Vehicle computer design and use techniques for receiving navigation software

• US 10,573,093 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US11/940,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,485 Days
• Field of Search: 701 29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

Vehicle with computer networking capability includes a display visible to an occupant of the vehicle, an on-board computer coupled to the display; and a communications device for enabling the on-board computer to communicate with other computers apart from the vehicle via a communications network. The on-board computer communicates with the other computers via the communications device to receive data and software to enable the on-board computer to perform functions. Further, the on-board computer directs the display to display the data received by the on-board computer from the other computers via the communications device. The on-board computer determines which data and software to receive based on a location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle with computer networking capability, comprising:

a display visible to an occupant of the vehicle;

an on-board computer coupled to said display; and

a communications device arranged on the vehicle and that enables said on-board computer to wirelessly communicate with at least one other computer apart from the vehicle via a communications network while the vehicle is travelling on a roadway,

said on-board computer being configured to wirelessly communicate, when on the vehicle, with the at least one other computer via said communications device to enable transfer of files between said on-board computer and the at least one other computer during travel of the vehicle,

said on-board computer being further configured to communicate, during travel of the vehicle, with a repository including a navigation system computer program embodied on computer-readable media that controls operation of a navigation system of the vehicle, and a diagnostic system computer program embodied on computer-readable media that performs diagnostics on components of the vehicle,

said on-board computer being further configured to perform navigation functions using the navigation system computer program from the repository,

said on-board computer being configured to cause a map and a speed limit to be displayed on said display, wherein the map and the speed limit correspond to the roadway on which the vehicle is travelling, wherein said display is configured to provide a graphical user interface configured to support making and receiving phone calls,

said on-board computer being further configured to perform diagnostic functions using the diagnostic system computer program from the repository, wherein said on-board computer is operatively coupled to on-board sensors, wherein the on-board sensors can be added, changed, and removed via a plug-and-play capability, wherein a type of sensor is determined based on one or both of a frequency and a delay corresponding to the sensor, and wherein a software upgrade is automatically performed when a new type of sensor is added to the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said on-board computer is further configured to determine, when on the vehicle, which of said on-board computer and the at least one other computer has a latest version of a file, and when said on-board computer and the at least one other computer do not have the same version of the file, synchronize said on-board computer and the at least one other computer to thereby provide the same version of the file on said on-board computer and the at least one other computer,

whereby the synchronization of said on-board computer and the at least one other computer to provide the same version of the file on said on-board computer and the at least one other computer includes wirelessly transferring using the communications device, the file from said on-board computer to the at least one other computer when the at least one computer has an earlier version of the file than said on-board computer.

3. The vehicle of claim 1,

wherein said on-board computer is configured to network, when on the vehicle, with the at least one other computer after initiation of wireless communications with the at least one other computer via said communications device to synchronize files between said on-board computer and the at least one other computer, or

wherein said on-board computer is configured to determine, when on the vehicle, the presence of a linked computer and automatically start synchronization of files when the presence of the linked computer is determined.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said on-board computer is operatively coupled to on-board sensors and configured to detect a health state of one or more occupants of the vehicle, wherein the health state of the one or more occupants is transmitted to a remote facility.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a location determining unit arranged in the vehicle that determines the location of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said location determining unit uses GPS technology.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said communications device transmits the location of the vehicle determined by said location determining unit.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the location of the vehicle is transmitted by said communications device to an update server or website.

24. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the repository is configured to facilitate navigation outside of the vehicle and to provide cellular communications when the repository is removed from the vehicle.

25. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the repository is configured to facilitate navigation outside of the vehicle and to provide wireless local area network communications when the repository is removed from the vehicle.

26. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the repository is configured to facilitate navigation outside of the vehicle and to facilitate purchases when the repository is removed from the vehicle.

27. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the repository is configured to facilitate navigation outside of the vehicle and to provide Internet access when the repository is removed from the vehicle.

28. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the repository includes an inertial measurement device.

29. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said on-board computer is configured to unlock one or more doors of the vehicle when a wireless entry device is sensed, and wherein said on-board computer is configured to determine when the wireless entry device is inside the vehicle.

31. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, after a crash, the vehicle sends, via the communications device, data relating to a number and a type of the one or more occupants to a remote facility.

32. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the on-board computer is configured to interrogate the on-board sensors.

33. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the software upgrade is performed so that the on-board computer can recognize and know what to do with information from the new type of sensor.

5. A method for managing a vehicle with computer networking capability, comprising:

providing an on-board computer in the vehicle;

providing a display visible to an occupant of the vehicle and controlled by the on-board computer;

providing a repository including a navigation system computer program embodied on computer-readable media that controls operation of a navigation system of the vehicle, and a diagnostic system computer program embodied on computer-readable media that performs diagnostics on components of the vehicle, the repository having a state in which it exists separate and apart from the vehicle, wherein the repository is configured to facilitate navigation outside of the vehicle when the repository is removed from the vehicle;

enabling the on-board computer to wirelessly communicate, while the vehicle is travelling on a roadway, with at least one other computer apart from the vehicle to enable wireless transfer of files between the on-board computer and the at least one other computer during travel of the vehicle;

enabling the on-board computer to perform navigation functions using the navigation system computer program from the repository;

enabling the on-board computer to cause a map and a speed limit to be displayed on said display, wherein the map and the speed limit correspond to the roadway on which the vehicle is travelling, wherein said display is configured to provide a graphical user interface configured to support making and receiving phone calls,

enabling the on-board computer to perform diagnostic functions using the diagnostic system computer program from the repository, wherein said on-board computer is operatively coupled to on-board sensors, wherein the on-board sensors can be added, changed, and removed via a plug-and-play capability, wherein a type of sensor is determined based on one or both of a frequency and a delay corresponding to the sensor, and wherein a software upgrade is automatically performed when a new type of sensor is added to the vehicle; and

enabling the on-board computer to communicate, during travel of the vehicle, with the repository.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the display is part of a navigation system.

7. The method of claim 5,

wherein the on-board computer is configured to network, when on the vehicle, with the at least one other computer after initiation of wireless communications with the at least one other computer to synchronize files and data between said on-board computer and the at least one other computer, or

wherein the on-board computer is configured to determine, when on the vehicle, the presence of a linked computer and automatically start synchronization of files when the presence of the linked computer is determined.

8. The method of claim 5, comprising:

enabling said on-board computer that is operatively coupled to on-board sensors to detect a health state of one or more occupants of the vehicle, wherein the health state of the one or more occupants is transmitted to a remote facility.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising arranging a location determining unit in the vehicle to determine the location of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the location determining unit uses GPS technology.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting from the vehicle, the location of the vehicle determined by the location determining unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the location of the vehicle is transmitted from the vehicle to an update server or website.

21. The method of claim 5, further comprising enabling the repository to be backed up avoid loss of data or programs for the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 5, further comprising integrating an identification system into the repository to limit access to the repository.

23. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining which of the on-board computer, when on the vehicle, and the at least one other computer has a latest version of a file; and

synchronizing the on-board computer, when on the vehicle, and the at least one other computer when the on-board computer and the at least one other computer do not have the same version of the file to thereby provide the same version of the file on the on-board computer and the at least one other computer,

whereby the synchronizing of the on-board computer and the at least one other computer to provide the same version of the file on the on-board computer and the at least one other computer includes wirelessly transferring the file from the on-board computer to the at least one other computer when the at least one computer has an earlier version of the file than the on-board computer.

17. In a vehicle having a frame, a compartment defined by the frame and in which one or more occupants are situated during use of the vehicle, components that enable use of the vehicle, and an on-board computer fixedly mounted on the frame and that is connected to the components to control the components during use of the vehicle, an arrangement for maintaining the computer comprising:

a display arranged on the frame in a position visible to the occupant of the vehicle, the on-board computer being coupled to said display; and

a communications device arranged on the vehicle and that enables the on-board computer to wirelessly communicate with at least one other computer apart from the vehicle via a communications network while the vehicle is travelling on a roadway,

the on-board computer being configured to wirelessly communicate, when on the vehicle, with the at least one other computer via said communications device to enable wireless transfer of files between the on-board computer and the at least one other computer during travel of the vehicle,

the on-board computer being further configured to communicate, during travel of the vehicle, with a repository including a navigation system computer program embodied on computer-readable media that controls operation of a navigation system of the vehicle, and a diagnostic system computer program embodied on computer-readable media that performs diagnostics on the components of the vehicle,

said on-board computer being configured to cause a map and a speed limit to be displayed on said display, wherein the map and the speed limit correspond to the roadway on which the vehicle is travelling, wherein said display is configured to provide a graphical user interface configured to support making and receiving phone calls,

the on-board computer being further configured to perform navigation functions using the navigation system computer program from the repository,

the on-board computer being further configured to perform diagnostic functions using the diagnostic system computer program from the repository, wherein said on-board computer is operatively coupled to on-board sensors, wherein the on-board sensors can be added, changed, and removed via a plug-and-play capability, wherein a type of sensor is determined based on one or both of a frequency and a delay corresponding to the sensor, and wherein a software upgrade is automatically performed when a new type of sensor is added to the vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the on-board computer is further configured to determine, when on the vehicle, which of the on-board computer and the at least one other computer has a latest version of a file, and when the on-board computer and the at least one other computer do not have the same version of a file, synchronize the on-board computer and the at least one other computer to thereby provide the same version of the file on the on-board computer and the at least one other computer,

whereby the synchronization of the on-board computer and the at least one other computer to provide the same version of the file on the on-board computer and the at least one other computer includes wirelessly transferring using the communications device, the file from the on-board computer to the at least one other computer when the at least one computer has an earlier version of the file than the on-board computer.

19. The vehicle of claim 17,

wherein the on-board computer is configured to network, when on the vehicle, with the at least one other computer after initiation of wireless communications with the at least one other computer via said communications device to synchronize files between said on-board computer and the at least one other computer, or

wherein the on-board computer is configured to determine, when on the vehicle, the presence of a linked computer and automatically start synchronization of files when the presence of the linked computer is determined.

20. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the on-board computer is operatively coupled to on-board sensors and configured to detect a health state of the one or more occupants, wherein the health state of the one or more occupants is transmitted to a remote facility.

30. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the repository has a state in which the repository exists separate and apart from the vehicle, wherein the repository is configured to facilitate navigation outside of the vehicle when the repository is removed from the vehicle.