Digital freight car—automatic wagon list

1 . A system for automatic generation of a list of units in a train comprising multiple units, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensor means, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is configured to be mounted to a respective unit of the multiple units of the train and each of the plurality of sensor means is configured to detect a parameter and a pressure, of the respective unit of the train to which it is mounted and configured to provide an information about a position of the respective unit with respect to another unit of the multiple units in the train, and wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is configured to communicate with one or more of the plurality of sensor means, and the plurality of sensor means forms a sensor mesh network to transmit the detected parameters for processing; and

a control device configured to receive the detected parameters from the sensor mesh network, to process the detected parameters, and to generate the list of units,

wherein each of the plurality of sensor means and the control device comprises a wireless communication module to send and receive signals, and each of the plurality of sensor means is configured to detect a signal strength and identifier of the at least one neighboring sensor means from which the information about the position of the unit in the train to which the sensor means is mounted is derived,

wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is configured to use the wireless communication module for a wireless unit-to-unit communication, and wherein the wireless communication modules of the plurality of sensor means wirelessly transmit each of the detected parameters, identifiers, pressures, and signal strengths,

wherein the control device is configured to generate the list of units based on each of the identifiers and any of the detected parameters, pressures, and signal strengths in response to unavailability of a global navigation satellite system module.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the identifiers of plurality of sensor means is associated with the respective unit in the train to which it is mounted and each of the plurality of sensor means is configured to transmit the detected parameter and the associated identifier of the respective unit in the train to which it is mounted to the control device or a server for processing and generation of the list of units.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises at least one interface for a manual input of data related to one or more items of the list of units and is configured to generate the list of units based at least in part on the manual input of the data related to the one or more items of the list of units via the at least one interface.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple units of the train are connected in a brake system, the pressure is a pressure of a fluid in the brake system, at least one unit in the train is configured to control the pressure of the fluid in the brake, system, and each of the plurality of sensors means comprises a pressure sensor and a timestamp generator to detect the pressure of the fluid in the brake system and to generate a corresponding timestamp of when a change in the pressure of the fluid in the brake system in the respective unit exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold pressure, respectively, from which the information about the position of the respective unit in the train is derived.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor means comprises a global navigation satellite system module to detect the position of the unit to which it is mounted from which the information about the position of the unit in the train is derived.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control device is a fixed or a handheld device.

7 . A train comprising: the system of claim 1 .

8 . A method for automatic generation of a list of units in a train comprising multiple units, the method comprising:

associating each of a plurality of sensor means to a respective unit of the train

each of the plurality of sensor means being configured to communicate with one or more of the plurality of sensor means, and the plurality of sensor means forming a sensor mesh network;

each of the plurality of sensor means detecting a parameter and a pressure of the respective unit, to provide an information about a position of the respective unit in the train

each of the plurality of sensor means transmitting the detected parameters via the sensor mesh network to a control device or a server; and

receiving the detected parameters from the sensor mesh network at the control device and processing the detected parameters to generate the list of units;

associating each of the plurality of sensor means with an identifier of the unit in the train the sensor means is associated with and each of the plurality of sensor means transmitting the identifier of the unit in the train to the control device for processing and generation of the list of units;

detecting, with one or more of the plurality of sensor means, a signal strength of at least one neighboring sensor means to provide the information about the position of the unit associated with the neighboring sensor means in the train, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means and the control device comprise a wireless communication module to send and receive signals, and transmit the information about the position of the unit associated with the neighboring sensor means in the train, and wherein each of the plurality of sensor means uses the wireless communication module for a wireless unit-to-unit communication, and wherein the plurality of sensor means forms a wireless sensor mesh network;

wirelessly transmitting each of the detected parameters, identifiers, pressures, and signal strengths, strengths; and

generating the list of units based on each identifier of the identifiers and any of the detected parameters pressures, and signal strengths in response to unavailability of a global navigation satellite system module.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising manually inputting, via at least one interface for manual input of the control device, one or more items of the list of units, and generating the list of units at least in part based on the one or more items of the list of units.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising connecting the multiple units of the train in a brake system, wherein the pressure is a pressure of a fluid in the brake system, and at least one unit in the train controls the pressure of the fluid in the brake system fluid pressure, system, and each of the plurality of sensors means comprises a timestamp generator, and

detecting the pressure of the fluid in the brake system with one or more pressure sensors of the plurality of sensor means and producing a corresponding timestamp of when the pressure of the fluid in the brake system in the respective unit exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold pressure for the one or more pressure sensors from which the information about the position of the respective unit in the train is derived.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor means comprises a global navigation satellite system module to detect the position of the respective unit and transmits the information about the position of the respective unit associated with the sensor means in the train.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the generating the list of units further comprises evaluating the accuracy of the list of units based on manual input of data related to one or more items of the list of units.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises using the control device as a brake test controller for brake testing after generation of the list of units and using the generated list of units for a brake weight calculation.