Method, computer program product, device, vehicle, and network component for controlling a communication link for remotely operating a vehicle

Abstract

An embodiment provides a method, a computer program, a device, a vehicle, and a network component for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle. The method (10) for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle (200) includes: obtaining (12) information related to a predicted quality of service pQoS of a communication link between the vehicle (200) and a remote operator of the vehicle (200). The method further includes: selecting (14) an operation mode for remotely operating the vehicle (200) from a group of operation modes based on the information related to pQoS, the group of operation modes including two or more operation modes that differ at least in terms of the speed limit of the vehicle (200).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, computer program, device, vehicle and network component for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle, and more particularly but not exclusively to a concept for selecting among different operating modes of tele-operated driving for controlling the communication link based on predicted quality of service. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle communication is an area of research and development. To enable autonomous or semi-autonomous driving of vehicles, vehicles are expected to use vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V) and vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication, for example to coordinate driving maneuvers and / or receive tele-operated driving instructions. Such communication is typically wireless, i.e., vehicles can communicate wirelessly via a cellular mobile communication system with other vehicles in their vicinity and / or with a backend service.

[0003] Tele-operated driving (ToD) is receiving increasing attention. The main concept of ToD is an automated vehicle (AV) remotely driven by a control / command center (CC). The CC and the AV may be far apart from each other. They are connected via a radio communication system (e.g., fourth-generation, fifth-generation mobile communication systems (4G, 5G)) and its backhaul. Thus, a certain end-to-end (E2E) delay and data rate are expected. The CC controls the automated vehicle (AV) via remote control. In direct control, the CC directly controls one or more brakes of the AV.

[0004] For example, 5GCroCo will trial 5G technology in cross-border corridors along France, Germany, and Luxembourg. Additionally, 5GCroCo also aims to define new business models that can be built on this unprecedented connectivity and service provision capabilities. Further information can be found at https: / / 5gcroco.eu / .

[0005] Document US10,446,037B2 relates to autonomous vehicles and associated mechanical, electrical, and electronic hardware, computer software and systems, and wired and wireless network communications to provide a fleet of autonomous vehicles as a service. In particular, a method may include receiving a ride request from a user device to transport a user from a starting location to a destination by an autonomous vehicle system service. Based on the starting location associated with the request, an autonomous vehicle system may be selected from a fleet of autonomous vehicles to execute the ride request. The fleet may be managed by the autonomous vehicle system service. Then, the ride request may be provided to the autonomous vehicle system, and information about the autonomous vehicle system may also be provided to the user device.

[0006] Document US2020 / 0107212 A1 relates to a method for predicting the quality of service of communication for at least one communication link of at least one communication device. QoS prediction may be necessary when it comes to a situation where a user wants to use an application for which a certain type of QoS is presumed. To obtain the best estimate of the quality of service, the method includes the following steps: sending a quality of service prediction request message (hereinafter referred to as a QoS prediction request message) from the communication device to a communication service prediction server; predicting the quality of service in the communication service prediction server; and sending back a quality of service prediction response message to the communication device. Thus, the communication device can decide whether the predicted QoS is sufficient for the planned activity and can decide to start the activity, postpone the activity, or change the activity.

[0007] Document US10,243,860B3 provides dynamic and adaptive QoS and QoE (Quality of Experience) management for U-Plane traffic, while achieving user- and application-specific differentiation and maximizing system resource utilization by, for example, using a system consisting of a policy server and one or more enforcement points. In an example system, the policy server can be a logical entity configured to store multiple QoS / QoE policies, each of the multiple policies identifying at least one of a user, a service vertical, an application or context, and an associated QoE target. The policy server can be further configured to provide one or more of the multiple QoS / QoE policies to one or more enforcement points. In some embodiments, the QoS / QoE policies can be configured to provide QoE targets, for example, at a high level of abstraction and / or at the application session level.

[0008] The document “Predictive Quality of Service: Adaptation of Platoon Inter-Vehicle Distance to Packet Inter-Reception Time” by PFADLER ANDREAS et al. provides a concept for platooning and cooperation of automated vehicles. The document proposes adapting the vehicle speed depending on the mobility of the vehicle environment and pQoS.

[0009] The document "New Key Issue and Solution for Dynamic Application Adjustment" by HUAWEI et al. discloses a concept for eV2X services and proposes to dynamically and timely adjust eV2X applications by reducing the vehicle speed, increasing the distance between vehicles, or changing the automation level if the QoS degrades.

[0010] The document "L8 to 3GPP on 008 Prediction" by 5GAA WG2 relates to a concept for end-to-end network slicing and quality of service prediction for automotive use cases. The document also proposes to decelerate a remotely driven vehicle in case of a change in network QoS prediction.

[0011] The document "SG Connected and Automated Driving: Use Cases and Technologies in Cross-border Environments" by HETZER DIRK et al. relates to a concept for 5G-connected and automated driving. The document also proposes to reduce the speed, change the route, or safely stop when QoS degradation is expected.

[0012] An improved concept for controlling ToD is needed.

[0013] The embodiments are based on the discovery that ToD control performance is related to communication link performance. For example, the latency and data rate performance of the communication link between the CC / remote operator and the remotely operated vehicle significantly contribute to the vehicle's response time. In the uplink, i.e., the communication link from the vehicle to the CC, there is a communication latency involved between data acquisition (e.g., video and other sensing) at the vehicle and data presentation (e.g., video display). Thus, the remote operator reacts to the delayed data and issues a control command, which experiences further communication delay when transmitted to the vehicle in the downlink (from the CC to the vehicle). To avoid safety risks, the higher the communication delay, the lower the speed limit of the vehicle should be. One discovery of the embodiments is that the speed limit of a remotely operated vehicle can be set by predefining a group of ToD operation modes for selection. The operation mode group includes two or more operation modes that differ at least in terms of the speed limit of the vehicle. Selecting from the predefined group enables more efficient control in ToD. Summary of the Invention

[0014] An embodiment provides a method for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle. The method includes: obtaining information related to a predicted quality of service pQoS of a communication link between the vehicle and a remote operator of the vehicle. The method further includes: selecting, based on the information related to pQoS, an operation mode for remotely operating the vehicle from a group of operation modes. The group of operation modes includes two or more operation modes that differ at least in terms of the speed limit of the vehicle. The embodiment enables efficient control of the ToD operation settings using a predetermined group or set of operation modes.

[0015] For example, the information related to pQoS may include at least latency and data rate. The embodiment may consider impairments that may occur in a combined (radio and non-radio) communication link.

[0016] In at least some embodiments, the method may further include: determining a permissible speed limit based on the information related to pQoS, and selecting an operation mode based on the permissible speed limit of the vehicle. For example, based on the latency and data rate on the control link, a speed limit may be determined, and a corresponding operation mode may be assigned.

[0017] Each operation mode may be assigned a QoS requirement. A certain QoS requirement may be necessary for remotely operating the vehicle in a certain operation mode.

[0018] The method may further include adapting to the selected operation mode based on a cost function. The embodiment may consider the cost of mode adaptation.

[0019] For example, the cost function may relate to the efficiency of the operation mode. Thus, the embodiment may consider the operation efficiency in ToD. The cost function may associate a change in the operation mode with fuel efficiency and comfort. Comfort and fuel efficiency may be considered in the embodiment.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method may further include: monitoring the information related to pQoS, and reselecting an operation mode based on the monitored pQoS. The embodiment may implement pQoS-adapted ToD.

[0021] In addition, the current QoS on the communication link may be monitored. Thus, the embodiment may implement safe ToD by monitoring the current QoS and future QoS trends. For example, the method may include: reselecting an operation mode when the current QoS falls below a threshold required for the current operation mode.

[0022] The method may further include: triggering a safe stop of the vehicle when the current QoS falls below a safety threshold. The embodiment prioritizes safety by triggering a safe stop in the case of communication link impairment.

[0023] The embodiments further provide a computer program having program code which, when executed on a computer, a processor or a programmable hardware component, is for performing one or more of the described methods. A further embodiment is a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, a processor or a programmable hardware component, cause the computer to implement one of the methods described herein.

[0024] Another embodiment is an apparatus for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle. The apparatus includes one or more interfaces configured to communicate in a communication network, and a control module configured to control the one or more interfaces. The control module is further configured to perform one of the methods described herein. Further embodiments are a vehicle including the apparatus and a network component including the apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Some other features or aspects will be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, using the following non-limiting embodiments of an apparatus or method or computer program or computer program product, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 A block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle;

[0027] Figure 2 A block diagram showing an embodiment of an apparatus for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle, an embodiment of a vehicle, and an embodiment of a network component;

[0028] Figure 3 An overview of the ToD mode in an embodiment is depicted;

[0029] Figure 4 Data rates and latencies in the case of three different modes in an embodiment are illustrated; and

[0030] Figure 5 A possible speed progression depending on communication quality in an embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The various example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the drawings, for clarity, the thickness of lines, layers or regions may be enlarged. Dashed lines, dash-dotted lines or dotted lines may be used to illustrate optional components.

[0032] Accordingly, while the exemplary embodiments can have various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that there is no intention to limit the exemplary embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, and on the contrary, the exemplary embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention. Like reference numerals refer to like or similar elements throughout the description of the figures.

[0033] As used herein, the term "or" refers to a non-exclusive "or" unless otherwise indicated (e.g., "otherwise", or "alternatively"). Further, as used herein, words used to describe the relationship between elements should be broadly construed to include a direct relationship or the presence of intervening elements, unless otherwise indicated. For example, when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, the element can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or there may be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening elements. Similarly, words such as "between", "adjacent", etc. should be interpreted in a similar manner.

[0034] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", or "including" when used herein specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or groups thereof.

[0035] All terms used herein, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the exemplary embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms (e.g., terms defined in a commonly used dictionary) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0036] Figure 1The block diagram illustrates an embodiment of a method 10 for controlling a communication link for remotely operating a vehicle. The method 10 includes: obtaining 12 information related to a predicted quality of service pQoS of a communication link between the vehicle and a remote operator of the vehicle. The method 10 further includes: selecting 14 an operating mode for remotely operating the vehicle from a group of operating modes based on the information related to the pQoS. The group of operating modes includes two or more operating modes that differ at least in terms of the speed limit of the vehicle.

[0037] In an embodiment, the speed limit is the maximum speed at which the vehicle can travel when being remotely operated. The method 10 may further include: applying the speed limit to the vehicle when the vehicle is being remotely operated. Remotely operating the vehicle should be understood as remotely controlling the vehicle. For example, a remote operator or a remote controller located at the CC takes over the control of the vehicle by means of control commands (such as acceleration / deceleration commands, steering commands, etc.). Tele-operated driving (ToD) may become a key technology for solving problems of vehicles with L4 / L5 (L4: highly automated, L5: fully automated) driving, such as interpretation problems or deadlocks (situations that cannot be solved only by autonomous or automatic control mechanisms).

[0038] These problems occur when an autonomous vehicle (AV) is unable to interpret and solve a situation due to unclear traffic conditions (such as an accident or a construction site). These vehicles may require external instructions from other people, who can be a so-called control center (CC). In a so-called ToD session, the ToD vehicle will be remotely driven by the CC (the operator therein).

[0039] The ToD performance is related to the communication link performance. In some embodiments, the communication link may include a wireless part and a wired part, and the pQoS may relate to at least the wireless part. For example, the communication link includes an air interface (the Uu link in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), the wireless part of the communication link) between the vehicle and a base station (access node), and then a connection through the operator backbone (core network, wired part). Depending on the quality of the link, in an embodiment, the control of the vehicle will be adapted: the vehicle will be directly controlled (similar to a joystick) or indirectly controlled (waypoint or environmental modeledition). The environment can be characterized by the road type, such as highway, rural road, urban road, residential area road, number of lanes, traffic density, traffic dynamics, etc. In addition, the time of day, the day of the week, the weather, the current traffic condition / density; and other factors can be included in the information related to the environment of the remotely operated vehicle.

[0040] Embodiments can provide a selection of an operation mode based on pQoS and the vehicle environment, and the operation mode includes a remote control maximum speed definition. In the ToD session, two main factors are crucial for determining the driving speed of the AV. The first is the predictive quality of service (pQoS), such as future data rates and even more importantly, latency. pQoS can include at least latency and data rate. In an embodiment, QoS or pQoS can include one or more elements from the following groups: latency, data rate, error rate / reliability, packet error rate, packet inter-reception time, etc. Such QoS can depend on different factors, such as radio access technology (RAT), path loss, environment, interference scenario, load, processing delay, etc.

[0041] QoS may negatively affect the control of the vehicle and thus the speed of the AV needs to be adapted. The second influencing factor is the AV environment and the required response time for remote control from the CC to the AV. For example, a remotely driven AV located in the city center area and surrounded by moving people does not allow as long a latency as a vehicle driving on a deserted street. For example, in an embodiment, method 10 may include: determining an allowable speed limit based on information related to pQoS and selecting an operation mode based on the allowable speed limit of the vehicle. Each operation mode can be assigned QoS requirements.

[0042] Figure 2 The block diagrams of an embodiment of apparatus 20 for controlling a communication link for remotely operating a vehicle, an embodiment of vehicle 100, and an embodiment of network component 100 are illustrated. As Figure 2 shown, apparatus 20 for controlling a communication link for remotely operating a vehicle includes one or more interfaces 22 configured to communicate in a communication network. Apparatus 20 further includes a control module 24 configured to control one or more interfaces 22 and coupled to one or more interfaces 22. Control module 24 is further configured to execute one of the methods 10 described herein. As Figure 2 further shown in dashed lines (optional from the perspective of apparatus 20), entity 100 including an embodiment of apparatus 20 is another embodiment. Such entity 100 can be a vehicle or a network component (e.g., a server, a computer, a base station, hardware, a CC, etc.). Figure 2 The radio link for controlling a ToD vehicle 200 is further illustrated.

[0043] The device 20 and the vehicle or network component 100 can communicate at least partially via a mobile communication system. The mobile communication system can, for example, correspond to one of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standardized mobile communication networks, where the term mobile communication system is used synonymously with mobile communication network. Thus, messages (input data, control information) can be transmitted via multiple network nodes (such as the Internet, routers, switches, etc.) as well as the mobile communication system, which generates the latency or delay considered in the embodiments. For example, the uplink direction refers to the direction from the vehicle to the command center, and the downlink direction refers to the direction from the command center to the vehicle.

[0044] The mobile or wireless communication system 400 can correspond to a 5th Generation (5G, or New Radio) mobile communication system and can use millimeter wave technology. The mobile communication system can correspond to or include, for example, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Evolved UTRAN (e-UTRAN), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network, GSM / EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), or mobile communication networks with different standards, such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) network IEEE 802.16 or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) IEEE 802.11, generally Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) networks, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) networks, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) networks, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) networks, Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA) networks, and so on.

[0045] Service provision can be performed by network components such as base station transceivers, relay stations, or UEs, for example, coordinating service provision in a cluster or group of multiple UEs / vehicles. The base station transceiver can be operable or configured to communicate with one or more active mobile transceivers / vehicles, and the base station transceiver can be located within or adjacent to the coverage area of another base station transceiver, such as a macro cell base station transceiver or a small cell base station transceiver. Thus, embodiments can provide a mobile communication system including two or more mobile transceivers / vehicles 200 and one or more base station transceivers, where the base station transceiver can establish a macro cell or a small cell, such as a pico cell, a metro cell, or a femto cell. The mobile transceiver or UE can correspond to a smart phone, a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a universal serial bus (USB) stick, an automobile, a vehicle, a road participant, a traffic entity, a traffic infrastructure, and so on. The mobile transceiver can also be referred to as a user equipment (UE) or a mobile device conforming to 3GPP terminology. The vehicle can correspond to any conceivable means of transportation, such as an automobile, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a van, a truck, a bus, a ship, a boat, an airplane, a train, a tram, etc.

[0046] The base station transceiver can be located in the fixed or stationary part of the network or system. The base station transceiver can be or correspond to a remote radio head, a transmission point, an access point, a macro cell, a small cell, a micro cell, a femto cell, a metro cell, etc. The base station transceiver can be a wireless interface of a wired network, which enables the transmission of radio signals to the UE or the mobile transceiver. Such radio signals can comply with radio signals standardized by, for example, 3GPP or generally conforming to one or more of the systems listed above. Thus, the base station transceiver can correspond to a NodeB, an eNodeB, a gNodeB, a base transceiver station (BTS), an access point, a remote radio head, a relay station, a transmission point, etc., which can be further divided into a remote unit and a central unit.

[0047] The mobile transceiver or vehicle can be associated with a base station transceiver or a cell. The term "cell" refers to the coverage area of the radio service provided by a base station transceiver (e.g., a NodeB (NB), an eNodeB (eNB), a gNodeB, a remote radio head, a transmission point, etc.). The base station transceiver can operate one or more cells on one or more frequency layers, and in some embodiments, the cell can correspond to a sector. For example, the sector can be implemented using a sector antenna, which provides characteristics for covering an angular portion around the remote unit or the base station transceiver. The base station transceiver can operate multiple sectorized antennas. Hereinafter, the cell can represent the corresponding base station transceiver that generates the cell, or equivalently, the base station transceiver can represent the cell generated by the base station transceiver.

[0048] In an embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be included in a server, a control center, a base station, a NodeB, a UE, a vehicle, a network component, a relay station, or any service coordination network entity. It should be noted that the term network component may include multiple sub-components, such as a base station, a server, etc.

[0049] In an embodiment, one or more interfaces 22 may correspond to any component for obtaining, receiving, transmitting, or providing an analog or digital signal or information, such as any connector, contact, pin, register, input port, output port, conductor, channel, etc., which allows providing or obtaining a signal or information. The interface may be wireless or wired, and it may be configured to communicate with additional internal or external components, i.e., transmit or receive signals, information. One or more interfaces 22 may include additional components to enable corresponding communication in a (mobile) communication system, and such components may include transceiver (transmitter and / or receiver) components, such as one or more low noise amplifiers (LNAs), one or more power amplifiers (PAs), one or more duplexers, one or more diplexers, one or more filters or filter circuits, one or more converters, one or more mixers, correspondingly adapted radio frequency components, etc. One or more interfaces 22 may be coupled to one or more antennas, which may correspond to any transmitting and / or receiving antenna, such as a horn antenna, a dipole antenna, a patch antenna, a sector antenna, etc. In some examples, one or more interfaces 22 may be used for the purpose of transmitting or receiving information (such as, information, input data, control information, further information messages, etc.) or both transmitting and receiving information.

[0050] As Figure 2 shown, the corresponding one or more interfaces 22 are coupled to the corresponding control module 24 at the apparatus 20. In an embodiment, the control module 24 may be implemented using one or more processing units, one or more processing devices, any component for processing (such as, a processor, a computer, or a programmable hardware component operable with correspondingly adapted software). In other words, the described functions of the control module 24 may also be implemented in software, which is then executed on one or more programmable hardware components. Such hardware components may include a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, and so on.

[0051] In an embodiment, communication (i.e., transmission, reception, or both) can occur directly within the mobile transceiver / vehicle 100, such as forwarding input data or control information to / from a control center. Such communication can utilize a mobile communication system. This communication can be implemented directly, for example, by means of device-to-device (D2D) communication. This communication can be implemented using the specifications of the mobile communication system. An example of D2D is direct communication between vehicles, which is also correspondingly referred to as vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V), car-to-car, dedicated short-range communication (DSRC). Technologies for implementing such D2D communication include 802.11p, 3GPP systems (4G, 5G, NR, and beyond), etc.

[0052] In an embodiment, one or more interfaces 22 can be configured to perform wireless communication in a mobile communication system, such as in an embodiment where the device 20 is implemented in the vehicle 100 and the method 10 is executed at the vehicle 100. To do so, radio resources are used, such as frequency, time, code, and / or spatial resources, which can be used for wireless communication with a base station transceiver and for direct communication. The assignment of radio resources can be controlled by the base station transceiver, i.e., determining which resources are used for D2D and which resources are not used for D2D. Here and hereinafter, the radio resources of the corresponding components can correspond to any radio resources conceivable on a radio carrier, and they can use the same or different granularities on the corresponding carrier. Radio resources can correspond to resource blocks (such as RBs in LTE / LTE-A / unlicensed LTE (LTE-U)), one or more carriers, subcarriers, one or more radio frames, radio subframes, radio time slots, one or more code sequences potentially having corresponding spreading factors, one or more spatial resources (such as spatial subchannels, spatial precoding vectors), any combination thereof, and so on. For example, in direct cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) (where V2X includes at least V2V, V2-infrastructure (V2I), etc.), transmissions starting from 3GPP Release (version) 14 can be managed by the infrastructure (so-called mode 3), or run in the UE. To determine the speed limit for a remotely operated vehicle 200 in an embodiment, predicting the QoS in the communication network may be crucial.

[0053] In an embodiment, to operate remote control, data is exchanged via a cellular network. The quality of service (QoS) of the uplink (sensing data) and downlink (control data) connections has a huge impact on the quality of the application (QoA). The most important key performance indicators (KPIs) for remote control operations are the latency and data rate of the communication network (e.g., a 4G network). Thus, different ToD modes with different communication requirements are possible, namely latency and data rate. For each mode, a certain speed limit is given. There may be a mode with lower data rate consumption, e.g., by reducing the frame rate of the video upstream. The trade-off for this mode is that the vehicle speed needs to be reduced. It is also possible to increase the maximum requirement for latency, i.e., by switching from direct control to indirect control in the DL, higher latency can be tolerated.

[0054] The embodiment can select the modes in the UL and DL depending on the predicted quality of service (pQoS) of the communication. Depending on the predicted communication quality, inefficient mode switches can be avoided, and each mode switch can be communicated with the CC. If the current communication quality requirements are violated, the embodiment can also react, e.g., by switching / selecting another mode or by implementing a safety stop maneuver.

[0055] Figure 3 An overview of the embodiment depicts an exemplary mode in the UL and two control modes in the DL. The operating modes are depicted on the left, and the method 10 described above is implemented as a watchdog service for monitoring the operating modes. As Figure 3 shown, there are three UL modes: UL mode I, UL mode II, and UL mode III.

[0056] UL mode I uses a full video upstream, a maximum speed of 50 km / h, along with an expected latency L_I_expected and an expected data rate C_I_expected.

[0057] UL mode II uses a lower video upstream than UL mode I, a maximum speed of 30 km / h, along with an expected latency L_II_expected and an expected data rate C_II_expected.

[0058] UL mode III uses a slim UL (only object data), a maximum speed of 5 km / h, along with an expected latency L_III_expected and an expected data rate C_III_expected.

[0059] In addition, there are two DL modes: DL mode I and DL mode II. DL mode I uses direct control and defines a maximum latency L_max_direct and a minimum data rate C_min_indirect. DL mode II uses indirect control and defines a maximum latency L_max_indirect and a minimum data rate C_min_indirect. As Figure 3 further shown in

[0060] In this embodiment, method 10 is implemented as a watchdog application that can have different outputs. In this embodiment, method 10 further includes monitoring the current QoS on the communication link. Method 10 may include: reselecting the operating mode in the case where the current QoS falls below the threshold required for the current operating mode. For example, a safety stop may be triggered by corresponding UL and / or DL thresholds regarding latency and data rate. Method 10 includes: triggering a safety stop of the vehicle in the case where the current QoS falls below a safety threshold (for latency, data rate, or both). Then, the vehicle may stop or wait until the QoS reaches the threshold again. Generally speaking, the watchdog application may select an appropriate operating mode based on (UL and DL) requirements.

[0061] Hereinafter, the watchdog function and mode selection are described in more detail. The controller (e.g., control module 24) receives the pQoS profile and can thus select an appropriate mode depending on the pQoS profile. Method 10 may further include: monitoring information related to the pQoS and reselecting the operating mode based on the monitored pQoS.

[0062] This is further illustrated in Figure 4 Figure 4 The data rate and latency in three different modes in the embodiment are illustrated. Figure 4 The data rate with respect to time is shown at the top, the latency with respect to time is shown in the center, and the binary representation of the selected UL mode is shown at the bottom. In the data rate view at the top, three thresholds (C_I_expected, C_II_expected, C_III_expected) for UL modes I, II, and III are shown. The requirements for mode I are higher than those for mode II, and the requirements for mode III are the lowest, as detailed in Figure 3 In a similar manner, the latency view shows three latency thresholds (L_I_expected, L_II_expected, L_III_expected), where the lowest latency is required in mode I and the highest latency can be tolerated in mode III. As​Figure 4 As shown at the bottom, except for part 410, UL mode III is almost always supported, and in part 410, a safety stop occurs due to too high latency. As can be seen from Figure 4 As can be further seen from, the requirements for mode II are only met at the start and end of the depicted interval, and mode I is only supported at the start with a short interruption.

[0063] In an embodiment, mode selection can further consider efficiency. For example, the controller / control module 24 receives a PQoS profile, and thus can select an appropriate mode depending on the PQoS profile by reducing a cost function. Method 10 then further includes adapting to the selected operating mode based on the cost function. The cost function can relate to the efficiency of the operating mode. For example, the cost function correlates the operating mode with fuel efficiency and comfort.

[0064] Figure 5 Shows a possible speed progression depending on the communication quality in an embodiment. Figure 5 Shown at the top is the mode justification from Figure 4 the bottom. At the bottom, Figure 5 Shows the speed relative to time, where different mode intervals are also shown. Line 510 shows the speed limit, line 520 shows the vehicle speed without optimization, and line 530 shows the vehicle speed with optimization. As can be seen from line 530, the transition is smoother, which contributes to fuel efficiency and comfort.

[0065] As outlined above, the watchdog function can also implement a safety stop, see part 410 in Figure 4 The watchdog can monitor the current communication quality and trigger a safety stop if a threshold is exceeded. Each mode has its own threshold. Thus, if the mode is not switched quickly enough, the controller triggers a safety stop. It can also use the pQoS profile to reduce the speed in advance to provide a smooth stop.

[0066] As already mentioned, in an embodiment, the corresponding method can be implemented as a computer program or code, which can be executed on the corresponding hardware. Thus, another embodiment is a computer program having program code for implementing at least one of the above methods when the computer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component. A further embodiment is a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component, cause the computer to implement one of the methods described herein.

[0067] Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the steps of the various methods described above can be performed by a programmed computer, for example, the position of the time slot can be determined or calculated. Herein, some embodiments are also intended to cover program storage devices, such as digital data storage media, which are machine or computer-readable and encode an instruction program executable by a machine or computer, wherein the instructions implement some or all of the steps of the methods described herein. The program storage device can be, for example, a digital memory, a magnetic storage medium such as magnetic disks and tapes, a hard disk drive, or an optically readable digital data storage medium. The embodiments are also intended to cover a computer programmed to perform the steps of the methods described herein, or cover a (field) programmable logic array ((F)PLA) or a (field) programmable gate array ((F)PGA) programmed to perform the steps of the methods described above.

[0068] The description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of the invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to conceive of various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope. In addition, all examples recited herein are expressly intended, in principle, only for teaching purposes to assist the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed to the art by the (one or more) inventors, and should be construed as not being limited to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to cover their equivalents.

[0069] When functions are provided by a processor, these functions can be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by multiple individual processors (some of which may be shared). Moreover, the explicit use of the terms "processor" or "controller" should not be construed as excluding hardware capable of executing software exclusively, and may implicitly include, but is not limited to, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), read-only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile storage devices. Conventional or custom other hardware may also be included. Their functions can be performed by the operation of program logic, by dedicated logic, by the interaction of program control and dedicated logic, or even manually, and the specific technique can be selected by the implementer, as more specifically understood according to the context.

[0070] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagram herein represents a conceptual view of an illustrative circuit embodying the principles of the present invention. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow chart, flow diagram, state transition diagram, pseudo-random code, etc. represent various processes that can be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and thus executed by a computer or processor, regardless of whether such a computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0071] In addition, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, wherein each claim can stand alone as a separate embodiment. Although each claim can stand alone as a separate embodiment, it should be noted that although a dependent claim refers to a specific combination with one or more other claims in the claims, other embodiments may also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended. In addition, it is intended that features of a claim be included in any other independent claim as well, even if the claim is not directly made dependent on the independent claim.

[0072] It is further noted that the methods disclosed in the specification or in the claims may be implemented by a device having means for carrying out each of the respective steps of these methods.

[0073] Reference numerals list

[0074] 10 Method for controlling a communication link for remotely operating a vehicle

[0075] 12 Obtaining information related to a predicted quality of service pQoS of a communication link between the vehicle and a remote operator of the vehicle

[0076] 14. Selecting an operation mode for remotely operating the vehicle from an operation mode group based on the information related to the pQoS, the operation mode group including two or more operation modes that differ at least in terms of a speed limit of the vehicle.

[0077] 20. Means for controlling a communication link for remotely operating a vehicle

[0078] 22 One or more interfaces

[0079] 24 Control Module

[0080] 100 Vehicles, Network Components, Entities

[0081] 200 vehicles

[0082] 410 Safe Stop Area

[0083] 510 Speed Limit

[0084] The speed of 520 without optimization

[0085] The speed of 530 with optimization

Claims

1. A method (10) for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle (200) by selecting a remotely operated driving mode for remotely operating the vehicle (200), wherein the remotely operated vehicle (200) includes remotely operating the vehicle by a remote operator of the vehicle, and the method (10) includes: obtaining (12) information related to a predicted quality of service pQoS of a communication link between the vehicle (200) and a remote operator of the vehicle (200); and selecting (14) a remotely operated driving mode for remotely operating the vehicle (200) from a predefined group of remotely operated driving modes based on the information related to pQoS, the predefined group of remotely operated driving modes including two or more remotely operated driving modes that differ at least in terms of the speed limit of the vehicle (200), wherein the selection (14) is further based on environmental information of the vehicle and a corresponding response time required for remote control from the vehicle to the operating operator, and the environmental information includes at least one of road type, number of lanes, traffic density, traffic dynamics, and weather conditions.

2. The method (10) according to claim 1, wherein the information related to pQoS includes at least latency and data rate.

3. The method (10) according to claim 2, further comprising: Determine an allowable speed limit based on the information related to pQoS, and select a remotely operated driving mode based on the allowable speed limit of the vehicle (200).

4. The method (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each remotely operated driving mode is assigned a QoS requirement.

5. The method (10) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: Adapt to the selected remotely operated driving mode based on a cost function.

6. The method (10) according to claim 5, wherein the cost function relates to the efficiency of the remotely operated driving mode.

7. The method (10) according to claim 5, wherein the cost function correlates the remotely operated driving mode with fuel efficiency and comfort.

8. The method (10) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: Monitor the information related to pQoS, and reselect the remotely operated driving mode based on the monitored pQoS.

9. The method (10) according to claim 1 or 2, further including monitoring the current QoS on the communication link.

10. The method (10) according to claim 9, further comprising: Reselect the remotely operated driving mode when the current QoS falls below a threshold required for the current remotely operated driving mode.

11. The method (10) according to claim 9, further comprising: Trigger a safe stop of the vehicle when the current QoS falls below a safety threshold.

12. A computer program product having program code, which, when executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component, the program code is for performing one of the methods (10) according to claims 1 to 11.

13. An apparatus (20) for controlling a communication link for a remotely operated vehicle (200) by selecting a remotely operated driving mode for remotely operating the vehicle (200), the apparatus (20) includes: one or more interfaces (22) configured to communicate in a communication network; and A control module (24), which is configured to control the one or more interfaces (22), wherein the control module (24) is further configured to perform one of the methods (10) according to claims 1 to 11.

14. A vehicle, comprising the device (20) according to claim 13.

15. A network component, comprising the device (20) according to claim 13.

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