Utilizing intelligent software agents in a mobile vehicle

• US 6,594,557 B1
• Filed: 09/27/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Fecher, Dana Brian, Stefan, Jeffrey Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOYCE, ANDRE D
• Application Number:
  US09/406,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13, 705/7, 701/24, 701/29, 701/33, 701/209, 701/213, 701/1
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A method for sending and receiving information between a vehicle data processing system and a resource data system via a wireless communication system is provided wherein the vehicle data processing system comprises a vehicle computer for generating an intelligent software agent and operating a data engine for processing information and identifying needed information. Information needed by the data engine is identified which is available from the resource data system. The intelligent software agent is generated within the vehicle computer based on the needed information wherein the intelligent software agent comprises software routines which collect an information packet when propagated to the resource data system. The intelligent software agent is transmitted to the resource data system via the wireless communication system. The software routines are executed within the resource data system to produce the information packet. The information packet is transmitted from the resource data system to the vehicle computer via the wireless communication system.

Claims

1. A method for sending and receiving information between a vehicle data processing system and a resource data system via a wireless communication system, said vehicle data processing system comprising a vehicle computer for generating an autonomous intelligent software agent and operating a data engine for processing information and identifying needed information, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying information needed by said data engine which is available from said resource data system;

generating said autonomous intelligent software agent within said vehicle data processing system based on said identified information wherein said autonomous intelligent software agent comprises software routines which collect an information packet when propagated to said resource data system;

transmitting said autonomous intelligent software agent to said resource data system via said wireless communication system;

executing said software routines within said resource data system to produce said information packet by autonomously searching for said needed information;

said autonomous intelligent software agent initiating transmission of said information packet from said resource data system to said vehicle computer via said wireless communication system; and

extracting said needed information from said information packet for use by said data engine.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle computer comprises a navigational system wherein the navigational system provides a location of said vehicle which is incorporated into said autonomous intelligent software agent.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communication system is comprised of a mobile phone service.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said resource data system is comprised of the Internet.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said data engine identifies said needed information in response to an operator interface and wherein said vehicle computer incorporates a corresponding software routine into said autonomous intelligent software agent in response to said needed information identified in response to said operator interface.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said data engine monitors a current value of a predetermined vehicle parameter to identify said needed information and wherein said vehicle computer incorporates a corresponding software routine into said autonomous intelligent software agent in response to said current value of said predetermined vehicle parameter.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of fuel level and wherein said needed information includes a location of a fuel filling station if said current value of said fuel level is less than a predetermined fuel level.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of tire pressure and wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said tire pressure is less than a predetermined tire pressure.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of engine oil level and wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said engine oil level is less than a predetermined oil level.

10. The method according to claim 6 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of engine oil age and wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said engine oil age is more then a predetermined oil age.

11. The method according to claim 6 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of windshield wiper fluid level and wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said windshield wiper fluid level is less than a predetermined windshield wiper fluid level.

12. The method according to claim 1 Wherein said autonomous intelligent software agent automatically creates a connection between said vehicle computer and said resource data system when said autonomous intelligent software agent is ready to be propagated to said resource data system when said information packet is compiled.

13. An apparatus for sending and receiving information from a vehicle comprising;

a wireless communication system capable of sending and receiving data; and

a vehicle computer for processing commands and generating autonomous intelligent software agents, said vehicle computer including a data engine for processing information and identifying needed information which is available from a resource data system wherein said vehicle computer generates an appropriate said autonomous intelligent software agent in response to said needed information;

wherein said appropriate autonomous intelligent software agent is propagated to said resource data system via said communication system;

wherein said resource data system allows said appropriate autonomous intelligent software agent to execute software routines to collect information packets by autonomously searching for said needed information; and

wherein said autonomous intelligent software agent initiates transmission of said collected information packets from within said resource data system to said vehicle computer via said wireless communication system.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said wireless communication system is comprised of a mobile phone service.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said resource data system is comprised of the Internet.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said data engine identifies said needed information in response to an operator interface and wherein said vehicle computer incorporates a corresponding software routine into said autonomous intelligent software agent in response to said needed information identified in response to said operator interface.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said data engine monitors a current value of a predetermined vehicle parameter and wherein said data engine determines said needed information in response to said current value of said predetermined vehicle parameter.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of fuel level and wherein said needed information includes a location of a fuel filling station if said current value of said fuel level is less than a predetermined fuel level.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of tire pressure and wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said tire pressure is less than a predetermined tire pressure.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of engine oil level wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said engine oil level is less than a predetermined oil level.

21. The method according to claim 17 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of engine oil age and wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said engine oil age is more then a predetermined oil age.

22. The method according to claim 17 wherein said predetermined vehicle parameter is comprised of windshield wiper fluid level and wherein said needed information includes a location of a service station if said current value of said windshield wiper fluid level is less than a predetermined windshield wiper fluid level.