Interface in a vehicle and method for exchanging data

• US 8,948,923 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Scheider, Wolf-Henning, Poechmueller, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US12/531,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,555 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A method and system provide an interface in a vehicle for connecting to a mobile computing device for exchanging data between the interface and the mobile computing device, the interface being connected to a vehicle data bus for exchanging data with at least one vehicle system. The data exchange between the mobile computing device and the interface occurs according to a first data protocol and the data exchange between the interface and the at least one vehicle system occurs according to a second data protocol that differs from the first data protocol.

Claims

1. An interface in a vehicle for connecting to a mobile computing device for exchanging data between the interface and the mobile computing device, comprising:

an administrative unit that is connected to a vehicle data bus for exchanging data by the interface with at least one vehicle system,

wherein;

the exchange of data between the mobile computing device and the interface occurs according to a first data protocol and the exchange of data between the interface and the at least one vehicle system occurs according to a second data protocol that differs from the first data protocol; and

the administrative unit is configured to;

receive at least one instruction from the mobile computing device and at least one instruction from the at least one vehicle system for invoking a function of the vehicle;

determine whether the at least one instruction from the mobile computing device is for executing the function in a manner that conflicts with the at least one instruction from the at least one vehicle system; and

in response to a determined conflict, determine which of the instructions to execute.

2. The interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface is designed to transmit instructions and/or information from the vehicle to the mobile computing device and/or to transmit instructions and/or information from the mobile computing device to the vehicle.

3. The interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an identification unit for outputting an identification of the vehicle system to the mobile computing device.

4. The interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless interface for establishing a wireless link to the mobile computing device.

5. The interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanical mount for attaching the mobile computing device.

6. The interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an electrical connector for transmitting a supply voltage to the mobile computing device.

7. The interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a memory unit for storing program code for performing a data exchange between the interface and the mobile computing device using a data protocol.

8. The interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a memory unit for storing and transmitting driver information for controlling at least one vehicle function for the mobile computing device.

11. The interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanical mount for attaching the mobile computing device in a region of the instrument panel of the vehicle.

9. A method for exchanging data between a mobile computing device and a vehicle system via an interface between the mobile computing device and a vehicle data bus, comprising:

performing, by a processor, the exchange of data between the mobile computing device and the interface according to a first data protocol;

performing,by the processor, the exchange of data between the interface and the at least one vehicle system according to a second data protocol that differs from the first data protocol.

receiving, by the processor, at least one instruction from the mobile computing device and at least one instruction from the at least one vehicle system for invoking a function of the vehicle,

determining , by the processor, whether the at least one instruction from the mobile computing device is for executing the function in a manner that conflicts with the at least one instrution from the at least one vehicle system; and

in response to a determined conflict, determining, by the processor, which of the instructions to execute.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the vehicle system is connected to a data network outside of the vehicle via the interface in such a way that a mobile telephone link to the data network is established via a mobile telephone interface of the mobile computing device.

12. A method for exchanging data, comprising:

performing, by a processor, the following;

exchanging data between the Internet and a mobile computing device via a first interface; and

exchanging the data between the mobile computing device and a vehicle system by (a) exchanging the data between the mobile computing device and a second interface according to a first data protocol, and (b) exchanging the data between the second interface and a vehicle data bus of the vehicle system according to a second data protocol that differs from the first data protocol;

determining whether an instruction from the Internet is for executing a function in a manner that conflicts with an instruction from the vehicle system; and

in response to a determined conflict, determining which of the instructions to execute.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile computing device includes a firewall module configured to prevent harmful or interfering data from being transmitted to the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the vehicle is one of remotely diagnosed and remotely maintained via the first and second interfaces.