Method for operating a communications system in wireless vehicle-to-environment communication, and communication system

• US 9,264,112 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Menzel, Marc, Sthlin, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tu X
• Application Number:
  US14/353,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20140274182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.2, 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0871 using different reception schemes, at least one of them being a diversity reception scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0877 switching off a diversity branch, e.g. to save power

Abstract

A method for operating a communication system in wireless vehicle-to-environment communication includes: transmitting, using the communication system, different information as signals on various radio channels in accordance with its content, the communication system having at least two reception paths each having at least one separate antenna and an associated separate receiver for receiving the transmitted signals; and changing over the communication system between two modes of operation when a changeover criterion is satisfied, such that the at least two reception paths receive signals on a different radio channel in a first mode of operation and receive signals on the same radio channel in a second mode of operation.

Claims

1. A method for operating a communication system (9) in wireless vehicle-to-environment communication, comprising:

transmitting, using the communication system (9), different information as signals on various radio channels (CCH, SCH) in accordance with its content, the communication system (9) having at least two reception paths (P1, P2) each having at least one separate antenna and an associated separate receiver for receiving the transmitted signals in a radio channel (CCH, SCH) from among the various radio channels (CCH, SCH); and

changing over the communication system (9) between two modes of operation when a changeover criterion (U1, U2) is satisfied, such that the at least two reception paths (P1, P2) receive signals on a different radio channel (CCH, SCH) in a first mode of operation and receive signals on the same radio channel (CCH or SCH) in a second mode of operation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising forming and/or deriving a comparison variable (V1, V2) for the changeover criterion (U1, U2) from received signals.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising ascertaining the comparison variable (V1, V2) for the changeover criterion (U1, U2) from the reception quality, including the reception field strength of the signals on a radio channel (CCH, SCH).

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the comparison variable (V1, V2) ascertained for the changeover criterion (U1, U2) is the quantity of received signals.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

evaluating content of signals; and

ascertaining the comparison variable (V1, V2) for the changeover criterion (U1, U2) from the evaluated content of signals.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising ascertaining the comparison variable (V1, V2) for the changeover criterion (U1, U2) on the basis of an identification of a situation of a vehicle (1, 2) or of a state of the vehicle (1, 2).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein an ambient sensor system and/or map material is/are used for identifying the situation of the vehicle (1, 2) or the state of the vehicle (1, 2).

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein an identification of an activated vehicle function is used as a comparison variable (V1, V2) for the changeover criterion.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein sending of signals uses at least two antennas.

10. A method for operating a communication system (9) in wireless vehicle-to-environment communication, comprising:

transmitting, using the communication system (9), different information as signals on various radio channels (CCH, SCH) in accordance with its content, the communication system (9) having at least two reception paths (P1, P2) each having at least one separate antenna and an associated separate receiver for receiving the transmitted signals; and

changing over the communication system (9) between two modes of operation when a changeover criterion (U1, U2) is satisfied, such that the at least two reception paths (P1, P2) receive signals on a different radio channel (CCH, SCH) in a first mode of operation and receive signals on the same radio channel (CCH or SCH) in a second mode of operation,

wherein in the first mode of operation, in which the at least two reception paths (P1, P2) receive signals on a different radio channel (CCH, SCH), a selected radio channel (CCH or SCH) is assigned to the reception path (P1, P2) having the best reception quality.

11. A communication system in wireless vehicle-to-environment communication, comprising:

a computation unit (11); and

at least two reception paths (P1, P2) each having at least one separate antenna and a separate receiver configured to receive signals in a radio channel (CCH, SCH),

wherein the computation unit (11) is configured to carry out the method comprising;

transmitting, using the communication system, different information as signals on various radio channels (CCH, SCH) in accordance with its content, the at least two reception paths (P1, P2) each having the at least one separate antenna and an associated separate receiver for receiving the transmitted signals; and

changing over the communication system between two modes of operation when a changeover criterion (U1, U2) is satisfied, such that the at least two reception paths (P1, P2) receive signals on a different radio channel (CCH, SCH) in a first mode of operation and receive signals on the same radio channel (CCH or SCH) in a second mode of operation.

12. The communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the antennas have a different reception characteristic in the at least two different reception paths (P1, P2).