Patent ID: 6546318
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: B60T,B61L

Abstract:
A communication and control system for a railway train which comprises at least one engine and a plurality of wagons or carriages, includingfirst and second bi-directional information transmission lines which extend along the train; a main control unit installed on said engine and connected, in said engine, to both said transmission lines to transmit and receive information to and from both of said transmission lines and to devices or systems for controlling braking of the train; a plurality of slave control units, each of which is installed on a respective wagon or carriage and is connected, in the respective wagon or carriage to said transmission lines, to solenoid valve units associated with pneumatic brake actuators, as well as to sensor devices associated with the wagon or carriage; the main control unit and the slave control units being arranged to talk to one another via said transmission lines according to a predetermined serial protocol; the main control unit being arranged to transmit to the slave control units serial brake control signals and to receive and acquire information or status signals, also of serial type, coming from said slave control units via said transmission lines; the main control unit and the slave control units being arranged to talk to one another at one working frequency on one of said transmission lines and at a second and different working frequency on the other of said transmission lines.