Systems and methods for using on-board resources of individual vehicles in a fleet of vehicles as a distributed data center

• US 10,102,691 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmartDrive Systems, Inc. (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SmartDrive Systems, Inc. (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ghanbari, Reza, Brookins, Nicholas Shayne, Forney, David, Freitas, Mark, Deninger, Daniel Andrew, Griswold, Jeffrey, Palmer, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US15/958,636
• Time in Patent Office: 179 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a distributed data center that includes resources carried by a fleet of vehicles. The system includes sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to the vehicles. The system may detect vehicle events based on the information conveyed by the output signals. The system includes a remote computing server configured to present a user interface to a user. Through the user interface, the user may query information from one or more vehicles in the fleet. The distributed query is transmitted to individual vehicles, and results are locally processed in accordance with response constraints and subsequently transmitted back to the remote computing server for presentation to the user.

Claims

1. A system configured to use data-processing resources carried by a fleet of vehicles as a distributed data center, the system configured to couple with the fleet of vehicles, wherein the fleet includes at least a first vehicle, a second vehicle, and a third vehicle, the system comprising:

a first set of resources for data processing and persistent storage, wherein the first set of resources is carried by the first vehicle, wherein the first set of resources includes a first transceiver configured to transfer and receive information to and from the fleet of vehicles and a remote computing server;

a first set of sensors configured to generate output signals conveying first information related to operation of the first vehicle, wherein the first set of sensors is carried by the first vehicle, wherein the first set of resources is configured to store the first information;

a second set of resources for data processing and persistent storage, wherein the second set of resources is carried by the second vehicle, wherein the second set of resources includes a second transceiver configured to transfer and receive information to and from the fleet of vehicles and the remote computing server;

a second set of sensors configured to generate output signals conveying second information related to operation of the second vehicle, wherein the second set of sensors is carried by the second vehicle, wherein the second set of resources is configured to store the second information;

a third set of resources for data processing and persistent storage, wherein the third set of resources is carried by the third vehicle, wherein the third set of resources includes a third transceiver configured to transfer and receive information to and from the fleet of vehicles and the remote computing server;

a third set of sensors configured to generate output signals conveying third information related to operation of the third vehicle, wherein the third set of sensors is carried by the third vehicle, wherein the third set of resources is configured to store the third information; and

the remote computing server including one or more processors, wherein the remote computing server is separate and discrete from the fleet of vehicles, and wherein the one or more processors are configured via machine-readable instructions to;

facilitate presentation of a user interface to a user, wherein the user interface is configured to receive input from the user;

receive the input from the user through the user interface, wherein the received input represents a distributed query related to the operation of the fleet of vehicles;

transmit wirelessly query information based on the distributed query from the remote computing server to the first, second, and third vehicle;

wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive the query information from the remote computing server, wherein the first set of resources is configured to;

obtain a first set of response constraints;

obtain first current local data transmission conditions for the first transceiver;

perform the distributed query on the stored first information, resulting in a first set of potential results; and

convert the first set of potential results to create a first set of results, wherein conversion is based on the first set of response constraints and the first current local data transmission conditions,

wherein the first transceiver is further configured to transmit the first set of results to the remote computing server,

wherein the second transceiver is further configured to receive the query information from the remote computing server, wherein the second set of resources is configured to;

obtain a second set of response constraints;

obtain second current local data transmission conditions for the second transceiver;

perform the distributed query on the stored second information, resulting in a second set of potential results; and

convert the second set of potential results to create a second set of results, wherein conversion is based on the second set of response constraints and the second current local data transmission conditions,

wherein the second transceiver is further configured to transmit the second set of results to the remote computing server,

wherein the third transceiver is further configured to receive the query information from the remote computing server, wherein the third set of resources is configured to;

obtain a third set of response constraints;

obtain third current local data transmission conditions for the third transceiver;

perform the distributed query on the stored third information, resulting in a third set of potential results; and

convert the third set of potential results to create a third set of results, wherein conversion is based on the third set of response constraints and the third current local data transmission conditions,

wherein the third transceiver is further configured to transmit the third set of results to the remote computing server,

wherein the one or more processors of the remote computing server are further configured to;

receive the first set of results from the first transceiver, the second set of results from the second transceiver, and the third set of results from the third transceiver;

aggregate the first, second, and third set of results into aggregated results; and

facilitate presentation of the aggregated results via the user interface to the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the distributed query corresponds to one or more particular time frames, wherein performance of the distributed query is limited to the output signals that were generated in the one or more particular time frames.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first information includes first timing information and first operator information, wherein the first timing information associates the generated output signals with one or more first moments of generation by the first set of sensors, wherein the first operator information associates the generated output signals with a first vehicle operator of the first vehicle at the one or more first moments of operation,

wherein the second information includes second timing information and second operator information, wherein the second timing information associates the generated output signals with one or more second moments of generation by the second set of sensors, wherein the second operator information associates the generated output signals with a second vehicle operator of the second vehicle at the one or more second moments of operation,

wherein the third information includes third timing information and third operator information, wherein the third timing information associates the generated output signals with one or more third moments of generation by the third set of sensors, wherein the third operator information associates the generated output signals with a third vehicle operator of the third vehicle at the one or more third moments of operation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least part of the first set of response constraints are determined based on the received query information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first current local data transmission conditions are obtained from the first transceiver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the distributed query corresponds to a particular vehicle operator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit the first set of results to the remote computing server in annotated data packets, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a set of data packets,

determine whether one or more particular data packets are missing or corrupted, based on annotations in the set of received data packets,

responsive to a determination that the one or more particular data packets are missing or corrupted, transmit a request to the first transceiver to re-transmit the one or more particular data packets,

wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive the request and re-transmit the one or more particular data packets.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the conversion of the first set of potential results to create the first set of results is based on summarizing one or more results from the first set of potential results such that an amount of bandwidth required to transmit the first set of results is reduced compared to the first set of potential results.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the conversion of the first set of potential results to create the first set of results is based on adjusting a rate of generation and/or capture for at least one of the first set of sensors such that an amount of bandwidth required to transmit the first set of results is reduced compared to the first set of potential results.

10. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a first event recorder configured to detect a first set of vehicle events related to current operating conditions of the first vehicle, wherein the first vehicle event recorder is carried by the first vehicle, wherein detection of the first set of vehicle events is based on the output signals generated by the first set of sensors, wherein the first set of resources is further configured to store information related to the first set of detected vehicle events.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first set of resources includes one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:

determine a first set of derivative operating information, wherein the first set of derivative operating information is derived from the first set of detected vehicle events;

assign the first set of derivative operating information to a first set of virtual sensors; and

store the first set of derivative operating information.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the stored information related to the first set of detected vehicle events is associated with one or more primary rates of storage, wherein the first set of resources is further configured to reuse a section of previously used storage such that, responsive to reuse of the section of previously used storage, remaining information of the stored information related to the first set of detected vehicle events appears to be associated with one or more modified rates of storage, wherein the one or more modified rates of storage are lower than the one or more primary rates of storage.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

effectuate a review presentation to the user, wherein the review presentation is based on the information related to the first set of detected vehicle events, and wherein the review presentation provides a prompt to the user to provide manual review input regarding the first set of detected vehicle events;

receive manual review input from the user, wherein the manual review input is responsive to the provided prompt;

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit the manual review input to the first transceiver,

wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive the transmitted manual review input,

wherein the first set of resources is further configured to store the manual review input responsive to receipt by the first transceiver.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first vehicle includes a first driver interface configured to facilitate interaction with the first vehicle operator during vehicle operation, wherein the first driver interface is further configured to effectuate presentation of feedback information to the first vehicle operator, wherein the feedback information is based on the first set of detected vehicle events and the manual review input.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first set of resources is further configured to:

determine one or more operator scores, wherein the one or more operator scores are vehicle operator-specific scores based on the first set of detected vehicle events; and

effectuate presentation of the one or more operator scores to the first vehicle operator.

16. A method to use data-processing resources carried by a fleet of vehicles as a distributed data center, wherein the fleet includes at least a first vehicle, a second vehicle, and a third vehicle, the method comprising:

generating, by a first set of sensors, output signals conveying first information related to operation of the first vehicle, wherein the first set of sensors is carried by the first vehicle;

storing, by a first set of resources carried by the first vehicle, the first information;

generating, by a second set of sensors, output signals conveying second information related to operation of the second vehicle, wherein the second set of sensors is carried by the second vehicle;

storing, by a second set of resources carried by the second vehicle, the second information;

generating, by a third set of sensors, output signals conveying third information related to operation of the third vehicle, wherein the third set of sensors is carried by the third vehicle;

storing, by a third set of resources carried by the third vehicle, the third information;

facilitating, by a remote computing server that is separate and discrete from the fleet of vehicles, presentation of a user interface to a user;

receiving input from the user through the user interface, wherein the received input represents a distributed query related to the operation of the fleet of vehicles;

transmitting wirelessly query information from the remote computing server to a subset of the fleet of vehicles, wherein the subset includes the first, second, and third vehicle, wherein the query information is based on the distributed query;

receiving, by a first transceiver included in the first set of resources, the query information from the remote computing server;

receiving, by a second transceiver included in the second set of resources, the query information from the remote computing server;

receiving, by a third transceiver included in the third set of resources, the query information from the remote computing server;

performing, by the first set of resources, the distributed query, wherein performance results in a first set of potential results;

performing, by the second set of resources, the distributed query, wherein performance results in a second set of potential results;

performing, by the third set of resources, the distributed query, wherein performance results in a third set of potential results;

converting, by the first set of resources, the first set of potential results to create a first set of results, wherein the conversion is based on a first set of response constraints and first current local data transmission conditions;

converting, by the second set of resources, the second set of potential results to create a second set of results, wherein the conversion is based on a second set of response constraints and second current local data transmission conditions;

converting, by the third set of resources, the third set of potential results to create a third set of results, wherein the conversion is based on a third set of response constraints and third current local data transmission conditions;

transmitting, by the first transceiver, the first set of results to the remote computing server;

transmitting, by the second transceiver, the second set of results to the remote computing server;

transmitting, by the third transceiver, the third set of results to the remote computing server;

receiving, by the remote computing server, the first set of results from the first transceiver, the second set of results from the second transceiver, and the third set of results from the third transceiver;

aggregating, by the remote computing server, the first, second, and third set of results into aggregated results; and

facilitating, by the remote computing server, presentation of the aggregated results via the user interface to the user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the distributed query corresponds to one or more particular time frames, wherein performance of the distributed query is limited to the output signals that were generated in the one or more particular time frames.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least part of the first set of response constraints are determined based on the received query information.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first current local data transmission conditions are obtained from the first transceiver.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting, by a first event recorder that is carried by the first vehicle, a first set of vehicle events related to current operating conditions of the first vehicle, wherein detection of the first set of vehicle events is based on the output signals generated by the first set of sensors;

storing, by the first set of resources, information related to the first set of detected vehicle events.