Facilitating communication with automotive vehicle buses

• US 7,275,027 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, W. Michael, Sproule, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US10/379,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 703/22, 703/23, 703/13, 701/1, 701/2, 701/36, 717/104, 717/140, 717/177, 709/203
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Facilitating communication with automotive vehicle buses may be enabled using a vehicle gateway device (VGWD) and/or a vehicle gateway server (VGWS). In a described implementation, a VGWS may use a vehicle model database to translate requested vehicle data in a generic format from a generic data request into a vehicle-specific data format. VGWS may then send a vehicle-specific data request that has requested vehicle data in the vehicle-specific data format to a VGWD. The VGWD is able to acquire the desired vehicle data from a vehicle bus without translation using the vehicle-specific data format. The VGWD may forward the desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific data format to the VGWS. The VGWS may then use the vehicle model database to translate the desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific data format into desired vehicle data in a generic format. This desired generic vehicle data may be returned to a requesting entity.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating communication with one or more vehicle buses, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more media in operative communication with the one or more processors, the one or more media including;

a vehicle model database that associates multiple specific vehicle types with available vehicle data; and

electronically-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform actions comprising;

translating requested vehicle data in a generic format into requested vehicle data in a vehicle-specific format using the vehicle model database; and

translating desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format into desired vehicle data in the generic format using the vehicle model database.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle model database includes a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries associating a specific vehicle type with a plurality of available vehicle data.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries includes a plurality of fields, each field of the plurality of fields drawing a correspondence between a piece of available vehicle data in the generic format and in the vehicle-specific format.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronically-executable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform further actions comprising:

receiving from an entity a generic data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the generic format; and

transmitting to the entity a generic data response that includes the desired vehicle data in the generic format.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronically-executable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform further actions comprising:

transmitting to a vehicle a vehicle-specific data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format; and

receiving from the vehicle a vehicle-specific data response that includes the desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more media further include a vehicle instance database that associates at least one of a specific vehicle and or an individual owner with one or more different types of information.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the one or more different types of information include at least one of vehicle information, owner information, vehicle contact information and or authorization information.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the authorization information includes approved data and/or at least one accepted entity.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more media further include a vehicle instance database that associates at least one of a specific vehicle or an individual owner with authorization information;

wherein the electronically-executable instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform further actions comprising;

determining whether an entity that sent a generic data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the generic format is an accepted entity using the authorization information; and

determining whether the requested vehicle data is approved data using the authorization information.

10. A vehicle gateway server system comprising:

a vehicle model database that provides correspondences between genene data and vehiele-speeific data formats in association with multiple specific vehicle types;

translation logic that translates generic data from a generic data request into a vehicle-specific data format for a vehicle-specific data request using the vehicle model database;

a vehicle instance database that establishes an association between (i) at least one of a vehicle or an owner of the vehicle and (ii) authorization information, the authorization information indicating what generic data requests are authorized; and

authorization logic that authorizes or rejects the generic data request based on the authonzation information.

11. The vehicle gateway server system as recited in claim 10, farther comprising:

at least one interface for communicating the vehicle-specific data request to a vehicle gateway device.

12. The vehicle gateway server system as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

at least one interface for communicating with an entity to receive the generic data request.

13. The vehicle gateway sewer system as recited in claim 10, wherein the vehicle gateway server system is distributed geographically.

14. The vehicle gateway sewer system as recited in claim 10, wherein the translation logic also translates vehicle data in the vehicle-specific data format from a vehicle-specific data response into generic data for a generic data response using the vehicle model database.

15. One or more electronically-accessible media comprising a database that may be accessed, altered, and/or used electronically, the database comprising:

a first entry that is directed to a first specific vehicle type, the first entry including;

a first field that draws a correspondence between a first piece of generic data and a first vehicle-specific data format; and

a second field that draws a correspondence between a second piece of generic data and a second vehicle-specific data format; and

a second entry that is directed to a second specific vehicle type, the second entry including;

a third field that draws a correspondence between a third piece of generic data and a third vehicle-specific data format; and

a fourth field that draws a correspondence between a fourth piece of generic data and a fourth vehicle-specific data format.

16. The one or more electronically-accessible media comprising the database as recited in claim 15, wherein the first and second specific vehicle types each comprise one or more of a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle year, or a vehicle version.

17. One or more electronically-accessible storage media for facilitating communication with one or more vehicle buses, the one or more storage media comprising:

a vehicle model database that associates multiple specific vehicle types with available vehicle data; and

electronically-executable instructions that when executed, cause the performance of actions comprising;

translating requested vehicle data in a generic format into requested vehicle data in a vehicle-specific format using the vehicle model database; and

translating desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format into desired vehicle data in the generic format using the vehicle model database.

18. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 17, wherein the vehicle model database includes a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries associating a specific vehicle type with a plurality of available vehicle data.

19. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 18, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries includes a plurality of fields, each field of the plurality of fields drawing a correspondence between a piece of available vehicle data in the generic format and in the vehicle-specific format.

20. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 17, wherein the electronically-executable instructions, when executed, cause the performance of further actions comprising:

receiving from an entity a generic data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the generic format; and

transmitting to the entity a generic data response that includes the desired vehicle data in the generic format.

21. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 17, wherein the electronically-executable instructions, when executed, cause the performance of further actions comprising:

transmitting to a vehicle a vehicle-specific data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format; and

receiving from the vehicle a vehicle-specific data response that includes the desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format.

22. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 17, itlirther comprising a vehicle instance database that associates at least one of a specific vehicle or an individual owner with one or more different types of information.

23. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 22, wherein the one or more different types of information include at least one of vehicle information, owner information, vehicle contact information, or authorization information.

24. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 23, wherein the authorization information includes approved data andlor at least one accepted entity.

25. The one or more storage media as recited in claim 17, further comprising a vehicle instance database that associates at least one of a specific vehicle or an individual owner with authorization information;

wherein the electronically-executable instructions, when executed, cause the performance of further actions comprising;

determining whether an entity that sent a generic data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the generic format is an accepted entity using the authorization information; and

determining whether the requested vehicle data is approved data using the authorization information.

26. A method for facilitating communication with one or more vehicle buses, the method comprising:

associating, with a vehicle model database, multiple specific vehicle types with available vehicle data;

translating requested vehicle data in a generic format into requested vehicle data in a vehicle-specific format using the vehicle model database; and

translating desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format into desired vehicle data in the generic format using the vehicle model database.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the vehicle model database includes a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries associating a specific vehicle type with a plurality of available vehicle data.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries includes a plurality of fields, each field of the plurality of fields drawing a correspondence between a piece of available vehicle data in the genene format and in the vehicle-specific format.

29. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

receiving from an entity a generic data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the generic format; and

transmitting to the entity a generic data response that includes the desired vehicle data in the generic format.

30. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting to a vehicle a vehicle-specific data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format; and

receiving from the vehicle a vehicle-specific data response that includes the desired vehicle data in the vehicle-specific format.

31. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

associating, with a vehicle instance database, at least one of a specific vehicle or an individual owner with one or more different types of information.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the one or more different types of information include at least one of vehicle information, owner information, vehicle contact information, or authorization information.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the authorization information includes approved data and/or at least one accepted entity.

34. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

associating, with a vehicle instance database, at least one of a specific vehicle or an individual owner with authorization information;

determining whether an entity that sent a generic data request that includes the requested vehicle data in the generic format is an accepted entity using the authorization information; and

determining whether the requested vehicle data is approved data using the authorization information.

35. A vehicle gateway server arrangement comprising:

a vehicle model database means for providing correspondences between generic data and vehicle-specific data fonnats in association with multiple specific vehicle types;

translation logic means for translating generic data from a generic data request into a vehicle-specific data format for a vehicle-specific data request using the vehicle model database means;

a vehicle instance database means for establishing an association between (i) at least one of a vehicle or an owner of the vehicle and (ii) authorization information, the authorization information indicating what generic data requests are authorized; and

authorization logic means for authorizing or rejecting the generic data request based on the authorization information.

36. The vehicle gateway server arrangement as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

at least one interface means for communicating the vehicle-specific data request to a vehicle gateway device.

37. The vehicle gateway server arrangement as recited in claim 35, further comprising:

at least one interface means for communicating with an entity to receive the generic data request.

38. The vehicle gateway server arrangement as recited in claim 35, wherein the vehicle gateway sewer arrangement is distributed geographically.

39. The vehicle gateway server arrangement as recited in claim 35, wherein the translation logic means further comprises means for translating vehicle data in the vehicle-specific data format from a vehicle-specific data response into generic data for a generic data response using the vehicle model database means.

40. A method for a vehicle gateway server, the method comprising:

providing, with a vehicle model database, correspondences between generic data and vehicle-specific data formats in association with multiple specific vehicle types;

translating generic data from a generic data request into a vehicle-specific data format for a vehicle-specific data request using the vehicle model database;

establishing, with a vehicle instance database, an association between (i) at least one of a vehicle or an owner of the vehicle and (ii) authorization information, the authorization information indicating what generic data requests are authorized; and

based on the authorization information, authorizing or rejecting the generic data request.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

communicating the vehicle-specific data request to a vehicle gateway device via at least one interface.

43. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the method is performed across a distributed geography.

44. The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

translating vehicle data in the vehicle-specific data format from a vehicle-specific data response into generic data for a generic data response using the vehicle model database.

42. The method as recited in ctaim 40, further comprising:

communicating with an entity via at least one interface to receive the generic data request.

45. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more media in operative communication with the one or more processors, the one or more media including a database that may be accessed, altered, and/or used electronically, the database comprising;

a first entry that is directed to a first specific vehicle type, the first entry including;

a first field that draws a correspondence between a first piece of generic data and a first vehicle-specific data format; and

a second field that draws a correspondence between a second piece of generic data and a second vehicle-specific data fonrat; and

a second entry that is directed to a second specific vehicle type, the second entry including;

a third field that draws a correspondence between a third piece of generic data and a third vehicle-specific data format; and

a fourth field that draws a correspondence between a fourth piece of generic data and a fourth vehicle-specific data format.

46. The system comprising the one or more media that includes the database as recited in claim 45, wherein the first and second specific vehicle types each comprise one or more of a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle year, or a vehicle version.

47. An arrangement comprising a database that may be accessed, altered, and/or used electronically, the database comprising:

a first entry that is directed to a first specific vehicle type, the first entry including;

first means for drawing a correspondence between a first piece of generic data and a first vehicle-specific data format; and

second means for drawing a correspondence between a second piece of generic data and a second vehicle-specific data format; and

a second entry that is directed to a second specific vehicle type, the second entry including;

third means for drawing a correspondence between a third piece of generic data and a third vehicle-specific data format; and

fourth means for drawing a correspondence between a fourth piece of generic data and a fourth vehicle-specific data format.

48. The arrangement comprising the database as recited in claim 47, wherein the first and second specific vehicle types each comprise one or more of a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle year, or a vehicle version.