Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number 11,115,947) for “vehicle to everything synchronization selection and reselection.

About the patent

In the patent data, Apple notes that, as the internet of things has developed, the concept of “connected cars” that can communicate among each other and to the Internet has emerged. One of the candidate technologies envisioned for the realization of “connected cars” is long term evolution (LTE). 

However, additional functionalities and potential enhancements may be introduced to LTE in order to facilitate the implementation of “connected cars.” Apple wants to add such functionality to any vehicle it makes.

When might we see an Apple Car?

The status of an Apple auto is unclear. On June 2, Bloomberg reported that Apple has lost “several” top managers from its “Apple Car” project. Here’s what the report says: Apple Inc. has lost multiple top managers of its self-driving car team in recent months, a sign of attrition at the division involved in what could become an important future product.

If an Apple Car ever arrives, it probably won’t arrive until 2024 at the earliest. In fact, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo doesn’t expect it until at least 2025.The accompanying graphic illustrates a vehicle comprising a transparent surface which provides an augmented reality display that modifies occupant-perceived information presented by a sign located in the external environment.

Summary of the invention

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “Apparatuses, systems and methods associated with asynchronous synchronization reference source selection and reselection for wireless communication devices are disclosed herein. In embodiments, one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, in response to execution by a user equipment (UE), cause the UE to establish a sidelink connection with a first synchronization reference (SyncRef) UE, and monitor for physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH) synchronization signals from a second SyncRefUE, wherein the UE is to drop one or more subframes of data reception of the sidelink connection with the first SyncRef UE when the UE monitors for the PSBCH synchronization signals. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.”



Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today