Vehicle Data Communication System for Rail Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multiple-unit rail vehicle configurations, radio transmissions between lead and remote vehicles can be lost or degraded due to terrain issues, leading to reduced performance, increased fuel consumption, and reliability problems, especially when local communications congest available bandwidth and result in non-receipt of critical messages.
Innovation Solution
A communication system that includes a wireless communication device and a controller onboard the vehicle system, allowing the device to switch between off-board and onboard communication modes to ensure reliable data transmission through different paths, using a wayside wireless network when direct radio links fail, and redistributing operational tasks among vehicles to maintain system functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If direct radio links are used for communication between lead and remote vehicles, then communication speed is fast, but reliability deteriorates due to terrain issues and signal loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wayside communication devices as intermediary elements between lead and remote vehicles. When direct radio links fail due to terrain issues, communication messages are transmitted through these wayside devices located along the rail route, ensuring reliable delivery of control and status messages without compromising communication effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional direct radio link communication to a multi-dimensional communication architecture. Messages can now travel through multiple paths: direct radio links when available, and alternatively through wayside communication devices, creating redundant communication dimensions that improve reliability while maintaining speed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple local communications are transmitted between vehicles, then operational control is comprehensive, but bandwidth congestion occurs leading to message loss
Solution Approach 1:
The wayside communication devices serve as intermediaries that receive and forward communication messages between lead and remote vehicles. This intermediary approach prevents bandwidth congestion on direct vehicle-to-vehicle links by providing an alternative transmission path, ensuring that comprehensive operational control messages are delivered reliably without loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is segmented into multiple independent transmission paths: direct radio links and wayside device routes. This segmentation allows communication traffic to be distributed across different channels, preventing any single path from becoming congested while maintaining comprehensive operational control capability.
3Reliability
If vehicle systems shut down automatically upon non-receipt of communications, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to operational delays
Solution Approach 1:
The wayside communication devices act as intermediaries that ensure messages are delivered even when direct links fail. This prevents false non-receipt conditions that would trigger unnecessary shutdowns, maintaining safety while avoiding unwarranted operational interruptions and delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where communication status is continuously monitored. When messages are successfully transmitted through wayside devices, this feedback confirms delivery and prevents automatic shutdowns, thereby maintaining both safety and operational continuity by distinguishing between actual communication failures and temporary link issues.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle communication system includes a wireless communication device and a controller that controls operation of the wireless communication device. The controller directs the wireless communication device to switch between operating in an off-board communication mode and operating in an onboard communication mode. The wireless communication device communicates a remote data signal with an off-board location while the wireless communication device is operating in the off-board communication mode and the wireless communication device communicates a local data signal between vehicles of the vehicle system while the wireless communication device is operating in the onboard communication mode.