Smart sensor data transmission in railway infrastructure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for automatically transferring sensor data in railway, particularly railway infrastructure. The method can comprise any of the steps of determining relevance-criteria for sensor data; sampling sensor data by at least one sensor; automatically categorizing the sensor data according to the relevance-criteria; sending the sensor data according to their category; and receiving the sensor data at least in one server.

1 . A method for an automatized transferring sensor data from railway infrastructure comprising the steps of
 a. determining relevance-criteria for sensor data;   b. sampling sensor data by sensors;   c. automatized categorizing the sensor data according to the relevance   d. criteria;   e. sending the sensor data according to their category; and   f. receiving the sensor data at least in one server.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the relevance criteria is at least one of
 a. a volume of the sensor data; 
 b. a content of the sensor data; 
 c. risk related information; 
 d. a quality of a communication channel for the sending of the sensor data; 
 e. traffic on the communication channel for the sending of the sensor data; 
 f. costs for the sending of the sensor data; 
 g. energy available for sending the sensor data; and 
 h. energy consumption of the sending of the sensor data; 
 i. a communication bandwidth and derived energy cost per data volume; 
 j. result of an analytic approach of measured data; 
 k. a specific expected data feature or combination of data features; 
 l. a specific expected data threshold passage; 
 m. a detected anomaly in the data; 
 n. a detected trend in the data; 
 o. a difference of the result in comparison to historical results; 
 p. difference of the result in comparison to last transmitted results; 
 q. a trend analysis of result; 
 r. a trace quality metrics for selection; 
 s. experience with communication quality from previous days; and 
 t. frequency of sending data. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of automated categorizing comprises a rating that will be used for determining the order of receiving the sensor data in the server. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of automated categorizing comprises a rating that will be used for determining the maximum numbers of attempts for the sending of data transmission in case the communication channel prevents the sending of the data. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4  wherein the step of rating further comprising accommodating command input signals from a range of server or cloud-based algorithmic decision modules, comprising:
 a. inspection signals for maintenance decision making; 
 b. inspection signals for component fault diagnostics; 
 c. client requests; 
 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the input signals modifies a range of comprising:
 a. sampling frequency of the sensor data; 
 b. target rolling stock type; 
 c. target rolling stock speeds; 
 d. target acceleration features; 
 e. target sampling campaign trace count; 
 f. specific data features characteristics; 
 g. trend thresholds; 
 h. anomaly thresholds and distributions; 
 i. change the computation of the optimum strategy; 
 j. activate or deactivate specific sensors; 
 k. change sensor payload; and 
 l. sensor data sending frequency. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of automated optimizing the sending of the sensor data. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the optimizing comprises at least one of
 a. reducing the volume of the sensor data; 
 b. compressing the sensor data; 
 c. encrypting the sensor data; 
 d. timing the sending of the sensor data; 
 e. routing the sending of the sensor data over one out of a plurality of available sending routes. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  with the further step of pre-storing the sensor data at a further sensor component being housed together with or adjacent to the sensor and/or a remote component that is remote to the sensor and preferably closer to the sensor than to the server. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the sensor component comprises a GSM module and is configured to send the data by GSM towards the server. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9  with the further step of pre-filtering the sensor data at the sensor or the remote component, automatically determining a time-slot for the sending the data and sending the pre-filtered sensor data at the time-slot that has been determined to the server wherein the pre-filtering is preferably performed wherein the relevance criteria is at least one of
 a. a volume of the sensor data; 
 b. a content of the sensor data; 
 c. risk related information; 
 d. a quality of a communication channel for the sending of the sensor data; 
 e. traffic on the communication channel for the sending of the sensor data; 
 f. costs for the sending of the sensor data; 
 g. energy available for sending the sensor data; and 
 h. energy consumption of the sending of the sensor data; 
 i. a communication bandwidth and derived energy cost per data volume; 
 j. result of an analytic approach of measured data; 
 k. a specific expected data feature or combination of data features; 
 l. a specific expected data threshold passage; 
 m. a detected anomaly in the data; 
 n. a detected trend in the data; 
 o. a difference of the result in comparison to historical results; 
 p. difference of the result in comparison to last transmitted results; 
 q. a trend analysis of result; 
 r. a trace quality metrics for selection; 
 s. experience with communication quality from previous days; and 
 t. frequency of sending data. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the remote component is configured to pre-store data of a plurality of sensors and wherein preferably the remote component is at least in part hardwired with the server and/or connected by a long-range wireless component, such as GSM. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the plurality of sensors is connected to the remote component by a short-range wireless component. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to a  claim 11  with the further step of pre-storing the sensor data, automatically determining a time-slot for the sending the data and sending the sensor data at the time-slot that has been determined to the server. 
     
     
         15 . A system for automatically transferring sensor data from railway infrastructure, particularly for carrying out a method according to the preceding claims, comprising:
 a. a determining component for determining relevance-criteria for sensor data;   b. at least one sensor for sampling sensor data;   c. a categorization component for automatically categorizing the sensor data according to the relevance-criteria;   d. a sending component for sending the sensor data according to their category; and   e. a server receiving the sensor data.