OPERATING A MOBILE HOTSPOT AT A VEHICLE

• US 20170150531A1
• Filed: 11/19/2015
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: HORBATT, Kevin R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,383,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A system and method of operating a mobile hotspot at a vehicle. The system involves use of a vehicle that includes a battery and a charging port, wherein the charging port connects the vehicle to an external power source and is electrically connected to the battery to provide the battery with electrical power from the external power source when connected; a wireless access point, wherein the access point is powered by the battery in the vehicle and wherein the access point wirelessly provides Internet access to one or more wireless devices located in or within a proximity of the vehicle; and a controller, wherein the controller enables operation of the access point while the vehicle is powered off when the vehicle is connected to the external power source via the charging port.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile hotspot at a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes vehicle electronics that include a mobile hotspot which operates to provide wireless connectivity for one or more non-vehicle wireless devices located in the vehicle or within a proximity of the vehicle, wherein the method is carried out by the vehicle electronics and comprises the steps of:

(a) determining a vehicle condition for which the mobile hotspot is to be operated while the vehicle is powered off, wherein the determination comprises carrying out at least one of the following steps (a1)-(a3);

(a1) determining (i) that a vehicle battery used to power the mobile hotspot is being charged, (ii) that at least one of the one or more non-vehicle wireless devices are connected to the mobile hotspot, (iii) that the vehicle battery is not in a low battery state, or any combination of (i)-(iii);

(a2) determining that the vehicle is at a predetermined geographic location and/or that the vehicle has been powered off for less than a predetermined wait time;

(a3) receiving a user request for operation of the mobile hotspot via a vehicle user interface located in the vehicle or via wireless communication to the vehicle; and

(b) operating the mobile hotspot while the vehicle is powered off based on the determination in step (a).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination in step (a1) comprises determining a vehicle electronics state, the determination in step (a2) comprises determining a vehicle setting, and the determination in step (a3) comprises receiving a vehicle input, and wherein step (b) further comprises operating the mobile hotspot based on at least one vehicle electronics state and at least one vehicle setting, at least one vehicle electronics state and at least one vehicle input, at least one vehicle setting and at least one vehicle input, or at least one vehicle electronics state, one vehicle setting, and one vehicle input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination in step (a) comprises determining that the vehicle is connected to an external charging device that supplies charging power to the vehicle battery, and also comprises receiving a user request to operate the mobile hotspot.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the user request further comprises receiving the user request via a software application installed on a non-vehicle device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination in step (a) comprises determining that at least one of the one or more non-vehicle wireless devices are connected to the mobile hotspot when the vehicle is switched from being powered on to being powered off, and also comprises receiving a user request to continue operation of the mobile hotspot.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination in step (a) comprises determining that one or more conditions of a user-selectable vehicle configuration option are met.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user-selectable vehicle configuration option includes one or more geographic locations and wherein the user-selectable vehicle configuration option causes the vehicle electronics to operate the mobile hotspot while the vehicle is powered off when the vehicle is at one of the one or more geographic locations.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of subsequently terminating operation of the mobile hotspot based on determining that the vehicle battery is in a low battery state.

9. A method of controlling operation of a mobile hotspot at a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) operating a mobile hotspot at the vehicle while the vehicle is powered on, wherein the vehicle includes vehicle electronics that include the mobile hotspot which provides wireless connectivity for one or more non-vehicle wireless devices located in the vehicle or within a proximity of the vehicle;

(b) subsequently after step (a), maintaining operation of the mobile hotspot for a period of time after the vehicle is powered off;

(c) detecting that the vehicle is connected to an external power source during step (b); and

(d) continuing to operate the mobile hotspot in response to step (c).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein step (b) further comprises determining that at least one of the one or more non-vehicle wireless devices is connected to the mobile hotspot and maintaining operation of the mobile hotspot in response to the determination irrespective of whether the vehicle is connected to the external power source.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of detecting that at least one of the one or more non-vehicle wireless devices has been disconnected from the mobile hotspot and, subsequently, terminating operation of the mobile hotspot.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising prompting an operator of the vehicle upon the vehicle powering off, to request an input indicating if the vehicle should continue operate the mobile hotspot.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a notification to an operator of the vehicle upon the vehicle powering off that the vehicle will continue to operate the mobile hotspot.

14. A vehicle that provides a mobile hotspot, wherein the vehicle includes vehicle electronics installed in the vehicle, the vehicle electronics comprising:

a vehicle battery that provides electric power to at least some portions of the vehicle electronics;

a charging port that connects the vehicle to an external power source and is electrically coupled to the battery to charge the battery with electrical power from the external power source when connected;

a wireless access point, wherein the access point is powered by the battery in the vehicle and wherein the access point wirelessly provides Internet access to one or more wireless devices located in or within a proximity of the vehicle; and

a controller, wherein the controller enables operation of the access point while the vehicle is powered off and connected to the external power source via the charging port.

15. The system set forth in claim 14, wherein the wireless access device comprises a router.

16. The system set forth in claim 14, wherein the vehicle electronics further comprise a telematics unit operatively connected to the access point, wherein the Internet access provided by the access point is obtained via the telematics unit over a data connection to a wireless communication system.