Brake system and braking method for a rail vehicle

1 . A brake system for a rail vehicle, the brake system comprising:

a brake control unit configured to provide braking functions and to output a force actuating variable or an actuating variable;

a braking force unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force based on the force actuating variable or the actuating variable;

a first braking path including functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system and the generation of braking force; and

a second braking path including functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system, or when predetermined brake system state variables are present, and the generation of braking force,

wherein the braking force unit is configured to receive a switching signal and, upon receiving a switching signal in the braking force unit, to switch from the first braking path to the second braking path, or to switch from the second to the first braking path.

2 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the first braking path is specified to provide braking functions with low safety integrity, the second braking path is specified to provide braking functions with high safety integrity, and the low safety integrity is lower than the high safety integrity.

3 . The brake system of claim 1 , further comprising a first group of common functional parts which are part of the first braking path and part of the second braking path.

4 . The brake system of claim 3 , wherein the brake control unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path or the second braking path, and the braking force unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path or the second braking path.

5 . The brake system of claim 4 , wherein the brake control unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path, and the braking force unit is configured to provide braking functions of the first braking path and the second braking path.

6 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control unit is configured to receive a control input with a brake command and to therefrom determine and output an actuating variable or a force actuating variable.

7 . The brake system of claim 6 , wherein the brake control unit is configured to receive vehicle state variable inputs or brake system state variable inputs and to therefrom determine and output the actuating variable or the force actuating variable.

8 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the braking force unit has a power supply unit and an internal power supply unit.

9 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control unit is configured to receive a switching signal and, upon receiving a switching signal in the brake control unit, to switch from the first braking path to the second braking path, or to switch from the second braking path to the first braking path.

10 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control unit, the braking force unit or the power supply unit is configured to determine a switching state and to output a switching signal when a switching state is determined.

11 . The brake system of claim 3 , wherein the braking force unit is configured to receive a force actuating variable or an actuating variable and to control the group of common functional parts such that the rail vehicle is decelerated.

12 . The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake control unit or the braking force unit is configured to determine a switching state and to output a switching signal.

13 . A rail vehicle having a brake system having:

a brake control unit configured to provide braking functions and to output a force actuating variable or an actuating variable;

a braking force unit configured to provide functions for generating a frictional braking force based on the force actuating variable or the actuating variable;

a first braking path including functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system and the generation of braking force; and

a second braking path including functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system, or when predetermined brake system state variables are present, and the generation of braking force,

wherein the braking force unit is configured to receive a switching signal and, upon receiving a switching signal in the braking force unit, to switch from the first braking path to the second braking path, or to switch from the second to the first braking path.

14 . A braking method for a rail vehicle, the method comprising steps:

providing braking functions by a brake control unit;

outputting a force actuating variable or actuating variable by the brake control unit;

providing functions to generate a frictional braking force by a braking force unit, based on the force actuating variable or the actuating variable;

providing a first braking path which includes functions that are active between control inputs of a brake system and the generation of braking force; and

providing a second braking path which includes functions that are active between control inputs of the brake system, or when predetermined brake system state variables are present, and the generation of braking force,

receiving a switching signal by the braking force unit; and

switching from the first braking path to the second braking path or from the second braking path to the first braking path.

15 . The braking method of claim 14 , wherein:

the first braking path is specified to provide braking functions with low safety integrity;

the second braking path is specified to provide braking functions with high safety integrity; and

the low safety integrity is lower than the high safety integrity.

16 . The braking method of claim 14 , wherein the provision of the braking functions by the brake control unit includes providing braking functions of the first braking path, or providing braking functions of the second braking path, and

the provision of functions to generate the frictional braking force by the braking force unit includes: providing braking functions of the first braking path or providing braking functions of the second braking path.

17 . The braking method of claim 14 , wherein:

the provision of the braking functions by the brake control unit includes providing braking functions of the first braking path and providing braking functions of the second braking path; and

the provision of functions to generate the frictional braking force by the braking force unit includes providing braking functions of the first braking path, and providing braking functions of the second braking path.

18 . The braking method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a control input with a brake command by the brake control unit;

determining an actuating variable or a force actuating variable by the brake control unit from the control input;

outputting the actuating variable or the force actuating variable by the brake control unit.

19 . The braking method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a vehicle state variable input or a brake system state variable input by the brake control unit;

determining an actuating variable or a force actuating variable by the brake control unit from the vehicle state variable input or a brake system state variable input; and

outputting the actuating variable or the force actuating variable by the brake control unit.

20 . The braking method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining a switching state by the brake control unit, the braking force unit or the power supply unit; and

outputting a switching signal by the brake control unit, the braking force unit or the power supply unit when the switching state is determined.

21 . The braking method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving a force actuating variable or an actuating variable by the braking force unit; and

controlling a group of common functional parts by the braking force unit, so that the rail vehicle is decelerated.