Background Of The Invention
[0001] The present invention relates in general to a method and an apparatus for collecting
remote data in a mobile vehicle.
[0002] Motor vehicles are becoming more sophisticated, capable of handling larger amounts
of data and more complicated tasks. The ability to access remote data networks, such
as the Internet, from the vehicle has become an increasing demand as more and more
people utilize the Internet in their daily lives. Accessing the Internet from the
vehicle has typically been done by using an in vehicle computer to contact an Internet
Service Provider (ISP) by way of a cellular phone service. This can be quite expensive
if the connection is maintained for a long period of time due to the cellular phone
operating costs. Information such as gas prices at local gas stations, traffic information,
and weather reports may be frequently requested by drivers of vehicles in the same
vicinity. To obtain this information the vehicles must utilize the ISP. Since most
of the vehicles are requesting the same information the ISP gets multiple redundant
requests. The ISP must satisfy each request which slows the response time, adding
cost to the request.
Summary Of The Invention
[0003] The present invention has the advantages of providing quick access to needed information
from remote sources while reducing the cost of accessing the information.
[0004] In one aspect of the invention, a method collects remote data in a mobile vehicle.
A first vehicle receives selected information from a resource data system. Then, a
second vehicle identifies needed information which it lacks and which may potentially
be available from the first vehicle. Next, the second vehicle transmits an information
request via a wireless communication system to the first vehicle requesting the needed
information. The first vehicle will transmit the needed information to the second
vehicle if the needed information is available within the selected information.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
[0005] The invention will now further described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of the invention;
Figure 2 is a flowchart describing a process for a first vehicle;
Figure 3 is a flowchart describing a process for a second vehicle; and
Figure 4 is a diagram depicting an embodiment of the invention.
Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiment
[0006] Figure 1 shows a first motor vehicle 10 and a second motor vehicle 12 both equipped
with a vehicle computer, a first vehicle computer 14 and a second vehicle computer
16 respectively, which are capable of processing information requests, generating
information packets, collecting data, and processing commands. First vehicle computer
14 and second vehicle computer 16 are comprised of a first data engine 18 and a second
data engine 20, respectively. The data engines are responsible for processing information
and identifying needed information and may be comprised of application software, for
example. The data engines are preferably capable of utilizing intelligent software
agents, a type of self-contained software program or routine that moves within the
Internet (an electronic communications network that connects computer networks and
organizational computer facilities around the world which acts as a resource data
system), or other network, and performs a specific function on behalf of a user, which
are transmitted to a network wherein they execute software routines to collect needed
information. First vehicle computer 14 and second vehicle computer 16 also comprise
a first data storage 22 and a second data storage 24 respectively. First data storage
22 and second data storage 24 can be comprised of random access memory which allows
read and write capability or any other memory device which allows read/write capability.
[0007] Coupled to the vehicle computers are transceivers 26 and 28. Transceivers 26 and
28 are responsible for communication between vehicles and any remote network such
as the Internet via an Internet service provider (ISP). A mobile phone service transceiver
26 is typically utilized for communication between the vehicle computer and the ISP.
A short range radio link transceiver 28, utilizing Frequency Shift Key (FSK) or FM
modulation for example, on a single channel with a predetermined range of less than
a half mile can be used for communication between vehicles. Transceivers 26 and 28
can be part of the vehicle computer or external to it.
[0008] A method of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle will be described in connection
with Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 describes the operations performed by a first vehicle
and Figure 3 describes the operations performed by a second vehicle. The first vehicle's
data engine identifies needed first vehicle information, such as a best gas price,
in step 30 and obtains it from a network or other data acquisition system such as
a manual entry device in step 32. The needed first vehicle information is then stored
and flagged whether it will be made available to other vehicles in step 34. The purpose
of the flagging is to facilitate identification of information which a user may not
wish to share with other vehicles. The user of the first vehicle may not want any
personal information to be made available to any other vehicle. Meanwhile, the second
vehicle data engine identifies needed second vehicle information in step 50. The second
vehicle then detects the first vehicle (establishes communication) in step 52. The
detection of the first vehicle can be done in various ways. Any local area network
protocol for communicating between devices can be utilized by the vehicles for example.
Another way of detecting a vehicle is by broadcasting a need information signal to
all listening vehicles. The first vehicle to answer the "need information" signal
will be the vehicle with which communication is established. In step 54, the second
vehicle sends a request identifying the second vehicle's needed information to the
first vehicle using the short range radio link. The first vehicle receives the request
in step 36 and begins to process it. The first vehicle checks to see if it has the
requested vehicle information in step 38. If the first vehicle has the requested information
it then verifies that the requested information is flagged as available in step 40.
If the requested information is either not flagged as available or not present, the
first vehicle transmits an information not available signal to the second vehicle
in step 42. If the needed information is present and flagged as available, the first
vehicle creates an information packet containing the needed information and transmits
it to the second vehicle in step 44 using the short range radio link. The second vehicle
will then verify it has received the information packet in step 56. If no needed information
arrives or the not available signal is present, the second vehicle will obtain the
needed information from either another vehicle or from the network in step 58. If
the needed information is received, it is stored and processed in step 60.
[0009] Figure 4 shows a particular transaction according to the invention. Vehicles A, B,
and C are traversing routes A, B, and C in steps 70, 78, and 82 respectively. In step
72, vehicle A requests a current location and speed from vehicle B in order to determine
if traffic is backed up where vehicle B is located. Vehicle B services the request
from vehicle A and verifies the requested information is available and returns the
requested current location and speed to vehicle A, wherein vehicle A process the current
location and speed accordingly in step 74. Vehicle C requests a best gas price on
current vehicle C route from vehicle A in step 76. In step 80, vehicle A verifies
the requested best gas price is available and transmits the best gas price if it flagged
as available. The three vehicles have an ability to constantly mine each of their
respective databases/memory for specific information, thus allowing quicker information
retrieval and less cost.
1. A method of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle, said method comprising the
steps of:
a first vehicle receiving selected information from a resource data system;
a second vehicle identifying needed information which it lacks and which may potentially
be available from said first vehicle;
said second vehicle transmitting an information request via a wireless communication
system to said first vehicle requesting said needed information; and
said first vehicle transmitting said needed information to said second vehicle if
said needed information is available within said selected information.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communication system comprises
a mobile phone service.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein if said needed information is not available
from said first vehicle, said second vehicle contacts said resource data system and
collects said needed information.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communication system comprises
a standard radio link on a single channel with a predetermined range less then a half
mile.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said resource data system is the Internet.
6. A method of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle, said method comprising the
steps of:
a first vehicle selecting and retrieving information needed from a resource data system;
identifying information needed in a second vehicle which is potentially available
from said first vehicle;
said second vehicle identifying the presence of and establishing wireless communication
to said first vehicle;
said second vehicle requesting from said first vehicle said information needed by
said second vehicle;
said first vehicle interpreting said request and generating an information packet
if said information is available; and
said first vehicle transmitting said information packet to said second vehicle via
a wireless communication system.
7. The method according to claim 5 wherein said wireless communication system comprises
a mobile phone service.
8. The method according to claim 5 wherein if said needed information is not available
from said first vehicle, said second vehicle contacts said resource data system and
collects said needed information.
9. The method according to claim 5 wherein said resource data system comprises the Internet.
10. A system of collecting remote data in a mobile vehicle comprising:
a first vehicle computer located in a first vehicle;
a second vehicle computer located in a second vehicle, said first vehicle computer
and said second vehicle computers each capable of processing information requests,
generating information packets, data collection, and processing commands; and
a wireless communication system for transmitting information requests and information
packets between said vehicles;
wherein said first vehicle computer requests information and receives an information
packet from a resource data system;
wherein said second vehicle computer identifies needed information which may be available
from said first vehicle;
wherein said second vehicle computer generates an information request based on said
identified needed information;
wherein said second vehicle computer transmits said information request to said first
vehicle computer via said wireless communication system;
wherein said first vehicle computer processes said information request and generates
an information packet based on said information request if said first vehicle computer
possesses said needed information; and
wherein said first vehicle computer transmits said information packet to said second
vehicle computer via said wireless communication system if said first vehicle possesses
said needed information, otherwise said first vehicle transmits to said second vehicle
an information not available signal.