Automotive multi-generation connectivity

• US 9,031,498 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Bertz, Lyle T., Delker, Jason R., Shipley, Trevor D., Oommen, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/094,494
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/560, 455/561, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 340/539.1, 34053911-53929
• US Class Current: 455/13.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

A processor-implemented method is provided. The method comprises a communications control device installed in a motor vehicle receiving a wireless communication from a short range wireless device. The method also comprises the communications control device selecting a first radio from a plurality of radios available to transmit the wireless communication to the destination specified in the wireless communication, wherein the radios are components of the communications control device. The method also comprises the communications control device determining that a second radio is connected to a physical expansion slot, wherein the physical expansion slot is a component of the communications control device. The method also comprises the communications control device selecting the second radio for transmission of the wireless communication based on applying at least one decision criterion to the first radio and the second radio and the device transmitting the wireless communication to the specified destination using the second radio.

Claims

1. A method of automotive multi-generation connectivity that enables a short range wireless device in a motor vehicle to exchange transmissions with one or more long range wireless devices not in the motor vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a communications control device installed in the motor vehicle, a wireless communication from the short range wireless device;

applying, by the communications control device, at least one decision criterion to a first radio of a plurality of radios and a second radio available to transmit the wireless communication to a destination specified in the wireless communication, wherein each of the plurality of radios is a component of the communications control device, and wherein one of the plurality of radios provides a mobile access point;

selecting, by the communications control device, the second radio for transmission of the wireless communication based on the application of the at least one decision criterion to the first radio and the second radio; and

transmitting, by the communications control device, the wireless communication to the specified destination using the second radio;

transmitting, by the communications control device, wireless communications received via the mobile wireless access point to the short range wireless device, wherein the wireless communications are received from a remote long range wireless device;

detecting, by the communications control device, that a signal strength of a stationary wireless access point exceeds a predetermined level; and

turning off, by the communications control device, the mobile wireless access point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one decision criterion comprises comparison of transmission rate and signal strength associated with each of the first radio and the second radio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications control device comprises a connection manager device and a switch component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection manager device causes the switch component to transmit wireless traffic received from a plurality of proximate short range devices to a plurality of remote long range devices and causes the switch component to transmit wireless traffic received from the plurality of remote long range devices to the plurality of proximate short range devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the proximate short range devices are transported by the motor vehicle and comprise at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a media player, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a game player.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection manager device is associated with a Wi-Fi access point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication from the short range wireless device is received using WiFi technology, International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) technology, known as 3G, or Bluetooth technology.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications control device determines that the second radio is connected to a physical expansion slot, wherein the physical expansion slot is a component of the communications control device, and wherein the communications control device determines the electric power of the second radio.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical expansion slot provides connectivity to a long range wireless device, wherein the long range wireless device is based on a 4G technology or successor technologies, and wherein the 4G technology is a successor to a 3G technology.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second radio is one of the plurality of radios.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second radio is connected to a physical expansion slot in the motor vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the stationary wireless access point and the mobile wireless access point are WiFi access points.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the stationary wireless access point and the mobile wireless access point share a common service set identifier (SSID).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a connection manager device of the communications control device determines that the service set identifier (SSID) of the stationary wireless access point and the service set identifier (SSID) of the mobile wireless access point match prior to turning off the mobile wireless access point.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the stationary wireless access point is located in a residential or a commercial structure.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the communications control device, that a received signal strength of a wireless access point exceeds a predetermined threshold;

receiving, by the communications control device, a first wireless communication from the wireless access point;

determining, by the communications control device, that the first wireless communication contains a request for information about the motor vehicle; and

sending, by the communications control device, a second wireless communication to a source of the first wireless communication, the second wireless communication providing the information requested about the motor vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first wireless communication is sent by an automobile service facility.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a connection manager device of the communications control device accesses a stored policy to determine the information to provide in the second wireless communication, and wherein the information comprises at least one of a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the motor vehicle, an odometer reading of the motor vehicle, or at least one item of diagnostic information about the motor vehicle.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving at least some of the requested information from a transmission control unit (TCU) installed in the motor vehicle.