ON BOARD VEHICLE NETWORKING MODULE

• US 20130204943A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AutoConnect Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Ricci, Christopher P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,055,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a microprocessor executable social networking module operable to enable on board processing modules of different privately owned vehicles to wirelessly connect to exchange vehicle-related information.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a microprocessor executable networking module operable to enable on board processing modules of different privately owned vehicles to wirelessly connect to exchange vehicle-related information.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the different networked vehicles are in spatial proximity to one another, wherein the networking messages are exchanged using a short wavelength radio transmission having a limited range and wherein the radio transmission uses a frequency band ranging from about 2 to about 3 GHz.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the different networked vehicles are in spatial proximity to one another, wherein the networking messages are exchanged over a short-range wireless technology forming a personal area network and wherein the information is not exchanged over the Internet.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-related information exchanged comprises fuel usage, speed, acceleration, geographic location of the vehicle, map information, inter-occupant game information, vehicle occupant information, media, and on board vehicle sensor output.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the presence reporting module determines, based on the requirement of law applicable to a current geographic location of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the networking module identifies one or more vehicles in wireless communication with a selected vehicle and wherein an occupant selects one of the one or more of the vehicles in wireless communication with which to initiate a networking session by identifying a license plate number of the vehicle and/or by identifying one or more vehicle occupants in which the occupant of the selected vehicle has a preexisting networking relationship.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the networking module determines whether the networking session can be initiated based on one or more operator restrictions and/or one or more legal restrictions applicable to a current location of the selected vehicle and wherein, when the networking session cannot be initiated, the networking module blocks the networking session from being initiated and/or continuing.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicles have different owners.

9. A method, comprising:

a microprocessor executable networking module enabling on board processing modules of different privately owned vehicles to wirelessly connect to exchange vehicle-related information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the different networked vehicles are in spatial proximity to one another, wherein the networking messages are exchanged using a short wavelength radio transmission having a limited range and wherein the radio transmission uses a frequency band ranging from about 2 to about 3 GHz.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the different networked vehicles are in spatial proximity to one another, wherein the networking messages are exchanged over a short-range wireless technology forming a personal area network and wherein the information is not exchanged over the Internet.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle-related information exchanged comprises fuel usage, speed, acceleration, geographic location of the vehicle, map information, game information, vehicle occupant information, media, and on board vehicle sensor output.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the presence reporting module determines, based on the requirement of law applicable to a current geographic location of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the networking module identifies one or more vehicles in wireless communication with a selected vehicle and wherein an occupant selects one of the one or more of the vehicles in wireless communication with which to initiate a networking session by identifying a license plate number of the vehicle and/or by identifying one or more vehicle occupants in which the occupant of the selected vehicle has a preexisting social networking relationship.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the networking module determines whether the networking session can be initiated based on one or more operator restrictions and/or one or more legal restrictions applicable to a current location of the selected vehicle and wherein, when the networking session cannot be initiated, the networking module blocks the networking session from being initiated and/or continuing.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the networking session is a social networking session and wherein the networking participants in each of the networked vehicles are members of a preexisting online community, e-community, and/or virtual community.

17. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicles have different owners.

18. A non-transient, tangible computer readable medium comprising a microprocessor executable social networking module on board a selected vehicle that, when executed, enables on board processing modules of different privately owned vehicles to wirelessly connect to exchange vehicle-related information.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the different socially networked vehicles are in spatial proximity to one another, wherein the social networking messages are exchanged using a short wavelength radio transmission having a limited range and wherein the radio transmission uses a frequency band ranging from about 2 to about 3 GHz.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the different socially networked vehicles are in spatial proximity to one another, wherein the social networking messages are exchanged over a short-range wireless technology forming a personal area network and wherein the information is not exchanged over the Internet.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the vehicle-related information exchanged comprises fuel usage, speed, acceleration, geographic location of the vehicle, map information, game information, vehicle occupant information, media, and on board vehicle sensor output.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the presence reporting module determines, based on the requirement of law applicable to a current geographic location of the vehicle.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the social networking module identifies one or more vehicles in wireless communication with a selected vehicle and wherein an occupant selects one of the one or more of the vehicles in wireless communication with which to initiate a social networking session by identifying a license plate number of the vehicle and/or by identifying one or more vehicle occupants in which the occupant of the selected vehicle has a preexisting social networking relationship.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the social networking module determines whether the social networking session can be initiated based on one or more operator restrictions and/or one or more legal restrictions applicable to a current location of the selected vehicle and wherein, when the social networking session cannot be initiated, the social networking module blocks the social networking session from being initiated and/or continuing.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the vehicles have different owners.