Road trip vehicle to vehicle communication system

• US 9,125,020 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Banasky, Lawrence Jr., Hermann, Thomas Joseph, Wisnewski, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US14/030,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/29, 701/482
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]

Abstract

A method of coordinating a plurality of road vehicles includes obtaining information related to a first vehicle that is relevant to a road trip with which the first vehicle and at least a second vehicle are involved, uploading the information to a server wirelessly, and downloading the information from the server wirelessly to at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining road trip information related to a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles of a road trip;

uploading the road trip information to a server external to the vehicles for downloading by the vehicles; and

uploading invitation information to the server related to a road trip participant not yet part of the road trip to inform the participant where to meet one of the vehicles to join the road trip.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining information comprises obtaining navigational information, wherein the navigational information includes at least one of GPS coordinates of the first vehicle, and a speed of the first vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises displaying the navigational information on a map in at least one of the first vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining information comprises obtaining information related to vehicle health, wherein the information related to the vehicle health includes one of a fuel level of the first vehicle, an operating temperature of the first vehicle, a trouble code of the first vehicle, and an output of a flat tire sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly communicating between the first vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles by the steps of:

uploading a communication from the first vehicle wirelessly to the server; and

downloading the communication to the second vehicle wirelessly from the server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication comprises one of information related to a rest stop, information related to a restaurant, information related to a new destination, information related to sleeping accommodations, and a text message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining information comprises obtaining a digital image using an object detection sensor that is attached to the first vehicle, and wherein the step of uploading includes uploading the digital image to the server.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing the vehicles prior to beginning the road trip by the steps of:

identifying one of the plurality of vehicles as a primary vehicle;

providing a digital map to each vehicle from their beginning location to an end location; and

enabling the primary vehicle to delete a vehicle from the road trip.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the road trip as an overland trip by at least the first vehicle and a second vehicle to a common destination.

9. A system, comprising:

a communication device, positioned in a first road vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, configured to;

obtain road trip information related to the first vehicle that is relevant to a road trip with which the first vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles are involved;

upload the information to a server external to the plurality of vehicles, the server configured to make the information available for download to at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and

upload invitation information related to a road trip participant that is not yet part of the road trip to the server, to cause the server to inform the road trip participant of where to meet one of the vehicles of the road trip so that the participant can join the road trip.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to:

upload a communication from the first vehicle wirelessly to the server; and

download the communication to the second vehicle wirelessly from the server.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication comprises one of information related to a rest stop, information related to a restaurant, information related to a new destination, information related to sleeping accommodations, and a text message.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is configured to obtain the information as a digital image and with an object detection sensor that is attached to the first vehicle, and wherein the system is configured to upload the digital image to the server.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions that, when executing by a computer, cause the computer to:

obtain road trip information related to a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles that is relevant to a road trip with which the first vehicle and at least a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles are involved;

upload the road trip information to a server external to the vehicles to make the road trip information available for download from the server to at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and

upload invitation information related to a road trip participant that is not yet part of the road trip to the server, to cause the server to inform the road trip participant of where to meet one of the vehicles of the road trip so that the participant can join the road trip.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer is further caused to obtain the information as navigational information, wherein the navigational information includes at least one of GPS coordinates of the first vehicle, and a speed of the first vehicle, and wherein the computer is further caused to display the navigational information on a map in at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer is further caused to obtain the information as information related to vehicle health, wherein the information related to the vehicle health includes one of a fuel level of the first vehicle, an operating temperature of the first vehicle, a trouble code of the first vehicle, and an output of a flat tire sensor.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer is further caused to wirelessly communicate between the first and second vehicles by being caused to:

upload a communication from the first vehicle wirelessly to the server; and

download the communication to the second vehicle wirelessly from the server.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the communication comprises one of information related to a rest stop, information related to a restaurant, information related to a new destination, information related to sleeping accommodations, and a text message.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer is further caused to synchronize the vehicles prior to beginning the road trip by being caused to:

identify one of the first and second vehicles as a lead vehicle,

provide a digital map to each vehicle from their beginning location to an end location; and

enable the lead vehicle to delete a vehicle from the road trip.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer is further caused to define the road trip as an overland trip by at least the first vehicle and the second vehicle to a common destination;

wherein the computer is further caused to obtain, upload, and download information automatically and without human intervention.