Train Router Link Aggregation Using Front and Aft Antennas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems for moving vehicles, especially high-speed ground-based vehicles like trains, face challenges in providing reliable and high-capacity communication, particularly in difficult environments such as tunnels and mountainous areas, due to the need for frequent handovers between multiple devices and base stations, leading to inefficiencies in latency, bandwidth, and cost.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication system utilizing a router with front and aft antennas connected to different base stations, establishing separate communication links to create an aggregated communication channel through an aggregation server, enhancing capacity, reliability, and redundancy by spatially separating data streams across multiple links.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple handovers between passenger devices and base stations are performed to enable wireless communication on moving vehicles, then wireless connectivity is provided, but signaling overhead and system complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewireless connectivityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the communication function by introducing separate aggregation routers on the vehicle and aggregation servers on the network side. These aggregation points consolidate multiple device-to-base station connections, reducing the signaling burden on the core network while maintaining reliable wireless connectivity for multiple devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If conventional wireless communication systems are used in difficult environments such as tunnels and mountainous areas, then basic connectivity may be maintained, but transmission capacity and reliability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple communication links through aggregation at the router and server level. By combining available links (including satellite, terrestrial, and wireless connections) into aggregated communication channels, the system achieves higher transmission capacity and improved reliability in difficult environments where single links are insufficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If aggregated communication over multiple separate communication links is implemented, then transmission capacity and reliability are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission capacityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The aggregation router and aggregation server act as intermediaries that manage the complexity of multi-link communication. These intermediary devices handle link aggregation, routing, and coordination, thereby improving transmission capacity and reliability while shielding end devices from the underlying system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4489508A1Wirelss communication system for ground-based moving vehicles
Publication Date: 2025.01.08 ECOMELA
  • EP4489508A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4489508A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4489508A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication system for use aboard a moving vehicle (10) and a method for communicating between a moving vehicle (10) and a stationary remote server (30). The wireless communication system comprising a router (100) in the moving vehicle (10) communicating with at a remote server (30) through an external network (2) comprising base stations (20a, 20b). The system further comprising at least one front antenna (11a) and at least one aft antenna (11b) wherein the router (100) is arranged to establish a connection with the remote server (30) over a front and aft communication link (121a, 121b) via the at least one front and aft antenna (11a, 11b) respective base stations, and wherein the router (100) is configured for receiving/transmitting wireless data to/from an aggregation server (31), using aggregated communication over at least the front and aft communication link (121a, 121b).