Train and method for safely determining the configuration of such a train

1. A method for determining a configuration of a train, the train including a plurality of vehicles grouped as successive units connected to each other, including a head unit and a tail unit, the train including safety management devices including one safety management device per unit, each of the safety management devices having two designated identifiers, coupling communication links including one coupling communication link for each pair of adjacent units, each of the coupling communication links only connecting the two safety management devices of the respective pair of adjacent units, and a general network connecting all the safety management devices to each other, the method comprising an initial step of transmitting with each of the safety management devices, over the general network, a non-secured broadcast message including the two designated identifiers, and a step of receiving, with each of the safety management devices, the non-secured broadcast messages transmitted by others of the safety management devices, the method further comprising:

transmitting, over the general network and over a first of the coupling communication links, with a first safety management device of the safety management devices, a secured message to a second safety management device of the safety management devices adjacent to the first safety management device, the secured message including one of the two designated identifiers of the first safety management device;

transmitting, over the general network, with the second safety management device having received the secured message, a restoration message including the two designated identifiers of the first safety management device as well as one of the two designated identifiers of the second safety management device;

receiving, with each of the first safety management device and further ones of the safety management devices other than the first safety management device and the second safety management device, the restoration message transmitted by the second safety management device and other restoration messages transmitted by the further ones of the safety management devices other than the first safety management device and the second safety management device; and

determining, with at least the first safety management device, the configuration of the train, by applying a predetermined algorithm within at least the first safety management device, the predetermined algorithm comparing the restoration message and the other restoration messages with the two designated identifiers included in each of the non-secured broadcast messages to determine an order according to which the units are connected to each other.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the units include coupling electric couplers with each of the units including two of the coupling electric couplers, each of the coupling electric couplers being capable of detecting that an adjacent one of the units connected to the unit of which the coupling electric coupler is included and wherein, during the determining the configuration of the train, applying the predetermined algorithm further includes:

seeking an assumed tail device and an assumed head device of the train, by identifying two of the safety management devices which are only connected to a single one of the safety management devices via one of the coupling communication links and selecting one of the these two safety management devices as the assumed tail device and one of these two safety management devices as the assumed head device,

seeking one of the safety management devices connected to the assumed tail device via one of the coupling communication links,

seeking one of the safety management devices connected to the assumed head device via one of the coupling communication links, and

validating a completeness of the train, an assumed head unit and an assumed tail unit of the train, respectively corresponding to the assumed head device and the assumed tail device, being confirmed as being the ends of the train by reading the coupling electric coupler of the assumed head device and the coupling electric coupler of the assumed tail device.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the safety management devices include safety management modules and each of the safety management devices includes two of the safety management modules, each of the safety management modules being associated with one of the two designated identifiers of the safety management device in which the safety management module is included, during the initial step of transmitting the non-secured broadcast message and during the transmitting the restoration message, the two designated identifiers of the first safety management device being the two designated identifiers of the two safety management modules of the first safety management device.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the safety management devices include safety management modules and each of the safety management devices includes one of the safety management modules, each of the safety management modules having the two designated identifiers of the safety management device in which the safety management module is included, during the initial step of transmitting the non-secured broadcast message and during the transmitting the restoration message, the two designated identifiers of the first safety management device being the two designated identifiers of the safety management module of the first safety management device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein during the transmitting the restoration message, two of the second safety management device and the further ones of the safety management devices further transmit in parallel over the general network, an additional message including the two of the designated identifiers as well as a value of a variable indicative of a presence or an absence of one of the units being adjacent to the two of the second safety management device and the further ones of the safety management devices.