Platoon Identifier for Vehicle Communication Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for coordinating transportation vehicles in platoons face inefficiencies in inter- and intra-cluster communication, leading to increased overhead and reduced reliability, especially when vehicles are out of coverage of a base station.
Innovation Solution
The use of a platoon identifier, obtained from a base station and distributed among vehicles via side-link communication, enables efficient groupcast messaging within the platoon, reducing the need for individual vehicle identifiers and allowing communication even when vehicles are out of coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual vehicle identifiers are used for communication within the platoon, then each vehicle can be uniquely identified, but the communication overhead increases and reliability decreases when vehicles are out of coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the identification function at the platoon level by introducing a single platoon identifier that represents the entire group. Instead of using individual vehicle identifiers for each communication, the platoon identifier is used to address the whole platoon, thereby reducing the quantity of identifier data transmitted and improving reliability when vehicles are out of coverage since the identifier is maintained at the platoon level rather than requiring individual vehicle-to-base-station connections.
2Productivity
If a platoon identifier is distributed to all vehicles via side-link communication, then communication efficiency improves and overhead reduces, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication function into two distinct parts: base station-to-platoon-leader communication for platoon identifier allocation, and platoon-internal communication using side-links for identifier distribution. This segmentation allows the complex task of platoon management to be divided between centralized (base station) and decentralized (vehicle-to-vehicle) functions, improving communication efficiency within the platoon while managing system complexity through clear functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The platoon leader acts as an intermediary between the base station and other platoon members. The base station communicates the platoon identifier to the platoon leader, who then distributes it to other vehicles via side-link communication. This intermediary role simplifies the overall system architecture by creating a hierarchical communication structure that reduces direct base station involvement in intra-platoon communications, thereby improving efficiency while managing complexity.
3Reliability
If the platoon identifier is obtained from the base station, then the identifier is centrally managed and reliability is improved, but the dependency on base station coverage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the platoon leader obtain and store the platoon identifier from the base station in advance, before other vehicles may need to use it. Once obtained, the identifier is distributed to all platoon members via side-link communication so that even when vehicles move out of base station coverage, they retain the identifier and can continue communication. This preliminary acquisition and distribution strategy ensures centralized management reliability while providing adaptability to coverage changes.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatuses and computer programs for transportation vehicles and for a base station of a mobile communication system. A first method for a transportation vehicle of a platoon of transportation vehicles includes receiving a platoon identifier for the platoon of transportation vehicles from a base station of a mobile communication system, providing the platoon identifier to other transportation vehicles of the platoon of transportation vehicles via a side-link communication of the mobile communication system, and using the platoon identifier to communicate with the other transportation vehicles of the platoon of transportation vehicles via the mobile communication system.