Vehicle Gateway Module Having Cellular Data Network Connectivity

• US 20160105513A1
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Bauman, Jason G., Grabowski, Gerald L.
• Application Number:
  US14/513,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

A vehicle gateway module is configured to communicate over vehicle networks connected to the gateway module with vehicle devices connected to the vehicle networks. The gateway module has a cellular data link which provides a direct connection between the gateway module and the Internet whereby communication between a vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module and the Internet is enabled via the gateway module and the cellular data link.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle comprising:

a gateway module configured to communicate over vehicle networks connected to the gateway module with vehicle devices connected to the vehicle networks, the gateway module having a cellular data link which provides a direct connection between the gateway module and the Internet whereby communication between a vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module and the Internet is enabled via the gateway module and the cellular data link.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the gateway module is further configured to receive re-flash software via the cellular data link from a remote entity connected to the Internet for receipt by a recipient vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the gateway module is further configured to exchange communication communicated via the cellular data link between a remote entity connected to the Internet and a vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle networks are respectively one of a Controller Area Network (CAN), a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), an Ethernet network, a F1exRay™

network, and a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) network.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle networks use different communication protocols from one another.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the gateway module is further configured to enable communication between vehicle devices connected to vehicle networks connected to the gateway module in which the vehicle networks use different communication protocols from one another.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the cellular data link is one of a 3G data link and a 4G data link.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the gateway module further includes a first wireless link, the first wireless link being one of a WiFi™

wireless link and a Bluetooth™

wireless link.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:

the gateway module further includes a second wireless link, the second wireless link being the other one of a WiFi™

wireless link and a Bluetooth™

wireless link.

10. A method for a vehicle comprising:

providing a gateway module configured to communicate over vehicle networks connected to the gateway module with vehicle devices connected to the vehicle networks; and

communicating, via the gateway module and a cellular data link of the gateway module in which the cellular data link provides a direct connection between the gateway module and the Internet, between a vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module and the Internet.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving by the gateway module, via the cellular data link, re-flash software for receipt by a recipient vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

transferring by the gateway module the re-flash software to the recipient vehicle device over the vehicle network connected to the recipient vehicle device.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transferring by a remote entity connected to the Internet, via the cellular data link and the gateway module, re-flash software to a recipient vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

communicating, via the cellular data link and the gateway module, between a vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module and a remote entity connected to the Internet.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

controlling by a remote entity connected to the Internet, via the cellular data link and the gateway module, a targeted vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving by a remote entity connected to the Internet, via the cellular data link and the gateway module, diagnostic information from a targeted vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module.

17. A method for a vehicle comprising:

providing a gateway module configured to communicate over vehicle networks connected to the gateway module with vehicle devices connected to the vehicle networks and having a cellular data link which provides a direct connection between the gateway module and the Internet; and

downloading from a remote entity connected to the Internet, via the cellular data link, re-flash software to a recipient vehicle device connected to a vehicle network connected to the gateway module.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the downloading includes communicating from the remote entity, via the cellular data link, the re-flash software to the gateway module, and subsequently transferring by the gateway module the re-flash software to the recipient vehicle device over the vehicle network connected to the recipient vehicle device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the vehicle devices include vehicle controllers and vehicle sensors.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein:

the cellular data link is one of a 3G data link and a 4G data link.