Method of operating a mobile router

• US 8,995,254 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Autonet Mobile, Inc.
• Inventors: Moeller, Douglas S, Pashby, Ronald W
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DINH
• Application Number:
  US13/373,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20120155252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/328, 370/331, 370/332, 370/338, 370/346, 370/359, 370/401, 370/419, 370/463, 455/3.01, 455/11.1, 455/41.2, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/445, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 370/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports

Abstract

A method comprises: providing a wireless mobile router in a vehicle, the mobile router being operable to establish a communication link to a network management system; utilizing the mobile router to collect data independent of the router being coupled to the network management system; storing the data in the router; establishing a first communication link between the router and the network management system upon an occurrence of a first predetermined event; operating the router to upload the data to the network management system upon occurrence of the first predetermined event; and transmitting the data to the network management system via the first communication link.

Claims

1. A wireless mobile router in a vehicle, said mobile router comprising:

a wireless wide area network interface utilizable to access a wide area network;

a wireless local area network interface utilizable to access a wireless local area network;

apparatus operable to automatically select and utilize one of said wireless wide area network interface and said wireless local area network interface to establish a communication link and couple said mobile router to a network management system, said network management system operable to monitor, administer and manage data communications with a plurality of mobile routers;

apparatus to collect data independent of said mobile router being coupled to said network management system via said communication link;

a memory for storing said data;

said mobile router operable to establish said communication link between said mobile router and said network management system upon an occurrence of a first predetermined event;

said mobile router operable to upload said data to said network management system upon occurrence of said predetermined event;

said mobile router is operable to upload said data to said network management system via said communication link;

said mobile router synchronizes transmitting said transmitted data with said network management system when said first communication link is established;

said mobile router detects data transmission communication to said network management system via said first communication link is interrupted;

said mobile router determines a second communication link to said network management system is reestablished; and

said mobile router operates to restore uploading said data subsequent to establishment of said second communication link and that no data is lost.

2. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said mobile router selects said data to comprise at least one of diagnostic data for said vehicle and statistical data.

3. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said mobile router provides time stamps for said data;

said mobile router stores said time stamps in said router in association with corresponding data.

4. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vehicle comprises a standardized data bus, and said mobile router further comprises:

a coupling to said vehicle standardized data bus; and

said mobile router is operable to obtain said data from said vehicle via said standardized data bus.

5. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said mobile router selects said data to comprise at least one of diagnostic data for said vehicle obtained from said bus and statistical data.

6. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 4, comprising:

said router is operable to determine whether said data is data of a first type or data of a second type;

said router is operable to process said first type data and to prepare said processed first data for uploading to said network management system; and

said router is operable to prepare said second type data and to immediately upload said second type data to said network management system.

7. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

one or more application programs executable to collect said data.

8. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said router is coupled to at least one of a peripheral device and an interface to said vehicle; and

said collected data is collected from said at least one of said peripheral device and said interface.

9. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 8, comprising:

one or more application programs, said one or more application programs operable to determine said data collected.

10. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said mobile router is operable to assign a priority to said data collected; and

said assigned priority is utilized by said mobile router to determine when said data is uploaded.

11. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 10, wherein:

said mobile router utilizes said assigned priority to determine the data rate at which said data is uploaded.

12. A wireless mobile router in a vehicle comprising:

a wireless wide area network interface;

a wireless local area network;

said mobile router is operable to automatically select and establish a communication link via a selected one of said wireless wide area network interface and said wireless local area network interface to couple said mobile router to a network management system, said network management system operable to monitor, administer and manage data communications with a plurality of mobile routers;

said mobile router is operable to collect data independent of said router being coupled to said network management system;

said mobile router stores said data in said mobile router;

said mobile router is operable to establish said communication link between said mobile router and said network management system upon an occurrence of a first predetermined event;

said mobile router is operable to upload said data to a network management system at a predetermined time;

said mobile router transmits said data to said network management system via said communication link;

said mobile router synchronizes transmitting said transmitted data with said network management system when said first communication link is established;

said mobile router detects data transmission communication to said network management system via said first communication link is interrupted;

said mobile router determines a second communication link to said network management system is reestablished; and

said mobile router operates to restore uploading said data subsequent to establishment of said second communication link and that no data is lost.

13. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said data comprises at least one of diagnostic data for said vehicle and statistical data.

14. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said mobile router generates time stamps for said data;

said mobile router stores said time stamps in said mobile router in association with corresponding data.

15. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said vehicle comprises a standardized data bus;

said mobile router is coupled to said vehicle standardized data bus; and

said mobile router obtains said data from said vehicle via said standardized data bus.

16. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

said data as at least one of diagnostic data for said vehicle and statistical data.

17. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

said mobile router determines whether said data is data of a first type or data of a second type;

said mobile router processes said first type data and prepares said processed first data for uploading to said network management system; and

said mobile router operates to prepare said second type data for immediate uploading to said network management system.

18. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

one or more application programs operable to collect said data.

19. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said mobile router is coupled to at least one of a peripheral device and an interface to said vehicle;

said mobile router collects said collected data from said at least one of said peripheral device and said interface.

20. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 19, comprising:

one or more application programs operable to determine said data collected.

21. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said mobile router assigns a priority to said data collected; and

said mobile router utilizes said assigned priority to determine when said data is uploaded.

22. A wireless mobile router in accordance with claim 21, comprising:

said mobile router utilizes said assigned priority to determine the data rate at which said data is uploaded.