Method for information transmission in a communication network

Abstract

A method for achieving reliable information transmission in a communications network includes using a signal conditioning unit to receive a primary signal over at least one transmission channel, using the signal conditioning unit to generate a secondary signal from the primary signal and using the signal conditioning unit to transmit the secondary signal to a signal processing unit via two different protocol layers. A communications network includes a signal conditioning unit and a signal processing unit. The signal conditioning unit is configured to receive a primary signal over at least one transmission channel, to generate a secondary signal from the primary signal and to transmit the secondary signal to the signal processing unit via two different protocol layers.

Claims

1. A method for information transmission in a communications network, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a primary signal over at least one transmission channel by using a signal conditioning unit; generating a secondary signal from the primary signal by using the signal conditioning unit; and transmitting the secondary signal via two different protocol layers to a signal processing unit by using the signal conditioning unit; and transmitting the secondary signal to the signal processing unit bit-by-bit via one of the two protocol layers and packet-by-packet via the other of the two protocol layers.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the step of using the signal conditioning unit to transmit the secondary signal to the signal processing unit as a first protocol data unit via one of the two protocol layers and as a second protocol data unit being different than the first protocol data unit via the other of the two protocol layers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmission channel is a wireless transmission channel.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the wireless transmission channel is a radio transmission channel.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the signal conditioning unit to transmit the secondary signal in a wired manner to the signal processing unit.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the signal conditioning unit to transmit the secondary signal over a bus or a bus system to the signal processing unit.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating the secondary signal from the primary signal includes signal amplification of the primary signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit is a train control device.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit is an actuator.

10. A method for information transmission in a communications network, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a primary signal over at least one transmission channel by using a signal conditioning unit; generating a secondary signal from the primary signal by using the signal conditioning unit; and transmitting the secondary signal via two different protocol layers to a signal processing unit by using the signal conditioning unit; comparing items of useful information of the secondary signal received via a first of the two protocol layers with items of useful information of the secondary signal received via a second of the two protocol layers by using the signal processing unit; and when the items of useful information correspond, processing one of the items of useful information and otherwise discarding the useful information by using the signal processing unit.

11. A method for information transmission in a communications network, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a primary signal over at least one transmission channel by using a signal conditioning unit; generating a secondary signal from the primary signal by using the signal conditioning unit; and transmitting the secondary signal via two different protocol layers to a signal processing unit by using the signal conditioning unit; and placing at least one item of time information generated by the signal conditioning unit in the secondary signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, which further comprises selecting the at least one item of time information as a receive time for the primary signal.

13. A method for information transmission in a communications network, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a primary signal over at least one transmission channel by using a signal conditioning unit; generating a secondary signal from the primary signal by using the signal conditioning unit; and transmitting the secondary signal via two different protocol layers to a signal processing unit by using the signal conditioning unit; generating the secondary signal by using a sensor; and including a measured value detected by the sensor together with time information about a measurement time in the primary signal.

14. A method for information transmission in a communications network, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a primary signal over at least one transmission channel by using a signal conditioning unit; generating a secondary signal from the primary signal by using the signal conditioning unit; and transmitting the secondary signal via two different protocol layers to a signal processing unit by using the signal conditioning unit; emitting respective primary signals from a transmit module over each of a plurality of different transmission channels; the primary signals emitted over the transmission channels corresponding with regard to their useful information; and generating the secondary signal from one of the primary signals by using the signal conditioning unit.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the different transmission channels are wireless transmission channels.

16. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises: using the signal conditioning unit to receive a plurality of primary signals from one transmit module, the plurality of primary signals corresponding in their time information; using the signal conditioning unit to receive each of the primary signals over a separate respective transmission channel; and using the signal conditioning unit to generate the secondary signal from at least one of: one of the primary signals for which the signal conditioning unit identifies a greatest signal strength or one of the primary signals which is received first by the signal conditioning unit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the separate transmission channel is a wireless transmission channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 shows a communications network, which comprises inter alia a plurality of signal conditioning units, a plurality of sensors and a signal processing unit configured as a train control device; and

(2) FIG. 2 shows a further communications network, which inter alia comprises a signal conditioning unit and a plurality of signal processing units configured as actuators.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communications network 2. The communications network 2 shown is a communications network of a rail vehicle.

(4) The communications network 2 comprises a plurality of signal conditioning units 4, wherein, for greater clarity, FIG. 1 shows just two of the signal conditioning units 4.

(5) Moreover, the communications network 2 comprises a signal processing unit 6, which in the present exemplary embodiment is a train control device 8. The signal processing unit 6 is connected to the signal conditioning unit 4 via a train bus 10.

(6) Each of the signal conditioning units 4 is designed to receive radio signals over four different radio transmission channels. To this end, each of the signal conditioning units 4 has four radio receive units 12, which are each equipped with an antenna 14. It would in principle be possible for each signal conditioning unit 4 (unlike in the present exemplary embodiment) to use a larger or smaller number of channels and accordingly have a larger or smaller number of radio receive units 12.

(7) The radio receive units 12 are combined transmit and receive units (transceivers). They are thus designed both to receive and to transmit radio signals. Each of the radio receive units 12 is provided with a signal amplifier 16 for electronic amplification of a received radio signal and/or of a signal to be emitted.

(8) In each of the signal conditioning units 4, a first one of its four radio receive units 12 uses Bluetooth, a second one of its four radio receive units 12 uses WLAN and a third one of its radio receive units 12 uses ZigBee as transmission channel, whereas the fourth one of its radio receive units 12 uses 866 MHz radio as its transmission channel.

(9) Furthermore, the communications network 2 has a communications unit 18 for radio communication between the rail vehicle and a control center. The communications unit 18 has a radio receive unit 20 which is provided with an antenna 14 and takes the form of a combined transmit and receive unit (transceiver). Furthermore, the communications unit 18 is provided with a signal amplifier 16 for electronic amplification of a received radio signal and/or a signal to be transmitted. Moreover, the communications unit 18 is likewise connected to the train control device 8 via the train bus 10.

(10) The communications network 2 further has a plurality of components which are arranged on rail vehicle trucks not shown in the figures. FIG. 1 shows by way of example components of the communications network 2 which are arranged on one of the trucks of the rail vehicle. These components are surrounded in FIG. 1 by a dash-dotted rectangle. The rail vehicle has the same components on each of its other trucks.

(11) For each of the four wheels of the respective truck, the communications network 2 has an arrangement 22 of a plurality of sensors 24 (of which three sensors 24 are shown by way of example in FIG. 1), a signal amplifier 26, to which the sensors 24 are communicatively connected, for electronic signal amplification of sensor signals and a digitizer 28, which is communicatively connected to the latter signal amplifier 26, for digitization of the (amplified) sensor signals. For the sake of greater clarity, FIG. 1 shows only one of the four similar arrangements 22 of the respective truck.

(12) The sensors 24 are designed to measure truck parameters, such as for example a wheel temperature, a wheel rotational speed or the like. In particular, the sensors 24 arranged on the respective wheel are each configured to measure different physical variables. It is however also possible for a plurality of the sensors 24 arranged on the respective wheel to be configured to measure the same physical variable, in particular for reasons of redundancy.

(13) Moreover, on each truck, the communications network 2 has a multiplexer 30 which is communicatively connected on the input side to the arrangements 22 of sensors 24, signal amplifier 26 and digitizer 28.

(14) The communications network 2 further comprises a transmit module 32 on each truck, to which the multiplexer 30 is connected communicatively on the output side and which is designed to transmit radio signals via four different radio transmission channels. To this end, the transmit module 32 has four radio transmit units 34 each with one antenna 14, wherein the radio transmit units 34 take the form of combined transmit and receive units (transceivers). A first one of these four radio transmit units 34 uses Bluetooth, a second one of these four radio transmit units 34 uses WLAN, a third one of these four radio transmit units 34 uses ZigBee and the fourth one of the four radio transmit units 34 uses 866 MHz radio as its transmission channel.

(15) Furthermore, the communications network 2 comprises a reliable power supply 36, via which the transmit module 32 and the signal amplifier 26 of the respective truck are supplied with electrical power.

(16) The description below describes, by way of example and with regard to a rail vehicle truck, how information generated using the sensors 24 is transferred to the signal processing unit 6.

(17) Each of the sensors 24 generates a sensor signal at specified time intervals. The sensor signal of the respective sensor 24 contains a measured value detected by the sensor 24, time information about a measurement time of the measured value and the identifier of the sensor 24. The identifier allows the measured value to be assigned by the signal processing unit 6 to the associated sensor 24.

(18) The individual sensor signals are amplified electronically by the signal amplifier 26 connected to the sensors 24 and digitized by the digitizer 28. The multiplexer 30 further respectively and in succession connects another one of its inputs to its outlet and thereby forwards the (amplified and digitized) sensor signals received at the respective input in succession to the transmit module 32.

(19) From the received sensor signal, the transmit module 32 generates four primary signals in the form of radio signals, which each have the same useful information consisting of the measured value, the time information about the measurement time and the sensor identifier. Furthermore, using its four radio transmit units 34, the transmit module 32 transmits each of the primary signals via a separate one of said four different radio transmission channels (WLAN, Bluetooth, ZigBee, 866 MHz radio).

(20) At least one of the above-stated signal conditioning units 4 in each case receives one of these four primary signals via at least one radio transmission channel.

(21) Provided this one signal conditioning unit 4 in each case receives one of the primary signals via a plurality of radio transmission channels, this signal conditioning unit 4 determines the signal strengths of the primary signals and proceeds to use just that one of the primary signals for which the signal conditioning unit 4 identifies the greatest signal strength.

(22) Said signal conditioning unit 4 generates a secondary signal from the primary signal. In the process, the primary signal is electronically amplified by the signal conditioning unit 4. The secondary signal contains the useful information of the primary signal, i.e. a measured value, time information about a measurement time of the measured value and a sensor identifier. The secondary signal additionally contains time information generated by the signal conditioning unit 4, namely the receive time of the primary signal (i.e. the time at which the signal conditioning unit 4 receives the primary signal), together with the identifier of the signal conditioning unit 4 as source address.

(23) The signal conditioning unit 4 transfers the secondary signal via two different protocol layers of a protocol stack, namely via the physical layer and via the network layer, to the signal processing unit 6. The train bus 10 is used for transfer.

(24) The signal conditioning unit 4 transfers the secondary signal via the physical layer and via the network layer in the form of different protocol data units (assigned to the respective protocol layers) to the signal processing unit 6. The secondary signal is transferred bit-by-bit (i.e. coded in bits) via the physical layer and packet-by-packet (i.e. in the form of data packets) via the network layer to the signal processing unit 6.

(25) The signal processing unit 6 furthermore compares the secondary signal useful information received via the physical layer with the secondary signal useful information received via the network layer. In the case of the useful information corresponding, the signal processing unit 6 uses one of the (in this case identical) items of useful information to monitor the truck parameter assigned to the sensor signal. The signal processing unit 6 accordingly processes this useful information. In the case of the useful information not corresponding, for example because at least one of the items of useful information has been corrupted in the course of transmission via one of the two protocol layers, the useful information is discarded.

(26) If each of a plurality of the signal conditioning units 4 receives one of the four above-stated primary signals via at least one radio transmission channel, each of these signal conditioning units 4 handles the primary signal or the primary signals in a similar manner. In such a case, the signal processing unit 6 processes useful information of that secondary signal which the signal processing unit 6 receives first from one of said plurality of signal conditioning units 4.

(27) The above-described operation is repeated in a similar manner for measured values recorded later. Furthermore, the information generated by the sensors 24 of the other trucks is transmitted in a similar manner to the signal processing unit 6.

(28) The description of the following exemplary embodiment is limited primarily to the differences from the preceding exemplary embodiment, to which reference is made in relation to invariable features and functions. Elements which are substantially identical or which correspond to one another are, insofar as appropriate, denoted with the same reference signs and features which are not mentioned are carried over to the following exemplary embodiment without being described again.

(29) FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a further communications network 38. This communications network 38 is also a communications network of a rail vehicle.

(30) This communications network 38 comprises a train control device 8. The communications network 38 further comprises a communications unit 18 for radio communication between the rail vehicle and a control center. The communications unit 18 is connected to the train control device 8 via a train bus 10.

(31) Moreover, the communications network 38 has a transmit module 32, which is connected to the train control device 8 via the train bus 10. The transmit module 32 is designed to transmit radio signals via four different radio transmission channels. To this end, the transmit module 32 has four radio transmit units 34. A first one of these four radio transmit units 34 uses Bluetooth, a second one of these four radio transmit units 34 uses WLAN, a third one of these four radio transmit units 34 uses ZigBee and the fourth one of the four radio transmit units 34 uses 866 MHz radio as its transmission channel.

(32) Moreover, the communications network 38 has a plurality of components which are arranged on rail vehicle trucks not shown in the figures. FIG. 2 shows by way of example components of the communications network which are arranged on one of the trucks of the rail vehicle. These components are surrounded in FIG. 2 by a dash-dotted rectangle. The rail vehicle has the same components on each of its other trucks.

(33) For each of the four wheels of the respective truck, the communications network 38 has an arrangement 40 of a plurality of actuators 42 which are each capable of converting an electrical signal into a mechanical movement or into another physical variable, wherein, for the sake of greater clarity, FIG. 2 in each case shows just three actuators 42 from each actuator arrangement 40. The actuators 42 of the communications network 38 each represent a signal processing unit 6.

(34) Moreover, the communications network 38 has a signal conditioning unit 4 on each truck, to which unit the actuators 42 are communicatively connected and which is designed to receive radio signals over four different radio transmission channels. To this end, the respective signal conditioning unit 4 has four radio receive units 12, which are each equipped with an antenna 14.

(35) The radio receive units 12 are combined transmit and receive units (transceivers). Each of the radio receive units 12 is provided with a signal amplifier 16 for electronic amplification of a received radio signal and/or of a signal to be emitted.

(36) A first one of these four radio receive units 12 uses Bluetooth, a second one of these four radio receive units 12 uses WLAN, a third one of these four radio receive units 12 uses ZigBee and the fourth one of the four radio receive units 12 uses 866 MHz radio as its transmission channel.

(37) Furthermore, the communications network 38 has a reliable power supply 36, via which the signal conditioning unit 4 of the respective truck is supplied with electrical power.

(38) The description below describes, by way of example, with regard to a rail vehicle truck, how information generated by the train control device 8 is transferred to one of the actuators 42.

(39) The train control device 8 generates a control signal which contains a control command for one of the actuators 42. In addition, the control signal contains the identifier of that actuator 42 for which the control command is specified, together with the identifier of that signal conditioning unit 4 to which this actuator 42 is connected.

(40) The train control device 8 transfers the control signal to the transmit module 32 via the train bus 10. Furthermore, from the received control signal, the transmit module 32 generates four primary signals in the form of radio signals, which each have the same useful information consisting of the control command and said two identifiers. Using its four radio transmit units 34, the transmit module 32 transmits each of the primary signals via a separate one of said four different radio transmission channels (WLAN, Bluetooth, ZigBee, 866 MHz radio).

(41) In the case of at least one of the trucks, the respective signal conditioning unit 4 receives one of these primary signals via at least one radio transmission channel. Provided the signal conditioning unit 4 in each case receives one of the primary signals via a plurality of radio transmission channels, the signal conditioning unit 4 determines the signal strengths of the primary signals and proceeds to use just that one of the primary signals for which the signal conditioning unit 4 identifies the greatest signal strength.

(42) The signal conditioning unit 4 electronically amplifies the primary signal. In addition, the signal conditioning unit 4 checks whether its identifier is the same as the signal conditioning unit identifier contained in the primary signal. If these two identifiers do not correspond, the signal conditioning unit 4 discards the primary signal. Otherwise, the signal conditioning unit 4 generates a secondary signal from the amplified primary signal which contains the same useful information as the primary signal.

(43) The signal conditioning unit 4 further transfers the secondary signal via two different protocol layers of a protocol stack, namely via the physical layer and via the network layer, in a conducted manner to the actuator 42 provided.

(44) The signal conditioning unit 4 transfers the secondary signal via the physical layer and via the network layer in the form of different protocol data units (assigned to the respective protocol layers) to the actuator 42 provided. In the process, the secondary signal is transferred bit-by-bit (i.e. coded in bits) via the physical layer and packet-by-packet (i.e. in the form of data packets) via the network layer to said actuator.

(45) The actuator 42 furthermore compares the secondary signal useful information received via the physical layer with the secondary signal useful information received via the network layer. In the case of the items of useful information corresponding, the actuator 42 processes one of the (in this case identical) items of useful information in that the actuator 42 converts the secondary signal into a mechanical movement or another physical variable. In the case of the useful information not corresponding, on the other hand, the useful information is discarded.

(46) The above-described operation is repeated in a similar manner for control signals generated later (by the train control device 8). Furthermore, control signals generated for other actuators 42 are transferred in a similar manner to the actuator 42 respectively provided.

(47) Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not restricted by the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived therefrom without going beyond the scope of protection of the invention.