Route-based communication planning architecture and method for wireless communication

• US 6,898,432 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Daimlerchrysler Research And Technology North America, Inc. (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Jiang, Xi
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/718,007
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/422, 455/432, 455/440, 455/456, 455/457, 455/414.1, 455/432.1, 455/553.1, 455/552.1, 455/414.2, 370/310.2, 370/331, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method for selecting which of a plurality of wireless communication options will be used by a mobile communication device based on the location of the device on a route, the route, and the availability of each of the wireless communication options along the route. Information indicative of coverage areas for the wireless communication options available along the route are stored in a database. In a further embodiment, selection of a wireless communications option may be based on the needs of application programs that use the mobile communication device. In another embodiment, a request for information is sent from the vehicle to a wireless communications network, and the information is routed, based on a predicted time when the vehicle will be able to communicate with an info-fueling station, to the info-fueling station and downloaded to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of selecting which of a plurality of wireless communication options will be used by a mobile communication device, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database information indicative of coverage areas for the wireless communication options along a route that the mobile communication device will be traversing, including storing boundary locations of the coverage areas for the wireless communication options along the route where the boundary locations stored are limited to boundary locations that are on streets of the route;

(b) determining at the mobile communication device where on the route that the mobile communication device is at as it traverses the route;

(c) accessing the database to obtain information regarding the communication options available alone the route;

(d) determining whether to switch from a first one of the wireless communication options presently being used to a second one of the wireless communication options when the mobile communication device approaches a boundary of a coverage area of one of the wireless communication options based on the wireless communication options available once the boundary is crossed and those that will be available further alone the route;

(e) switching from the first one of the wireless communication options to the second one of the wireless communication options if the determination was made to switch to that second one of the wireless communication options; and

(f) obtaining updated information concerning the coverage areas of the wireless communication options and updating the database with the updated information,

wherein one of the plurality of wireless communication options is not using any wireless communication, and

wherein the step of obtaining updated information concerning the coverage areas of the wireless communication options includes obtaining this information from providers of the wireless communication options.

2. A method of selecting which of a plurality of wireless communication options will be used by a mobile communication device, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database information indicative of coverage areas for the wireless communication options along a route that the mobile communication device will be traversing, including storing boundary locations of the coverage areas for the wireless communication options alone the route where the boundary locations stored are limited to boundary locations that are on streets of the route;

(b) determining at the mobile communication device where on the route that the mobile communication device is at as it traverses the route;

(c) accessing the database to obtain information regarding the communication options available along the route,

(d) determining whether to switch from a first one of the wireless communication options presently being used to a second one of the wireless communication options when the mobile communication device approaches a boundary of a coverage area of one of the wireless communication options based on the wireless communication options available once the boundary is crossed and those that will be available further along the route;

(e) switching from the first one of the wireless communication options to the second one of the wireless communication options if the determination was made to switch to that second one of the wireless communication options; and

(f) obtaining updated information concerning the coverage areas of the wireless communication options and updating the database with the updated information,

wherein one of the plurality of wireless communication options is not using any wireless communication, and

wherein the step of obtaining updated information concerning the coverage areas of the wireless communication options includes the mobile communication device monitoring signal strengths of the wireless communication options as it passes through the coverage areas for the wireless communication options and developing updated information concerning coverage areas for the wireless communication options based on the monitored signal strengths of the wireless communication options.

3. The method of claim 2 herein the step of updating the database with the updated information includes determining whether the updated information is for a location presently in the database,

(a) if the updated information is for a location not presently in the database, then storing the updated information in the database for the location;

(b) if the updated information is for a location presently in the database, comparing the updated information with the information stored in the database for the location and updating the stored information if updated information is different from the stored information.

4. A method of selecting which of a plurality of wireless communication options will be used by a mobile communication device, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a database information indicative of coverage areas for the wireless communication options alone a route that the mobile communication device will be traversing, including storing boundary locations of the coverage areas for the wireless communication options along the route where the boundary locations stored are limited to boundary locations that are on streets of the route;

(b) determining at the mobile communication device where on the route that the mobile communication device is at as it traverses the route;

(c) accessing the database to obtain information regarding the communication options available along the route,

(d) determining whether to switch from a first one of the wireless communication options presently being used to a second one of the wireless communication options when the mobile communication device approaches a boundary of a coverage area of one of the wireless communication options based on the wireless communication options available once the boundary is crossed and those that will be available further along the route;

(e) switching from the first one of the wireless communication options to the second one of the wireless communication options if the determination was made to switch to that second one of the wireless communication options; and

(f) obtaining updated information concerning the coverage areas of the wireless communication options and updating the database with the updated information,

wherein one of the plurality of wireless communication options is not using any wireless communication, and

wherein the step of updating the database with the updated information includes determining whether the updated information is for a location for which information is presently stored in the database,

(a) if the updated information is for a location not presently in the database, then storing the updated information in the database for the location;

(b) if the updated information is for a location presently in the database, comparing the updated information with the information stored in the database for the location and updating the stored information if updated information is different from the stored information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of updating stored information comprises shifting the stored information toward the updated information by a parameter and replacing the stored information with the shifted stored information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of updating the stored information comprises doing so with a running average method wherein the stored information is the running average of initial information and subsequent update information.

7. A method of storing data in a database that is indicative of coverage areas for wireless communication options alone a route that a mobile communication device is traversing, comprising the steps of

(a) storing boundary locations of the coverage areas for the wireless communication options along the route in the database where the boundary locations are boundary locations on streets of the route;

(b) periodically obtaining updated information at the location of the mobile communication device concerning the coverage areas of the wireless communication options as the mobile communication device traverses the route; and

(c) updating the database with the updated information,

wherein the step of updating the database with the undated information includes determining whether the undated information is for a location for which information is presently stored in the database,

(a) if the updated information is for a location not presently in the database, then storing the undated information in the database for the location;

(b) if the undated information is for a location presently in the database, comparing the undated information with the information stored in the database for the location and updating the stored information if updated information is different from the stored information, and

wherein the step of updating stored information comprises shifting the stored information toward the updated information by a parameter and replacing the stored information with the shifted stored information.

8. A method of storing data in a database that is indicative of coverage areas for wireless communication options alone a route that a mobile communication device is traversing, comprising the steps of

(a) storing boundary locations of the coverage areas for the wireless communication options alone the route in the database where the boundary locations are boundary locations on streets of the route;

(b) periodically obtaining updated information at the location of the mobile communication device concerning the coverage areas of the wireless communication options as the mobile communication device traverses the route; and

(c) updating the database with the undated information,

wherein the step of updating the database with the updated information includes determining whether the updated information is for a location for which information is presently stored in the database,

(a) if the undated information is for a location not presently in the database, then storing the updated information in the database for the location;

(b) if the undated information is for a location presently in the database, comparing the undated information with the information stored in the database for the location and updating the stored information if updated information is different from the stored information, and

wherein the step of updating the stored information comprises doing so with a running average method wherein the stored information is the running average of initial information and subsequent update information.