Using V2X in-network session maintenance protocols to enable instant chatting applications

• US 8,032,081 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Grimm, Donald K., Bai, Fan
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOUSTON, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US12/415,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20100248618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/569.2, 701/1
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• 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: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]

Abstract

A system and method for allowing vehicle occupants to wirelessly chat with each other over a DSRC channel. A vehicle occupant may initiate a chatting session by wirelessly transmitting a request to speak with an occupant of another vehicle in its vicinity on a certain topic in a multi-hop manner. If the request is accepted by the occupant of another vehicle to enter into a chatting session on that topic, a wireless communications link is established between the two vehicles, where messages may be transmitted through other intermediate vehicles. The chatting session is maintained by monitoring the signal strength of the links between the vehicles in the chain of vehicles and new links are re-established if any of the existing links fail.

Claims

1. A method for providing a wireless chatting session between vehicle occupants of vehicles, said method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a chatting request message from a chatting initiator vehicle;

receiving the chatting request message at a plurality of other vehicles;

accepting the chatting request message by a chatting partner vehicle by sending an accept chatting message back to the chatting initiator vehicle; and

establishing a chatting path between the chatting initiator vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle through an intermediate vehicle where the intermediate vehicle transfers chatting messages as a relay vehicle between the chatting initiator vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle to allow occupants of the vehicles to speak to each other.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising monitoring a communications link between the chatting initiator vehicle, the intermediate vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle to determine whether the chatting path will be maintained.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein monitoring the communications link includes monitoring the signal strength of message packets sent between the vehicles.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein monitoring the communications link includes determining that the communications link will be broken if the signal strength of message packets falls below −

90 dBm.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein monitoring the communications link includes monitoring the residual link duration of the messages to determine if it is less than a predetermined time period.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein monitoring the communications link includes determining that the communications link will be broken if the residual link derivation falls below 1 minute.

7. The method according to claim 2 further comprising re-establishing the communications link if a communications link is broken.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising ending the chatting session by either the chatting initiator vehicle or the chatting partner vehicle by sending a message ending the chatting session to destroy the chatting path.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein transferring the chatting messages through an intermediate vehicle includes transmitting the chatting message through a plurality of intermediate vehicles.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting a chatting request message includes transmitting a chatting request message on a specific topic.

12. The method according to claim 2 wherein monitoring the communications link includes monitoring the signal strength of message packets sent between the vehicles.

13. The method according to claim 2 wherein monitoring the communications link includes monitoring the residual link duration of the messages to determine if it is less than a predetermined time period.

11. A method for providing a wireless chatting session between vehicle occupants of vehicles, said method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a chatting request message from a chatting initiator vehicle on a specific topic;

receiving the chatting request message at a plurality of other vehicles;

accepting the chatting request message by a chatting partner vehicle by sending an accept chatting message back to the chatting initiator vehicle;

establishing a chatting path between the chatting initiator vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle through a plurality of intermediate vehicles where the plurality of intermediate vehicles transfer chatting messages between the chatting initiator vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle to allow occupants of the vehicles to speak to each other;

monitoring a communications link between the chatting initiator vehicle, the intermediate vehicles and the chatting partner vehicle to determine whether the chatting path will be maintained;

re-establishing the communications link if a communications link is broken; and

ending the chatting session by either the chatting initiator vehicle or the chatting partner vehicle by sending a message ending the chatting session to destroy the chatting path.

14. A system for providing a wireless chatting session between vehicle occupants of vehicles;

said system comprising;

means for wirelessly transmitting a chatting request message from a chatting initiator vehicle;

means for receiving the chatting request message at a plurality of other vehicles;

means for accepting the chatting request message by a chatting partner vehicle by sending an accept chatting message back to the chatting initiator vehicle; and

means for establishing a chatting path between the chatting initiator vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle through an intermediate vehicle where the intermediate vehicle transfers chatting messages between the chatting initiator vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle to allow occupants of the vehicles to speak to each other.

15. The system according to claim 14 further comprising means for monitoring a communications link between the chatting initiator vehicle, the intermediate vehicle and the chatting partner vehicle to determine whether the chatting path will be maintained.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the means for monitoring the communications link monitors the signal strength of message packets sent between the vehicles.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the means for monitoring the communications link monitors the residual link duration of the messages to determine if it is less than a predetermined time period.

18. The system according to claim 14 further comprising means for re-establishing the communications link if a communications link is broken.

19. The system according to claim 14 further comprising means for ending the chatting session by either the chatting initiator vehicle or the chatting partner vehicle by sending a message ending the chatting session to destroy the chatting path.

20. The system according to claim 14 wherein the means for establishing a chatting path transfers the chatting messages through a plurality of intermediate vehicles.