Abstract: At least one fiber-optic sensor unit measures a mechanical variable which affects a rail having a certain length and a neutral axis that extends along said length of the rail. The at least one fiber-optic sensor unit is disposed at an angle of 30° to 60°, in particular 45°, relative to the neutral axis or at an angle of ?30° to ?60°, in particular ?45°, relative to the neutral axis. The at least one fiber-optic sensor unit is irradiated with primary light in order to generate a signaling light in a reflection mode or transmission mode. The intensity of the signaling light is sensed. The signaling light is evaluated.

Abstract: A frequency generator for generating a working frequency for a transmission signal of a rail contact of an axle counter includes a series resonant circuit having a transmitter coil unit of the rail contact and a capacitor. The frequency generator has an inverter, the output of which is connected to the capacitor. The inverter is configured to generate an oscillating voltage and to feed the generated oscillating voltage to the transmitter coil unit of the rail contact via the capacitor. A current transformer synchronizes the output voltage of the inverter to the current in the series resonant circuit. A start-up circuit electrically connected to the inverter is configured to trigger the inverter and to be electrically connected to an input power supply. The frequency generator is a robust and effective circuit for generation of magnetic fields where manufacturing effort and expensive components can be reduced.

Abstract: A method for safely determining a position information of a train on a track includes an on-board system determining appearance characteristics, current distances relative to the train and current angular positions relative to the train of passive trackside structures with a first sensor arrangement of a first localization stage of the on-board system. The on-board system stores a map data base in which georeferenced locations and appearance characteristics of the passive trackside structures are registered. A first position information about the train is derived from a comparison of determined current distances and current angular positions and the registered locations of allocated passive trackside structures by the first localization stage. A second position information about the train is derived from satellite signals determined by a second sensor arrangement of a second localization stage. The first and second position information undergo a data fusion resulting in a consolidated position information.

Abstract: A method for wagon-to-wagon communication between wagons of a train is disclosed. The train includes a first train wagon and at least one further train wagon, the first train wagon having a first transmitter/receiver device, and the further train wagon having a further transmitter/receiver device. The first transmitter/receiver device sends a request message using short distance communication. The further transmitter/receiver device sends an acknowledgement to the first transmitter/receiver device using short distance communication. The first transmitter/receiver device sends a first identification code identifying the first train wagon to the further train wagon. A method for checking train integrity and a train wagon is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of mounting a rail monitoring member/element at a mounting location of a rail for rail traffic, in particular on a railway track, is disclosed. The rail monitoring member includes a strain sensor member with a carrier on which a strain gauge, being an optical fiber with a fiber Bragg grating, is fixed. The method steps include: determination of the temperature of the rail and/or rail monitoring member at the mounting location; checking whether the determined temperature is within a predefined temperature interval; providing heating or cooling application to the rail and/or rail monitoring member at the mounting location, if the determined temperature is not within the predefined temperature interval; positioning and adhesively fixing of the carrier of the rail monitoring member at the mounting location. The method can be carried out easily and allows reliable and accurate monitoring of the rail using a strain sensor member.

Abstract: A train control network includes a rail, a first communication element and a second communication element, which are to communicate with each other. The first communication element includes a first HF-injector, adapted for injecting HF-signals into the rail. The second communication element includes a HF-receiver, adapted for receiving HF-signals transmitted via the rail. An evaluation unit is provided for analyzing the received HF-signals.

Abstract: A method for data transmission inside a rail-bound traffic system has of a plurality of field elements, in which the data transmission takes place via a flexible wireless transmission path between a sender field element and a control unit along available field elements. A data transmission system is for application of the method and a rail-bound traffic system having such a data transmission system. Furthermore, there is use of communication units on field elements of a rail-bound traffic system to form the data transmission system.

Abstract: A fastening element for a sensor is disclosed, which fastening element can be fastened to a structure by means of a light-curing adhesive. The light-curing adhesive is cured within the cavities provided for receiving the light-curing adhesive by direct and/or indirect illumination. Furthermore, a sensor unit having a sensor and a fastening element, an arrangement having a sensor unit and a structure, and a method for providing an arrangement is disclosed.

Abstract: A rail contact element for drop off detection is disclosed, wherein the rail contact element is mountable to a rail and includes a spring element, a main body which holds the spring element and an optical fiber. The spring element is in a tension state or in a relax state depending on a mounting state of the rail contact element. The optical fiber includes an outlet surface for emitting a light beam and the rail contact element further includes a reflector element. The spring element, the reflector element and the optical fiber are arranged so that the influence of the reflector element on the light beam is different in the tension state than in the relax state.

Abstract: A test metric for satellite sent GNSS code signals is proposed, wherein a signal sent by each satellite i is received at different GNSS receivers, and bias-removed, averaged over the receivers and normalized measurement values are derived out of autocorrelation function values. A correlation matrix Ri,n is built from a matrix Xi,n containing the measurement values in the form of measurement value vectors {right arrow over (X)}i,k from the present time epoch tn and from previous time epochs tk with k=1, . . . , n?1, wherein a principal component analysis is done of matrix Ri,n, wherein a transformed vector {right arrow over (T)}i,n=PCi,nT·{right arrow over (X)}i,nT is calculated, with PCi,n containing at least two eigenvectors having the largest eigenvalues of all eigenpairs.

Abstract: A device for fixing and positioning a rail monitoring element on a rail web of a rail having a rail foot, the rail web, and a rail head, includes a clamping device which can be fastened to the rail. A pressing ram is for pressing the rail monitoring element against the rail web. The pressing ram can be pressed against the rail web when the device is in the mounted state by means of force generated by a force element. A holder is for receiving the force element.

Abstract: A method for assembling a strain gauge arrangement for an axle counter, includes: a strain sensor element; a carrier, to which the strain sensor element is fastened; and a railroad track structure to be monitored. When the carrier is fastened to the structure at least a part of it is kept in an elastically deformed state. The carrier is embodied with a first carrier piece opposing a second carrier piece. The strain sensor element is fastened to the first carrier piece with a first fixing point, to the second carrier piece with a second fixing point, and to neither the first nor the second carrier piece with a central section between the fixing points. At least the part of the carrier is elastically braced by means of a bracing element for when adhesively bonding to the structure to be monitored. Thereafter the bracing element is removed.

Abstract: A system for determining the position of an aircraft comprises an emitter arranged at the aircraft for emitting a signal, at least two receivers arranged at different locations for receiving the signal emitted by the emitter, and an evaluation device which is designed to determine an aircraft position based on the known positions of the receivers at the time of the reception of the signal and on a characteristic of the signal emitted by the emitter and received by the receivers. The invention proposes that at least one of the receivers is located above the aircraft, and that the evaluation means is designed to determine a vertical position (ALT) of the aircraft from the signal received by the receivers and the known positions of the receivers.

Abstract: A rail-monitoring element includes a carrier on which a strain sensor is attached. The strain sensor may be an optical fiber having a fiber Bragg grating. The carrier has an adhesive layer for adhesive attachment to a rail having a thermally activatable or thermally curable adhesive. The adhesive layer has a heating element having contacts for receiving electrical energy. The rail-monitoring element can be installed more easily and in a manner which saves more energy.

Abstract: Method for operating a network (10), wherein the network (10) comprises at least one outer network (12) having at least one network device (14) and at least one inner network (13) having at least one network device (15), wherein additionally a transmission unit (16) is present that blocks a transmission of data from the outer network (12) to the inner network (13) and allows it in the opposite direction (or vice versa), characterised in that the transmission unit (16) permits a transmission of data only from the inner network (13) to the outer network (12) and the at least one network device (15) sends data from the inner network (13) to the transmission unit (16) with a first address, wherein the transmission unit (16) converts this first address into a second address and thereafter the data are transmitted with this second address in the direction of the outer network (12), the second address being a target address for the at least one network device in the outer network (12).

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for analyzing a network having a plurality of ADS-B base stations including the following steps: a. receiving an ADS-B signal from a transmitter located in a first geographic area at a first base station and determining a first arrival time of the signal at the first base station; b. extracting position information from the ADS-B signal; c. determining an expected second arrival time of the ADS-B signal at a second base station using the extracted position information, the position of the first base station, the position of the second base station and the first arrival time; d. determining a quantity characterizing an error from a comparison of the expected second arrival time with an actual second arrival time; e. performing steps a-d for the same ADS-B signal from the same transmitter and further pairs of first and second base stations of the network; and f. tagging a base station if the error related to that base station is significant.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor unit for detecting a mechanical force acting on a rail includes at least a first sensor fiber, a first elongated fiber optic strain sensor and a second elongated fiber optic strain sensor. The first sensor fiber includes the first strain sensor and is characterized in that the at least one sensor fiber is attached to a sensor plate. The first fiber strain sensor and the second strain sensor are arranged in an x-type or v-type geometry, wherein the first strain sensor and the second strain sensor are arranged in an angle of 60° to 120°, in particular of 90°, to each other. Measurements with increased amplification of the measurement signal and improved raw data can be made.

Abstract: A method for assembling a strain gauge arrangement for an axle counter, includes: a strain sensor element; a carrier, to which the strain sensor element is fastened; and a railroad track structure to be monitored. When the carrier is fastened to the structure at least a part of it is kept in an elastically deformed state. The carrier is embodied with a first carrier piece opposing a second carrier piece. The strain sensor element is fastened to the first carrier piece with a first fixing point, to the second carrier piece with a second fixing point, and to neither the first nor the second carrier piece with a central section between the fixing points. At least the part of the carrier is elastically braced by means of a bracing element for when adhesively bonding to the structure to be monitored. Thereafter the bracing element is removed.

Abstract: A method for safe supervising train integrity includes: (a) acquiring first position data of the first carriage via a first tracking unit which is installed on-board of a first carriage and acquiring second position data of a second carriage via a second tracking unit which is installed on-board of the second carriage, wherein the position data is related to a rail route coordinate system; (b) determining a deviation between a reference value which depends on the length of the train and a position value which depends on position data of at least one of the tracking units; (c) detecting whether train integrity is given by analyzing the deviation; (d) repeating steps a) through c); wherein the tracking units are part of on-board units of an automatic train protection system. Thus a cost-efficient method for supervising train integrity which complies with safety level SIL4 can be realized.

Abstract: A strain gauge arrangement for an axle counter has a strain sensor element, a carrier and a railway line structure that is to be monitored. At least one part of the carrier is maintained in an elastically deformed state by the structure when the carrier is secured to the structure. The carrier is formed from a first carrier piece and a second carrier piece, which lie opposite one another at a distance from one another. The strain sensor element has one first fixing point fixed to the first carrier piece, and one second fixing point fixed to the second carrier piece, and a middle section mounted between the fixing points which are not fixed to the first or second carrier piece. The strain gauge arrangement is simple to handle and a drop can be reliably detected and a strain state of the strain sensor element can be predetermined more easily.