Railway Line Database Unification for Cross-Provider Measurement Correlation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The railroad industry faces challenges in correlating and analyzing diverse measurement values from different providers and methods, leading to a lack of comparability and effective data analysis due to nationalized structures and varying measurement requirements, which hinders efficient maintenance and servicing of railway networks.

Innovation Solution

A method to unify measurement values by converting them into a unified coordinate reference system and temporal format, creating structured measurement value sets that can be stored in a database, allowing for comparison and correlation using artificial intelligence and model comparison.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If multiple providers use different measurement means and methods to meet individual measurement requirements, then a large amount of measurement data can be collected, but the data cannot be compared or correlated effectively due to lack of standardization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamount of measurement dataVSAvoidcomparability and correlation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms heterogeneous measurement data from different providers into a unified format by standardizing parameters such as coordinate reference systems, measurement value structures, and data formats. This allows measurement data from approximately one hundred providers using fifty different measurement requirements to be converted into comparable standardized data, resolving the contradiction between data quantity and data comparability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal measurement data structure that can accommodate and standardize data from multiple different measurement means and methods. The standardized measurement value set serves as a universal format that integrates diverse measurement data while maintaining their individual characteristics, enabling cross-provider data correlation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If each railway company uses its own national methods and regulations for determining data, then national railway networks can be administered independently, but comprehensive data administration across different countries becomes problematic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenational administrative independenceVSAvoiddata administration system

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a standardized measurement value set as an intermediary layer between national railway data systems. This intermediary standardization format allows each country to maintain its own measurement methods and regulations while enabling cross-border data exchange and comparison through the common standardized structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the data administration system into two layers: national-specific measurement methods and regulations at the source level, and a universal standardized measurement value set at the integration level. This segmentation allows independence at the national level while achieving comprehensiveness at the international level

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If subjective descriptions are used in addition to or alternative to measurement values, then comprehensive railway line condition assessment can be achieved, but data analysis becomes more difficult due to heterogeneity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecondition assessment completenessVSAvoiddata analysis complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges objective measurement values from sensors (such as rotation scanners and photosensors) with subjective descriptions into a unified standardized measurement value set. Both types of data are integrated with proper weighting and correlation, allowing comprehensive condition assessment while maintaining analytical tractability through the standardized structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12485938B2Distributed and open database for the dynamic capture of the railway line network and elements associated therewith

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 TRACK MASCH CONNECTED GMBH

AI summary

Method for creating a database for recording a railway line including objects, wherein first measurement values and second measurement values, which measurement values include measurement value attributes created by means of a sensor and/or by an input and which measurement values are created using an absolute coordinate reference system and/or relative first coordinate reference system, which measurement values describe a condition of the railway line or a vehicle traveling on the railway line, by performing coordinate transformation of the optionally relative coordinate reference system and the optionally absolute coordinate reference system into a unified coordinate reference system and by generating a unified measurement value set comprising the first measurement values and/or the second measurement values, are stored in the database, wherein, in generating the measurement value set, the measurement value attributes of the measurement values are stored in a database in a defined structure in the unified measurement value set.