Vehicle Communication System Predictive Blockage Mitigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Radiation from vehicle-mounted line-of-sight radio communications antennas, such as SATCOM antennas, can be blocked by vehicle structures, leading to intermittent or continuous interruptions in communication services due to structural blockage as the vehicle's trajectory or attitude changes.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle communication system with a predictive availability function that uses time-correlated trajectory data and an attitude control model to generate a blockage schedule, allowing the radio communication device to transfer between communication channels before signal blockages occur, ensuring continuous connectivity by activating alternative communication resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vehicle-mounted line-of-sight radio communications antenna is used, then communication services can be provided, but signal blockage occurs due to vehicle structures blocking radiation in certain directions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary prediction of signal blockages by analyzing the vehicle's planned route and attitude changes. The predictive availability function calculates when and where blockages will occur, allowing the system to proactively switch to alternative communication channels before the actual blockage happens, thus maintaining continuous communication service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary predictive availability function that acts as a mediator between the vehicle's communication antenna and the external environment. This function analyzes trajectory data and predicts blockages, enabling the system to navigate around harmful factors by selecting optimal communication channels based on predicted availability.
2Reliability
If the vehicle's trajectory or attitude changes, then line-of-sight communication may be improved, but structural blockage increases leading to intermittent or continuous interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates the vehicle's planned trajectory and uses an attitude control model to predict future attitudes at multiple route positions. By performing this analysis in advance, the system can identify periods of extended structural blockage before they occur and prepare alternative communication channels, minimizing interruption duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The predictive availability function continuously monitors the vehicle's actual trajectory against the planned route and updates predictions accordingly. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to real-time changes and maintain accurate predictions of blockage periods, enabling timely channel switching to reduce interruptions.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for vehicle connectivity continuity are provided. In one embodiment, a vehicle communication system comprises: a first radio communication device having a predictive availability function, wherein the predictive availability function comprising an input configured to receive time correlated trajectory data for a planned route for a vehicle; and an attitude control model coupled to the predictive availability function, wherein the attitude control model generates and outputs predictions of vehicle attitude for a plurality of route positions defined along the planned route; wherein the predictive availability function generates a blockage schedule of predicted signal blockages of channels utilized by the communication device based on the predictions of vehicle attitude for the plurality of route positions; wherein the first radio communication device is configured to transfer between a first communication channel and a second communication channel at a predetermined position along the planned route based on the blockage schedule.