Wireless communication system for vehicles using both trackside WLAN and cellular network communication

• US 10,616,813 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2017
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Icomera AB (ENGIE SA)
• Original Assignee: Icomera AB (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Karlsson, Mats
• Primary Examiner(s): Agosta, Stephen M D
• Application Number:
  US15/649,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

A method and system for wireless communication between a mobile router in a moving vehicle, such as a train, and one or several external server(s) via at least two types of external wireless networks, a first external wireless network type, trackside network, including a plurality of trackside base stations, such as access points, for communication in compliance with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard, said trackside base stations being arranged in the vicinity of a vehicle path of travel, and a second external wireless network type, cellular network, communicating via cellular network standard(s), such as in accordance with 3G, 4G or 5G standards, wherein the mobile router is arranged, at least periodically, to simultaneously communicate with the two types of external wireless networks thereby providing at least two concurrently useable external wireless networks.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication between a mobile router in a moving vehicle and one or several external server(s) via at least two types of external wireless networks, a first external wireless network type comprising a plurality of trackside base stations for communication in compliance with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard, said trackside base stations being arranged in the vicinity of a vehicle path of travel and a second external wireless network type communicating via cellular network standard(s), wherein the mobile router is arranged, at least periodically, to simultaneously communicate with the two types of external wireless networks thereby providing at least two concurrently useable external wireless networks, the method comprising:

identifying for data streams to or from said mobile router a data communication type, said data communication type being selected from a set of at least two different data communication types, each data communication type being associated with a specific prioritization;

determining the availability of external wireless network(s) of the first of said external wireless network types, and, when good availability of such external wireless network(s) has been determined, allowing communication through this external wireless network(s) for all different data communication types with no or limited restrictions, and when it has been determined that such an external wireless network(s) of the first external wireless network type is not available, allowing communication through external wireless network(s) of said second external network type based on prioritization, wherein data communication types of highest priority is allowed with no restrictions, whereas data communication types of lower priority is restricted or prohibited;

wherein, when it has been determined that external wireless network(s) of the first of said external wireless network types is available, but with limited capacity, allowing communication through this external wireless network(s) for all different data communication types, but with restrictions for data communication types having lower priority;

wherein the mobile routers are arranged to receive GNSS data and communicate this to the external wireless network, said GNSS data being useable to determining the availability of external wireless network(s) of the first of said external wireless network types;

wherein the trackside base stations are arranged to send information to a control server about mobile routers being determined to be within their access area;

wherein the control server is arranged to determine the direction of travel of each mobile router based on the position data from each mobile router; and

wherein the mobile router is arranged to simultaneously communicate with the external wireless network through two or more external wireless networks of the first type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a data communication type comprises identification of whether the data stream is at least one of voice-over-IP (VOIP) and VPN, and the assigning the data stream to a data communication type of high priority.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a data communication type comprises determining whether the data stream involves a HTTP or HTTPS communication, and if so to assign the data stream to a data communication type of low priority.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a data communication type comprises comparing at least one of a destination address of said data stream and an output port of said data stream with a whitelist comprising at least one predefined address or port, and assigning a higher priority to said data streams in case of a match.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a data communication type comprises comparing at least one of a destination address of said data stream and an output port of said data stream with a blacklist comprising at least one predefined address or port, and assigning a lower priority to said data streams in case of a match.