# US 9,434,391 B2 · Braking system

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- Number: US 9,434,391 B2
- Document ID: US9434391B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/130,973
- Filed: 2012-07-04
- Published: 2014-09-11
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-04
- Assignees: Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK) Limited
- Applicants: Ross Bradley; Nigel Anstey
- Inventors: Ross Bradley; Nigel Anstey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434391B2

## CPC

- B61C 17/00: Arrangement or disposition of parts; Details or accessories not otherwise provided for; Use of control gear and control systems
- B60T 13/665: {the systems being specially adapted for transferring two or more command signals, e.g. railway systems (B60T13/662 takes precedence)}
- B60T 17/228: {for railway vehicles}
- B61C: LOCOMOTIVES; MOTOR RAILCARS (vehicles in general B60; frames or bogies B61F; special railroad equipment for locomotives B61J, B61K)
- B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES

## Abstract

A brake control unit for a railway vehicle having first and second cores. The first core is responsible for brake control functions and the second core is responsible for communications. A switch controls communication between the second core and a communication bus on the railway vehicle to safeguard the braking function of the first core. The second core only has write access to the communication bus when enabled by the first core, which first core determines whether the system is in a defined safe state to safeguard the braking function. This reduces the testing requirements for new communications software.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A brake control unit for a railway vehicle comprising:
first and second cores,
wherein the first core is responsible for brake control functions and the second core is responsible for communications, the arrangement further comprising
a switch adapted to control communication between the second core and a communication bus on the railway vehicle so as to safeguard the braking function of the first core,
wherein the second core only has write access to the communication bus when enabled by the first core via the switch, which first core determines whether the system is in a defined safe state to thereby safeguard the braking function,
wherein the second core can receive data from the communication bus independent of the write access enabled by the first core via the switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The brake control unit of claim 1, wherein the second core has a safety integrity level SIL0.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The brake control unit of claim 1, wherein the first core determines whether the system is in a defined state by determining if the vehicle is stationary.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The brake control unit of claim 1,
wherein the communication bus comprises a level 1 bus and a level 2 bus,
wherein the second core is adapted to monitor the data on the level 1 bus and either log the data in the core or send the data back to a driver via the level 2 bus.