Abstract: An activation system is described which controls the activation of at least one control means installed in a vehicle including a braking system including a main brake pipe containing a fluid. The control means to assumes a resting state in which it consumes a first value of electrical energy and an active state in which it consumes a second value of electrical energy, greater than the first value of electrical energy. The activation system measures the pressure value of the fluid within the main brake pipe and generate an activation signal when the pressure value of the fluid within said main brake pipe is equal to or less than a first predetermined threshold value. The control means receives the activation signal and switches from the resting state to the active state when the control means is in the resting state and receives the activation signal.

Abstract: A system is described for determining remaining life of at least one component arranged to be installed on a vehicle, particularly a railway vehicle, comprising a control means arranged for measuring, from when the at least one component has been installed in the vehicle, a usage data of the at least one component; receiving or including predetermined end-of-life data indicative of the expected end-of-life of the component; and determining a remaining life value of the component based on the difference between the predetermined end-of-life data and the measured usage data.

Abstract: A monitoring system is described for a plurality of homogeneous devices, of at least one railway vehicle, wherein a functional state of each device is represented by a respective value of at least one operating quantity common to the devices. The monitoring system comprises: a control means which acquires, in a succession of acquisition instants, values of the operating quantity; each value is representative of the functional state of a respective device in an acquisition instant; diagnostic means which receive the values acquired in an acquisition instant and detect an operating anomaly or a maintenance request from at least one device as a function of a comparison, for each acquisition instant, of the values received with a range of reference values comprising a reference value determined as a function of at least two values acquired in an acquisition instant.

Abstract: Described is a system for determining the forward speed of at least one vehicle, comprising control means, each associated with at least one axle, and a communication means for transmitting signals or values between the control means. At measurement instants successive in time, each control means generates a corresponding sliding signal of the respective at least one axle. At a sharing instant, each control means transmits the respective sliding signal, and in the no-sliding condition, the value of a quantity related to the rotation of the respective axle or its own estimated forward speed of the vehicle to the other control means. When all the sliding signals indicate a sliding condition, one of said control means controls first braking means associated with one of the axles, so as to reduce a braking force applied to said axle.

Abstract: A method is described for determining a capacitance value of at least a first super-capacitor of an electro-mechanical braking system which also comprises a second super-capacitor. The method comprises: a) measuring a first voltage value at terminals of the second super-capacitor; b) if the first voltage value is greater than a minimum voltage value, charging or discharging the first super-capacitor, in order to make the terminals of the first super-capacitor assume a second voltage value; c) determining a first voltage variation at the terminals of the first super-capacitor; d) determining a first voltage variation rate; e) measuring a first current value flowing in one of the terminals of the first super-capacitor; f) calculating the capacitance value of the first super-capacitor by means of the ratio between the first measured current value and the first voltage variation rate. An electro-mechanical braking system and a vehicle are also described.

Abstract: A braking system for at least one railway vehicle is described, which is arranged to provide to either the at least one trackside signaling system, or the at least one on-board vehicle signaling system, or both the at least one trackside signaling system and the at least one on-board vehicle signaling system, information regarding respective factors affecting braking of the railway vehicle that includes information regarding a corrective factor to be applied to a predefined nominal deceleration value of the at least one railway vehicle in low-adhesion conditions, kwet. Information regarding respective factors affecting the braking of the railway vehicle is determined in real time by said braking system. An additional braking system is described wherein the information regarding respective factors affecting braking of the railway vehicle includes information regarding the available adhesion of at least one wheel of the railway vehicle and rail. A signaling architecture is also described.

Abstract: A method for determining a capacitance value of a super-capacitor of an electro-mechanical braking system is described. The method may include measuring a first voltage value at terminals of the super-capacitor; if the first voltage value is greater than a predetermined minimum voltage, performing a charge or discharge action of the super-capacitor for a measurement time period, in order to make the terminals of the super-capacitor assume a second voltage value greater than or equal to said minimum voltage; determining a voltage variation at the terminals of the super-capacitor during the measurement time period; determining a voltage variation rate; measuring a current value flowing in one of the terminals of the super-capacitor, at a measurement instant; and calculating the capacitance value of the super-capacitor. A braking system and a vehicle are also described.

Abstract: An anti-skid system for an electromechanical braking system of at least one vehicle including at least one wheel is described, comprising an anti-skid module arranged to execute a predetermined anti-skid function and a supervisor module arranged to monitor the anti-skid module, wherein the supervisor module includes a braking force application request adjustment module, wherein the supervisor module and the anti-skid module are modules that are distinct from each other, and the braking force application request adjustment module is arranged to adjust a braking force application request signal independently of the execution of the anti-skid function by the anti-skid module.

Abstract: A method for estimating a longitudinal acceleration of at least one railway vehicle by means of an accelerometric sensor means is described, comprising the steps of: executing a calibration phase including the steps of: solving the following system, in order to determine the values of the first direction cosine k1, the second direction cosine k2 and the third direction cosine k3: { k 1 * a x ( t c ? 1 ) + k 2 * a y ( t c ? 1 ) + k 3 * a z ( t c ? 1 ) = a ref ( t c ? 1 ) k 1 * a x ? ( t c ? 2 ) + k 2 * a y ? ( t c ? 2 ) + k 3 * a z ? ( t c ? 2 ) = a ref ? ( t c ? 2 ) k 1 * a x ? ( t c ? 3 ) + k 2 * a y ? ( t c ? 3 ) + k 3 * a z ? ( t c ? 3 ) = a ref ? ( t c ? 3 ) following the calibration phase, determining an estimated longitudinal acceleration value a1on(ti1) by means of the sum of a multiplication of the first direction cosine k

Abstract: An anti-skid system for an electromechanical braking system of at least one vehicle including at least one wheel is described, comprising an anti-skid module arranged to execute a predetermined anti-skid function and a supervisor module arranged to monitor the anti-skid module, wherein the supervisor module includes a braking force application request adjustment module, wherein the supervisor module and the anti-skid module are modules that are distinct from each other, and the braking force application request adjustment module is arranged to adjust a braking force application request signal independently of the execution of the anti-skid function by the anti-skid module.

Abstract: A monitoring system for at least one plurality of homogeneous devices is described, wherein a first portion of the homogeneous devices is arranged to be installed in a first convoy and a second portion of the homogeneous devices is arranged to be installed in a second convoy. A functional state of each device is represented by a respective value of at least one operational quantity common to the plurality of homogenous devices. The monitoring system comprises first communication means arranged to allow the transmission of a first plurality of values and a second plurality of values, at least one first diagnostic means arranged to detect an operational fault or a maintenance request from the at least one device that is installed in the first convoy, and at least one second diagnostic means included in the second convoy arranged to detect an operational fault or a maintenance request from the at least one device that is installed in the second convoy.

Abstract: A method for verifying the operation of braking means of at least one vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, is described, comprising the steps of: a) imposing a braking force on at least one wheel of the at least one axle of the at least one vehicle; b) towing the at least one vehicle according to a non-zero and constant forward speed; c) measuring on a rail at least one friction force which is a function of a braking force; d) comparing the at least one measured friction force with a predetermined minimum force value; e) determining that the braking means associated with the at least one wheel whose friction force is lower than the predetermined minimum force value are malfunctioning. Also described are a system for measuring a friction force and a system for verifying the operation of braking means of at least one vehicle.

Abstract: A device and method for dispensing a friction-coefficient-optimizing mixture of at least one lubricant and at least one grit into the gap between a rail wheel of a rail vehicle and a rail. The device includes a reservoir for the lubricant, a reservoir for the grit, a metering unit for metering the lubricant, a metering unit for metering the grit, a delivery apparatus for delivering the lubricant, a delivery apparatus for delivering the grit, and a common dispensing nozzle. The apparatus for delivering the lubricant and the apparatus for delivering the grit are separate from each other and end in the common dispensing nozzle, the friction-coefficient-optimizing mixture therefore not being formed until the dispensing, and an additional compressed air line is provided, which ends in the common dispensing nozzle.

Abstract: A method is described for calibrating an acquisition chain of a braking device or system of at least one vehicle, in particular at least one railway vehicle, which method includes the steps of: a) measuring a predetermined reference value of a physical quantity by means of a calibration means having a degree of accuracy greater than a predetermined threshold; b) measuring the predetermined reference value of the physical quantity by means of the acquisition chain; c) determining a measurement error therebetween; and d) modifying the at least one coefficient of said transfer function of control means of the acquisition chain, on the basis of the comparison of the value measured by the calibration means with the value measured by the acquisition chain, so that the measurement error of the acquisition chain is minimized or rendered null.

Abstract: A method is described for detecting a braking action of a railway vehicle (RV) comprising monitoring the load transfer to a first axle of the railway vehicle (RV) from a second axle following the first axle according to the direction of travel (d) and, if the load transfer exceeds a predetermined threshold, determining that the railway vehicle (RV) is braking. An emergency braking method is also described comprising detecting an emergency braking request, activating an electrodynamic braking system to decelerate the railway vehicle when the emergency braking request is detected, applying the method to detect a braking action of a railway vehicle and, if so, determining that the electrodynamic braking system is operating correctly and using the electrodynamic braking system to fulfill at least partially the emergency braking request.

Abstract: A system and method for managing braking in a degraded adhesion condition for a vehicle system including at least one vehicle comprising setting a target deceleration value, applying a non-degraded braking force via a braking system of the vehicle system, detecting a presence of a degraded adhesion condition between the vehicle system and a route along which the vehicle system moves. Responsive to the degraded adhesion condition not being detected, maintaining the application of the non-degraded braking force, or responsive to the degraded adhesion condition being detected, applying a degraded braking force, activating recovery means to control deceleration of the vehicle system, determining a compensation deceleration value, and applying at least one of the braking system or recovery means to control the deceleration of the vehicle system.

Abstract: A system for determining an adhesion value between wheel and rail for a railway vehicle is described, comprising an optical information acquisition means arranged to acquire optical information from the rail, a database arranged to store the acquired optical information in at least a learning phase and to associate said information with a relevant real wheel-rail adhesion value measured at the moment of acquisition of the optical information, a control unit arranged to determine the current wheel-rail adhesion value on the basis of a comparison between current acquired optical information and the optical information previously stored in the database. The control unit determines that the current wheel-rail adhesion value associated with the current acquired optical information corresponds to the adhesion value associated with the optical information stored in the database having the highest degree of similarity with the current acquired optical information.

Abstract: A system for verifying the integrity of a convoy, particularly a railway convoy, comprising at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, is described, in which the system for verifying the integrity of a convoy includes a first controller arranged to be coupled to the first vehicle, a second controller arranged to be coupled to the second vehicle, and at least one communication means arranged to allow communication between the first controller and the second controller. The first controller and/or the second controller is/are arranged to determine that the integrity of the convoy is compromised, when the first controller and the second controller are no longer able to communicate with each other via the at least one communication means.

Abstract: A braking control system includes braking control modules configured to generate a braking torque request signal, indicative of a requested braking torque value CFr, which is variable until reaching a target value Vt, and to supply the braking torque request signal to a braking means which converts it into a braking torque with effective braking torque value CFe. The braking control modules are configured to calculate a total difference of instantaneous braking torque ?CFt as the sum of the differences between the CFr values and the CFe values of all modules. If the calculated ?CFt is greater than zero when Vt is reached, the braking control modules increase the braking torque until a ?CFt subsequent to reaching Vt has a zero or negative value, or until the maximum available adhesion signal has indicated that a controlled axle has reached the maximum available adhesion.

Abstract: A service and emergency braking control system for at least one railway vehicle, including a plurality of braking control modules is provided. Each braking control module is equipped for: if, when achieving a determined braking torque value from an applied braking torque, an instantaneous deceleration value is lower than the target deceleration value, increasing the applied braking torque until the instantaneous deceleration value reaches the target deceleration value, or until the maximum available adhesion from an axle controlled by said braking control module is indicated.