COMMUNICATION DEVICE, VEHICLE, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR COMMUNICATION IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Description

Technical field

[0001] Exemplary embodiments deal with a communication device, a vehicle, a method and a computer program for communication in a mobile communication system, in particular but not exclusively with a concept for the adaptive selection of mobile phone antennas on a vehicle for parallel communication in a mobile communication system. background

[0002] Several generations of mobile communication systems are currently used to provide digital data services. The second, third, and fourth generations of mobile communications (2G, 3G, 4G) are currently operating in parallel. In both 2G and 3G mobile networks, voice is transmitted using circuit switching, while data is transmitted using packet switching. 4G, or Long Term Evolution (LTE), was originally designed as a purely packet-switched data network. Voice calls are handled using Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) in 2G and 3G mobile networks. With the introduction of Voice over LTE (VoLTE), a packet-switched voice service is gradually becoming available in 4G mobile networks, potentially making CSFB obsolete. In a 2G mobile network, data and voice can only be transmitted sequentially, while in 3G and 4G mobile networks, they can be transmitted in parallel.

[0003] In the automotive sector, permanently installed (i.e., soldered) user identification modules, Subscriber Identity Module cards (SIM cards, also USIM "Universal SIM"), have become established. The data on a SIM card can also be exchanged wirelessly. Such methods or cards are known, for example, under the names "eSIM," "whitelabel SIM," or "SIM subscription management."

[0004] A SIM card may be permanently installed in a vehicle's mobile communication module. To ensure service quality (e.g., for emergency call functionality), a vehicle manufacturer enters into a mobile communication contract with a network operator. However, this mobile communication contract for connected driving services cannot be used for vehicle user services (e.g., personal telephony). In a 2G mobile network, for example, a voice call blocks the communication modem's ability to exchange data simultaneously. This would block manufacturer-specific connected vehicle services. Calls are therefore directed to the customer's phone number, and thus to the customer's mobile phone, and not to the vehicle. Data services within the vehicle are provided based on the vehicle manufacturer's mobile communication contract.

[0005] Currently, vehicle mobile communication systems can therefore have one or more SIM cards or eSIM cards (embedded SIM). Multiple SIM cards serve different communication purposes within the vehicle and are generally assigned to different use cases. For example, one SIM card might be assigned to the driver's mobile phone contract, and another to the OEM's (Original Equipment Manufacturer's) mobile phone contract for the services of the connected vehicle. The different SIM cards in the vehicle are usually operated in parallel by maintaining multiple mobile connections (each connection is assigned a SIM card) simultaneously.

[0006] For the parallel operation of several mobile communication connections, different antenna elements are usually used, which are positioned in different locations in the vehicle.

[0007] Operating multiple mobile connections simultaneously in a vehicle can present challenges compared to operating a single connection (using only one SIM card). Specifically, interference can occur between the mobile connections due to the short distance between antenna elements, or crosstalk can arise between the individual signal paths. This can be mitigated, for example, by positioning the antenna elements sufficiently far apart to achieve adequate isolation. Therefore, there is a need to develop an improved concept for simultaneous communication within a mobile communication system.

[0008] The underlying principle of these exemplary implementations is that, due to the limited number of installation or mounting locations in the vehicle for integrating antenna elements and the constantly increasing number of antenna elements in new mobile communication standards, sufficient isolation between antenna elements cannot always be achieved. This isolation depends on the frequency bands of each mobile communication system and can vary over time depending on the mobile network operator and network characteristics. Furthermore, the number of antenna elements does not always have to correspond to the maximum number of antennas supported by the modem(s) for each SIM card installed in the vehicle.Exemplary implementations therefore create a dynamic allocation of antenna elements / mobile antennas, for example via SIM cards installed in a vehicle, based on the communication requirements of each SIM card and the necessary isolation between the different mobile connections. Consequently, antenna elements / mobile antennas can be dynamically assigned to a SIM card (i.e., during a mobile communication) when it has an increased communication requirement, such as due to data rate, reliability, or latency, whereby the allocation of these antenna elements can take into account the minimum isolation between the antenna elements / mobile antennas.

[0009] An embodiment according to claim 1 provides a communication device for communication in a mobile communication system.

[0010] An embodiment according to claim 10 provides a method for communication in a mobile communication system.

[0011] Another embodiment is a computer program according to claim 11.

[0012] Patent application DE102012014549A1 discloses a circuit arrangement for a mobile communication device of a motor vehicle.

[0013] Patent application DE102015122543A1 discloses communication terminal devices and methods for selecting a communication antenna.

[0014] Patent application DE102012014547A1 discloses a circuit arrangement for a mobile communication unit of a motor vehicle with two mobile communication modules, which is designed for mobile communication transmission according to different mobile communication standards.

[0015] Patent application US2011249576A1 discloses methods for sharing antennas between mobile communication connections in a communication device. Character description

[0016] Examples of implementation are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. These show: Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a communication device and an embodiment of a vehicle; Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment of a communication device for a vehicle; and Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a method for communication. Description

[0017] Several embodiments are now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some of these embodiments are illustrated. For the sake of clarity, the thickness dimensions of lines, layers, and / or regions may be exaggerated in the figures.

[0018] In the following description of the accompanying figures, which merely show some exemplary embodiments, the same reference numerals can denote identical or comparable components. Furthermore, collective reference numerals can be used for components and objects that appear multiple times in an embodiment or in a drawing, but are described jointly with respect to one or more features. Components or objects described with the same or collective reference numerals can be identical with respect to one, several, or all features, such as their dimensions, but may also differ, unless the description explicitly or implicitly indicates otherwise.

[0019] Although embodiments can be modified and altered in various ways, they are shown in the figures as examples and are described in detail herein. It should be clarified, however, that the intention is not to limit embodiments to the forms disclosed, but rather that they are intended to cover all functional and / or structural modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the scope of the invention. The same reference numerals throughout the figure description denote identical or similar elements.

[0020] Note that an element described as "connected" or "coupled" to another element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements.

[0021] The terminology used herein serves only to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be clarified that expressions such as "includes," "containing," "has," and / or "showing," as used herein, indicate the presence of the aforementioned features, integers, steps, processes, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more features, integers, steps, processes, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning that a person competent in the field to which the examples of implementation belong would ascribe to them. Furthermore, it should be clarified that expressions, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, are to be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, unless expressly defined otherwise herein.

[0023] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a communication device 100 and an embodiment of a vehicle 400. Fig. 1Figure 1 illustrates a communication device 100 for communication in one or more mobile communication systems 200, 300. The communication device 100 comprises a selection device 10 for coupling one or more mobile antennas 30, 40 with one or more signal paths based on a selection signal. The communication device 100 further comprises a transceiver module 20, which is coupled to the selection device and configured to generate the selection signal 50.The transceiver module 20 is further configured to communicate via the coupled mobile communication antennas 30, 40 in the one or more mobile communication systems 200, 300, wherein the transceiver module 20 is configured to select different mobile communication antennas 30, 40 for communication in the one or more mobile communication systems 200, 300 based on two or more user identifications via the selection signal 50, wherein the transceiver module 20 is configured to take into account an isolation and / or a correlation between the mobile communication antennas 30, 40 during the selection.

[0024] In another embodiment, three antenna elements can also be used. A central antenna element can be switched between two transceiver modules or user IDs. The two other antenna elements can instead be permanently assigned to each user ID, as will be explained in more detail below. The switching can occur, for example, based on interference between the antenna elements and the requirements of the running applications.

[0025] In some embodiments, such disturbances can also be measured, for example, interference or crosstalk from one antenna element to another. A signal with a specific frequency can be directed to one antenna element, and a corresponding interference signal at that frequency can be measured on the other antenna elements. By measuring the operating frequency (possibly through artificial iteration) and the antenna elements themselves, a frequency-dependent / wavelength-dependent interference matrix can be determined. This matrix contains a corresponding measure of the disturbance, interference, or crosstalk for all considered antenna element combinations, depending on the frequency. Such a matrix can be stored as a table (also called a lookup table), making the mutual interference relationships available for specific antenna element combinations.The table can be created and updated based on normal operating conditions, for example. Such measurements could also be taken as part of a calibration process during vehicle manufacturing, during inspections, at regular intervals (e.g., once a day, week, month, year, etc.), before starting a journey, when starting the vehicle, etc.

[0026] Fig. 1 The figure optionally shows (dashed lines) a vehicle 400 with a communication device 100, with several mobile communication antennas 30, 40 and, if applicable, with several user identification modules. In other words, the communication device 100 can be integrated into a vehicle 400 in some embodiments.

[0027] In exemplary embodiments, the one or more mobile communication systems or mobile communication systems that are in the Fig. 1The two base stations 200 and 300 indicate, for example, mobile communication systems that are standardized by relevant standardization bodies, such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) group. In other words, the Fig. 1The system establishes two parallel connections based on at least two user identifications. These connections can be established to the same mobile communication system or to different mobile communication systems. It is conceivable to use the same or different access technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.) in mobile communication systems of different operators and / or different carrier frequencies, or even the same operator using the same carrier frequency. In the claimed embodiments, the parallel connections are established to the same mobile communication system of the same operator using the same carrier frequency.

[0028] Examples of such mobile communication systems include the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), the Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) or the Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), such as the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), fifth generation (5G) systems, or mobile communication systems of other standards, such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), IEEE 802.16, or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), IEEE 802.11, as well as generally a system based on a time-domain multiple access method (also known as "Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)"), frequency-domain multiple access method (also known as "Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)"), code-domain multiple access method (also known as "Code-domain Multiple Access (CDO)"), or code-domain multiple access method (also known as "Code-domain Multiple Access (CDO)").The system is based on "Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)", Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)), or another technology or multiple access method. The terms mobile communication system, mobile network, mobile communications system, and mobile communication network are used synonymously below.

[0029] In the following, it is assumed that such a mobile communication system comprises at least one stationary transceiver in the sense of a base station 200, 300, which has a connection to the wired part of the mobile communication network. On the other hand, it is assumed that the mobile communication network comprises at least one mobile transceiver 100 (mobile terminal device), where the term "mobile" here refers to the fact that communication with this transceiver takes place via the air interface, i.e., wirelessly. Such a mobile transceiver could, for example, correspond to a portable telephone, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop, or a radio module, which is not necessarily mobile in the sense that it actually moves relative to its environment. The transceiver can also be stationary (e.g., relative to a vehicle or motor vehicle) but communicate wirelessly with the mobile communication network.Therefore, the aforementioned base station can conform to one of the standards mentioned above, for example a NodeB, an eNodeB, etc.

[0030] A base station transceiver or base station (these terms may be used equivalently) may be designed to communicate with one or more active mobile communication devices and to communicate within or adjacent to the coverage area of ​​another base station transceiver or base station, e.g., as a macrocell base station or as a small cell base station. Thus, embodiments may comprise a mobile communication system with one or more mobile communication devices and one or more base stations, wherein the base station transceivers may provide macrocells or small cells, e.g., pico-, metro-, or femtocells.A mobile transceiver or mobile terminal can be a smartphone (smartphone), a mobile phone, a user device, a radio, a mobile station, a laptop, a notebook, a personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a universal serial bus (USB) stick or adapter, a vehicle such as a motor vehicle (motor vehicle), a car, a truck, motorcycles, bicycles, trains, aircraft, ships, all air, land, and water transport vehicles, etc. A mobile transceiver can also be referred to as "user equipment (UE)" or "mobile" in accordance with 3GPP terminology.

[0031] A base station transceiver or base station can be located, at least from the perspective of a mobile device, in a fixed or at least permanently connected part of the network or system. A base station transceiver or base station can also correspond to a remote radio head, a relay station, a transmission point, an access point, a radio device, a macrocell, a small cell, a microcell, a femtocell, a metrocell, etc. A base station or base station transceiver is thus understood as a logical concept of a node / unit for providing a radio carrier or radio links over the air interface, through which a mobile device / transceiver is granted access to a mobile network.

[0032] A base station or base station transceiver can provide a wireless interface for mobile devices to a wired network. The radio signals used can be 3GPP-standardized radio signals or, more generally, radio signals compliant with one or more of the systems mentioned above. Thus, a base station or base station transceiver can correspond to a NodeB, an eNodeB, a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), an access point, a remote radio head, a transmission point, a relay station, etc., which may be further subdivided into functional units.

[0033] A mobile terminal or mobile transceiver can be assigned to or registered with a base station or cell. The term cell refers to a coverage area of ​​the radio services provided by a base station, e.g., a NodeB (NB), an eNodeB (eNB), a remote radio head, a transmission point, a relay station, etc. A base station can provide one or more cells on one or more carrier frequencies. In some embodiments, a cell can also correspond to a sector. For example, sectors can be formed with sector antennas configured to cover an angular section around an antenna site. In some embodiments, a base station can be designed to operate three or six cells or sectors (e.g., 120° in the case of three cells and 60° in the case of six cells). A base station can include multiple sector antennas.In the following, the terms cell and base station can also be used synonymously.

[0034] In other words, in various embodiments, the mobile communication system can also include a heterogeneous cell network (HetNet) with different cell types, such as closed subscriber group (CSG) cells and open cells, as well as cells of different sizes, such as macrocells and small cells, where the coverage area of ​​a small cell is smaller than that of a macrocell. A small cell can correspond to a metrocell, a microcell, a picocell, a femtocell, etc. The coverage areas of the individual cells are provided by the base stations for their respective service areas and depend on the transmission power of the base stations and the interference conditions in the area.In some configurations, the coverage area of ​​a small cell may be at least partially surrounded by the coverage area of ​​another cell, or may partially coincide with or overlap the coverage area of, for example, a macrocell. Small cells can be used to extend the network's capacity. A metro cell can therefore be used to cover a smaller area than a macrocell; for example, metro cells are used to cover a street or section in a metropolitan area. For a macrocell, the coverage area may have a diameter on the order of one kilometer or more, for example, 10 km or more along highways. For a microcell, the coverage area may have a diameter of less than one kilometer, and a picocell may have a coverage area with a diameter of less than 100 m.A femtocell can have the smallest coverage area and can be used to cover, for example, a household, a vehicle, or a gate area at an airport; that is, its transmission area can have a diameter of less than 50m.

[0035] In exemplary embodiments, "communication" means that the communication device sends or receives signals or data in the mobile communication system, or both. The selection device 10 can be configured as a switching or switch matrix. For example, transistor switches can be used to couple or connect the mobile communication antennas to the respective outputs or inputs of the transceiver module 20. High-frequency switches (HF switches), RF components, cascaded, parallel, or series circuits of such switches can be used for this purpose. In other words, the selection device 10 can be implemented as any multiplexing or demultiplexing circuit or component in exemplary embodiments. A mobile communication antenna can be implemented as an antenna element; for example, it can also be implemented as part of an antenna array.In general, a mobile communication antenna in exemplary embodiments is not limited to a specific antenna type, but can be, for example, a dipole antenna, a directional antenna, a Yagi antenna, a horn antenna, a patch antenna, etc.

[0036] In exemplary embodiments, the transceiver module 20 can correspond to any module with receiving and / or transmitting means, a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, etc. The transceiver module 20 can contain typical transmitter and / or receiver components. These can include, for example, one or more antenna connections, one or more filters, one or more mixers, one or more amplifiers, one or more diplexers, one or more duplexers, etc. As the Fig. 1As shown, a mobile communication antenna 30, 40 can be selected by the transceiver module 20 via the selection device 10 using the selection signal 50. The blocks indicated in the transceiver module 20 can correspond to input or output stages, control modules, etc. In exemplary embodiments, such a control module in the transceiver module 20 can correspond to any controller or processor or a programmable hardware component. For example, the control module can also be implemented as software or a computer program programmed for a corresponding hardware component. In this respect, the control module can be implemented as programmable hardware with appropriately adapted software. Any processor, such as digital signal processors (DSPs), can be used. Exemplary embodiments are not limited to a specific type of processor.Any processor, or even multiple processors, can be used to implement the control module.

[0037] In exemplary embodiments, the user identifications can, for example, include identifications for different mobile communication systems, or an identification of a user (e.g., the driver of a vehicle for mobile services) and that of a vehicle (for the use of telemetry or other services). In some further exemplary embodiments, a dynamic allocation and assignment of antenna elements via the SIM cards installed in the vehicle can take place based on the communication requirements of each SIM card and the necessary isolation between the different mobile communication connections. The transceiver module 20 can therefore, at least in some exemplary embodiments, include two or more interfaces for two or more user identification modules, e.g., SIMs or USIMs. Based on the two or more user identifications, two or more parallel connections can be established in the one or more mobile communication systems 200, 300.

[0038] Consequently, antenna elements / mobile antennas 30, 40 can be dynamically assigned to a SIM card (i.e., during mobile communication) if the SIM card has increased communication requirements, such as data rate, reliability, or latency, and the assignment of these antenna elements / mobile antennas 30, 40 does not violate the minimum isolation between all antenna elements according to the current frequency band configuration of the mobile connections. The isolation between individual antennas can be frequency-dependent / wavelength-dependent and installation-dependent (e.g., position on the vehicle, relative position / orientation of the antennas to each other, etc.). In other words, interference or crosstalk can occur between the individual antennas, which depends on the respective frequency and can be taken into account when selecting the antennas.

[0039] The transceiver module 20 can be configured to generate the selection signal 50 based on quality criteria for the two or more parallel connections. The transceiver module 20 can be configured to dynamically select mobile antennas 30, 40 via the selection signal 50 based on requirements for a data rate, reliability, or latency. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the transceiver module 20 is configured to take into account isolation between the mobile antennas 30, 40 during the selection process.

[0040] Isolation (also known as interference or crosstalk) can be dynamic in this case and can change over time, for example, due to different frequency configurations or access technologies in one or more mobile communication links. Certain frequency combinations can be more problematic from an interference perspective. Several factors can influence this. For example, the spacing between frequency channels, a lack of synchronization between the frequency channels, a multiplexing method in frequency channels (e.g., LTE FDD / LTE TDD), mutual interference, and thus the selection in exemplary implementations can all affect this. This fact, together with the mounting position of the antennas and the vehicle body, can also determine the suitability of the antennas for mobile communication in exemplary implementations.The transceiver module 20 can be configured to take into account the access technologies of one or more mobile communication systems 200, 300 when selecting, or combinations of individual factors such as installation position on the vehicle body, quality requirements (QoS) of the respective services, the frequency channels of the mobile communication systems 200, 300, the respective access technologies, synchronization, etc.

[0041] The required isolation may depend on the characteristics of the communication module installed in the vehicle, depending on the frequency combination, and can be determined in advance, for example in the form of a table / stored.

[0042] Exemplary implementations can thus provide for the dynamic selection of multiple antennas for MIMO applications. For example, antenna correlation and / or antenna isolation can be used as indicators or selection criteria for the respective antennas. This allows for an advantageous (theoretically even optimal) selection / assignment of antennas to two NADs, both of which are MIMO-capable. In exemplary implementations, an analysis of isolation and / or antenna correlation can therefore be used, which, compared to quality indicators measured / determined via the mobile network, can offer advantages due to the consideration of specific physical layer parameters (physical protocol layer, radio parameters).

[0043] Examples of implementations can take into account automotive-specific antenna installation positions, for example, in the form of a correlation matrix and / or isolation matrix. Such a matrix can, for instance, represent the mutual isolation, attenuation, signal correlation, crosstalk, and coupling of all considered antenna pairs. These values ​​are initially determined, for example, during vehicle design and passed to the antenna selection algorithm / method as a frequency-dependent variable for all mobile communication frequencies within the vehicle / derivative-specific coding (e.g., via a lookup table). These values ​​can be further weighted within the mobile communication standard-specific antenna selection algorithm. This allows for the prioritization of particularly advantageous and well-positioned antenna combinations.

[0044] In the automotive context, exemplary implementations can leverage the overall vehicle size in relation to the wavelength of the antennas typically used. This allows for the strategic exploitation of the particular suitability of individual antennas or antenna combinations for specific frequency ranges and channel scenarios (urban channel, rural channel, etc.). This can be achieved through the aforementioned additional weighting, taking into account the position of each antenna on the vehicle, the interaction of antenna combinations on the vehicle, and the respective operating frequency.

[0045] The additional weighting mentioned above also results in a default assignment (basic assignment), i.e., an optimal allocation of antennas or antenna combinations to the individual NADs. In typical automotive usage scenarios (driving on the highway), the channel configurations change accordingly rapidly. At least some implementations therefore utilize continuous adjustment of the antenna selection based on measurements of the channel matrix. Furthermore, parameters such as condition number or ellipticity can be derived to describe the MIMO capability of the overall system, consisting of the antenna system (including all combinations) and the mobile communication channel.

[0046] Another embodiment can be explained using the following example. In a vehicle with a total of six antenna elements, two SIM cards are installed, SIM 1 and SIM 2.

[0047] Fig. 2Figure 1 shows such an embodiment of a communication device 100 for a vehicle. The transceiver module 20 includes two interfaces to the user identification modules for SIM 1 and SIM 2. These are intended for the OEM's mobile phone contract and the driver's, respectively. The selection device 10 is implemented here as a switching matrix that is coupled to the various mobile phone antennas 30, 40. The selection device 10 can therefore be configured as a switching matrix between the one or more mobile phone antennas 30, 40 and one or more inputs and / or outputs of the transceiver module 20, which switches, for example, in the radio frequency (RF) range. In principle, a plurality of mobile phone antennas are possible, whereby in the Fig. 2Only two are given as examples, representing the majority. The transceiver module 20 is coupled to the switching matrix 10 and generates control signals as a selection signal 50 for the switching matrix 10 to select corresponding mobile communication antennas 30, 40. In this embodiment, the transceiver module is implemented as a communication module (also known as a Network Access Device (NAD)).

[0048] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that two antenna elements located relatively close to each other are permanently assigned to the first SIM card (SIM 1). Two other antenna elements, also positioned relatively close to each other in the vehicle but at a relatively greater distance from the first two antenna elements, are instead permanently assigned to the second SIM card (SIM 2). In this embodiment, the transceiver module 20 is therefore configured to additionally communicate with the mobile communication antennas permanently assigned via the user identifications in the one or more mobile communication systems 200, 300.

[0049] In the exemplary embodiment under consideration, two further antenna elements 30, 40 are present in the vehicle, which can be dynamically assigned to each of the two SIM cards (SIM 1, SIM 2). These two antenna elements 30, 40 are assigned to the first SIM card (SIM 1) if it has an increased communication requirement due to the current application scenarios, and only on the condition that the isolation between these antenna elements 30, 40 and the antenna elements permanently assigned to the second SIM card (SIM 2) is sufficient. Conversely, the same two antenna elements are assigned to the second SIM card (SIM 2) if it has an increased communication requirement due to the current application scenarios, and only on the condition that the isolation between these antenna elements and the antenna elements permanently assigned to the first SIM card (SIM 1) is sufficient.

[0050] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 20 is configured to assign all selectable mobile communication antennas 30, 40 to one of the user identifications, e.g., SIM 1, SIM 2, based on the selection signal 50. In this assignment, the frequency- and space-dependent isolation between the subsystems is taken into account. The previous method can be compared, for example, with the one described in the Fig. 2The system shown is implemented. The system comprises a communication module 20, or NAD (Network Access Device), a switching matrix 10, and the antenna inputs and outputs of the respective antenna elements 30 and 40. The antenna inputs and outputs in the NAD 20 can be assigned to different antenna elements 30 and 40 by means of the switching matrix 10, based on control signals 50 from the NAD 20. Normally, antenna inputs and outputs in the NAD 20 are permanently assigned to the SIM cards. In the proposed embodiment of the system, the NAD 20 can assign the best selection of antenna elements 30 and 40 to each SIM card, based on the current frequency combination of the different mobile communication connections, the required isolation between antenna elements for each frequency combination, and the current communication requirements of the SIM cards.

[0051] Implementation examples can improve, and in some cases even optimize, the use of multiple SIM cards in vehicles with a reduced number of antenna elements. This can lead not only to cost and weight savings, but also to an improved customer experience in vehicle connectivity applications.

[0052] Fig. 3Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a method 500 for communication. The method 500 for communication in one or more mobile communication systems 100, 200 comprises coupling 32 one or more mobile antennas 30, 40 with one or more signal paths based on a selection signal 50. The method 500 further comprises generating 34 the selection signal 50 to communicate via the coupled mobile antennas 30, 40 in the one or more mobile communication systems 200, 300. The method 500 also comprises selecting 36 different mobile antennas 30, 40 based on two or more user identifications for communication in the one or more mobile communication systems 100, 200 via the selection signal 50.Furthermore, the procedure includes establishing, based on the two or more user identifications, two or more parallel connections to the same mobile communication system of the same operator at the same carrier frequency.

[0053] In further embodiments, the selection of 36 antennas can comprise several steps, for example, detection of the frequency channels on both SIM cards, an assessment of interference through measurements or by "look-up tables" based on the frequency channels and installation positions / locations of the antennas in the vehicle, or an evaluation of the quality requirements of the running applications. The selection can take place once at the beginning of the communication, regularly, or after the triggering of certain conditions (for example, exceeding an interference threshold or falling below a quality parameter).

[0054] Another embodiment is a computer program for carrying out one of the methods described herein when the computer program is executed on the communication device. The features disclosed in the foregoing description and the accompanying figures can be important and implemented individually or in any combination for realizing an embodiment in its various configurations. The invention is limited by the scope of protection of the following patent claims.

[0055] Although some aspects have been described in connection with a device, it is understood that these aspects also constitute a description of the corresponding process, so that a block or component of a device is also to be understood as a corresponding process step or as a feature of a process step. Similarly, aspects described in connection with or as a process step also constitute a description of a corresponding block, detail, or feature of a corresponding device.

[0056] Depending on specific implementation requirements, embodiments of the invention can be implemented in hardware or in software. The implementation can be carried out using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disk, DVD, Blu-ray disc, CD, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM or FLASH memory, hard disk or other magnetic or optical storage medium, on which electronically readable control signals are stored that can interact with, or interact with, a programmable hardware component in such a way that the respective method is carried out.

[0057] A programmable hardware component can be a processor, a computer processor (CPU = Central Processing Unit), a graphics processor (GPU = Graphics Processing Unit), a computer, a computer system, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC = Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), an integrated circuit (IC = Integrated Circuit), a system-on-a-chip (SOC = System on Chip), a programmable logic element, or a field-programmable gate array with a microprocessor (FPGA = Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0058] The digital storage medium can therefore be machine-readable or computer-readable. Some embodiments thus include a data carrier containing electronically readable control signals capable of interacting with a programmable computer system or a programmable hardware component to perform one of the methods described herein. An embodiment is therefore a data carrier (or a digital storage medium or a computer-readable medium) on which the program for performing one of the methods described herein is recorded.

[0059] In general, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as a program, firmware, computer program, or computer program product with program code or as data, wherein the program code or data is / are effective in carrying out one of the methods when the program runs on a processor or a programmable hardware component. The program code or data can, for example, also be stored on a machine-readable medium or data carrier. The program code or data can be in the form of source code, machine code, bytecode, or other intermediate code, among others.

[0060] Another embodiment is a data stream, a signal sequence, or a sequence of signals that represents the program for carrying out one of the methods described herein. The data stream, signal sequence, or sequence of signals can be configured, for example, to be transferred via a data communication link, such as the Internet or another network. Other embodiments include signal sequences representing data that are suitable for transmission via a network or data communication link, where the data represents the program.

[0061] A program according to one embodiment can implement one of the methods during its execution, for example, by reading memory locations or writing data to them, thereby potentially triggering switching operations or other processes in transistor structures, amplifier structures, or other electrical, optical, magnetic, or otherwise operating components. Similarly, by reading a memory location, a program can acquire, determine, or measure data, values, sensor values, or other information. Therefore, by reading from one or more memory locations, a program can acquire, determine, or measure quantities, values, measured values, and other information, and by writing to one or more memory locations, it can initiate, trigger, or execute an action, as well as control other devices, machines, and components.

[0062] The embodiments described above merely illustrate the principles of the present invention. It is understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be obvious to other people skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of protection set forth in the following claims and not by the specific details presented herein by way of description and explanation of the embodiments.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus (100) for communication in a mobile communication system (200; 300), comprising a selection device (10) for coupling one or more mobile radio antennas (30; 40) to one or more signal paths based on a selection signal (50); and a transceiver module (20) which is configured to generate the selection signal (50) and to communicate via the coupled mobile radio antennas (30; 40) in the mobile communication system (200; 300), wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to select different mobile radio antennas (30; 40) for communication in the mobile communication system (200; 300) via the selection signal (50) based on two or more user identifications, wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to take into account an isolation and / or a correlation between the mobile radio antennas (30; 40) during the selection, wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to establish two or more parallel connections to the same mobile communication system (200; 300) of the same operator at the same carrier frequency based on the two or more user identifications.

2. The communication apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver module (20) comprises two or more interfaces for two or more user identification modules.

3. The communication apparatus (100) according to claim 2, wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to generate the selection signal based on quality criteria for the two or more parallel connections.

4. The communication apparatus (100) according to one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to dynamically select mobile radio antennas (30; 40) via the selection signal based on requirements for a data rate, a reliability or a latency.

5. The communication apparatus (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to take into account the access technology of the mobile communication system (200; 300) during the selection.

6. The communication apparatus (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to additionally communicate via mobile radio antennas (30; 40) fixedly assigned to the user identifications in the mobile communication system (200; 300).

7. The communication apparatus (100) according to claim 6, wherein the transceiver module (20) is configured to assign all selectable mobile radio antennas (30; 40) to one of the user identifications based on the selection signal (50).

8. The communication apparatus (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the selection device (10) is configured as a switching matrix between the one or more mobile radio antennas (30; 40) and one or more inputs and / or outputs of the transceiver module (20).

9. A vehicle (400) comprising a communication apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of mobile radio antennas (30; 40) and comprising a plurality of user identification modules.

10. A method (500) for communication in a mobile communication system (200; 300), comprising coupling (32) one or more mobile radio antennas (30; 40) to one or more signal paths based on a selection signal (50); generating (34) the selection signal (50) to communicate via the coupled mobile radio antennas (30; 40) in the mobile communication system (200; 300); and selecting (36) different mobile radio antennas (30; 40) based on two or more user identifications for communication in the mobile communication system (200; 300) via the selection signal (50) taking into account an isolation and / or a correlation between the mobile radio antennas (30; 40), and establishing, based on the two or more user identifications, two or more parallel connections to the same mobile communication system (200; 300) of the same operator at the same carrier frequency.

11. Computer program for carrying out the method (500) according to claim 10 on a communication apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 8, when the computer program is executed on a processor, a microcontroller or a programmable hardware component.