Cloud-based vehicle information and control system

• US 9,233,655 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2015
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenny Insurance Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: CloudCar, Inc.
• Inventors: Barrett, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/708,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20150239408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 248 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/046 involving vehicles, e.g. floating traffic data [FTD] or vehicle traffic prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: providing a first layer of a cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem, the first layer being in data communication with at least one network resource via a network cloud; providing a second layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the first layer, the second layer being in data communication with at least one mobile device; providing a third layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the second layer, the third layer including a subsystem for linking the third layer to at least one electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle; and causing, by use of a data processor, data indicative of a state change occurring in the at least one ECU to be communicated to a component in the first layer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a first layer of a cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem, the first layer being in data communication with at least one network resource via a network cloud;

providing a second layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the first layer, the second layer being in data communication with at least one mobile device;

providing a third layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the second layer, the third layer including a subsystem for linking the third layer to at least one electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle;

receiving, by use of a data processor, control data indicative of a state change to modify the state of one or more components of the vehicle, the control data being received from a component in the first or second layer;

converting the control data indicative of a state change from a first or second layer device format defined by an Application Programming Interface (API) to a vehicle-specific format; and

using the control data to modify the state of the one or more components of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 including providing a vehicle information and control system in the first layer to transfer the control data indicative of the state change.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the control data indicative of a state change is received from the at least one mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer providing an interface to a mobile app on the at least one mobile device, the control data indicative of a state change being received from the mobile app on the at least one mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the control data indicative of a state change is received from the at least one network resource via the network cloud.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one subsystem in the first layer providing an interface to a web app on the at least one network resource, the control data indicative of a state change being received from the web app on the at least one network resource.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer substantially mirroring the functionality of a corresponding subsystem in the first layer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer providing a reduced level of functionality of a corresponding subsystem in the first layer if communication with the network cloud is interrupted.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer providing an interface to a mobile app on the at least one mobile device.

10. A system comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem, executable by the one or more data processors, to;

provide a first layer of a cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem, the first layer being in data communication with at least one network resource via a network cloud;

provide a second layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the first layer, the second layer being in data communication with at least one mobile device;

provide a third layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the second layer, the third layer including a subsystem for linking the third layer to at least one electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle;

receive control data indicative of a state change to modify the state of one or more components of the vehicle, the control data being received from a component in the first or second layer;

convert the control data indicative of a state change from a first or second layer device format defined by an Application Programming Interface (API) to a vehicle-specific format; and

use the control data to modify the state of the one or more components of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 being further configured to provide a vehicle information and control system in the first layer to transfer the data indicative of the state change.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the control data indicative of a state change is received from the at least one mobile device.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer providing an interface to a mobile app on the at least one mobile device, the control data indicative of a state change being received from the mobile app on the at least one mobile device.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the control data indicative of a state change is received from the at least one network resource via the network cloud.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one subsystem in the first layer providing an interface to a web app on the at least one network resource, the control data indicative of a state change being received from the web app on the at least one network resource.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer substantially mirroring the functionality of a corresponding subsystem in the first layer.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer providing a reduced level of functionality of a corresponding subsystem in the first layer if communication with the network cloud is interrupted.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one subsystem in the second layer providing an interface to a mobile app on the at least one mobile device.

19. A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

provide a first layer of a cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem, the first layer being in data communication with at least one network resource via a network cloud;

provide a second layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the first layer, the second layer being in data communication with at least one mobile device;

provide a third layer of the cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem in data communication with the second layer, the third layer including a subsystem for linking the third layer to at least one electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle;

receive control data indicative of a state change to modify the state of one or more components of the vehicle, the control data being received from a component in the first or second layer;

convert the control data indicative of a state change from a first or second layer device format defined by an Application Programming Interface (API) to a vehicle-specific format; and

use the control data to modify the state of the one or more components of the vehicle.

20. The machine-useable storage medium of claim 19 being further configured to provide a vehicle information and control system in the first layer to transfer the data indicative of the state change.