# US 10,455,540 B2 · Technologies for predictive alignment of antenna array of a vehicle

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- Number: US 10,455,540 B2
- Document ID: US10455540B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/018,677
- Filed: 2018-06-26
- Published: 2019-02-14
- Granted: 2019-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-26
- Assignees: Intel IP Corporation
- Applicants: Intel IP Corporation
- Inventors: Subhas Balappanavar; Sreenivas Kasturi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455540B2

## CPC

- H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination}
- H01Q 1/1257: {using the received signal strength}
- H01Q 1/3233: {particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems}
- H01Q 3/2605: {Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays}
- H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds}
- H04W 4/026: {using orientation information, e.g. compass}
- H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services
- H04W 4/38: for collecting sensor information
- H04W 4/44: for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
- H01Q 1/3275: {mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk}
- H01Q 3/02: using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
- H01Q 3/24: varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
- H01Q 3/30: varying the {relative} phase {between the radiating elements of an array (H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence)}
- H04W 4/20: Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
- H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring
- H04W 16/28: using beam steering
- H04W 48/20: Selecting an access point
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

Technologies for aligning an antenna array of a vehicle by a compute device are disclosed. A compute device may control an antenna array to connect to a base station. The compute device may determine one or more movement parameters of the vehicle, such as an indication that the vehicle is going to take a U-turn. The compute device may then control the antenna array to track the base station during the U-turn by physically rotating the antenna array.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A compute device for alignment of an antenna array of a ground vehicle, the compute device comprising:
an antenna controller to:
acquire a list comprising a plurality of base stations;
determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, an expected duration of a line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station;
select a target base station based on the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the target base station;
control the antenna array of the vehicle to form a beam directed at the target base station; and
device motion determination circuitry to:
determine one or more movement parameters of the vehicle; and
determine, based on the one or more movement parameters of the vehicle, one or more antenna alignment parameters,
wherein the antenna controller is further to control, based on the one or more antenna alignment parameters, a physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle so that the beam formed by the antenna array stays directed at the target base station during movement of the vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The compute device of claim 1, wherein to determine the one or more movement parameters of the vehicle comprises to determine a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45°,
wherein to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters comprises to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters based on the turn movement parameter, and
wherein to control the physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle comprises to control the physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle so that the beam formed by the antenna array stays directed at the target base station during the turn of the vehicle of at least 45°.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The compute device of claim 2, wherein to determine a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45° comprises to predict that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The compute device of claim 3, wherein to predict that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place comprises to predict, based on navigation information of the vehicle, that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The compute device of claim 2, wherein to determine a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45° comprises to:
determine sensor data from an accelerometer; and
determine, based on the sensor data from the accelerometer, a turn movement parameter indicative of a present turn of the vehicle of at least 45°.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The compute device of claim 1, wherein the antenna controller is further to:
determine a threshold signal strength; and
determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, a signal strength corresponding to the base station,
wherein to select the target base station comprises to select the base station with the longest duration from the group of base stations of the plurality of base stations that have a signal strength that is at least the threshold signal strength.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The compute device of claim 1, wherein the device motion determination circuitry is further to acquire past device movement data of additional vehicles different from the vehicle,
wherein to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters comprises to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters based on the past device movement data of additional vehicles different from the vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The compute device of claim 7, wherein the past device movement data comprises data indicative of past antenna alignment parameters of additional vehicles different from the vehicle, and wherein to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters comprises to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters based on the past antenna alignment parameters of additional vehicles different from the vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The compute device of claim 1, wherein the device motion determination circuitry is further to:
acquire a coverage map indicative of an area of line of sight availability for each of the plurality of base stations; and
predict future movement of the vehicle,
wherein to determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station comprises to determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station based on the coverage map and the predicted future movement of the vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The compute device of claim 9, wherein the coverage map indicative of the area of line of sight availability for each of the plurality of base stations comprises an indication of one or more reflection locations that provide an indirect line of sight for at least one of the plurality of base stations,
wherein to determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station based on the coverage map and the predicted future movement of the vehicle comprises to determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station based on the indication of the one or more reflection locations that provide an indirect line of sight for the at least one of the plurality of base stations.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The compute device of claim 9, wherein to acquire the coverage map comprises to acquire, from each of the plurality of base stations, a base station coverage map indicative of an area of line of sight availability for the corresponding base station, wherein each of the base station coverage maps are maintained by the corresponding base station.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The compute device of claim 1, wherein the device motion determination circuitry is further to:
capture one or more images from a camera, wherein the vehicle comprises the camera;
perform image processing on the one or more images to identify one or more objects in the one or more images; and
determine whether the identified one or more objects will block a line of sight from one or more of the plurality of base stations to the antenna array,
wherein to determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station comprises to determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station based on a determination that the identified one or more objects will block a line of sight from the one or more of the plurality of base stations to the antenna array.

### Claim 13

A method for alignment of an antenna array of a vehicle by a compute device, the method comprising:
acquiring, by the compute device, a list comprising a plurality of base stations;
determining, by the compute device and for each of the plurality of base stations, an expected duration of a line of sight from the antenna array to the corresponding base station;
selecting, by the compute device, a target base station based on the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the target base station;
controlling, by the compute device, the antenna array of the vehicle to form a beam directed at the target base station;
determining, by the compute device, one or more movement parameters of the vehicle;
determining, by the compute device and based on the one or more movement parameters of the vehicle, one or more antenna alignment parameters; and
controlling, by the compute device and based on the one or more antenna alignment parameters, a physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle so that the beam formed by the antenna array stays directed at the target base station during movement of the vehicle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein determining the one or more movement parameters of the vehicle comprises determining a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45°,
wherein determining the one or more antenna alignment parameters comprises determining the one or more antenna alignment parameters based on the turn movement parameter, and
wherein controlling the physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle comprises controlling the physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle so that the beam formed by the antenna array stays directed at the target base station during the turn of the vehicle of at least 45°.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein determining a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45° comprises predicting that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein predicting that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place comprises predicting, based on navigation information of the vehicle, that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
determining, by the compute device, a threshold signal strength; and
determining, by the compute device and for each of the plurality of base stations, a signal strength corresponding to the base station,
wherein selecting the target base station comprises selecting the base station with the longest duration from the group of base stations of the plurality of base stations that have a signal strength that is at least the threshold signal strength.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising acquiring past device movement data indicative of past trips of the vehicle, wherein determining the one or more antenna alignment parameters comprises determining the one or more antenna alignment parameters based on the past device movement data indicative of past trips of the vehicle.

### Claim 19

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes a compute device of a vehicle to:
acquire a list comprising a plurality of base stations;
determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, an expected duration of a line of sight from an antenna array of the vehicle to the corresponding base station;
select the target base station based on the expected duration of the line of sight from the antenna array to the target base station;
control the antenna array of the vehicle to form a beam directed at the target base station;
determine one or more movement parameters of the vehicle;
determine, based on the one or more movement parameters of the vehicle, one or more antenna alignment parameters; and
control, based on the one or more antenna alignment parameters, a physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle so that the beam formed by the antenna array stays directed at the target base station during movement of the vehicle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein to determine the one or more movement parameters of the vehicle comprises to determine a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45°,
wherein to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters comprises to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters based on the turn movement parameter, and
wherein to control the physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle comprises to control the physical orientation of the antenna array of the vehicle so that the beam formed by the antenna array stays directed at the target base station during the turn of the vehicle of at least 45°.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein to determine a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45° comprises to predict that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein to predict that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place comprises to predict, based on navigation information of the vehicle, that the vehicle will perform a turn of at least 45° at a particular time or place.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein to determine a turn movement parameter indicative of a turn of the vehicle of at least 45° comprises to:
determine sensor data from an accelerometer; and
determine, based on the sensor data from the accelerometer, a turn movement parameter indicative of a present turn of the vehicle of at least 45°.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the compute device to:
determine a threshold signal strength; and
determine, for each of the plurality of base stations, a signal strength corresponding to the base station,
wherein to select the target base station comprises to select the base station with the longest duration from the group of base stations of the plurality of base stations that have a signal strength that is at least the threshold signal strength.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the compute device to acquire past device movement data,
wherein to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters comprises to determine the one or more antenna alignment parameters based on the past device movement data.