Autonomous in-vehicle navigation system and diagnostic system

• US 7,363,149 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Dietrich, Arne, Klausner, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/017,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,322 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/31, 701 33- 36, 701/39, 701/43, 701 62- 63, 701/76, 701/92, 701/97, 701/107, 701/207, 702183-185, 702/188, 702/182, 340/825, 340/825.06, 340/825.16, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for a wireless interface to the electronics of an automotive vehicle for a remote application in the vehicle or within communication range of the vehicle. The remote application may be a navigation system using vehicle motion sensor data to provide or improve a navigation solution for the vehicle. In an alternative embodiment, the remote application is diagnostic software running on a handheld computer that evaluates vehicle systems in a diagnostics procedure.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring at least one apparatus in a vehicle comprising:

at least one sensor situated in the vehicle for sensing at least one error code of the at least one apparatus, the at least one sensor being electrically coupled to a vehicle bus;

a gateway node situated in the vehicle, the gateway node being electrically coupled to the vehicle bus, the at least one sensor for communicating the at least one error code to the gateway node via the vehicle bus using a network protocol, the gateway node including a controller arrangement and a first wireless protocol arrangement, the first wireless protocol arrangement being coupled to the controller arrangement; and

a processor, the gateway node communicating the at least one error code to the processor via a second wireless protocol arrangement that communicates with the first wireless protocol arrangement, using a wireless communication protocol;

wherein;

the at least one error code concerns diagnostics information and is accessible from the vehicle bus; and

the at least one sensor interrogates the at least one apparatus for the at least one error code in response to receipt of a request from the processor, the request being made by the processor in response to a user input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol includes a Bluetooth protocol, the first wireless protocol arrangement includes a first Bluetooth hardware arrangement, and the second wireless protocol arrangement includes a second Bluetooth hardware arrangement.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the network protocol includes a Controller Area Network protocol.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the gateway node includes a Controller Area Network/Bluetooth gateway node.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one apparatus is at least one of a brake system, an engine system, an electrical system, and an auxiliary system.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cellphone communicator electrically coupled to the processor; and

a remote application for communicating with the cellphone communicator via a cellphone base station;

wherein the remote application is for receiving the at least one error code.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor compares the at least one error code to a look-up table to determine a status code.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the status code is communicated to a user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the status code is communicated to a user by at least one of a visual display unit and an audible signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is in a hand-held computer to enable a user to display and analyze vehicle diagnostics on the handheld computer.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor:

interrogates the at least one apparatus for the at least one error code periodically; and

for each interrogation, responsive to a determination, based on a response to the respective interrogation, that no error code is available, provides an indication of the non-availability of the error code conditional upon the respective interrogation having been performed in response to the request.

11. A method for monitoring at least one apparatus in a vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing, with at least one sensor situated in the vehicle, at least one error code of the at least one apparatus, wherein the at least one sensor is electrically coupled to a vehicle bus that is also electrically coupled to a gateway node situated in the vehicle,

communicating, with the at least one sensor, the at least one error code to the gateway node via the vehicle bus using a network protocol, wherein the gateway node includes a controller arrangement and a first wireless protocol arrangement, and the first wireless protocol arrangement is coupled to the controller arrangement; and

communicating, from the gateway node to a processor, the at least one error code to the processor via a second wireless protocol arrangement that communicates with the first wireless protocol arrangement, using a wireless communication protocol;

wherein;

the at least one error code includes diagnostics information and is accessible from the vehicle bus; and

the sensing is performed in response to receipt of a request from the processor, the request being made by the processor in response to a user input.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

comparing by the processor the at least one error code to a look-up table to determine a status code.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating the status code to a user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

communicating the status code to a user by at least one of a visual display unit and an audible signal.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication protocol includes a Bluetooth protocol, the first wireless protocol arrangement includes a first Bluetooth hardware arrangement, and the second wireless protocol arrangement includes a second Bluetooth hardware arrangement.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the network protocol includes a Controller Area Network protocol.

18. A system for monitoring an apparatus in a vehicle comprising:

a sensor situated in the vehicle configured to receive an indication of an error status in the apparatus;

a bus electrically coupled to the sensor; and

a gateway node including a Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol controller and a first wireless protocol arrangement, the CAN controller being electrically coupled to the bus and to the first wireless protocol arrangement;

wherein;

the sensor is configured to;

interrogate the apparatus for the error status indication in response to a request from any of a plurality of diagnostic processors and on its own initiative;

if the error status indication indicates no error in the apparatus, provide the error status indication to the CAN controller conditional upon that the request was received by the sensor; and

if the error status indication indicates an error, provide the error status indication to the CAN controller regardless of whether the request was received by the sensor;

the error status indication is provided by the sensor to the CAN controller via the bus using a CAN protocol;

the CAN controller is configured to provide the error status indication to the first wireless protocol arrangement;

the first wireless protocol arrangement is configured for wireless communication in which to provide the error status indication to each of the plurality of diagnostic processors, the plurality of diagnostic processors being of different processor types, each diagnostic processor one of including and coupled to a corresponding second wireless protocol arrangement via which the wireless communication occurs.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of diagnostic processors include at least one portable diagnostic processor and at least one fixed diagnostic processor.