# US 12,120,550 B2 · Always-on mobility-as-a-service connectivity

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- Number: US 12,120,550 B2
- Document ID: US12120550B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/131,407
- Filed: 2020-12-22
- Published: 2021-04-15
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-22
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Satish Chandra Jha; S M Iftekharul Alam; Ned M. Smith; Vesh Raj Sharma Banjade; Xiaoyun May Wu; Ignacio Javier Alvarez Martinez; Arvind Merwaday; Kuilin Clark Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120550B2

## CPC

- H04L 41/5022: by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
- H04L 41/147: for predicting network behaviour
- H04W 28/0284: {detecting congestion or overload during communication (monitoring arrangements H04L43/00)}
- H04W 28/10: Flow control {between communication endpoints}
- H04W 40/246: {Connectivity information discovery}
- H04W 40/30: for proactive routing
- H04L 41/0668: by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
- H04L 41/16: using machine learning or artificial intelligence
- H04L 41/5009: Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Various systems and methods for improving connectivity of a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) node are described herein, including categorizing MaaS communication traffic of a MaaS node into different levels of priority and controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic using the categorized level of priority of the MaaS communication traffic.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a prioritization circuit configured to categorize Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) communication traffic of a MaaS node into different levels of priority;
a duplication circuit configured to control duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic using the categorized level of priority of the MaaS communication traffic; and
a discovery circuit configured to monitor a communication path of the MaaS node, to determine an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node, and to limit traffic on alternative communication pathways to high level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1,
wherein the discovery circuit is configured to limit traffic on the alternative communication pathway when the alternative communication pathway comprises at least one hop through another MaaS node between the MaaS node and a MaaS controller.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising:
a connection loss prediction circuit configured to receive location information of the MaaS node, to receive information from a MaaS controller at or beyond a communication path of the MaaS node, and to predict a loss of the communication path of the MaaS node using the received location information and the received information from the MaaS controller.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the connection loss prediction circuit is configured to trigger an increase in buffering of latency-insensitive MaaS communication traffic in response to a predicted loss of the communication path of the MaaS node, the increase in buffering compared to prior to the predicted loss.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the prioritization circuit is configured to categorize MaaS communication traffic of the MaaS node into different levels of priority at a protocol layer below a MaaS application layer of a protocol stack and above a communication layer of the protocol stack, and
wherein the system comprises:
a communication path selection circuit configured to add metadata to the MaaS communication traffic, the metadata comprising information of the levels of priority; and
a communication circuit at an access layer of the protocol stack configured to select a radio access technology to communicate the MaaS communication traffic to a MaaS controller using the metadata of the MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the MaaS communication traffic comprises MaaS communication packets between the MaaS node and a MaaS controller, and
wherein the prioritization circuit is configured to categorize each respective MaaS communication packet using information of the respective MaaS communication packets.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the different levels of priority comprise at least a high level priority and a low level priority,
wherein the high level priority MaaS communication traffic comprises emergency communication traffic, and
wherein the duplication circuit is configured to increase duplication or repetition of high level priority MaaS communication traffic with respect to low level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the MaaS node comprises a vehicle, or a component of a vehicle,
wherein the MaaS communication traffic comprises emergency communication, user traffic, and fleet management traffic,
wherein the prioritization circuit is configured to categorize the emergency communication as a high level priority, the user traffic as a medium level priority, and the fleet management traffic a low level priority using information about the MaaS communication traffic, and
wherein the duplication circuit is configured to weight duplication or repetition of high level priority MaaS communication traffic more than medium level priority MaaS communication traffic, and medium level priority MaaS communication traffic more than low level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 9

A system comprising:
means for categorizing Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) communication traffic of a MaaS node into different levels of priority;
means for controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic using the categorized level of priority of the MaaS communication traffic;
means for monitoring a communication path of the MaaS node;
means for determining an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node; and
means for limiting traffic on alternative communication pathways to high level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, comprising:
means for limiting traffic on the alternative communication pathway when the alternative communication pathway comprises multiple hops between the MaaS node and a MaaS controller.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, comprising:
means for receiving location information of the MaaS node;
means for receiving information from a MaaS controller at or beyond an edge of a communication path of the MaaS node; and
means for predicting a loss of the communication path of the MaaS node using the received location information and the received information from the MaaS controller.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, comprising:
means for triggering an increase in buffering of latency-insensitive MaaS communication traffic in response to a predicted loss of the communication path of the MaaS node, in contrast to that prior to the predicted loss.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein means for categorizing MaaS communication traffic comprise means for categorizing MaaS communication traffic at a protocol layer below a MaaS application layer of a protocol stack and above a communication layer of the protocol stack, and
wherein the system comprises:
means for adding metadata to the MaaS communication traffic, the metadata comprising information about the levels of priority; and
means for selecting, using a communication circuit at an access layer of the protocol stack, a radio access technology to communicate the MaaS communication traffic to a MaaS controller using the metadata of the MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the MaaS communication traffic comprises MaaS communication packets, and
wherein the means for categorizing MaaS communication traffic comprises means for categorizing each respective MaaS communication packet using information about the respective MaaS communication packets.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the different levels of priority comprise at least a high level priority and a low level priority,
wherein the high level priority MaaS communication traffic comprises emergency communication traffic, and
wherein means for controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic comprises means for increasing duplication or repetition of high level priority MaaS communication traffic with respect to low level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the MaaS communication traffic comprises emergency communication, user traffic, and fleet management traffic,
wherein means for categorizing MaaS communication traffic comprises means for categorizing the emergency communication as a high level priority, the user traffic as a medium level priority, and the fleet management traffic a low level priority using information about the MaaS communication traffic, and
wherein means for controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic comprises means for weighting duplication or repetition of high level priority MaaS communication traffic more than medium level priority MaaS communication traffic, and medium level priority MaaS communication traffic more than low level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 17

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions for improving connectivity of a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) node, the instructions, when executed by hardware circuitry, cause the hardware circuitry to perform operations comprising:
categorizing MaaS communication traffic of a MaaS node into different levels of priority;
controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic using the categorized level of priority of the MaaS communication traffic;
monitoring a communication path of the MaaS node;
determining an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node; and
limiting traffic on alternative communication pathways to high level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 17, the operations comprising:
limiting traffic on the alternative communication pathway when the alternative communication pathway comprises multiple hops between the MaaS node and a MaaS controller.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 17, the operations comprising:
receiving location information of the MaaS node;
receiving information from a MaaS controller at or beyond an edge of a communication path of the MaaS node; and
predicting a loss of the communication path of the MaaS node using the received location information and the received information from the MaaS controller.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 19, the operations comprising:
triggering an increase in buffering of latency-insensitive MaaS communication traffic in response to a predicted loss of the communication path of the MaaS node, in contrast to that prior to the predicted loss.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein categorizing MaaS communication traffic of the MaaS node comprises categorizing MaaS communication traffic of the MaaS node into different levels of priority at a protocol layer below a MaaS application layer of a protocol stack and above a communication layer of the protocol stack, and
wherein the operations comprise:
adding metadata to the MaaS communication traffic, the metadata comprising information about the levels of priority; and
selecting, from an access layer of the protocol stack, a radio access technology to communicate the MaaS communication traffic to a MaaS controller using the metadata of the MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the MaaS communication traffic comprises MaaS communication packets, and
wherein categorizing MaaS communication traffic comprises categorizing each respective MaaS communication packet using information about the respective MaaS communication packets.

### Claim 23

A system comprising:
a prioritization circuit configured to categorize Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) communication traffic of a MaaS node into different levels of priority;
a duplication circuit configured to control duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic using the categorized level of priority of the MaaS communication traffic; and
a connection loss prediction circuit configured to receive location information of the MaaS node, to receive information from a MaaS controller at or beyond a communication path of the MaaS node, and to predict a loss of the communication path of the MaaS node using the received location information and the received information from the MaaS controller.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the connection loss prediction circuit is configured to trigger an increase in buffering of latency-insensitive MaaS communication traffic in response to a predicted loss of the communication path of the MaaS node, the increase in buffering compared to prior to the predicted loss.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, comprising:
a discovery circuit configured to monitor a communication path of the MaaS node, to determine an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node, and to limit traffic on alternative communication pathways to high level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, comprising:
a discovery circuit configured to configured to monitor a communication path of the MaaS node and to determine an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node,
wherein the discovery circuit is configured to limit traffic on the alternative communication pathway when the alternative communication pathway comprises at least one hop through another MaaS node between the MaaS node and a MaaS controller.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the prioritization circuit is configured to categorize MaaS communication traffic of the MaaS node into different levels of priority at a protocol layer below a MaaS application layer of a protocol stack and above a communication layer of the protocol stack, and
wherein the system comprises:
a communication path selection circuit configured to add metadata to the MaaS communication traffic, the metadata comprising information of the levels of priority; and
a communication circuit at an access layer of the protocol stack configured to select a radio access technology to communicate the MaaS communication traffic to a MaaS controller using the metadata of the MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the different levels of priority comprise at least a high level priority and a low level priority,
wherein the high level priority MaaS communication traffic comprises emergency communication traffic, and
wherein the duplication circuit is configured to increase duplication or repetition of high level priority MaaS communication traffic with respect to low level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 29

A system comprising:
means for categorizing Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) communication traffic of a MaaS node into different levels of priority;
means for controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic using the categorized level of priority of the MaaS communication traffic;
means for receiving location information of the MaaS node;
means for receiving information from a MaaS controller at or beyond an edge of a communication path of the MaaS node; and
means for predicting a loss of the communication path of the MaaS node using the received location information and the received information from the MaaS controller.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, comprising:
means for triggering an increase in buffering of latency-insensitive MaaS communication traffic in response to a predicted loss of the communication path of the MaaS node, in contrast to that prior to the predicted loss.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, comprising:
means for monitoring a communication path of the MaaS node;
means for determining an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node; and
means for limiting traffic on alternative communication pathways to high level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, comprising:
means for monitoring a communication path of the MaaS node;
means for determining an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node; and
means for limiting traffic on the alternative communication pathway when the alternative communication pathway comprises multiple hops between the MaaS node and a MaaS controller.

### Claim 33 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the different levels of priority comprise at least a high level priority and a low level priority,
wherein the high level priority MaaS communication traffic comprises emergency communication traffic, and
wherein means for controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic comprises means for increasing duplication or repetition of high level priority MaaS communication traffic with respect to low level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the MaaS communication traffic comprises emergency communication, user traffic, and fleet management traffic,
wherein means for categorizing MaaS communication traffic comprises means for categorizing the emergency communication as a high level priority, the user traffic as a medium level priority, and the fleet management traffic a low level priority using information about the MaaS communication traffic, and
wherein means for controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic comprises means for weighting duplication or repetition of high level priority MaaS communication traffic more than medium level priority MaaS communication traffic, and medium level priority MaaS communication traffic more than low level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 35

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions for improving connectivity of a Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) node, the instructions, when executed by hardware circuitry, cause the hardware circuitry to perform operations comprising:
categorizing MaaS communication traffic of a MaaS node into different levels of priority;
controlling duplication or repetition of the MaaS communication traffic using the categorized level of priority of the MaaS communication traffic;
receiving location information of the MaaS node;
receiving information from a MaaS controller at or beyond an edge of a communication path of the MaaS node; and
predicting a loss of the communication path of the MaaS node using the received location information and the received information from the MaaS controller.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 35, the operations comprising:
triggering an increase in buffering of latency-insensitive MaaS communication traffic in response to a predicted loss of the communication path of the MaaS node, in contrast to that prior to the predicted loss.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 35, the operations comprising:
monitoring a communication path of the MaaS node;
determining an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node; and
limiting traffic on alternative communication pathways to high level priority MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 35, the operations comprising:
monitoring a communication path of the MaaS node;
determining an alternative communication pathway for the MaaS node; and
limiting traffic on the alternative communication pathway when the alternative communication pathway comprises multiple hops between the MaaS node and a MaaS controller.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 35, wherein categorizing MaaS communication traffic of the MaaS node comprises categorizing MaaS communication traffic of the MaaS node into different levels of priority at a protocol layer below a MaaS application layer of a protocol stack and above a communication layer of the protocol stack, and
wherein the operations comprise:
adding metadata to the MaaS communication traffic, the metadata comprising information about the levels of priority; and
selecting, from an access layer of the protocol stack, a radio access technology to communicate the MaaS communication traffic to a MaaS controller using the metadata of the MaaS communication traffic.

### Claim 40 (depends on 35)

The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the MaaS communication traffic comprises MaaS communication packets, and
wherein categorizing MaaS communication traffic comprises categorizing each respective MaaS communication packet using information about the respective MaaS communication packets.