Method and device for monitoring the configuration of a train

Abstract

The current invention relates to a method for monitoring the configuration of a train, the train comprising a plurality of railway vehicles coupled to each other, each of the railway vehicles comprising a monitoring module on each end, each monitoring module comprising a unique identifier, a low power radio configured to have a range within free space of at least 3 m and at most 10 m, a memory and a communication means to wirelessly communicate with a processing unit. The inventions also relates to a device for monitoring the configuration of a train.

1 . Method for monitoring the configuration of a train, the train comprising a plurality of railway vehicles coupled to each other, each of the railway vehicles comprising a monitoring module on each end, each monitoring module comprising a unique identifier, a low power radio configured to have a range within free space of at least 3 m and at most 10 m, a memory and a communication means to wirelessly communicate with a processing unit, comprising the following step:
 transmitting regularly with each of the monitoring modules a message comprising the associated unique identifier of the monitoring module using the low power radio,   receiving with the monitoring modules the messages transmitted by others of the monitoring modules within range of the low power radio, and preferably storing the unique identifiers of the received messages in the memory of the monitoring module,   determining with the processing unit the configuration of the train by applying a predetermined algorithm, the predetermined algorithm comparing the received unique identifiers by each of the monitoring modules to determine the configuration of the train and preferably an order according to which the railway vehicles are connected to each other,   characterized in that, the method further comprising the steps:   at a moment after reception of a message containing a unique identifier with the low power radio of a monitoring module, the monitoring module sending at least once for said received unique identifier a data packet comprising said received unique identifier and the unique identifier of the monitoring module to the processing unit using its communication means.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of the monitoring module adding a timestamp to the data packet comprising a received unique identifier and the unique identifier of the monitoring module, the timestamp corresponding to the time the monitoring module received the message with the unique identifier. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of adding by a monitoring module a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) to the data packet comprising a received unique identifier and the unique identifier of the monitoring module, the RSSI corresponding to the signal strength of the message when receiving the message with the unique identifier by the monitoring module. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein, the method further comprises the steps of:
 upon receipt of a data packet from a monitoring module, said data packet comprising a unique identifier received by the monitoring module, the unique identifier of the monitoring module and a time stamp, storing an entry in the memory of the processing unit, said entry comprising the received unique identifier, the unique identifier of the monitoring module and the timestamp;   updating the timestamp in the entry in the memory of the processing unit after receiving a data packet comprising the corresponding received unique identifier, the corresponding identifier of the monitoring module and a more recent timestamp;   and verifying if the timestamp of the entry is outdated.   
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of sending a data packet from the processing unit to a monitoring module, said data packet from the processing unit preferably comprising instructions for the monitoring module. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of regularly sending from a monitoring module a data packet comprising the unique identifiers stored in its memory and the unique identifier of the monitoring module to the processing unit according to an interval and/or at predetermined times, preferably whereby the interval and/or the predetermined times can be adjusted remotely by the processing unit. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of sending from a monitoring module a data packet comprising the unique identifiers stored in its memory and the unique identifier of the monitoring module to the processing unit after receiving a request from the processing unit to send the unique identifiers stored in its memory. 
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of sending from a monitoring module a data packet comprising the unique identifiers stored in its memory and the unique identifier of the monitoring module to the processing unit upon detection of movement by the monitoring module. 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the messages transmitted and received by the low power radio of a monitoring module are only broadcast messages. 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of executing a self-learning algorithm on a processing unit, wherein the processing unit has access to information, the information comprising expected configurations of trains and a reference table, the reference table comprising unique identifiers of monitoring modules referring to railway vehicles, wherein the self-learning algorithm initially assumes for each of the unique identifiers of the monitoring modules to which railway vehicle of the train it is referring and wherein the self-learning algorithm corrects the reference table based on the data packets received on the processing unit from the monitoring modules. 
     
     
         11 . Device for monitoring the configuration of a train comprising
 a unique identifier,   a low power radio configured to have a range within free space of 3 m up to 10 m,   a memory and   a communication means to communicate with a processing unit,
 wherein the device is configured to transmit regularly a message including its unique identifier using the low power radio, 
 wherein the device is configured to receive messages transmitted by other devices within range of the low power radio, 
   characterized in that the device is configured to, at a moment after reception of a message containing a unique identifier with the low power radio of the device, send at least once for said received unique a data packet comprising said received unique identifier and the unique identifier of the device by the device to the processing unit using its communication means when receiving a message with the low power radio of that device containing the unique identifier.   
     
     
         12 . Device according to  claim 11 , wherein the device comprises a battery and/or a power connector. 
     
     
         13 . Device according to  claim 11 , wherein the transmitting power of the low power radio of the device is adjustable, preferably remotely adjustable from the processing unit. 
     
     
         14 . Device according to  claim 11 , wherein the device comprises a directional antenna connected to the low power radio. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . Device for monitoring the configuration of a train comprising
 a unique identifier,   a low power radio configured to have a range within free space of 3 m up to 10 m,   a memory and   a communication means to communicate with a processing unit,
 wherein the device is configured to transmit regularly a message including its unique identifier using the low power radio, 
 wherein the device is configured to receive messages transmitted by other devices within range of the low power radio, 
   wherein in that the device is configured to, at a moment after reception of a message containing a unique identifier with the low power radio of the device, send at least once for said received unique a data packet comprising said received unique identifier and the unique identifier of the device by the device to the processing unit using its communication means when receiving a message with the low power radio of that device containing the unique identifier;   wherein the device is configured to execute a method for monitoring the configuration of a train, the train comprising a plurality of railway vehicles coupled to each other, each of the railway vehicles comprising a monitoring module on each end, each monitoring module comprising a unique identifier, a low power radio configured to have a range within free space of at least 3 m and at most 10 m, a memory and a communication means to wirelessly communicate with a processing unit, comprising the following step:
 transmitting regularly with each of the monitoring modules a message comprising the associated unique identifier of the monitoring module using the low power radio, 
 receiving with the monitoring modules the messages transmitted by others of the monitoring modules within range of the low power radio, and preferably storing the unique identifiers of the received messages in the memory of the monitoring module, 
 determining with the processing unit the configuration of the train by applying a predetermined algorithm, the predetermined algorithm comparing the received unique identifiers by each of the monitoring modules to determine the configuration of the train and preferably an order according to which the railway vehicles are connected to each other, 
   wherein, the method further comprising the steps:
 at a moment after reception of a message containing a unique identifier with the low power radio of a monitoring module, the monitoring module sending at least once for said received unique identifier a data packet comprising said received unique identifier and the unique identifier of the monitoring module to the processing unit using its communication means.