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DE-102024210904-A1 - Methods for interference protection for a wireless communication network

DE102024210904A1DE 102024210904 A1DE102024210904 A1DE 102024210904A1DE-102024210904-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for interference protection for a wireless communication network (110) of a vehicle (100) using a reconfigurable intelligent surface (160), comprising: providing (208) interference signal information (204), wherein the interference signal information has been obtained by monitoring signals transmitted in the wireless communication network for unexpected behavior; determining (210), based on the interference signal information (204), an RIS configuration (212) for the RIS (160), wherein the RIS configuration (212) is such that it enables countermeasures to ward off the interference; and providing (214) the RIS configuration to cause the RIS (160) to be configured according to the RIS configuration.

Inventors

  • Pedro Maia De Sant Ana

Assignees

  • Robert Bosch Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241113

Claims (14)

  1. A method for interference protection for a vehicle's (100) wireless communication network (110) using a reconfigurable intelligent surface (160), comprising: providing (208) interference signal information (204), wherein the interference signal information has been obtained by monitoring signals transmitted in the wireless communication network for unexpected behavior; determining (210), based on the interference signal information (204), an RIS configuration (212) for the RIS (160), wherein the RIS configuration (212) is such that it enables countermeasures to ward off the interference; and providing (214) the RIS configuration to cause the RIS (160) to be configured according to the RIS configuration.
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the interference signal information (204) includes signal information about the interference signal (152) and wherein the RIS configuration is such that the interference signal is at least partially attenuated or, by means of destructive interference, completely eliminated.
  3. Procedure according to Claim 2 , wherein the signal information relating to the interference signal includes a frequency and/or an amplitude and/or a pattern of the interference signal (152).
  4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the RIS configuration (204) is such that a regular signal (116) used in the wireless communication network is at least partially amplified by means of constructive interference.
  5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the RIS configuration (204) is such that the interfering signal is at least partially deflected in order to prevent the interfering signal from affecting a regular signal which is used in the wireless communication network (110).
  6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wireless communication network (110) is an in-vehicle wireless communication network of the vehicle (100).
  7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the RIS (160) is arranged inside the vehicle (100).
  8. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , wherein the RIS (160) is arranged on the outside of the vehicle (100).
  9. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , wherein the RIS (160) is arranged on the outside of another vehicle (170).
  10. Computing device (120, 130) comprising a processor designed to perform the method according to one of the preceding claims.
  11. Vehicle (100), comprising a wireless communication network (110), wherein the vehicle (100) connects the computing device (120, 130) according to Claim 10 includes, or wherein the vehicle (100) is designed to receive a RIS configuration for a Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (160), wherein the RIS configuration is configured according to the method described in one of the Claims 1 until 9 has been determined.
  12. Vehicle (100) to Claim 11 , further comprising the RIS (160), wherein the RIS (160) is located inside the vehicle (100) or on the outside of the vehicle (100).
  13. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 to carry out.
  14. Computer-readable medium on which the computer program is stored. Claim 13 is stored.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for interference protection for a vehicle's wireless communication network using a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), a computing device, a computer program for carrying out the method, and a vehicle. State of the art Vehicles such as passenger cars, robots, or drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) may be equipped with a wireless communication network, in particular an in-vehicle wireless communication network, for example, for controlling the vehicle or parts thereof. Such a wireless communication network can be vulnerable to jamming. Disclosure of the invention According to the invention, a method for interference protection for a vehicle's wireless communication network, a computing device, a computer program, and a vehicle with the features of the independent claims are proposed. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description. The invention relates generally to vehicles with a wireless communication network, in particular an in-vehicle wireless communication network, i.e., a wireless communication network used for communication between different components, parts, or devices of the vehicle, e.g., sensors, actuators, and control devices. However, the wireless communication network can also be used for communication between the vehicle or a part or component thereof and a device that does not belong to the vehicle, e.g., another vehicle or a central server (via mobile communication; also called cloud). Different types of wireless communication networks can be used, e.g., WiFi, mobile Bluetooth wireless communication networks (cellular networks) such as 5G or 6G, Bluetooth, or even networks for satellite communication, e.g., GPS. The rapidly advancing development of such vehicles – be they passenger cars, trucks or other unmanned vehicles such as robots, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) or drones – especially the switch to “6G in-X” subnetworks – highlights a critical vulnerability: the susceptibility of these vehicles’ wireless connections to jamming attacks. These attacks pose significant risks to the security, operational efficiency, and integrity of critical infrastructures by disrupting communication channels. Such attacks represent a form of malicious interference with a wide range of networks, including, but not limited to, the aforementioned wireless communication networks. The primary goal of a jamming attack is to cripple a network, thereby compromising or disrupting communication paths between devices. Such disruption can impair critical services, culminate in a denial-of-service (DoS) attack, or even cause a complete network outage. Jamming is typically carried out using physical devices designed to flood the network with overpowered signals, disrupting standard operational procedures. The impact of such attacks extends beyond simply disrupting operations; they create pathways and opportunities for telecommunications fraud, including call spoofing, by exploiting the resulting confusion among users. The scale and application of jamming attacks vary widely, ranging from minor disruptions to acts of war or terrorism, demonstrating their versatility as a tool for malicious activity. The problem takes on added significance in the context of vehicles and other critical components that rely on wireless connectivity, an area of growing interest in the research of "6G in-X" subnetworks. In such environments, the failure of communication systems can have dire consequences, including malfunctions of essential systems, escalating operating costs, potential accidents, and the disruption of critical operations. Given the increasing reliance on wireless networks for the operation of critical infrastructure, the threat of jamming attacks cannot be overstated. Within the scope of the present invention, a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is used to provide protection against such jamming attacks. An RIS corresponds, for example, to a planar surface composed of unit cells whose properties can be dynamically controlled to block incoming wireless signals. Signals are "fine-tuned" by reflection, refraction, focusing, collimation, modulation, absorption, or a combination of two or more of these. A RIS can essentially be designed to operate in any part of the radio spectrum, including frequencies used in the aforementioned types of wireless communication networks. According to the claimed method, interference signal information is provided, wherein the interference signal information is obtained by monitoring signals transmitted in the wireless communication network for unexpected behavior. Based on the interference signal information, a RIS configuration is determined for the RIS, wherein the RIS configuration is such that it enables countermeasures to ward off the interference. The RIS configuration is then provided to cause the RIS to be configured accordingly. The steps of the method can be performed in or by a com