DE102015212967A1 - Mobile radio transmitter / receiver, in particular a cellular radio communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a mobile radio transmitter / receiver, in particular a cellular radio communication system, with at least one control device having at least one Doppler radar arrangement and at least one antenna device which is configured and so functionally connected to the Doppler radar arrangement and to the control device of the mobile radio transmitter / receiver, that it is designed and controllable for transmitting radar signals.

Description

The present invention relates to a mobile radio transmitting / receiving device, in particular a cellular radio communication system according to the preamble of claim 1.

Detection and localization technologies - such as determining angles, the direction, distance, and velocity of an object - or imaging objects and their environment are known, and there are even solutions that allow this information collect when these objects are obscured by non-metallic objects.

The known solutions, however, are generally too large in terms of dimensions and are also not geared to the hardware and software design for a private-sector application.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution which ensures an overcoming of the mentioned disadvantages and design requirements.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of patent claim 1 and by the method having the features of patent claim 13. Advantageous developments of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

In the mobile radio transmission / radio reception device according to the invention of a cellular radio communication system having at least one control device, at least one Doppler radar arrangement and at least one antenna device are configured and functionally connected to the Doppler radar arrangement and to the control device of the mobile radio transmission / radio reception device in such a way that they are designed to emit radar signals and is controllable.

As a result, radar technology in terms of software and hardware is made accessible to the consumer electronics market in a way that is particularly cost-effective and low-implementation. Furthermore, users of mobile phones are provided with additional sensors, which are particularly suitable for a safety-relevant application. The invention is also characterized by the fact that it can be used by further, the mobile phone, in particular in the embodiment as a so-called smartphone, available functions for a variety of such applications.

Advantageously, the mobile radio transmitter / radio receiver device can be further developed if the Doppler radar arrangement and / or the antenna device are designed to produce radar signals based on at least one frequency of the "Industrial, Scientific and Medical, ISM" band and / or based on at least a frequency of the band Ultra-wideband technology "Ultra-wideband, UWB" emits. The ISM band is characterized, for example, by the fact that the possible frequencies 13.56 MHz, 27 MHz, 40 MHz B, 433 MHz, 2400 GHz, 5.8 GHz, 24 GHz, 61 GHz, 122 GHz, 244 GHz are easily accessible, and In particular, even up to now 61 GHz (WiGig standard), as cost-effective integrated commercial components are available .. The UWB, however, offers a wide range of frequencies, so for the invention, for example, up to 20 discrete frequencies, distributed in the range between 6 GHz up to 8.5 GHz, are usable.

It is also advantageous if the invention is further developed in such a way that the Doppler radar arrangement and / or the antenna device are designed such that several of the frequencies per band are used, wherein the antenna device is configured in particular such that at least one of the antennas is configured multiresonant ,

Alternatively or additionally, a further development of the mobile radio transmitter / radio receiver is characterized by at least two Doppler radar arrangements. This is particularly advantageous when using multiple frequencies, as it supports an increase in the range uniqueness range, which is ensured by multiple frequency usage.

If the mobile radio transmitter / receiver is further developed in such a way that at least one bandpass filter device, which is so functionally connected to the antenna device, Doppler device and / or control device, that Doppler signals are subjected to bandpass filtering, an increase in range is effected.

A very inexpensive development is given if the mobile radio transmitter / radio receiving device is developed such that the antenna device is designed such that the Doppler radar is associated with exactly one receiving antenna.

In an alternative development, the antenna device is configured in such a way that at least two receiving antennas are assigned to the Doppler radar arrangement, in particular receiving antenna pairs of 2, 4 or 6 etc. antennas being formed, in particular to achieve a "Multiple In Multiple Out, MIMO" structure ,

In the development of the mobile radio transmitter / radio receiver in which the antenna device is designed such that the Doppler radar is assigned to a transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitting antenna is used in combination with a receiving antenna, a further embodiment is given, which allows a particularly inexpensive implementation.

An alternative development is provided if the antenna device is designed such that the Doppler radar arrangement is assigned to a transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitting antenna is used as a separate antenna from the receiving antennas. With this development, compared to the particularly inexpensive implementation less restricted or in terms of resource availability unrestricted functionality in the phone is possible.

In a development of the invention, the antennas of the antenna device have mutually divergent polarization directions. The use of different polarization directions enables a so-called polymetric radar.

To avoid interference with other devices constructed and used in accordance with the invention, the mobile radio transceiver is further developed such that the Doppler radar device and / or the antenna device are configured and / or functionally connected to the control device such that a frequency variation of the radar signals is adjustable is.

If the mobile radio transmitter / receiver is further developed in such a way that the Doppler radar arrangement and / or the antenna device are configured and / or functionally connected to the control device such that the radar signals are available from at least one other of the mobile radio transmitter / receiver devices, in particular camera, Velocity, gyro, rotational data and / or magnetic field sensors originating signals of a common processing, in particular supplied by the processor, can be inventively designed cost, especially as another sensor for mobile communication devices (eg smartphone, tablet, smart glasses, smartwatch etc.) designed radar, so with already common for these devices, above, connect sensors that it can be used for a variety of operating modes / applications (apps).

The detection area is the (near) area around these mobile devices, up to about 100m.

• – Abbilden des Umfeldes des Benutzers eines mobilen Kommunikationsgerätes, während dieser sich fortbewegt (z.B. als Fußgänger im Straßenverkehr) und durch das Gerät selber abgelenkt ist (z.B. durch das Betrachten eines Videos während des Joggens). Die Informationen über dessen Umgebung (Laternenmast, andere Verkehrsteilnehmer usf.) können zur sicheren Fortbewegung und Unfallvermeidung benutzt werden
• – Messen der Geschwindigkeit/Richtung von anderen Objekten/Personen (Beispiele: Golfball-Flugbahn-App, Fahrzeug-Geschwindigkeits-App, Projektil-Geschwindigkeits-App...)
• – Geschwindigkeitsmessung des Gerätes/Nutzers relativ zur Umgebung (z.B. beim Joggen), wenn kein GPS-Empfang vorhanden ist
• – Messung von Atem- und Herzfrequenz von Lebewesen; einsetzbar als mobile Bewegungsüberwachungs-App für Babies oder Senioren oder zur Überwachung der Vitalfunktionen dieser.
• – Alarm-App bei bestimmten Bewegungszuständen des Nutzers wie z.B. einem Sturz (insbesondere bei älterer Menschen)
• – Ermitteln der Kontur von verdeckten Objekten wie z.B. der Inhalt von Paketen, Taschen, Leitungen/Rohren in Wänden oder von verschlossenen Koffern oder von Gegenständen unter der Kleidung (vgl. Body Scanner) von Personen; Detektion der Bewegungen von Lebewesen oder atmende Lebewesen hinter Wänden
• – Nutzung von Kommunikationsgeräten als Bewegungsmelder allgemein, wenn z.B. aus Datenschutzgründen kein Kameraeinsatz gewollt oder erlaubt ist.
• – Blindenhundersatz/ergänzung (sieht auch Hindernisse die höher sind als die, welche der Blindenhund als Hindernis erkennt)

In particular, by the additional sensors (speed, gyro / yaw rate or magnetic field, etc.), there are further advantages of the embodiments and fields of application according to the invention, which are given in particular as follows:

• Mapping the environment of the user of a mobile communication device as it travels (eg, as a pedestrian in traffic) and is distracted by the device itself (eg, by watching a video while jogging). The information about its environment (lamppost, other road users, etc.) can be used for safe movement and accident prevention
• - Measuring the speed / direction of other objects / people (examples: golf ball trajectory, vehicle speed app, projectile speed app ...)
• - Speed measurement of the device / user relative to the environment (eg when jogging), if no GPS reception is available
• - Measurement of respiratory and heart rate of living beings; Can be used as a mobile movement monitoring app for babies or seniors or to monitor the vital signs of these.
• - Alarm app for certain states of movement of the user such as a fall (especially in the elderly)
• - Determining the contour of hidden objects such as the contents of packages, bags, pipes / tubes in walls or of sealed suitcases or objects under the clothing (see Body Scanner) of persons; Detection of the movements of living beings or living creatures behind walls
• - Use of communication devices as motion detectors in general, if, for example, for data protection reasons no camera use is wanted or allowed.
• - Guide dog replacement / supplement (also sees obstacles that are higher than those, which the guide dog recognizes as an obstacle)

The present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. Showing:

1 Conventional Doppler radar;

2 Possible arrangements of the (multi-frequency) receiving antennas.

The embodiments described in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention, but they are not limited thereto.

1 shows a conventional Doppler radar arrangement as a simple embodiment.

This consists according to the example of a signal source SQ, via a power divider two Feeds strands. In the upper strand in this case an amplifier AMP is arranged, from which an amplified signal is forwarded to a transmitting antenna SA.

In the lower leg, the signal is passed to an I / Q mixer I / Q, which mixes the signal with another signal from a receive branch of the array. This receive branch is fed by signals received by a receive antenna EA and passed on to a low-noise amplifier, also known as a low-noise amplifier, LNA, which then applies the second signal to the I / Q mixer I / Q.

The I / Q mixer I / Q is now processed from an output to an analog-to-digital converter, which then provides digital signals for further processing by a processor or other digital switching elements available.

Possible frequencies of the signal source SQ would be the easily accessible ISM bands 13.56 MHz, 27 MHz, 40 MHz B, 433 MHz, 2400 GHz, 5.8 GHz, 24 GHz, 61 GHz, 122 GHz or 244 GHz. At the time of this application, low-cost, integrated, commercial components were available up to 61 GHz, which support the inventive integration into consumer products.

Also conceivable are embodiments of the invention in which other frequencies, such as e.g. those of the UWB band, e.g. 20 discrete frequencies distributed in the range of 6GHz to 8.5GHz, can be used.

In the implementation of the invention, differently powerful systems can be envisaged so that, for example, one can orientate oneself according to the announced price segment.

In a lower price segment, according to embodiments of the invention, devices are provided with only one frequency or several frequencies of a band (e.g., lower and upper cut-off frequencies of the band), which however also have limited functionality.

In an upper segment, in the embodiments usually many frequencies are used simultaneously, whereby a higher performance is achieved.

Among other things, a higher range uniqueness range is achieved by several frequencies. At far apart frequencies, in accordance with embodiments of the invention, a separate radar module will be provided in part for each frequency.

In this case, this can be further improved by narrowband bandpass filtering the Doppler signals of the Doppler radar arrangement in each case for an increase in range.

A further advantage of the invention is that Doppler signals are relatively low-frequency, so that inexpensive AD converters can be used.

In all the described embodiments, the performance of the system is determined by increasing the number of receive antennas. That it increases with the number of antennas.

In the lower price segment, the devices would be equipped with only one receiving antenna according to cost-effective embodiments of the invention, but then also have a limited functionality. In the upper price segment, the system will be extended to 2 or 4 or even more receiving antennas (MIMO), which will again achieve higher performance.

By developments according to the invention with multiple antennas u.a. a three-dimensional detection / imaging of objects in the environment of the device allows as it is achieved for example with an interferometric SAR or Doppler Monopulse radar.

As a transmitting antenna according to the embodiment, an antenna is necessary, which can be carried out separately or combined with a receiving antenna. In addition, the antennas may be constructed for different polarization directions, thereby enabling polarimetric radar. From the polarization of the received waves or the polarization change, further information about the imaged terrain / object can be obtained, which, for example, provides information about the roughness / structure of the surface.

If only one frequency is used, simple antenna designs are possible; in the case of designs with multiple frequencies, more complex multiresonant antennas are required.

2 shows in its partial representations 2a to 2c possible arrangements of the (multi-frequency) receiving antennas.

Different placements of a transmitting antenna arrangement SA and, in this example, three receiving antenna arrangements EA on a smartphone can be seen. Schematically, SA, EA antennas for two frequencies are shown here per arrangement (the inner rectangular area forms one antenna / the outer which circumscribes the inner surface, forms the second antenna).

It is conceivable as a first variation of the illustrated example that at far apart frequencies separate antennas are provided for each frequency or groups of frequencies.

In 2a For example, in the upper left corner, two antennas are arranged as a transmitting antenna array SA on the front side of the smartphone, and in the other three corners of the apparatus, a receiving antenna array EA is respectively placed.

The dimension and geometric (area) form is taken only as an example from the potential possibilities that is possible for the relevant configuration of antenna arrangements and which has been determined for a concrete implementation, for example, supported by previous simulations, as an optimal variant. This is in the figure parts 2a to 2c by the differing surface shapes of the antenna arrangements between the forms in gur 2c and 2a . 2 B indicated.

In 2 B a further degree of freedom of the embodiment is indicated by a placement of the transmitting antenna assembly SA, which is done as shown in the lower right corner, so that distribute the three receiving antenna assemblies EA according to the other corners of the smartphone.

In 2c Finally, a degree of freedom is shown with regard to the selection on which side of the smartphone, front VS or back RS, the antenna arrangements SA, EA are assigned. In the illustration, the antenna arrangements EA, SA are therefore in contrast to the outlined embodiments in FIGS 2a and 2 B arranged on the back RS. Furthermore, a further permutation of the positioning of the transmitting antenna arrangement SA, which is shown in FIG 2c is placed in the lower left corner of the smartphone, so that the receiving antenna assemblies EA accordingly as compared to the 2a and 2 B have been redistributed.

Antenna arrangements, smartphone, in particular its processor (s) and the integration according to the invention of a Doppler radar arrangement, for example in the in 1 illustrated embodiment, now allow, since the Doppler signals after AD conversion (see 1 ) are available as discrete signal values for signal processing, use of these signals for any application installed on the smartphone (app.).

It is usually required a special software to make the signals of a particular application available by inventively provided the type of signals required for this purpose and possibly linked with other signals available to the smartphone and / or a common evaluation, individual qualities of Signals are supplied.

For example, for simple speed measurement, the determination of the frequency components of a Doppler radar is sufficient. with an FFT (Fast Furier Transformation) function.

On the other hand, if a simple movement detection is to be made, e.g. evaluated the amplitude of the signal. For extended motion detection, the frequency components are also evaluated. More complex applications require sometimes very extensive computational software such as e.g. in imaging SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) or in determining the movement of persons.

Due to the given performance of today's processors, this application according to the invention can be implemented without major adjustments. Other functional units present in common devices are also useful for this purpose.

For example, with the sensors already present in the device, for example speed, gyro / yaw rates or magnetic field sensors and the like, a disturbing movement (for example during jogging) can be calculated out by a motion compensation. However, applications and advantages are not limited to this embodiment.

• – Der radarbasierte Sensor funktioniert, auch wenn er von Kleidung verdeckt ist;
• – wetterbedingt kann die Kameralinse beeinträchtigt sein, beispielswiese durch Beschlagen;
• – der Doplerradarsensor gemäß Erfindung funktioniert genauso bei völliger Dunkelheit;
• – Datenschutz- oder Akzeptanzprobleme für Nutzer sind geringer, da Identitäten von aufgenommenen Personen nicht feststellbar sind;
• – Bewegungskompensation ist einfacher (z.B. während des Laufens);
• – keine Belichtungsproblematik wie z.B. Sonneneinstrahlung, Schatten, Beleuchtung und dergleichen;
• – Geschwindigkeit kann gemessen werden;
• – Entfernung kann gemessen werden.

For a purely camera-based system for object acquisition / detection, the MIMO doppler radar has the following advantages and possibilities in the smartphone:

• - The radar-based sensor works, even if it is covered by clothing;
• - Due to the weather, the camera lens may be affected, for example by fogging;
• The Doplerradarsensor according to the invention works in the same way in complete darkness;
• - Users have less privacy or acceptance issues as identities of ingested people are undetectable;
• - Motion compensation is easier (eg while running);
• - no exposure problems such as sunlight, shadows, lighting and the like;
• - Speed can be measured;
• - Distance can be measured.

As a further embodiment, however, a combination of the radar with camera systems or the support of the camera systems by the radar and a data fusion of both information may be useful. Cameras can replace the previous systems installed or future in devices such as Be 3D TOF cameras. The latter refers to 3D camera systems that measure distances using a time of flight (TOF) method.

Radar variants such as the pulse UWB radar (Ultra Wide Band) have the disadvantage over the radar according to the invention that they are much more complicated to implement and have some further disadvantages, such as e.g. a very short range.

To avoid mutual interference of several simultaneously operated devices in the mutual reception range, the invention can be designed such that a variation of the frequency is performed in each band. This is possible according to the invention, since the Doppler radar is extremely narrow-band and in each band a certain bandwidth is available.

• 1. Integrieren eines kostengünstigen I/Q Dopplerradars mit verschiedenen, definierten Frequenzen und mit mehreren Sende- und/oder Empfangsantennen an unterschiedlich definierten Positionen in einem mobilen Kommunikationsgerät.
• 2. Softwaremäßiges Verarbeiten der Radardaten (Amplitude und Phase der Dopplersignale aller Antennen und Frequenzen) je nach Betriebsmodi und Anwendung (App) sowie die Darstellung des Ergebnisses für den Anwender (visuell, Audio),
• 3. Kombinieren der Dopplersensordaten mit anderen im Gerät vorhandenen Sensordaten zur Performancesteigerung von bestimmten Anwendungen.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated and / or illustrated embodiments and advantages. Rather, all embodiments covered by the claims are included. In particular, if they are characterized by at least the following features:

• 1. Integrating a low-cost I / Q Doppler radar with different, defined frequencies and with multiple transmitting and / or receiving antennas at different defined positions in a mobile communication device.
• 2. Software processing of the radar data (amplitude and phase of the Doppler signals of all antennas and frequencies) depending on operating modes and application (App) as well as the presentation of the result for the user (visual, audio),
• 3. Combine Doppler sensor data with other sensor data present in the device to improve the performance of certain applications.

Claims (12)

 Mobile radio transmitting / receiving device of a cellular radio communication system, comprising at least one control device, marked by a) at least one Doppler radar arrangement, b) at least one antenna device which is configured and so functionally connected to the Doppler radar arrangement and to the control device of the mobile radio transmitter / radio receiver, that it is designed and controllable for emitting radar signals. Mobile radio transmitter / receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that the Doppler radar device and / or the antenna device is designed such that it radar signals based on at least one frequency of "Industrial, Scientific and Medical, ISM" band and / or based on at least a frequency of the band ultra-wideband technology "Ultra-Wideband, UWB". Mobile radio transmission / radio reception device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the Doppler radar arrangement and / or the antenna device is designed such that a plurality of the frequencies are used per band, wherein the antenna device is in particular designed such that at least one of the antennas designed multiresonant is.  Mobile radio transceiver according to the preceding claim, characterized by at least two Doppler radar arrangements.  Mobile radio transmission / radio reception device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one bandpass filter device which is functionally connected to the antenna device, Doppler device and / or control device such that Doppler signals are subjected to bandpass filtering. Mobile radio transmitter / radio receiver according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna device is designed such that the Doppler radar arrangement is associated with exactly one receiving antenna. Mobile radio transmitter / radio receiver according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the antenna device is designed such that the Doppler radar arrangement are associated with at least two receiving antennas. Mobile radio transmitter / receiver according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna device is designed such that the Doppler radar arrangement is assigned to a transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitting antenna is combined with a receiving antenna used. Mobile radio transmitter / receiver according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the antenna device is designed such that the Doppler radar arrangement is assigned to a transmitting antenna, wherein the Transmitting antenna is used as a separate antenna from the receiving antennas. Mobile radio transmitter / radio receiver according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna device is designed such that the antennas have mutually divergent polarization directions. Mobile radio transmission / radio reception device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Doppler radar arrangement and / or the antenna device are configured and / or functionally connected to the control device such that a frequency variation of the radar signals is adjustable. Mobile radio transmission / radio reception device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Doppler radar arrangement and / or the antenna device are configured and / or functionally connected to the control device such that the radar signals are available from at least one other of the mobile radio transceiver devices , in particular camera, speed, gyro, rotation data and / or magnetic field sensors originating signals, a common processing, in particular by the processor supplied.

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