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WO2018050389A1 - Method of operation of a monitoring device - Google Patents

Method of operation of a monitoring device Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2018050389A1
WO2018050389A1 PCT/EP2017/070815 EP2017070815W WO2018050389A1 WO 2018050389 A1 WO2018050389 A1 WO 2018050389A1 EP 2017070815 W EP2017070815 W EP 2017070815W WO 2018050389 A1 WO2018050389 A1 WO 2018050389A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
monitoring device
mobile wireless
wireless network
wireless networks
traffic control
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2017/070815
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Graham Brend
Benjamin CROOK
Original Assignee
Siemens Rail Automation Holdings Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Siemens Rail Automation Holdings Limited filed Critical Siemens Rail Automation Holdings Limited
Publication of WO2018050389A1 publication Critical patent/WO2018050389A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
    • B61L27/00—Central railway traffic control systems; Trackside control; Communication systems specially adapted therefor
    • B61L27/50—Trackside diagnosis or maintenance, e.g. software upgrades
    • B61L27/53—Trackside diagnosis or maintenance, e.g. software upgrades for trackside elements or systems, e.g. trackside supervision of trackside control system conditions
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
    • B61L27/00—Central railway traffic control systems; Trackside control; Communication systems specially adapted therefor
    • B61L27/70—Details of trackside communication
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
    • G08G1/097—Supervising of traffic control systems, e.g. by giving an alarm if two crossing streets have green light simultaneously
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W48/00—Access restriction; Network selection; Access point selection
    • H04W48/18—Selecting a network or a communication service
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
    • B61L2205/00—Communication or navigation systems for railway traffic
    • B61L2205/02—Global system for mobile communication - railways [GSM-R]

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method of operation of a monitoring device.
  • traffic control devices such as signalling devices
  • traffic control devices are arranged at a transport route. Further, it is known to utilise monitoring devices for status monitoring of traffic control devices.
  • a single monitoring device may be designated for status monitoring of one single traffic con ⁇ trol device or of several traffic control devices. If a failure of a traffic control device occurs, a monitoring device designated for status monitoring of this traffic con ⁇ trol device usually transmits status information regarding the traffic control device to a control unit. Based on such information, measures may be taken to remedy the failure.
  • monitoring devices are arranged distantly from a control unit. Transmission of data from the monitoring devices to the control unit may be carried out via cable or, more commonly, via a mobile wireless network (in prior art inter alia also referred to as mobile network or mobile radio network) .
  • An objective of the invention is to provide a method of op ⁇ eration of a monitoring device which enables a flexible use of the monitoring device.
  • the method according to the invention provides that the moni- toring device is connected with a traffic control device and supports different mobile wireless networks in that the moni ⁇ toring device exhibits different wireless interfaces, by means of which the monitoring device is connectable with the different mobile wireless networks.
  • the method ac ⁇ cording to the invention provides that the monitoring device performs the following steps: selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to a predefined selection strategy, connecting with the selected mobile wireless net ⁇ work, and transmitting via the selected mobile wireless net ⁇ work a message comprising status information regarding the traffic control device to a control unit.
  • the invention is based on the consideration that, up to now, monitoring devices use a particular type of wired or mobile wireless network.
  • present monitoring devices can only be utilised at locations where an infrastructure of such par ⁇ ticular type of network is available.
  • a present monitoring device is removed from its initial deployment location in order to be utilised at a different deployment location, this is only possible with present moni ⁇ toring devices if an infrastructure of the same type of net ⁇ work is available at the latter deployment location.
  • Such monitoring device would have to be replaced with a different monitoring device, resulting in considerable ex ⁇ mandate .
  • the invention employs a monitoring device that is not dependent on a particular type of network since the moni ⁇ toring device supports different mobile wireless networks.
  • This monitoring device can connect itself with different mo ⁇ bile wireless networks.
  • the monitoring device is flexi ⁇ ble in use.
  • the monitoring device selects autonomously, accord ⁇ ing to the predefined selection strategy, a "suitable" mobile wireless network to connect itself with.
  • a re-configuration of the monitoring device may be dispensed with if the monitoring device is to be employed in a differ ⁇ ent location with a different network infrastructure or if, due to retrofitting of network components, a further mobile wireless network becomes available at the location of the monitoring device.
  • the monitoring device may be used flexibly with little effort, particularly with minimal configuration effort .
  • a monitoring device can be understood as a device that par ⁇ ticipates in a process for monitoring another device, par- ticularly for monitoring the aforementioned traffic control device.
  • the expression "participates in a process for moni ⁇ toring" does not necessarily mean that the monitoring device itself monitors a state of the other device.
  • the monitoring device may, for instance, act as a repeater which forwards data it receives without analysing and/or modifying the data. Neither, does the expression "participates in a process for monitoring” necessarily limit the operation of the monitoring device to solely (participating in) monitoring a state of the other device.
  • the monitoring de ⁇ vice monitors a status of the traffic control device.
  • the monitoring device selects one of the supported mo ⁇ bile wireless networks according to the predefined selection strategy, after detecting a failure of the traffic control device.
  • Said failure may be a failure of the traffic control device as a whole or a failure of a particular module of the traffic control device (partial failure) .
  • the monitoring device can be connected with the traffic con ⁇ trol device wirelessly. Alternatively, the monitoring device can be connected with the traffic control device via cable.
  • each of the wireless interfaces of the monitor- ing device may comprise one or several individual radio an ⁇ tennas for communicating with the respective supported mobile wireless network.
  • the monitoring device connects itself with the selected mobile wireless network only if the selected mobile wireless network is available at the location of the monitor ⁇ ing device - i.e. if said mobile wireless network can be de- tected by the monitoring device.
  • the aforementioned message transmitted by the monitoring de ⁇ vice may include, among others, a destination address (ad ⁇ dress of the control unit) , a source address (address of the monitoring device) , an indication to treat the message with high priority, and/or an identifier of the traffic control device. Further, the message may include diagnostic informa ⁇ tion, particularly information with regard to the type of detected failure.
  • the monitoring device is a machine type com ⁇ munication device.
  • Machine type communication devices have been extensively tested, are reliable and are available at comparatively low costs.
  • the monitoring device may be arranged beside or above a transport route, such as a car road or a railway track. Preferentially, the monitoring device is arranged fixed in position at the transport route.
  • a transport route such as a car road or a railway track.
  • the monitoring device is arranged fixed in position at the transport route.
  • the monitoring device may be one of several monitoring devices arranged alongside the transport route, wherein these several monitoring devices may particularly be structurally identical monitoring devices.
  • the predefined selection strategy can be understood as an al- gorithm for selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks.
  • the predefined selection strategy is implemented in a computer program.
  • the aforementioned control unit can be embodied as a com ⁇ puter. Further, the control unit can be arranged stationary in a network management centre, or it can be a mobile unit used by a technician.
  • the aforesaid message, which is trans- mitted via the selected mobile wireless network, may be sent to the control unit indirectly, e.g. via a radio base station which receives the message from the monitoring device and forwards the message to the control unit wirelessly or via cable .
  • a traffic control device can be understood as device for regulating the travel of a vehicle, for instance, by provid ⁇ ing instructions, e.g. signals, for the vehicle's driver and/or by acting physically upon the vehicle.
  • the traffic control device may, for instance, be a component of a train protection system.
  • the traffic control device may be a signalling device.
  • the traffic control device may be a power network device, such as a device of an overhead line for a rail vehicle.
  • the traffic con ⁇ trol device is a railway signalling device. Further, the traffic control device may be arranged at a railway track.
  • the mobile wireless networks which are supported by the monitoring device are standard compliant mobile wire ⁇ less networks.
  • At least two of the supported mobile wireless networks are mobile wireless networks of different radio standards.
  • the monitor ⁇ ing device is not dependent on only one radio standard.
  • one of the supported mobile wireless networks can be a 2G network.
  • Another supported mobile wireless network may, for instance, be a 3G network.
  • Yet another supported mobile wireless network may, e.g., be a 4G network.
  • each of the supported mobile wireless net ⁇ works is a mobile wireless network of a separate radio stan ⁇ dard.
  • At least one of the supported mobile wireless networks is a railway- specific mobile wireless network, particularly a GSM-R net- work.
  • the monitoring device may utilise a network that is commonly available at a railway track.
  • Selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks ac ⁇ cording to a predefined selection strategy expediently in ⁇ cludes examining by the monitoring device for one or several of the supported mobile wireless networks, particularly for all of the supported mobile wireless networks, whether the respective supported mobile wireless network meets a prede ⁇ fined selection criterion.
  • a supported mobile wireless network is selected according to the predefined selection strategy only if the mobile wireless network meets the predefined selection crite ⁇ rion.
  • meeting the predefined selection criterion is preferably a necessary condition for a supported mo ⁇ bile wireless network to be selected by the monitoring de ⁇ vice.
  • meeting the predefined selection criterion may be - but it does not necessarily have to be - a sufficient con ⁇ dition for a supported mobile wireless network to be selected by the monitoring device.
  • the selection criterion may, for instance, be an availability criterion.
  • the selection criterion can be met by the respective supported mobile wireless network, for ex- ample, if said mobile wireless network is available at the location of the monitoring device - i.e. if said mobile wire ⁇ less network can be detected by the monitoring device. It is deemed that a mobile wireless network is available at the lo- cation of the monitoring device if its signal level (signal strength) exceeds a predefined minimum signal level.
  • the selection criterion may be a transmis- sion criterion.
  • the selection criterion can be met by the respective supported mobile wireless network, for instance, if said mobile wireless network exhibits a sig ⁇ nal level at the location of the monitoring device which ex ⁇ ceeds a predefined signal level, and/or if said mobile wire- less network exhibits a data transmission rate at the loca ⁇ tion of the monitoring device which meets a predefined data transmission rate.
  • the selection strategy provides that the or- der of priority in which one or several of the supported mo ⁇ bile wireless networks are examined for their compliance with the predefined selection criterion is based on a predefined network ranking list, which may be a configurable network ranking list.
  • the monitoring device may examine for the first mobile wire ⁇ less network of the network ranking list if it meets the pre ⁇ defined selection criterion, e.g. an availability criterion. If the first mobile wireless network of the network ranking list meets the predefined selection criterion, it may be se ⁇ lected by the monitoring device. Otherwise, the monitoring device may examine for the second mobile wireless network of the network ranking list if it meets the predefined selection criterion .
  • the pre ⁇ defined selection criterion e.g. an availability criterion.
  • the second mobile wireless network of the network ranking list may be se ⁇ lected by the monitoring device. Otherwise, the monitoring device may proceed analogously for the following mobile wire- less networks of the network ranking list until one of the mobile wireless networks of the network ranking list meets the predefined selection criterion, or the last mobile wire ⁇ less network of the network ranking list is reached.
  • the first mobile wireless network of the ranking list may be a railway-specific mobile wireless network, such as a GSM-R network.
  • the mobile wireless networks may be ranked in the network ranking list according to their data transmission rate or according to another radio parameter.
  • the selection strategy may be a multistage se ⁇ lection strategy.
  • a supported mobile wireless network may have to meet at least two different selection criteria to be selected according to the selection strategy.
  • One of these criteria may, for instance, be an availability criterion, whereas another of these criteria may be a trans ⁇ mission criterion.
  • the monitoring device determines which of the supported mobile wireless net ⁇ works are available at the location of the monitoring device. Furthermore, selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to a predefined selection strategy may in ⁇ clude determining which of the supported mobile wireless net ⁇ works is available at the location of the monitoring device. Expediently, the monitoring device selects one of the sup ⁇ ported mobile wireless networks according to the selection strategy among those supported mobile wireless networks which are available at the location of the monitoring device, par ⁇ ticularly only among those mobile wireless networks which are available at the location of the monitoring device.
  • the monitoring device meas ⁇ ures for one or several of the supported mobile wireless net ⁇ works a radio parameter of the respective mobile wireless network, for instance, a signal level (signal strength) or data transmission rate of the respective mobile wireless net- work.
  • Selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks ac ⁇ cording to the predefined selection strategy may include com- paring the respective measured radio parameter with a prede ⁇ termined parameter value and/or with a further radio parame ⁇ ter measured by the monitoring device, particularly with a further radio parameter of another supported mobile wireless network.
  • the monitoring device measures radio parameters only of those supported mobile wireless networks which are available at the location of the monitoring device.
  • the monitoring device may measure several radio parameters of the same supported mobile wireless network. Se ⁇ lecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks accord ⁇ ing to the predefined selection strategy may include compar ⁇ ing each of the measured radio parameters of the respective supported mobile wireless network with a predetermined pa- rameter value and/or with a further radio parameter measured by the monitoring device.
  • the selection strategy may provide that the monitoring device selects the one supported mobile wireless network whose meas- ured radio parameter has the highest, or alternatively low ⁇ est, value. For instance, the monitoring device may select the one supported mobile wireless network whose signal level is the highest measured among the signal levels measured by the monitoring device.
  • the selection of one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to the prede ⁇ fined selection strategy is made in dependency on the amount of data to be transmitted by the monitoring device to the control unit.
  • the "amount of data” refers to the amount of data of the aforementioned message to be transmit ⁇ ted from the monitoring device.
  • a mobile wireless network with a low data transmission rate may be selected according to the pre- defined selection strategy.
  • a mobile wireless network with a high data transmission rate may be selected according to the predefined selection strategy.
  • the location of the monitoring device is de ⁇ termined, for instance, by the monitoring device itself, by the selected mobile wireless network, and/or by another unit.
  • the monitoring device does not need to be pre- configured with location information as such information can be determined when the monitoring device connects with the selected network.
  • a labour-intensive and time consuming re ⁇ configuration of the monitoring device, after a re-location of the monitoring device, may thus be dispensed with.
  • the location of the monitoring device is typically the same location (or approximately the same location) as the traffic control device that is being monitored by the moni ⁇ toring device and therefore the location of said traffic con- trol device can be determined without requiring the location of the traffic control device to be pre-configured .
  • the location of the monitoring device may be determined by means of a known localisation procedure, e.g., by means of triangulation or by means of measurements of signal propaga ⁇ tion delays. Further, it is expedient if the determined loca ⁇ tion is transmitted to the control unit via the selected mo ⁇ bile wireless network. The determined location may be sent together with the afore ⁇ mentioned message to the control unit. Particularly, the de ⁇ termined location may be included/incorporated into the aforementioned message sent by the monitoring device to the control unit. Alternatively, the determined location may be sent separately to the control unit via the selected mobile wireless network.
  • the location of the monitoring device may be determined by the monitoring device itself.
  • the monitoring device may, for instance, be equipped with a localisation unit, such as a GPS sensor or a different GNSS sensor. Expediently, this lo- calisation unit is configured to determine the position of the monitoring device.
  • the monitoring device sends a request to the selected mobile wireless network to determine the location of the monitoring device.
  • the selected mobile wireless network after receiving said request from the monitoring device, determines the location of the monitoring device.
  • the lo- cation of the monitoring device may be determined by the se ⁇ lected mobile wireless network.
  • Said request may be in ⁇ cluded/incorporated into the aforementioned message or may be sent separately to the selected network by the monitoring de ⁇ vice .
  • the selected mobile wireless network may forward the determined location to the control unit.
  • the monitoring device may send a diagnostic re- quest to the traffic control device.
  • the status of the traf ⁇ fic control device can be monitored on the basis of said di ⁇ agnostic message and/or on the basis of a message sent by the traffic control device as a reply to the diagnostic request.
  • the monitoring device does not send any mes ⁇ sages or signals to the traffic control device.
  • the monitoring device may act as a receiver only with respect to the traffic control device. In this manner, it can be avoided that the monitoring device interferes with the op- eration of the traffic control device.
  • the traffic control device sends periodically heartbeat messages to the monitoring device, as long as the traffic control device operates failure-free.
  • a heartbeat message can be understood as a message that is sent from a first device (originator) to a second device (destination) and that enables the second device to identify if the first device has failed or is no longer available.
  • the traffic control device may be the originator, whereas the monitoring device may be the destination.
  • the monitoring de ⁇ vice counts how many heartbeat messages it receives from the traffic control device within a predetermined time frame. If the number of heartbeat messages received by the monitoring device from the traffic control device within the predeter ⁇ mined time frame is below a predetermined number, the moni ⁇ toring device preferentially interprets the deviation between the number of received heartbeat messages and the predeter ⁇ mined number as a failure of the traffic control device.
  • the heartbeat messages sent from the traffic control device may contain status information, especially regarding one or several particular modules of the traffic control device. Also, the individual modules of the traffic control device may send individual heartbeat messages to the monitoring de ⁇ vice. The respective heartbeat message may contain an identi ⁇ bomb uniquely assigned to the corresponding module of the traffic control device. It may thus be possible to detect a failure of a particular module of the traffic control device.
  • the monitoring device may count how many heart ⁇ beat messages it receives from the respective module of the traffic control device within a predetermined time frame. If the number of heartbeat messages received by the monitoring device from the respective module of the traffic control de ⁇ vice within the predetermined time frame is below a predeter ⁇ mined number, the monitoring device preferentially interprets the deviation between the number of received heartbeat mes ⁇ sages from the respective module and the predetermined number as a failure of this module. Expediently, the message sent by the monitoring device to the control unit is secured via one or several security proce ⁇ dures, such as ciphering and/or integrity protection.
  • the traffic control device is preferentially one of several traffic control devices arranged alongside the transport route, wherein these several traffic control devices may par ⁇ ticularly be structurally identical traffic control devices.
  • the monitoring device may be used for status monitoring several of these traffic control devices.
  • the individual traffic control devices can be con ⁇ nected with each other, for instance, via a wired communica ⁇ tion network.
  • the monitoring device may be connected with several of the traffic control devices. Particularly, the monitoring device may be used for status monitoring each of the traffic control devices it is connected with.
  • the first mentioned traffic control device may send information to the monitoring device indicating this disruption.
  • the monitoring device may forward this information to the control unit.
  • the invention relates to a monitoring device.
  • the monitoring device according to the invention comprises a first interface for connecting the monitoring device with a traffic control device. Also, the monitoring device according to the invention supports different mobile wireless networks in that the monitoring device exhibits different wireless in ⁇ terfaces, by means of which the monitoring device is connect- able with the different mobile wireless networks. Moreover, the monitoring device according to the invention is configured to perform the method described above.
  • This monitoring device may be the same monitoring device as mentioned above in conjunction with the method. Further, abovementioned advantageous embodiments/implementations re ⁇ ferring to the method, or rather to the elements used
  • the monitoring device may also refer to the monitoring device.
  • the monitoring device may be configured to perform the method in that the monitoring device comprises a computer program which, when executed, enables the monitoring device to per ⁇ form the method.
  • the monitoring device preferably comprises a (programmable) processor and a data storage de- vice.
  • the computer program is stored in the data storage device and can be executed on the processor.
  • the first interface of the monitoring device may be a wire ⁇ less interface, particularly one of the aforementioned wire- less interfaces of the monitoring device.
  • the first interface may be an interface for a wired connection.
  • the monitoring device has its own power source.
  • the monitoring device can be equipped with a rechargeable battery. This will make it possible to operate the monitoring device even in case of a power outage.
  • the invention relates to a traffic control system comprising the monitoring device according to invention, fur- ther comprising a traffic control device and a control unit.
  • the monitoring device is expediently connected via its first interface with the traffic control device.
  • the moni ⁇ toring device is connected via one of its wireless interfaces with the control unit, particularly via a mobile wireless network.
  • the exemplary embodiment is intended to illustrate the invention, but is not supposed to restrict the scope of the invention to combinations of features given therein, neither with regard to functional features. Furthermore, suitable features of the exemplary embodiment can also be explicitly considered in isolation and/or be combined with any of the appended claims.
  • FIG 1 a schematic illustration of a railway vehicle, a railway track and traffic control system
  • FIG 2 a schematic process diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG 1 shows schematically a railway track 2 and a railway ve ⁇ hicle 4 moving thereon. Also, FIG 1 shows schematically a traffic control system 6.
  • the traffic control system 6 comprises, among others, a traf- fic control device 8 arranged beside the railway track 2.
  • the traffic control device 8 is a rail ⁇ way signalling device.
  • the traffic control system 6 may also comprise several further traffic control devices arranged at the railway track 2 (said possible further traffic control devices not being shown in FIG 1 for the sake of clarity) .
  • the traffic control system 6 comprises a moni ⁇ toring device 10.
  • the monitoring device 10 exhibits an inter ⁇ face 12 for connecting the monitoring device 10 with the traffic control device 8, wherein the traffic control device 8 is connected via cable 14 with the aforementioned interface 12 of the monitoring device 10.
  • the monitoring device 10 supports three different mobile wireless networks in that the monitor ⁇ ing device 10 exhibits three different wireless interfaces 16, by means of which the monitoring device 10 is connectable with the supported mobile wireless networks.
  • One of the supported mobile wireless networks is a 2G mobile wireless network, particularly a railway-specific GSM-R net ⁇ work.
  • the other two supported mobile wireless networks are a 3G network and a 4G network respectively, particularly a UMTS and a LTE-Advanced network respectively.
  • the monitoring device 10 exhibits a controller 18, which comprises a programmable processor 20 and a data stor ⁇ age device 22.
  • a computer program which can be executed on the processor 20, is stored in the data storage device 22. The computer program, when executed on the processor 20, enables the monitoring device to perform a process which will be described below in conjunction with FIG 2.
  • the traffic control system 6 comprises a control unit 24.
  • the control unit 24 is a computer which is arranged in a network management centre.
  • the control unit 24 is connected with several radio base sta- tions 26 of different mobile wireless networks (one radio base station 26 being shown exemplarily in FIG 1) .
  • control unit 24 can optionally be connected with the traffic control device 8 via a wired data communica ⁇ tion network 28.
  • FIG 2 shows a schematic process diagram.
  • Four dashed rectan ⁇ gles are depicted in FIG 2.
  • the first dashed rectangle from the left represents aforementioned traffic control device 8, whereas the second dashed rectangle form the left represents the monitoring device 10.
  • the first dashed rectangle from the right represents the control unit 24, whereas the second dashed rectangle from the right represents a mobile wireless network 30 selected by the monitoring device 10.
  • the traffic control device 8 performs the step: sending 32 several heartbeat messages to the monitoring device 10 (as long as the traffic control de- vice 8 operates failure-free) .
  • the monitoring device 10 performs the following steps: re ⁇ closing 34 several heartbeat messages from the traffic con ⁇ trol device 8; monitoring 36 a state of the traffic control device 8; determining 38 a failure of the traffic control de ⁇ vice 8 (after a failure of the traffic control device has oc ⁇ curred) ; examining 40 supported mobile wireless networks for their availability; selecting 42 one of the supported mobile wireless networks to be connected with according to a prede- fined selection strategy; connecting 44 with the selected mo ⁇ bile wireless network 30; sending 46 a message to the se ⁇ lected mobile wireless network 30.
  • the selected mobile wireless network 30 performs the steps: receiving 48 the message sent by the monitoring device 10; determining 50 the location of the monitoring device 10; forwarding 52 the message together with the deter- mined location of the monitoring device 10 to the control unit 24.
  • the control unit 24 performs the step: receiving 54 the mes- sage and the determined location of the monitoring device 10.
  • the traffic control device 8 sends periodically heartbeat messages to the monitoring device 10 via cable 14 as long as the traffic control device 8 operates failure-free.
  • the monitoring device 10 receives the heartbeat messages and monitors the state of the traffic control device 8 on the ba ⁇ sis of said heartbeat messages. Monitoring the state of the traffic control device 8 is accomplished in that the monitor ⁇ ing device 10 counts how many heartbeat messages it receives from the traffic control device 8 within a predetermined time frame.
  • the num ⁇ ber of heartbeat messages sent by the traffic control device 8 within the predetermined time frame will be lower than a predetermined number, particularly as the traffic control de ⁇ vice 8 may completely stop sending heartbeat messages.
  • the monitoring device 10 de- tects the failure of the traffic control device 8.
  • the monitoring device 10 determines which of the sup ⁇ ported mobile wireless networks are available at the location of the monitoring device 10.
  • the monitoring device 10 selects, according to the aforementioned selection strategy, one of those supported mobile wireless networks among those supported mobile wireless net- works that are available at the location of the monitoring device 10.
  • the monitoring device 10 measures for each of the available supported mobile wireless networks a radio parameter of the respective mobile wireless network.
  • the respective radio parameter is a signal level at the loca ⁇ tion of the monitoring device 10.
  • the predefined selection strategy may for instance provide that the monitoring device 10 compares the individual meas ⁇ ured radio parameters with each other, and, after comparing the radio parameters, selects the one mobile wireless network whose measured radio parameter exhibits the highest value.
  • the monitoring device may provide that one of the supported mobile wireless networks is selected on the ba ⁇ sis of a predefined network ranking list.
  • the GSM-R network can be placed first in the network ranking list, whereas the LTE-Advanced network may be placed second and the UMTS network may be placed third.
  • the monitoring device 10 first only measures the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed- first in the network ranking list. If the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed first in the network rank ⁇ ing list exceeds a predefined value, the monitoring 10 will select this mobile wireless network. Otherwise, the monitor- ing device 10 will measure the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed second in the network ranking list. If the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed second in the network ranking list exceeds a predefined value, the monitoring 10 will select the latter mobile wire- less network. Otherwise, the monitoring device 10 will select the mobile wireless network placed third in the network rank ⁇ ing list. In another variant it is possible that the selection of one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to the predefined selection strategy is made in dependency on the amount of data to be transmitted to the control unit 24.
  • the radio pa ⁇ rameter measured by the monitoring device 10 may, for exam ⁇ ple, be a data transmission rate of the respective mobile wireless network at location of the monitoring device 10. If the amount of data exceeds a predefined maximum value, the LTE-Advanced network will be selected by the monitoring de ⁇ vice 10. If, however, the amount of data is below a prede ⁇ fined minimum value, the GSM-R network will be selected by the monitoring device 10. In case the amount of data is be ⁇ tween the predefined minimum value and the predefined maximum value, the UMTS network will be selected by the monitoring device 10.
  • the monitoring device 10 After selecting one of the mobile wireless networks, the monitoring device 10 connects itself with the selected mobile wireless network 30. Then, the monitoring device 10 sends a message comprising status information regarding the detected failure of the traffic control device 8 together with a re- quest to determine the location of the monitoring device 10 to the selected mobile wireless network.
  • the selected mobile wireless network 30 after receiving said request, determines the location of the monitoring device 10. Furthermore, the selected mobile wireless network 30 forwards the message from the monitoring device 10 together with the determined location of the monitoring device 10 to the con ⁇ trol unit 24. In the network management centre, in which the control unit 24 is arranged, measures may be taken to remedy the detected failure of the traffic control device 8 based on the informa ⁇ tion contained in the message. While a specific embodiment has been described in detail, those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclo ⁇ sure. Accordingly, the particular implementations disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims or disclosure, which are to be given the full breadth of the appended claims, and any equivalents thereof.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a method of operation of a monitoring device (10), wherein the monitoring device (10) is connected with a traffic control device (8) and supports different mobile wireless networks in that the monitoring device (10) exhibits different wireless interfaces (16), by means of which the monitoring device (10) is connectable with the different mobile wireless networks, wherein the monitoring device (10) performs the following steps: - selecting (42) one of the supported mobile wireless net- works according to a predefined selection strategy, - connecting (44) with the selected mobile wireless network (30), and - transmitting via the selected mobile wireless network (30) a message comprising status information regarding the traffic control device (8) to a control unit (24).

Description

Description
Method of operation of a monitoring device The invention relates to a method of operation of a monitoring device.
It is common that traffic control devices, such as signalling devices, are arranged at a transport route. Further, it is known to utilise monitoring devices for status monitoring of traffic control devices. A single monitoring device may be designated for status monitoring of one single traffic con¬ trol device or of several traffic control devices. If a failure of a traffic control device occurs, a monitoring device designated for status monitoring of this traffic con¬ trol device usually transmits status information regarding the traffic control device to a control unit. Based on such information, measures may be taken to remedy the failure. Typically, monitoring devices are arranged distantly from a control unit. Transmission of data from the monitoring devices to the control unit may be carried out via cable or, more commonly, via a mobile wireless network (in prior art inter alia also referred to as mobile network or mobile radio network) .
An objective of the invention is to provide a method of op¬ eration of a monitoring device which enables a flexible use of the monitoring device.
This objective is accomplished, according to the invention, by means of a method comprising the features of claim 1.
The method according to the invention provides that the moni- toring device is connected with a traffic control device and supports different mobile wireless networks in that the moni¬ toring device exhibits different wireless interfaces, by means of which the monitoring device is connectable with the different mobile wireless networks. Further, the method ac¬ cording to the invention provides that the monitoring device performs the following steps: selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to a predefined selection strategy, connecting with the selected mobile wireless net¬ work, and transmitting via the selected mobile wireless net¬ work a message comprising status information regarding the traffic control device to a control unit. The invention is based on the consideration that, up to now, monitoring devices use a particular type of wired or mobile wireless network. Thus, present monitoring devices can only be utilised at locations where an infrastructure of such par¬ ticular type of network is available. In case it is intended that a present monitoring device is removed from its initial deployment location in order to be utilised at a different deployment location, this is only possible with present moni¬ toring devices if an infrastructure of the same type of net¬ work is available at the latter deployment location. Other- wise, such monitoring device would have to be replaced with a different monitoring device, resulting in considerable ex¬ pense .
The invention, however, employs a monitoring device that is not dependent on a particular type of network since the moni¬ toring device supports different mobile wireless networks. This monitoring device can connect itself with different mo¬ bile wireless networks. Thus, the monitoring device is flexi¬ ble in use.
Further, the monitoring device selects autonomously, accord¬ ing to the predefined selection strategy, a "suitable" mobile wireless network to connect itself with. In this manner, a re-configuration of the monitoring device may be dispensed with if the monitoring device is to be employed in a differ¬ ent location with a different network infrastructure or if, due to retrofitting of network components, a further mobile wireless network becomes available at the location of the monitoring device. Indeed, without such a strategy it may be impossible, or at least only possible under with great ef¬ fort, to employ the monitoring device in a different loca¬ tion. Thus, the monitoring device may be used flexibly with little effort, particularly with minimal configuration effort .
A monitoring device can be understood as a device that par¬ ticipates in a process for monitoring another device, par- ticularly for monitoring the aforementioned traffic control device. The expression "participates in a process for moni¬ toring" does not necessarily mean that the monitoring device itself monitors a state of the other device. The monitoring device may, for instance, act as a repeater which forwards data it receives without analysing and/or modifying the data. Neither, does the expression "participates in a process for monitoring" necessarily limit the operation of the monitoring device to solely (participating in) monitoring a state of the other device.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the monitoring de¬ vice monitors a status of the traffic control device. Expedi¬ ently, the monitoring device selects one of the supported mo¬ bile wireless networks according to the predefined selection strategy, after detecting a failure of the traffic control device. Said failure may be a failure of the traffic control device as a whole or a failure of a particular module of the traffic control device (partial failure) . The monitoring device can be connected with the traffic con¬ trol device wirelessly. Alternatively, the monitoring device can be connected with the traffic control device via cable.
Furthermore, each of the wireless interfaces of the monitor- ing device may comprise one or several individual radio an¬ tennas for communicating with the respective supported mobile wireless network. Expediently, the monitoring device connects itself with the selected mobile wireless network only if the selected mobile wireless network is available at the location of the monitor¬ ing device - i.e. if said mobile wireless network can be de- tected by the monitoring device.
The aforementioned message transmitted by the monitoring de¬ vice may include, among others, a destination address (ad¬ dress of the control unit) , a source address (address of the monitoring device) , an indication to treat the message with high priority, and/or an identifier of the traffic control device. Further, the message may include diagnostic informa¬ tion, particularly information with regard to the type of detected failure.
Advantageously, the monitoring device is a machine type com¬ munication device. Machine type communication devices have been extensively tested, are reliable and are available at comparatively low costs.
Moreover, the monitoring device may be arranged beside or above a transport route, such as a car road or a railway track. Preferentially, the monitoring device is arranged fixed in position at the transport route. Thus, mobility re- lated functionality of the monitoring device can be waived, allowing for a cost-effective realisation of the monitoring device .
Furthermore, the monitoring device may be one of several monitoring devices arranged alongside the transport route, wherein these several monitoring devices may particularly be structurally identical monitoring devices.
The predefined selection strategy can be understood as an al- gorithm for selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks. Preferentially, the predefined selection strategy is implemented in a computer program. The aforementioned control unit can be embodied as a com¬ puter. Further, the control unit can be arranged stationary in a network management centre, or it can be a mobile unit used by a technician. The aforesaid message, which is trans- mitted via the selected mobile wireless network, may be sent to the control unit indirectly, e.g. via a radio base station which receives the message from the monitoring device and forwards the message to the control unit wirelessly or via cable .
A traffic control device can be understood as device for regulating the travel of a vehicle, for instance, by provid¬ ing instructions, e.g. signals, for the vehicle's driver and/or by acting physically upon the vehicle. The traffic control device may, for instance, be a component of a train protection system. Particularly, the traffic control device may be a signalling device. Furthermore, the traffic control device may be a power network device, such as a device of an overhead line for a rail vehicle.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the traffic con¬ trol device is a railway signalling device. Further, the traffic control device may be arranged at a railway track. Expediently, the mobile wireless networks which are supported by the monitoring device are standard compliant mobile wire¬ less networks.
Advantageously, at least two of the supported mobile wireless networks are mobile wireless networks of different radio standards. In this way, it can be achieved that the monitor¬ ing device is not dependent on only one radio standard. For example, one of the supported mobile wireless networks can be a 2G network. Another supported mobile wireless network may, for instance, be a 3G network. Yet another supported mobile wireless network may, e.g., be a 4G network. r
Preferentially, each of the supported mobile wireless net¬ works is a mobile wireless network of a separate radio stan¬ dard. In other words, it is preferred if none of the sup¬ ported mobile wireless networks are mobile wireless networks of the same radio standards.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention at least one of the supported mobile wireless networks is a railway- specific mobile wireless network, particularly a GSM-R net- work. Thus, the monitoring device may utilise a network that is commonly available at a railway track.
Selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks ac¬ cording to a predefined selection strategy expediently in¬ cludes examining by the monitoring device for one or several of the supported mobile wireless networks, particularly for all of the supported mobile wireless networks, whether the respective supported mobile wireless network meets a prede¬ fined selection criterion.
Preferably, a supported mobile wireless network is selected according to the predefined selection strategy only if the mobile wireless network meets the predefined selection crite¬ rion. In other words, meeting the predefined selection criterion is preferably a necessary condition for a supported mo¬ bile wireless network to be selected by the monitoring de¬ vice. Also, meeting the predefined selection criterion may be - but it does not necessarily have to be - a sufficient con¬ dition for a supported mobile wireless network to be selected by the monitoring device.
The selection criterion may, for instance, be an availability criterion. In such a case, the selection criterion can be met by the respective supported mobile wireless network, for ex- ample, if said mobile wireless network is available at the location of the monitoring device - i.e. if said mobile wire¬ less network can be detected by the monitoring device. It is deemed that a mobile wireless network is available at the lo- cation of the monitoring device if its signal level (signal strength) exceeds a predefined minimum signal level.
Apart from this, the selection criterion may be a transmis- sion criterion. In such a case, the selection criterion can be met by the respective supported mobile wireless network, for instance, if said mobile wireless network exhibits a sig¬ nal level at the location of the monitoring device which ex¬ ceeds a predefined signal level, and/or if said mobile wire- less network exhibits a data transmission rate at the loca¬ tion of the monitoring device which meets a predefined data transmission rate.
Preferentially, the selection strategy provides that the or- der of priority in which one or several of the supported mo¬ bile wireless networks are examined for their compliance with the predefined selection criterion is based on a predefined network ranking list, which may be a configurable network ranking list.
The monitoring device may examine for the first mobile wire¬ less network of the network ranking list if it meets the pre¬ defined selection criterion, e.g. an availability criterion. If the first mobile wireless network of the network ranking list meets the predefined selection criterion, it may be se¬ lected by the monitoring device. Otherwise, the monitoring device may examine for the second mobile wireless network of the network ranking list if it meets the predefined selection criterion .
If the second mobile wireless network of the network ranking list meets the predefined selection criterion, it may be se¬ lected by the monitoring device. Otherwise, the monitoring device may proceed analogously for the following mobile wire- less networks of the network ranking list until one of the mobile wireless networks of the network ranking list meets the predefined selection criterion, or the last mobile wire¬ less network of the network ranking list is reached. The first mobile wireless network of the ranking list may be a railway-specific mobile wireless network, such as a GSM-R network. Moreover, the mobile wireless networks may be ranked in the network ranking list according to their data transmission rate or according to another radio parameter.
Furthermore, the selection strategy may be a multistage se¬ lection strategy. In other words, a supported mobile wireless network may have to meet at least two different selection criteria to be selected according to the selection strategy. One of these criteria may, for instance, be an availability criterion, whereas another of these criteria may be a trans¬ mission criterion.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the monitoring device determines which of the supported mobile wireless net¬ works are available at the location of the monitoring device. Furthermore, selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to a predefined selection strategy may in¬ clude determining which of the supported mobile wireless net¬ works is available at the location of the monitoring device. Expediently, the monitoring device selects one of the sup¬ ported mobile wireless networks according to the selection strategy among those supported mobile wireless networks which are available at the location of the monitoring device, par¬ ticularly only among those mobile wireless networks which are available at the location of the monitoring device. Moreover, it is advantageous if the monitoring device meas¬ ures for one or several of the supported mobile wireless net¬ works a radio parameter of the respective mobile wireless network, for instance, a signal level (signal strength) or data transmission rate of the respective mobile wireless net- work.
Selecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks ac¬ cording to the predefined selection strategy may include com- paring the respective measured radio parameter with a prede¬ termined parameter value and/or with a further radio parame¬ ter measured by the monitoring device, particularly with a further radio parameter of another supported mobile wireless network. Expediently, the monitoring device measures radio parameters only of those supported mobile wireless networks which are available at the location of the monitoring device.
In addition, the monitoring device may measure several radio parameters of the same supported mobile wireless network. Se¬ lecting one of the supported mobile wireless networks accord¬ ing to the predefined selection strategy may include compar¬ ing each of the measured radio parameters of the respective supported mobile wireless network with a predetermined pa- rameter value and/or with a further radio parameter measured by the monitoring device.
The selection strategy may provide that the monitoring device selects the one supported mobile wireless network whose meas- ured radio parameter has the highest, or alternatively low¬ est, value. For instance, the monitoring device may select the one supported mobile wireless network whose signal level is the highest measured among the signal levels measured by the monitoring device.
Moreover, it may be provided that the selection of one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to the prede¬ fined selection strategy is made in dependency on the amount of data to be transmitted by the monitoring device to the control unit. Expediently, the "amount of data" refers to the amount of data of the aforementioned message to be transmit¬ ted from the monitoring device. In case of a small amount of data to be transmitted, a mobile wireless network with a low data transmission rate may be selected according to the pre- defined selection strategy. In case of a high amount of data to be transmitted, a mobile wireless network with a high data transmission rate may be selected according to the predefined selection strategy. Advantageously, the location of the monitoring device is de¬ termined, for instance, by the monitoring device itself, by the selected mobile wireless network, and/or by another unit. Thus, the monitoring device does not need to be pre- configured with location information as such information can be determined when the monitoring device connects with the selected network. A labour-intensive and time consuming re¬ configuration of the monitoring device, after a re-location of the monitoring device, may thus be dispensed with. Fur¬ ther, the location of the monitoring device is typically the same location (or approximately the same location) as the traffic control device that is being monitored by the moni¬ toring device and therefore the location of said traffic con- trol device can be determined without requiring the location of the traffic control device to be pre-configured .
The location of the monitoring device may be determined by means of a known localisation procedure, e.g., by means of triangulation or by means of measurements of signal propaga¬ tion delays. Further, it is expedient if the determined loca¬ tion is transmitted to the control unit via the selected mo¬ bile wireless network. The determined location may be sent together with the afore¬ mentioned message to the control unit. Particularly, the de¬ termined location may be included/incorporated into the aforementioned message sent by the monitoring device to the control unit. Alternatively, the determined location may be sent separately to the control unit via the selected mobile wireless network.
As mentioned above, according to one variant of the inven¬ tion, the location of the monitoring device may be determined by the monitoring device itself. The monitoring device may, for instance, be equipped with a localisation unit, such as a GPS sensor or a different GNSS sensor. Expediently, this lo- calisation unit is configured to determine the position of the monitoring device.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the monitoring device sends a request to the selected mobile wireless network to determine the location of the monitoring device. Expediently, the selected mobile wireless network, after receiving said request from the monitoring device, determines the location of the monitoring device. Thus, the lo- cation of the monitoring device may be determined by the se¬ lected mobile wireless network. Said request may be in¬ cluded/incorporated into the aforementioned message or may be sent separately to the selected network by the monitoring de¬ vice .
Further, the selected mobile wireless network may forward the determined location to the control unit.
Principally, the monitoring device may send a diagnostic re- quest to the traffic control device. The status of the traf¬ fic control device can be monitored on the basis of said di¬ agnostic message and/or on the basis of a message sent by the traffic control device as a reply to the diagnostic request. Preferentially, the monitoring device does not send any mes¬ sages or signals to the traffic control device. In other words, the monitoring device may act as a receiver only with respect to the traffic control device. In this manner, it can be avoided that the monitoring device interferes with the op- eration of the traffic control device. Also, if it is pro¬ vided that the traffic control device does not receive any messages or signals from the monitoring device, it may be prevented that a third party may gain access to the traffic control device by sending manipulated signals to the monitor- ing device. Preventing unauthorised access to, or avoiding interference with the normal operation of, the traffic con¬ trol device may have important safety implications. Advantageously, the traffic control device sends periodically heartbeat messages to the monitoring device, as long as the traffic control device operates failure-free. A heartbeat message can be understood as a message that is sent from a first device (originator) to a second device (destination) and that enables the second device to identify if the first device has failed or is no longer available. In the present case, the traffic control device may be the originator, whereas the monitoring device may be the destination.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the monitoring de¬ vice counts how many heartbeat messages it receives from the traffic control device within a predetermined time frame. If the number of heartbeat messages received by the monitoring device from the traffic control device within the predeter¬ mined time frame is below a predetermined number, the moni¬ toring device preferentially interprets the deviation between the number of received heartbeat messages and the predeter¬ mined number as a failure of the traffic control device.
The heartbeat messages sent from the traffic control device may contain status information, especially regarding one or several particular modules of the traffic control device. Also, the individual modules of the traffic control device may send individual heartbeat messages to the monitoring de¬ vice. The respective heartbeat message may contain an identi¬ fier uniquely assigned to the corresponding module of the traffic control device. It may thus be possible to detect a failure of a particular module of the traffic control device.
Furthermore, the monitoring device may count how many heart¬ beat messages it receives from the respective module of the traffic control device within a predetermined time frame. If the number of heartbeat messages received by the monitoring device from the respective module of the traffic control de¬ vice within the predetermined time frame is below a predeter¬ mined number, the monitoring device preferentially interprets the deviation between the number of received heartbeat mes¬ sages from the respective module and the predetermined number as a failure of this module. Expediently, the message sent by the monitoring device to the control unit is secured via one or several security proce¬ dures, such as ciphering and/or integrity protection.
The traffic control device is preferentially one of several traffic control devices arranged alongside the transport route, wherein these several traffic control devices may par¬ ticularly be structurally identical traffic control devices. The monitoring device may be used for status monitoring several of these traffic control devices.
Besides, the individual traffic control devices can be con¬ nected with each other, for instance, via a wired communica¬ tion network. The monitoring device may be connected with several of the traffic control devices. Particularly, the monitoring device may be used for status monitoring each of the traffic control devices it is connected with.
If a communication between the first mentioned traffic con¬ trol device and another traffic control device, particularly a centralised traffic control device, is disrupted, the first mentioned traffic control device may send information to the monitoring device indicating this disruption. The monitoring device may forward this information to the control unit. Furthermore, the invention relates to a monitoring device.
The monitoring device according to the invention comprises a first interface for connecting the monitoring device with a traffic control device. Also, the monitoring device according to the invention supports different mobile wireless networks in that the monitoring device exhibits different wireless in¬ terfaces, by means of which the monitoring device is connect- able with the different mobile wireless networks. Moreover, the monitoring device according to the invention is configured to perform the method described above.
This monitoring device may be the same monitoring device as mentioned above in conjunction with the method. Further, abovementioned advantageous embodiments/implementations re¬ ferring to the method, or rather to the elements used
therein, may also refer to the monitoring device. The monitoring device may be configured to perform the method in that the monitoring device comprises a computer program which, when executed, enables the monitoring device to per¬ form the method. Besides, the monitoring device preferably comprises a (programmable) processor and a data storage de- vice. Expediently, the computer program is stored in the data storage device and can be executed on the processor.
The first interface of the monitoring device may be a wire¬ less interface, particularly one of the aforementioned wire- less interfaces of the monitoring device. Alternatively, the first interface may be an interface for a wired connection.
Advantageously, the monitoring device has its own power source. For instance, the monitoring device can be equipped with a rechargeable battery. This will make it possible to operate the monitoring device even in case of a power outage.
Moreover, the invention relates to a traffic control system comprising the monitoring device according to invention, fur- ther comprising a traffic control device and a control unit. The monitoring device is expediently connected via its first interface with the traffic control device. Further, the moni¬ toring device is connected via one of its wireless interfaces with the control unit, particularly via a mobile wireless network.
The foregoing description of advantageous embodiments of the invention contains numerous features which are partly com- bined with one another in the dependent claims. Expediently, these features can also be considered individually and be combined with one another into further suitable combinations. More particularly, these features can be combined with the method and the device according to the respective independent claim individually as well as in any suitable combination. Furthermore, features of the method can be considered as fea¬ tures of the corresponding device and vice versa. The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of the invention and the manner in which they are achieved can be understood more clearly in connection with the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention which will be explained with reference to the drawings. The exemplary embodiment is intended to illustrate the invention, but is not supposed to restrict the scope of the invention to combinations of features given therein, neither with regard to functional features. Furthermore, suitable features of the exemplary embodiment can also be explicitly considered in isolation and/or be combined with any of the appended claims.
The accompanying drawings show:
FIG 1 a schematic illustration of a railway vehicle, a railway track and traffic control system;
FIG 2 a schematic process diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG 1 shows schematically a railway track 2 and a railway ve¬ hicle 4 moving thereon. Also, FIG 1 shows schematically a traffic control system 6.
The traffic control system 6 comprises, among others, a traf- fic control device 8 arranged beside the railway track 2. In the present example, the traffic control device 8 is a rail¬ way signalling device. Apart from the traffic control device 8 shown in FIG 1, the traffic control system 6 may also comprise several further traffic control devices arranged at the railway track 2 (said possible further traffic control devices not being shown in FIG 1 for the sake of clarity) .
Furthermore, the traffic control system 6 comprises a moni¬ toring device 10. The monitoring device 10 exhibits an inter¬ face 12 for connecting the monitoring device 10 with the traffic control device 8, wherein the traffic control device 8 is connected via cable 14 with the aforementioned interface 12 of the monitoring device 10.
In the present example, the monitoring device 10 supports three different mobile wireless networks in that the monitor¬ ing device 10 exhibits three different wireless interfaces 16, by means of which the monitoring device 10 is connectable with the supported mobile wireless networks. One of the supported mobile wireless networks is a 2G mobile wireless network, particularly a railway-specific GSM-R net¬ work. The other two supported mobile wireless networks are a 3G network and a 4G network respectively, particularly a UMTS and a LTE-Advanced network respectively.
Further, the monitoring device 10 exhibits a controller 18, which comprises a programmable processor 20 and a data stor¬ age device 22. A computer program, which can be executed on the processor 20, is stored in the data storage device 22. The computer program, when executed on the processor 20, enables the monitoring device to perform a process which will be described below in conjunction with FIG 2.
Moreover, the traffic control system 6 comprises a control unit 24. In the present example, the control unit 24 is a computer which is arranged in a network management centre. The control unit 24 is connected with several radio base sta- tions 26 of different mobile wireless networks (one radio base station 26 being shown exemplarily in FIG 1) .
In addition, the control unit 24 can optionally be connected with the traffic control device 8 via a wired data communica¬ tion network 28.
FIG 2 shows a schematic process diagram. Four dashed rectan¬ gles are depicted in FIG 2. The first dashed rectangle from the left represents aforementioned traffic control device 8, whereas the second dashed rectangle form the left represents the monitoring device 10. Further, the first dashed rectangle from the right represents the control unit 24, whereas the second dashed rectangle from the right represents a mobile wireless network 30 selected by the monitoring device 10.
According to the process diagram, the traffic control device 8 performs the step: sending 32 several heartbeat messages to the monitoring device 10 (as long as the traffic control de- vice 8 operates failure-free) .
The monitoring device 10 performs the following steps: re¬ ceiving 34 several heartbeat messages from the traffic con¬ trol device 8; monitoring 36 a state of the traffic control device 8; determining 38 a failure of the traffic control de¬ vice 8 (after a failure of the traffic control device has oc¬ curred) ; examining 40 supported mobile wireless networks for their availability; selecting 42 one of the supported mobile wireless networks to be connected with according to a prede- fined selection strategy; connecting 44 with the selected mo¬ bile wireless network 30; sending 46 a message to the se¬ lected mobile wireless network 30.
Furthermore, the selected mobile wireless network 30 performs the steps: receiving 48 the message sent by the monitoring device 10; determining 50 the location of the monitoring device 10; forwarding 52 the message together with the deter- mined location of the monitoring device 10 to the control unit 24.
The control unit 24 performs the step: receiving 54 the mes- sage and the determined location of the monitoring device 10.
In the following, the process illustrated by the process dia¬ gram shown in FIG 2 will be described in more detail. The traffic control device 8 sends periodically heartbeat messages to the monitoring device 10 via cable 14 as long as the traffic control device 8 operates failure-free.
The monitoring device 10 receives the heartbeat messages and monitors the state of the traffic control device 8 on the ba¬ sis of said heartbeat messages. Monitoring the state of the traffic control device 8 is accomplished in that the monitor¬ ing device 10 counts how many heartbeat messages it receives from the traffic control device 8 within a predetermined time frame.
If a failure of the traffic control device 8 occurs, the num¬ ber of heartbeat messages sent by the traffic control device 8 within the predetermined time frame will be lower than a predetermined number, particularly as the traffic control de¬ vice 8 may completely stop sending heartbeat messages. Thus, in case the number of heartbeat messages received by the monitoring device 10 within the predetermined time frame is below the predetermined number, the monitoring device 10 de- tects the failure of the traffic control device 8.
Then, the monitoring device 10 determines which of the sup¬ ported mobile wireless networks are available at the location of the monitoring device 10.
The monitoring device 10 selects, according to the aforementioned selection strategy, one of those supported mobile wireless networks among those supported mobile wireless net- works that are available at the location of the monitoring device 10.
The monitoring device 10 measures for each of the available supported mobile wireless networks a radio parameter of the respective mobile wireless network. In the present example, the respective radio parameter is a signal level at the loca¬ tion of the monitoring device 10. The predefined selection strategy may for instance provide that the monitoring device 10 compares the individual meas¬ ured radio parameters with each other, and, after comparing the radio parameters, selects the one mobile wireless network whose measured radio parameter exhibits the highest value.
Alternatively, the monitoring device may provide that one of the supported mobile wireless networks is selected on the ba¬ sis of a predefined network ranking list. For instance, the GSM-R network can be placed first in the network ranking list, whereas the LTE-Advanced network may be placed second and the UMTS network may be placed third.
In case the selection is based on such predefined network ranking list, the monitoring device 10 first only measures the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed- first in the network ranking list. If the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed first in the network rank¬ ing list exceeds a predefined value, the monitoring 10 will select this mobile wireless network. Otherwise, the monitor- ing device 10 will measure the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed second in the network ranking list. If the radio parameter of the mobile wireless network placed second in the network ranking list exceeds a predefined value, the monitoring 10 will select the latter mobile wire- less network. Otherwise, the monitoring device 10 will select the mobile wireless network placed third in the network rank¬ ing list. In another variant it is possible that the selection of one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to the predefined selection strategy is made in dependency on the amount of data to be transmitted to the control unit 24.
In case the selection is made in dependency on the amount of data to be transmitted to the control unit 24, the radio pa¬ rameter measured by the monitoring device 10 may, for exam¬ ple, be a data transmission rate of the respective mobile wireless network at location of the monitoring device 10. If the amount of data exceeds a predefined maximum value, the LTE-Advanced network will be selected by the monitoring de¬ vice 10. If, however, the amount of data is below a prede¬ fined minimum value, the GSM-R network will be selected by the monitoring device 10. In case the amount of data is be¬ tween the predefined minimum value and the predefined maximum value, the UMTS network will be selected by the monitoring device 10. After selecting one of the mobile wireless networks, the monitoring device 10 connects itself with the selected mobile wireless network 30. Then, the monitoring device 10 sends a message comprising status information regarding the detected failure of the traffic control device 8 together with a re- quest to determine the location of the monitoring device 10 to the selected mobile wireless network.
The selected mobile wireless network 30, after receiving said request, determines the location of the monitoring device 10. Furthermore, the selected mobile wireless network 30 forwards the message from the monitoring device 10 together with the determined location of the monitoring device 10 to the con¬ trol unit 24. In the network management centre, in which the control unit 24 is arranged, measures may be taken to remedy the detected failure of the traffic control device 8 based on the informa¬ tion contained in the message. While a specific embodiment has been described in detail, those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclo¬ sure. Accordingly, the particular implementations disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims or disclosure, which are to be given the full breadth of the appended claims, and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

Claims
1. Method of operation of a monitoring device (10), wherein the monitoring device (10) is connected with a traffic con- trol device (8) and supports different mobile wireless net¬ works in that the monitoring device (10) exhibits different wireless interfaces (16), by means of which the monitoring device (10) is connectable with the different mobile wireless networks ,
wherein the monitoring device (10) performs the following steps :
- selecting (42) one of the supported mobile wireless net¬ works according to a predefined selection strategy,
- connecting (44) with the selected mobile wireless network (30), and
- transmitting via the selected mobile wireless network (30) a message comprising status information regarding the traffic control device (8) to a control unit (24) .
2. Method according to claim 1,
characterised in that the traffic control device (8) is a railway signalling device which is arranged at a railway track (2 ) .
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that at least two of the supported mobile wireless networks are mobile wireless networks of different radio standards, wherein preferentially each of the supported mobile wireless networks is a mobile wireless network of a separate radio standard.
4. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that at least one of the supported mobile wireless networks is a railway-specific mobile wireless net- work, particularly a GSM-R network.
5. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that selecting (42) one of the supported mo¬ bile wireless networks according to a predefined selection strategy includes examining by the monitoring device (10) for one or several of the supported mobile wireless networks whether the respective supported mobile wireless network meets a predefined selection criterion.
6. Method according to claim 5,
characterised in that the selection criterion is an avail¬ ability criterion, wherein the selection criterion is met by the respective supported mobile wireless network if said mo¬ bile wireless network is available at the location of the monitoring device (10) .
7. Method according to claim 5,
characterised in that the selection criterion is a transmis¬ sion criterion, wherein the selection criterion is met by the respective supported mobile wireless network if said mobile wireless network exhibits a signal level at the location of the monitoring device (10) which exceeds a predefined signal level, and/or if said mobile wireless network exhibits a data transmission rate at the location of the monitoring device (10) which meets a predefined data transmission rate.
8. Method according to any of the claims 5 to 7,
characterised in that the selection strategy provides that the order of priority in which one or several of the sup¬ ported mobile wireless networks are examined for their com- pliance with the predefined selection criterion is based on a predefined network ranking list.
9. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the monitoring device (10) determines which of the supported mobile wireless networks are available at the location of the monitoring device (10), wherein the monitoring device (10) selects one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to the selection strategy among those supported mobile wireless networks which are available at the location of the monitoring device (10) .
10. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the monitoring device (10) measures for one or several of the supported mobile wireless networks a radio parameter of the respective mobile wireless network, wherein selecting one of the supported mobile wireless net¬ works according to the predefined selection strategy includes comparing the respective measured radio parameter with a pre¬ determined parameter value and/or with a further radio parameter measured by the monitoring device (10) .
11. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the selection of one of the supported mobile wireless networks according to the predefined selec¬ tion strategy is made in dependency on the amount of data to be transmitted by the monitoring device (10) to the control unit (24) .
12. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the location of the monitoring device (10) is determined by the monitoring device (10) itself or by the selected mobile wireless network (30), and the determined location is transmitted to the control unit (24) via the se¬ lected mobile wireless network (30) .
13. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the monitoring device (10) sends a re- quest to the selected mobile wireless network (30) to deter¬ mine the location of the monitoring device (10), wherein the selected mobile wireless network (30), after receiving said request from the monitoring device (10), determines the loca¬ tion of the monitoring device (10) and forwards the deter- mined location to the control unit (24) .
14. Method according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the monitoring device (10) counts how many heartbeat messages it receives from the traffic control device (8) within a predetermined time frame, and, if the number of heartbeat messages received by the monitoring de¬ vice (10) from the traffic control device (8) within the pre¬ determined time frame is below a predetermined number, the monitoring device (10) interprets the deviation between the number of received heartbeat messages and the predetermined number as a failure of the traffic control device (8) .
15. Monitoring device (10) comprising a first interface (12) for connecting the monitoring device (10) with a traffic control device (8), the monitoring device (10) supporting dif- ferent mobile wireless networks in that the monitoring device (10) exhibits different wireless interfaces (16), by means of which the monitoring device (10) is connectable with the dif¬ ferent mobile wireless networks, wherein the monitoring de¬ vice (10) is configured to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.
PCT/EP2017/070815 2016-09-13 2017-08-17 Method of operation of a monitoring device WO2018050389A1 (en)

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