Patent Publication Number: US-2023141342-A1

Title: Methods, apparatus, and lightweight vehicle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of European Patent Application No. EP 21 20 7394.4 filed on Nov. 10, 2021, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     FIELD 
     The present invention concerns advances in communication and control of lightweight vehicles. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention is directed to the following subject matter: A method for operating an apparatus of a lightweight vehicle especially of a pedal electric cycle or of an electric kick scooter or of a motor cycle or of a ⅔-wheeler. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: pairing the apparatus with a personal mobile terminal in order to use the personal mobile terminal as a relay station; receiving at least one control information, which originates from a radio access node and which characterizes at least one configuration parameter of a sidelink channel; determining at least one V2X message; determining at least one radio resource of the sidelink channel based on the at least one control information; and transmitting, via the at least one radio resource of the sidelink channel, the at least one V2X message. 
     Advantageously, the paired UE facilitates the transmission of V2X message by providing the control information for facilitated use of the sidelink channel. Therefore, the apparatus can be provided with reduced radio capabilities reducing costs. Moreover, the apparatus can be inactive on Uu most of the time, which does not disrupt the Sidelink configuration due to the paired personal mobile terminal to which communication is active. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes transmitting, via the personal mobile terminal towards the radio access node, a capability indicator that indicates at least one radio capability of the apparatus; and the control information is received via the personal mobile terminal as a response to the transmitted capability indicator. 
     Advantageously, the radio access node is able to configure and control the apparatus according to its shared radio capabilities. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes determining at least one further radio resource of the sidelink channel based on the at least one received control information; determining at least one V2N message; and transmitting, via the at least one further radio resource via the via the personal mobile terminal towards the radio access node, the at least one V2N message. 
     Advantageously, the apparatus is also capable of communicating via Uu interface. This allows the light vehicle to participate in larger traffic scenarios. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes determining at least one another radio resource of the sidelink channel based on the at least one received control information; and in receiving, via the at least one another radio resource at least one further V2N message from the personal mobile terminal that originates from the radio access node. 
     Advantageously, the relayed data is forwarded to the vehicle-side apparatus without the need of having a full-equipped Uu transmission system. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes receiving at least one further control information, which originates from the radio access node and which characterizes at least one further configuration parameter of the sidelink channel; the at least one control information is received via the sidelink channel; the determining of the at least one radio resource of the sidelink channel is based on the at least one control information and based on the at least one further control information. 
     Advantageously, according to an example embodiment of the present invention, the sidelink channel is configured via Uu and PC5 interface. 
     In an advantageous example embodiment of the present invention, the at least one further control information characterizes at least one quasi-static configuration parameter of the sidelink channel; and the at least one control information characterizes at least one dynamic configuration parameter of the sidelink channel. 
     Advantageously, the apparatus according to an example embodiment of the present invention is configured with the quasi-static configuration parameters via the downlink channel and the dynamic parameters are received via the sidelink channel. Therefore, a basic configuration of the sidelink channel can be provided by a reduced-capability communication module for receiving downlink data and the further dynamically changing configuration parameters for the sidelink are received via a sidelink communication module. 
     An aspect of the present invention is directed to the following subject matter: An apparatus of a vehicle especially of a pedal electric cycle or of an electric kick scooter. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus includes: pairing means (i.e., a pairing device) to pair the apparatus with a personal mobile terminal in order to use the personal mobile terminal as a relay station; receiving means (i.e., a receiver) to receive at least one control information, which originates from a radio access node and which characterizes at least one configuration parameter of a sidelink channel; determining means (i.e., a determination device) to determine at least one V2X message; determining means (i.e., a determination device) to determine at least one radio resource of the sidelink channel based on the at least one control information; and transmitting means (i.e., a transmitter) to transmit, via the at least one radio resource of the sidelink channel, the at least one V2X message. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes transmitting means to transmit, via the personal mobile terminal towards the radio access node, a capability indicator that indicates at least one radio capability of the apparatus; and the control information is received via the personal mobile terminal as a response to the transmitted capability indicator. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes that there are provided determining means to determine at least one further radio resource of the sidelink channel based on the at least one received control information; determining means to determine at least one V2N message; and transmitting means to transmit, via the at least one further radio resource via the via the personal mobile terminal towards the radio access node, the at least one V2N message. 
     An advantageous example of the present invention includes that determining means to determine at least one another radio resource of the sidelink channel based on the at least one received control information. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes that there are provided receiving means to receive at least one further control information, which originates from the radio access node and which characterizes at least one further configuration parameter of the sidelink channel; the at least one control information is received via the sidelink channel; the determining of the at least one radio resource of the sidelink channel is based on the at least one control information and based on the at least one further control information. 
     An advantageous example embodiment of the present invention includes that the at least one further control information characterizes at least one quasi-static configuration parameter of the sidelink channel; and the at least one control information characterizes at least one dynamic configuration parameter of the sidelink channel. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is directed a lightweight vehicle especially a pedal electric cycle or an electric kick scooter, comprising the apparatus according the former aspect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG.  1    depicts in a schematic block diagram a control unit of a lightweight vehicle and a personal mobile terminal, according to example embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  2 ,  6 , and  8    each depict a sequence diagram according to an example embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  3  to  5  and  7    each depict examples of the control unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG.  1    depicts schematically a block diagram. A lightweight vehicle BIC is depicted as a pedal electric bicycle and comprises at least one actuator, at least one sensor, and a control unit CU. For example, the lightweight vehicle BIC does not exceed 50 kg. The at least one actuator comprises at least one of the following: a brake b 1 , b 2 , a motor m, and a signalizing entity se. The respective actuator provides at least one of the following functions: brake assistance, motor speed regulation, motor disengaging, alarm light, etc. 
     The at least one sensor comprises at least one of the following: a sensor for sensing a state of one of the brakes b 1 , b 2 ; a sensor for sensing a motor state of the motor m, a sensor indicating an operating condition of an external lighting. Accordingly, sensor information may include information from at least one of the following sources: light sensors, brake sensors (e.g., gyro (inertia)-sensor or electronic braking system (e.g., EBS/ABS) device or a brake-lever switch/clutch), acceleration sensor, speed sensor, right/left turning sign/axis sensor, battery level sensor, motor vital information sensors. 
     The control unit CU comprises a first interface I 1 _CU for receiving signals from the at least one sensor and for transmitting at least one operating instruction to the at least one actuator. 
     The control unit CU comprises a third interface I 3 _CU to communicate via a second radio channel CH#2 with a further radio terminal UE#2 of another vehicle CAR. The radio channel CH#2 is a direct communication channel to a mobile terminal UE#2 of another vehicle CAR. The control unit CU is adapted to transmit and receive V2X service messages (V2X: Vehicle to everything) and/or to transmit and receive VRU service messages (VRU: Vulnerable Road User) to the radio access network (RAN) via Uu interface. 
     The control unit CU comprises a memory unit M_CU, and a processing unit P_CU. On the non-transitory memory unit M_CU, a computer program C_CU is stored. When executing the computer program C_CU on the processing unit P_CU, the processing unit P_CU causes, together with the memory unit M_CU, and the interfaces I 1 _CU, I 2 _CU and I 3 _CU, the control unit CU to conduct the methods described herein. 
     The control unit CU comprises a second interface I 2 _CU for communicating via a radio channel CH#1 with a personal mobile terminal UE#1. The personal mobile terminal UE comprises a first interface Il_UE to communicate via the channel CH#1 with the control unit CU. 
     According to an example, the radio channels CH#1 and CH#2 represent the sidelink channel. According to another example, the radio channel CH#2 is the sidelink channel and the radio channel CH#1 is a radio channel different from the sidelink channel, for example a Bluetooth channel, WLAN channel or the like. 
     The personal mobile terminal UE#1 comprises a second interface I 2 _UE to communicate an access point AP like a base-station (e.g. a gNB or an eNB) to communicate with a backhaul entity. Additionally, the interface  12 _UEa is enabled to communicate with another communication entity in a remote network AP or in a Radio Access Network, RAN. The radio channel CH#3 comprises at least on one of the following: an uplink or downlink channel to/from the access point AP or a base-station. 
     The personal mobile terminal UE#1 comprises a non-transitory memory unit M_UEa, a human machine interface HMI in form of a touch panel, and a processing unit P_UE. On the memory unit M_UE, a computer program C_UE is stored. When executing the computer program C_UE on the processing unit P_UE, the processing unit P_UE causes, together with the memory unit M_UE, and the interfaces I 1 _UE and I 2 _UE, the personal mobile terminal UE#1 to conduct the methods described herein. 
     The personal mobile terminal UE#1 is a U2N relay that is connected to the remote eBike/uMobility device modem (sidelink) via PC5 interface to be able to configure the sidelink modem on lower layers (L1/L2). U2N relay is connected to the remote eBike/uMobility device modem (sidelink) using unicast connection. U2N relay is configured as relay by upper layer (e.g., once it is associated/paired to an eBike), wherein the U2N relay requests the network accordingly to acknowledge its relay functionalities. 
       FIG.  2    depicts a schematic sequence diagram. The apparatus CU of the lightweight vehicle BIC, especially of a pedal electric cycle or of an electric kick scooter, comprises pairing means (i.e., a pairing device)  102  to pair the apparatus CU with the personal mobile terminal UE#1 in order to use the personal mobile terminal UE#1 as a relay station; Pairing of CU and UE#1 comprises a communication over an air interface or wired interface to couple both CU and UE#1 in order to use UE#1 as a relay station for exchanging data with a radio access node of a radio access network. 
     Receiving means (i.e., a receiver)  106  are provided to receive at least one control information c#A, which originates from the radio access node AP and which characterizes at least one configuration parameter of a sidelink channel. The radio access node AP is embodied as gNB odea node base-station, NB. 
     Determining or processing means (i.e., a determination or processor device)  108  are provided to determine at least one V2X message m#1 that comprises status information that characterizes a status associated with the lightweight vehicle, wherein the status information represents at least one kinematic parameter of the lightweight vehicle or at least one traffic parameter characterizing a traffic situation in the vicinity of the lightweight vehicle. 
     Determining or processing means (i.e., a determination or processor device)  110  are provided to determine at least one radio resource rr#1 of the sidelink channel based on the at least one control information c#A. The radio resource rr#1 is part of the sidelink channel and is determined in the sense of being identified or selected for transmission. 
     Transmitting means (i.e., a transmitter)  112  are provided to transmit, via the at least one radio resource rr#1 of the sidelink channel SLCH, the at least one V2X message m#1 comprising the at least one status information towards a further vehicle CAR. 
     Transmitting means (i.e., a transmitter)  104  are provided to transmit, via the personal mobile terminal UE#1 towards the radio access node AP, a capability indicator ci that indicates at least one radio capability of the apparatus CU. 
     According to other examples, the apparus CU transmits via UE#1 at least one of the following indicators:
         Sidelink capability indicator, e.g., sidelink supported frequency bands, sidelink supported bandwidth/bandwidth part, sidelink supported resource allocation mode, etc.;   Sidelink connectivity request/response indicator;   Sidelink radio link quality indicator;   Sidelink user profile indicator;   Sidelink transmission resource grant request; and   Sidelink “conditional” handover indicator.       

     The control information c#A is received via the personal mobile terminal UE#1 as a response to the transmitted capability indicator ci. 
     Determining or processing means (i.e., a determination or processor device)  114  are configured to determine at least one further radio resource rr#2 of the sidelink channel based on the at least one received control information c#A. 
     Determining or processing means (i.e., a determination or processor device)  116  are configured to determine at least one V2N message m#2 comprising at least one traffic parameter characterizing a traffic situation in the vicinity of the lightweight vehicle. 
     Transmitting means (i.e., a transmitter)  118  are configured to transmit, via the at least one further radio resource rr#2 via the via the personal mobile terminal UE#1 towards the radio access node AP, the at least one V2N message m#2. 
     Determining or processing means (i.e., a determination or processor device)  120  are configured to determine at least one another radio resource rr#3 of the sidelink channel based on the at least one received control information c#A. 
     Monitoring means (i.e., a monitor) monitor the at least one another radio resource rr#3 and receiving means (i.e., a receiver)  122  receive, via the at least one another radio resource rr#3 that is being monitored at least one further V2N message m#3 from the personal mobile terminal UE#1 that originates from the radio access node AP. 
       FIG.  3    depicts a schematic block diagram of the control unit or apparatus CU. A communication module CM comprises an RF part and is connected to at least one antenna. The communication CM is shared by a sidelink module M#PC5 and a Uu module M#Uu. 
     Both modules M#Uu and M#PC5 provide reduced capabilities in comparison with UE#1, for example. For example, RF interfaces and antennas are shared between the modules where the operation can be time multiplexed. A configuration path between the modules M#Uu and M#PC5 does not exist. In this case, the sidelink configuration for the module M#PC5 is enables via UE#1 that represents a relay-to-network device, which is connected on its own to the cellular radio network. 
     The module M#Uu has at least one of the following functions: configuring Uu interface for a reduced capability; configuring mobility and handover for the reduced capability Uu; and mandatory reduced capability in Uplink and Downlink, data and control. 
     The module M#PC5 hast at least one of the following functions: sidelink relaying for control, configuration and data; U2N relay configuration that includes resources pools, resource allocations, handover information, mode  1  configured resources, mode  2  configured resources, mode  1  dynamic resources, sidelink data communication, sidelink data assisting information provision. 
       FIG.  4    depicts a schematic block diagram of the control unit or apparatus CU. Reference is made to  FIG.  3    and its description. In contrast to the apparatus CU described in connection with  FIG.  3   , the sidelink module M#PC5 and the Uu module M#Uu have shared hardware HW#1. Both modules M#PC5 and M#Uu have a shared configuration path cpt. That is, received configuration parameters that are determined by one of the modules M#PC5, M#Uu are provided to the other module in order to configure the respective air interface. 
     As the modules M#PC5 and M#Uu share hardware, there is provided the configuration path cpt between them. The configuration path cpt carries configuration like synchronization and access option, subscription information, barring, supported Frequency list, etc., but not dynamic configuration. The dynamic configuration is provided via UE#1 as a relay station. This dynamic configuration may comprise dynamic resources, dynamic resource pool configuration, handover instruction for sidelink, and configured resources for mode  1  and mode  2  resource allocation options. 
     In addition to the functions outlined to  FIG.  3   , the module M#Uu comprises further at least one of the following functions: configuring basic sidelink features if connected via a configuration path including cell synchronization information, cell frequency list, supported sidelink/V2X capabilities. 
       FIG.  5    depicts a schematic block diagram of the control unit or apparatus CU. Reference is made to  FIG.  4    and its description. In contrast to the apparatus CU described in connection with  FIG.  4   , the sidelink module M#PC5 and the Uu module M#Uu are provided on the same piece of hardware HW#2, i.e. a system-on-a-chip or the like. Therefore, the interface to the communication module CM is simplified and a shared path is used for the communication between the different modules. 
     When the reduced-capability functionalities and the sidelink/PC5 functionalities are implemented on the same customized processors i.e., baseband and L2/L3 processor, the Uu reduced capability functionalities comprise mandatory Uu connectivity, e.g., cell access procedure, cell sync, mandatory UL/DL, paging, etc. The PC5 may conduct all sidelink functionalities. A limited mandatory Uu configuration link is available for PC5, e.g., synchronization information and further mandatory cell information. However, dynamic configuration and resource allocation are handled via UE to network relay station UE#1. 
       FIG.  6    depicts a schematic sequence diagram for operating the apparatus CU according to the examples of  FIGS.  4  and  5   . 
     Reference is made to the description of  FIG.  2   . Receiving means (i.e., receiver)  606  are provided to receive at least one further control information c#B, which originates from the radio access node AP and which characterizes at least one further configuration parameter of the sidelink channel. The module M#Uu provides the further control information c#B to the module M#PC5 via the configuration path. The at least one control information c#A is received 106 via the sidelink channel. The determining  110  of the at least one radio resource rr#1 of the sidelink channel is based on the at least one control information c#A and based on the at least one further control information c#B. The at least one further control information c#B characterizes at least one quasi-static configuration parameter of the sidelink channel like a cell synchronization parameter, a cell frequency list, at least one supported V2X capability or at least one supported sidelink capability. The at least one control information c#A characterizes at least one dynamic configuration parameter of the sidelink channel like at least one of the following: a resource pool configuration, at least one resource allocation, at least one handover information, radio resources configured for mode  1 , radio resources configured for mode  2 , dynamic radio resources configured for mode  1 . 
       FIG.  7    depicts a schematic block diagram of the control unit or apparatus CU. In this example, the control unit CU comprises the sidelink module M#PC5 that receives the configuration for the sidelink channel via the relay station in form of UE#1 and stores this configuration via the configuration path cpt on a memory part M#1. The control unit CU does not comprise the Uu module M#Uu as mentioned before, therefore providing a simplified and cost-effective control unit CU. 
     As in this example, the CU comprises sidelink functionalities only, the baseband processing includes Uu configuration container that comprises configuration sent by the network via a U2N relay. Connectivity to the network is enables via the U2N relay UE#1 mobile handset attached/paired to the eBike/uMobility device. 
       FIG.  8    depicts a schematic sequence diagram. According to a step  802  a connection between an entity 5GS and the access node AP is established. According to a step  804 , the AP transmits SIB information with sidelink configuration and synchronization information to UE#1. According to a step  806 , UE#1 transmits the received SIB information with sidelink configuration and synchronization information to the control unit CU. According to a step  808 , a radio resource configuration, RRC, reconfiguration message is transmitted to UE#1, which in turn transmits this message as a relay station to the control unit CU according to step  810 . Therefore, in steps  804  and  808 , SIB broadcast acquisition information and RRC reconfiguration for sidelink is sent to the relay station in form of UE#1. 
     The network acquires the reduced capability of the control unit CU by transmitting a radio enquiry in step  812 , which, in step  814  is transmitted by UE#1 to CU. CU transmits its radio information that comprises sidelink capabilities of CU and further radio parameters in step  816  to UE#1, which, in step  818  transmits the capability information to AP. A new sidelink configuration is determined based on the radio information indicated, for example by AP. The new sidelink configuration is transmitted in steps  820  and  822  from the AP to the CU via UE#1. The control unit CU transmits sidelink data to UE#2 and UE#1 based on the former received new sidelink configuration.