Autonomous Subway Data Gateway Redundancy for Reliable Train-to-Ground Links

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems in fully autonomous subway vehicles lack efficient and reliable data transmission methods, particularly in ensuring high stability and bandwidth for vehicle data transmission between train subsystems and a central server, which is crucial for unmanned operation.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle-to-ground transmission system with redundant designs for the train network control system, gateway device, and central server, incorporating protocol conversion and real-time supervision of communication statuses to ensure data reliability and high bandwidth transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a redundant design is adopted for the train network control system and gateway device, then the reliability of data transmission is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into multiple independent communication paths with separate gateway devices (first gateway device and second gateway device). Each gateway device handles data transmission independently, allowing the system to segment the communication load and provide redundancy without requiring complete duplication of the entire system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-establishes multiple communication paths and gateway devices before any failure occurs. The redundant gateway devices are configured in advance and can immediately take over data transmission tasks when a primary gateway device fails, eliminating the need for real-time decision-making during critical failure scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If real-time supervision of communication status is implemented, then the accuracy of data transmission is improved, but the use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication status monitoring accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the ground server continuously monitors the communication status of gateway devices and receives feedback information. Based on this feedback, the ground server dynamically adjusts data transmission routing, switching between first and second gateway devices according to their operational status, thereby maintaining high transmission accuracy while optimizing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary monitoring of already-failed paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If protocol conversion is performed by the gateway device, then the adaptability of the system is improved, but the loss of time in data processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway devices are pre-configured with protocol conversion capabilities and conversion rules for different communication protocols. This preliminary setup allows the gateway devices to perform protocol conversion using pre-compiled conversion tables and rules, significantly reducing the time required for real-time data processing compared to dynamic protocol interpretation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The gateway device acts as an intermediary between the train network control system and the ground server, handling protocol conversion in a dedicated intermediate layer. This separation allows the core control systems to operate at their native protocol speeds while the gateway device manages protocol translation, minimizing the impact on overall system performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4683374A1Vehicle-to-ground transmission system for vehicle data of fully autonomous subway
Publication Date: 2026.01.21 CRRC CHANGCHUN RAILWAY VEHICLES CO LTD
  • EP4683374A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4683374A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4683374A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present application belongs to the field of rail transit. Provided is a vehicle-to-ground transmission system for vehicle data of a fully autonomous subway, the system comprising a train network control system, a gateway device, a ground server and a central server, wherein the train network control system is configured to receive vehicle data of each system of a vehicle; the gateway device is configured to perform protocol conversion on the vehicle data from the train network control system and send the vehicle data to the ground server, the ground server is configured to receive the vehicle data from the gateway device and send the vehicle data to the central server; and the central server is configured to receive the vehicle data from the ground server and monitor an operating state of the vehicle in real time. The train network control system and the gateway device both use a redundant design, and the ground server supervises a communication state of the gateway device and sends to the central server the vehicle data from the gateway device having a normal supervision result, thereby solving the problem of data transmission reliability in a fully autonomous subway control system.