Method for transmitting data

Abstract

Data are transmitted from a secondary station to a master station along a segmented path, wherein two contiguous segments are respectively connected by a node and wherein the path has at least three segments with at least two nodes. The data from the secondary station are split into N data packets, where N is the number of nodes. The data packets are marked distinguishably, each marking corresponding to a particular node on the path. Each data packet along the path is forwarded only to the adjacent node or adjacent station. Each node checks to determine whether the marking of the packet corresponds to the respective node. If so, data from the node are added to the data packet. The data packets are collected in the master station. The data transmission is concluded successfully if all N data packets with data from all N nodes are present.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data from at least one secondary station to at least one primary station along a segmented path, wherein two abutting segments are respectively connected by a node and wherein the path has at least three segments and at least two nodes, the method comprising: splitting the data of the secondary station into N data packets, where N is an integer representing a number of the nodes of the path; marking the data packets distinguishably, each marking corresponding to a respective node of the path; passing each data packet on along the path only to each respectively adjoining node or adjoining station; performing a check in each node, upon a receipt of a data packet, to determine whether the marking of the packet corresponds to the respective node, and, if so, adding data of the node to the data packet; collecting the data packets having the data from the nodes in the primary station; and concluding that a data transmission is successful if all N data packets having the data of all N nodes are present.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises starting a timer upon receiving a first data packet in the primary station and, after a defined period of time has elapsed, performing a check to determine whether all data packets have arrived.

3. The method according to claim 2, which comprises concluding that the data transmission is not successful if the check returns a negative result, and triggering an escalation.

4. The method according to claim 2, which comprises allotting a given time period x to each node to process the data and setting the defined period of time to be substantially consistent with the number of nodes N times the time period x.

5. The method according to claim 1, which comprises passing the N split data packets from the secondary station to a first node staggered by a time value y.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the time value y is substantially identical to the time period x.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the time value y is greater than or equal to the time period x.

8. The method according to claim 1, which comprises transmitting the data packets between the nodes and stations by a wireless data connection.

9. The method according to claim 8, which comprises transmitting the data packets by way of directional radio.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary station and the at least one secondary station are stations of a cableway system and the nodes are components of the cableway system selected from the group consisting of support structures, a cable, mechanical safety equipment, and electrical safety equipment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) A preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a flowchart with an exemplary sequence for a method according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a subprocess from FIG. 1 that describes the issue of data packets in more detail, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematically depicted, exemplary installation for performing the method according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) In the flowchart of FIG. 1, data of the secondary station are first of all divided into N distinguishable, for example numbered, packets in step 1. In this case, the markings correspond to individual nodes. In the exemplary implementation depicted, the nodes and packets are simply numbered consecutively. Other markings can be chosen simply by a person skilled in the art, however. The packets are then output in staggered fashion, individually. Further details with regard to the subprocess taking place in step 1 are explained for FIG. 2.

(6) A c-th packet from step 1 is received from the first node in step 2. This is followed by the query in step 3 to determine whether the number of the packet c is the number 1. If so, the data of the first node are added to the data packet in a step 4. This is followed by step 5, in which the data are transferred to the adjoining node. If the query in step 3 receives a negative response, step 5 follows directly and the data packet is passed on without alteration.

(7) An m-th node then receives the data packet and checks the number of the c-th data packet in a step 6. If the number of the data packet c is consistent with the number of the node m, the data of the m-th node are added to the data packet in a step 7. The data packet is then forwarded to the next node or the next station in a step 8. If the query from step 6 receives a negative response, the data packet is forwarded without alteration.

(8) Steps 6, 7 and 8 are repeated in this case as often as required for all nodes to have been transited and for the data packet to be forwarded to the primary station. In the case of a cable car, it would thus be possible for a total of forty nodes to be transited, for example, if the cable car has forty supports.

(9) Once all nodes have been transited, the data packet is received in the primary station in a step 9. Once the packet has been received, an input counter r is increased by one in a step 10. This is followed in a step 11 by the query to determine whether a timer is running. If this is not running, it is started in a step 12 and the arrival of further data packets is awaited (back to step 9). If the timer is already running, there follows a step 13 in which the value t of the timer is read. If the value t of the timer is below a set end value T, the reception of further data packets is likewise awaited (back to step 9). If the end value T of the timer has already been reached or exceeded, step 15 follows.

(10) In step 15, the value r of the input counter is read, the input counter r in this case being consistent with the number of data packets received. In step 16, a check is then performed to determine whether the number of data packets received is consistent with the number of supports, that is to say whether all data packets have arrived.

(11) If not all data packets have been received, a report about a negative data cycle is output in step 17. Optionally, further escalation measures can be set in a step 18, such as an emergency stop for the installation, for example.

(12) If all packets have been received, these are read, assembled and passed on to a computation unit in a step 19. In step 20, the timer is then stopped and reset to zero. In step 21, the input counter r is reset. Optionally, in a step 22, it is also possible for a report about the positive development of the data transmission to be provided.

(13) The order of steps 19 to 22 is irrelevant to the method according to the invention in this case. As such, it is possible for the timer and the input counter to be reset simultaneously, for example, and both can be done before the data are assembled.

(14) Analogously, it is irrelevant to the method according to the invention whether, on arrival of the first data packet in the primary station, the timer is started first or the counter is increased first. In particular because it is assumed that these steps in the primary station require only a negligible time to be performed in comparison with the transmission.

(15) FIG. 2 provides a coarse outline of the subprocess from step 1 in FIG. 1. In this case, the data are first of all broken down into N distinguishable data packets in a step i. In a subsequent step ii, an output counter c is initialized that, on initialization, has the value c=0. In step iii, the counter is then increased by one so as then to be read in step iv. In step v, the c-th packet is then output to step 2 of FIG. 1.

(16) If the markings, as in this exemplary implementation, are simple numbering of the data packets, the data can also simply just be broken down in step i and also first obtain their marking in step v. In this case, the output counter reading read in step iv can then simply be used as a marking.

(17) Step vi symbolizes a time delay of preferably T/N that prevents the first node from being provided with more data than it can deal with. In this case, T is consistent with the total duration of the transmission and N is consistent with the number of nodes.

(18) This is followed in step vii by the query to determine whether the output counter c has already reached the value N. If this is not the case, the counter is increased by one again in step iii and there follows the output of a further data packet. If the query from step vi leads to a positive result, the subprocess begins over and new data are broken down into N data packets in step i.

(19) The exemplary and highly schematic installation for performing the method according to the invention that is shown in FIG. 3 has a secondary station 101, a primary station 102 and three nodes 103, 104, 105.

(20) Since the installation has three nodes 103, 104, 105, N is consistent with three (N=3) in this specific example. Consequently, the data of the secondary station are divided into three data packets 106, 107, 108. In the installation depicted, each node 103, 104, 105 requires 2 ms (T/N=2 ms.fwdarw.T=6 ms) for handling the data.

(21) Accordingly, the first data packet 106 is transferred to the first node 103 at 0 ms, the second data packet 107 at 2 ms and the third data packet 108 at 4 ms. The first node 104 takes on the data packet 108, establishes that the number of the data packet matches the number of the node and adds data I to the data packet. After 2 ms, the data packet is passed on to the second node 104 and the latter forwards the data packet to the third node 105 without alteration.

(22) After 2 ms, the second data packet 107 is passed to the first node 103 and passed on from the latter to the second node 104 after a further 2 ms. The second node 104 establishes that the number of the data packet matches the number of the node and adds data II to the data packet (etc.).

(23) Sometimes, it may be advantageous in this case if, prior to the possibly complex determination of the marking of the data packet by the node, there is simply just a query to determine whether data of a node have already been added to the data packet. This can be effected by determining the size of the data packet, for example.

(24) In the primary station 102, the data packets 106, 107, 108 are received and collected. In this case, there is provision for a processing time of likewise 2 ms for each data packet. After 6 ms, all data packets have arrived and can be assembled (depicted by the arrow 109).

(25) Content of the Flow Charts: 1 Divide data of the secondary station into N distinguishable (for example numbered) packets (N=number of supports) and output 2 c-th packet from step 1 is received from the 1.sup.st node 3 Querying of the number of the packet by first node, c=1? if yes: .fwdarw.4 if no: .fwdarw.5 4 Addition of data from the 1.sup.st node to the packet (then 5) 5 Forwarding of the packet to the next node 6 Querying of the number of the packet by m-th node, c=m? if yes: .fwdarw.7 if no: .fwdarw.8 7 Addition of data from the m-th node to the packet (then 8) 8 Forwarding of the packet to the next node or the primary station 9 Reception of packet(s) in primary station 10 Increase input counter r by one 11 Timer running? if no: .fwdarw.12 if yes: .fwdarw.13 12 Start timer then back to 9 13 Read value t in timer 14 Value t<T? (where T=N*x ms)//timer expired? if yes: back to 9 (await further packets) if no: .fwdarw.15 15 Capture value r//capture number of packets received 16 r=N?//all packets arrived? if no: continue at 17 if yes: continue at 19 17 Output report about negative data cycle 18 Optionally: automatically trigger escalation//stop everything 19 Read, assemble and transfer packets to computation unit 20 Stop timer t and reset to 0 21 Reset input counter r to 0 22 Optionally: output report about positive transit, then begin over i Break down the data into n distinguishable packets ii Initialize output counter, output counter value c=0 iii Increase output counter by one (c+1) iv Read value c from counter v Output c-th packet to step 2 vi Delay of T/N vii Output counter reading c has reached value N? (c=N?)=> if yes: value reached.fwdarw.back to i if no: value not reached.fwdarw.back to iii