Controller arrangement, method and computer program

• US 10,237,761 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2018
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lindoff, Bengt, Alriksson, Peter, Andgart, Niklas, Eker, Johan, Reial, Andres
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US15/870,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20180152855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 430 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers

Abstract

A controller arrangement comprising a transceiver capable of communication via a wireless communication network, a controller arranged to control a physical entity at which the controller arrangement is arranged, and an interface between the transceiver and the controller is disclosed. The transceiver is arranged to provide information via the interface about present or imminent interrupts in the communication via the wireless network. The controller is arranged to operate in at least a first state when the information indicates that no interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the first state includes closed loop control from a remote entity via the wireless communication network, and a second state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the second state includes autonomous control operations by the controller. A method and computer program are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A controller arrangement comprising

a transceiver capable of communication via a wireless communication network;

a controller arranged to control a physical entity at which the controller arrangement is arranged; and

an interface between the transceiver and the controller,

wherein

the transceiver is arranged to provide information via the interface about imminent interrupts in the communication via the wireless communication network based on mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network, and

the controller is arranged to operate in at least a first state when the information indicates that no interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the first state includes closed loop control from a remote entity via the wireless communication network, and a second state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the second state includes autonomous control operations by the controller.

2. The controller arrangement of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a cellular communication network and the transceiver provides the information about present or imminent interrupts in the communication based on mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network.

3. The controller arrangement of claim 2, wherein the mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network comprises instructions provided from a node of the wireless communication network.

4. The controller arrangement of claim 2, wherein the mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network comprises indications on a completed task provided from the transceiver.

5. The controller arrangement of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a short range communication network and the transceiver provides the information about present or imminent interrupts in the communication based on connection state information in relation to an access point of the wireless communication network.

6. The controller arrangement of claim 5, wherein the connection state information in relation to the access point of the wireless communication network comprises any of:

in-synchronization with the access point;

out-of-synchronization with the access point;

scanning for access points ongoing;

reconnection to an access point ongoing;

authentication process; and

association process.

7. The controller arrangement of claim 1, wherein the second state comprises:

a first sub-state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent during predetermined periods, wherein the first sub-state includes open loop control from the remote entity via the wireless communication network in conjunction with the autonomous control operations by the controller, and

a second sub-state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent during an unknown time, wherein the second sub-state includes the autonomous control operations by the controller without control from the remote entity via the wireless communication network.

8. The controller arrangement of claim 7, wherein the first sub-state is when a duration of the interrupt is known and below a threshold, and the second sub-state is when the duration of the interrupt is unknown or above the threshold.

9. A method of a controller arrangement comprising a transceiver capable of communication via a wireless communication network and a controller arranged to control a physical entity at which the controller arrangement is arranged, the method comprising:

providing information by the transceiver to the controller about imminent interrupts in the communication via the wireless communication network based on mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network; and

operating the controller in at least a first state when the information indicates that no interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the first state includes closed loop control from a remote entity via the wireless communication network, and a second state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the second state includes autonomous control operations by the controller.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the providing of the information about present or imminent interrupts in the communication is based on mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network comprises instructions provided from a node of the wireless communication network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network comprises indications on a completed task provided from the transceiver.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a short range communication network and providing of the information by the transceiver about present or imminent interrupts in the communication is based on connection state information in relation to an access point of the wireless communication network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the connection state information in relation to the access point of the wireless communication network comprises any of:

in-synchronization with the access point;

out-of-synchronization with the access point;

scanning for access points ongoing;

reconnection to an access point ongoing;

authentication process; and

association process.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the second state comprises:

a first sub-state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent during predetermined periods, wherein the operating of the controller in the first sub-state includes open loop control from the remote entity via the wireless communication network in conjunction with the autonomous control operations by the controller, and

a second sub-state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent during an unknown time, wherein the operating of the controller in the second sub-state includes the autonomous control operations by the controller without control from the remote entity via the wireless communication network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first sub-state is when a duration of the interrupt is known and below a threshold, and the second sub-state is when the duration of the interrupt is unknown or above the threshold.

17. A nontransitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed on a processor of a communication apparatus, causes the communication apparatus to perform a method of a controller arrangement comprising a transceiver capable of communication via a wireless communication network and a controller arranged to control a physical entity at which the controller arrangement is arranged, the method comprising:

providing information by the transceiver to the controller about imminent interrupts in the communication via the wireless communication network based on mobility management information associated with the wireless communication network; and

operating the controller in at least a first state when the information indicates that no interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the first state includes closed loop control from a remote entity via the wireless communication network, and a second state when the information indicates that interrupts are present or imminent, wherein the second state includes autonomous control operations by the controller.