Multi channel communications for vehicular radio communications for bi-directional communications with local wireless device
地域：
MI
MI Van Buren Township
摘要
A vehicular radio communications system establishes a bi-directional digital radio communications link between a local wireless communication device inside a moving vehicle and a sequence of radio transceivers in a wireless network. The local device operates in a plurality of different device frequency bands and the external transceivers operate in a plurality of different network frequency bands. Some or all of the device frequency bands are the same as some or all of the network frequency bands. The system comprises a set of one or more external radio antennas operating in an external downlink and an external uplink using a network frequency band and a set of one or more local radio antennas operating in a local downlink and a local uplink using a local frequency band different from the network band.
說明書
This application claims priority to United Kingdom Patent Application No. 1517560.7 filed Oct. 5, 2015, and entitled “MULTI CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS,” which is herein incorporated by reference.
The present disclosure relates to vehicular radio communications systems for establishing a bi-directional digital radio communications link between a local wireless communication device inside a moving vehicle and a sequence of radio transceivers in a wireless network external of said vehicle.
Cars currently can have multiple external antennas for various different purposes, for example: receiving and sending LTE (long term evolution) cellular transmission as in the 4G mobile communications standard; receiving digital audio broadcasts (DAB) or other digital audio broadcast, such as HD Radio (Reg. TM); and receiving and sending data in a wide area network (WLAN), for example by using WiFi (Reg. TM).
It is known to use multiple external antennas, and two is usual, when receiving so that frequencies can be switched when coming into range of a better signal. An additional “sniffing” antenna can be used to monitor signal strength across a range of frequencies.
Cars can have multiple internal antennas for retransmitting the signals inside the vehicle. Clearly, the same frequencies cannot be used simultaneously both inside and outside the vehicle or else there will be interference. Different frequencies are therefore used internal to the vehicle.
權(quán)利要求
The invention claimed is:1. A vehicular radio communications system for establishing a bi-directional digital radio communications link between a local wireless communication device inside a moving vehicle and a sequence of radio transceivers in a wireless network external of said vehicle, said local device operating in any one of a plurality of different device frequency bands and said radio transceivers each operating in any one of a plurality of different network frequency bands such that different radio transceivers have different network frequency bands of operation, some or all of said device frequency bands being the same as some or all of said network frequency bands, wherein the vehicular radio communications system comprises:a set of one or more external radio antennas for radio communication with said network, each external radio antenna being configured for operation in any of said network frequency bands and each being operable, to receive and transmit radio signals in, respectively, an external downlink and an external uplink thereby providing an external radio communications link based on said network frequency band of operation, said network frequency band of operation changing in accordance with said sequence of radio transceivers as said vehicle moves; a set of one or more local radio antennas for radio communication with said local device, each local radio antenna being configured for operation in any of said device frequency bands and each being operable, in use, to receive and transmit radio signals in, respectively, a local downlink and a local uplink thereby providing, in use, a local radio communications link using said device frequency band of operation, said device frequency band of operation changing in accordance with said changes in said network frequency band of operation so as to be different from said network frequency band of operation; a bi-directional processor configured to process signals received from the local downlink for transmission in the external uplink and to process signals received from the external downlink for transmission in the local uplink; a plurality of selectable radio-frequency interfaces, each one of said radio-frequency interfaces being configured for operation in a different frequency band and comprising a duplex processor interface and a duplex antenna interface, said duplex processor interface being selectively connectable to said processor and said duplex antenna interface being selectively connectable to any of said radio antennas of both of said sets of antennas, and said plurality of radio-frequency interfaces comprises: (i) a first selected radio-frequency interface comprising a first duplex processor interface and a first duplex antenna interface connected respectively to said processor and to a first radio antenna, said first radio antenna being in said set of external radio antennas; and (ii) a second selected radio-frequency interface comprising a second duplex processor interface and a second duplex antenna interface connected respectively to said processor and to a second radio antenna, said second radio antenna being in said set of local radio antennas; a switching system configured to switch any of said selectable radio-frequency interfaces into connection between said processor and the corresponding radio antenna to maintain the external radio communications link when the network frequency band of operation changes and to maintain the local radio communications link when the device frequency band of operation changes; a control system, the control system being connected to the switching system and being configured to select which of said selectable radio-frequency interfaces will be switched by the switching system so that the device frequency band of operation continues to be different from the network frequency band of operation when there is to be a change in the network frequency band of operation, whereby the first selected radio-frequency interface is one that is configured for duplex operation at the network frequency band of operation and the second selected radio-frequency interface is one that is configured for duplex operation at the device frequency band of operation, said bi-directional digital radio communications link, in use, thereby being provided through said first and second radio-frequency interfaces and said bi-directional processor as said external and local radio communications links are maintained by the switching system under the control of the control system. 2. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least two radio antennas in said set of external radio antennas;the at least two radio antennas are in a set of internal radio antennas; and said plurality of radio-frequency interfaces comprises:(i) a third selected radio-frequency interface comprising a third duplex processor interface and a third duplex antenna interface connected respectively to said processor and to a third radio antenna, said third radio antenna being in said set of external radio antennas; and (ii) a fourth selected radio-frequency interface comprising a fourth duplex processor interface and a fourth duplex antenna interface connected respectively to said processor and to a fourth radio antenna, said fourth radio antenna being in said set of local radio antennas. 3. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the selectable radio-frequency interfaces is configured for fixed operation in a single frequency band. 4. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the radio-frequency interfaces is a tuneable multi-frequency interface configured for frequency tuneable operation in a plurality of different frequencies bands. 5. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the control system is operatively connected to each tuneable multi-frequency interface, and the control system controls the frequency response of each interface to the required frequency band of operation. 6. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each of said radio-frequency interfaces comprises a frequency adjustment system for adjusting the operational frequency of filters and/or amplifiers of said interface and the control system is connected to each of said frequency adjustment systems and is configured to coordinate the adjustment of said operational frequencies of said of filters and/or amplifiers in accordance with said changes in said frequency bands to be used. 7. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the control system changes the frequency response of a receiver amplifier and/or the transmitter amplifier within the radio-frequency interface to match said changes in the network frequency band of operation. 8. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the control system is operable, in use, to change the frequency response of at least one frequency filter circuit selectably linkable to the receiver amplifier and/or at least one selectable frequency filter circuit selectably linkable to the transmitter amplifier, the control system being operable, in use, to select which of said frequency filter circuits is linked to said amplifiers in order to change said frequency response of the receiver amplifier and/or the transmitter amplifier. 9. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each radio-frequency interface comprises between the duplex processor interface and the duplex antenna interface a transceiver system, the transceiver system comprising a transceiver amplifier circuit, said circuit comprising a receive path and a transmit path, the receive path including a receiver amplifier being configured to amplify a downlink radio signal received from the duplex antenna interface and to provide said amplified signal to the duplex processor interface, and the transmit path including a transmitter amplifier being configured to amplify an uplink radio signal received from the duplex antenna interface and to provide said amplified signal to the duplex antenna interface. 10. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching system comprises, between said radio frequency interfaces and the bi-directional processor, a processor multiplexer. 11. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor multiplexer is connected to the duplex processor interface. 12. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the processor multiplexer is connected to a coder/decoder interface of the bi-directional processor. 13. A vehicular radio communications system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the switching system comprises, between said radio frequency interfaces and the sets of antennas, an antenna multiplexer.
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