EP1107208A2

EP1107208A2 - Method and apparatus for collecting information from multiple vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP1107208A2
Application number: EP00310310A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dana Brian Fecher; Gregory H. Williams; Jeffrey Michael Stefan
Original assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Inc
Current assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Inc
Priority date: 1999-12-01
Filing date: 2000-11-20
Publication date: 2001-06-13
Also published as: EP1107208A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle. The method comprises the steps of a first vehicle (10) receiving selected information from a resource data system (ISP). A second vehicle (12) identifies needed information which it lacks and which may potentially be available from the first vehicle (10). The second vehicle (12) transmits an information request via a wireless communication system to the first vehicle (10) requesting the needed information and the first vehicle (10) transmits the needed information to the second vehicle (12) if the needed information is available within the selected information.

Description

Background Of The Invention

The present invention relates in general to a method and an apparatus for collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle.
Motor vehicles are becoming more sophisticated, capable of handling larger amounts of data and more complicated tasks. The ability to access remote data networks, such as the Internet, from the vehicle has become an increasing demand as more and more people utilize the Internet in their daily lives. Accessing the Internet from the vehicle has typically been done by using an in vehicle computer to contact an Internet Service Provider (ISP) by way of a cellular phone service. This can be quite expensive if the connection is maintained for a long period of time due to the cellular phone operating costs. Information such as gas prices at local gas stations, traffic information, and weather reports may be frequently requested by drivers of vehicles in the same vicinity. To obtain this information the vehicles must utilize the ISP. Since most of the vehicles are requesting the same information the ISP gets multiple redundant requests. The ISP must satisfy each request which slows the response time, adding cost to the request.

Summary Of The Invention

The present invention has the advantages of providing quick access to needed information from remote sources while reducing the cost of accessing the information.
In one aspect of the invention, a method collects remote data in a mobile vehicle. A first vehicle receives selected information from a resource data system. Then, a second vehicle identifies needed information which it lacks and which may potentially be available from the first vehicle. Next, the second vehicle transmits an information request via a wireless communication system to the first vehicle requesting the needed information. The first vehicle will transmit the needed information to the second vehicle if the needed information is available within the selected information.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

The invention will now further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of the invention;
Figure 2 is a flowchart describing a process for a first vehicle;
Figure 3 is a flowchart describing a process for a second vehicle; and
Figure 4 is a diagram depicting an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiment

Figure 1 shows a first motor vehicle 10 and a second motor vehicle 12 both equipped with a vehicle computer, a first vehicle computer 14 and a second vehicle computer 16 respectively, which are capable of processing information requests, generating information packets, collecting data, and processing commands. First vehicle computer 14 and second vehicle computer 16 are comprised of a first data engine 18 and a second data engine 20, respectively. The data engines are responsible for processing information and identifying needed information and may be comprised of application software, for example. The data engines are preferably capable of utilizing intelligent software agents, a type of self-contained software program or routine that moves within the Internet (an electronic communications network that connects computer networks and organizational computer facilities around the world which acts as a resource data system), or other network, and performs a specific function on behalf of a user, which are transmitted to a network wherein they execute software routines to collect needed information. First vehicle computer 14 and second vehicle computer 16 also comprise a first data storage 22 and a second data storage 24 respectively. First data storage 22 and second data storage 24 can be comprised of random access memory which allows read and write capability or any other memory device which allows read/write capability.
Coupled to the vehicle computers are transceivers 26 and 28. Transceivers 26 and 28 are responsible for communication between vehicles and any remote network such as the Internet via an Internet service provider (ISP). A mobile phone service transceiver 26 is typically utilized for communication between the vehicle computer and the ISP. A short range radio link transceiver 28, utilizing Frequency Shift Key (FSK) or FM modulation for example, on a single channel with a predetermined range of less than a half mile can be used for communication between vehicles. Transceivers 26 and 28 can be part of the vehicle computer or external to it.
A method of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle will be described in connection with Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 describes the operations performed by a first vehicle and Figure 3 describes the operations performed by a second vehicle. The first vehicle's data engine identifies needed first vehicle information, such as a best gas price, in step 30 and obtains it from a network or other data acquisition system such as a manual entry device in step 32. The needed first vehicle information is then stored and flagged whether it will be made available to other vehicles in step 34. The purpose of the flagging is to facilitate identification of information which a user may not wish to share with other vehicles. The user of the first vehicle may not want any personal information to be made available to any other vehicle. Meanwhile, the second vehicle data engine identifies needed second vehicle information in step 50. The second vehicle then detects the first vehicle (establishes communication) in step 52. The detection of the first vehicle can be done in various ways. Any local area network protocol for communicating between devices can be utilized by the vehicles for example. Another way of detecting a vehicle is by broadcasting a need information signal to all listening vehicles. The first vehicle to answer the "need information" signal will be the vehicle with which communication is established. In step 54, the second vehicle sends a request identifying the second vehicle's needed information to the first vehicle using the short range radio link. The first vehicle receives the request in step 36 and begins to process it. The first vehicle checks to see if it has the requested vehicle information in step 38. If the first vehicle has the requested information it then verifies that the requested information is flagged as available in step 40. If the requested information is either not flagged as available or not present, the first vehicle transmits an information not available signal to the second vehicle in step 42. If the needed information is present and flagged as available, the first vehicle creates an information packet containing the needed information and transmits it to the second vehicle in step 44 using the short range radio link. The second vehicle will then verify it has received the information packet in step 56. If no needed information arrives or the not available signal is present, the second vehicle will obtain the needed information from either another vehicle or from the network in step 58. If the needed information is received, it is stored and processed in step 60.
Figure 4 shows a particular transaction according to the invention. Vehicles A, B, and C are traversing routes A, B, and C in steps 70, 78, and 82 respectively. In step 72, vehicle A requests a current location and speed from vehicle B in order to determine if traffic is backed up where vehicle B is located. Vehicle B services the request from vehicle A and verifies the requested information is available and returns the requested current location and speed to vehicle A, wherein vehicle A process the current location and speed accordingly in step 74. Vehicle C requests a best gas price on current vehicle C route from vehicle A in step 76. In step 80, vehicle A verifies the requested best gas price is available and transmits the best gas price if it flagged as available. The three vehicles have an ability to constantly mine each of their respective databases/memory for specific information, thus allowing quicker information retrieval and less cost.

Claims

A method of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

a first vehicle receiving selected information from a resource data system;

a second vehicle identifying needed information which it lacks and which may potentially be available from said first vehicle;

said second vehicle transmitting an information request via a wireless communication system to said first vehicle requesting said needed information; and

said first vehicle transmitting said needed information to said second vehicle if said needed information is available within said selected information.
The method according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communication system comprises a mobile phone service.
The method according to claim 1 wherein if said needed information is not available from said first vehicle, said second vehicle contacts said resource data system and collects said needed information.
The method according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communication system comprises a standard radio link on a single channel with a predetermined range less then a half mile.
The method according to claim 1 wherein said resource data system is the Internet.
A method of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

a first vehicle selecting and retrieving information needed from a resource data system;

identifying information needed in a second vehicle which is potentially available from said first vehicle;

said second vehicle identifying the presence of and establishing wireless communication to said first vehicle;

said second vehicle requesting from said first vehicle said information needed by said second vehicle;

said first vehicle interpreting said request and generating an information packet if said information is available; and

said first vehicle transmitting said information packet to said second vehicle via a wireless communication system.
The method according to claim 5 wherein said wireless communication system comprises a mobile phone service.
The method according to claim 5 wherein if said needed information is not available from said first vehicle, said second vehicle contacts said resource data system and collects said needed information.
The method according to claim 5 wherein said resource data system comprises the Internet.
A system of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle comprising:

a first vehicle computer located in a first vehicle;

a second vehicle computer located in a second vehicle, said first vehicle computer and said second vehicle computers each capable of processing information requests, generating information packets, data collection, and processing commands; and

a wireless communication system for transmitting information requests and information packets between said vehicles;

wherein said first vehicle computer requests information and receives an information packet from a resource data system;

wherein said second vehicle computer identifies needed information which may be available from said first vehicle;

wherein said second vehicle computer generates an information request based on said identified needed information;

wherein said second vehicle computer transmits said information request to said first vehicle computer via said wireless communication system;

wherein said first vehicle computer processes said information request and generates an information packet based on said information request if said first vehicle computer possesses said needed information; and

wherein said first vehicle computer transmits said information packet to said second vehicle computer via said wireless communication system if said first vehicle possesses said needed information, otherwise said first vehicle transmits to said second vehicle an information not available signal.