Onboard Private LTE Vehicle Networks with Mobile Server Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle communication systems face challenges with wired connections being cost-prohibitive and wireless systems requiring significant power and lacking acceptable security features, while also needing multiple devices for different communication modes.
Innovation Solution
A mobile server unit onboard each vehicle establishes a wireless onboard private LTE network with mobile client units, allowing vehicles to communicate securely and efficiently, with a designated master server unit coordinating the network and supporting offboard base stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wired connections are used for vehicle communication, then communication reliability is improved, but installation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wired connections with wireless communication systems. The vehicle communication system uses wireless transceivers to establish communication links between vehicles, eliminating the need for physical cable connections while maintaining communication reliability through protocol-level error correction and retransmission mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If standard wireless devices are used for vehicle communication, then ease of installation is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes wireless communication parameters specifically for vehicle applications. The system adjusts transmission power levels, modulation schemes, and data rates based on vehicle speed, distance, and environmental conditions to minimize power consumption while maintaining reliable communication. The wireless transceivers are designed with low-power modes and efficient signal processing algorithms.
3Ease of operation
If standard wireless devices are used for vehicle communication, then ease of installation is improved, but security features are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces security intermediaries and protocol layers between the wireless transceivers and the vehicle control systems. These intermediary components provide authentication, encryption, and message integrity verification to protect against unauthorized access and malicious attacks, while maintaining the ease of wireless installation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wireless devices are used for different communication modes, then communication versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functional wireless transceivers that can operate in multiple communication modes using a single device. The transceivers support different protocols and modes (such as direct vehicle-to-vehicle communication, infrastructure communication, and emergency alerting) within a unified hardware platform, eliminating the need for separate specialized devices for each communication mode.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle communication system includes a mobile server unit configured to be operably deployed onboard a first vehicle of a vehicle system. The mobile server unit includes an antenna, a transceiver, and a controller. The controller may control the transceiver to establish a wireless onboard private network with plural mobile client units that are located on other vehicles of the vehicle system, for wireless communications between the vehicles of the vehicle system, while the vehicle system is moving. The mobile server unit may establish the private network in coordination with other mobile server units that are onboard other vehicles in the vehicle system, such that a selected one of the mobile server units may be designated as a master server unit for overall control of the private network, and the other mobile server units are designated as subordinates.