device Type1-DT1-20B communicating a signal DT1-S11 having a signal-to-noise ratio sufficient to ensure bidirectional data exchange between the on-board device 20A and the first grounding device Type1-DT1-20B. In particular, communication occurs between the first PLC module Type1-25A1 of a first type of the on-board device 20A and the first PLC module Type1-DT1-25B connected to the decoupler 22B of the first grounding device Type1-DT1-20B.

[0083] At a second time t=t2, the first PLC module Type1-25A1 of the first type of the on-board device 20A continues to communicate the signal DT1-S21 with the first type PLC module Type1-DT1-25B of the first grounding device Type1-DT1-20B. At the same time t=t2, the second PLC module Type2-25A2 of the second type of the on-board device 20A is associated, i.e., it communicates the signal DT2-S22 to the second type PLC module Type2-DT2-25B of the second grounding device Type2-DT2-20B. Preferably, according to the present invention, bidirectional data transmission occurs only between the first PLC module Type1-25A1 of the first type of the onboard device 20A and the first PLC module Type1-DT1-25B of the first grounding device Type1-DT1-20B, since only the first signal DT1-S21 has a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio to ensure connection with the onboard device 20A and correct bidirectional data transmission towards the Ethernet backbone network 14.

[0084] Furthermore, at a third time t=t3, the first PLC module Type1-25A1 of the first type of the on-board device 20A can communicate a signal DT1-S31 to the first type PLC module Type1-DT1-25B of the first grounding device Type1-DT1-20B. At the same time t=t3, the second PLC module Type2-25A2 of the second type of the on-board device 20A can transmit a second signal DT2-S32 to the second type PLC module Type2-DT2-25B of the second grounding device Type2-DT2-20B. Preferably, according to the present invention, bidirectional data transmission occurs between the second type second PLC module Type2-25A2 of the onboard device 20A and the second type PLC module Type2-DT2-25B of the second ground device Type2-DT2-20B, because the signal DT2-S32 has a signal-to-noise ratio that is sufficient to ensure bidirectional data transmission with the onboard device 20A and is higher than the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal DT1-S31, thereby performing handover between the first ground device Type1-DT1-20B and the second ground device Type2-DT2-20B.

[0085] Finally, at a fourth time t=t4, the second PLC module Type2-25A2 of the second type of the on-board device 20A is connected only to the second PLC module Type2-DT2-25B of the second grounded device Type2-DT1-20B by a signal DT2-S42 having a signal / noise ratio sufficient to ensure bidirectional data exchange with the Ethernet backbone network 14.

[0086] It should be emphasized that the slave PLC modules 25A1, 25A2 of the adapter 23A of the on-board device 20A can be connected directly to the master PLC module 25B of the adapter 23B of the grounding device 20B according to their alternating types, without the need for any kind of repeater to be provided.

[0087] Essentially, the on-board device 20A examines the connection signals between the ground devices 20B that are reachable at any given time and chooses the one that has an adequate signal-to-noise ratio for data transmission.

[0088] Advantageously, according to the invention, it is shown how the architecture 10 for data transmission ensures a constant and secure transmission between the vehicle 12 and the Ethernet backbone network 14, and therefore any type of data, in particular: Critical data, which is data necessary for the correct operation of the vehicle and the like, for example, desk driver data, motor control data, brake control data, track signals, power electronics signals, safety signals, to name a few; and Non-critical data that is not necessary for the correct operation of the vehicle but is relevant to the better comfort of the passengers on board, i.e., for example, information about passengers, diagnostic data of the vehicle, audiovisual entertainment signals It has been pointed out that this can be used to transmit

[0089] The PLC modules of the adapters 23A, 23B can also exchange diagnostic data tied to connection quality with the management modules 26A, 26B to enable handover between grounding devices 20B, particularly between one master PLC module 25B and another, using the signal-to-noise ratio as a link quality parameter, as described above.

[0090] Advantageously, according to the invention, the handover mechanism can also be linked to additional link quality parameters provided to the management modules 26A, 26B. For example, the connection between the on-board device and the ground device can also be: -Authentication status of master and / or slave PLC modules; - RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of a special signal called a beacon frame between the master and slave PLC modules; - the so-called RxPGA, i.e. AGC (Automatic Gain Control) on the receiver's programmable gain amplifier, which is used to compensate the amplitude of the signal received from the receiver; and A physical data rate based on data dynamically exchanged on an estimated channel between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module, which is a variable parameter based on transmission conditions. may be based on

[0091] According to another embodiment, to drive the handover mechanism, several handover rules are used, in particular: - time of evaluation of link quality parameters; the time between two scans, i.e. the frequency of information obtained from the slave modules of the grounding device 20B (for example, 250 ms) and the roaming estimation; - No-return delay, which is the minimum delay before returning to a master module that has already been used; and - smoothing factor, i.e. weighting importance of newest signals vs. older ones can be used.

[0092] Based on the application, especially when the architecture is used in railways or trams or any other possible scenario, different combinations of the handover rules presented above may be used.

[0093] The handover mechanism in the grounding device 20B of the proposed architecture is a level 2 switchover mechanism, where two master modules are connected to two on-board PLC modules simultaneously, and the active communication channel is switched between the on-board PLC modules at level 2 of the ISO / OSI stack.

[0094] In conclusion, advantageously, according to the present invention, thanks to the use of the BPLC communication mode (Broadband over Power Lines Communication), an architecture for data transmission allows the use of power supply lines to transmit electric traction energy to vehicles circulating within a transport network, in order to establish a bidirectional connection between the vehicles and the remote control center.

[0095] Advantageously, the architecture for data transmission according to the invention has low installation costs, since no additional antennas are required, and low maintenance costs thanks to the use of components (decouplers, adapters) with high average settling times.

[0096] The energy savings that the architecture for data transmission according to the invention makes it possible to obtain are very significant: considering, as an example, only one subway line of 20 km, consisting of 20 stations and 22 trains, the energy consumption of the currently implemented solution, requiring transmission boxes with antennas each 400 m and using Wi-Fi® wireless transmission onboard the trains, is equal to 21.19 KW, while an architecture for data transmission using the BPLC communication mode, with grounding devices installed each 700 m and with onboard wireless transmission, has a consumption equal to 1.15 KW, which is an energy saving equal to 94.5%.

[0097] Finally, it should be pointed out that, advantageously, according to the present invention, the proposed architecture for data transmission is highly scalable, since it can be expanded according to the demands of the transport network infrastructure, which can grow proportionally to the size and coverage demands.

[0098] Of course, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the above-described architecture to meet possible specific needs, all of which fall within the protection scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. (Other possible items) (Item 1) 1. An architecture (10) for data transmission between a plurality of electric traction vehicles (12) moving within a transportation network (11) and a backbone Ethernet network (14), the transportation network (11) having a plurality of substations (15) connecting to a low / medium voltage power supply network (16) for the vehicles (12), the power supply network (16) being used for continuous data transmission according to a BPLC communication mode over the vehicles (12) and the backbone Ethernet network (14) by a transmission and separation system (20) interposed between the vehicles (12) and the substations (15) connected to the power supply network (16), the transmission and separation system (20) comprising: an on-board device (20A) adapted to be mounted and placed inside each vehicle (12); and a plurality of grounding devices (20B), each grounding device (20B) adapted to be coupled to at least one of said substations (15); the on-board device (20A) can be connected to one of the grounding devices (20B) when the vehicle (12) is transported corresponding to the grounding device (20B); Each of the grounding devices (20B) has at least an adapter (23B) that is directly connected to the Ethernet backbone network (14) and is a PLC master device; The on-board device (20A) of each vehicle (12) has an adapter (23A) that is a PLC slave device. Architecture for data transmission. (Item 2) 2. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 1, wherein the on-board devices (20A) are connected to the grounding devices (20B) based on a signal-to-noise ratio adapted to ensure bidirectional communication with the Ethernet backbone network (14). (Item 3) Item 2. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 2, wherein the on-board device (20A) is connected to the grounding device (20B) based on additional link quality parameters selected from among the authentication status of the master and / or slave PLC module, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of the beacon frame between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module, the AGC (Automatic Gain Control) on the RxPGA (Receiver Programmable Gain Amplifier) ​​used to compensate the amplitude of the signal received from the receiver, and the physical data rate based on the data dynamically exchanged on the estimated channel between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module. (Item 4) Item 1. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 1, wherein the adapter (23A) includes at least one first PLC module (Type 1-25A1) of a first type and a second PLC module (Type 2-25A2) of a second type connected to a management module (26A) acting as a gateway, the adapter (23A) being adapted to convert digital data in an analog radio frequency signal and, when connected to the on-board device (20A), connected to a low / medium voltage local power line (17) of the vehicle (12) and to the grounding device (20B). (Item 5) 5. The architecture for data transmission (10) according to item 4, wherein the on-board device (20A) of each vehicle (12) further comprises a decoupler (22A) adapted to eliminate continuous components of the power supply voltage on the local power line (17) and to provide a high-pass filter when connected to the on-board device (20A) to eliminate low-frequency noise in an input signal to obtain an information signal to be transmitted to the grounding device (20B), thereby enabling connection to the power supply network (16) and data transmission according to the BPLC communication mode towards the backbone Ethernet network (14). (Item 6) Item 1. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 1, wherein the on-board device (20A) is connected to a local network (21) of the vehicle (12). (Item 7) Item 3. An architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 3, comprising a plurality of first type grounding devices (Type 1-DT1-20B, Type 1-DT3-20B) and a plurality of second type grounding devices (Type 2-DT2-20B, Type 2-DT4-20B) that are alternated with respect to each other and spaced apart according to distances (L1, L2, L3). (Item 8) Each of the first type of grounding devices (Type 1-DT1-20B, Type 1-DT3-20B) has at least one adapter (Type 1-DT1-23B, Type 1-DT3-23B), which in turn includes a corresponding management module (Type 1-DT1-26B, Type 1-DT3-26B) that can be connected to the first type of PLC module (Type 1-DT1-25B, Type 1-DT3-25B) and the first type of PLC module (Type 1-25A1) of the adapter (23A) of the on-board device (20A), and Item 7. An architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 7, wherein each of the on-board devices (Type 2-DT2-20B, Type 2-DT4-20B) has at least one adapter (Type 2-DT2-23B, Type 2-DT4-23B), which in turn includes a PLC module (Type 2-DT2-25B, Type 2-DT4-25B) of the second type and a corresponding management module (Type 2-DT2-26B, Type 2-DT4-26B) that can be connected to the second PLC module (Type 2-25A2) of the second type of the adapter (23A) of the on-board device (20A). (Item 9) Item 10. The architecture for data transmission (10) according to item 8, wherein the grounding devices of the first type and the second type (Type 1-DT1-20B, Type 1-DT3-20B; Type 2-DT2-20B, Type 2-DT4-20B) respectively have management modules (Type 1-DT1-26B, Type 1-DT3-26B; Type 2-DT2-26B, Type 2-DT4-26B) connected to the PLC modules of the first type and the second type (Type 1-DT1-25B, Type 1-DT3-25B; Type 2-DT2-25B, Type 2-DT4-25B). (Item 10) 8. The architecture (10) for data transmission described in item 7, wherein each of the grounding devices (20B) has a decoupler (22B) adapted to provide a high-pass filter for eliminating continuous components from a power supply voltage and eliminating low-frequency noise in an input signal to obtain an information signal to be transmitted to the on-board device (20A). (Item 11) Item 1. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 1, wherein the substation (15) is selected from among a railway or tram station, a railway or tram station, an electrical substation of a railway or tram network, an additional structure located along the railway or tram line. (Item 12) Item 1. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to item 1, wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of trains, trolleybuses, trams, and other electrically powered traction vehicles. (Item 13) 2. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to claim 1, wherein the grounding device (20B) is located at a distance comprised between 1 m and 1500 m from the on-board device (20A) of the vehicle (12). (Item 14) 14. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to any one of items 1 to 13, wherein data handover from one ground device (20B) to the next is performed by verifying a minimum value of the signal-to-noise ratio transmitted between the ground device (20B) and the onboard device (20A). (Item 15) - critical data, which are data necessary for the correct operation of the vehicle (12) and the transport network (11) as a whole; and non-critical data on board the vehicle (12), the data being related to improved passenger comfort; 15. The architecture (10) for data transmission according to any one of items 1 to 14, for transmitting: (Item 16) 16. A method for continuous data transmission in an architecture according to any one of items 1 to 15, wherein the grounding devices (20B) are divided between a first type and a second type, alternating with respect to each other, each device type adapted to be connected to a separate module of the on-board devices (20A), the method comprising: transmitting a signal from each of the modules of the on-board device (20A) to a grounding device (20B) of the same type; verifying a signal-to-noise ratio value of the transmitted signal as a link quality parameter; selecting from the transmitted signals the signal having the maximum signal-to-noise ratio; and connecting one of the modules of the on-board device (20A) to one of the grounding devices (20B) corresponding to the signal having the maximum signal-to-noise ratio; To ensure the continuous data transmission, the steps are repeated at a subsequent time while the vehicle (12) is moving. A method for continuous data transmission. (Item 17) Item 17. The method for continuous data transmission according to item 16, wherein an additional link quality parameter is used to evaluate the grounding device (20B) to be connected to one of the modules of the on-board device (20A). (Item 18) Item 18. The method for continuous data transmission according to item 17, wherein the additional link quality parameters are selected from among an authentication status of the master and / or slave PLC module, an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of the beacon frame between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module, an AGC (Automatic Gain Control) on an RxPGA (Programmable Gain Amplifier of the receiver) being used to compensate the amplitude of the signal received from the receiver, and a physical data rate based on data dynamically exchanged on the estimated channel between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module. (Item 19) To drive the handover mechanism: - time of evaluation of said link quality parameter; - the time between two scans, which is the frequency of information acquisition from the slave module of the grounding device (20B) and roaming estimation; - No-return delay, which is the minimum delay before returning to a master module that has already been used; and - smoothing factor, which is the weighting of importance of the most recent signals versus older ones Item 19. The method for continuous data transmission according to item 18, wherein several handover rules are used from among (Item 20) 20. The method for continuous data transmission according to item 19, wherein different combinations of the handover rules and additional link quality parameters are used depending on the application scenario.

Claims

1. 1. An architecture for data transmission between a plurality of electric tow vehicles moving in a transportation network and a backbone Ethernet network, the transportation network having a plurality of substations connecting to a low / medium voltage power supply network for the electric tow vehicles, the low / medium voltage power supply network being used for continuous data transmission according to a BPLC communication mode over the electric tow vehicles and the backbone Ethernet network by a transmission and isolation system interposed between the electric tow vehicles and the substations connecting to the low / medium voltage power supply network, the transmission and isolation system comprising: - an on-board device adapted to be mounted and placed inside each electric towing vehicle; and a plurality of grounding devices, each grounding device adapted to be coupled to at least one of said substations; the on-board device is connectable to one of the grounding devices when the electric tow vehicle is transported corresponding to the grounding device; each of the grounding devices has at least an adapter that is directly connected to the backbone Ethernet network and is a PLC master device; The on-board device of each electric tow vehicle has an adapter that is a PLC slave device. Architecture for data transmission.

2. 2. The architecture for data transmission of claim 1, wherein the on-board devices are connected to the grounding device based on a signal-to-noise ratio adapted to ensure bidirectional communication with the backbone Ethernet network.

3. 3. The architecture for data transmission of claim 2, wherein the on-board device is connected to the grounding device based on additional link quality parameters selected from among an authentication status of the master and / or slave PLC module, an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of beacon frames between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module, an AGC (Automatic Gain Control) on an RxPGA (Programmable Gain Amplifier of the receiver) used to compensate for the amplitude of the signal received from the receiver, and a physical data rate based on data dynamically exchanged on an estimated channel between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module.

4. 2. The architecture for data transmission of claim 1, wherein the adapter includes at least one first PLC module of a first type and a second PLC module of a second type connected to a management module acting as a gateway, the adapter adapted to convert digital data in an analog radio frequency signal, and when connected to the on-board device, connected to a low / medium voltage local power line of the electric tow vehicle and to the grounding device.

5. 5. The architecture for data transmission of claim 4, wherein the on-board device of each electric tow vehicle further comprises a decoupler adapted to eliminate continuous components of a power supply voltage on the low / medium voltage local power supply line and to provide a high-pass filter when connected to the on-board device to eliminate low-frequency noise in an input signal to obtain an information signal to be transmitted to the grounding device, enabling connection to the low / medium voltage power supply network and data transmission according to the BPLC communication mode towards the backbone Ethernet network.

6. The architecture for data transmission of claim 1 , wherein the on-board device is connected to a local network of the electric tow vehicle.

7. 4. The architecture for data transmission according to claim 3, comprising a plurality of first type grounding devices and a plurality of second type grounding devices that are alternating with each other and spaced apart by a distance.

8. 8. The architecture for data transmission of claim 7, wherein each of the grounding devices of the first type has at least one adapter, which in turn includes a corresponding management module that can be connected to a PLC module of the first type and a first PLC module of the first type of the adapter of the on-board device, and wherein each of the grounding devices of the second type has at least one adapter, which in turn includes a corresponding management module that can be connected to a PLC module of the second type and a second PLC module of the second type of the adapter of the on-board device.

9. 9. The architecture for data transmission of claim 8, wherein the grounding devices of the first type and the second type have a management module connected to the PLC modules of the first type and the second type, respectively.

10. 8. The architecture for data transmission of claim 7, wherein each of the grounding devices has a decoupler adapted to provide a high-pass filter for eliminating continuous components from a power supply voltage and for eliminating low-frequency noise in an input signal to obtain an information signal to be transmitted to the on-board device.

11. 2. The architecture for data transmission according to claim 1, wherein the substation is selected from among a railway or tram station, a railway or tram station, an electrical substation of a railway or tram network, an additional structure located along a railway or tram line.

12. 2. The architecture for data transmission of claim 1, wherein the electric traction vehicle is selected from the group consisting of trains, trolleybuses, streetcars, and other electric traction vehicles.

13. 2. The architecture for data transmission of claim 1, wherein the grounding device is located at a distance comprised between 1 m and 1500 m from the on-board device of the electric tow vehicle.

14. 14. The architecture for data transmission according to claim 1, wherein data handover from one ground device to the next is performed by verification of a minimum value of the signal-to-noise ratio transmitted between the ground device and the on-board device.

15. - critical data, which are data necessary for the correct operation of the electric traction vehicle and the transport network as a whole; and - non-critical data relating to improved passenger comfort on board said electric traction vehicle; 14. The architecture for data transmission according to claim 1, for transmitting:

16. 14. A method for continuous data transmission in an architecture according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the grounding devices are divided between a first type and a second type, alternating with respect to each other, each device type adapted to be connected to a separate module of the on-board device, the method comprising: transmitting a signal from each of the modules of the on-board device to a grounding device of the same type; verifying a value of the signal-to-noise ratio of the transmitted signal as a link quality parameter; selecting from the transmitted signals the signal having the maximum signal-to-noise ratio; and connecting one of the modules of the on-board device to one of the grounding devices corresponding to the signal having a maximum signal-to-noise ratio; To ensure the continuous data transmission, the steps are repeated at a subsequent time while the electric tow vehicle is moving. A method for continuous data transmission.

17. 17. The method for continuous data transmission of claim 16, wherein an additional link quality parameter is used to evaluate the grounding device to be connected to one of the modules of the on-board device.

18. 18. The method for continuous data transmission of claim 17, wherein the additional link quality parameters are selected from among an authentication status of the master and / or slave PLC modules, an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of beacon frames between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module, an AGC (Automatic Gain Control) on an RxPGA (Programmable Gain Amplifier of the receiver) being used to compensate for the amplitude of the signal received from the receiver, and a physical data rate based on data dynamically exchanged on the estimated channel between the master PLC module and the slave PLC module.

19. To drive the handover mechanism: - time of evaluation of said link quality parameters; - the time between two scans, which is the frequency of information acquisition from the slave modules of the grounding device and of roaming estimation; - No-return delay, which is the minimum delay before returning to a master module that has already been used; and - smoothing coefficient, which is the weighting importance of the most recent signals versus older ones 20. The method for continuous data transmission according to claim 18, wherein several handover rules are used from among:

20. The method for continuous data transmission according to claim 19, wherein different combinations of the handover rules and additional link quality parameters are used based on application scenarios.

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