System for verifying the integrity of a convoy, particularly a railway convoy

Abstract

A system for verifying the integrity of a convoy, particularly a railway convoy, comprising at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, is described, in which the system for verifying the integrity of a convoy includes a first controller arranged to be coupled to the first vehicle, a second controller arranged to be coupled to the second vehicle, and at least one communication means arranged to allow communication between the first controller and the second controller. The first controller and/or the second controller is/are arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised, when the first controller and the second controller are no longer able to communicate with each other via the at least one communication means.

1 . A system for verifying the integrity of a convoy comprising at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, wherein said system for verifying the integrity of a convoy includes:
 a first controller arranged to be coupled to said first vehicle;   a second controller arranged to be coupled to said second vehicle;   at least one communication network arranged to allow communication between said first controller and said second controller;   wherein said first controller and/or second controller is/are arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised, when said first controller and second controller are no longer able to communicate with each other through said at least one communication network.   
     
     
         2 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 1 , wherein said first controller and said second controller are arranged to determine the vehicle of the convoy on which they are respectively installed. 
     
     
         3 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 2 , wherein, when said first controller determines to be installed on a leading vehicle of said convoy and said second controller determines to be installed on a tail vehicle of said convoy:
 the first controller is arranged to send an interrogation message on the at least one communication network;   the second controller is arranged to receive the interrogation message from the at least one communication network and retransmit a response message on the at least one communication network.   
     
     
         4 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 2 , wherein, when said first controller determines to be installed on a tail vehicle of said convoy and said second controller determines to be installed on a leading vehicle of said convoy:
 the first controller is arranged to send an interrogation message on the at least one communication network;   the second controller is arranged to receive the interrogation message from the at least one communication network and retransmit a response message on the at least one communication network.   
     
     
         5 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 3 , wherein the first controller is arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised when it does not receive, via the at least one means of communication, the response message transmitted by the second controller on the at least one communication network within a predetermined time interval from when the first controller has sent the interrogation message;
 or   the first controller is arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised when it receives, through the at least one communication network, the response message transmitted by the second controller but such received response message differs from an expected response message.   
     
     
         6 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 3 , wherein said second controller is arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised when it does not receive, via the at least one communication network, an interrogation message transmitted by the first controller over the at least one communication network for more than a waiting interval;
 or   the second controller is arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised when it receives, through the at least one communication network, the interrogation message transmitted by the first controller but such received interrogation message differs from an expected interrogation message.   
     
     
         7 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 3 , wherein said convoy further comprises at least a third vehicle;
 wherein said system for verifying the integrity of a convoy includes at least a third controller arranged to be coupled to said third vehicle.   
     
     
         8 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 7 , wherein said third controller is arranged to determine the vehicle of the convoy on which it is installed. 
     
     
         9 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 8 , wherein, when the third controller determines to be installed on an intermediate vehicle positioned in the convoy between said leading vehicle and said tail vehicle:
 the third controller is arranged to receive the interrogation message sent by the first controller through said at least one communication network and forward said interrogation message to the second controller through said at least one communication network; and   the third controller is arranged to receive the response message sent by the second controller through said at least one communication network and forward said response message to the first controller through said at least one communication network.   
     
     
         10 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 1 , wherein said first controller and said second controller are each made according to a safety integrity level greater than a predetermined minimum safety integrity level. 
     
     
         11 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 7 , wherein said third controller is made according to a safety integrity level greater than a predetermined minimum safety integrity level. 
     
     
         12 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 2 , wherein said first controller and said second controller are arranged to determine the vehicle of the convoy on which they are respectively installed by means of a physical or hardware coding implemented by optical technology means. 
     
     
         13 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 2 , wherein said first controller and said second controller are arranged to determine the vehicle of the convoy on which they are respectively installed by means of a software coding implemented by means of a process of sequential recognition of nodes of said at least one communication network. 
     
     
         14 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 7 , wherein said third controller is arranged to determine the vehicle of the convoy on which it is respectively installed by means of a physical or hardware coding implemented by optical technology means. 
     
     
         15 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 7 , wherein said third controller is arranged to determine the vehicle of the convoy on which it is respectively installed by means of a software coding implemented by means of a process of sequential recognition of nodes of said at least one communication network. 
     
     
         16 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one communication network is arranged to allow communication according to a predetermined safety protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 16 , wherein said predetermined safety protocol is a black channel protocol. 
     
     
         18 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication network are two or more and are arranged to be connected to each other by means of a communication unit. 
     
     
         19 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first controller is included in a braking control unit or braking control module, or   said second controller is included in a braking control unit or braking control module, or   said first controller and said second controller are each included in respective braking control units or braking control modules.   
     
     
         20 . The system for verifying the integrity of a convoy according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 said third controller is included in a braking control unit or braking control module.   
     
     
         21 - 29 . (canceled)