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US 12,434,749 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for controlling a railway system
AssigneeHitachi Rail Sts S.P.A.
InventorsFabio Canigliula, Luca Flaminio, Fausto Del Villano
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Abstract
A transportation system is controlled by an apparatus. The apparatus has a communicator adapted to communicate with a second apparatus. The apparatus also has a processor. When the communicator and the processor are controlling the transportation system, they are configured for transmitting to the second apparatus. A first status message defines a first status of the transportation system. When the communicator and the processor are being kept as a reserve for the second apparatus, the communicator and the processor are configured for receiving one second status message defining a second status of the transportation system from the second apparatus.
Claims10
An apparatus for controlling a transportation system comprising:
- a communication means adapted to communicate with at least one second apparatus;
- a control and/or a processing means configured for operating at least in a first operating mode, in which the control and/or processing means executes instructions adapted to control the transportation system, or in a second operating mode, in which the apparatus is kept as a reserve for the at least one second apparatus,
- wherein the control and/or processing means, when operating in the first operating mode, are configured for transmitting to the at least one second apparatus at least one first status message defining a first status of the transportation system, and, when operating in the second operating mode, are configured for receiving from the at least one second apparatus at least one second status message defining a second status of the transportation system, the apparatus further comprising:
- a memory means containing at least hierarchy data representing a list of elements that identify at least one of the apparatus and the at least one second apparatus, wherein the control and/or processing means, when operating in the second operating mode, are configured for deciding whether to operate in the first operating mode on the basis of the hierarchy data,
- wherein the control and/or processing means, when operating in the second operating mode, are configured for deciding whether to operate in the first operating mode on the basis of the hierarchy data when the communication means has not received the second status message within a first time interval,
- wherein the control and/or processing means, when operating in the first operating mode, are configured for
- receiving at least one first synchronization message from the at least one second apparatus through the communication means, wherein the first synchronization message comprises a first replication score determined on a basis of a number of sensors and/or actuators with which the at least one second apparatus can communicate and/or a level of availability of computational resources of the at least one second apparatus,
- generating the hierarchy data on a basis of at least the first replication score,
- transmitting, through the communication means, a hierarchy message comprising the hierarchy data to the at least one second apparatus,
- wherein the first replication score is computed on the basis of:
- a common score determined on the basis of the number of devices with which said second apparatus can communicate, and/or the time necessary for completing control actions required for controlling the transportation system, and
- a discriminant score statically assigned to said second apparatus.
9 more elements
A method for controlling a transportation system, comprising:
- a control phase, in which the transportation system is controlled through a control and/or a processing means and a communication means comprised in a first apparatus, and at least one first status message is transmitted, through the communication means, to at least one second apparatus, wherein the first status message defines a first status of the transportation system;
- and
- a wait phase, in which at least one second status message is received, through the communication means, from the at least one second apparatus, wherein the second status message defines a second status of the transportation system,
- wherein, during the wait phase, a decision is made, through the control and/or processing means, if the control phase should be executed on the basis of hierarchy data representing a list of elements identifying at least one of the first apparatus and the at least one second apparatus,
- wherein, during the wait phase, a decision is made, through the control and/or processing means, if the control phase should be executed on the basis of the hierarchy data when the second status message has not been received within a first time interval,
- wherein, during the control phase, at least one first synchronization message is received, through the communication means, from the at least one second apparatus, wherein the synchronization message comprises a first replication score determined on a basis of a number of sensors and/or actuators with which the at least one second apparatus can communicate and/or a level of availability of computational resources of the at least one second apparatus, the hierarchy data are generated, through the control and/or processing means, on a basis of at least the first replication score, and a hierarchy message comprising the hierarchy data is transmitted, through the communication means, to the at least one second apparatus,
- wherein the first replication score is computed on the basis of:
- a common score determined on the basis of the number of devices with which said second apparatus can communicate, and/or the time necessary for completing control actions required for controlling the transportation system, and
- a discriminant score statically assigned to said second apparatus.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.