US 12,071,114 B2
Monitoring and diagnostics system for a smart freight car
Balazs Liktor, Budapest (HU); and Gabor Toth, Budapest (HU)
Assigned to KNORR-BREMSE Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH, (DE)
Appl. No. 17/256,579
Filed by KNORR-BREMSE Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH, Munich (DE)
PCT Filed Jun. 24, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/066668
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 28, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/002235, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18180981 (EP), filed on Jun. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0269072 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. B60T 17/22 (2006.01); B61C 17/06 (2006.01); B61K 9/00 (2006.01); B61L 15/00 (2006.01); B61L 27/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60T 17/228 (2013.01) [B60T 17/22 (2013.01); B61C 17/06 (2013.01); B61K 9/00 (2013.01); B61L 15/0081 (2013.01); B61L 27/04 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A monitoring and diagnostics system for a rail car comprising:
multiple sensor units, each comprising sensor devices and a data transfer unit, wherein the multiple sensor units comprise at least one power harvester configured to convert ambient energy into electrical energy, and energy storage configured to store the electrical energy generated by the power harvester;
a sensor hub which comprises a communication subsystem, the sensor hub comprises at least one analogue input port and one digital input port; and
a receiver,
wherein the data transfer unit is configured so that the sensor units transfer detected/measured data to the sensor hub and the communication subsystem is configured so that the sensor hub transfers the data to the receiver either with cable or wirelessly,
wherein the power harvester is configured to energize the sensor devices and the data transfer unit, and charge the energy storage,
wherein one of the sensor units is connected directly with or integrated in a control valve of a brake system of the rail car, and
wherein the receiver is a back office server.