HOV Bandwidth Management via Global Usage Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for providing in-vehicle broadband wireless services to high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) face challenges in managing bandwidth effectively, as they fail to account for the cumulative bandwidth needs of passengers, HOV routes, and real-time network conditions, leading to poor service quality and unexpected network loads for both passengers and service providers.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that create a global bandwidth usage map across vehicles, routes, and customers, integrating ticket and route information, and using a Bandwidth Controller to manage bandwidth allocation for Base Stations, with real-time adjustments based on passenger needs and network traffic, while also providing notifications to passengers about bandwidth availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple wireless wide area network interfaces are built into the vehicle to address radio coverage, then coverage area is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wireless network interface functionality into separate modular components: in-vehicle WiFi access points, wireless gateways, and external wireless interfaces. This segmentation allows the system to provide multiple network coverage options without requiring a single complex device to handle all wireless protocols and interfaces simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal communication architecture where a single wireless gateway can interface with multiple types of wireless networks (WiFi, cellular, satellite) and serve multiple functions including data routing, bandwidth management, and network switching. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated interfaces for each network type.
2Ease of operation
If bandwidth is allocated without considering HOV routes and real-time network conditions, then bandwidth allocation is simple, but service quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary bandwidth allocation by creating a bandwidth map before the HOV journey begins. The system pre-calculates bandwidth requirements based on the planned route, predicted passenger activities, and historical network conditions along the route. This allows the system to reserve and allocate bandwidth in advance, ensuring service quality without requiring complex real-time adjustments during travel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs continuous feedback mechanisms where the wireless gateway monitors real-time network conditions, actual bandwidth usage, and passenger connectivity status. This feedback is fed back to the bandwidth management system, which dynamically adjusts bandwidth allocation to maintain service quality while adapting to changing conditions along the HOV route.
3Device complexity
If cumulative bandwidth requirements of passengers are not considered, then network load management is simple, but unexpected network loads occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service bandwidth management system where passenger devices automatically report their bandwidth requirements and usage patterns to the wireless gateway. The gateway autonomously aggregates these requirements, calculates cumulative bandwidth needs, and adjusts network resource allocation without requiring manual intervention or complex centralized control, thus maintaining simplicity while ensuring reliable load management.
4Device complexity
If real-time bandwidth reservation requests are not integrated with ticketing and route information, then system integration is simple, but passenger quality of experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges previously separate systems (ticketing, route planning, bandwidth management) into an integrated platform. The system combines ticket purchase data, scheduled route information, and real-time network conditions into a unified bandwidth allocation model. This integration ensures that bandwidth reservations are automatically coordinated with passenger itineraries and network availability, significantly improving service reliability without requiring passengers to manually manage multiple systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for managing wireless communications for a plurality of devices in a high occupancy vehicle is presented. The method comprises steps of creating a global bandwidth usage map across all vehicles, routes, and passengers, transmitting the global bandwidth usage map to a vehicle controller, interpreting the global bandwidth usage map and creating a local usage map, and commanding a wireless concentrator to manage the wireless communications for the devices in accordance with the local usage map. Further, the global map can be created by gathering ticket and route information, obtaining customer productivity data from a network, and parsing obtained data into canonical form. A step of inputting the ticketing information by one of the user, and a ticketing agent can be included. A step of displaying messages using a wireless access application residing on the device can be included.