METHOD FOR COMMUNICATION OF AT LEAST ONE MOBILE RADIO DEVICE WITH A MOBILE RADIO NETWORK BASE STATION AND VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for communication between at least one mobile radio device and a mobile radio network base station according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1, as well as to a vehicle having at least one mobile radio device.

[0002] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a global collaboration between standardization bodies for mobile communications standardization. The 3GPP creates technical specifications that describe all aspects of mobile communications technology so precisely that mobile devices from a wide range of manufacturers function flawlessly in all mobile networks worldwide. The mobile communications standards defined by this project include GSM, UMTS, and LTE. These standards are also referred to as 2G, 3G, and 4G. With advancing developments, the transmission of comparatively large amounts of data will also become possible, for example, with the recently introduced 5G mobile communications standard. With advancing research and the introduction of future technologies such as 6G, 7G, and subsequent mobile communications standards, a further increase in the data rate transmitted via mobile communications is expected.

[0003] Data transmission requires a sufficient radio signal strength. As the distance between a mobile device and a base station increases, the signal weakens increasingly until it is too weak to transmit high data streams. Obstacles such as high-rise buildings, bridges, hills, or trees, as well as sources of interference such as electromagnetic radiation such as transformers, are located in the area between the mobile device and the base station.

[0004] To ensure successful communication between a mobile device and a base station in the presence of a relatively weak mobile signal, 3GPP has introduced coverage enhancement. Coverage enhancement makes it possible to securely and reliably exchange relatively low data rates over relatively large geographical areas even in the presence of a relatively weak mobile signal. Data is transmitted using a relatively low transmission power, thus consuming little power. To implement coverage enhancement, a corresponding base station and a respective mobile device must be equipped with special transmission and reception hardware. Coverage enhancement can be implemented, for example, using LTE-M, LTE-MTC or LTE-Cut-M, or even using newer standards such as LPWAN or NB-IoT.

[0005] The increased range achieved through coverage enhancement is based on the repeated transmission of the same data. The weaker the cellular signal between the mobile device and the base station, the more retransmissions are necessary to ensure successful data transmission between the two communication participants. Retransmitting the same data consumes available bandwidth, which is one reason for the comparatively low data rate that can be transmitted. Coverage enhancement is therefore only suitable for applications where relatively little data or a low data rate must be reliably transmitted even in poor reception conditions.

[0006] Such use cases can be found in the automotive industry. With increasing digitalization, vehicles are also becoming increasingly networked, capable of exchanging data with other vehicles via a vehicle-to-vehicle interface, exchanging data with infrastructure such as a toll station via a vehicle-to-infrastructure interface, or transmitting information via mobile communications via a vehicle-to-network interface. If such a communication-capable vehicle enters a dead zone on a route, it may not be possible to transmit information using a conventional mobile communications standard such as LTE or 5G because the reception quality is too poor. However, coverage enhancement can ensure successful communication between the mobile device and the mobile network base station over longer distances.

[0007] However, due to the reduced data rate, only selected information can be transmitted. Due to their relevance, the following information is considered for communication using coverage enhancement: vehicle status updates, an unlock or lock command to open or close vehicle doors, and / or vehicle diagnostic data.

[0008] WO 2018 / 213166 A1 discloses a method for monitoring radio signal quality when using coverage enhancement. Using the method described in the document, a coverage enhancement level is modified such that the data rate required to implement coverage enhancement is optimally adapted to the currently available received signal strength. If a mobile device moves away from a mobile network base station, a high coverage enhancement level is selected, which is associated with a high repetition rate of the mobile signal to be transmitted. If, however, the mobile device approaches the mobile network base station, a comparatively low coverage enhancement level is selected, which is associated with a lower data repetition rate. This allows network communication resources to be saved and thus used optimally.

[0009] WO 2020 / 229274 A1 also discloses a method for changing a connection configuration between a terminal device and a mobile network. An entity of the mobile network determines a need to change the connection configuration between the terminal device and the mobile network and transmits a request to change a connection setting to the terminal device, which the terminal device follows to adapt the connection configuration to the mobile network. An adapted connection configuration can provide for the transmission of information using coverage enhancement. The terminal device can be a telecommunications unit of a vehicle.

[0010] WO 2018 / 063485 A1 also discloses a system and a corresponding method for allocating system resources using radio link monitoring. The system comprises at least one network node and a terminal device communicating with it. The network node repeatedly sends data packets to the terminal device, which checks how many repetitions are required to successfully read the information underlying the data packets. This repetition count is transmitted back from the terminal device to the network node, which compares the repetition count with a threshold value. Depending on whether the repetition count is above or below the threshold value, the number of repetitions performed to transmit data packets is increased or decreased by the network node. The increase or decrease in the number of repetitions can be achieved by adjusting a coverage enhancement level.

[0011] Furthermore, WO 2017 / 082801 A1 discloses methods for adaptively configuring neighboring cells to enable user devices to operate with improved coverage. The degree of a coverage improvement mode used in the user device is determined, and the number of repetitions of a signal to be exchanged between the user device and a target network node communicating with the user device is set in the target network node based on this degree.

[0012] The present invention is based on the object of providing an improved method for communication between at least one mobile radio device and a mobile radio network base station, in which efficient and energy-optimized communication between the communication participants is enabled.

[0013] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for communication between at least one mobile radio device and a mobile radio network base station having the features of claim 1, as well as a vehicle having at least one mobile radio device having the features of claim 6. Advantageous embodiments and further developments emerge from the dependent claims.

[0014] Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention and of the vehicle also emerge from the exemplary embodiments which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0015] Showing: Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle on whose route a mobile radio signal of varying strength is present; and Fig. 2 is a flowchart of a method according to the invention.

[0016] Figure 1shows a top view of a vehicle 3 traveling on a route 5 through a transmission area 9 of various mobile network base stations 2. A mobile network base station 2 can be, for example, a terrestrial ground station 6, a satellite 7 and / or a drone 8. Transmission areas 9 generated by the various mobile network base stations 2 can overlap partially or completely. On a section of the route 5 traveled by the vehicle 3, there is a Figure 1A dead spot 10, highlighted by a hatched area, where a mobile phone signal is so weak that communication with the mobile network base stations 2 using proven mobile phone standards such as 2G to 5G or even future mobile phone standards such as 6G or the like is not possible. Instead of or in addition to mobile phone, another radio technology can also be used for data transmission in a transmission area 9, such as broadcasting or Wi-Fi.

[0017] The vehicle 3 comprises at least one vehicle telecommunications unit 4, at least one computing unit 11, and at least one sensor 12 for performing vehicle diagnostics. Sensor data generated by the sensor 12 is processed by the computing unit 11 and transmitted via the vehicle telecommunications unit 4 to a mobile network base station 2 via mobile radio. The data transmitted to a mobile network base station 2 can then be forwarded, for example, via the Internet to a vehicle manufacturer so that the vehicle manufacturer can evaluate the data or further process it in another way. In general, the vehicle 3 can also have multiple vehicle telecommunications units 4 or other mobile radio devices 1, for example in the form of a mobile terminal 13 such as a smartphone.

[0018] If the vehicle 3 approaches a first range 14.1 of a mobile network base station 2, data transmission from a mobile device 1 using conventional mobile radio standards is no longer possible, since beyond the first range 14.1, a mobile radio signal used for data transmission is too weak. If the vehicle 3, or the computing unit 11 and / or the mobile device 1 nevertheless requires the transmission of relevant data, a need arises in which the mobile device 1 switches, according to the invention, to a coverage enhancement mode in which data is exchanged with a mobile network base station 2 using coverage enhancement. For this purpose, a mobile network base station 2 has a second range 14.2, up to which data transmission using coverage enhancement is still possible. In the example in Figure 1 is only for one in Figure 1The terrestrial ground station 6 shown on the left has such a second range 14.2. However, the other mobile network base stations 2 also have such a second range 14.2.

[0019] If vehicle 3 enters the transmission area 9 served by satellite 7, there is no longer any need to conduct communication based on coverage enhancement. In this case, a normal situation exists in which mobile device 1 switches to a normal operating mode, in which communication is again carried out using a proven mobile radio standard. Communication using coverage enhancement is then deactivated. This reduces the power consumption of mobile device 1 and thus of vehicle 3.

[0020] By activating coverage enhancement only when needed, resources such as energy and communication bandwidth can be saved. This enables particularly efficient operation of vehicle 3.

[0021] Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a method according to the invention. In a method step 201, the vehicle 3 starts and drives towards a destination. In a method step 202, the strength of a mobile radio signal is monitored between a mobile radio device 1 included in the vehicle 3 and a mobile radio network base station 2, which communicates with the mobile radio device 1 included in the vehicle 3.

[0022] In method step 203, the vehicle 3, or the computing unit 11 and / or the mobile radio device 1 checks whether a demand indicator is present, which may have been received by the mobile radio device 1 in an optional method step not shown.

[0023] In method step 204, the route 5 planned by the vehicle 3 is analyzed, whereby network coverage on the route 5 is examined for the presence of any dead spots 10. If the transmission of relevant data is necessary while driving through such a dead spot 10, a need situation exists.

[0024] In method step 205, vehicle 3 makes an emergency call using a proven mobile radio standard, which, however, could not be received by a mobile radio network base station 2 due to insufficient signal strength of the mobile radio signal. All or some of method steps 202 to 205 can be performed consecutively and / or, as shown, simultaneously. Individual method steps can also be optional and thus omitted.

[0025] In method step 206, the mobile device 1 or the computing unit 11 checks whether a demand situation exists. This means that the signal strength of the mobile signal falls below a specified minimum value over a specified period of time, a demand indicator has been received by the mobile device 1, a dead zone 10 exists on route 5, or a mobile signal insufficient for normal operating mode is available, and / or whether an emergency call was unsuccessful in normal operating mode.

[0026] If this is the case, the coverage improvement mode for data transmission using coverage enhancement is activated in method step 207. If this is not the case, a check is carried out in method step 208 as to whether communication between mobile device 1 and mobile network base station 2 via a proven mobile radio standard exists or is possible again. If this is the case, the coverage improvement mode is ended in method step 209 and the mobile device 1 switches back to normal operating mode. The method is ended in method step 210. This can be the case, for example, when the vehicle 3 reaches a destination. However, it is also possible to continue the method according to the invention with a parked vehicle. If the vehicle 3 is parked in a dead zone 10, for example, communication with a vehicle manufacturer can be maintained.

Claims

1. Method for communication between at least one mobile radio device (1) and a mobile radio network base station (2), at least a subset of information exchanged between the mobile radio device (1) and the mobile radio network base station (2) being communicated using coverage improvement based on multiple transmissions of the same data the mobile radio device (1) activating a coverage improvement mode when a demand situation exists, in which mode the mobile radio device (1) exchanges information with the mobile radio network base station (2) using coverage improvement and switches to a normal operating mode in a normal situation deviating from the demand situation and ends the coverage improvement mode in the normal operating mode, and the mobile radio device (1) being informed that the demand situation exists when the mobile radio device (1) receives a demand indicator sent via mobile radio, characterized in that the mobile radio device (1) independently determines that the demand situation exists if: - a strength of a mobile radio signal between the mobile radio device (1) and the mobile radio network base station (2) falls below a specified minimum value over a specified period of time; - an analysis of a route (5) planned by a vehicle (3) comprising the mobile radio device (1) shows that there is a dead spot (10) on the route (5); and / or - it is not possible to make an emergency call using the mobile radio device (1) in the normal operating mode; and the mobile radio device (1) activating the coverage improvement mode in the event of a notified demand situation only after receiving the demand indicator if the initiator of the demand indicator is authorized to activate the coverage improvement mode.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the output of the demand indicator is initiated by a manufacturer of the mobile radio device (1), a manufacturer of an apparatus comprising the mobile radio device (1) and / or by a mobile radio network operator.

3. Method according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that artificial intelligence is carried out on a computing unit that monitors the communication between the mobile radio device (1) and the mobile radio network base station (2), the artificial intelligence monitors the communication taking place between the mobile radio device (1) and the mobile radio network base station (2), and the artificial intelligence recognizes a situation that requires the output of the demand indicator when the artificial intelligence recognizes characteristic patterns in the monitored communication.

4. Method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an identifier of the initiator is stored in the mobile radio device (1) in order to classify the initiator as authorized to activate the coverage improvement mode.

5. Method according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the demand indicator is transmitted via satellite- or drone-based telecommunication.

6. Vehicle (3) comprising at least one mobile radio device (1), characterized in that the mobile radio device (1) is configured to carry out a method according to any of claims 1 to 5.

7. Vehicle (3) according to claim 6, characterized in that the mobile radio device (1) is designed as a vehicle telecommunications unit (4).

8. Vehicle (3) according to either claim 6 or claim 7, characterized in that the mobile radio device (1) is configured to activate or deactivate the coverage improvement mode: - while driving; - while stationary; - with the vehicle doors locked; and / or - from a standby mode.