Technical Field

The invention relates to a router, specifically to a router for railway infrastructure for data traffic management on an Ethernet and/or serial transmission route, and to the connection of this router.

State of the Art

Currently, in the segment of data transfer endpoints with routers, there are various types of routers that are available on the market, but also specialised devices with a limited set of functional properties. Most of these devices are not equipped with remote diagnostics or the ability to check the correct connection with the counterpart.

For long-distance transmissions with X.21 and Ethernet interfaces, first- generation routers are used to filter and route data for communication between station security devices. Among their disadvantages are that their component base ceases to be available, they have limited data throughput and they have limited functional properties.

The main disadvantage of the current state of the art is that known types of routers have limited functional properties.

The goal of the invention is the design of a router that will allow sufficient data throughput and will have significantly extended functional properties.

Principle of the Invention

The stated shortcomings are largely eliminated and the goals of the invention are met by a router, specifically a router for railway infrastructure for data traffic management on an Ethernet and/or serial transmission route, according to the invention, characterised by that it contains a data switch bidirectionally data-connected to the microcontroller, with the data switch being further bidirectionally data-connected to at least one user port. In this way, the transmission/filtering of user data is carried out by the device precisely according to the uploaded configuration.

It is to advantage that the microcontroller is data-connected to a serial interface, which is to greatest advantage an X.21 serial interface. In addition to its own data transmission, this connection aiso enables control of the serial interface behaviour from the point of view of DTE/DCE synchronisation and the handling of Control/! nd lea tion control signals.

Furthermore, it is to advantage if the microcontroller is data-connected to a configuration and diagnostic interface, which is to greatest advantage a USB interface. This interface is standard for other communication devices as well, which simplifies service work.

The data switch and microcontroller are connected to a power supply unit which provides power to the entire device.

It is also to advantage if the microcontroller is a single-chip computer. All the necessary functions can thus be carried out with minimum structural size, consumption, and cooling requirements.

Furthermore, the stated shortcomings are largely eliminated and the goals of the invention are fulfilled by the connection of the router, specifically the connection of the first router to a second router to one serial transmission communication route, according to the invention, characterised by that a service computer is detachably connected to at least one of the routers . This makes it possible to control both the local and remote router from a single place and, for example, the presence of an operator on the remote side is not required to change the configuration.

It is to great advantage if at least one independent monitoring and diagnostic communication channel is arranged in the serial connection of the routers. The advantage being that this channel allows continuous verification of the control string's consent, without which the transfer of user data is not released. This ensures that only data that is intended for the correct counterpart of the communication passes through the communication channel and eliminates the situation where, due to a faulty connection with the wrong counterpart, shutdown of the railway interlocking system could be activated.

When transmitting interlocking system data, it is absolutely impossible to transmit data in the transmission communication path that does not correspond to the required configuration. This is strictly required not only when activating interlocking systems, but also when replacing individual routers, e.g. during service intervention. Improperly transmitted data that does not meet the exacting standard would result in a safety shutdown of the entire interlocking system. Therefore, DOR routers continuously verify the approval of the control string on the X.21 serial synchronous interface before releasing the data transfer. This eliminates the potential for misconfiguraticn of the intermediate transmission system, which could otherwise result in the interconnection of the wrong channels.

A typical application is the connection of a pair of DOR routers via an intermediate transmission device creating a serial synchronous transmission route. DOR routers allow remote diagnostics of the opposite router in this topology, using a service computer connected to the local router, via USB interface. This feature has no effect on passing user data and is integrated directly into the circuit design and firmware of each router.

With remote diagnostics, the state of the opposite router can be monitored, the type of fault determined (e.g. control string disagreement), the configuration loaded and uploaded and the device restarted.

The main advantage of the router according to the invention is that it is simple to use for track security or communication equipment with a requirement for remote diagnostics of both sides of serial communication in a point-to-point topology. Furthermore, it is to advantage that the router allows checking the correct serial connection with the opposite router, with an automatic response if the control string does not agree. A great advantage is that checking every single connection between two routers, in the case of a faulty connection, clearly results in the failure of parts of the interlocking system. It is also to advantage that connecting routers enables monitoring of the state of the opposite router, the possibility of restarting it, loading and uploading the configuration through a communication channel that is independent of passing user data and is thus protected against atack.

Overview of the Figures

The invention will be explained in more detail with the help of drawings, in which fig. 1 shows the diagram of the internal connection of the routerand fig. 2 schematically shows the connection of two routers on a serial transmission communication route.

Examples of the Performance of the Invention

A router for railway infrastructure (fig. 1 ) for controlling data traffic on Ethernet and/or on a serial transmission communication route 13 contains a data switch 1 bidirectionally data-connected to a microcontroller 2, which is a single-chip computer. The data switch 1 is also bidirectionally data-connected to four user Ethernet ports 4, 5,6,7, where the local ports of communicating devices, such as railway interlocking system, using the services of the router, are connected. The data switch 1 processes the incoming and outgoing traffic based on the information contained in the data and the knowledge of into which of the ports it arrives, according to the contents of its internal table, forwards it to the relevant outgoing ports, or filters.

The microcontroller 2 is data-connected to the serial interface 3, which is an X.21 serial interface. The microcontroller 2 is further data-connected to the configuration and diagnostic interface 8, which is a USB interface. The microcontroller 2 indicates the status and commands the operation of the entire router based on the user configuration uploaded through the configuration and diagnostic interface 8, and further controls communication on the serial synchronous data interface 3.

The data switch 1 and the microcontroller 2 are connected to the power supply unit 9, which is a direct current converter (DC/DC converter).

In the connection of the first router 10 with the second router I T to one serial transmission communication line 13, a service computer 12 is detachably connected to the first router 10 via a USB interface.

In the serial connection of the first router 10 with the second router 11 one independent monitoring and diagnostic communication channel is arranged. This communication channel for remote diagnostics is independent of passing user data and is thus protected against attack.

In the connection of this pair of routers 10, H, verification of the consent of the control string is continuously performed, without which the transfer of user data is not released.

The first router 10 is further connected via a local Ethernet network to the first part of interlocking system 14. The second router 11 is further connected via a remote Ethernet network to the second part of interlocking system 15.

Industrial Application

The router according to the invention can be used specifically to control data traffic on Ethernet and/or on serial transmission communication lines of railway infrastructure. List of Reference Marks

1 data switch

2 microcontroller

3 serial interface

4 user port I

5 user port II

6 user port I II

7 user port IV

8 configuration and diagnostic interface

9 power supply unit

10 first router

11 second router

12 service computer

13 communication line

14 first part of interlocking system

15 second part of interlocking system