Vehicle middleware

• US 10,020,995 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AutoConnect Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: AutoConnect Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Ricci, Christopher P., Swartz, Douglas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JEFFERY L
• Application Number:
  US15/287,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1472 Multi-touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1476 Handwriting
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5894 SIM cards
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/691 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/00 : Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 : for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 : Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 : in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 : Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0881 : Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0095 : Automatic control mode change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 : Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 : Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 : Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 : Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 : Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 : Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 : Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 : related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 : Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 : Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 : Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 : Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 : characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 : Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 : where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3065 : Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 : Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/14 : Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/364 : using independent requests or grants, e.g. using separated request and grant lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 : Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 : Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 : Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 : Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1062 : Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 : Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 : using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 : for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/42 : using separate channels for security data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 : to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 : Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 : based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 : using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 : Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 : Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 : Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 : Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 : Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/048 : Fuzzy inferencing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 : Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 : Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 : Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 : inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/15 : Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 : Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 : Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 : Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 : using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0833 : using audio means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 : using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 : the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 : Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 : from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 : from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 : from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 : for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 : for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0137 : for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 : for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 : identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09 : Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions railroad crossing signals B61L; reflectors E01F, G08B; indicating arrangements for variable information by selection or combination of individual elements G09F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 : where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 : where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 : where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 : where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 : where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 : where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 : where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 : inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 : Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 : Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 : located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 : for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 : Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a vehicle implementing one or more processing modules. These modules are configured to connect and interface with the various buses in the vehicle, where the various buses are connected with the various components of the vehicle to facilitate information transfer among the vehicle components. Each processing module is further modularized with the ability to add and replace other functional modules now or in the future. These functional modules can themselves act as distinct vehicle components. Each processing modules may hand-off processing to other modules depending on its health, processing load, or by third-party control. Thus, the plurality of processing modules helps to implement a middleware point of control to the vehicle with redundancy in processing and safety and security awareness in their applications.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a non-transient, tangible computer-readable memory;

a computational module selector stored in the non-transient, tangible computer-readable memory to identify and select a computational module from among a plurality of computational modules in communication with the computational module selector to perform a selected operation, the selected operation, having performance requirements, wherein each one of the plurality of computational modules has processing capabilities;

wherein at least a pair of the plural computational modules comprises a first computational module with a cellular capability and a second computational module without a cellular capability, wherein the computational module selector selects a computational module from among the plurality of computational modules, wherein the selected computational module has processing capabilities that satisfy the performance requirements of the selected operation;

a network selector module stored in the non-transient, tangible computer-readable memory to select one of a plurality of communication networks local to the vehicle for transmitting a selected signal and wherein the network selector module selects one of the plurality of communication networks local to the vehicle for transmitting the selected signal based on one or more of network status, an intermediate node status, a signal/noise ratio, a type of signal, availability of bandwidth, network performance parameters, and a quality of service, wherein the network selector module configures the selected signal in accordance with the selected network'"'"'s transmission protocol; and

a diagnostic module to receive one or more of a warning signal and an error signal,

wherein the vehicle further comprises a plurality of processing modules, a first processing module being in an active mode whereby the first processing module is in primary control of at least most vehicle functions and a second processing module being in a standby mode whereby the second processing module is ready to assume primary control of at least most vehicle functions, wherein the first and second processing modules are in wireless communication with one another, and wherein a state of the second processing module is maintained substantially in synchronicity with a state of the first processing module to a enable a stateful failover from the first processing module to the second processing module, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises an arbitration module to arbitrate hand-off conflicts between duplicated first and second processing modules and wherein the arbitration module selects one of the first and second processing modules to currently possess and/or own a token, the token indicating which processing module is an active processing module and/or which processing module is a standby processing module, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the vehicle further comprises a health check module to determine a corresponding state of health of each of the duplicated first and second processing modules to perform at least one of critical and non-critical operations and wherein the health check module performs a check and/or test, in response to an internally generated interrupt and/or request to determine a selected processing module'"'"'s ability to perform critical and/or non-critical vehicle operations, assign a score to the selected processing module based on the check and/or test results, and compare the score to one or more thresholds and/or to a score of a different processing module to determine a state of health to determine a state of health of the selected processing module, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a displayed object movement module to move displayed objects from a source input/output system to a target input/output system, the source and target input/output systems corresponding to different vehicle occupants and wherein the displayed object movement module selects the target input/output system from among plural input/output systems on board the vehicle based on input from a user of the source input/output system, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a media filter module to apply a selected rule to filter third party sourced signals received by a vehicle processing module for presentation to a vehicle occupant via a corresponding input/output system and wherein the selected rule is one or more of a whitelist, blacklist, user preference, sensed occupant context, and/or governing federal, state, provincial, and/or local law and/or regulation applicable to a current sensed spatial location of the vehicle, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle wherein the diagnostic module selects a destination for the signal, the possible destinations including a vehicle input/output system to present the warning and/or error to a vehicle occupant, an emergency service provider, an emergency responder, and a remotely located diagnostic service to diagnose a cause of the warning and/or error signal and wherein the diagnostic module provides the warning and/or error signal to the vehicle occupant and interactively communicates a likely cause of the warning and/or error signal to the occupant and receives a command from the occupant to contact one or more of an emergency service provider, an emergency responder, and a remotely located diagnostic service, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a remote control module to receive a request from a remote source to command a vehicle function, authenticate the requestor, and, when successfully authenticated and when privileged to request the performance of the vehicle function, execute or cause execution of the request and wherein the remote control module is associated with one or more of the vehicle owner, a law enforcement authority, a lender associated with a loan having the vehicle as collateral, and a vehicle manufacturer and wherein the requested vehicle function is executed or caused to be executed notwithstanding a contrary command from the vehicle operator, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a media controller module to receive a media stream from a remote node, identify which of a plurality of vehicle input/output systems are disabled due to operator command and/or as a result of a rule, and, when enabled, provide the media stream to an input/output system associated with an associated vehicle occupant and wherein the media controller module, in a dependent mode, provides common content synchronously to each of the input/output systems and, in an independent mode, provides different content to different ones of the input/output systems, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises an installation supervisor module to determine, for a newly installed software and/or hardware and/or other component, whether the newly installed component satisfies defined functional and/or source or reuse requirements and/or restrictions for the component and/or license restrictions, and, when satisfied, create data structures in the component and/or a memory in the vehicle to bind the component to the current vehicle and thereby prevent the component from communicating with a processing module in a different vehicle and wherein the newly installed software and/or hardware and/or other component is one or more of an on-board sensor, a processing module or component thereof, a software application, a circuit board, an expansion module or component thereof, a critical or non-critical device, and a cellular upgrade module, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plural computational modules comprise one or more vehicle processing devices and one or more occupant computational devices, the one or more occupant computational devices comprising one or more of a mobile phone, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, and laptop computer.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plural computational modules comprise multiple software applications corresponding to different versions, releases, and/or vendors of a common type of software application.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a network security module to isolate a component encountering a security breach and/or isolate a primary processing module from one or more other components in a local vehicle network and wherein the network security module filters and/or prohibits communications between the isolated one of the component and/or processing module with other network components, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a network controller module to cache automatically streaming media in response to a vehicle state change, function, and/or operation and wherein the network controller module caches automatically streaming media in response to the vehicle state changing from a parked state to an unparked state, wherein the computational module selector continuously checks if excess processing power is available from at least among the plural computational modules, an expansion module and an external computational device, whereby the selected operation is off-loaded, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a unified communications presence reporting module to determine whether a vehicle occupant is present and/or by what communication channel to contact the occupant based on a requirement of a law applicable to a current location of the vehicle and wherein the unified communications presence reporting module determines that the vehicle occupant is the operator of the vehicle and that the vehicle operator is not present by a selected communication channel when the vehicle is in motion, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a social networking module to enable processing modules of different vehicles to wirelessly connect to exchange vehicle information, wherein each of the afore-mentioned modules are stored in a non-transient, tangible computer readable memory.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plural computational modules is a software application of an on board device located physically within the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the selected operation is running a software application, wherein the computational module selector selects a computational module from among the plural computational modules based on capabilities that satisfy the software application performance requirements.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the vehicle further comprises a display, wherein the software application is displayed on the display.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the display is configured to allow the user to interact with the software application.