Vehicle Train Voltage Sensing for Towed Vehicle Order Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle train control systems face challenges in efficiently communicating and processing voltage data from multiple towed vehicles to the tractor, which is crucial for determining the order of towed vehicles and providing effective vehicle control functions.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus for a vehicle train that includes a first controller associated with each towed vehicle, capable of measuring the voltage of a power line and transmitting this data along a communication line to other controllers in the vehicle train, allowing for the determination of the order of towed vehicles based on measured voltage levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If voltage data is collected from multiple towed vehicles and transmitted to the tractor controller, then the determination of towed vehicle order and vehicle control functions are improved, but the communication complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the vehicle train into discrete segments (tractor and individual towed vehicles), with each towed vehicle controller independently measuring and transmitting its own voltage data. This segmentation allows distributed data collection without requiring complex centralized measurement systems, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication line acts as an intermediary medium, carrying voltage data from multiple towed vehicle controllers to the tractor controller. This intermediary enables efficient data transmission without requiring direct point-to-point connections between all components, reducing communication system complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
2Reliability
If each towed vehicle controller measures and transmits voltage data independently, then the reliability of voltage data collection is improved, but the quantity of data transmitted and processed increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each towed vehicle controller autonomously measures its own voltage data and transmits it to the tractor controller without requiring intervention from other controllers. This self-service approach improves reliability by distributing the measurement function across multiple independent units, while the standardized transmission protocol minimizes the overall data volume by having each unit transmit only its own measurements.
3Measurement precision
If voltage measurements are used to determine the order of towed vehicles, then the accuracy of vehicle train configuration identification is improved, but the processing time and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical or manual methods of determining vehicle train configuration with electrical voltage measurements. By using voltage data from the power line to identify vehicle order, the system achieves high accuracy in configuration identification while minimizing processing time, as voltage measurements and comparisons are computationally simple operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus is provided for a vehicle train having a tractor and first and second towed vehicles in tow by the tractor. The control apparatus comprises a first controller associated with the first towed vehicle and arranged to (i) measure voltage of a power line in vicinity of the first towed vehicle, and (ii) transmit the measured voltage along a communication line to other controllers of the vehicle train.