Autonomous in-vehicle navigation system and diagnostic system

• US 20030114980A1
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Klausner, Markus, Dietrich, Arne
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for a wireless interface to the electronics of an automotive vehicle for a remote application in the vehicle or within communication range of the vehicle. The remote application may be a navigation system using vehicle motion sensor data to provide or improve a navigation solution for the vehicle. In an alternative embodiment, the remote application is diagnostic software running on a handheld computer that evaluates vehicle systems in a diagnostics procedure.

Claims

1. A system for navigating a vehicle comprising:

at least one sensor situated in the vehicle, the at least one sensor for sensing at least one datum corresponding to at least one of an instantaneous sensor value and a time-averaged sensor value, the at least one sensor electrically coupled to a vehicle bus;

a gateway node situated in the vehicle, the gateway node electrically coupled to the vehicle bus, the at least one sensor for communicating the at least one datum to the gateway node via the vehicle bus using a network protocol;

a processor, the gateway node for communicating the at least one datum to the processor using a wireless communication protocol; and

a positioning device, the positioning device electrically coupled to the processor, the processor adapted to use at least one of a former position, an initial position, and the at least one datum to determine a current position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the network protocol is a Controller Area Network protocol.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the gateway node is a Controller Area Network/Bluetooth gateway node.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor saves the current position in the memory, the current position becoming the former position when the processor retrieves the current position from the memory.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a wheel speed sensor, a velocity sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a steering angle sensor, a body-slip angle sensor, an attitude sensor, and an inertial sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is situated in a hand-held computer.

8. A device for navigating a vehicle comprising:

a processor, the processor for receiving at least one datum wirelessly from a gateway node using a wireless communication protocol, the at least one datum corresponding to at least one of an instantaneous sensor value and a time-averaged sensor value; and

a positioning device coupled to the processor, the processor adapted to use at least one of a former position, an initial position, and the at least one datum to determine a current position.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein:

the wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol; and

the gateway node is a Controller Area Network/Bluetooth gateway node.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the positioning device communicates the initial position to the processor.

11. The device of claim 8, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor saves the current position in the memory, the current position becoming the former position when the processor retrieves the current position from the memory.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is situated in a hand-held computer.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor and the positioning device are integrated in one unit.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the positioning device is at least one of a GPS receiver, a DGPS receiver, an AGPS receiver, and a cell-phone-based positioning system.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the processor determines the current position in an area of at least one of low-coverage and no-coverage of at least one of a cellphone-based positioning system and a satellite navigation system.

16. A method for navigating a vehicle comprising:

measuring at least one datum by at least one sensor, the at least one datum being at least one of an instantaneous value and a time-averaged value;

transmitting electronically the at least one datum from the at least one sensor to a gateway node via a vehicle bus using a network protocol;

transmitting wirelessly the at least one datum from the gateway node to a processor using a wireless communication protocol;

receiving an initial position from a positioning device at the processor; and

calculating a current position by the processor using at least one of a former position, the initial position, and the at least one datum.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising communicating an initial position from the positioning device to the processor.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising saving by the processor the current position in a memory, the current position becoming the former position when the processor retrieves the current position from the memory.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining, by the processor, the current position in an area of at least one of low-coverage and no-coverage of at least one of a cellphone-based positioning system and a satellite navigation system.

21. A system for monitoring at least one apparatus in a vehicle comprising:

at least one sensor situated in the vehicle, the at least one sensor for sensing at least one error code of the at least one apparatus, the at least one sensor electrically coupled to a vehicle bus;

a gateway node situated in the vehicle, the gateway node electrically coupled to the vehicle bus, the at least one sensor for communicating the at least one error code to the gateway node via the vehicle bus using a network protocol; and

a processor situated in the vehicle, the gateway node for communicating the at least one error code to the processor using a wireless communication protocol.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the network protocol is a Controller Area Network protocol.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the gateway node is a Controller Area Network/Bluetooth gateway node.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one sensor interrogates the at least one apparatus for the at least one error code when a request is received from a user.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one apparatus is at least one of a brake system, an engine system, an electrical system, and an auxiliary system.

27. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a cellphone communicator, the cellphone communicator electrically coupled to the processor; and

a remote application, the remote application for communicating with the cellphone communicator via a cellphone base station;

wherein the remote application is for receiving the at least one error code.

28. A device for monitoring at least one apparatus in a vehicle comprising:

a processor, the processor for receiving at least one error code of the at least one apparatus from a gateway node, the gateway node for communicating the at least one error code to the processor using a wireless communication protocol.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein:

the wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol; and

the gateway node is a Controller Area Network/Bluetooth gateway node.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the processor compares the at least one error code to a look-up table to determine a status code.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the status code is communicated to a user.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the status code is communicated to a user by at least one of a visual display unit and an audible signal.

33. The device of claim 28, wherein the processor is situated in a hand-held computer.

34. A method for monitoring at least one apparatus in a vehicle comprising:

measuring at least one error code by at least one sensor, the at least one error code corresponding to at least one status of the at least one apparatus;

transmitting electronically the at least one error code from the at least one sensor to a gateway node via a vehicle bus using a network protocol; and

transmitting wirelessly the at least one error code from the gateway node to a processor using a wireless communication protocol.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising comparing by the processor the at least one error code to a look-up table to determine a status code.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising communicating the status code to a user.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising communicating the status code to a user by at least one of a visual display unit and an audible signal.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising interrogating by the at least one sensor the at least one apparatus for the at least one error code when a request is received from the user.