WP23 Onboard Communications – Communication foundations and basic functionality

A modular and upgradeable next-generation ATC asks for a seamless communication among on-train domains. The new Onboard Communication Network (aka One Common Bus), as started in the ERA TWG Train Architecture, will be a big step forward in that direction. Starting from the CCS and FRMCS systems, it will offer further separated logical domains of TCMS, Operator Oriented Services (OOS) and Customer Oriented Services (COS) to use the same (physical) network. The Onboard Communication Network shall be cost-efficient (from LCC and TCO point of view). This enabler will also address migration questions from existing technologies in scope of the onboard networks as well as the interoperability and integration for train backbone networks. In the first phase of EU-RAIL, the enabler focusses on foundations for the onboard communication network - building upon and substantially extending the prior work from CONNECTA and OCORA beyond TCMS and CCS and also toward higher protocol layers -and overall strives for a TRL of 4/5 (technology validated in a lab setup that represents practical train deployments). For higher level TRLs the later phases of the projects will be used. This WP focusses on the communication functionality plus building up a lab environment for PoCs.

WP24 Onboard Communications – Network management functionality, processes and overall integration

While the former WP focusses on the communication functionality, this WP focusses mainly on the network management functionality and the CCS/TCMS interoperability. For the overall intention see WP23. Due to the complete novelty of this work, the aim in this WP is a TRL of 4.