Vehicle communication management

Abstract

This disclosure relates to vehicle communication management. Systems and methods are used to manage the communication devices of a vehicle. A vehicle includes: a first modem; and a second modem connected to the first modem. In response to the second modem wirelessly receiving first data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state, the vehicle is configured to: wake up the first modem from the off state; and process the first data via the first modem.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Several aspects of this disclosure generally relate to the management of communication devices on vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Modern vehicles typically include onboard devices for communicating with remote systems. These devices improve the vehicle by enabling it to process remote control commands even when the engine is off. However, these onboard communication devices also draw power from the vehicle's battery. If too much power is drawn from the battery when the engine is off, the battery may become insufficient to restart the engine. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In one exemplary embodiment, a vehicle includes: a first modem; and a second modem connected to the first modem. The vehicle is configured to: wake up the first modem from the off state and process the first data via the first modem in response to the second modem wirelessly receiving first data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state.

[0004] According to one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is further configured to perform the following operations in response to the vehicle entering an inactive state: identify a first network connection level for a first modem; identify a second network connection level for a second modem; and, in response to determining that the second network connection level is higher than the first network connection level, place the first modem in a turned-off state and the second modem in a low-power state.

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first network connectivity level is associated with a first cellular provider, and the second network connectivity level is associated with a second cellular provider.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first data includes a remote control command sent from the server, and the vehicle is further configured to: in response to determining that the second network connectivity level is higher than the first network connectivity level, indicate a second modem to the server.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is further configured to: in response to the vehicle entering an active state, place the first modem and the second modem into a full-power state.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first modem is a telematics control unit configured to process received remote control commands for the vehicle, and the second modem is an autonomous vehicle modem configured to download map data and upload video captured by the vehicle via a wireless network.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle further includes a modem controller connected to a first modem and a second modem, the modem controller being configured to: in response to the second modem wirelessly receiving first data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state, in response to receiving the first data from the second modem and determining that the first data is for the first modem, wake up the first modem and send the first data to the first modem for processing.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second modem is configured to: wake up the modem controller in response to receiving first data for the first modem wirelessly when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state, and send the first data to the modem controller, wherein the modem controller is configured to: determine whether the first data is for the first modem or for the second modem in response to receiving the first data.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the modem controller is further configured to: determine that the second data is for the second modem and not for the first modem when the second modem is in an inactive state, the first modem is in a turned-off state, and the second modem is in a low-power state; and in response to the determination, not to wake up the first modem.

[0013] In another exemplary embodiment, a vehicle includes: a first modem; and a second modem having a higher speed capability than the first modem. The vehicle is configured to: in response to entering an inactive state, and in response to a first network connection level of the first modem being equal to a second network connection level of the second modem, to place the first modem in a low-power state and the second modem in a turned-off state.

[0014] In another exemplary embodiment, a method includes: a server receiving an instruction from a second modem, comprising a first modem configured for a first cellular network and a second modem configured for a second cellular network. The method further includes: the server recording the instruction. The method also includes: after the instruction is recorded, the server receiving data for the first modem from a user device, and the server sending the data to the second modem based on the instruction.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the data includes remote control commands for the vehicle, the first modem is a telematics control unit for processing the remote control commands, and the second modem is an autonomous vehicle modem for downloading map data and uploading video captured by the vehicle via a second cellular network. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary vehicle computing environment.

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary connection between a vehicle and a server.

[0018] Figure 3 It can be included Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary computing system in a vehicle computing environment.

[0019] Figure 4 It shows that it can be generated by Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process performed by a vehicle.

[0020] Figure 5 It shows that it can be generated by Figure 1 vehicles and Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process performed by the server. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Detailed embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein as needed; however, it will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the invention, which may be practiced in various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of specific components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various ways.

[0022] The vehicle's communication equipment may include multiple modems, each capable of wirelessly communicating with one or more remote systems over a wide area network. Each modem may be configured for different remote services for the vehicle and may connect to the network through different network service providers. For example, one modem may be configured to handle remote vehicle commands received for the vehicle (e.g., door unlocking commands), while another modem may be configured to download and upload relatively large files for the vehicle (e.g., video captured by the vehicle, 3D maps).

[0023] When the vehicle is inactive, it is desirable to maintain the ability of the vehicle's modems to receive and process data (such as requests for remote vehicle commands or images captured by the vehicle). However, when the modems are running, they draw power from the vehicle's battery. If too much power is drawn from the vehicle's battery when the vehicle is off, the battery may not have enough charge to start the vehicle later. Furthermore, if one of the modems has little or no network coverage, continuously running each in-vehicle modem while the vehicle is inactive would be inefficient.

[0024] Therefore, instead of operating each modem while the vehicle is inactive, the vehicle can determine which modem has good network coverage in response to entering an inactive state. The vehicle can then place the modem with good network coverage into a low-power state and turn off the others. In the low-power state, the modem with good network coverage remains able to communicate with the remote system. The modem in the low-power state can then wirelessly receive data for the vehicle, regardless of whether the receiving modem or another modem is configured to handle the data type of the received data. Then, if the received data is for another modem, the vehicle can wake up that other modem to enable it to process the received data, and if processing is required, the vehicle can establish a connection with the other modem's network provider. The other modem can then return to a off state after it has finished processing the received data. In this way, the modem's drain on the vehicle's battery is minimized when the vehicle is inactive. Furthermore, the vehicle's communication capabilities are improved when the vehicle is inactive because data for each onboard modem can be transmitted to the vehicle via the modem with the strongest network connection.

[0025] Figure 1An exemplary vehicle computing environment 100 for managing communication devices in vehicle 102 is shown. As illustrated, vehicle 102 may include multiple vehicle systems, such as multiple vehicle controllers 104, telematics control units (TCUs) modems 106, content modems 108, and modem controllers 110. Each of these systems can communicate with each other via one or more vehicle buses 112 to which the systems are connected. Although in Figure 1 An exemplary environment 100 is shown, but this example is not intended to be limiting. In practice, environment 100 may have more or fewer components, and alternative components and / or implementations may be used. For example, while environment 100 shows a vehicle 102 with two modems 106 and 108, the embodiments described herein can be applied to a vehicle 102 with three or more modems, wherein each modem is configured to provide and process different remote services for the vehicle 102, and / or at least one of the modems is configured to work with a different network service provider than at least another modem.

[0026] Vehicle 102 may include various types of automobiles (CUVs, SUVs, trucks, RVs), boats, aircraft, or other mobile machinery used for transporting people or goods. In many cases, vehicle 102 may be powered by an internal combustion engine. As another feasible option, vehicle 102 may be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powered by both an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors, such as a series hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV), a parallel hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a parallel / series hybrid electric vehicle (PSHEV). Vehicle 102 may also be an autonomous vehicle (AV). As the type and configuration of vehicle 102 may vary, the characteristics of vehicle 102 may vary accordingly. As some other feasible options, vehicle 102 may have different capabilities in terms of passenger capacity, towing capacity and performance, and storage capacity. For heading, inventory, and other purposes, vehicle 102 may be associated with a unique identifier (such as a VIN).

[0027] The vehicle controller 104 of vehicle 102 can be configured to execute and manage various functions of vehicle 102 under the drive of the vehicle's battery and / or powertrain. As shown, vehicle controller 104 is represented as independent controllers 104A to 104G. However, one or more vehicle controllers 104 may share physical hardware, firmware, and / or software, such that functions from multiple vehicle controllers 104 can be integrated into a single vehicle controller 104, and / or that functions from one or more vehicle controllers 104 can be distributed across multiple vehicle controllers 104. Similarly, one or more of the TCU modem 106, content modem 108, and modem controller 110 may share physical hardware, firmware, and / or software with each other, and share physical hardware, firmware, and / or software with one or more vehicle controllers 104.

[0028] As some non-limiting examples, the vehicle controller 104 may include the following controllers: a powertrain controller 104A, which may be configured to provide control over engine operating components (e.g., idle speed control components, fuel delivery components, emission control components, etc.) and is configured to monitor the status of such engine operating components (e.g., the status of engine codes); a body controller 104B, which may be configured to manage various electrical control functions, such as exterior lighting, interior lighting, keyless entry, remote start, and access point status verification (e.g., the closing status of the hood, doors, and / or trunk of vehicle 102); and a radio transceiver controller 104C, which may be configured to communicate with a remote key, mobile device, or vehicle The vehicle 102 communicates with other local devices; a communication and entertainment controller 104D, which can be configured to support voice command interaction and Bluetooth interaction with the driver and driver-carried devices; a climate control management controller 104E, which can be configured to provide control over heating and cooling system components (e.g., compressor clutch, blower fan, temperature sensor, etc.); a global positioning system (GPS) controller 104F, which can be configured to provide vehicle location information; and a human-machine interface (HMI) controller 104G, which can be configured to receive user input via various buttons or other controls and provide the driver with vehicle status information, such as fuel level information, engine operating temperature information, and the current location of the vehicle 102.

[0029] One or more vehicle buses 112 may include various communication methods available between vehicle controllers 104 and between TCU modem 106, content modem 108, modem controller 110 and vehicle controller 104. As some non-limiting examples, one or more vehicle buses 112 may include one or more of a vehicle controller local area network (CAN), Ethernet, and media-oriented system transport (MOST) networks.

[0030] Figure 2 Exemplary connections between vehicle 102 and one or more remote systems are illustrated. Each of the TCU modem 106 and content modem 108 of vehicle 102 can facilitate wireless communication between vehicle 102 and backend server 130 and / or vehicle 102 and user device 126. In particular, TCU modem 106 and content modem 108 can be configured to establish wireless connections with external communication devices (such as cell tower 122 or cell tower 124) to connect to network 120. Network 120 can be a wide area network (WAN) comprising one or more interconnected communication networks (such as the Internet, cable television distribution networks, satellite link networks, local area networks, and telephone networks, among other non-limiting examples). User device 126 and backend server 130 can also connect to network 120. For example, user device 126 can access network 120 via cell tower 128, similar to cell towers 122 and 124.

[0031] TCU modem 106 can be configured to connect to a different network provider than content modem 108 to access network 120. For example, TCU modem 106 can be configured to connect to cellular tower 122, which may be provided by one cellular network provider, while content modem 108 can be configured to connect to cellular tower 124, which may be provided by another cellular network provider. In this way, TCU modem 106 and content modem 108 can have different levels of coverage depending on the location of vehicle 102 relative to the cellular towers 122 and 124 of the different cellular network providers.

[0032] TCU modem 106 can be configured to facilitate remote control services for vehicle 102. Specifically, a user can submit remote control commands for vehicle 102 via user device 126, such as door unlocking commands, remote engine start commands, charging commands for scheduling charging of electric vehicles, and climate control commands. Non-limiting examples of user device 126 include mobile phones, tablets, desktop computers, laptops, and remote keys. User device 126 can then send the submitted commands to backend server 130 via network 120. Backend server 130 can then determine that vehicle 102 is associated with the command (e.g., the command includes the VIN of vehicle 102) and forward the command to TCU modem 106 via network 120. TCU modem 106 can then process the command, which may include determining the command and forwarding it to the appropriate vehicle controller 104.

[0033] Content modem 108 can be configured to facilitate the download / upload of large amounts of data for vehicle 102. For example, content modem 108 can be configured to download 3D maps and software for vehicle 102 from backend server 130 via a wireless network, and upload road anomalies, video streams, and surrounding landscape captured by vehicle 102 to backend server 130. Because the amount of data processed by content modem 108 can be much larger than that processed by TCU modem 106, content modem 108 can be configured to have higher download / upload speeds and higher bandwidth than TCU modem 106. Content modem 108 may also be referred to herein as an autonomous vehicle (AV) modem.

[0034] TCU modem 106 and content modem 108 can be configured to operate in one of three states depending on the state of vehicle 102: on (also referred to herein as full power state), low power state (also referred to as intermittent reception (DRx) mode), and off state. In response to vehicle 102 entering an active state (which may occur when vehicle 102's engine is started, when the key is placed in vehicle 102's ignition switch, when vehicle 102 is placed in accessory mode, or when vehicle 102 is shifted from park to drive), both TCU modem 106 and content modem 108 can enter full power state. In full power state, modems 106 and 108 can draw power from vehicle 102's battery, maintain connectivity to network 120 via their respective service providers, and continuously await data for processing according to their respective functions.

[0035] Conversely, when vehicle 102 enters an inactive state (which may occur when vehicle 102 is shifted into park, when the engine of vehicle 102 is turned off, when the key is removed from the ignition switch of vehicle 102, and / or when vehicle 102 is turned off), one of modems 106 and 108 may enter a low-power state, while the other of modems 106 and 108 may enter a shutdown state. Specifically, modem controller 110 ( Figure 1 A signal can be sent to each of modems 106 and 108 to cause them to enter the aforementioned state based on the network coverage level of each of modems 106 and 108. When in the off state, modems 106 and 108 do not draw any power from the battery.

[0036] When in a low-power state, modems 106 and 108 can periodically wake up to wirelessly receive data from, for example, a backend server 130 for processing. Specifically, modems 106 and 108 can also periodically power themselves to inspect incoming data for processing. In other embodiments, modems 106 and 108 are capable of wirelessly receiving wake-up messages while in a low-power state, wherein such wake-up messages may be in the form of SMS (Short Messaging Service) messages. In response to receiving a wake-up message, modems 106 and 108 can be configured to wake up and receive incoming data for processing.

[0037] If data received by a modem in a low-power state in modems 106 and 108 is intended for a modem in a powered-off state in modems 106 and 108 (e.g., a remote control command might be intended for TCU modem 106, and a request for video captured by the vehicle might be intended for content modem 108), then the low-power modem in modems 106 and 108 can wake up modem controller 110, which can then wake up the other modem in modems 106 and 108 to process the data. In this way, when vehicle 102 enters an inactive state, only one of modems 106 and 108 (e.g., the one with better network coverage) can continue to draw power from the battery. Therefore, modems 106 and 108 place less strain on the battery of vehicle 102 when the vehicle is inactive, and the network coverage available for vehicle 102 to receive data is optimized for both modems 106 and 108.

[0038] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 1 The vehicle system can be implemented by one or more computer systems (such as the exemplary computer system 200). In other words, one or more vehicle systems can be implemented by the same computer system or more computer systems, and / or one or more vehicle systems can be implemented by different computer systems. User device 126 and back-end server 130 can similarly be implemented by one or more computer systems.

[0039] Computer system 200 may include processor 202, memory 204, mass storage device 206, input / output (I / O) interface 208, and / or human-machine interface (HMI) 210. Computer system 200 may also be operatively connected to one or more external resources 212 via network 120 or I / O interface 208. External resources may include, but are not limited to, servers, databases, mass storage devices, peripheral devices, cloud-based network services, or any other suitable computer resources that can be used by computer system 200.

[0040] Processor 202 may include one or more devices selected from microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, microcomputers, central processing units, field-programmable gate arrays, programmable logic devices, state machines, logic circuits, analog circuits, digital circuits, or any other means of manipulating signals (analog or digital signals) based on operable instructions stored in memory 204. Memory 204 may include a single storage device or multiple storage devices, including but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), flash memory, cache memory, or any other means capable of storing information. Mass storage device 206 may include data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, optical disk drives, magnetic tape drives, non-volatile solid-state devices, or any other means capable of storing information.

[0041] Processor 202 may operate under the control of operating system 214 residing in memory 204. Operating system 214 manages computer resources, allowing computer program code implemented as one or more computer software applications (such as application 216 residing in memory 204) to have instructions executable by processor 202. In alternative embodiments, processor 202 may directly execute application 216, in which case operating system 214 may be omitted. One or more data structures 218 may also reside in memory 204 and may be used by processor 202, operating system 214, or application 216 to store or manipulate data.

[0042] I / O interface 208 provides a machine interface that operatively connects processor 202 to other devices and systems, such as network 120 or one or more external resources 212. For example, I / O interface 208 can... Figure 1One or more vehicle systems are connected to one or more vehicle buses 112, connected to network 120, and / or connected to a backend server 130. Application 216 can communicate via I / O interface 208 to work in conjunction with network 120 or external resources 212 to provide various features, functions, applications, processes, or modules incorporating embodiments of the present invention. Application 216 may also have program code that is executed by one or more external resources 212, or otherwise executed based on functions or signals provided by other systems or network components located outside of computer system 200. In fact, given the virtually infinite number of feasible hardware and software configurations, those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the present invention may include applications located outside of computer system 200, applications distributed across multiple computers or other external resources 212, or applications provided by computing resources (hardware and software) provided as services (such as cloud computing services) via network 120.

[0043] HMI 210 can be operatively connected to the processor 202 of computer system 200 in a known manner to allow a user to interact directly with computer system 200 and / or vehicle 102. HMI 210 may include a video or alphanumeric display, speakers, and any other suitable audio and visual indicators capable of providing data to the user. In some cases, HMI 210 may include a host unit display and / or a screen of the instrument cluster of vehicle 102 included in the central console area of ​​the vehicle compartment. HMI 210 may also include input devices and controls capable of accepting commands or input from the user and sending the input to processor 202, such as touchscreens, alphanumeric keypads, pointing devices, keypads, buttons, control knobs, microphones, etc. HMI 210 can communicatively connect to... Figure 1 Vehicle systems, such as the HMI controller 104G.

[0044] Database 220 may reside in mass storage device 206 and may be used to collect and organize data used by the various systems and modules described herein. Database 220 may include data and supporting data structures for storing and organizing said data. Specifically, database 220 may be arranged in any database organization or structure (including, but not limited to, relational databases, hierarchical databases, network databases, or combinations thereof). A database management system in the form of a computer software application executed as instructions on processor 202 may be used to access information or data stored in records in database 220 in response to queries, wherein the queries may be dynamically determined and executed by operating system 214, other applications 216, or one or more modules.

[0045] Figure 4 A processing unit 300 for managing communication equipment in vehicle 102 is shown. The processing unit 300 can be configured by... Figure 1 The vehicle system shown in the diagram performs this action. First, vehicle 102 can enter an activated state (block 302). The activated state can occur when the engine of vehicle 102 is started, when the key is placed in the ignition switch of vehicle 102, when vehicle 102 is placed in accessory mode, when vehicle 102 is shifted from park to drive, or when vehicle 102 is powered on.

[0046] In response to vehicle 102 entering an active state, each of modems 106 and 108 may enter a full-power / on state (block 304). Each of modems 106 and 108 may include computer instructions that automatically cause each of modems 106 and 108 to place itself in a full-power state when vehicle 102 enters an active state. Optionally, modem controller 110 may send a power control signal to each of modems 106 and 108 in response to vehicle 102 entering an active state, the power control signal causing modems 106 and 108 to enter a full-power state. When in a full-power state, modems 106 and 108 can continuously draw power from the battery of vehicle 102 and can receive and transmit data to perform services of vehicle 102. For example, TCU modem 106 may be configured to receive and process data including vehicle control commands submitted from backend server 130 via user device 126, such as submitting vehicle control commands by sending command signals to vehicle controller 104 implicitly indicated by the submitted commands. The content modem 108 can be configured to download 3D map data from the backend server 130, and can also be configured to upload data including video and images captured by the vehicle 102 to the backend server 130.

[0047] In response to modems 106 and 108 entering full power mode, vehicle 102 may notify backend server 130 that both modems 106 and 108 are active and / or capable of receiving wireless transmissions (block 306). In this way, backend server 130 may instruct data for modem 106 to be sent directly to modem 106, and may instruct data for modem 108 to be sent directly to modem 108, without involving the other of modems 106 and 108. One or more of modems 106 and 108 may (e.g., under the instruction of modem controller 110) send instructions to backend server 130.

[0048] Subsequently, vehicle 102 may enter an inactive state (block 308). The inactive state may occur when vehicle 102 shifts into park, when the engine of vehicle 102 is turned off, when the key is removed from the ignition switch of vehicle 102, or when vehicle 102 is turned off. In response to vehicle 102 entering the inactive state, each of modems 106 and 108 may check its network connectivity signal level. Specifically, each of modems 106 and 108 may be configured to communicate with network 120 via a different cellular network provider and may have different signal strengths depending on the location of vehicle 102. Therefore, modems 106 and 108 may each send their respective network connectivity signal levels to modem controller 110, which may then determine which of modems 106 and 108 has better coverage based on the network connectivity signal levels for each of modems 106 and 108 (block 310).

[0049] In response to determining that the network connection signal level for content modem 108 is higher than that for TCU modem 106 (the "Content" branch of block 310), TCU modem 106 can be switched off, and content modem 108 can be switched to a low-power state (block 312). More specifically, modem controller 110 can send a power control signal to each of modems 106 and 108 to cause this switch to occur. In this way, only the modem with relatively better network coverage among modems 106 and 108 (in this case, content modem 108) can draw current from the battery of vehicle 102 to wirelessly receive and / or transmit data when vehicle 102 is inactive. Thereafter, modem controller 110 can instruct backend server 130 that content modem 108 is the active modem, for example, by instructing content modem 108 to send such an instruction to backend server 130 (block 314). Modem controller 110 can then be switched off to help conserve the battery of vehicle 102 (block 316).

[0050] Optionally, in response to determining that the network connection signal level for TCU modem 106 is higher than, equal to, or substantially equal to the network connection signal level for content modem 108 (the “TCU” branch of block 310), TCU modem 106 may be placed in a low-power state, and content modem 108 may be placed in a powered-off state (block 318). In this way, when the network connection signal level for TCU modem 106 is higher than the network connection signal level for content modem 108, resources are not wasted on powering content modem 108 to wirelessly receive and / or transmit data when vehicle 102 is inactive. Furthermore, placing TCU modem 106, rather than content modem 108, in a low-power state when network connection signal levels are equal or substantially similar further promotes efficient resource utilization. Specifically, content modem 108 may be configured for higher download / upload speeds and greater bandwidth capabilities, which would consume more power than a modem with lower download / upload speeds and smaller bandwidth capabilities. Furthermore, because TCU modem 106 is primarily designed to receive and process remote services when vehicle 102 is inactive, and content modem 108 is primarily designed to upload and download data when vehicle 102 is active, vehicle 102 can be configured such that when vehicle 102 is inactive and TCU modem 106 has at least the same network connectivity signal as content modem 108, TCU modem 106 is placed in a low-power state and content modem 108 is placed in a powered-off state. In alternative embodiments, a user (e.g., via user device 126) or a manufacturer (e.g., via backend server 130) can configure which of modems 106 and 108 is placed in a low-power state and which is placed in a powered-off state when network connectivity signal levels are equal or substantially equal.

[0051] After modems 106 and 108 are set to low power and off states, respectively, modem controller 110 may (e.g., via TCU modem 106) instruct backend server 130 that TCU modem 106 is the active modem (block 320). This allows backend server 130 to know which of modems 106 and 108 is transmitting data until vehicle 102 re-enters the active state. Modem controller 110 may then be turned off to further help conserve vehicle 102's battery (block 316). At some point thereafter, vehicle 102 may re-enter the active state (block 302), at which point modems 106 and 108 may again be set to full power (block 304), and backend server 130 may again be notified that both modems 106 and 108 are active and available (block 306).

[0052] Figure 5 A process 400 is shown for processing data transmitted between a backend server 130 and a vehicle 102. Process 400 can be... Figure 1 vehicle systems and Figure 2 The system executes this. After vehicle 102 enters an inactive state and, for example, modems 106 and 108 are selected to be in a low-power state and the other modem 106 and 108 are selected to be in a powered-off state via modem controller 110, background server 130 may receive an indication from vehicle 102 that one of modems 106 and 108 has been placed in a low-power state (block 402). In response to receiving the indication, background server 130 may record the indication (block 404). Background server 130 may receive such indications from multiple vehicles 102. Therefore, background server 130 may associate each indication with vehicle 102 (e.g., using the VIN of the vehicle 102 for which the indication was received).

[0053] Subsequently, while vehicle 102 remains inactive, backend server 130 may receive data intended for vehicle 102 from TCU modem 106 or content modem 108 (block 406). For example, data for TCU modem 106 may include remote control commands (such as remote unlock or remote start commands) for vehicle 102, which may be submitted via user device 126. Data for content modem 108 may include large files (such as 3D maps) for vehicle 102 or requests for downloading large files (such as 3D maps) for vehicle 102, or requests for capturing and transmitting video or one or more images of the environment surrounding vehicle 102. In response to receiving such data for vehicle 102, backend server 130 may wake up one of modems 106 and 108, which is indicated to be active for vehicle 102 in a low-power state (block 408). In some cases, the backend server 130 may send a wake-up signal to one of the indicated modems 106 or 108 via a connected cellular network, and the wake-up signal may be in the form of an SMS message. Subsequently, the backend server 130 may also send data along with the wake-up signal to one of the indicated modems 106 or 108 via the cellular network (block 410).

[0054] When the vehicle recently entered an inactive state, in response to received data, vehicle 102 can determine whether the data is intended for one of the indications in modems 106 and 108 (i.e., one of modems 106 and 108 that is in a low-power state and has received data) or for the other of modems 106 and 108 that is in a powered-off state (block 412). Specifically, one of the modems 106 and 108 that has received data (i.e., one of the indications in modems 106 and 108) can wake up modem controller 110 (e.g., by sending a wake-up signal to modem controller 110) and then send the data to modem controller 110. Modem controller 110 can then determine whether the data should be processed by one of the indications in modems 106 and 108 that has received data or by the other of modems 106 and 108.

[0055] In some embodiments, in addition to determining which of the modems 106 and 108 should process the data, vehicle 102 may also determine whether one of the modems 106 and 108 that should process the data is capable of processing the data based on one or more conditions. For example, the received data may include a request (e.g., a data upload request for images / videos captured by the vehicle, or a data download request for a file (such as a 3D map)) that requires one of the modems 106 and 108 selected for processing the data to connect to its cellular network and communicate with a backend server 130 or some other device connected to network 120. Accordingly, modem controller 110 may be configured to determine whether the modem selected from the modems 106 and 108 for processing the data has sufficient network coverage, such as by waking up the selected modem, by requesting a network connection signal level from the selected modem, and by determining whether the selected modem has a strong signal to process the data (or more specifically, execute the request included in the data).

[0056] In response to determining that data should be processed by the other of modems 106 and 108, and most likely in response to determining that the other of modems 106 and 108 is capable of processing data based on one or more conditions (the "other" branch of block 412), vehicle 102 (or more specifically, modem controller 110) may wake up the other of modems 106 and 108, for example, by sending a wake-up signal to the other of modems 106 and 108 (when it is determined that the other of modems 106 and 108 is capable of processing data, in the absence of the other of modems 106 and 108 already being woken up) (block 416). Thereafter, modem controller 110 may send the received data to the other of modems 106 and 108 (block 418), which modem 106 and 108 may then perform data processing (block 420). Alternatively, in response to determining that data should be processed by one of the indications in modems 106 and 108 (the "Indication" branch of block 412), modem controller 110 may not wake up the other of modems 106 and 108. Alternatively, one of the indications in modems 106 and 108 may subsequently perform data processing, such as based on control signals from modem controller 110 (block 414).

[0057] Once the data processing is complete (e.g., a remote control command is executed), vehicle 102 can notify the backend server 130 of the successful data processing (block 415). Specifically, one of the instructions in modems 106 and 108 or another in modems 106 and 108 that processed the data can (e.g., under the instruction of modem controller 110) send such a notification to the backend server 130 via network 120.

[0058] If modem controller 110 determines that one of the data to be processed in modems 106 and 108 is unprocessable (e.g., because the modem does not have sufficient signal strength or no signal strength at all to process the data for a sufficient amount of time) (the "neither of the two" branch of block 412), modem controller 110 may store the data for subsequent processing (e.g., when vehicle 102 becomes active or the modem selected to process the data has better network coverage) (block 422). Thereafter, one of the indications in modems 106 and 108 may (e.g., at the instruction of modem controller 110) notify the background server 130 of the data processing failure via network 120 (block 424).

[0059] In an optional embodiment, the receiving modem 106 or 108 (i.e., the modem 106 or 108 indicating) can determine whether the data is for the modem 106 or 108 indicating or for the other modem 106 or 108. In response to determining that the received data is for the modem 106 or 108 indicating, the modem 106 or 108 indicating may not wake up the modem controller 110 or the other modem 106 or 108 and may perform data processing. In response to determining that the received data is for the other modem 106 or 108, the modem 106 or 108 indicating may wake up the modem controller 110, which may then wake up the other modem 106 or 108 and send the data to the other modem 106 or 108. Alternatively, the modem 106 or 108 indicating may wake up the other modem 106 or 108 and send the data directly to the other modem 106 or 108.

[0060] The computing devices described herein (such as vehicle controller 104, modems 106 and 108, and modem controller 110) may generally include computer-executable instructions, which can be executed by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above). The computer-executable instructions (such as instructions for diagnostic applications) can be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using various programming languages ​​and / or technologies, including but not limited to: Java. TM A single or combination of languages ​​such as C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, JavaScript, Python, Perl, PL / SQL, etc. Generally, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions from memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes those instructions to perform one or more processes, including the one or more processes described herein. Various computer-readable media can be used to store and transmit such instructions and other data.

[0061] Regarding the processes, systems, methods, teachings, etc., described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc., are described as occurring in a specific ordered order, such processes can be implemented using said steps performed in an order other than that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or specific steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of the processes herein is provided for the purpose of illustrating particular embodiments and should not be construed in any way as limiting the claims.

[0062] Accordingly, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications beyond the examples provided will become apparent when reading the above description. The scope should not be determined by reference to the above description, but rather by reference to the claims and the full scope of their equivalents. It is anticipated and planned that future developments will occur in the art described herein, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In summary, it should be understood that modifications and variations are possible with this application.

[0063] Unless expressly indicated otherwise herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be interpreted in their broadest reasonable sense as understood by one of those skilled in the art, and to have their general meaning. Specifically, unless the claims describe an express limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “the,” etc., should be understood to describe one or more elements of the designation.

[0064] This summary of the specification is provided to allow the reader to quickly determine the essence of the technical disclosure. It is understood at the time of submission that the summary will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, as can be seen in the foregoing detailed description, multiple features are combined in multiple embodiments for the purpose of simplifying this disclosure. The approach of this disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention to require more features than are clearly stated in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the claims, the subject matter of the invention lies in fewer than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, wherein each claim exists on its own as the subject matter of a separate claim.

[0065] While exemplary embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the terms used in this specification are descriptive rather than restrictive, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, features of various implementations can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: First modem; The second modem is connected to the first modem. The vehicles are configured as follows: In response to the vehicle entering an active state, the first modem and the second modem are placed at full power. In response to the vehicle entering an inactive state, the following operations are performed: identifying a first network connection level for a first modem, identifying a second network connection level for a second modem, and in response to determining that the second network connection level is higher than the first network connection level, turning off the first modem and turning the second modem into a low-power state. In response to the second modem wirelessly receiving data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state, the first modem is woken up from the off state and the data is processed via the first modem.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The data includes remote control commands for the vehicle received from the server, and the vehicle is also configured to: in response to the first network connectivity level being lower than the second network connectivity level, indicate a second modem to the server.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The first modem is configured for use in a first cellular network, and the second modem is configured for use in a second cellular network.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The first modem is a telematics control unit configured to process received remote control commands for the vehicle, and the second modem is an autonomous vehicle modem configured to download map data and upload video captured by the vehicle via a wireless network.

6. A vehicle comprising: First modem; Second modem; as well as The modem controller connects to both the first and second modems. The modem controller is configured as follows: In response to the vehicle entering an inactive state, the following operations are performed: receiving a first network connection level of the first modem via a first modem, receiving a second network connection level of the second modem via a second modem, and in response to determining that the second network connection level is higher than the first network connection level, turning off the first modem and turning the second modem into a low-power state. In response to the second modem wirelessly receiving data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state, and in response to receiving the data from the second modem and determining that the data is for the first modem, the first modem is woken up, and the data is sent to the first modem for processing. In response to the vehicle entering an active state, the first modem and the second modem are set to full power.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein, The second modem is configured to wirelessly receive data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state. Wake up the modem controller; The data is sent to a modem controller, which is configured to determine, in response to receiving the data, whether the data is for a first modem or a second modem.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein, The modem controller is also configured to wirelessly receive additional data for the second modem but not for the first modem when the second modem is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state. It was determined that the other data was for the second modem and not for the first modem; In response to the determination, the first modem is not woken up.

9. A vehicle comprising: First modem; The second modem is connected to the first modem; The modem controller connects to both the first and second modems. The vehicle is configured to: wake up the first modem from the off state and process the data via the first modem in response to the second modem receiving data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state; The modem controller is configured to: in response to the second modem wirelessly receiving data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state; and in response to receiving the data from the second modem and determining that the data is for the first modem, wake up the first modem and send the data to the first modem for processing. The vehicle is also configured to perform the following operations in response to the vehicle entering an inactive state: identify a first network connection level for a first modem; identify a second network connection level for a second modem; and, in response to determining that the second network connection level is higher than the first network connection level, turn off the first modem and put the second modem into a low-power state. The vehicle is also configured to place the first modem and the second modem at full power in response to the vehicle entering an active state.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The second modem is also configured to: wake up the modem controller and send the data to the modem controller in response to wirelessly receiving data for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state, wherein the modem controller is configured to: determine whether the data is for the first modem or the second modem in response to receiving the data.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The modem controller is also configured to: in response to the second modem receiving additional data for the second modem but not for the first modem when the vehicle is inactive, the first modem is off, and the second modem is in a low-power state, determine that the additional data is for the second modem but not for the first modem, and in response to the determination, not wake up the first modem.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The data includes remote control commands for the vehicle received from the server, and the vehicle is also configured to: in response to the first network connectivity level being lower than the second network connectivity level, indicate a second modem to the server.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The first modem is configured for use in a first cellular network, and the second modem is configured for use in a second cellular network.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein, The vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein, The first modem is a telematics control unit configured to process received remote control commands for the vehicle, and the second modem is an autonomous vehicle modem configured to download map data and upload video captured by the vehicle via a wireless network.

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