Method and system for detecting and compensating weather condition effects on wireless signals

• US 8,630,784 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bai, Sue
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US12/839,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20120016553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate

Abstract

A method and system for adjusting an operation of a wireless communication device based on information related to at least one of an operating status of a vehicle system and a weather condition. The method includes a step of receiving at least one information source related to an operation status of at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle. The method further includes a step of analyzing the information to determine an ambient moisture condition. The method also includes adjusting an operating parameter of the wireless communication device and then operating the wireless communication device according to the adjusted operating parameter to compensate for attenuation to a wireless signal caused by the ambient moisture.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting an operation of a first wireless communication device in a first motor vehicle that communicates with a second wireless communication device in a second motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from at least one information source related to an operation status of at least one vehicle system of the first motor vehicle;

analyzing the information to determine an ambient moisture condition;

based on the analysis, adjusting an operating parameter of the first wireless communication device;

operating the first wireless communication device according to the adjusted operating parameter; and

wherein the step of operating the first wireless communication device comprises at least one of;

transmitting a wireless signal from the first wireless communication device in the first motor vehicle to the second wireless communication device in the second motor vehicle; and

receiving a wireless signal at the first wireless communication device in the first motor vehicle from the second wireless communication device in the second motor vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting compensates for attenuation of a wireless signal due to the determined ambient moisture.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one vehicle system is selected from a group consisting essentially of a windshield wipers system, a traction control system, an anti-slip system, an anti-lock brake system, and any combination thereof, and

the information relates to at least one of activation, frequency of activation, and length of activation of the vehicle system.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of adjusting includes adjusting at least one transmitter parameter of the first wireless communication device; and

the step of operating includes transmitting a wireless signal according to the adjusted parameter.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one transmitter parameter includes an amplitude and a transmission rate.

6. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of adjusting includes adjusting at least one receiver parameter of the first wireless communication device;

and

wherein the step of operating includes receiving a wireless signal according to the adjusted parameter.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the receiver parameter includes sensitivity and gain.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving step further includes receiving information regarding a weather condition.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one information source is selected from a group consisting essentially of at least one of one or more vehicle sensors, a vehicle network, another wireless communication device, a geographic positioning system, and any combination thereof.

10. The method according to claim 9,

wherein the one or more vehicle sensors includes a humidity sensor and a precipitation sensor.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

determining a geographic location of the first wireless communication device; and

obtaining the information from a data network that corresponds to the geographic location of the first wireless communication device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device is configured for vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

at least one of transmitting a wireless signal according to the adjusted parameter to and receiving a wireless signal according to the adjusted parameter from a roadside unit.

14. A wireless communication system that is configured to communicate over a vehicle communication network, comprising:

a first wireless communication device in a first motor vehicle configured to communicate with a second wireless communication device in a second motor vehicle;

an ambient moisture determiner that is configured to receive information related to an operating status of a system of a motor vehicle and a weather condition, and to determine an ambient moisture condition based on the received information;

a wireless communication controller that is configured to adjust an operating parameter of the first wireless communication device based on a determination by the ambient moisture determiner; and

wherein the wireless communication controller is configured to operate the first wireless communication device to at least one of;

transmit a wireless signal from the first wireless communication device in the first motor vehicle to the second wireless communication device in the second motor vehicle; and

receive a wireless signal at the first wireless communication device in the first motor vehicle from the second wireless communication device in the second motor vehicle.

15. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, wherein the information is received from at least one of one or more vehicle sensors, a vehicle network, another wireless communication device, and a geographic positioning system.

16. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, wherein:

the ambient moisture determiner determines the ambient moisture condition based on the operating status of the system of the first motor vehicle; and

the system is selected from a group consisting essentially of a windshield wiper status system, a traction control system, an anti-lock braking system, an anti-slip system, and any combination thereof.

17. The wireless communication system according to claim 14, wherein:

the ambient moisture determiner is configured to communicate with one or more sensors;

the one or more sensors is configured to detect a weather condition; and

the one or more sensors is configured to transmit the information to the ambient moisture determiner.

18. The wireless communication system according to claim 17, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of a precipitation sensor and a humidity sensor.

19. The wireless communication system according to claim 14,

wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to communicate with a vehicle network of the motor vehicle;

and

wherein the vehicle network is configured to transmit the information to the second wireless communication device.

20. The wireless communication system according to claim 14,

wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to communicate with a geographic positioning system configured to determine a geographic location of the first wireless communication device;

and

wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to communicate with a data network to obtain the weather condition corresponding to the geographic location.

21. A method for adjusting an operation of a wireless communication device that is configured to communicate over a vehicle communication network, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from at least one information source related to at least one of an operating status of a vehicle system of a motor vehicle and a weather condition;

analyzing the information to determine an ambient moisture condition;

based on the determined ambient moisture condition, adjusting a transmitter parameter of the wireless communication device; and

transmitting a wireless signal over the vehicle communication network to another wireless communication device in another vehicle according to the adjusted parameter.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of adjusting at least one transmitter parameter compensates for attenuation of the wireless signal due to the determined ambient moisture condition.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the information source is selected from a group consisting essentially of at least one of one or more vehicle sensors, a vehicle network, a different wireless communication device, a geographic positioning system, and a combination thereof.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the one or more vehicle sensors includes a humidity sensor and a precipitation sensor.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

determining a geographic location of the wireless communication device; and

obtaining information regarding the weather condition from a data network that corresponds to the geographic location of the wireless communication device.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the at least one transmitter parameter includes an amplitude and a transmission rate.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

adjusting at least one receiver parameter, the at least one receiver parameter including sensitivity and gain.

28. A method for adjusting an operation of a wireless communication device in a motor vehicle that is configured to communicate over a vehicle communication network, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from at least one information source related to at least one of an operating status of a vehicle system of the motor vehicle and a weather condition;

analyzing the information to determine an ambient moisture condition;

based on the determined ambient moisture condition, adjusting a receiver parameter of the wireless communication device; and

receiving a wireless signal over the vehicle communication network from another wireless communication device in another motor vehicle according to the adjusted parameter.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the step of adjusting at least one receiver parameter compensates for attenuation of the wireless signal due to the determined ambient moisture condition.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the information source is selected from a group consisting essentially of at least one of one or more vehicle sensors, a vehicle network, a different wireless communication device, a geographic positioning system, and any combination thereof.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the one or more vehicle sensors includes a humidity sensor and a precipitation sensor.

32. The method according to claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

determining a geographic location of the wireless communication device; and

obtaining information regarding the weather condition from a data network that corresponds to the geographic location of the wireless communication device.