CN101238701A - Sensor-based augmentation of blockage recovery - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for improving long-term blockage recovery of a communications signal is disclosed. The method includes monitoring a blockage source using at least one application specific-sensor (102, 110, 120). Time spent on the blockage source is ascertained. Information obtained from the application-specific sensor may be combined with the ascertained time spent in the blockage source to predict a likely blockage recovery interval.

Description

Sensor-based blockage recovery strengthens

The reference of related application

The application requires in the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/554 of submission on March 19th, 2004,418 rights and interests, and it also is in the current unsettled U.S. Patent application No.10/998 of submission on November 30th, 2004,609 part continuation application.The whole disclosures that merged these two pieces of applications in this application for reference.

Invention field

The present invention relates in general to mobile communication system, more specifically to a kind of method that is used to improve the recovery from long-term blockage of signal of communication.

Background of invention

All mobile communication system all are subjected to the puzzlement of short-term or long-term blockage.Especially, require the communication system of sight line to be blocked continually.An example of short-term blockage is the tunnel.An example of long-term blockage is the garage parking.When surpassing link margin in the communication system, the loss of being introduced by blockage source can block.Depend on design constraint,, can use multiple scheme to rebuild communication linkage in case eliminated blockage source.

A kind of method is the persistent surveillance communication channel, in case and blockage source be eliminated and just rebuild communication.This is suitable for short-term blockage, and is suitable for long-term blockage when not being very important when power consumption.But in a lot of mobile communication application, power consumption is very crucial.In with battery powered apparatus, if owing to the big blockage recovery scheme of power consumption causes battery consumption, then long-term blockage may cause permanent obstruction.

The method that another kind is intended to overcome this shortcoming is known as periodically and monitors.Power consumption constraint in battery powered application causes not too frequent channel monitoring.Reduced power consumption like this, in case but also increased the time that reconstruction signal post needs after blockage source is eliminated.Therefore, periodically method for monitoring is not preferred.

In another approach, the periodicity of optimization monitors and attempts optimizing supervision at interval based on the time quantum that mobile device has got clogged.It comprises monitoring channel at first more continually, and wishing this moment to block only is short-term, because short-term blockage is more frequent than long-term blockage usually.In the most normal situation about running into, in case blockage source is eliminated, described method minimizes rebuilds the time quantum that signal post needs.If this equipment is obstructed for a long time, then this method reduces the frequency of channel monitoring in the hope of saving power.

It is very complicated that above-mentioned all methods may become, and may use several possible sampling intervals in the hope of optimizing power consumption and trading off between the stand-by period.These schemes are normally based on the statistics specific to target application (for example long-distance truck transportation).Representative statistic allows the designer to optimize blockage recovery scheme.

Although the designer hits it hard, still there are some application, wherein power consumption and stand-by period demand have exceeded the obtainable performance limit of the above-mentioned blockage recovery scheme of use.Have long-term blockage, need low latency and need the application of low power consumption may very challenging property.

An example of this application is the container shipping.In the container shipping, container is deposited on the ship, thereby causes the obstruction of term of voyage.When ship was unloaded, described container was deposited on the shipping place usually again.This stays of short duration interval during unloading, can rebuild communication therebetween and send report.

Summary of the invention

Therefore, need to solve above-mentioned defective and the deficiency relevant in the art with the recovery from long-term blockage of improving signal of communication.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a kind of method that is used to improve the recovery from long-term blockage of signal of communication.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce power consumption when long-term blockage.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the stand-by period when the application that is monitored breaks away from long-term blockage.

In brief, described system preferred embodiment especially can be by following enforcement.The preferred embodiment is improved recovery from long-term blockage by using specific to the transducer of using.The difference of itself and above-mentioned recovery from long-term blockage technology is, this long-term blockage scheme need not check that the time that spends in the obstruction determines its reaction.

The blockage source that sensor monitoring is most possible and/or detect described blockage source and when may be eliminated.For example, in the container shipping, proximity sense can provide the information that when is removed about the container on the blockage source.When vehicle was parked in the garage parking, accelerometer or ignition detector can detect when this vehicle begins to move or when engine is activated.Described move or igniting after time in, described blockage source more likely is eliminated.This information subsequently can be with being used about the information that spends in the time in the obstruction, so that provide improved recovery from long-term blockage under the power consumption situation not sacrificing.Thereby can measure the blockage source that in application-specific, most possibly influences the reality of communication channel.

Consume the power of much less because monitor described transducer than monitor communication channel, so can more continually and may monitor described transducer constantly, and can also guarantee low power consumption.When most probable breaks away from long-term blockage because equipment is known it, and therefore the supervision of described increase has improved the stand-by period.

When those of ordinary skills consult following drawings and detailed description, other system of the present invention, method, feature and advantage will become apparent.All these additional system, method, feature and advantage all should be included in this specification, fall within the scope of the invention and be subjected to the protection of appended claims.

The accompanying drawing summary

Many aspects of the present invention can be better understood with reference to behind the following accompanying drawing.Part has wherein illustrated principle of the present invention.

Fig. 1 is the state diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of wherein implementing the communication equipment of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows under the environment of container shipping and uses the preferred embodiment; And

Fig. 4 shows and use the preferred embodiment in automobile.

Detailed description of preferred embodiment

Two kinds of environment that disclose a preferred embodiment below with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail and wherein can use the preferred embodiment, wherein, all the identical Reference numeral in the accompanying drawing refers to components identical.

Fig. 1 has described a kind of preferable methods 100, and it is used to predict that signal of communication breaks away from the recovery time of long-term communication signal jam.In this method for optimizing 100, determine whether signal is obstructed 106.It is 102 of short-term that putative signal blocks, determine then signal whether still be obstructed 104 but still can be considered to short-term blockage 102.Then, use specific to the transducer of using (it directly measures the existence of blockage source), for example proximity sense 108, can determine whether short-term blockage 102 can be considered to detected long-term blockage 110.If blockage source is eliminated, finish from the transition of state 110 to 102 by 108.When most probable finishes to break away from the blocked state 120 that is not detected thereby accelerometer or ignition detector can be determined described obstruction.

Suppose that source of long-term blockage is known, for example container is deposited on the mobile communication terminal, thereby has stopped sight line, and then current state will be 110.Any time in state 110,, then finish via 116 transition to state 126 if detect signal by periodic samples.Suppose that short-term blockage 102 still is obstructed and do not have direct blockage source to be detected, then finish from 102 via 124 to 120 transition.

Any time in state 120,, then finish via 118 transition to state 120 if detect signal by periodic samples.The possibility that may eliminate blockage source if accelerometer or ignition detector or other sensor will change (vehicle moves) to the position of mobile communication terminal increases, and then finishes from state 120 and gets back to 102 transition via 112.At last, will just can optimize supervision from combining with time spending in obstruction specific to the information of using that transducer obtained for communication channel, so as in the preservation energy minimizing latency.

The preferred embodiment can physically be embodied as has integrated proximity sense and/or the integrated accelerometer and/or communication terminal or other equipment of ignition detector.An example is shown in Figure 2.As shown in the figure, communication equipment 200 comprises processor 202, the operation of its control appliance 200 and especially realize the processing of Fig. 1.What communicate by letter with processor 202 is antenna 204, one or more transducer (vicinity, acceleration, igniting or the like) 206, the power supply of for example battery 208 and any other assembly that may need in any application-specific.

Below with reference to Fig. 3 and 4 example that wherein can use the environment of equipment 200 is described.As shown in Figure 3, in the time of on a container 300 is deposited in another container 300, the communication equipment 200 at second container, 300 tops is subjected to block.Therefore, communication equipment 200 can use proximity sense (not shown in Figure 3, but the one or more transducers 206 corresponding to Fig. 2) detect removing of the container 300 stacked, and use accelerometer (not shown in Figure 3, when be moved but the one or more transducers 206 corresponding to Fig. 2) detect it, this can predict when long-term blockage can finish.

The preferred embodiment can be used in the automobile in mode shown in Figure 4.In vehicle 400, by core of a cable 404 communication equipment 200 is connected to the electric system 402 of vehicle, thereby realizes ignition sense at an easy rate.Employed sensor groups (not shown in Figure 4, but corresponding to one or more transducers 206 of Fig. 2) will depend on and use and desired obstruction type.For example, the vehicle tracking system that has been connected to the electric system of vehicle can use the ignition sense ability to predict when the long-term blockage when most probable occurs in stationary vehicle can finish.When an example of long-term blockage may occur in vehicle 400 and is parked in the garage parking; In this case, this long-term blockage may finish when vehicle is activated.Under vehicle environmental, described power supply can be battery, from connection or any other suitable power supply of the battery draw power of vehicle.

Should recognize that importantly when finishing short-term blockage state 102 by input 122, this will be identified as the signal 126 that is obtained immediately.Like this, when using the present invention to determine and predicting whether signal of communication has experienced long-term blockage, time quantum and power consumption are minimum.

Sensor-based blockage recovery strengthens the performance that can improve the application with frequent long-term blockage.Supervision will consume the power of much less compared with the monitor communication channel of available technology adopting specific to the transducer of using.

Should be emphasized that the above embodiment of the present invention, especially any preferred embodiment only are the possible examples of implementation, it is set forth only is in order to be expressly understood principle of the present invention.Without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, can make many variants and modifications to the above embodiment of the present invention.All such modifications and modification should be included in the disclosure and the scope of the present invention and be subjected to the protection of appended claims.

Claims (21)

1. method that is used to improve the recovery from long-term blockage of signal of communication said method comprising the steps of:

Utilize at least one to monitor blockage source specific to the transducer of using;

Determine to spend in the time in the obstruction; And

At least one is specific to the possible blockage recovery interval of the prediction of output of the transducer of using from this.

2. according to the method for claim 1, further comprise: from described at least one combine with described time spending in described obstruction specific to the information of using that transducer obtained, and predict possible blockage recovery interval.

3. according to the process of claim 1 wherein, described at least one directly measure described blockage source specific to the transducer of using.

4. according to the method for claim 3, wherein, described at least one transducer specific to application is a proximity sense.

5. when static blocked state can change according to the process of claim 1 wherein the sensor of at least one application-specific.

6. according to the method for claim 5, wherein, described at least one transducer specific to application is an accelerometer.

7. according to the method for claim 5, wherein, described at least one transducer specific to application is the vehicle ignition transducer.

8. according to the method for claim 1, comprise that further determining to block is step short-term or long-term.

9. according to the method for claim 1, comprise and utilize a plurality of steps that monitor described blockage source specific to the transducer of using.

10. according to the method for claim 9, wherein, described a plurality of transducers specific to application are mixing of proximity sense, ignition detector and accelerometer.

11. one kind is used to predict that possible long-term communication signal jam recovers method at interval, this method may further comprise the steps:

Determine whether signal is obstructed;

Suppose that this signal jam is a short-term, but determining whether this signal still is obstructed still can be considered to short-term blockage;

With higher speed this signal of communication of sampling;

Whether utilization detects this short-term blockage specific to the transducer of using can be considered to detected long-term blockage;

Suppose it is detected long-term blockage, with lower speed this signal of communication of sampling;

In case detect the elimination of blockage source, turn back to higher speed and periodic signal of communication sampling;

Suppose that this short-term blockage still exists, determine whether this obstruction can be considered to undetected long-term blockage now;

Suppose it is undetected long-term blockage, with lower speed this signal of communication of sampling;

When by specific to the sensor of using when static clogged conditions may change, turn back to higher speed and periodic signal of communication is sampled; And

From periodic sampling, obtain this detected signal.

12. according to the method for claim 11, wherein, described is proximity sense specific to the transducer of using.

13. according to the method for claim 11, wherein, described is accelerometer specific to the transducer of using.

14. according to the method for claim 11, wherein, described is ignition detector specific to the transducer of using.

15. a communication equipment, it is used for communicating and being used for recovering from signal jam by signal, and this communication equipment comprises:

Antenna, it is used for communicating by this signal;

At least one is specific to the transducer of using, and it is used to monitor the blockage source of this signal;

The power supply that is used for this communication equipment; And

Processor, itself and this antenna, this at least one communicate specific to transducer and this power supply of using so that the possible blockage recovery of at least one prediction specific to the output of the transducer of using is at interval from this.

16. according to the communication equipment of claim 15, wherein, described processor further predicts that according to the time that spends in the obstruction possible blockage recovery at interval.

17. according to the communication equipment of claim 15, wherein, described at least one transducer specific to application comprises proximity sense.

18. according to the communication equipment of claim 15, wherein, described at least one transducer specific to application comprises acceleration transducer.

19. according to the communication equipment of claim 15, wherein, described at least one transducer specific to application comprises ignition detector.

20. according to the communication equipment of claim 19, wherein, described ignition detector is included in the connection of vehicle electrical system.

21. according to the communication equipment of claim 20, wherein, described connection is the connection by core of a cable.

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