SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CROSS-TECHNOLOGY HIGH-FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE REDUCTION

Abstract

A method for cross-technology RF interference reduction comprises detecting an RF device located within a predetermined distance of a vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of wireless communication chipsets, each configured to wirelessly transmit and receive data. The method further comprises determining whether signals transmitted by the RF device cause RF interference with signals transmitted by the vehicle's multiple wireless communication chipsets.Furthermore, the procedure includes instructing at least one of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets or the RF device to perform a control measure to minimize radio frequency interference when it is determined that the signals transmitted by the RF device cause radio frequency interference with signals transmitted by the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for cross-technology high-frequency (HF) interference reduction.

[0002] This introduction generally presents the context of the disclosure. Works of the inventors mentioned herein, insofar as they are described in this introduction, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor implicitly admitted as prior art against this disclosure.

[0003] Several wireless technologies have limited flexibility to adapt to channel conditions (e.g., UWB, V2X, etc.). RF interference can significantly impair their operation (e.g., communication range, localization accuracy, communication throughput, etc.). If an RF device is not connected to a vehicle, the vehicle cannot control the wireless signals of the RF device brought inside (which can cause RF interference). Therefore, it is desirable to develop a system and method for cross-technology RF interference reduction. SUMMARY

[0004] A system consisting of one or more computers can be configured to perform specific operations or actions by having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof installed on the system that, during operation, causes the system to perform the actions. One or more computer programs can be configured to perform specific operations or actions by including instructions that, when executed by a data processing device, cause the device to perform the actions. A general aspect includes a method for cross-technology radio frequency (RF) interference reduction. In general, RF interference can be caused by several undetectable sources. The method presented here is useful when the system knows which (vehicle-connected) RF device is causing the interference.The system then adapts (e.g., by shifting the RF device to a different frequency band, etc.). In the present disclosure, the term "RF device" means an electro-electrical product capable of emitting radio frequency by radiation, conduction, or otherwise. The method comprises detecting an RF device, such as a mobile phone or other mobile device, located within a predetermined distance of a vehicle. The vehicle comprises a plurality of wireless communication chipsets. Each of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets is configured to wirelessly transmit and receive data; determining that signals transmitted by the RF device cause radio frequency interference with signals transmitted by the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle.The method further comprises, in response to the determination that the signals transmitted by the RF device cause radio frequency interference with signals transmitted by the majority of the vehicle's wireless communication chipsets, instructing at least one of the majority of wireless communication chipsets or the RF device to perform a control action to minimize the radio frequency interference. Other embodiments of this aspect include appropriate computer systems, devices, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the method. The method described in this section improves vehicle technology by minimizing the RF interference between an RF device and the vehicle's wireless communication chipsets.

[0005] The implementations may include one or more of the following features: The method in which the control action includes changing the operating channel of the RF device. The control action includes chaining an operating channel of at least one of the plurality of wireless chipsets. The control action includes increasing the electrical current transmitted to the RF device. The control action includes increasing an electrical current supplied to the at least one of the plurality of wireless chipsets. The method may include determining a channel mapping distribution between the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle and the RF device. The method may further include updating a plurality of operating channels of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle and the RF device according to the channel mapping distribution.The procedure may include determining the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of at least one of the multiple wireless communication chipsets to determine whether the signals transmitted by the RF device, such as an RF device, cause radio frequency interference with signals transmitted by the multiple wireless chipsets of the vehicle. The procedure may include comparing the SNR of the at least one of the multiple wireless communication chipsets with a predetermined SNR threshold to determine whether the SNR of the RF device is less than the predetermined SNR threshold, and determining that the SNR of the at least one of the multiple wireless communication chipsets is less than the predetermined SNR threshold. The control action is only taken as a response to determining that the SNR of the RF device is less than the predetermined SNR threshold.Implementations of the described techniques may include hardware, a method or process, or computer software on a medium accessible to the computer.

[0006] A general aspect is a system for cross-technology high-frequency interference reduction. The system also includes a vehicle comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) and a plurality of wireless communication chipsets communicating with the ECU, the ECU being programmed to perform the method described above. Other embodiments of this aspect include appropriate computer systems, devices, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the method.

[0007] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It is understood that the detailed description and specific examples serve only for illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

[0008] The foregoing features and advantages, as well as other features and advantages of the present disclosed system and method, are readily apparent from the detailed description, including the claims and exemplary embodiments, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present revelation will be better understood with the help of the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, whereby: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle that includes a system for cross-technology high-frequency (HF) interference reduction. Fig. 2 is a flowchart of a procedure for cross-technology high-frequency (HF) interference reduction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Detailed reference will now be made to several examples from the revelation, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same or similar reference symbols are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or similar parts or steps.

[0011] With reference to Fig. Figure 1 comprises a vehicle 10, generally consisting of a body 12 and a plurality of wheels coupled to the body 12. The vehicle 10 can be an autonomous vehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 10 is depicted as a sedan, but it is understood that other vehicles such as trucks, coupes, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), etc., can also be used.

[0012] A system 14 can be part of the vehicle 10 or work in conjunction with it. The system 14 can be described as a cross-technology radio frequency (RF) interference system and can include a control unit 34. The control unit 34 includes at least one processor 44 and a non-transient computer-readable storage device or media 46. The processor 44 can be any custom or commercially available processor, central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the control unit 34, semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), macroprocessor, a combination thereof, or generally an instruction-executing device.The computer-readable storage device or media 46 may include volatile and non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), and keep-alive store (KAM). A KAM is persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while the processor 44 is turned off. The computer-readable storage device or media 46 may be implemented using a number of storage devices, such as PROMs (programmable read-only memory), EPROMs (erasable PROMs), EEPROMs (electrically erasable PROMs), flash memory, or other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combined storage devices capable of storing data, some of which represents executable instructions used by the control unit 34 in controlling the vehicle 10.The control unit 34 of the vehicle 10 can be referred to as the vehicle control unit and can be programmed to perform a procedure 100 (. Fig. 2) includes, which is described in detail below.

[0013] The instructions can comprise one or more separate programs, each containing an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. When executed by the processor 44, the instructions receive and process signals from sensors, perform logic, calculations, procedures, and / or algorithms to automatically control the components of the vehicle 10, and generate control signals to automatically control the components of the vehicle 10 based on the logic, calculations, procedures, and / or algorithms. Although a single control unit 34 in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, embodiments of the vehicle 10 may include a plurality of control units 34 which communicate and interact via a suitable communication medium or a combination of communication media to process the sensor signals, perform logic, calculations, procedures and / or algorithms and generate control signals to automatically control features of the vehicle 10.

[0014] The vehicle 10 further comprises a plurality of wireless communication chipsets 16, each communicating with the control unit 34. The term "chipset" refers to a collection of integrated circuits that form the set necessary for manufacturing an electronic device. The term "wireless communication chipset" refers to a chipset configured to wirelessly communicate data to and from other remote units, such as a mobile phone. The control unit 34 can control the operation of each of the wireless communication chipsets 16. Each wireless communication chipset 16 comprises a vehicle transceiver 18 located in the vehicle 10. The vehicle transceivers 37 are configured to receive and / or transmit signals.

[0015] The wireless communication chipsets 16 are configured to communicate using various wireless technology standards. As a non-restrictive example, one or more wireless communication chipsets 16 can use the Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) standard for sending and receiving vehicle-to-vehicle (V2X) communication. DSRC channels refer to one-way or two-way short- to medium-range wireless communication channels specifically designed for use in vehicles, along with a corresponding set of protocols and standards. Other wireless communication chipsets 16 can be configured to communicate using Wi-Fi™. In other words, these wireless communication chipsets 16 transmit and receive over a wireless local area network (WLAN) using IEEE 802.11 standards.Another wireless communication chipset 16 can use ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to send and receive signals. UWB is a radio technology that can use very low power for short-range, high-bandwidth communication over a large portion of the radio spectrum. Another wireless communication chipset 16 uses Bluetooth. ® Bluetooth technology for sending and receiving signals. ®0dF™ technology is a short-range wireless technology standard used for data exchange between fixed-line and radio devices over short distances and for building Personal Area Networks (PANs). Another wireless communication chipset 16 uses Long-Term Evolution (LTE™) technology to transmit and receive signals. LTE™ is a broadband wireless communication standard for RF devices and data terminals, based on the GSM / EDGE and UMTS / HSPA standards. Another wireless communication chipset 16 uses the 5G™ technology standard to transmit and receive signals. The 5G™ technology standard is the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks.

[0016] The vehicle 10 further comprises one or more vehicle power supplies 20, which are electrically connected to one or more of the wireless communication chipsets 16. The vehicle power supply 20 is configured to supply power to the wireless communication chipsets 16. The control unit 34 communicates with the vehicle power supply 20. Accordingly, the control unit 34 can control the operation of the vehicle power supply 20.

[0017] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, an RF device 22 can be in wireless communication with the control unit 34 and can be a mobile device. The term "RF device" refers to an electro-electrical product capable of emitting radio frequency by radiation, conduction, or other means. The term "mobile device" refers to a computer small enough to be handheld and operated. Non-restrictive examples of a mobile device include a smartphone or a tablet. The RF device 22 is not physically connected to the vehicle 10 and can therefore be removed from the vehicle 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the RF device 22 comprises a device power supply 24 and a device transceiver 26, which is electrically connected to the device power supply 24. The device transceiver 26 is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals.The device power supply 23 is configured to supply electrical power to the device transceiver 26.

[0018] System 14 is configured for cross-technology RF (radio frequency) interference reduction. Several wireless technologies have limited flexibility to adapt to channel conditions (e.g., UWB, V2X, etc.). RF interference can significantly impair their operation (e.g., communication range, localization accuracy, etc.). Currently, the vehicle 10 cannot control the wireless signals of an RF device 22 brought into the vehicle 10 (which can lead to RF interference). It is therefore desirable to develop System 14 that reduces RF interference. System 14 determines whether the RF device 22 is causing significant RF interference to one or more of the wireless communication chipsets 16. If the RF interference is significant enough, the system takes 14 measures to reduce the RF interference by making changes on the vehicle side or the side of the RF device.System 14 also includes context-aware algorithms and the coordination of multiple wireless technologies to take real-time countermeasures to reduce the impact of interference.

[0019] UWB signals, for example, exhibit a very low energy level for short-range, high-bandwidth signals (e.g., 500 MHz). Several UWB devices operate in channels that overlap with Wi-Fi channels (e.g., 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). Furthermore, with the opening of the 6 GHz spectrum, Wi-Fi 6E transmissions could pose a serious threat to UWB-based systems, as Wi-Fi transmissions have much higher power than UWB devices. Additionally, UWB devices are incapable of energy-detection-based channel occupancy determination. Thus, existing RF interference reduction techniques cannot be directly applied to UWB systems. Therefore, Wi-Fi transmissions can impair both communication and distance measurement capabilities. This could potentially affect various UWB use cases that function when the vehicle occupants are inside the vehicle (e.g.,...).(In-vehicle localization). System 14 can change the operating channel of the Wi-Fi chipset to enable transmission and then return to the previous channel. When the UWB device is powered on and performing localization, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi determines the maximum noise level it can process with regard to the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the localization function. The Wi-Fi module in the vehicle 10 continuously monitors the channels used by the UWB device and estimates the RF interference from the RF device 22. For this purpose, the noise level of the RF device 22 can be estimated at the UWB receiver. If the noise level exceeds the permissible value for meeting the localization KPIs, the in-vehicle Wi-Fi chipset notifies the RF device 22 to switch to a different channel.The vehicle's in-vehicle Wi-Fi chipset determines the most optical channel for the RF device 22 (i.e., the channel that has the least impact on all functions in the vehicle 10). When the control unit 34 requests the RF device 22 to move away from a channel, the control unit 34 should not request the RF device 22 to move to a channel that affects another wireless communication chipset 16. Instead, a list of channels that are least disruptive to the wireless communication chipsets 16 is broadcast in the beacon.

[0020] For example, both 5 GHz and 6 GHz Wi-Fi technologies operate on channels adjacent to the 5.9 GHz channel used by V2V technologies. Some channels may even overlap, leading to co-channel interference. Out-of-band emissions (OOBE) from Wi-Fi chipsets in the V2V channel can be quite high and affect V2V range. OOBE from Wi-Fi transmitters can increase the noise floor of the cellular V2X (C-V2X) receiver, resulting in a decrease in the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SIRN) of the received cellular V2X packet. Furthermore, cellular V2X uses a significantly different MAC protocol than Wi-Fi technology compared to DSRC. C-V2X transmitters capture and reserve spectrum. Once it is reserved, C-V2X devices transmit on the reserved resource without further acquisition.This means that C-V2X devices continue their transmissions even when Wi-Fi devices are already transmitting on the channel, which can cause interference for C-V2X receivers. Existing mechanisms that provide sufficient protection for the C-V2X system come at the cost of a significant loss of Wi-Fi throughput. Therefore, interference reduction techniques must be developed to allow C-V2X and Wi-Fi technologies to coexist efficiently. System 14 addresses these issues.

[0021] Fig.Figure 2 is a flowchart of a procedure 100 for cross-technology radio frequency (RF) interference reduction. The procedure 100 begins in block 102. Block 102 is a training phase. In block 102, the control unit 34 detects all wireless communication chipsets 16 in the vehicle 10 and determines the essential performance indicators (e.g., quality of service indicators). The procedure 100 then proceeds to block 104. In block 104, the control unit 34 searches for devices located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle 10 (e.g., communication range) in order to detect the RF device 22. In block 102, the control unit 34 can detect the RF device 22 located within the predetermined distance from the vehicle 10. In response to the detection of the RF device 22 within the predetermined distance to the vehicle 10, the procedure 100 continues with block 106.

[0022] In block 106, the control unit 34 determines that the signals transmitted by the RF device 22 cause high-frequency interference in the signals transmitted by the wireless communication chipsets 16. Specifically, the control unit 34 estimates the impact (i.e., the high-frequency interference) that the RF device 22 will have on each of the wireless communication chipsets 16. In response to determining that the RF device 22 causes significant RF interference in one or more wireless communication chipsets 16, the control unit 34 instructs one or more wireless communication chipsets 16 or the RF device 22 to perform a control action (i.e., a corrective action) to minimize the high-frequency interference. The control measure can consist of changing the operating channel of the RF device 22 or of one or more wireless communication chipsets 16 in order to minimize high-frequency interference.Alternatively or additionally, the control measure can consist of increasing or decreasing the electrical current supplied to the RF device 22 or to one or more wireless communication chipsets 16 in order to minimize high-frequency interference.

[0023] As a non-restrictive example, the control unit 34 can determine the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of one or more wireless communication chipsets 16 to determine whether the signals transmitted by the RF device 22 cause radio frequency interference with the signals transmitted by the vehicle's wireless chipsets 16. The control unit 34 then compares the SNR of the wireless communication chipsets 16 with a predetermined SNR threshold. The control action (i.e., the corrective action) can only be performed in response to the determination that the SNR of one or more wireless communication chipsets 16 is greater than the predetermined SNR threshold. Next, the procedure 100 continues with block 108.

[0024] In block 108, the control unit 34 determines a channel mapping distribution between the vehicle's wireless communication chipsets 16 and the RF device 22. Furthermore, the control unit 34 notifies the vehicle's wireless communication chipsets 16 and the RF device 22 of the channel mapping distribution. Next, the procedure 100 continues with block 110.

[0025] In block 110, the wireless communication chipsets 16 of the vehicle and / or the RF device 22 update their respective operating channels according to the previously determined channel mapping distribution, thereby minimizing RF interference.

[0026] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms covered by the claims. The words used in the patent specification are descriptive rather than limiting, and it is understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As already described, the features of different embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the presently disclosed system and method, which may not be explicitly described or illustrated.Although various embodiments with respect to one or more desired properties may have been described in such a way as to offer advantages or be preferred over other embodiments or designs according to the prior art, those skilled in the art recognize that one or more features or properties may be compromised in order to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and design. These attributes may include, among others, cost, strength, durability, life-cycle costs, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, usability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc.As such, embodiments which are described as less desirable than other embodiments or designs according to the prior art with respect to one or more properties are not outside the scope of disclosure and may be desirable for certain applications.

[0027] The drawings are presented in simplified form and are not to scale. For the sake of convenience and clarity, and only for these reasons, directional terms such as above, below, left, right, upwards, over, above, below, under, behind, and in front may be used in relation to the drawings. These and similar directional terms are not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any way.

[0028] This document describes embodiments of the present disclosure. It is understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and that other embodiments may take different and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be larger or smaller to show details of certain components. Therefore, the specific design and functional details disclosed herein are not to be understood as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching a person skilled in the art to apply the present disclosed system and method in different ways.As an average person skilled in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more of the other figures to create embodiments not explicitly illustrated or described. The illustrated combinations of features provide representative embodiments for typical applications. However, different combinations and modifications of the features, consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, may be desirable for specific applications or embodiments.

[0029] Embodiments of the present disclosure can be described herein in the form of functional and / or logical block components and various processing steps. It should be noted that such block components can be implemented by a number of hardware, software, and / or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment of the present disclosure may employ various integrated circuit components, such as memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, lookup tables, or the like, which can perform a plurality of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.Furthermore, the person skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in conjunction with a number of systems and that the systems described herein are merely embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0030] For the sake of brevity, a detailed description of signal processing, data fusion, signaling, control, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) is omitted. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between the various elements. It should be noted that alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0031] This description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or its use in any way. The comprehensive teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a whole range of forms. Although this disclosure includes certain examples, the true scope of the disclosure should therefore not be limited to them, since other modifications will become apparent upon study of the drawings, the patent specification, and the following claims.

Claims

[1] A method for cross-technology radio frequency interference reduction, comprising: Detecting that an RF device is within a predetermined distance of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a plurality of wireless communication chipsets, each of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets configured to wirelessly transmit and receive data; Determining that signals transmitted by the RF device cause radio frequency interference with signals transmitted by the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle; and in response to determining that the signals transmitted by the RF device cause radio frequency interference with signals transmitted by the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle, instructing at least one of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets or the RF device to perform a control action to minimize the radio frequency interference. [2] The method of claim 1, wherein the control action comprises changing an operating channel of the RF device. [3] The method of claim 1, wherein the control action comprises concatenating an operating channel of at least one of the plurality of wireless chipsets. [4] The method of claim 1, wherein the control action comprises increasing the electrical current transmitted to the RF device. [5] The method of claim 1, wherein the control action comprises increasing an electrical current transmitted to the at least one of the plurality of wireless chipsets. [6] The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a channel mapping distribution between the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle and the RF device. [7] The method of claim 6, further comprising updating a plurality of operating channels of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets of the vehicle and the RF device according to the channel mapping distribution. [8] The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of at least one of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets to determine whether the signals transmitted by the RF device cause radio frequency interference with signals transmitted by the plurality of wireless chipsets of the vehicle. [9] The method of claim 8, further comprising; Comparing the SNR of the at least one of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets with a predetermined SNR threshold to determine whether the SNR of the RF device is less than the predetermined SNR threshold; and Determining that the SNR of the at least one of the plurality of wireless communication chipsets is less than the predetermined SNR threshold. [10] The method of claim 9, wherein the control action is performed only in response to determining that the SNR of the RF device is less than the predetermined SNR threshold.

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