System for monitoring operating functions of railway devices
View Patent ↗A system for monitoring operating functions of railway devices such as switch machines of turnouts and signal lamps is described. The system comprises a wireless network for communication among operating parameter local detection units associated to individual railway devices and a data collection server and/or remote portable units. The local units detecting operating parameters can be powered via power lines of a railway device to be monitored and for a period of time during which a power signal powering the monitored railway device is provided.
1. A system comprising:
a railway device;
local detection units coupled to the railway device;
a data collection server; and
a wireless network for providing communication between the local detection units and the data collection server, the local detection units configured to monitor operating parameters of the railway device only when the railway device is provided power.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the local detection units are configured to operate during a specific phase of operation of the railway device.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the local detection units comprise storage elements adapted to store operating parameters and configured to transmit the operating parameters at a set time.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the local detection units comprise:
an interface to the railway device;
a transmission module; and
and an antenna.
5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the transmission module is powered independently of the interface to the railway device.
6. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the transmission module is powered by a radio frequency signal received from the antenna.
7. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the transmission module is powered through a low-power power line, independent of power lines powering the monitored-railway device.
8. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the transmission module is set to transmit the operating parameters cyclically and/or upon demand, irrespective of the monitored railway device being powered or not powered.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the local detection units are interfaced with the monitored railway devices through serial connections.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the local detection units are housed within the monitored railway devices.
11. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the interface and the transmission module are housed within the monitored railway device while the antenna is placed outside the railway device, sealing connection elements between the transmission module and the antenna.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein local detection units are set to transmit detected parameters to an intermediate unit, wherein the intermediate unit is communicatively coupled to at least one of the data collection server or a portable remote unit.
13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the intermediate unit is arranged remotely with respect to corresponding detection units, the intermediate unit is powered independently of the detection units, and communication between the intermediate unit and the detection units is wireless.
14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein detection units and intermediate units are connected by a wireless network different than the wireless network for communication among intermediate units and the data collection server.
15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the wireless network for the connection among the detection units and the intermediate units is selected from the group consisting of WIFI and Bluetooth® LAN network and the wireless network for the communication among intermediate units and the data collection server is selected from the group consisting of WAN network of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, and UMTS.
16. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the remote portable units are directly interfaced to intermediate units through a different wireless network from the wireless network for a connection among local detection units or wherein the remote portable units are directly interfaced to intermediate units through a different wireless network from the wireless network for a connection among local detection units.
17. The system according to claim 1 , wherein intermediate units are configured to compare received data with reference values in order to transmit alarm conditions to the data collection server and/or to remote portable units.
18. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the data collection server receives data from intermediate units and provides lists of historical analysis of an operation of each railway device to be processed which are entered into a database available for being remotely interrogated.
19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the railway devices to be monitored comprise switch machines of turnouts and detected parameters comprise one or more operating parameters of motors of the switch machines of turnouts, wherein the operating parameters comprise one or more operating parameters selected from the group consisting of: current, voltage, power consumption, position, and speed.
20. The system according to claim 19 , comprising several synchronized switch machines of turnouts, an intermediate unit for receiving the operating parameters of each switch machine of the turnouts and for transmitting the operating parameters to the data collection server and/or to the remote portable units.