Buses in Italy Stop for LonWorks Networks
Brescia Trasporti SpA, the public transportation company for the Italian city of Brescia, decided to improve its monitoring system to allow the immediate exchange of data between buses, electronic bus stops, and a control center.
To monitor the bus network within the city of Brescia, Italy, Microlab Sistemi Srl implemented a flexible and expandable integrated solution based on Echelon’s LonWorks technology. The system allows data transmission between busses, electronic bus stops, and the central control center. The network maintains a high level of reliability with respect to information exchange, and it promotes a completely open system, which may easily be expanded at a future date. |
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This new system consists of a meshed network, which connects 56 electronic bus stops. Each electronic bus stop is connected via existing twisted-pair cable to the central control center. Furthermore, each electronic bus stop contains a special LonWorks based Central Processing Unit (CPU), integrated with a Neuron® 3150 Chip and FTT-10 transceiver. |
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LonWorks networks are comprised of many Neuron based devices — each with some intelligence — that function together to perform applications and work. Like the neurons in the human brain, the loss of a single Neuron Chip from a LonWorks network will not hinder the overall application, just what that specific device was intended to do. Also, like the brain, millions of Neuron based devices can be networked together in such a manner as to provide numerous paths to move data around.
Travelers Always Up to Date
Employees can send messages from any workstation at the central control center directly to individual electronic bus stops and have them appear on displays located inside each bus. These messages can be created by control center personnel using simple text editors, or they can be automatically created by the Automatic Vehicle Monitoring (AVM) system. Such messages typically include details on the current state of service, e. g. the current waiting time for a particular bus at each electronic bus stop, service interruptions or even service cancellations. Messages could also include information on cultural and sport events, exhibitions and congresses, or even be sent in the form advertisements.
With a meshed network, messages are guaranteed to reach their correct destination by exploiting alternative network routes. Both the electronic bus stops and busses themselves are equipped with a 2.45 GHz short-range Low Power Device (LPD) LonWorks transceivers so as to not interfere with other electric systems within the city. These transceivers offer a 625 Kbits transfer-rate which allow data exchange between the busses (mobile nodes) and the electric bus stops (fixed nodes) every time a bus enters the 100 meter transceiver beam.
Microlab Sistemi has also integrated LonWorks technology into various units onboard the bus such as validating machines, consoles, information displays, odometers and other individual sensors. These units send saved information (number of validated tickets, distances traveled and even alarms) through the meshed LonWorks network, first to the electronic bus stops and then onto the central command center for processing.
All electronic bus stops are continually in communication with each other and with the central command center. The central command center, via means of the Automatic Vehicle Monitoring system, can broadcast messages in real-time to the entire network, individual electronic bus stops, a particular bus or any other defined area. Furthermore, with the Automatic Vehicle Monitoring system, the entire bus fleet is monitored in real-time. In fact, every time a bus passes near an electronic bus stop, an identification or location signal is sent to the central command center.
Problem-free Expansion
Connection between the various electronic bus stops has been obtained by using existing twisted-pair cable. However, Microlab Sistemi needed to offer a future-proof solution that would facilitate easy system expansion at a later date. In a city center it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to obtain excavation permission. Thus, installing further twisted-pair cables would not be an option, as this would necessitate road works. In view of this, the system integrator created a network that can still function using short-range radio channels. This solution not only makes it possible to control communication between busses, but will also relay information to electronic bus stops which are connected via twisted pair cable to pass the data back to the central control center.
There is no limit to the number of units, which can be connected to the network. The Brescian city public transportation company now continually connects its 56 electronic bus stops and more than 200 busses to the central command center via the meshed LonWorks network. Should any bus leave the network, it is even possible for that bus to dial in and receive or transmit data to the control center by means of a standard modem.
Key Benefits
• Integrated monitoring system enables more efficient bus service
• Real-time monitoring allows immediate exchange of data between
busses, bus stops, and control center
• Passengers get up-to-date status on service and journey