Method and apparatus to monitor ambient sensing devices

• US 20080189009A1
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Wang, Yue-Yun, Chang, Man-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2829 Testing of circuits in sensor or actuator systems testing of apparatus for measuring electric or magnetic variables G01R35/00; testing of indicating or recording apparatus G01D; in airbag systems B60R21/0173; checking gas analysers G01N33/007; monitoring or fail-safe circuits for electromagnets H01F7/1844
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method is provided to monitor operation of a sensing system for a motor vehicle equipped with inter-vehicle communications capability. The method comprises comparing analogous signals communicated from a plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto.

Claims

1. Method for monitoring a sensing system for a vehicle equipped with inter-vehicle communications capability, comprising:

comparing analogous signal readings received from a plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing system is operative to monitor an ambient condition.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensing system operative to monitor an ambient condition comprises the sensing system operative to monitor one of pressure and temperature.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensing system operative to monitor ambient conditions comprises the sensing system operative to monitor humidity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing analogous signal readings comprises selectively comparing signal readings from the vehicle and the plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising identifying a fault in the sensing system of the vehicle based upon the selectively compared signal readings.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising estimating a correct value for the monitored signal reading based upon the signal readings from the plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising controlling operation of the vehicle based upon the estimated correct value for the monitored signal reading.

9. The method of claim 5, comprising determining the sensing system of the vehicle is functioning as intended when differences between the selectively compared signal readings are each less than a threshold.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein selectively comparing analogous signal readings received from a plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto comprises executing a voting scheme to compare signal readings from the vehicle and the plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing analogous signal readings received from a plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto to identify faults in in-range signal readings output from the sensing system.

12. Method for controlling a vehicle equipped with inter-vehicle communications capability, comprising:

selectively comparing analogous signal readings from the vehicle and a plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto;

identifying a fault in a sensing system of the vehicle based upon the selectively compared analogous signal readings;

estimating a correct value for the monitored signal reading based upon the signal readings from the vehicles in close proximity thereto; and

,

controlling operation of the vehicle based upon the estimated correct value for the monitored signal reading.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein selectively comparing the analogous signal readings comprises executing a voting scheme to compare signal readings from the vehicle and the plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensing system is operative to monitor an ambient condition.

15. Method for monitoring a sensing system for a vehicle equipped with extra-vehicle communications capability, comprising:

receiving information from an external source and estimating a reading from the received information; and

,

comparing the estimated reading to a signal output from the sensing system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensing system comprises an ambient pressure sensing system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving information from an external source comprises receiving elevation information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein estimating a reading from the received information comprises estimating an ambient pressure based upon the elevation.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising identifying a fault in the ambient pressure sensing system when the estimated ambient pressure varies from the monitored ambient pressure by an amount greater than a threshold.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method is implemented on a land vehicle.