Motor vehicle controller, method for monitoring a mobile internet connection, and motor vehicle

• US 10,433,351 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Rottenkolber, Tobias
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Nam T
• Application Number:
  US16/309,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20190124703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/046 involving vehicles, e.g. floating traffic data [FTD] or vehicle traffic prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for monitoring an internet connection, which is provided in a motor vehicle by means of a mobile wireless connection established between the motor vehicle and a mobile wireless network, wherein the mobile wireless connection has switched into roaming operation is detected by way of a roaming signal. A predetermined connectivity test is performed by means of a control apparatus in the motor vehicle after receipt of the roaming signal in order to detect an interruption of the internet connection and, if an interrupted internet connection is detected, an indication signal is sent to a user of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an internet connection in a motor vehicle, comprising:

receiving a roaming signal to indicate a mobile wireless connection in a roaming mode;

detecting a change of the mobile wireless connection to the roaming mode;

in response to the detected change, performing a predetermined connectivity test to detect an interruption of the internet connection; and

in response to the detected interruption of the internet connection, activating a display to present an indication signal,

wherein the indication signal is a received short message service (SMS) message,

wherein the internet connection uses the mobile wireless connection, and

wherein the mobile wireless connection is established between a mobile wireless module in the motor vehicle and a mobile wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying reception of a predetermined response message over the internet connection within a predetermined time period,

wherein the connectivity test comprises transmission of a predetermined query message to at least one predetermined internet address.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising retrieving an internet page to verify the internet connection via transmission of the query message,

wherein the query message is transmitted in a form of at least one of a ping message and a query command, and

wherein the ping message or the query command is generated by an internet browser.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the query message is transmitted in the form of a command according to a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or a Secure HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTPS).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connectivity test comprises transmission of a query message to at least two different internet addresses.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising only in response to a timeout signal generated by at least one of a web browser, a navigation system, and an infotainment system while using the internet connection, performing the connectivity test.

7. A control apparatus for a motor vehicle configured to:

receive a roaming signal to indicate a mobile wireless connection in a roaming mode;

detect a change of the mobile wireless connection to the roaming mode;

in response to the detected change, perform a predetermined connectivity test to detect an interruption of an internet connection in the motor vehicle; and

in response to the detected interruption of the internet connection, activate a display to present an indication signal,

wherein the indication signal is a received short message service (SMS) message,

wherein the internet connection uses the mobile wireless connection, and

wherein the mobile wireless connection is established between a mobile wireless module in the motor vehicle and a mobile wireless network.

8. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a mobile wireless module for establishing a mobile wireless connection; and

a control apparatus configured to;

receive a roaming signal to indicate the mobile wireless connection in a roaming mode;

detect a change of the mobile wireless connection to the roaming mode;

in response to the detected change, perform a predetermined connectivity test to detect an interruption of an internet connection in the motor vehicle; and

in response to the detected interruption of the internet connection, activate a display to present an indication signal,

wherein the indication signal is a received short message service (SMS) message,

wherein the internet connection uses the mobile wireless connection, and

wherein the mobile wireless connection is established between a mobile wireless module in the motor vehicle and a mobile wireless network.