Apparatus, vehicle, method, computer program and radio system for radio supply in a predefined space

• US 10,073,172 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Zielinski, Ernst, Mohaupt, Matthias, Kampermann, Jens, Theimer, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US15/659,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20180031693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 4555692, 4555621
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/756 using a signal generator for modifying the reflectivity of the reflector G01S13/758 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3216 where the road or rail vehicle is only used as transportation means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/17 the primary radiating source comprising two or more radiating elements H01Q19/15, H01Q25/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/53 Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

An apparatus, a vehicle, a method, a computer program and a radio system for radio coverage in a predefined space. The method includes operating at least one transmission and/or reception antenna in the predefined space to cover at least one subregion of the predefined space using at least one element having an active area in the predefined space taking into consideration the subregion to be covered, wherein the active area of the element influences the propagation conditions of signals of the radio system.

Claims

1. A method for operating a radio system in a predefined space of a vehicle, the method comprising:

operating at least one beamforming antenna in the predefined space to cover at least one subregion of the predefined space; and

using at least one element having an active area in the predefined space taking into consideration the subregion to be covered,

wherein the at least one beamforming antenna has a corresponding shadowing region within the predefined space of the vehicle,

wherein the active area of the element influences propagation conditions of signals of the radio system within the predefined space of the vehicle,

wherein multiple elements are positioned in the predefined space of the vehicle and have active areas that divide the predefined space into sectors, and

wherein space division multiple access is provided for the individual sectors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the active area is an absorption area or a reflection area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the element is used to increase a coverage quality of the radio system in the shadowing region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the element is used to produce the shadowing region for the at least one beamforming antenna in the predefined space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio system is a BLUETOOTH®

system or a wireless local area network system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined space corresponds to an interior of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the subregion corresponds to a seat in the interior of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising using the element on the inside of the roof of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising using the element on a side of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined space corresponds to an interior of a vehicle, wherein the radio system covers two or more seats of the vehicle using the same frequency and time resources, and wherein the method further comprises orienting the sectors to the seats or to groups of seats.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein space division multiple access is provided for the individual sectors.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the radio system covers two or more seats of the vehicle using the same frequency and time resources, wherein the sectors are oriented to the seats or to groups of seats.

13. A computer program including instructions for a method for operating a radio system in a predefined space of a vehicle when the computer program runs on a computer, a processor or a programmable hardware component, the method comprising:

operating at least one beamforming antenna in the predefined space to cover at least one subregion of the predefined space; and

using at least one element having an active area in the predefined space taking into consideration the subregion to be covered,

wherein the at least one beamforming antenna has a corresponding shadowing region within the predefined space of the vehicle,

wherein the active area of the element influences propagation conditions of signals of the radio system within the predefined space of the evehicle,

wherein multiple elements are positioned in the predefined space of the vehicle and have active areas that divide the predefined space into sectors, and

wherein space division multiple access is provided for the individual sectors.

14. A radio system for providing coverage with radio services for a predefined space of a vehicle, the radio system comprising:

at least one beamforming antenna in the predefined space to cover at least one subregion of the predefined space; and

at least one element having an active area that influences propagation conditions of signals of the radio system,

wherein the at least one element is positioned in the predefined space taking into consideration the subregion to be covered,

wherein the at least one beamforming antenna has a corresponding shadowing region within the predefined space of the vehicle,

wherein multiple elements are positioned in the predefined space of the vehicle and have active areas that divide the predefined space into sectors, and

wherein space division multiple access is provided for the individual sectors.

15. The radio system of claim 14, wherein the active area is an absorption area or a reflection area and/or wherein the radio system is a BLUETOOTH®

system or wireless local area network system.

16. The radio system of claim 14, wherein the predefined space corresponds to an interior of the vehicle, wherein the radio system covers two or more seats of the vehicle using the same frequency and time resources, and wherein the sectors are oriented to the seats or to groups of seats.

17. A vehicle having a radio system in a predefined space of the vehicle, the radio system comprising:

at least one beamforming antenna in the predefined space to cover at least one subregion of the predefined space; and

at least one element having an active area that influences the propagation conditions of signals of the radio system,

wherein the at least one beamforming antenna has a corresponding shadowing region within the predefined space of the vehicle,

wherein the at least one element is arranged in the predefined space taking into consideration the subregion to be covered,

wherein multiple elements are positioned in the predefined space of the vehicle and have active areas that divide the predefined space into sectors, and

wherein space division multiple access is provided for the individual sectors.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the active area is an absorption area or a reflection area and/or wherein the radio system is a BLUETOOTH®

system or wireless local area network system.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the radio system covers two or more seats of the vehicle using the same frequency and time resources, wherein the sectors are oriented to the seats or to groups of seats.