Vehicle communications via wireless access vehicle environment

Abstract

Vehicle Communications using IEEE 802.11p WAVE functionality includes structure and method whereby a smart phone (SP) linked to an On Board Unit (OBU) having WAVE functionality, and incorporating Automotive Telemetry Protocol (ATP), has at least one processor to configure the SP as a GUI for the OBU, and to enable WAVE authentication of the SP through a networked Road Side Unit. Preferably, the OBU opens, after a command from an ATP Client, a virtual connection for streaming data between the vehicle data bus and a remote server providing an automotive scan tool. Also preferably, the SP may use either cellular or IEEE 802.11 control signals to trialaterate its geographic position with greater accuracy than GPS, and to hand off the geo-position fixes to the OBU. Accumulated geo-location information may be reported to a remote server, providing a centralized geographic trend analysis of plural SPs operating with OBUs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program configured to enable the OBU to (i) comply with IEEE 802.11p Wireless Access Vehicular Environment (WAVE) functionality, including the IEEE 1609 suite of specifications. and (ii) trilaterate position fixes based on the geo-location of roadside units (RSUs) from which it can receive periodic WAVE service advertisements and the variable signal strength indicated in said announcements.   
     
     
         2 . A vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is configured to comply with the Automotive Telemetry Protocol. 
     
     
         3 . A vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is configured to open, on reception of a mobile-terminated command from an ATP Client, a virtual streaming connection between the OBD-II port and a remote computer program performing the functions of an automotive scan tool, and to close said virtual connection when (i) a closure is initiated by a remote scan tool user, (ii) loss of communications with a vehicle data bus is detected, (iii) a closure notification is issued from an intermediary maintaining the streaming connection, or (iv) automotive events have occurred requiring immediate ATP communications which necessitate the closure of the streaming connection. 
     
     
         4 . A roadside unit (RSU) comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program adapted to enable the RSU to (i) comply with IEEE 802.11p Wireless Access Vehicular Environment (WAVE) functionality, including the IEEE 1609 suite of specifications. and (ii) to provide a UDP/IPv6-based geo-location service as a WAVE application in accordance with IEEE 1609.1, residing at an assigned UDP port, enabled to acquire its own geo-location from any remote Geographic Information System host and to respond to UDP requests from any OBU with the geo-location of the RSU.   
     
     
         5 . A smart phone comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program configured to configure the smart phone as a user interface for a vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         6 . A smart phone according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is further configured to, when the smart phone is operating as a display mechanism for WAVE safety messages, (i) redirect incoming calls to voice mail, and (ii) suppress all forms of visual or audible notifications that are generated by other services embedded in the smart phone, including at least one of (a) call-waiting, (b) incoming email or text message notification, and (c) mobile-terminated web push notifications. 
     
     
         7 . A smart phone according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is further configured to (i) forward IEEE 802.11p MAC address and signal strength information for roadside units (RSUs), received by WAVE-enabled on-board unit (OBU), to a host geo-location server and (ii) redirect trilaterated position fixes received from the host geo-location server, to the WAVE-enabled on-board unit (OBU). 
     
     
         8 . A smart phone according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is further adapted to (i) incorporate the ability to compute trilaterated position fixes based on IEEE 802.11p signal strength information for roadside units (RSUs) received by a WAVE-enabled on-board unit (OBU) and (ii) interrogate a geo-location service for the location of each RSU when it first becomes visible and maintain an internal list of RSUs that may be used as trilateration reference points. 
     
     
         9 . A smart phone comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program configured to (i) configure the smart phone as a user interface for a vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) having IEEE 802.11p Wireless Access Vehicular Environment (WAVE) functionality, and (ii) to disable out-going calls when the smart phone is operating as a display mechanism for WAVE safety messages.   
     
     
         10 . A smart phone according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is further adapted, in the absence of a sufficient number of visible IEEE 802.11p RSUs, to trialaterate positions fixes by (i) substituting the signal strength and MAC addresses obtained from IEEE 802.11 beacon signals emanating from WiFi access points (ii) substitute the signal strength and unique identifiers obtained from beacon signals emanating from cellular bases stations. 
     
     
         11 . A smart phone according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor running at least one computer program is further configured to send, periodically, accumulated location and device status information to a host geo-location server which is aggregating information from a plurality of smart phones, and enabling said geo-location server to identify patterns from the aggregated information, that may be reported either to said smart phone or to interested third parties. 
     
     
         12 . A smart phone comprising the hardware and software components of the OBU according to  claim 2 . 
     
     
         13 . A vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program adapted to enable the OBU to comply with (i) IEEE 802.11p Wireless Access Vehicular Environment (WAVE) functionality, and (ii) the Automotive Telemetry Protocol.   
     
     
         14 . A vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is adapted to open, on reception of a mobile-terminated command from an authorized ATP Client, a virtual streaming connection between the OBD-II port and a remote computer program performing the functions of an automotive scan tool, and to close said virtual connection when (i) a closure is initiated by remote scan tool user, (ii) loss of communications with the vehicle data bus is detected, (iii) a closure notification is issued from an intermediary responsible for maintaining the streaming connection, or (iv) automotive events have occurred requiring immediate ATP communications which necessitate the closure of the streaming connection. 
     
     
         15 . A smart phone comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program adapted to configure the smart phone as a user interface for a vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         16 . A smart phone comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program adapted to (i) configure the smart phone as a user interface for a vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) having IEEE 802.11p Wireless Access Vehicular Environment (WAVE) functionality, and (ii) to disable out-going calls when the smart phone is operating as a display mechanism for WAVE safety messages.   
     
     
         17 . A smart phone according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is further adapted to, when the smart phone is operating as a display mechanism for WAVE safety messages, (i) redirect incoming calls to voice mail, and (ii) suppress all forms of visual or audible notifications that are generated by other services embedded in the smart phone, including at least one of (a) call-waiting, (b) incoming email or text message notification, and (c) mobile-terminated web push notifications. 
     
     
         18 . A smart phone according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is further adapted to (i) forward IEEE 802.11p MAC address and signal strength information for roadside units (RSUs), received by WAVE-enabled on-board unit (OBU), to a host geo-location server and (ii) redirect trilaterated position fixes received from the host geo-location server, to the WAVE-enabled on-board unit (OBU). 
     
     
         19 . A smart phone according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor running at least one computer program is further adapted to send, periodically, accumulated location and device status information to a host geo-location server which is aggregating information from a plurality of smart phones, and enabling said geo-location server to identify patterns from the aggregated information, that may be reported either to said smart phone or to interested third parties. 
     
     
         20 . A smart phone, according to  claim 8 , operable to measure acceleration relative to longitudinal and lateral axes of the vehicle, and to report said measurements to Automotive Telemetry Protocol (ATP) client systems via a wide-area network interface of the smart phone. 
     
     
         21 . A smart phone, according to  claim 20 , operable to report, to remote ATP client systems, its International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) as a proxy for a driver identification. 
     
     
         22 . A smart phone, according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is further adapted to determine a position using only two RSUs. 
     
     
         23 . A smart phone vehicle on-board-unit (OBU) comprising:
 at least one processor running at least one computer program adapted to enable the OBU to (i) receive from a road side unit (RSU) a service advertisement announcing the availability of a Wireless Access Vehicular Environment (WAVE) application to the OBU, the service advertisement including the RSU identification encapsulated therein, (ii) request the RSU geographic location from the announced WAVE application, and (iii) receive the requested RSU geographic location from the RSU.   
     
     
         24 . The smart phone OBU according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor running at least one computer program is adapted to request the RSU geographic location from the announced WAVE application as a UDP/IPv6 packet (User Datagram Protocol/Internet protocol, version 6). 
     
     
         25 . The smart phone OBU according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one processor running at least one computer program is adapted to receive the requested RSU geographic location from the RSU, wherein the requested RSU geographic location is stored a priori in the RSU. 
     
     
         26 . The roadside unit (RSU) according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor running the at least one computer program is adapted to enable the RSU to receive signal strength information from at least one neighboring RSU, and to include said signal strength information in a Service Announcement sent to at least one On Board Unit.