Interchangeable Rail Cab Control Units via Networked Redundancy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing operating arrangements for rail vehicle driver's cabs lack flexibility and redundancy in display and operating units, leading to high costs and reduced availability due to the need for multiple unit types and lack of efficient data management.
Innovation Solution
A flexible operating arrangement using standardized, interchangeable display and control units connected via an Ethernet network, with a status unit managing data distribution and redundant calculation units for dynamic image generation and redundancy, allowing easy integration of additional functional units and reducing hardware costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple types of display and control units are used to provide redundancy and flexibility, then the availability and flexibility improve, but the cost and device complexity increase due to needing to maintain multiple unit types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making all display and control units identical in type, allowing any unit to serve multiple functions and positions within the system. This single-type design enables any failed unit to be replaced by any other unit, providing redundancy and flexibility without requiring multiple specialized unit types, thus improving availability while reducing device complexity.
2Ease of repair
If display and control units are made interchangeable and identical, then the ease of repair and manufacturing cost improve, but the adaptability to different functional requirements worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a data network as an intermediary between the identical display and control units and the various functional units of the rail vehicle. This network mediator enables any display/control unit to access and display information from any functional unit, providing functional adaptability without requiring different hardware types. The intermediary allows simple interchangeable units to perform complex adaptive functions through software and network communication.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional functional units are integrated into the operating arrangement, then the versatility improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing additional functional units with integrated calculation units that follow the same architecture as existing units. These new functional units connect to the existing data network and can be accessed by any display and control unit, enabling versatile functional integration without increasing hardware complexity. The universal design allows the system to accommodate additional functions while maintaining the same structural pattern.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
In order to be able to manufacture an operator control arrangement cost-effectively, the display and operator control units (AE1 to AE6) are embodied in such a way that they are functionally identical and interchangeable. At least one calculation unit (BE1 to BE4) is provided which converts process data of functional units (FE1 to FE5) of the rail vehicle into image data and processes operator control data on the basis of operator control actions performed at the display and operator control units (AE1 to AE6) , wherein the display and operator control units (AE1 to AE6) are connected to the at least one calculation unit (BE1 to BE4) via a data network (EN) by means of a network protocol for transmitting the image data and the operator control action data. Furthermore, a status unit (ZE) is connected to the data network (EN), which status unit (ZE) determines the respectively valid status of the operator control arrangement (BA) by means of a rail-vehicle-specific configuration logic of the possible combinations of the display and operator control units (AE1 to AE6) and the at least one calculation unit (BE1 to BE3) as a function of the respective status of the rail vehicle.