Communication control system and method for performing a transmission of data

• US 8,606,217 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Helbig, Patrik, Mnch, Ulrich, Gut, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, WESLEY LEO
• Application Number:
  US12/808,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20100273476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 455/99, 455/345, 340/438, 340/425.5, 701/36, 701/29.1
• US Class Current: 455/345
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A communication control unit for transmitting data via a transmission pathway between a tachograph and a data processing facility. The transmission pathway contains at least one partial section for a wireless transmission. The communication control unit comprises a GSM module and/or a module for wireless data transmission with the data processing device. A system, which additionally contains a tachograph and a data processing facility. The tachograph and a communication control unit associated therewith are disposed in a vehicle and said data processing facility is disposed outside said vehicle. Using the communication control unit, a method for transmitting data via a transmission pathway between a tachograph and a data processing facility is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication controller for a transmission of data between a tachograph and a data processing installation via a transmission path that comprises at least one subsection for wireless transmission, the communication controller comprises:

a GSM module for wireless data transmission with the data processing installation;

a module for wireless data transmission with the data processing installation; and

a control unit configured to control the communication controller and broker communication between the tachograph and the data processing installation for automated communication between the tachograph and the data processing installation by authenticating a remote authentication apparatus on the tachograph and authenticating the tachograph on the data processing installation.

2. The communication controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission standard for wireless data transmission is one of:

an IEEE 801.x standard,

a Bluetooth standard,

a wireless USB standard,

a radio wave standard, and

an infrared wave standard.

3. The communication controller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a connecting interface configured to connect to the tachograph, and

a power supply interface configured to provide power to the communication controller.

4. The communication controller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an additional interface configured for wire-based transmission of data, wherein the additional interface is one of a serial interface and an analog interface.

5. The communication controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the authentication apparatus is a card.

6. The communication controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the automated communication between the tachograph and the data processing occurs without the need for manual transmission steps.

7. A system for transmission of data via a transmission path between at least one tachograph and a data processing installation, the system comprises:

the at least one tachograph arranged in a vehicle;

the data processing installation arranged outside of the vehicle;

at least one communication controller, associated with the tachograph, the communication controller comprises;

a GSM module for wireless data transmission with the data processing installation;

a module for wireless data transmission with the data processing installation; and

a control unit configured to control the communication controller and broker communication between the tachograph and the data processing installation by authenticating a remote authentication apparatus on the tachograph and authenticating the tachograph on the data processing installation.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data processing installation comprises:

at least one server;

a client configured to access the server; and

a communication interface configured for wireless data transmission with the communication controller.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein for the purpose of authenticating at least one of the tachograph on the data processing installation and the data processing installation on the tachograph, the system function comprises

an authentication apparatus coupled to the data processing installation;

and

a further authentication apparatus coupled to the tachograph.

10. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the system comprises

a plurality of tachographs and respective communication controllers associated with each of the plural tachographs.

11. A method for transmission of data via a transmission path between at least one tachograph arranged in a vehicle and a data processing installation arranged a distance from the vehicle,

wherein the data is transmitted wirelessly via at least a subsection of the transmission path,

and at least one communication controller associated with the tachograph has a GSM module and a module for wireless data transmission, the method comprises:

brokering communication between the tachograph and the data processing installation;

registering the at least one communication controller on the data processing installation;

instructing the tachograph by the data processing installation to wirelessly transmit specific data between the at least one communication controller and the data processing installation;

authenticating

the at least one tachograph with the data processing installation by authenticating a remote authentication apparatus on the tachograph; and

transmitting the specific data from the at least one tachograph via the communication controller to the data processing installation.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data processing installation has a communication interface configured for wireless data transmission with the communication controller.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communication interface comprises a wireless access point and a GSM network access.

14. The method as claimed in one of claim 11, further comprising buffer-storing the data transmitted between the at least one tachograph and the data processing installation in the communication controller.

15. The method as claimed in one of claim 11, wherein the data processing installation contains information about the at least one tachograph, wherein the information comprises at least one time and an instruction to be performed from said time.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of tachographs, the data processing installation holds information for each of the plural tachographs and communicates with each of the plural tachographs independently of one another.