Method and system for providing specific connectivity quality of service along route of vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing a specific connectivity quality of service along a route of a vehicle (50-x), said method comprising: for at least one vehicle (50-x):-sending, by a user equipment (3-x) of said vehicle (50-x), route information (4-x) and a definition (5-x) of a minimum required connectivity quality of service along said route to a service management server (2); managing and retaining the required connectivity quality of service along the route of the vehicle (50-x) by allocating communication resources along the route by the service management server (2); the service management server (2) is configured to allocate communication resources of a plurality of mobile network operators (10-x) by interfacing and communicating with these mobile network operators (10-x); -providing and sending feedback information (6-x) to the user equipment (3-x) regarding the availability of the required connectivity quality of service along the route. The invention also relates to a system (1) for providing a specific connectivity quality of service along a route of a vehicle (50-x).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a system for providing a specific connectivity quality of service along a route of a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A user equipment (UE) in mobile communications is capable of contacting a predicted quality of service (PQoS) server to obtain a PQoS profile, which the user equipment can utilize to determine the availability and performance of a given service.

[0003] However, the received PQoS profile always depends on factors beyond the control of the user equipment, such as network load. In a situation where the user equipment requires a specific link quality level for a given service (e.g., the uplink data rate for remote operation driving), the performance of the predicted service (which is critical for the application) may be insufficient.

[0004] The quality of service (QoS) of certain applications (such as remote operation driving) requires the user equipment to be connected to at least two mobile network operators (MNOs). The reason may be the need for redundancy or that one MNO cannot meet, for example, the high throughput in the uplink, and load balancing between different MNOs is required.

[0005] A potential solution to ensure a certain level of link quality is a 5G-enabled network slice, which allows different services or use cases to utilize different network characteristics, being decomposed and reserved for such purposes. However, conventional slicing may lack the dynamics required for a moving vehicle, which makes it inefficient because the requirements for a vehicle are inherently location-based, especially when multiple MNOs are needed.

[0006] Patent document US2020 / 0221349A1 describes a vehicle communication system, which includes: a vehicle communication device for a vehicle; a management device that manages radio resources; and a request transmitter that sends a resource allocation request for requesting allocation of location resources and radio resources by time to the management device. The vehicle communication device includes: a vehicle transmitter, a vehicle receiver, and a vehicle communication controller, and the vehicle communication controller corresponds to a vehicle processor and controls the vehicle transmitter and the vehicle receiver. The management device includes: a management device receiver that receives the resource allocation request; an allocator that corresponds to a management processor and allocates location resources and radio resources by time; and a management device transmitter that sends the allocation result of the allocator. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem on which the present invention is based is to provide a solution for providing a specific connectivity quality of service along a route of a vehicle.

[0008] The technical problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims according to the invention. Advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

[0009] In particular, a method for providing a specific quality of connectivity service along a route of a vehicle is provided, which includes: for at least one vehicle:

[0010] - sending, by a user equipment of the vehicle, route information and a definition of a minimum required quality of connectivity service along the route to a service management server;

[0011] - managing and reserving the required quality of connectivity service along the route of the vehicle by allocating communication resources along the route by the service management server, the service management server being configured to allocate communication resources of these mobile network operators by docking and communicating with a plurality of mobile network operators;

[0012] - providing and sending feedback information on the availability of the required quality of connectivity service along the route to the user equipment.

[0013] Furthermore, in particular, a system for providing a specific quality of connectivity service along a route of a vehicle is provided, which includes a service management server and at least one user equipment of a corresponding vehicle, the at least one user equipment being configured to send route information and a definition of a minimum required quality of connectivity service along the route to the service management server; and the service management server being configured to manage and reserve the required quality of connectivity service along the route of the vehicle by allocating communication resources along the route, and thus, the service management server being configured to allocate communication resources of these mobile network operators by docking and communicating with a plurality of mobile network operators, and providing and sending feedback information on the availability of the required quality of connectivity service along the route to the at least one user equipment.

[0014] The method and system advantageously allow for providing a specific quality of connectivity service along a route of a vehicle, thereby enabling advanced applications such as remote (i.e., teleoperation) driving by an automated or human driver. One of the key conceptual elements is that the route followed by the vehicle is pre-known, such that the required communication services can be managed and allocated based on this route. Another key conceptual element is that the communication resources of multiple, in particular all, mobile network operators in a given area can be managed and allocated by a central authority, i.e., by the service management server. In order to utilize the information about the route that the vehicle is going to follow, the route information and a definition of the minimum required quality of connectivity service along this route are sent by the user equipment of the vehicle to the service management server. The user equipment is, for example, a navigation device or a control device of the vehicle. However, in principle, the user equipment can also be a mobile device such as a tablet computer or a smart phone.

[0015] The service management server receives the transmitted route information and definitions from the user equipment. In particular, the service management server receives the route information and definitions for multiple vehicles, each vehicle requesting a specific quality of connectivity service along a corresponding route. The service management server manages and reserves the quality of connectivity service required along the routes of the vehicles by allocating communication resources along the routes. To this end, the service management server is configured to allocate the communication resources of multiple mobile network operators (MNOs) by docking and communicating with the multiple MNOs. In particular, the service management server allocates unique communication resources of the MNOs. If an MNO cannot provide sufficient communication resources, the communication resources may be allocated according to a first-come, first-served scheme or in a more equitable manner by reducing the available communication resources for each request. For the purpose of allocation, an optimization method may be used to optimize the allocation of the available communication resources and distribute them among multiple vehicles.

[0016] After allocating communication resources for a vehicle, the service management server provides and transmits feedback information regarding the availability of the required quality of connectivity service along the route to the user equipment. If the reservation is successful, i.e., the requested quality of connectivity service can be provided, the feedback information includes a positive feedback. If the reservation is unsuccessful, i.e., the requested quality of connectivity service cannot be provided, the feedback information includes a negative feedback.

[0017] The components of the system, in particular the user equipment and / or the service management server, may be implemented individually or jointly as a combination of hardware and software, such as implemented as program code executed on a microcontroller or a microprocessor. However, the components may also be implemented individually or jointly as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and / or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). In particular, the service management server includes at least one processing device (e.g., a microprocessor), at least one memory, and at least one communication interface. Specifically, each user equipment includes at least one processing device (e.g., a microprocessor), at least one memory, and at least one communication interface.

[0018] The communication resources may be one or more of the following: 2G, 3G, LTE, LTE+ (4G), 5G, WLAN, Wi-Fi, etc. The communication resources may also be based on satellite communication. Specifically, the communication resources are allocated in the form of time periods for a defined area or region.

[0019] In one embodiment, the route information includes the route that the vehicle is to follow as a set of waypoints and the arrival time of the vehicle at each waypoint. This allows the service management server to allocate the communication resources precisely to the areas that coincide with the individual waypoints at or near the corresponding arrival times. The more precisely the route is provided, the more precisely the communication resources can be allocated.

[0020] In one embodiment, the routing information further includes a tolerance margin around the arrival time at each waypoint and / or the tolerance margin is assigned to the arrival time at each waypoint, wherein the service management server takes the tolerance margin into account when allocating communication resources. This allows for the requested connectivity quality of service to be provided within a time window spanning the arrival time, such that deviations due to traffic and / or other reasons do not result in a loss of the requested connectivity quality of service. For example, the margin around the specified arrival time of a waypoint can span several seconds or minutes, such as + / - 1 minute.

[0021] In one embodiment, the definition of the minimum required connectivity quality of service includes one or more of service link quality, dedicated network slice, redundancy requirements. This allows for the precise definition of the technical requirements necessary to provide a particular application and / or service in a vehicle relative to the required connectivity quality of service. Service link quality includes in particular latency, reliability and / or throughput requirements. Redundancy requirements include in particular multi-radio access technology (RAT), multi-MNO and / or physically independent radio path requirements.

[0022] In one embodiment, the user equipment locks or unlocks vehicle applications and / or services for a route based on feedback information. This allows for only those applications and / or services to be provided for which the requested connectivity quality of service can be provided. Thus, other applications and / or services for which this is not the case are not provided and may not be used by the user and / or the vehicle. This greatly enhances the reliability of the applications and / or services used in the vehicle. For example, if the requested connectivity quality of service can be provided, the user equipment can unlock the remote driving application and / or remote driving service for the route. However, if the requested connectivity quality of service cannot be provided, the user equipment can lock (or keep locked) the remote driving application or service for the route.

[0023] In one embodiment, the vehicle additionally sends priority information to the service management server, wherein the priority information is taken into account when allocating communication resources. The priority information allows for the requests received from multiple vehicles to be sorted and limited communication resources to be allocated. In particular, when allocating communication resources, vehicles with a higher priority can be given precedence.

[0024] In one embodiment, the priority information includes vehicle operation mode information. This allows the current state of the vehicle to be taken into account. For example, a vehicle currently operating in a remote guidance mode (where the vehicle is remotely driven by an autonomous driver or a human driver) can be assigned the highest priority because its connectivity requirements are critical for the current operating state. Another example is a vehicle driving in the local autonomous mode and experiencing a component problem. The functionality of the component can be immediately replaced by a remote component. However, for the replacement, a specific quality of connectivity service is necessary. Due to the component failure, the vehicle is assigned a higher priority to ensure the operation of the vehicle. In this way, at least the following modes can be used with respect to the priority information: normal operation mode (low or medium priority), remote operation mode (highest priority), emergency or failure mode (highest priority), etc.

[0025] In one embodiment, the priority information includes vehicle category information. This allows the vehicle category to be considered. For example, ambulances, fire trucks, and / or police cars can be assigned a higher priority when performing tasks. Then a specific quality of connectivity service for these vehicle categories can be provided with a higher priority.

[0026] In one embodiment, the feedback information includes one or more identifiers for upcoming handovers and / or physical layer configurations for achieving the required quality of connectivity service. This allows the information required for adapting and / or configuring the user equipment on the vehicle side to be directly provided, such that the required quality of connectivity service can be provided uninterruptedly along the route.

[0027] Additional embodiments of the system are derived from the description of the embodiments of the method. The advantages of the system are the same in each case as those in the embodiments of the method. Description of the Drawings

[0028] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system for providing a specific quality of connectivity service along a vehicle's route is shown;

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a method for providing a specific quality of connectivity service along a vehicle's route is shown. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system 1 for providing a specific quality of connectivity service along the route of a vehicle 50-x is shown. The system 1 is configured to perform the method described in the present disclosure.

[0032] System 1 includes a service management server 2 and at least one user device 3-x of a corresponding vehicle 50-x. The user device 3-x can be part of other devices of the vehicle 50-x.

[0033] The user device 3-x includes at least one processing device (not shown) and at least one memory (not shown), wherein the processing device is configured to perform operations required to execute at least a part of the method tasks. In addition, the user device 3-x includes a communication interface (not shown) for communicating with the service management server 2 and the base station of the mobile network operator 10-x during normal operation.

[0034] The user device 3-x is configured to send route information 4-x and a definition 5-x of the minimum required connectivity quality of service along the route to the service management server 2.

[0035] The service management server 2 includes at least one processing device (not shown) and at least one memory (not shown), wherein the processing device is configured to perform operations required to execute at least a part of the method tasks. In addition, the service management server 2 includes a communication interface (not shown) for communicating with the user device 3-x and the mobile network operator 10-x.

[0036] System 1 may further include a mobile network operator 10-x.

[0037] The service management server 2 is configured to manage and reserve the required connectivity quality of service along the route of the vehicle 50-x by allocating communication resources along the route. To this end, the service management server 2 is configured to allocate the communication resources of these mobile network operators 10-x by docking and communicating with multiple mobile network operators 10-x. As a result of successful allocation, the mobile network operator 10-x provides the required connectivity quality of service along the route at the required time.

[0038] In addition, the service management server 2 is configured to provide and send feedback information 6-x regarding the availability of the required connectivity quality of service along the route to at least one user device 3-x.

[0039] The route information 4-x may include the route that the vehicle 50-x is to follow as a set of waypoints and the arrival time of the vehicle 50-x at each waypoint.

[0040] The routing information 4-x may further include a tolerance margin around the arrival time at each waypoint and / or a tolerance margin is assigned to the arrival time at each waypoint, wherein the service management server 2 takes the tolerance margin into account when allocating communication resources. The tolerance margin may have a value of several seconds or minutes, for example 1 minute. The tolerance margin can be assigned in both directions of the arrival time (e.g., + / -1 minute).

[0041] The definition of the minimum required connectivity quality of service 5-x may include one or more of service link quality, dedicated network slice, redundancy requirements.

[0042] The user equipment 3-x may lock or unlock the application and / or service of the vehicle 50-x for route based on the feedback information 6-x.

[0043] The vehicle may additionally send priority information 7-x to the service management server 2, and the communication resources are allocated considering the priority information 7-x. In particular, when allocating communication resources, the vehicle 50-x with a higher priority may have precedence.

[0044] The priority information 7-x may include vehicle operation mode information.

[0045] The priority information 7-x may include vehicle category information.

[0046] The feedback information 6-x may include one or more identifiers for upcoming handover and / or physical layer configurations for achieving the required connectivity quality of service. The user equipment 3-x uses the identifiers to handle handover between different base stations of the mobile network operator 10-x and implements the physical layer configurations at its communication interface.

[0047] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a method for providing a specific connectivity quality of service along a vehicle's route is shown.

[0048] In task 100, the route information and the definition of the minimum required connectivity quality of service along the route are sent by the user equipment of the vehicle to the service management server. The user equipment may pre-collect the route information and the definition from the vehicle's navigation device and / or control device. For example, after the user specifies a destination and the navigation device has determined the route to the destination, the request for a specific connectivity quality of service may be triggered by the navigation device or the control device.

[0049] In particular, the route information includes the route that the vehicle is to follow as a set of waypoints and the arrival time of the vehicle at each waypoint. In particular, the routing information further includes a tolerance margin around the arrival time at each waypoint and / or the tolerance margin is assigned to the arrival time at each waypoint, and the service management server considers the tolerance margin when allocating communication resources.

[0050] In particular, the definition of the minimum required connectivity quality of service includes one or more of service link quality, dedicated network slice, redundancy requirements.

[0051] In task 101, the service management server manages and reserves the quality of connectivity services required along the route of the vehicle by allocating communication resources along the route. To this end, the service management server communicates with multiple mobile network operators through a communication interface. Allocating communication resources may include, for example, determining in each case the available base station closest to the path point along the route of the mobile network operator, and attempting to reserve communication resources at the determined base station for the time when the vehicle will pass the corresponding path point, that is, the required communication services of the mobile network operator. If a mobile network operator cannot provide the required communication resources, the service management server may attempt to reserve communication resources from another mobile network operator that can provide communication resources at the corresponding path point.

[0052] In task 102, feedback information regarding the availability of the required quality of connectivity services along the route is provided and sent to the user equipment. If the required quality of service can be provided along the route, an affirmative feedback is sent to the user equipment in task 102a. If the required quality of service cannot be provided along the route, a negative feedback is sent to the user equipment in task 102b.

[0053] After receiving the feedback, the user equipment can lock or unlock the applications and / or services of the vehicle based on the feedback. If an affirmative feedback is received, the applications and / or services are unlocked in task 103. If a negative feedback is received, the applications and / or services are locked (or kept locked) in task 104.

[0054] Other embodiments of the method have been described for the system.

[0055] List of reference numerals

[0056] 1 System

[0057] 2 Service management server

[0058] 3-x User equipment

[0059] 4-x Route information

[0060] 5-x Definition of minimum required connectivity QoS

[0061] 6-x Feedback information

[0062] 7-x Priority information

[0063] 10-x Mobile network operator (MNO)

[0064] 50-x Vehicle

[0065] 100 - 104 Tasks of the method

Claims

1. A method for providing a specific quality of connectivity service along a route of a vehicle (50 - x), the method comprising: For at least one vehicle (50-x): - The user equipment (3-x) of the vehicle (50-x) sends route information (4-x) and a definition (5-x) of the minimum required connectivity quality of service along the route to the service management server (2); - The service management server (2) manages and reserves the required connectivity quality of service along the route of the vehicle (50-x) by allocating communication resources along the route, and the service management server (2) is configured to allocate the communication resources of these mobile network operators (10-x) by docking and communicating with multiple mobile network operators (10-x); - Provide and send feedback information (6-x) regarding the availability of the required connectivity quality of service along the route to the user equipment (3-x).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The route information (4-x) includes the route to be followed by the vehicle (50-x) as a set of waypoints and the arrival time of the vehicle (50-x) at each waypoint.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The routing information (4-x) further includes a tolerance margin around the arrival time at each waypoint and / or assigns a tolerance margin to the arrival time at each waypoint, and the service management server (2) takes the tolerance margin into account when allocating communication resources.

4. The method according to one of the above claims, characterized in that, The definition (5-x) of the minimum required connectivity quality of service includes one or more of service link quality, dedicated network slice, redundancy requirements.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The user equipment (3-x) locks or unlocks the applications and / or services of the vehicle (50-x) for the route based on the feedback information (6-x).

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The vehicle (50-x) additionally sends priority information (7-x) to the service management server (2), and the priority information (7-x) is taken into account when allocating communication resources.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The priority information (7-x) includes vehicle operation mode information.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The priority information (7-x) includes vehicle class information.

9. The method according to one of the above claims, characterized in that The feedback information (6-x) includes one or more identifiers for upcoming handovers and / or physical layer configurations for achieving the required connectivity quality of service.

10. A system (1) for providing a specific connectivity quality of service along the route of a vehicle (50-x), comprising: - A service management server (2) and - At least one user equipment (3-x) corresponding to the vehicle (50-x), the at least one user equipment (3-x) being configured to send route information (4-x) and a definition (5-x) of the minimum required connectivity quality of service along the route to the service management server (2); And the service management server (2) is configured to manage and reserve the required connectivity quality of service along the route of the vehicle (50-x) by allocating communication resources along the route, so the service management server (2) is configured to allocate the communication resources of these mobile network operators (10-x) by docking and communicating with multiple mobile network operators (10-x), And provide and send feedback information (6-x) regarding the availability of the required connectivity quality of service along the route to the at least one user equipment (3-x).

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