Method and device for communicating with a vehicle system module while conserving power by using two different short range wireless communication (SRWC) protocols

• US 9,913,081 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Thanayankizil, Lakshmi V., Gu, Wen, Lavi, Nadav
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandiford, Devan
• Application Number:
  US15/292,738
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A vehicle gateway module adapted to communicate using short range wireless communication (SRWC) and a method of receiving data from a wireless source via a SRWC chipset in a vehicle. The method includes the steps of: detecting the wireless source using a first SRWC chipset in a gateway module in the vehicle; in response to detecting the wireless source with the first SRWC chipset, triggering a second SRWC chipset in the gateway module to wake-up by exiting a POWER OFF mode, wherein the first and second SRWC chipsets are configured to communicate according to different SRWC protocols; and in response to the triggering step: exiting the POWER OFF mode at the second SRWC chipset; and receiving content data from the wireless source at the gateway module via the second SRWC chipset.

Claims

1. A method of receiving data from a wireless source via a short range wireless communication (SRWC) chipset in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting the wireless source using a first SRWC chipset in a gateway module in the vehicle;

in response to detecting the wireless source with the first SRWC chipset, triggering a second SRWC chipset in the gateway module to wake-up by exiting a POWER OFF mode, wherein the first and second SRWC chipsets are configured to communicate according to different SRWC protocols; and

in response to the triggering step;

exiting the POWER OFF mode at the second SRWC chipset;

operating the second SRWC chipset in a LOW POWER mode;

determining in the LOW POWER mode at the second SRWC chipset whether the wireless source is communicating or is attempting to communicate data intended for the second SRWC chipset;

when the second SRWC chipset determines that the wireless source is communicating or is attempting to communicate data intended for the second SRWC chipset, then switching from the LOW POWER mode to a NORMAL POWER mode; and

in the NORMAL POWER mode, receiving content data from the wireless source at the gateway module via the second SRWC chipset.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first SRWC chipset is configured to communicate using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, wherein the second SRWC chipset is configured to communicate using a Wi-Fi protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting, triggering, exiting, and receiving steps occur when an ignition state of the vehicle is OFF.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, at least one of the detecting, triggering, exiting, and receiving steps occur while the vehicle is being conveyed via a vehicle assembly line, wherein the received data is received from a server located at a vehicle manufacturing facility via the wireless source.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using the received content data, programming at least one vehicle system module (VSM) in the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard, the LOW POWER mode is POWER SAVE mode (PSM) and the NORMAL POWER mode is CONSTANTLY AWAKE mode (CAM).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when in the NORMAL POWER mode content data from the wireless source ceases to be received, then switching at the second SRWC chipset from the NORMAL POWER mode to one of the LOW POWER mode or the POWER OFF mode.

8. A vehicle gateway module adapted to communicate using short range wireless communication (SRWC), comprising:

a first SRWC chipset;

a second SRWC chipset, wherein the first and second SRWC chipsets are configured to communicate according to different SRWC protocols;

a processor coupled to the first and second SRWC chipsets; and

memory coupled to the processor, said memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the instructions comprise;

determining at the processor that a vehicle ignition state is OFF; and

in response to receiving the determination;

detecting at the first SRWC chipset a wireless signal from a SRWC source while the vehicle ignition state is OFF, wherein the wireless signal includes a trigger associated with the second SRWC chipset;

in response to receiving the trigger, switching the second SRWC chipset from a POWER OFF mode to a LOW POWER mode;

determining that the SRWC signal is a communication intended for the second SRWC chipset; and

in response the determination, switching the second SRWC chipset from the LOW POWER mode to a NORMAL mode and receiving content data from the SRWC source.

9. The vehicle gateway module of claim 8, wherein the first SRWC chipset is configured to communicate using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, wherein the second SRWC chipset is configured to communicate using a Wi-Fi protocol.

10. The vehicle gateway module of claim 8, further comprising, in response to determining at the processor that the vehicle ignition is OFF, programming at least one vehicle system module (VSM) in a vehicle using the received content data, wherein the programming step is further in response to receiving content data at the second SRWC chipset in the NORMAL mode.

11. The vehicle gateway module of claim 8, wherein, in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard, the LOW POWER mode is POWER SAVE mode (PSM) and the NORMAL POWER mode is CONSTANTLY AWAKE mode (CAM).

12. The vehicle gateway module of claim 8, further comprising, in response to switching to the NORMAL POWER mode and receiving content data, when in the NORMAL POWER mode content data from the SRWC source ceases to be received, then switching at the second SRWC chipset from the NORMAL POWER mode to one of the LOW POWER mode or the POWER OFF mode.

13. A method of receiving data from a wireless source via a short range wireless communication (SRWC) chipset in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting the wireless source using a first SRWC chipset in a gateway module in the vehicle, wherein the wireless source is located at a vehicle manufacturing facility;

in response to detecting the wireless source with the first SRWC chipset, triggering a second SRWC chipset in the gateway module to wake-up by exiting a POWER OFF mode, wherein the first and second SRWC chipsets are configured to communicate according to different SRWC protocols; and

in response to the triggering step;

exiting the POWER OFF mode at the second SRWC chipset;

operating the second SRWC chipset in a LOW POWER mode;

determining in the LOW POWER mode at the second SRWC chipset whether the wireless source is communicating or is attempting to communicate data intended for the second SRWC chipset;

when the second SRWC chipset determines that the wireless source is communicating or is attempting to communicate data intended for the second SRWC chipset, then switching from the LOW POWER mode to a NORMAL POWER mode; and

in the NORMAL POWER mode, receiving content data from the wireless source at the gateway module via the second SRWC chipset; and

using the received content data, programming at least one vehicle system module (VSM) in the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the detecting step occurs at the first SRWC chipset when the vehicle is moved within a SRWC range of the wireless source.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

timing out at the second SRWC chipset, wherein timing out includes ceasing to receive content data in the NORMAL POWER mode for a predetermined period of time; and

when the second SRWC chipset times out, then switching at the second SRWC chipset from the NORMAL POWER mode to one of the LOW POWER mode or the POWER OFF mode.