Piconet Base Station and Communication System for a Vehicle

• US 20130337872A1
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: FERTL, Peter, SCHRAUT, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,356,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

An ultra-small cell base station for a vehicle is coupleable, for signal exchange, to a first antenna assembly, which is configured to receive radio signals of a cellular radio user device situated inside the vehicle and to emit radio signals to be received by the user device. The ultra-small cell base station is also coupleable to a second antenna assembly, configured to receive radio signals of a further cellular radio user device situated outside the vehicle and to emit radio signals to be received by the further user device. The ultra-small cell base station is also coupleable to a network-side antenna assembly of the vehicle configured to receive radio signals emitted by a pre-defined static cellular radio base station and to emit radio signals to be received by the static base station. The ultra-small cell base station is configured to operate a first and a second small cell.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. An ultra-small cell base station for a vehicle comprising:

an ultra-small cell base station, wherein;

the ultra-small base station is;

(a) coupleable, for signal exchange, to a first antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one cellular radio user device which is situated in an interior space of the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the cellular radio user device,

(b) coupleable, for signal exchange, to a second antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one further cellular radio user device which is situated in a pre-defined surrounding region outside the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the further cellular radio user device,

(c) coupleable, for signal exchange, to at least one network-side antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals emitted by a pre-defined static cellular radio base station and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the static cellular radio base station,

and further wherein;

the ultra-small base station is;

(a) configured, using the first antenna assembly and the at least one network-side antenna assembly, to operate a first ultra-small cell, and

(b) configured, using the second antenna assembly and at least one network-side antenna assembly to operate a second ultra-small cell.

16. The base station according to claim 15, wherein the ultra-small base station is configured, depending on a pre-defined activation signal (A), to operate the second ultra-small cell.

17. The base station according to claim 15, further comprising:

a cable-connected interface to link the ultra-small cell base station, for signal exchange, to a cable-connected communication network outside the vehicle.

18. The base station according to claim 15, further comprising:

a supply line communication interface for coupling, for signal exchange, the ultra-small cell base station to a supply line communication network outside the vehicle.

19. A method for operating an ultra-small cell base station for a vehicle, the ultra-small base station being:

(a) coupleable, for signal exchange, to a first antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one cellular radio user device which is situated in an interior space of the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the cellular radio user device,

(b) coupleable, for signal exchange, to a second antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one further cellular radio user device which is situated in a pre-defined surrounding region outside the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the further cellular radio user device,

(c) coupleable, for signal exchange, to at least one network-side antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals emitted by a pre-defined static cellular radio base station and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the static cellular radio base station,

and further wherein;

the ultra-small base station is;

(a) configured, using the first antenna assembly and the at least one network-side antenna assembly, to operate a first ultra-small cell, and

(b) configured, using the second antenna assembly and at least one network-side antenna assembly to operate a second ultra-small cell;

the method comprising the acts of;

determining at least one pre-defined operating variable of the vehicle and/or at least one pre-defined network operating variable of a pre-defined cellular radio network to which the ultra-small cell base station is coupleable for signal exchange; and

depending on the at least one operating variable of the vehicle and/or the at least one network operating variable, generating an activation signal and transmitting the activation signal to the ultra-small cell base station.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the pre-defined operating variable represents:

a current position of the vehicle, a current position of the ultra-small cell base station, and/or an operating state of the vehicle.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein, depending on a pre-defined request message sent from outside the vehicle for the ultra-small cell base station, the activation signal is generated and transmitted to the ultra-small cell base station.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein when a pre-defined activation condition for the ultra-small cell base station qualifies as being fulfilled, a pre-defined readiness message is transmitted to a central control system of a pre-defined cellular radio network operator and, depending on a request message received in response to the transmitted readiness message, the activation signal is generated and transmitted to the ultra-small cell base station.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the readiness message comprises information concerning a current position of the ultra-small cell base station.

24. A device for operating an ultra-small cell base station for a vehicle, the ultra-small base station being:

(a) coupleable, for signal exchange, to a first antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one cellular radio user device which is situated in an interior space of the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the cellular radio user device,

(b) coupleable, for signal exchange, to a second antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one further cellular radio user device which is situated in a pre-defined surrounding region outside the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the further cellular radio user device,

(c) coupleable, for signal exchange, to at least one network-side antenna assembly of the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals emitted by a pre-defined static cellular radio base station and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the static cellular radio base station,

and further wherein;

the ultra-small base station is;

(a) configured, using the first antenna assembly and the at least one network-side antenna assembly, to operate a first ultra-small cell, and

(b) configured, using the second antenna assembly and at least one network-side antenna assembly to operate a second ultra-small cell

wherein said device is configured;

to determine at least one pre-defined operating variable of the vehicle and/or at least one pre-defined network operating variable of a pre-defined cellular radio network to which the ultra-small cell base station is coupleable for signal exchange; and

depending on the at least one operating variable of the vehicle and/or the at least one network operating variable, to generate the activation signal and to transmit said activation signal to the ultra-small cell base station.

25. A communication system for a vehicle, comprising:

an ultra-small cell base station arranged in the vehicle;

a first antenna assembly which is arranged in the vehicle and is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one cellular radio user device which is situated in an interior space of the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the cellular radio user device;

a second antenna assembly arranged at the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals of at least one further cellular radio user device situated in a pre-defined surrounding region outside the vehicle and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the further cellular radio user device; and

at least one network-side antenna assembly arranged at the vehicle, which is configured and arranged to receive radio signals transmitted by a pre-defined static cellular radio base station and to emit radio signals such that said signals can be received by the static cellular radio base station, wherein the ultra-small cell base station is coupled, for signal exchange, to the first, the second and the network-side antenna assembly.

26. The communication system according to claim 25, further comprising:

a device for operating the ultra-small base station, the device being configured to;

determine at least one pre-defined operating variable of the vehicle and/or at least one pre-defined network operating variable of a pre-defined cellular radio network to which the ultra-small cell base station is coupleable for signal exchange; and

depending on the at least one operating variable of the vehicle and/or the at least one network operating variable, to generate the activation signal and to transmit said activation signal to the ultra-small cell base station,

wherein the device is coupled, for signal exchange, to the at least one ultra-small cell base station.

27. The communication system according to claim 26, wherein an energy supply of the ultra-small cell base station is controllable depending on at least one of a detected operating state and a parked state of the vehicle.

28. The communication system according to claim 27, wherein the cable-connected interface of the ultra-small cell base station is coupleable to the cable-connected communication network outside the vehicle, depending on the detected operating state and/or the detected parked state of the vehicle.