EP1034984A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for an in-vehicle computing architecture
Assignee: Here North America LLC
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Filing: 1999-12-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-12-24
Abstract
Abstract A computing architecture for a motorized land-based vehicle is disclosed. The computing architecture includes a data network comprised of a plurality of interconnected processors, a first group of sensors responsive to environmental conditions around the vehicle, a second group of sensors responsive to the vehicle's hardware systems, and a map database containing data that represent geographic features in the geographic area around the vehicle. A vehicle-environment modeling program, executed on the data network, uses the outputs from the first and second groups of sensors and the map database to provide and continuously update a data model that represents the vehicle and the environmental around the vehicle, including geographic features, conditions, structures, objects and obstacles around the vehicle. Vehicle operations programming applications, executed on the data network, use the data model to determine desired vehicle operation in the context of the vehicle's environment. A driver interface receives the vehicle driver's input. Vehicle control programming, executed on the data network, receives outputs from the vehicle operations programming applications and the driver interface, determines a resolved operation for the vehicle's hardware systems and provides output commands indicative thereof. The vehicle operations programming applications may include adaptive cruise control, automated mayday, and obstacle and collision warning systems, among others. Also disclosed is a new computing architecture that organizes the applications and systems in the vehicle into two groups: driver assistance systems and mobile services and information systems. Also disclosed is a drive recorder that maintains records of the statuses of all vehicle systems and of the driver.
Inventors
- 👤 Valerie Shuman
- 👤 Cynthia Paulauskas
- 👤 Russell Shields
- 👤 Richard Weiland
- 👤 John C Jasper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 05:38
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/09; G08G1/0962; G08G1/0968; G08G1/096805; G08G1/096827; B; B60; B60K; B60K31/00; B60K31/0008; B60K31/0058; B60R; B60R25/00; B60R25/01; B60R25/04; B60R25/20; B60R25/2081; B60R25/30; B60R25/302; B60R25/305; G07; G07C; G07C5/00; G07C5/08; G07C5/0841; G07C5/085; G08G1/096833; G08G1/096838; G08G1/096844; G08G1/096855; G08G1/096872; G08G1/096877; G08G1/096888; B60G; B60G2800/00; B60G2800/90; B60G2800/98; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; B60R21/013; B60R2021/01311; B60T; B60T2220/00; B60T2220/02; G08G1/16; G08G1/166
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for operating software applications in a land-based vehicle
using a data network comprised of a plurality of interconnected processors, comprising
the steps of: developing a data model of the vehicle and an environment of the vehicle,
wherein the data model is formed using information from a first group of sensors that obtain information about vehicle
internal operations and vehicle movement and position in relation to the
environment around the vehicle; a second group of sensors that obtain information about the
environment of the vehicle; and a geographic database installed in the vehicle, wherein the
geographic database contains data about geographic features in an area in
which the vehicle is located; obtaining driver input from a driver interface; executing a plurality of operations applications, each of which determines a
respective desired vehicle operation using the data model; determining a resolved vehicle operation using the driver input and the respective
desired vehicle operations from the plurality of operations applications; and outputting commands to actuators associated with vehicle hardware components,
wherein said commands effect said resolved vehicle operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the data model includes information about
objects around the vehicle, including other vehicles that are located ahead of the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of operations applications includes an adaptive cruise
control application that performs the step of: calculating and updating a required speed of the vehicle to
maintain an appropriate distance between the vehicle and the other
vehicles located ahead of the vehicle;
and wherein the step of determining a resolved vehicle operation comprises the step of: using the appropriate distance calculated by the adaptive cruise
control application.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method of Claim 2 wherein said vehicle includes route calculation
and guidance applications that perform the steps of: receiving input from a driver indicating a desired destination; determining a calculated route to the desired destination along roads in the area in
which the vehicle is located; and providing the driver with guidance to follow the calculated route; and wherein said adaptive cruise control application performs the step of: using the calculated route to determine what portion of the environment around
the vehicle is located ahead of the vehicle along the calculated route.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the data model includes status data,
and wherein the plurality of operations applications includes an automated
mayday application that performs the steps of: scanning the status data in said data model for triggering events;
and upon detection of a triggering event in said status data in said data
model, constructing an automated mayday message that indicates said
triggering event; and wherein the step of determining a resolved vehicle operation comprises the
step of sending the automated mayday message from a wireless communication system
installed in the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein said automated mayday application
further performs the step of: including data about a medical history of the driver in said automated mayday
message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein said automated mayday application
further performs the step of: including data about medical histories of passengers in said automated mayday
message.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein said automated mayday application
further performs the step of: including data identifying a geographic position of the vehicle in said automated
mayday message.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein the status data includes data about a
driver of the vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein the status data includes data about vehicle
hardware systems.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of Claim 4 further comprising: storing data in a drive recorder included in the vehicle, wherein the data stored
indicates that the automated mayday message was sent in response to the triggering
event.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
135 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the data model includes status data, wherein the vehicle includes a manual mayday application wherein a driver can
request that a wireless mayday message for help be sent, wherein the plurality of operations applications includes an automated mayday
application that performs the steps of: scanning the status data in said data model for triggering events;
and upon detection of a triggering event in said status data,
constructing an automated mayday message that indicates said triggering
event; receiving said request from said manual mayday application; and integrating the request from said manual mayday application with
the automated mayday message to form an integrated mayday message; and wherein the step of determining a resolved vehicle operation includes sending
said integrated mayday message from a wireless communication system installed in the
vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
134 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the data model includes information about
obstacles detected around the vehicle, wherein said obstacles are detected by a process
that identifies objects around the vehicle by location and speed relative to the vehicle, and wherein the a plurality of operations applications includes an obstacle
warning application that includes the steps of: relating the speed of the vehicle to the obstacles detected around the vehicle; determining whether to provide a warning to the driver based upon said relating
step; and if a warning to the driver is determined to be warranted, requesting that a
command be provided to the driver, and wherein the step of determining a resolved vehicle operation includes
commanding operation of user interface hardware included in the vehicle hardware to
display a warning to the driver.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the plurality of operations applications
includes an external reporter application that performs the steps of: compiling data from the second group of sensors about external conditions,
including precipitation and hazardous road conditions, into an external report; and requesting that the external report be transmitted by communications hardware
included in said vehicle hardware components to a service provider to be relayed to other
vehicles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
285 words
An in-vehicle computing architecture for a motorized land-based vehicle
that has a plurality of hardware systems, the in-vehicle computing architecture
comprising: a first group of sensor devices responsive to environmental conditions around the
vehicle, wherein said first group of sensor devices provides outputs indicative of sensed
environmental conditions around the vehicle; a second group of sensor devices responsive to said plurality of hardware systems,
wherein said second group of sensor devices provides outputs indicative of operating
states of said plurality of hardware systems; a map database containing data that represent geographic features in a geographic
area around the vehicle; a plurality of processors interconnected to form a data network across which
programs can share data; vehicle-environment modeling programming executed on said data network and
coupled to said receive said outputs of said first and second groups of sensor devices,
wherein said vehicle-environment modeling programming uses data from said map
database and said output signals from said first and second groups of sensor devices to
provide and continuously update a data model that represents said vehicle, environmental
conditions around said vehicle, and geographic features around said vehicle; vehicle operations programming applications executed on said data network,
wherein said vehicle operations programming applications determine desired vehicle
operations based upon analysis of said data model and provide outputs indicative thereof; a driver interface that receives inputs from a driver of said vehicle and provides
outputs indicative thereof; and vehicle critical control programming executed on said data network, wherein said
vehicle critical control programming receives said outputs from said vehicle operations
programming applications and said driver interface, determines resolved operations for
said hardware systems, and provides output commands indicative of said resolved
operations to said plurality of hardware systems.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The in-vehicle computing architecture of Claim 14 further comprising: a first programming interface to which said first and second groups of sensor
devices provide their outputs and from which said vehicle-environment modeling
programming receives said outputs from said first and second groups of sensor devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The in-vehicle computing architecture of Claim 14 further comprising: a second programming interface to which said vehicle critical control
programming provides said output commands and from which said plurality of hardware
systems receive the output commands.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The in-vehicle computing architecture of Claim 14 further comprising: a drive recorder application that stores data from said first group of sensor
devices, said second group of sensor devices, said vehicle-environment modeling
programming, said vehicle operations programming applications, and said driver
interface in a non-volatile drive recorder memory storage installed in the vehicle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
131 words
The in-vehicle computing architecture of Claim 14 wherein said vehicle
operations programming applications comprise: an adaptive cruise control application that analyzes the data in said data model,
provides an output indicating a vehicle speed to maintain an appropriate distance between
the vehicle and obstacles ahead of the vehicle, and then updates said output; an automated mayday application that analyzes status data in said data model and
provides an output to send a wireless communication requesting roadside assistance upon
detection of a triggering event in said status data; and an obstacle warning application that analyzes data in said data model to detect
obstacles located around the vehicle and provides an output to furnish a warning to a
driver of the vehicle upon detection of an obstacle with which the vehicle might collide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
186 words
An adaptive cruise control system implemented in a vehicle, the adaptive
cruise control system comprising: a first group of sensor devices installed in the vehicle that sense features around
the vehicle; a second group of sensor devices installed in the vehicle that sense vehicle
hardware systems; a map database installed in the vehicle, wherein said map database includes data
representing features in a geographic area around the vehicle; data modeling programming that uses outputs from the first group of sensors, the
second group of sensors, and the map database to construct a data model of the vehicle
and the area around the vehicle; a driver interface into which a driver of the vehicle provides input to indicate
desired vehicle operation; an adaptive cruise control application that uses the data model to determine an
appropriate vehicle operation, including maintenance of an appropriate distance between
the vehicle and obstacles ahead of the vehicle; and critical vehicle programming that receives outputs from the adaptive cruise
control application and the driver interface, determines a resolved vehicle operation, and
outputs commands to vehicle hardware systems to effect said resolved vehicle operation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention of Claim 19 wherein said data modeling programming, said
adaptive cruise control application, and said critical vehicle programming are
implemented on a data network in said vehicle formed of a plurality of interconnected
processors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
91 words
The invention of Claim 19 further comprising: a route calculation application responsive to input from the driver indicating a
desired destination and adapted to determine a route along a road network located in said
geographic area to said desired destination; and a route guidance application that uses said determined route to explicate
maneuvering instructions to the driver to follow said determined route; and further wherein said adaptive cruise control application uses said determined
route to identify what portion of the geographic area is ahead of the vehicle along the
determined route.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
204 words
An obstacle detection system implemented in a vehicle, comprising: a first group of sensor devices installed in the vehicle an area around the vehicle; a second group of sensor devices installed in the vehicle that sense vehicle
hardware systems; a map database installed in the vehicle, wherein said map database includes data
representing features in the area around the vehicle; and data modeling programming that uses outputs from the first group of sensors, the
second group of sensors, and the map database to construct a data model of the vehicle
and the area around the vehicle; wherein said data modeling programming comprises: an image processing program that uses data from the first group of sensors to
obtain images of the area around the vehicle and scan for objects in said images; an object identifier program that uses data from the image processing program
that relates the objects found in said scanned images and data from the map database to
identify said found objects; and an obstacle detection program that receives data from the object identifier
program identifying said objects and determines whether said identified objects are
obstacles to be avoided; and wherein said data model includes an identification of said obstacles to be
avoided.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
59 words
The obstacle detection system of Claim 22 further comprising: a communications manager that receives data from outside the vehicle relating to
obstacles detected by other vehicles in the area around the vehicle; and wherein said obstacle detection program receives said data from the
communications manager and uses said data from the communication manager when
identifying detected objects as obstacles.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
The obstacle detection system of Claim 22 further comprising: a communications manager that receives said data from said obstacle detection
program that identify objects around the vehicle as obstacles and transmits said data to a
service provider in order that said data be relayed to other vehicles in said area.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
166 words
An in-vehicle computing architecture for a motorized land-based vehicle
that has a plurality of hardware systems, the in-vehicle computing architecture
comprising: sensor devices responsive to said plurality of hardware systems and to
environmental conditions around the vehicle, wherein said sensor devices provide outputs
indicative of sensed hardware systems and environmental conditions; a plurality of processors interconnected to form a data network across which
programs can share data; driver assistance applications executed on said data network, wherein said driver
assistance applications receive the outputs of said sensor devices and provide essential
vehicle control and safety features; mobile services and information programming applications executed on said data
network, wherein said mobile services and information programming applications
provide driver and passenger entertainment, non-emergency communications,
convenience, and navigation functions; and an internal firewall system that restricts exchange of data between the driver
assistance applications and the mobile services and information applications in order to
prevent information from the mobile services and information applications from
interfering with the driver assistance applications.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
135 words
An in-vehicle computing architecture for a motorized land-based vehicle
that has a plurality of hardware systems, the in-vehicle computing architecture
comprising: sensor devices responsive to said plurality of hardware systems and to
environmental conditions around the vehicle, wherein said sensor devices provide outputs
indicative of sensed hardware systems and environmental conditions; a plurality of processors interconnected to form a data network across which
programs can share data; in-vehicle applications executed on said data network and responsive to said
outputs of said sensor devices; a communications system that provides for exchange of data between the
in-vehicle applications and a remote service over a wireless communications medium;
and an external firewall system that restricts provision of data to the in-vehicle
applications in order to prevent information from external of the vehicle from interfering
with the in-vehicle applications.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
117 words
The invention of Claim 26 wherein said in-vehicle applications include
driver assistance applications executed on said data network, wherein said driver
assistance applications receive the outputs of said sensor devices and provide essential
vehicle control and safety features; and mobile services and information programming applications executed on said data
network, wherein said mobile services and information programming applications
provide driver and passenger entertainment, non-emergency communications,
convenience, and navigation functions; and further wherein said in-vehicle architecture further comprises: an internal firewall system that restricts exchange of data between the driver
assistance applications and the mobile services and information applications in order to
prevent information from the mobile services and information applications from
interfering with the driver assistance applications.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5146219A
Cited
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