# US 10,370,016 B2 · Method and device for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,016 B2 - Document ID: US10370016B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/539,288 - Filed: 2015-12-02 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-23 - Assignees: Siemens Mobility GmbH - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Harald Fischer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370016B2 ## CPC - B61L 27/60: Testing or simulation - B60L 3/12: Recording operating variables {; Monitoring of operating variables} - B61L 27/53: for trackside elements or systems, e.g. trackside supervision of trackside control system conditions - B61L 27/57: for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions - G01M 17/08: Railway vehicles - B60L 2200/26: Rail vehicles - B60L 2240/70: Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres - B61K 9/10: for detecting cracks in rails or welds thereof - B61L 23/042: {Track changes detection} - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B61K: AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RAILWAYS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle achieves a fast-working, flexible, and in the event of a misdetection, precise monitoring environment, in particular without complex system or architectural adjustments to the rail vehicle. A stationary control unit and a simulation unit are provided on the land side. A data connection is established between the stationary control unit and the rail vehicle. A data connection is established between the stationary control unit and the simulation unit. The test process includes providing data traffic between the stationary control unit and the rail vehicle and the simulation unit. A device for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle is also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: providing a stationary control unit and a simulator on a land side, the simulator including at least one processor; providing the simulator with a simulation environment and real vehicle components embedded in the simulation environment, and using the simulation components of the simulation environment to reproduce a real environment of the vehicle components in a system constituted by the rail vehicle; establishing a data connection between the stationary control unit and the rail vehicle; establishing a data connection between the stationary control unit and the simulator; and providing the stationary control unit with data traffic of the rail vehicle and of the simulator and carrying out the test process by evaluating, with the stationary control unit, the data traffic of the rail vehicle and of the simulator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transferring process data of a vehicle process to the stationary control unit, and using the stationary control unit to perform an assessment of the process data based on simulation data of a simulation process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transferring process data of a vehicle process to the stationary control unit, and using the stationary control unit to effect a change in simulation data of the simulator based on the process data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the change in the simulation data includes an adjustment of at least one data set based on the process data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the stationary control unit to influence at least one vehicle process at least partially based on simulation data of a simulation process. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, which further comprises using the simulation data to reproduce at least one fault in the rail vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises: providing a computer-aided development system; and providing the simulator with an interface establishing data communication with the computer-aided development system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, which further comprises providing the computer-aided development system with at least one data set of simulation data selected from the group consisting of circuit diagram data, component libraries and library data for a design program. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises performing the test process during line operation of the rail vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, which further comprises using the test process to detect an unsafe condition of the rail vehicle and restoring the rail vehicle to a safe condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, which further comprises triggering emergency braking of the rail vehicle in an event of an unsafe condition. ### Claim 12 A device for carrying out a test process relating to a rail vehicle, the device comprising: a stationary control unit, a simulator and a data interface provided on land, said simulator including at least one processor; said simulator having a simulation environment and real vehicle components embedded in the simulation environment, wherein the simulation components of the simulation environment reproduce a real environment of the vehicle components in a system constituted by the rail vehicle; said stationary control unit being operatively connected to said simulator in terms of data; said stationary control unit being configured to establish a data connection with the rail vehicle through said data interface; and said stationary control unit being configured to carry out the test process by evaluating data traffic of the rail vehicle and of the simulator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein said stationary control unit is configured to evaluate process data of a vehicle process of the rail vehicle based on simulation data of a simulation process of said simulator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein said stationary control unit is configured to influence at least one vehicle process at least partially based on simulation data of a simulation process.