Vehicle Antenna Module Selection for Millimeter-Wave Link Stability

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication technologies for connected cars face challenges in maintaining stable communication links between vehicles and base stations, particularly due to high-frequency millimeter-wave signals that suffer from path loss and non-line of sight issues, leading to increased heat generation and power consumption.

Innovation Solution

A communication control device that monitors the heading direction of a vehicle and determines a search order between multiple antenna modules based on the changed heading direction and mounting positions, evaluating these modules to select a new antenna module for communication with a base station, thereby reducing load and power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If periodic monitoring and searching for beams are performed to establish and maintain communication links, then communication link stability is improved, but heat generation and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication link stabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the correspondence relationship between antenna modules and beam directions before actual communication occurs. This allows the system to quickly determine the appropriate antenna module when a beam search is needed, without performing exhaustive real-time searching, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining link stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the beam direction information in the form of a stored correspondence relationship between antenna modules and beam directions. This copied information allows the system to make rapid decisions about antenna module selection without re-performing complex beam analysis, reducing computational load and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If periodic monitoring and searching for beams are performed to establish and maintain communication links, then communication link stability is improved, but heat generation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication link stabilityVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the correspondence relationship between antenna modules and beam directions before actual communication occurs. This allows the system to quickly determine the appropriate antenna module when a beam search is needed, without performing exhaustive real-time searching, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining link stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the beam direction information in the form of a stored correspondence relationship between antenna modules and beam directions. This copied information allows the system to make rapid decisions about antenna module selection without re-performing complex beam analysis, reducing computational load and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Quantity of substance

If millimeter-wave signals are used to increase available bandwidth, then communication capacity is improved, but path loss and non-line of sight issues worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailable bandwidthVSAvoidsignal transmission reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the antenna system into multiple antenna modules, each capable of forming specific beams in different directions. This segmentation allows the system to select the most appropriate antenna module for the current communication scenario, improving the ability to handle path loss and non-line of sight conditions while utilizing the high bandwidth of millimeter waves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic antenna module selection based on real-time communication conditions. The system can switch between different antenna modules and beam directions as needed to adapt to changing signal propagation environments, improving reliability while maintaining the high capacity benefits of millimeter-wave signals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12328159B2Communication control device, and method for establishing communication link by using same

Publication Date: 2025.06.10 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A method of establishing a communication link is provided. The method includes monitoring a heading direction of a vehicle, in case that the heading direction of the vehicle is changed by at least as much as a preset angle, determining a search order between a plurality of antenna modules in consideration of the changed heading direction of the vehicle and mounting positions of the plurality of antenna modules mounted on the vehicle, evaluating the plurality of antenna modules according to the search order, and communicating with a base station via a new antenna module selected based on a result of the evaluating, rather than via an old antenna module used for communication with the base station.