Method and system for this vehicle and related computer program product

Abstract

The present disclosure includes embodiments for performing beam alignment for millimeter wave (mmWave) communication based on location data. In some embodiments, a method for a vehicle includes determining a beam scan direction setting for mmWave beam alignment with an endpoint based on location data describing a geographic location of the endpoint. The method includes modifying an operation of a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) radio of the vehicle to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scan direction setting so as to improve the efficiency of mmWave beam alignment.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 16 / 370,437, filed on Mar. 29, 2019, entitled "Position - Based BeamSweeping for Directional Vehicle - to - Everything (V2X) Networks", the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] This specification relates to position - based beam sweeping for directional Vehicle - to - Everything (V2X) networks.

[0004] A mobile operating environment is an environment that includes connected vehicles traveling at road speeds. One challenge in deploying millimeter - wave (mmWave) communication technology in a mobile environment is that mmWave communication typically involves performing beam alignment processing. It is generally not possible to conduct mmWave communication between two endpoints without first completing the beam alignment processing between them. For example, proper beam pointing between a transmitter (e.g., a first endpoint) and a receiver (e.g., a second endpoint) is required before data can be exchanged between them. Currently, it is difficult or impossible to achieve mmWave communication between vehicles because existing mmWave technologies are designed for low - mobility environments and thus cannot complete beam alignment processing fast enough for a mobile operating environment in a timely manner. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One general aspect of the embodiments described herein includes a computer program product that includes a non-transitory memory of an on-vehicle computer system of the vehicle storing computer-executable code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to: receive a V2X message including location data describing a geographical location of an endpoint; determine a beam scan direction setting based on the location data of the endpoint, the beam scan direction setting including a directional scan range for aligning a mmWave beam with the endpoint; and modify the operation of a V2X radio of the vehicle to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scan direction setting such that a mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan within the directional scan range to improve the efficiency of mmWave beam alignment. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems, devices, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each of the corresponding computer systems, devices, and computer programs being configured to perform the actions of the method.

[0006] The implementation may include one or more of the following features. The computer-executable code in the computer program product, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to: modify the operation of a V2X radio of the vehicle to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint using mmWave beam alignment. The directional scan range in the computer program product includes the geographical location of the endpoint. The implementation of the techniques may include hardware, a method or process, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium.

[0007] One general aspect includes a method for a vehicle, including: determining a beam scan direction setting for mmWave beam alignment with an endpoint based on location data describing the geographical location of the endpoint; and modifying the operation of a V2X radio of the vehicle to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scan direction setting to improve the efficiency of mmWave beam alignment. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems, devices, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each of the corresponding computer systems, devices, and computer programs being configured to perform the actions of the method.

[0008] The implementation may include one or more of the following features. The method further includes modifying the operation of the vehicle's V2X radio to perform mmWave communication with an endpoint using mmWave beam alignment. The beam scan direction setting in the method includes a directional scan range within which the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan during mmWave beam alignment. The directional scan range in the method includes the geographical location of the endpoint. The method further includes receiving a V2X message from the endpoint that includes location data. The V2X message in the method further includes location accuracy data that describes the accuracy of the location data, and the beam scan direction setting is further determined based on the location accuracy data. The V2X message in the method further includes a data sharing request from the endpoint. The method further includes sending a reply V2X message that includes an acknowledgement of the data sharing request, where the acknowledgement includes schedule information for mmWave communication between the vehicle and the endpoint so as to initiate directional transmission and reception of mmWave communication according to the schedule information. The endpoint in the method includes a remote vehicle, a roadside unit, or a base station. Implementations of the techniques may include hardware, methods or processes, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium.

[0009] One general aspect includes a system that includes an on-vehicle computer system of the vehicle, the on-vehicle computer system including a non-transitory memory storing computer code that, when executed by the on-vehicle computer system, causes the on-vehicle computer system to: determine a beam scan direction setting for mmWave beam alignment with an endpoint based on location data that describes the geographical location of the endpoint; and modify the operation of the vehicle's V2X radio to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scan direction setting so as to improve the efficiency of mmWave beam alignment. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding computer systems, apparatus, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each of the corresponding computer systems, apparatus, and computer programs being configured to perform the actions of the method.

[0010] Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Computer code in the system, when executed by an on-vehicle computer system, causes the on-vehicle computer system to further modify the operation of the vehicle's V2X radio to perform mmWave communication with an endpoint using mmWave beam alignment. The beam scanning direction setting in the system includes a directional scanning range within which the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan during mmWave beam alignment. The directional scanning range in the system includes the geographical location of the endpoint. Computer code in the system, when executed by an on-vehicle computer system, causes the on-vehicle computer system to further receive a V2X message from the endpoint that includes location data. The V2X message in the system further includes location accuracy data that describes the accuracy of the location data, and the beam scanning direction setting is further determined based on the location accuracy data. The V2X message of the system further includes a data sharing request from the endpoint. Computer code in the system, when executed by an on-vehicle computer system, causes the on-vehicle computer system to further send a response V2X message that includes an acknowledgement of the data sharing request, where the acknowledgement includes schedule information for mmWave communication between the vehicle and the endpoint to initiate directional transmission and reception of mmWave communication according to the schedule information. Implementations of the techniques may include hardware, a method or process, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.

[0012] Figure 1A is a diagram illustrating an example directional beam scan of an analog omnidirectional broadcast transmission.

[0013] Figure 1B is a block diagram illustrating a mobile operating environment for modifying a system according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example computer system including a system modification according to some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 3 depicts a method for performing beam alignment for mmWave communication based on location data according to some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 4 depicts another method for performing beam alignment for mmWave communication based on location data according to some embodiments.

[0017] Figures 5A - 5Bis an illustration showing an example beam alignment based on location data according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figures 6A - 6C is an illustration showing another example beam alignment based on location data according to some embodiments. Specific embodiments

[0019] As used herein, the term "vehicle" may refer to a connected vehicle that includes any hardware or software necessary for sending and receiving wireless communications.

[0020] The application of mmWave communication is beneficial in a mobile operating environment because mmWave communication enables a communication device (such as a connected vehicle) to send and receive a large amount of digital data (e.g., 0 to 1000 GB of digital data) within a period of time acceptable to a user (e.g., a driver) or within some predetermined safety standards. Such mmWave communication has great potential for large-scale consumer applications (e.g., IEEE802.11ad / WiGig for high-speed and short-range communication; 5G cellular communication; and autonomous driving applications such as sensor data sharing, generation and distribution of 3D high-definition (HD) maps, etc.). For example, a vehicle can use mmWave communication to exchange large data sets with one or more of the following: (1) roadside units; (2) edge servers; (3) cloud servers; and (4) other vehicles.

[0021] Directional V2X communication can be applied to mmWave communication to compensate for the high path loss in mmWave communication and achieve high data rates. For example, referring to Figure 1A , the use of directional V2X communication can include performing multiple transmissions of the same message in different directions during beam alignment processing to mimic an omni-directional broadcast transmission. For example, each directional beam lobe 101 in directional V2X communication carries the same message and as a whole forms a 360-degree beam scan, which is similar to a virtual broadcast using directional beam scanning. However, this omni-directional beam scan results in communication waste, such as inefficient utilization of the wireless communication spectrum, especially in a sparsely populated environment where there are not many candidate receivers. For example, when a narrow beam is used for each directional lobe 101 at the transmitting end and there are few receivers near the transmitting end, most of the directional transmissions during beam alignment processing at the transmitting end are useless and thus wasted.

[0022] Embodiments of a modified system are described herein that can improve the efficiency of beam alignment processing for mmWave communication. The modified system is operable to adaptively determine a beam scan direction setting for mmWave communication between the vehicle and an endpoint based on the geographical location of the endpoint. For example, in beam alignment processing, the modified system described herein does not attempt to mimic omnidirectional communication because the modified system knows where the endpoint is located. The modified system beneficially transmits unidirectional communication in the direction where the endpoint is located rather than in the direction where the endpoint is not located. As a result, since fewer transmissions need to occur compared to omnidirectional beam scanning, the time, processing power, and energy spent on beam alignment processing can be reduced. As a result, vehicles including embodiments of the modified system described herein can successfully deploy mmWave communication technology because they can complete beam alignment processing in a timely manner fast enough compared to user expectations and existing safety standard measurements for a mobile operating environment.

[0023] In some embodiments, the modified system includes software installed in an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle. The modified system adaptively determines a beam scan direction setting for mmWave communication with the endpoint based on location data that describes the geographical location of the endpoint. The endpoint can be a remote vehicle, a base station, a roadside unit, etc. The modified system modifies the operation of the vehicle's V2X radio by performing mmWave beam alignment on the vehicle's V2X radio based on the beam scan direction setting. The modified system causes the vehicle's V2X radio to use mmWave beam alignment to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint.

[0024] Example benefits of the modified system described herein include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: (1) an increase in spectral utilization is achieved because the modified system only needs to transmit unidirectional communication in the direction where the endpoint is located rather than mimicking omnidirectional communication; (2) the duration used to scan all receivers located in different directions during beam scanning is reduced; and (3) processing power and energy can be saved during beam scanning. These benefits can be achieved during beam alignment processing or at other times beneficial for mmWave communication. Other benefits are possible.

[0025] The embodiments described herein may use V2X communication to send and receive wireless messages. As described herein, examples of V2X communication include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) (including basic safety messages (BSMs) and personal safety messages (PSMs), and other types of DSRC communication); long-term evolution (LTE); mmWave communication; 3G; 4G; 5G; LTE-V2X; 5G-V2X; LTE vehicle-to-vehicle (LTE-V2V); LTE device-to-device (LTE-D2D); Voice over LTE (VoLTE), etc. In some examples, V2X communication may include vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication, or any combination thereof.

[0026] Examples of the wireless messages (e.g., V2X messages) described herein include, but are not limited to, the following messages: DSRC messages; BSMs; LTE messages; LTE-V2X messages (e.g., LTE-V2V messages, LTE-V2I messages, LTE-V2N messages, etc.); 5G-V2X messages; and mmWave messages, etc.

[0027] As used herein, the terms "geographic location", "location", "geographic position", and "position" refer to the latitude and longitude (or latitude, longitude, and altitude of an object) of an object such as a vehicle or some other networked endpoint. Some example embodiments described herein provide positioning information that describes the geographic location of a vehicle with an accuracy of one or more of the following: (1) at least plus or minus 1.5 meters in two dimensions relative to the actual geographic positioning of the vehicle, including latitude and longitude; and (2) at least plus or minus 3 meters relative to the actual geographic positioning of the vehicle in altitude. Thus, some example embodiments described herein are capable of describing the geographic positioning of a vehicle with lane-level accuracy or better.

[0028] Example Overview

[0029] Reference Figure 1B , depicted is a mobile operating environment 150 for modifying system 199 according to some embodiments. The operating environment 150 may include one or more of the following elements: the present vehicle 123, one or more remote vehicles 124, a roadside unit (RSU) 103, and a base station 104. These elements of the operating environment 150 may be communicatively coupled to a network 105.

[0030] Although in Figure 1Bdepicts a host vehicle 123, three remote vehicles 124, a roadside unit 103, a base station 104, and a network 105, but in practice the operating environment 150 can include any number of host vehicles 123, remote vehicles 124, roadside units 103, base stations 104, and networks 105.

[0031] Network 105 can be of a conventional type, wired or wireless, and can have many different configurations, including star configuration, token ring configuration, or other configurations. Additionally, network 105 can include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), or other interconnected data paths through which multiple devices and / or entities can communicate. In some embodiments, network 105 can include a peer-to-peer network. Network 105 can also be coupled to or can include portions of a telecommunications network for sending data in a variety of different communication protocols. In some embodiments, network 105 includes a communication network or a cellular communication network, including via short message service (SMS), multimedia message service (MMS), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), direct data connection, wireless application protocol (WAP), email, DSRC, full-duplex wireless communication, mmWave, WiFi (infrastructure mode), WiFi (ad-hoc mode), visible light communication, TV white space communication, and satellite communication. Network 105 can also include a mobile data network, which can include 3G, 4G, LTE, LTE-V2V, LTE-V2X, LTE-D2D, VoLTE, 5G-V2X, or any other mobile data network or combination of mobile data networks. Additionally, network 105 can include one or more IEEE 802.11 wireless networks.

[0032] In some embodiments, network 105 is a V2X network, which is a wireless network for sending and receiving V2X messages between various endpoints (e.g., vehicles, roadside devices, base stations, etc.), each of the various endpoints including a V2X radio.

[0033] Host vehicle 123 can be any type of vehicle. For example, host vehicle 123 can include one of the following types of vehicles: cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles, buses, semi-trailers, drones, or any other road-based transportation vehicle.

[0034] In some embodiments, host vehicle 123 can include an autonomous vehicle or a semi-autonomous vehicle. For example, host vehicle 123 can include an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS system) or an autonomous driving system. The ADAS system or the autonomous driving system can provide some or all of the autonomous functions of host vehicle 123.

[0035] The vehicle 123 may include one or more of the following elements: a processor 125, a memory 127, a communication unit 145, a GPS unit 170, a sensor set 182, an electronic control unit (ECU) 186, and a modification system 199. These elements of the vehicle 123 may be communicatively coupled to each other via a bus.

[0036] In some embodiments, the processor 125 and the memory 127 may be elements of an on-vehicle computer system (such as the computer system 200 described in the following reference Figure 2 ). The on-vehicle computer system may be operable to enable or control the operation of the modification system 199. The on-vehicle computer system may be operable to access and execute data stored in the memory 127 to provide the functions described herein for the modification system 199 or its elements (e.g., see Figure 2 ).

[0037] The processor 125 includes an arithmetic logic unit, a microprocessor, a general-purpose controller, or some other processor array to perform calculations and provide an electronic display signal to a display device. The processor 125 processes data signals and may include various computing architectures, including a complex instruction set computer (CISC) architecture, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architecture, or an architecture implementing a combination of instruction sets. The vehicle 123 may include one or more processors 125. Other processors, operating systems, sensors, displays, and physical configurations are also possible.

[0038] The memory 127 stores instructions or data that may be executed by the processor 125. The instructions or data may include code for performing the techniques described herein. The memory 127 may be a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device, a static random access memory (SRAM) device, a flash memory, or some other memory device. In some embodiments, the memory 127 also includes non-volatile memory or a similar permanent storage device and medium, including a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a CD ROM device, a DVD ROM device, a DVD RAM device, a DVD RW device, a flash memory device, or some other mass storage device for storing information more permanently. The vehicle 123 may include one or more memories 127.

[0039] The memory 127 may store one or more of the following elements: position data 151, position accuracy data 152, and beam scan direction setting data 153.

[0040] Location data 151 includes digital data that describes the geographical location of the endpoint determined by one or more on-vehicle sensors of the particular endpoint. For example, location data 151 includes GPS data that describes the geographical location of the endpoint, where the GPS data is received from the endpoint via a V2X message. In some embodiments, location data 151 also includes digital data that describes the geographical location of the vehicle 123 determined by one or more on-vehicle sensors of the vehicle 123 itself. For example, location data 151 also includes GPS data that describes the geographical location of the vehicle 123.

[0041] Location accuracy data 152 includes digital data that describes the accuracy of the one or more on-vehicle sensors of the endpoint in determining the geographical location of the endpoint. In some embodiments, location accuracy data 152 also includes digital data that describes the accuracy of the one or more on-vehicle sensors of the vehicle 123 in determining the geographical location of the vehicle 123. For example, location accuracy data 152 indicates that the location data 151 has lane-level accuracy. In this way, the measurement error of the one or more on-vehicle sensors of the endpoint or the vehicle 123 may be caused by the modified system 199 of the vehicle 123 when providing its functions.

[0042] Beam scanning direction setting data 153 includes digital data that describes the beam scanning direction setting for the V2X radio of the vehicle 123. The beam scanning direction setting includes a directional scanning range within which the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio of the vehicle 123 is configured to scan during a beam alignment process. For example, the beam scanning direction setting describes an arc or area within which the mmWave radio of the vehicle 123 can scan to perform a beam alignment process so that the vehicle 123 and the endpoint can exchange mmWave communications via the mmWave radio.

[0043] The communication unit 145 sends data to and receives data from the network 105 or another communication channel. In some embodiments, the communication unit 145 may include a DSRC transceiver, a DSRC receiver, and other hardware or software necessary to make the vehicle 123 a DSRC-enabled device. For example, the communication unit 145 includes a DSRC antenna configured to broadcast DSRC messages via the network. The DSRC antenna can also send BSM messages at user-configurable fixed or variable intervals (e.g., every 0.1 seconds, at a time interval corresponding to a frequency range from 1.6 Hz to 10 Hz, etc.).

[0044] In some embodiments, communication unit 145 includes ports for direct physical connection to network 105 or another communication channel. For example, communication unit 145 includes USB, SD, CAT-5, or similar ports for wired communication with network 105. In some embodiments, communication unit 145 includes a wireless transceiver for exchanging data with network 105 or other communication channels using one or more wireless communication methods, including: IEEE 802.11; IEEE 802.16, EN ISO 14906:2004 Electronic toll collection systems – Application interfaces EN 11253:2004 Dedicated short range communications – Physical layer using 5.8 GHz microwave (under review); EN 12795:2002 Dedicated short range communications (DSRC) – DSRC data link layer: Medium access and logical link control (under review); EN 12834:2002 Dedicated short range communications – Application layer (under review); EN 13372:2004 Dedicated short range communications (DSRC) – DSRC profile for RTTT applications (under review); the communication method described in U.S. Patent Application 14 / 471,387, titled "Full-Duplex Coordination System," filed on August 28, 2014; or another suitable wireless communication method.

[0045] In some embodiments, communication unit 145 includes a cellular communication transceiver for sending and receiving data over a cellular communication network, including via Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), direct data connection, WAP, email, or other suitable types of electronic communication. In some embodiments, communication unit 145 includes a wired port and a wireless transceiver. Communication unit 145 also provides other conventional connections to network 105 to distribute files or media objects using standard network protocols including TCP / IP, HTTP, HTTPS, and SMTP, mmWave, DSRC, etc.

[0046] Communication unit 145 includes a V2X radio 143. The V2X radio 143 may include: a mmWave radio 141 configured for mmWave communication (e.g., for sending and receiving mmWave messages); and a non-mmWave radio 142 configured for non-mmWave communication (e.g., for sending and receiving non-mmWave messages). For example, non-mmWave communication may include DSRC communication, LTE-V2X, NR-V2X, ITS-Connect, or any other type of V2X communication that does not include mmWave.

[0047] Different non-mmWave communications can be used in different countries. For example, if the modified system 199 is implemented in the United States, DSRC can ideally be used as a form of non-mmWave communication. If the modified system 199 is implemented in Japan, ITS-Connect can ideally be used as a form of non-mmWave communication. If the modified system 199 is implemented in China, LTE-V2X can ideally be used as a form of non-mmWave communication.

[0048] In some embodiments, the GPS unit 170 is a conventional GPS unit of the vehicle 123. For example, the GPS unit 170 can include hardware that wirelessly communicates with GPS satellites to retrieve data describing the geographical location of the vehicle 123. For example, the GPS unit 170 retrieves GPS data describing the geographical location of the vehicle 123 from one or more GPS satellites.

[0049] In some embodiments, the GPS unit 170 is a DSRC-compatible GPS unit of the vehicle 123, which is operable to provide GPS data that describes the geographical location of the vehicle 123 with lane-level accuracy. In this case, the vehicle 123 can be a DSRC-equipped vehicle. A DSRC-equipped vehicle is a vehicle that: (1) includes a DSRC radio; (2) includes a DSRC-compatible global positioning system (GPS) unit; and (3) is operable to legally send and receive DSRC messages within the jurisdiction where the DSRC-equipped vehicle is located.

[0050] A conventional GPS unit provides location information that describes the location of the conventional GPS unit with an accuracy of plus or minus 10 meters of the actual location of the conventional GPS unit. In contrast, a DSRC-compatible GPS unit provides GPS data that describes the location of the DSRC-compatible GPS unit with an accuracy of plus or minus 1.5 meters of the actual location of the DSRC-compatible GPS unit. This degree of accuracy is referred to as "lane-level accuracy" because, for example, the lanes of a road are typically about 3 meters wide, and an accuracy of plus or minus 1.5 meters (±1.5m) is sufficient to identify which lane of the road the vehicle is traveling in.

[0051] The sensor group 182 includes one or more sensors operable to measure the road environment external to the vehicle 123. For example, the sensor group 182 can include one or more sensors that record one or more physical characteristics of the road environment proximate to the vehicle 123. In another example, the sensor group 182 can include ranging and position-locating sensors such as LIDAR, radar, and GPS, as well as any other sensors that can be used to determine position data (e.g., position data 151, position accuracy data 152, etc.) stored in the memory 127 as described herein. The memory 127 can also store sensor data that describes one or more physical characteristics recorded by the sensor group 182.

[0052] In some embodiments, the sensor group 182 can include one or more of the following vehicle sensors: cameras, LIDAR sensors, radar sensors, laser altimeters, infrared detectors, motion detectors, thermostats, sound detectors, carbon monoxide sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, oxygen sensors, air mass flow sensors, engine coolant temperature sensors, throttle position sensors, crankshaft position sensors, automotive engine sensors, valve timers, air-fuel ratio meters, blind spot detectors, curb clearance gauges, defect detectors, Hall effect sensors, manifold absolute pressure sensors, parking sensors, radar guns, speedometers, speed sensors, tire pressure monitoring sensors, torque sensors, transmission fluid temperature sensors, turbine speed sensors (TSS), variable reluctance sensors, vehicle speed sensors (VSS), water sensors, wheel speed sensors, and any other type of automotive sensor.

[0053] The ECU 186 can be a computing device on-board the vehicle 123. Types of the ECU 186 include, but are not limited to, the following types: engine control module (ECM), powertrain control module (PCM), transmission control module (TCM), brake control module (BCM or EBCM), central control module (CCM), central timing module (CTM), general electronic module (GEM), body control module (BCM), and suspension control module (SCM), etc.

[0054] In some embodiments, the vehicle 123 can include multiple ECUs 186. In some embodiments, the modification system 199 can be an element of the ECU 186.

[0055] In some embodiments, the modification system 199 includes software that, when executed by the processor 125, is operable to cause the processor 125 to perform one or more steps of the methods 300 and 400 described below Figures 3 - 4 and one or more operations described below Figures 5A - 6C as described below.

[0056] In some embodiments, the modification system 199 can be implemented using hardware including a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) or an application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”). In some other embodiments, the modification system 199 can be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. The modification system 199 can be stored in a combination of devices (e.g., a server or other device), or in one of the devices.

[0057] The following references Figures 2 - 6C describe the modification system 199 in more detail.

[0058] In some embodiments, the present vehicle 123 and the remote vehicle 124 can have a similar structure, and the description provided for the present vehicle 123 can also apply to the remote vehicle 124.

[0059] In some embodiments, at least one remote vehicle 124 is a connected vehicle similar to the present vehicle 123. In some embodiments, at least one remote vehicle 124 is an unconnected vehicle. The remote vehicle 124 includes elements similar to those of the present vehicle 123, including for example sensors and V2X radios. In some embodiments, the remote vehicle 124 includes an instance of its own modification system 199.

[0060] The roadside unit 103 can be any infrastructure device at the roadside. The base station 104 can be a land station in a land mobile service. Here, the roadside unit 103, the base station 104, the remote vehicle 124, and the present vehicle 123 are examples of endpoints connected to the network 105. Other examples of such endpoints are also possible. The endpoints can be equipped with a communication unit 145 (including a V2X radio 143), and include an instance of its own modification system 199.

[0061] Example computer system

[0062] Now referring Figure 2 , a block diagram depicting an example computer system 200 including a modification system 199 is shown according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the computer system 200 can include a dedicated computer system that is programmed to perform one or more steps of the methods 300 and 400 described below with reference to Figures 3 - 4 and one or more operations described below with reference to Figures 5A - 6C .

[0063] In some embodiments, the computer system 200 can be an element of the present vehicle 123. In some embodiments, the computer system 200 can be an in-vehicle computer of the present vehicle 123. In some embodiments, the computer system 200 can include an engine control unit, a head unit, or some other processor-based computing device of the present vehicle 123.

[0064] According to some examples, computer system 200 may include one or more of the following elements: modification system 199, processor 125, communication unit 145, sensor group 182, GPS unit 170, memory 127, and storage device 241. The components of computer system 200 are communicatively coupled via bus 220.

[0065] In the illustrated embodiment, processor 125 is communicatively coupled to bus 220 via signal line 238. Communication unit 145 is communicatively coupled to bus 220 via signal line 246. Sensor group 182 is communicatively coupled to bus 220 via signal line 248. GPS unit 170 is communicatively coupled to bus 220 via signal line 249. Storage device 241 is communicatively coupled to bus 220 via signal line 242. Memory 127 is communicatively coupled to bus 220 via signal line 244.

[0066] The above reference Figure 1B described the following elements of computer system 200, and thus, those descriptions will not be repeated here: processor 125, communication unit 145, sensor group 182, GPS unit 170, and memory 127.

[0067] Storage device 241 may be a non-transitory storage device medium that stores data for providing the functions described herein. Storage device 241 may be a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device, a static random access memory (SRAM) device, a flash memory, or some other storage device. In some embodiments, storage device 241 further includes a non-volatile memory or a similar permanent storage device and includes a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a CD ROM device, a DVD ROM device, a DVD RAM device, a DVD RW device, a flash memory device, or some other mass storage device for storing information more permanently.

[0068] In Figure 2 the illustrated embodiment, modification system 199 includes: communication module 202, alignment module 204, and data communication module 206. These components of modification system 199 are communicatively coupled to each other via bus 220. In some embodiments, the components of modification system 199 may be stored in a single server or device. In some other embodiments, the components of modification system 199 may be distributed and stored across multiple servers or devices. For example, some components of modification system 199 may be distributed across this vehicle 123 and any other endpoint.

[0069] The communication module 202 can be software including routines for handling communication between the modification system 199 and other components of the computer system 200. In some embodiments, the communication module 202 can be stored in the memory 127 of the computer system 200 and can be accessed and executed by the processor 125. The communication module 202 can be adapted to cooperate and communicate with the processor 125 and other components of the computer system 200 via the signal line 222.

[0070] The communication module 202 sends and receives data to and from one or more elements of the operating environment 150 via the communication unit 145. For example, the communication module 202 receives or sends V2X messages via the communication unit 145. The communication module 202 can send or receive any of the data or messages described above with reference to Figure 1B the communication unit 145.

[0071] In some embodiments, the communication module 202 receives data from components of the modification system 199 and stores the data in one or more of the storage device 241 and the memory 127. For example, the communication module 202 receives any of the data described above with reference to the memory 127 from the communication unit 145 (via the network 105, DSRC messages, BSM, DSRC probes, full-duplex wireless messages, etc.) and stores this data in the memory 127 (or temporarily stores it in the storage device 241 that can be used as a buffer for the computer system 200).

[0072] In some embodiments, the communication module 202 can handle communication between components of the modification system 199. For example, the communication module 202 can handle communication between the alignment module 204 and the data communication module 206. Any of these modules can enable the communication module 202 to communicate with the computer system 200 or other elements of the operating environment 150 (via the communication unit 145). For example, the alignment module 204 can use the communication module 202 to communicate with the sensor group 182 and enable the sensor group 182 to record sensor data.

[0073] The alignment module 204 can be software including routines for performing beam alignment processing. In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 can be stored in the memory 127 of the computer system 200 and can be accessed and executed by the processor 125. The alignment module 204 can be adapted to cooperate and communicate with the processor 125 and other components of the computer system 200 via the signal line 224.

[0074] In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 may operate one or more sensors of the sensor group 182 to generate sensor data describing the measurements of the sensor group 182. The alignment module 204 may cause the sensor data to be stored in the memory 127. For example, the alignment module 204 may cause the GPS unit 170 to retrieve position data (e.g., GPS data) describing the geographical location of the vehicle 123.

[0075] In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 determines position accuracy data associated with the position data. For example, the alignment module 204 determines position accuracy data indicating that the position data of the vehicle 123 has lane-level accuracy (e.g., having a measurement error of ±1.5 m).

[0076] In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 transmits a V2X message including the position data and the position accuracy data of the vehicle 123 via the non-mmWave radio 142. In some embodiments, the V2X message transmitted by the vehicle 123 further includes a data sharing request for the recipient of the V2X message to share its sensor data with the vehicle 123.

[0077] In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 of the vehicle 123 receives a V2X message transmitted by an endpoint via the non-mmWave radio 142. The V2X message transmitted by the endpoint includes one or more of the following: (1) position data describing the geographical location of the endpoint; (2) position accuracy data describing the accuracy of the position data of the endpoint; and (3) a data sharing request from the endpoint for the recipient of the V2X message to share its sensor data with the endpoint.

[0078] If the V2X message transmitted by the endpoint includes a data sharing request from the endpoint, the alignment module 204 of the vehicle 123 may transmit a response V2X message including an acknowledgement of the data sharing request via the non-mmWave radio 142. For example, the acknowledgement includes schedule information for mmWave communication to be performed between the vehicle 123 and the endpoint, so as to initiate the directional transmission and reception of mmWave communication according to the schedule information.

[0079] In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 is operable to determine a beam scanning direction setting for mmWave beam alignment with an endpoint based on the position data describing the geographical location of the endpoint. For example, the beam scanning direction setting includes a directional scanning range (e.g., an arc or area) within which the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio 143 of the vehicle 123 is configured to scan during mmWave beam alignment. The directional scanning range includes the geographical location of the endpoint.

[0080] For example, based on the location data of the endpoint, the alignment module 204 determines a beam scan direction setting to include a beam lobe pointing in the direction of the endpoint. The beam lobe includes the geographical location where the endpoint is within its communication range. The beam of the mmWave radio 141 of the vehicle 123 is configured to scan using the beam lobe during mmWave beam alignment.

[0081] In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 may consider the position accuracy data of the endpoint when determining the beam scan direction setting. For example, assume that the location data has lane-level accuracy (e.g., there is a measurement error of ±1.5 m). Then, the position accuracy data may have a measurement error of ±1.5 m. The determined beam scan direction setting is configured to tolerate a position deviation of ±1.5 m.

[0082] In some embodiments, the alignment module 204 is operable to modify the operation of the V2X radio 143 of the vehicle 123 based on the beam scan direction setting to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint. In this way, the efficiency of mmWave beam alignment is improved. For example, the alignment module 204 scans the beam of the mmWave radio 141 to align the beam with the endpoint, such that the beam of the mmWave radio 141 is scanned only in the direction indicated by the beam scan direction setting. This beam scan based on the beam scan direction setting is feasible because: (1) the endpoint is located at the geographical location indicated by the location data of the endpoint (which can be corrected based on the position accuracy data of the endpoint); and (2) the arc or area scanned by the mmWave radio 141 includes the geographical location within its scan range. This process is faster than scanning in all directions because the area to be covered by the scan is smaller. As a result, time, processor power, and energy are saved during mmWave beam alignment.

[0083] The data communication module 206 may be software that includes routines that, when executed by the processor 125, cause the processor 125 to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint using the V2X radio 143. In some embodiments, the data communication module 206 may be stored in the memory 127 of the computer system 200 and may be accessed and executed by the processor 125. The data communication module 206 may be adapted to cooperate and communicate with the processor 125 and other components of the computer system 200 via the signal line 226.

[0084] In some embodiments, in response to the completion of mmWave beam alignment performed by the alignment module 204, the data communication module 206 performs mmWave communication with an endpoint using the beam lobe selected during the mmWave beam alignment. For example, the data communication module 206 modifies the operation of the mmWave radio 141 of the vehicle 123 to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint using the mmWave beam alignment. The mmWave radio 141 exchanges mmWave communication with the endpoint using the beam lobe determined by the beam scanning direction setting.

[0085] Example processing

[0086] Now refer to Figure 3 , the flowchart of an example method 300 for performing beam alignment for mmWave communication based on location data according to some embodiments is depicted. The steps of method 300 can be performed in any order and are not necessarily Figure 3 the order depicted in. Method 300 can be performed by the vehicle 123.

[0087] In step 301, the alignment module 204 determines a beam scanning direction setting for mmWave beam alignment with an endpoint based on location data describing the geographical location of the endpoint.

[0088] In step 303, the alignment module 204 modifies the operation of the V2X radio 143 of the vehicle 123 to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scanning direction setting, so as to improve the efficiency of mmWave beam alignment.

[0089] In step 305, the alignment module 204 modifies the operation of the V2X radio 143 of the vehicle 123 to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint using the mmWave beam alignment.

[0090] Figure 4 Another method 400 for performing beam alignment for mmWave communication based on location data according to some embodiments is depicted. The steps of method 400 can be performed in any order and are not necessarily Figure 4 the order depicted in. Method 400 can be performed by the vehicle 123.

[0091] In step 401, the alignment module 204 receives a V2X message including location data describing the geographical location of the endpoint via the V2X radio 143.

[0092] In step 403, the alignment module 204 determines a beam scanning direction setting based on the location data of the endpoint, and the beam scanning direction setting includes a directional scanning range for mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint.

[0093] In step 405, the alignment module 204 modifies the operation of the V2X radio 143 of the vehicle 123 to perform mmWave beam alignment with an endpoint based on the beam scanning direction setting, so as to configure the mmWave beam of the V2X radio 143 to scan within the directional scanning range to improve the efficiency of mmWave beam alignment.

[0094] In step 407, the alignment module 204 modifies the operation of the V2X radio 143 of the vehicle 123 to perform mmWave communication with an endpoint using mmWave beam alignment.

[0095] Figures 5A - 5B Diagrams 500 and 550 are illustrations showing example beam alignments based on location data according to some embodiments. In Figures 5A - 5B the depicted road environment, the vehicle 123 is surrounded by four remote vehicles 124 (e.g., vehicles A, B, C, and D). Here, as an example, the vehicle 123 is the transmitter of mmWave communication, and vehicles A, B, C, and D are the receivers of mmWave communication. Note that the transmitter and any receiver of mmWave communication can also be any endpoint in the road environment, such as including vehicles, roadside units 103, and base stations 104, etc.

[0096] Each transmitter and receiver has an mmWave radio and a non-mmWave radio. Examples of non-mmWave radios include, but are not limited to, the following examples: 5.9 GHz DSRC, LTE-V2X, NR-V2X, and 760 MHz ITS-Connect, etc. Each receiver can regularly (e.g., every 100 milliseconds) share its location using the non-mmWave radio. Based on the location data shared by the receivers, the transmitter only performs mmWave beam scanning for beam alignment in the direction of the receivers.

[0097] In Figures 5A - 5B this, the vehicle 123 does not have to request location data from the remote vehicles 124 (e.g., vehicles A, B, C, and D) or provide confirmation to the remote vehicles 124.

[0098] Referring Figure 5A to, the modification system 199 of each remote vehicle 124 causes the GPS unit of the remote vehicle 124 to retrieve location data describing the geographical location of the remote vehicle 124. Each remote vehicle 124 including the modification system 199 performs this operation at regular time intervals (e.g., once per second, once every 0.1 second, etc.).

[0099] Optionally, the modification system 199 of each remote vehicle 124 causes the processor of the remote vehicle 124 to determine position accuracy data for its position data. Each remote vehicle 124 including the modification system 199 performs this operation at regular time intervals (e.g., once per second, once per 0.1 second, etc.) or for each new instance of the position data.

[0100] The modification system 199 of the remote vehicle 124 causes the V2X radio (e.g., non-mmWave radio) of the remote vehicle 124 to send a V2X message including one or more of its position data and its position accuracy data to the host vehicle 123. The V2X message can be broadcast or unicast. In some embodiments, the V2X message is a BSM message.

[0101] For example, vehicle A is located at location A. Vehicle A causes its non-mmWave radio to send a first V2X message to the host vehicle 123, where the first V2X message includes one or more first position data describing location A and first position accuracy data describing the accuracy of location A. Vehicle B is located at location B. Vehicle B causes its non-mmWave radio to send a second V2X message to the host vehicle 123, where the second V2X message includes one or more second position data describing location B and second position accuracy data describing the accuracy of location B. Vehicle C is located at location C. Vehicle C causes its non-mmWave radio to send a third V2X message to the host vehicle 123, where the third V2X message includes one or more third position data describing location C and third position accuracy data describing the accuracy of location C. Vehicle D is located at location D. Vehicle D causes its non-mmWave radio to send a fourth V2X message to the host vehicle 123, where the fourth V2X message includes one or more fourth position data describing location D and fourth position accuracy data describing the accuracy of location D.

[0102] Reference Figure 5B The non-mmWave radio 142 of the host vehicle 123 receives the first V2X message, the second V2X message, the third V2X message, and the fourth V2X message from vehicles A, B, C, and D, respectively.

[0103] The modification system 199 of the host vehicle 123 analyzes the first position data (optionally, the first position accuracy data), the second position data (optionally, the second position accuracy data), the third position data (optionally, the third position accuracy data), and the fourth position data (optionally, the fourth position accuracy data) to determine beam scan direction setting data. The beam scan direction setting data includes digital data describing a directional scan range (e.g., one or more arches or regions) within which the mmWave radio 141 of the host vehicle 123 scans during mmWave beam alignment.

[0104] In this example, the directional scan range includes: a beam lobe 510 that points in the direction of vehicle A and has position A within its communication range; a beam lobe 512 that points in the direction of vehicle B and has position B within its communication range; a beam lobe 514 that points in the direction of vehicle C and has position C within its communication range; and a beam lobe 516 that points in the direction of vehicle D and has position D within its communication range.

[0105] The modified system 199 of the vehicle 123 modifies the operation of the mmWave radio 141 of the vehicle 123 to perform mmWave beam alignment so that the beam of the mmWave radio 141 scans only in the directions of the lobes 510, 512, 514, and 516 indicated by the beam scan direction setting data. In this way, when compared with beam scanning in all directions, the mmWave beam alignment process based on the beam scan direction setting data can save time, processing power, and energy.

[0106] Figures 6A - 6C are diagrams 600, 650, and 670 showing another example beam alignment based on position data according to some embodiments. In Figures 6A - 6C the example shown, the modified systems 199 of the vehicle 123 and the remote vehicles 124 (e.g., vehicles A, B, C, and D) can perform operations similar to those described above for Figures 5A - 5B and a similar description will not be repeated here.

[0107] Referring to Figure 6A , in addition to the first position data (and optionally the first position accuracy data) describing position A, the first V2X message sent from vehicle A further includes a data sharing request A from vehicle A (e.g., shown as "Position A + Request A" in Figure 6A ). The data sharing request A requests the recipient of the request to share its sensor data with vehicle A. Similarly, the second V2X message sent from vehicle B further includes a data sharing request B from vehicle B (e.g., shown as "Position B + Request B" in Figure 6A ), and the data sharing request B requests the recipient of the request to share its sensor data with vehicle B. The third V2X message sent from vehicle C further includes a data sharing request C from vehicle C (e.g., shown as "Position C + Request C" in Figure 6A ), and the data sharing request C requests the recipient of the request to share its sensor data with vehicle C. The fourth V2X message sent from vehicle D further includes a data sharing request D from vehicle D (e.g., shown as "Position D + Request D" in Figure 6A ), and the data sharing request D requests the recipient of the request to share its sensor data with vehicle D.

[0108] Reference Figure 6B , the modification system 199 of the vehicle 123 causes its non-mmWave radio 142 to send acknowledgments (ACKs) A, B, C, and D to vehicles A, B, C, and D, respectively. Each acknowledgment can be a broadcast or unicast non-mmWave V2X message. Each acknowledgment can include schedule information for mmWave communication between the vehicle 123 and the corresponding vehicle so as to initiate directional transmission and reception of mmWave communication according to the schedule information.

[0109] Reference Figure 6C , the modification system 199 of the vehicle 123 can perform operations similar to the above operations for Figure 5B to determine beam scan direction setting data. The beam scan direction setting data includes digital data describing the directional scan range. In this example, the directional scan range includes: a beam lobe 610 pointing in the direction of vehicle A and having a position A within its communication range; a beam lobe 612 pointing in the direction of vehicle B and having a position B within its communication range; a beam lobe 614 pointing in the direction of vehicle C and having a position C within its communication range; and a beam lobe 616 pointing in the direction of vehicle D and having a position D within its communication range.

[0110] The modification system 199 of the vehicle 123 modifies the operation of the mmWave radio 141 of the vehicle 123 so that the beam of the mmWave radio 141 scans only in the directions of the beam lobes 610, 612, 614, and 616. In this way, compared with when the beam scans in all directions, the beam alignment process based on the beam scan direction setting data can save time, processing power, and energy.

[0111] In the above description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the specification. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the description. For example, the above embodiments may be mainly described with reference to the user interface and specific hardware. However, the present embodiments can be applied to any type of computer system that can receive data and commands, as well as any peripheral device that provides services.

[0112] References to "some embodiments" or "some examples" in the specification refer to specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with embodiments or examples that may be included in at least one embodiment of the specification. The phrase "in some embodiments" that appears in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0113] Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, considered to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulation of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, etc.

[0114] However, it should be borne in mind that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise herein, it is to be understood that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "determining" or "displaying" etc., refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the registers and memories of the computer system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the memories, or registers, or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices of the computer system.

[0115] Embodiments of the present specification may also relate to apparatus for performing the operations herein. The apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, which may include, but is not limited to, any type of disk, including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic or optical cards, flash memory including a USB key with non-volatile memory, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, each coupled to a computer system bus.

[0116] The specification may take the form of some entirely hardware embodiments, some entirely software embodiments, or embodiments containing both hardware and software elements. In some preferred embodiments, the specification is implemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.

[0117] In addition, the description may take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0118] A data processing system suitable for storing or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memory that provides temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution.

[0119] Input / output or I / O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I / O controllers.

[0120] A network adapter can also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to be coupled to other data processing systems, remote printers, or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters.

[0121] Finally, the algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems can be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The structure required for various such systems will become apparent from the following description. In addition, no specific programming language has been referenced in describing this specification. It should be understood that a variety of programming languages can be used to implement the teachings of the specification described herein.

[0122] The foregoing description of the embodiments of this specification has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the specification to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure not be limited by this detailed description, but rather by the claims of this application. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the specification may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Similarly, the particular naming and division of modules, routines, features, attributes, methods, and other aspects are not mandatory or significant, and the mechanisms implementing the specification or its features may have different names, divisions, or formats. Additionally, it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art that the modules, routines, features, attributes, methods, and other aspects of this disclosure may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of the three. And, any component of this specification (an example of which is a module) that is implemented as software may be implemented as a stand-alone program, as part of a larger program, as multiple stand-alone programs, as a static or dynamic linked library, as a loadable kernel module, as a device driver, or in every and any other way now or hereafter known to those of ordinary skill in the computer programming arts. Further, this disclosure is in no way limited to embodiments in any particular programming language, or any particular operating system or environment. Accordingly, this disclosure is intended to illustrate rather than limit the scope of this specification, the scope of which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a non - transitory memory of an on - vehicle computer system of the vehicle storing computer - executable code, the computer - executable code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to: Receive a vehicle - to - everything (V2X) message including a data sharing request, location data, and location accuracy data, the data sharing request requesting the receiver of the V2X message to share sensor data with an endpoint, the location data describing the geographical location of the endpoint, and the location accuracy data describing the accuracy of the location data and the measurement error of one or more on - vehicle sensors of the endpoint that determined the location data while the endpoint was traveling on a road; Send a response V2X message including an acknowledgement of the data sharing request, wherein the acknowledgement includes schedule information for millimeter - wave (mmWave) communication between the vehicle and the endpoint so as to initiate directional transmission and reception of the mmWave communication according to the schedule information; Determine a beam scan direction setting based on the location data and the location accuracy data of the endpoint, the beam scan direction setting including a directional scan range for aligning an mmWave beam with the endpoint; and Modify the operation of the vehicle's V2X radio to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scan direction setting so that the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan within the directional scan range to improve the efficiency of the mmWave beam alignment.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein, The computer - executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to: Modify the operation of the vehicle's V2X radio to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint using the mmWave beam alignment.

3. The computer program product according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, The directional scan range includes the geographical location of the endpoint.

4. A method for the vehicle, comprising: Receiving from an endpoint a vehicle - to - everything (V2X) message including a data sharing request, location data, and location accuracy data, the data sharing request requesting the receiver of the V2X message to share sensor data with the endpoint, the location data describing the geographical location of the endpoint, and the location accuracy data describing the accuracy of the location data and the measurement error of one or more on - vehicle sensors of the endpoint that determined the location data while the endpoint was traveling on a road; Sending a response V2X message including an acknowledgement of the data sharing request, wherein the acknowledgement includes schedule information for millimeter - wave (mmWave) communication between the vehicle and the endpoint so as to initiate directional transmission and reception of the mmWave communication according to the schedule information; Determining a beam scan direction setting based on the location data and the location accuracy data, the beam scan direction setting including a directional scan range for aligning an mmWave beam with the endpoint; and Modify the operation of the vehicle-to-everything V2X radio of this vehicle to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scanning direction setting, so that the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan within the directional scanning range to improve the efficiency of the mmWave beam alignment.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: Modify the operation of the V2X radio of this vehicle to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint using the mmWave beam alignment.

6. The method according to any one of claims 4 and 5, wherein Within the directional scanning range, the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan during the mmWave beam alignment.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein The position accuracy data describes the accuracy of one or more on-vehicle sensors of the endpoint that determine the geographical location of the endpoint.

8. The method according to any one of claims 4 and 5, wherein The endpoint includes a remote vehicle, a roadside unit, or a base station.

9. A system for this vehicle, comprising: The in-vehicle vehicle computer system of this vehicle, including a non-transitory memory storing computer code that, when executed by the in-vehicle vehicle computer system, causes the in-vehicle vehicle computer system to: Receive a vehicle-to-everything V2X message including a data sharing request, location data, and location accuracy data, the data sharing request requesting the receiver of the V2X message to share sensor data with an endpoint, the location data describing the geographical location of the endpoint, and the location accuracy data describing the accuracy of the location data and the measurement error of one or more on-vehicle sensors of the endpoint that determine the location data when the endpoint travels on the road; Send a response V2X message including an acknowledgement of the data sharing request, where the acknowledgement includes schedule information for millimeter wave mmWave communication between this vehicle and the endpoint, so as to initiate directional transmission and reception of the mmWave communication according to the schedule information; Determine a beam scanning direction setting based on the location data and the location accuracy data, the beam scanning direction setting including a directional scanning range for mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint; and Modify the operation of the vehicle-to-everything V2X radio of this vehicle to perform mmWave beam alignment with the endpoint based on the beam scanning direction setting, so that the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan within the directional scanning range to improve the efficiency of the mmWave beam alignment.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein, When executed by the in-vehicle vehicle computer system, the computer code causes the in-vehicle vehicle computer system to further: Modify the operation of the V2X radio of this vehicle to perform mmWave communication with the endpoint using the mmWave beam alignment.

11. The system according to any one of claims 9 and 10, wherein Within the directional scanning range, the mmWave radio beam of the V2X radio is configured to scan during the mmWave beam alignment.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein, The position accuracy data describes the accuracy of one or more on-vehicle sensors of the endpoint that determine the geographical location of the endpoint.

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