Data processing system and method for processing training data relating to the training of motor vehicle drivers

• US 10,083,625 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Knez, Bernard, Seidl, Bernhard, Walden, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullington, Robert P
• Application Number:
  US14/846,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 434 65
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/02 responsive to conditions relating to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles

Abstract

A data processing system for processing driver training data includes a central computer, which is located in a data center, and an administration computer which is arranged in an administration area. The central computer and the administration computer can communicate with each other over data interfaces, and data on the participants in the driver training can be recorded in the administration compute. Recorded participant data can be coupled to participant identification data in a participant identification system, and the participant data coupled to the participant identification data can be transmitted to the central computer. The system may also include an identification means for automatically identifying or selecting a participant, and a network access point located in a training area in which a motor vehicle is located, wherein the network access point can transmit participant data between the central computer and the network access point, wherein participant data can also be transmitted by the central computer to a computer located in the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for performing a driver training for drivers of motor vehicles, comprising:

a central computer provided in a data center and having a first network data interface;

an administration computer provided in an administration area and having a second network data interface,

wherein the central computer and the administration computer are configured to communicate with each other via the first and second network data interfaces, and

wherein, in the administration computer, participant data corresponding to participants of the driver training is recorded and coupled with participant identification data in a participant identification system, wherein the participant data and coupled participant identification data are transferable to the central computer,

wherein a device located in a motor vehicle is configured to be used for at least one of automatically identifying a driver of the motor vehicle as a participant of the driver training using the participant identification data associated with the participant, and selecting the participant from a list containing at least a portion of the participant data;

a network access point provided in a training area in which the motor vehicle is driven by the participant, said network access point having a third network data interface via which a wireless data transfer of at least some of the participant data can be carried out between the central computer and the network access point, wherein the network access point is further configured with a data transfer interface via which at least the portion of the participant data transferred from the central computer can be further transferred into a computer located in the motor vehicle;

a computer located in the motor vehicle connected to an on-board network of the motor vehicle and configured to communicate via the on-board network with a plurality of control devices of the motor vehicle; and

an instructor computer configured to be connected to the computer located in the motor vehicle, via the network access point,

wherein an application computer program executing on the instructor computer is configured to act upon at least one of the plurality of control devices, during the driver training and via the computer located in the motor vehicle and the on-board network of the motor vehicle, by causing or preventing at least one of an actuation of an accelerator of the motor vehicle, an actuation of a brake of the motor vehicle, switching on a drive stability facility of the motor vehicle, and switching off the drive stability facility of the motor vehicle.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one RFID reading device, by which the participant data associated with the participant identification data can be read from an RFID arrangement in a contactless manner.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network access point located in the training area has a mobile network interface, via which a connection with the central computer can be established.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer located in the motor vehicle has a corresponding data transfer interface via which the data transfer interface of the network access point communicates with the computer located in the motor vehicle in a wireless manner.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a display unit that is configured to be used for said selecting the participant from the list containing at least the portion of the participant data.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which participant-specific vehicle adjustment data is stored in at least one of the motor vehicle and the central computer, wherein the participant-specific vehicle adjustment data can be retrieved upon identification or selection of a corresponding participant in a given motor vehicle, in order to carry out participant-specific adjustments in the motor vehicle.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network access point provided in the training area comprises at least one sensor for recording at least one driving parameter of the motor vehicle during a training trip.

10. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the participant data can be transferred via the network access point and the computer located in the motor vehicle from the central computer to the display unit of the motor vehicle.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises an RFID reading device that is configured to be used for said identifying the driver of the motor vehicle as the participant of the driver training using the participant identification data associated with the participant.

8. A method for performing a driver training for drivers of motor vehicles using a system comprising a central computer provided in a data center and having a first network data interface, an administration computer provided in an administration area with a second network data interface, a computer located in a motor vehicle connected to an on-board network of the motor vehicle and configured to communicate via the on-board network with a plurality of control devices of the motor vehicle, and an instructor computer configured to connect to the computer located in the motor, wherein the method comprises the acts of:

communicating, by the central computer and the administration computer, with each other via the first and second network data interfaces;

recording, in the administration computer, participant data relating to participants of the driver training, wherein the participant data is coupled with participant identification data in a participant identification system;

transferring the participant data and coupled participant identification data to the central computer;

performing at least one of an identifying and selecting operation, wherein the identifying operation comprises identifying a driver of the motor vehicle as a participant of the driver training using the participant identification data associated with the participant, and wherein the selecting operation comprises selecting the participant from a list containing at least a portion of the participant data, and wherein

the motor vehicle is driven by the participant in a training area, and the following data transfer operations are carried out by a network access point provided in the training area;

transferring, via a third network data interface provided in the network access point, the portion of the participant data between the central computer and the network access point at least in part in a wireless manner;

transferring, via at least one data transfer interface provided in the network access point, the portion of the participant data that was transferred by the central computer into a computer located in the motor vehicle; and

acting upon at least one of the plurality of control devices, during the driver training and by the instructor computer via the computer located in the motor vehicle and the on-board network of the motor vehicle, to cause or prevent at least one of an actuation of an accelerator of the motor vehicle, an actuation of a brake of the motor vehicle, switching on a drive stability facility of the motor vehicle, and switching off the drive stability facility.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the participant has a uniquely identifiable RFID assembly in which the participant data of the participant identification system is stored, and is read out using an RFID reading device provided in the motor vehicle, and further participant data is displayed in the motor vehicle using the participant data read out using the RFID reading device.