Method and communication apparatus for validating a data content in a wirelessly received communication signal, and use of the communication apparatus

1. A method for validating a data content in a wirelessly received communication signal, wherein the data content comprises at least one position indication of a transmitter transmitting the communication signal, the method comprising:

receiving, by a receiver having a processor and at least two antennas, the communication signal,

determining, by the processor, a distance from the receiver to the transmitter from the position indication in the communication signal,

determining, by the processor, a first direction from the receiver to the transmitter from the position indication in the communication signal,

determining, by the processor, a second direction from the receiver to the transmitter based on the communication signal from a phase difference in the communication signal on the at least two antennas,

validating, by the processor, the determined first direction from the position indication in the communication signal based on the determined second direction from the phase difference in the communication signal,

validating the data content if the determined first direction from the position indication in the communication signal does not conflict with the determined second direction, and

processing, by at least one vehicle system, the data content if no conflict has been recognized in the course of the validation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the communication signal is acquired temporally in parallel by the receiver by the at least two antennas.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first distance from the receiver to the transmitter is determined based on an acquired received power of the communication signal on at least one of the at least two antennas and the first distance is used to validate the position indication.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a Doppler frequency of the communication signal is determined.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the transmitters are subdivided into mobile transmitters and stationary transmitters based on the Doppler frequency.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the data content furthermore comprises a speed indication of the transmitter transmitting the communication signal, wherein a subdivision of the transmitters is used to validate the speed indication.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein communication signals are transmitted and/or received temporally in parallel on at least two frequencies by at least one of the at least two antennas.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a second distance from the receiver to the transmitter is determined from a phase difference in the communication signals on the at least two frequencies on the at least one of the at least two antennas.

9. A method for validating a data content in a wirelessly-received communication signal, wherein the data content comprises at least one position indication of a transmitter transmitting the communication signal, the method comprising:

receiving, by a receiver having a processor and at least two antennas, the communication signal,

determining, by the processor, a distance from the receiver to the transmitter from the position indication in the communication signal,

determining, by the processor, a first direction from the receiver to the transmitter from the position indication in the communication signal,

determining, by the processor, a second direction from the receiver to the transmitter based on the communication signal from a phase difference in the communication signal on the at least two antennas,

validating, by the processor, the determined first direction from the position indication in the communication signal based on the determined second direction from the phase difference in the communication signal, and

processing, by at least one vehicle system, the data content if no conflict has been recognized in the course of the validation,

wherein the entire data content is validated if the data content does not conflict with at least one of the determined direction the determined first distance, the determined second distance, and subdivision.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are assigned to different road users.

11. A communication apparatus for validating a data content in a wirelessly received communication signal, comprising:

a transmitter,

a receiver for receiving the communication signal,

at least two antennas selectively coupled to the transmitter and the receiver,

the receiver comprising at least one processor for:

determining a distance from the receiver to the transmitter from the position indication in the communication signal,

determining a first direction from the receiver to the transmitter from the position indication in the communication signal,

determining a second direction from the receiver to the transmitter based on the communication signal from a phase difference in the communication signal on the at least two antennas,

validating the determined first direction from position indication in the communication signal based on the determined second direction from the phase difference in the communication signal,

validating the data content if the determined first direction from the position indication in the communication signal does not conflict with the determined second direction, and

processing the data content if no conflict has been recognized in the course of the validation.

12. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least two antennas are spaced by less than a half wavelength of the communication signal.

13. The use of the communication apparatus as claimed in claim 11 for vehicle-to-X communication in a vehicle.

14. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a first distance from the receiver to the transmitter is determined based on an acquired received power of the communication signal on at least one of the at least two antennas and the first distance is used to validate the position indication.

15. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the processor is an electronic arithmetic unit.