Method and device for diagnosing a railroad switch with a point machine

A computer-implemented method for diagnosing a railroad switch with a point machine, the method comprising:

• a) receiving a first time series and a second time series of a sensor signal of the point machine, the sensor signal being sensitive to an operation of the point machine;
• b) detecting changes in the first time series and the second time series indicating changes of operational conditions of the point machine;
• c) allocating an event point of a respective change in the first time series and in the second time series to a respective component of the railroad switch or of the point machine based on a simulation modelling the respective component;
• and
• d) for a respective component:
• identifying event points allocated to the respective component;
• comparing the sensor signal at a first identified event point in the first time series with the sensor signal at a second identified event point in the second time series;
• and
• depending on the comparing, outputting a component-specific fault information and an identification of the respective component.