Vehicle communications management

• US 10,542,493 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lei, Oliver, Be, Tuan Anh, Murray, Allen R., Mohammed, Noorulla, Orris, David Joseph, Slyusar, Vladyslav, Heilala, Alex Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Nowlin, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/639,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20190007900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing communications equipment of a vehicle. The vehicle includes a first modem and a second modem coupled to the first modem. Responsive to the second modem wireless receiving first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in an inactive state, the first modem is in an off state, and the second modem is in a low power state, the vehicle is configured to wake the first modem from the off state, and process the first data via the first modem.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a first modem; and

a second modem coupled to the first modem,

wherein the vehicle is configured to,

responsive to the vehicle entering an active state, place the first modem and the second modem into a full powerstate,

responsive to the second modem wirelessly receiving first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in an inactive state, the first modem being in an off state, and the second modem being in a low power state, wake the first modem from the off state, and process the first data via the first modem,

responsive to the vehicle entering the inactive state, identify a first network connection level for the first modem, and identify a second network connection level for the second modem, and

responsive to determining that the second network connection level is greater than the first network connection level, place the first modem into the off state, and place the second modem into the low power state.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first network connection level relates to a first cellular provider, and the second network connection level relates to a second cellular provider.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises a remote control command transmitted from a server, and the vehicle is further configuring to, responsive to determining that the second network connection level is greater than the first network connection level, indicate the second modem to the server.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the first modem is a telematics control unit configured to process remote control commands received for the vehicle, and the second modem is an autonomous vehicle modem configured to download map data and upload vehicle-captured video via a wireless network.

6. The A vehicle of claim 1 comprising:

a first modem;

a second modem coupled to the first modem; and

wherein the vehicle further comprises a modem controller coupled to the first modem and the second modem, the modem controller being configured to,

responsive to the vehicle entering an inactive state, identify a first network connection level for the first modem, and identify a second network connection level for the second modem;

responsive to determining that the second network connection level is greater than the first network connection level, place the first modem into the off state, and place the second modem into the low power state; and

responsive to the second modem wirelessly receiving the first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in an inactive state, the first modem being in the off state, and the second modem being in the low power state, and responsive to receiving the first data from the second modem and determining that the first data is for the first modem, wake the first modem; and

transmit the first data to the first modem for processing.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the second modem is configured to, responsive to wirelessly receiving the first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in the inactive state, the first modem being in the off state, and the second modem being in the low power state,

wake the modem controller;

and

transmit the first data to the modem controller, the modem controller being configured to, responsive to receiving the first data, determine whether the first data is for the first modem or for the second modem.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the modem controller is further configured to, responsive to the second modem wirelessly receiving second data that is for the second modem and not for the first modem when the vehicle is in the inactive state, the first modem being in the off state, and the second modem being in the low power state,

determine that the second data is for the second modem and not for the first modem, and responsive to the determination, not wake the first modem.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a first modem;

a second modem coupled to the first modem,

a modem controller coupled to the first modem and the second modem, and

responsive to the second modem wirelessly receiving first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in an inactive state, the first modem being in an off state, and the second modem being in a low power state, the vehicle is configured to wake the first modem from the off state, and process the first data via the first modem, and

responsive to the second modem wirelessly receiving the first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in the inactive state, the first modem being in the off state, the second modem being in the low power state, receiving the first data from the second modem and determining that the first data is for the first modem, the modem controller is configured to, wake the first modem, and transmit the first data to the first modem for processing.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the second modem is configured to, responsive to wirelessly receiving the first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in the inactive state, the first modem being in the off state, and the second modem being in the low power state, wake the modem controller, and transmit the first data to the modem controller, and wherein the modem controller is configured to, responsive to receiving the first data, determine whether the first data is for the first modem or for the second modem.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the modem controller is further configured to, responsive to the second modem wirelessly receiving second data that is for the second modem and not for the first modem when the vehicle is in the inactive state, the first modem being in the off state, and the second modem being in the low power state, determine that the second data is for the second modem and not for the first modem, and responsive to the determination, not wake the first modem.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is further configured to, responsive to the vehicle entering the inactive state:

identify a first network connection level for the first modem;

identify a second network connection level for the second modem; and

responsive to determining that the second network connection level is greater than the first network connection level,

place the first modem into the off state, and

place the second modem into the low power state.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first network connection level relates to a first cellular provider, and the second network connection level relates to a second cellular provider.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first data comprises a remote control command transmitted from a server, and the vehicle is further configuring to, responsive to determining that the second network connection level is greater than the first network connection level, indicate the second modem to the server.

15. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is further configured to, responsive to the vehicle entering an active state, place the first modem and the second modem into a full power state.

16. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first modem is a telematics control unit configured to process remote control commands received for the vehicle, and the second modem is an autonomous vehicle modem configured to download map data and upload vehicle-captured video via a wireless network.