In-vehicle networking based services

• US 8,797,953 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIT University
• Original Assignee: VIT University
• Inventors: KALIYAPERUMAL, GANESAN, PALETI, SRI LAVANYA, GARIMELLA, SRISUDHA
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US13/018,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20120039212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a process for providing in-vehicle networking services is presented. The process may be implemented to establish a first network between a sub-management server (SMS) and a main server, wherein the SMS utilizes a first networking mechanism to communicate with the main server. The process may establish a second ad-hoc network between the SMS and a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices utilizes a second networking mechanism to communicate with the SMS. The process may further transmit a first network message from the SMS to the main server, upon receiving by the SMS the first networking message from one of the plurality of mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing in-vehicle networking services, comprising:

establishing a first network between a sub-management server (SMS) and a main server, wherein the SMS utilizes a first networking mechanism to communicate with the main server;

establishing a second ad-hoc network between the SMS and a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices utilizes a second networking mechanism to communicate with the SMS;

in response to receipt by the SMS a first network message from one of the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting the first network message from the SMS to the main server;

establishing a third ad-hoc network between a second SMS and a second plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the second plurality of mobile devices utilizes the second networking mechanism to communicate with the second SMS;

connecting the second SMS with the main server via the first network; and

in response to receipt by the second SMS a second network message from one of the second plurality of mobile devices, transmitting the second network message from the second SMS to the main server.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first networking mechanism utilizes a WIFI protocol.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second networking mechanism utilizes a BLUETOOTH protocol.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the main server via the SMS, an itinerary message from a mobile device selected from the plurality of mobile devices, wherein the itinerary message includes a traveling destination; and

in response to arrival of the traveling destination, transmitting a reminding message by the main server to the mobile device via the SMS.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprises:

transmitting, by the main server via the SMS, a catalogue message to a mobile device selected from the plurality of mobile devices; and

receiving, by the main server via the SMS, an order message based on the catalogue message from the mobile device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprises:

receiving, by the main server via the SMS, an itinerary message from a mobile device located in a vehicle, wherein the mobile device is selected from the plurality of mobile devices, and the itinerary message includes a traveling destination and a notification address; and

in response to arrival of a location relevant to the traveling destination and a determination that the mobile device is located in the vehicle, transmitting a tracking message by the main server to the notification address indicating the mobile device arriving at the location.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receipt of a request from a mobile device selected from the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting a media stream to the mobile device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of itinerary messages from the plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the messages includes a corresponding itinerary request; and

transmitting an itinerary-sharing message to a subset of mobile devices having corresponding itinerary requests matched, wherein the subset of mobile devices are selected from the plurality of mobile devices that submit the plurality of itinerary messages.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a broadcasting message by the main server via the SMS to each of the plurality of mobile devices.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable medium as a set of instructions which, when executed by a computing processor, cause the computing processor to perform the method.

11. A method for utilizing in-vehicle networking services, comprising:

connecting with a main server located in a vehicle via a first networking mechanism;

connecting with a plurality of mobile devices in the vehicle via a second networking mechanism;

in response to receipt of a first message from one of the plurality of mobile devices via the second networking mechanism, transmitting the first message to the main server via the first networking mechanism;

in response to receipt of a second message from the main server via the first networking mechanism, transmitting the second message to one of the plurality of mobile devices via the second networking mechanism;

in response to receipt of a registration message from a mobile device selected from the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting a service file to the mobile device;

generating a session key for the mobile device;

receiving a service request message from the mobile device, wherein the service request message contains the session key; and

determining the identity of the mobile device by evaluating the session key in the service request message.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of messages from the plurality of mobile devices via the second networking mechanism;

concatenating the plurality of messages into a concatenated message; and

transmitting the concatenated message to the main server via the first networking mechanism, wherein the main server extracts the plurality of messages from the concatenated message and processes the plurality of messages.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

in response to receipt of a broadcasting message from the main server via the first networking mechanism, transmitting the broadcasting message to each of the plurality of mobile devices via the second networking mechanism.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of mobile devices cannot directly communicate with the main server via the first networking mechanism or the second networking mechanism.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the first networking mechanism uses a longer range wireless protocol than the second networking mechanism.

16. A system configured to provide in-vehicle networking services, comprising:

a main server located in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle contains a first vehicle compartment and a second vehicle compartment; and

a first sub-management server (SMS) and a second SMS coupled with the main server, wherein

the first SMS is located in the first vehicle compartment and the second SMS is located in the second vehicle compartment,

the main server, the first SMS, and the second SMS form a first network using a first networking mechanism,

the first SMS and the second SMS are configured to form, using a second networking mechanism, a second ad-hoc network and a third ad-hoc network, respectively,

the first SMS transmits network messages, collected from the first vehicle compartment, to the first network via the second ad-hoc network, and

the second SMS transmits network messages, collected from the second vehicle compartment, to the first network via the third ad-hoc network.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of mobile devices connected with the first SMS via the second ad-hoc network, wherein the first SMS receives network messages from the plurality of mobile devices via the second ad-hoc network using the second networking mechanism, and transmits the network messages to the main server via the first network using the first networking mechanism.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the vehicle is in motion.

19. A method for providing in-vehicle networking services, comprising:

establishing a first network between a sub-management server (SMS) and a main server, wherein the SMS utilizes a first networking mechanism to communicate with the main server;

establishing a second ad-hoc network between the SMS and a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices utilizes a second networking mechanism to communicate with the SMS;

in response to receipt by the SMS a first network message from one of the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting the first network message from the SMS to the main server;

receiving, by the main server via the SMS, an itinerary message from a mobile device selected from the plurality of mobile devices, wherein the itinerary message includes a traveling destination; and

in response to arrival of the traveling destination, transmitting a reminding message by the main server to the mobile device via the SMS.

20. A method for providing in-vehicle networking services, comprising:

establishing a first network between a sub-management server (SMS) and a main server, wherein the SMS utilizes a first networking mechanism to communicate with the main server;

establishing a second ad-hoc network between the SMS and a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices utilizes a second networking mechanism to communicate with the SMS;

in response to receipt by the SMS a first network message from one of the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting the first network message from the SMS to the main server;

transmitting, by the main server via the SMS, a catalogue message to a mobile device selected from the plurality of mobile devices; and

receiving, by the main server via the SMS, an order message based on the catalogue message from the mobile device.

21. A method for providing in-vehicle networking services, comprising:

establishing a first network between a sub-management server (SMS) and a main server, wherein the SMS utilizes a first networking mechanism to communicate with the main server;

establishing a second ad-hoc network between the SMS and a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices utilizes a second networking mechanism to communicate with the SMS;

in response to receipt by the SMS a first network message from one of the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting the first network message from the SMS to the main server;

receiving, by the main server via the SMS, an itinerary message from a mobile device located in a vehicle, wherein the mobile device is selected from the plurality of mobile devices, and the itinerary message includes a traveling destination and a notification address; and

in response to arrival of a location relevant to the traveling destination and a determination that the mobile device is located in the vehicle, transmitting a tracking message by the main server to the notification address indicating the mobile device arriving at the location.

22. A method for providing in-vehicle networking services, comprising:

establishing a first network between a sub-management server (SMS) and a main server, wherein the SMS utilizes a first networking mechanism to communicate with the main server;

establishing a second ad-hoc network between the SMS and a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices utilizes a second networking mechanism to communicate with the SMS;

in response to receipt by the SMS a first network message from one of the plurality of mobile devices, transmitting the first network message from the SMS to the main server;

receiving a plurality of itinerary messages from the plurality of mobile devices, wherein each of the messages includes a corresponding itinerary request; and

transmitting an itinerary-sharing message to a subset of mobile devices having corresponding itinerary requests matched, wherein the subset of mobile devices are selected from the plurality of mobile devices that submit the plurality of itinerary messages.