Device and method for wireless vehicle communication

• US 20080231434A1
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hermann, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,825,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The invention provides a device, system, and method for wireless communication with a vehicle, comprising a receiver mounted in or on the vehicle for receiving data from a wireless transmitter, and a microprocessor in communication with the receiver for processing the data. The data has a format adapted to be processed by the microprocessor and is intended for receipt by all vehicles within a predetermined wireless range that have microprocessors capable of processing its standard format. The invention also provides a method for wireless communication with a vehicle, comprising transmitting data having a standard format, receiving the data having a standard format, and processing the data having a standard format. The data is intended for receipt by all vehicles within a predetermined range that have microprocessors capable of processing its standard format. The invention further provides a device, system, and method for disabling a vehicle using only information transmitted to the vehicle, comprising a receiver mounted in or on the vehicle and for receiving data wirelessly, and a microprocessor in communication with the receiver for processing the data. The data includes a unique vehicle identifier and an instruction to disable the vehicle. The invention further provides a device for wirelessly monitoring environmental conditions of a livestock trailer towed by a vehicle, comprising a wireless transmitter mounted on the livestock trailer, a receiver mounted in or on the vehicle and adapted to receive data from the wireless transmitter, and a microprocessor in communication with the receiver and processing the data.

Claims

1. A device for wireless communication with a vehicle, comprising:

a receiver mounted in or on the vehicle and adapted to receive data from a wireless transmitter; and

a microprocessor in communication with the receiver and adapted to process the data;

wherein the data has a standard format adapted to be processed by the microprocessor and is intended for receipt by all vehicles within a predetermined wireless range that have microprocessors capable of processing its standard format.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises one of a remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver or a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is part of the remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver, the instrument cluster, or the engine controller.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a display device in communication with the microprocessor for displaying a message represented by the data.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the display device comprises one of a vehicle message center or a vehicle navigation system screen.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the microprocessor assigns a level to each message and messages are displayed in a hierarchical structure based on message levels.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the data includes a level for each message and messages are displayed in a hierarchical structure based on message levels.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein predetermined messages are stored in the microprocessor and the transmitted data indicates which predetermined message should be displayed.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein messages are contained in the transmitted data and deciphered by the microprocessor.

10. A system for wireless vehicle communication, comprising:

a transmitter that wirelessly transmits data having a standard format for receipt by vehicles within a wireless range of the transmitter that have a system capable of receiving and processing the data, the system including a wireless receiver and a microprocessor.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the receiver comprises one of a remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver or a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is part of the remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver, the instrument cluster, or the engine controller.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising a display device in communication with the microprocessor for displaying a message represented by the data.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the display device comprises one of a vehicle message center or a vehicle navigation system screen.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor assigns a level to each message and messages are displayed in a hierarchical structure based on message levels.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the data includes a level for each message and messages are displayed in a hierarchical structure based on message levels.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein predetermined messages are stored in the microprocessor and the transmitted data indicates which predetermined message should be displayed.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein messages are contained in the transmitted data and deciphered by the microprocessor.

19. A method for wireless communication with a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting data having a standard format;

receiving the data having a standard format; and

processing the data having a standard format,

wherein in the data is intended for receipt by all vehicles within a predetermined range that have microprocessors capable of processing its standard format.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising displaying a message represented by the transmitted data.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the standard data format includes an arbitration field, a control field, and a data field.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the standard data format further includes a field enabling a redundancy check.

23. A device for disabling a vehicle using only information transmitted to the vehicle, the device comprising:

a receiver mounted in or on the vehicle and adapted to receive data wirelessly; and

a microprocessor in communication with the receiver and adapted to process the data;

wherein in the data includes a unique vehicle identifier and an instruction to disable the vehicle.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the unique vehicle identification is based on the vehicle identification number.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the receiver comprises one of a remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver or a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the microprocessor is part of the remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver, the instrument cluster, or the engine controller.

27. A system for disabling a vehicle using only information transmitted to the vehicle, the system comprising:

a wireless transmitter for transmitting data;

a receiver mounted in or on the vehicle and adapted to receive data from the wireless transmitter; and

a microprocessor in communication with the receiver and adapted to process the data;

wherein in the data includes a unique vehicle identifier and an instruction to disable the vehicle.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the unique vehicle identification is based on the vehicle identification number.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the receiver comprises one of a remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver or a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is part of the remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) receiver, the instrument cluster, or the engine controller.

31. A method for disabling a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting data having a standard format and including a unique vehicle identifier and an instruction to disable the vehicle;

receiving the data within the vehicle; and

processing the data with a microprocessor within the vehicle; and

disabling the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the vehicle is disabled by decreasing power in an engine of the vehicle.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the vehicle is disabled slowly by incrementally decreasing power in an engine of the vehicle to eventually stop the vehicle.

34. A device for wirelessly monitoring environmental conditions of a livestock trailer towed by a vehicle, the device comprising:

a wireless transmitter mounted on the livestock trailer;

a receiver mounted in or on the vehicle and adapted to receive data from the wireless transmitter; and

a microprocessor in communication with the receiver and adapted to process the data;

wherein in the data represents environmental conditions within the livestock trailer.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the transmitted data includes a unique serial code to establish wireless communication between the vehicle and the trailer.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the environmental conditions include temperature and humidity within the trailer.

37. The device of claim 34, wherein the environmental conditions include information regarding food for livestock within the trailer.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein the environmental conditions include information regarding water for livestock within the trailer.