Dynamic beam steering for vehicle communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020077279-A1
Application number	US-201716490225-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Mar 5, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Communication techniques are disclosed. An example apparatus configured for communication comprises a wireless communication system and an antenna array coupled to the wireless communication system. The apparatus also includes a processor configured to nm a communication application, wherein the communication application is configured to determine an area of interest. The apparatus also includes a pattern controller to adjust a radiation pattern of the antenna array to direct wireless energy toward the area of interest.

First claim

1 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . An apparatus for wireless communications comprising:
a wireless communication system; an antenna array coupled to the wireless communication system; a processor configured to run a wireless communication application, wherein the wireless communication application is configured to determine an area of interest; and a pattern controller to adjust a radiation pattern of the antenna array to direct wireless energy toward the area of interest.

27 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the apparatus is deployed in a vehicle and the area of interest is determined based on objects detected in the vehicle's surrounding environment.

28 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the area of interest is determined based on position information received from a vehicle through the wireless communication system.

29 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the area of interest is determined based on a comparison of a geographical position of the apparatus with a roadway configuration identified from map data.

30 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the wireless communication application is configured to identify an interference source and instruct the pattern controller to adjust the radiation pattern of the antenna array to direct wireless energy away from the interference source.

31 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the apparatus is deployed in a vehicle and wherein to adjust the radiation pattern of the antenna array comprises increasing a directivity of the antenna array when the vehicle is traveling on a bidirectional roadway.

32 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the apparatus is deployed in a first vehicle and wherein to adjust the radiation pattern of the antenna array comprises to adjust a beam angle of the antenna array to direct the wireless energy to a second vehicle as a relative position between the first vehicle and the second vehicle changes.

33 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the apparatus is deployed in a roadside unit.

34 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the area of interest is based on a predicted position of a vehicle, wherein the predicted position is based on location, speed, and direction information received from the vehicle.

35 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the wireless communication system is a Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) system.

36 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to transmit wireless communication messages, the instructions to direct the processor to:
transmit wireless communication messages through a wireless communication system coupled to an antenna array; determine an area of interest for transmitting the wireless communication messages; and control a radiation pattern of the antenna array to direct wireless energy toward the area of interest.

37 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the computer-readable medium is deployed in a vehicle and the area of interest is determined based on objects detected in the vehicle's surrounding environment.

38 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the area of interest is determined based on position information received from a vehicle through the wireless communication system.

39 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the area of interest is determined based on a comparison of a geographical position with a roadway configuration identified from map data.

40 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , comprising instructions to identify an interference source and control the radiation pattern of the antenna array to direct wireless energy away from the interference source.

41 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the computer-readable medium is deployed in a vehicle and wherein to control the radiation pattern of the antenna array comprises increasing a directivity of the antenna array when the vehicle is traveling on a bidirectional roadway.

42 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the computer-readable medium is deployed in a first vehicle and wherein to adjust the radiation pattern of the antenna array comprises to adjust a beam angle of the antenna array to direct the wireless energy to a second vehicle as a relative position between the first vehicle and the second vehicle changes.

43 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the computer-readable medium is deployed in a roadside unit.

44 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the area of interest is based on a predicted position of a vehicle, wherein the predicted position is based on location, speed, and direction information received from the vehicle.

45 . The computer-readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the wireless communication system is a Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) system.

46 . A method of performing wireless communications, comprising transmitting wireless communication messages through a wireless communication system coupled to an antenna array;
determining an area of interest for transmitting the wireless communication messages; and controlling a radiation pattern of the antenna array to direct wireless energy toward the area of interest.

47 . The method of claim 46 , wherein determining the area of interest is based on objects detected in a vehicle's surrounding environment.

48 . The method of claim 46 , wherein determining the area of interest is based on position information received from a vehicle through the wireless communication system.

49 . The method of claim 46 , wherein determining the area of interest is based on a comparison of a geographical position with a roadway configuration identified from map data.

50 . The method of claim 46 , comprising identifying an interference source and controlling the radiation pattern of the antenna array to direct wireless energy away from the interference source.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Foerster Jeffrey R
• Yu Zhibin
• Cavalcanti Dave
• Pinheiro Ana Lucia A
• Mueck Markus Dominik
• Raaf Bernhard

Classifications

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04W4/40

  for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] · CPC title

• H04W4/70

  Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] · CPC title

• H04W16/28 Primary

  using beam steering · CPC title

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title