Optimizing usage of modems for data delivery to devices on vehicles
First Claim
1. A method of for optimizing modem usage on a vehicle, comprising:
- determining, at a processor that is fixedly connected to the vehicle, that the vehicle is in one of a plurality of port states, each of the plurality of port states being indicative of the vehicle being located proximate to a vehicle port;
based on the determination that the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states, causing, by the processor, a first modem that is (i) operating in a bi-directional mode, (ii) fixedly connected to the vehicle, and (iii) turned to a first frequency band to be in a receive-only state;
causing an establishment of a first wireless communication link at the first modem in the receive-only state;
causing, by the processor, a second wireless communication link to be established at a second modem that is fixedly connected to the vehicle and that is tuned to a second frequency band, the second wireless communication link being established between the second modem and a transceiver that is fixedly connected to a structure external to and separate from the vehicle;
using the first wireless communication link as a forward link over which first data is able to be received onto the vehicle while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states; and
using the second wireless communication link as a reverse link, corresponding to the forward link and having a maximum bandwidth less than a maximum bandwidth of the forward link, over which second data is able to be transmitted from the vehicle while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for optimizing modem use for data delivery to vehicles that are near to or parked at ports include using a high-capacity forward communications link, in a first frequency band, to support a logical forward link of a data tunnel via which data is delivered between a data provider and the vehicle. Instead of using the reverse communications link of the first frequency band, though, a reverse communications link in a different frequency band is used to support the reverse logical link of the data tunnel, as reverse data typically requires less bandwidth. Thus, the forward communications link is used in a high-throughput, unidirectional manner. Forward data may be multiplexed and/or multicast, and in some cases, multiple forward communications links may be used in parallel to support the logical forward link of the data tunnel.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of for optimizing modem usage on a vehicle, comprising:
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determining, at a processor that is fixedly connected to the vehicle, that the vehicle is in one of a plurality of port states, each of the plurality of port states being indicative of the vehicle being located proximate to a vehicle port; based on the determination that the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states, causing, by the processor, a first modem that is (i) operating in a bi-directional mode, (ii) fixedly connected to the vehicle, and (iii) turned to a first frequency band to be in a receive-only state; causing an establishment of a first wireless communication link at the first modem in the receive-only state; causing, by the processor, a second wireless communication link to be established at a second modem that is fixedly connected to the vehicle and that is tuned to a second frequency band, the second wireless communication link being established between the second modem and a transceiver that is fixedly connected to a structure external to and separate from the vehicle; using the first wireless communication link as a forward link over which first data is able to be received onto the vehicle while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states; and using the second wireless communication link as a reverse link, corresponding to the forward link and having a maximum bandwidth less than a maximum bandwidth of the forward link, over which second data is able to be transmitted from the vehicle while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of for optimizing modem usage on a vehicle, comprising:
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determining, at a processor of a data center, that the vehicle is in one of a plurality of port states, each port state of the plurality of port states being indicative of the vehicle being proximally located to a vehicle port, and the plurality of port states included in a plurality of flight states of the vehicle; causing, by the processor of the data center, a data communication tunnel to be established between the data center and a computing device located on-board the vehicle, the on-board computing device including a vehicle endpoint of the data communication tunnel, and the data communication tunnel supported by; a forward communication link having a direct connection to a first modem that (i) is fixedly connected to the vehicle, (ii) has been changed from operating in a bi-directional mode to being in a receive-only state based on a detection of the vehicle being in the one of the plurality of port states, and (iii) is tuned to a first frequency band; and a reverse communication link having a direct connection to a second modem that is (i) fixedly connected to the vehicle, and (ii) tuned to a second frequency band; causing, by the processor of the data center while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states, content data to be delivered to the on-board computing device using a forward link of the data communication tunnel supported by the forward communication link; and receiving feedback data, corresponding to the content data, at the data center via a reverse link of the data communication tunnel supported by the reverse communication link while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A hybrid communications system for optimizing modem usage on a vehicle, the hybrid communications system comprising:
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one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the hybrid communications system to, when the vehicle is in one of a plurality of port states indicative of the vehicle being located proximate to a vehicle port; establish a data communication tunnel with a computing device fixedly connected to the vehicle, the computing device fixedly connected to the vehicle being a recipient computing device and including an endpoint of the data communication tunnel, and the data communication tunnel including; a forward tunnel link supported at least in part by a forward communication link connected to a first modem that (i) is fixedly connected to the vehicle and communicatively connected to the recipient computing device, (ii) has been changed from operating in a bi-directional mode to a being in a receive-only state based on a detection of the vehicle being in the one of the plurality of port states, and (iii) is tuned to a first frequency band; and a reverse tunnel link supported at least in part by a reverse communication link connected to a second modem that is (i) fixedly connected to the vehicle and communicatively connected to the recipient computing device, and (ii) tuned to a second frequency band; cause content data to be delivered to the recipient computing device via the forward tunnel link while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states; and receive feedback data corresponding to the content data via the reverse tunnel link while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A hybrid communications system on a vehicle for optimizing modem usage on a vehicle, the hybrid communications system comprising:
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one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the hybrid communications system to; determine that the vehicle is in one of a plurality of port states indicative of the vehicle being proximally located to a vehicle port; based on the determination that the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states, cause a first modem that is fixedly connected to the vehicle to change from operating in a bi-directional mode to operating in a receive-only mode, and cause a receive-only wireless communication link to be established on a first frequency band to which the first modem in the receive-only mode is tuned; cause a bi-directional wireless communication link to be established on a second frequency band to which a second modem is tuned, the second modem being fixedly connected to the vehicle; receive content data onto the vehicle via the receive-only wireless communication link while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states; and cause feedback data corresponding to the content data to be sent from the vehicle via the bi-directional wireless communication link while the vehicle is in the one of the plurality of port states. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification