Systems and methods for selecting a network interface based on a vehicle's motion state

Abstract

Mesh network system, comprising: an electronic control unit configured to: to communicate wirelessly with a large number of vehicles via a mesh network; to determine a current movement state of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles communicating via the mesh network; to calculate a plurality of radio metric values ​​for a plurality of network interfaces of the vehicle, each radio metric value “C” of the plurality of radio metric values ​​being calculated as a function of a weighting factor “O”, a bit size for a frame “B t ”, a data rate “r” and a frame error rate “ef”, wherein the radio metric values ​​are weighted based on the current motion state, such that a first radio metric value of a first network interface of the vehicle is given a higher weight when it is in the current motion state; and select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for wireless communication of the vehicle via the mesh network based on the plurality of radio metric values, where the function has: C = ( o + B tr ( 1 − ef ) ) .

Description

TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates generally to inter-vehicle mesh networks, and more particularly, the present invention provides systems and methods for selecting a network interface device for communication between nodes of a mesh network based on a state of motion of a vehicle.BACKGROUNDInter-vehicle communication functionality, the Internet, and other data sources is a constantly growing demand for vehicles. The communication functionality enables a vehicle to share information such as sensor information, and receive and transmit system updates, navigation information, and the like. For example, if a vehicle requires an update, it connects to the Internet and receives the update from an Internet-based data source, e.g., a server. Moreover, vehicles may be configured to establish peer-to-peer networks commonly referred to as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. These networks may be built based on the proximity of the vehicles to each other and / or the strength of the signal. However, the network connections may be temporary when vehicles change speed, heading, or the like. Without the ability to establish less volatile network connections, the effectiveness of operations such as edge computing between vehicles or sharing updates, which may consist of large files, cannot be fully utilized because the connections may change periodically. Systems techniques for V2X communication using a plurality of radio access technologies (RATs) are described, for example, in DE 11 2018 003 365 T5. Herein, communication associated with one or more of the plurality of RATs may be received from a device. The device may include a multi-link transceiver interface for communicating with a plurality of transceiver chains. The plurality of transceiver chains may be configured to support a plurality of RATs. Moreover, the multiple transceiver chains may be controlled via the multiple connections of the transceiver interface to coordinate the multiple RATs and complete the communication.Based on the prior art, there is a need for mesh networks that are more efficient and reliable or can be otherwise improved. This object is achieved with the features of the independent claims, advantageous refinements are the subject matter of the dependent claims.SUMMARYIn one embodiment, a mesh network system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of vehicles via a mesh network and determine a current state of motion of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of vehicles communicating via the mesh network. The electronic control unit is further configured to calculate radio metric values for each of a plurality of network interfaces. Each metric value "C" of the plurality of metric values is calculated as a function of a weighting factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B t ", a data rate "r", and a frame error rate "ef", the function comprising: the metric values are weighted based on the current motion state such that a first metric value of a first network interface is weighted more heavily when in the current motion state. The electronic control unit may be configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for communication between the plurality of vehicles based on the radio metric values.In another embodiment, a mesh network system includes a computing device operatively in communication with a plurality of vehicles of a mesh network. The computing device is configured to determine a current state of motion for a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles. The computing device is further configured to calculate a plurality of radio metric values for a plurality of network interfaces of the vehicle, each radio metric value "C" of the plurality of radio metric values being calculated as a function of a weighting factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B t", a data rate "r", and a frame error rate "ef", the function comprising the computing device is further configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for communication between the plurality of vehicles based on the radio metric values.In another embodiment, a method is described. The method includes determining, by a computing device, a current state of motion of a vehicle of a plurality of vehicles over a mesh network. The method may further include calculating a plurality of radio metric values for a plurality of network interfaces of the vehicle, each radio metric value "C" of the plurality of radio metric values being calculated as a function of a weighting factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B t", a data rate "r", and a frame error rate "ef", the method may further include selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for communication between the plurality of vehicles based on the radio metric values.These and other features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe embodiments illustrated in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary and are not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrated embodiments will be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like structures are identified by like reference numerals; wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates an illustrative embodiment of a mesh network system including vehicles and a mesh network according to one or more of the embodiments shown and described herein; FIG. 2 schematically illustrates components of a vehicle according to one or more of the embodiments shown and described herein; FIG. 3 illustrates an illustrative embodiment of a system for selecting a desired network interface for a mesh network system according to one or more of the embodiments shown and described herein; and FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an example method for selecting a desired network interface for a mesh network system, in accordance with one or more of the embodiments shown and described herein.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for selecting a network interface for communication between vehicle nodes of a mesh network. The mesh networks may facilitate sharing of information, edge computing, wide area network (WAN) access, and the like, between the mesh network vehicles. The embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods that may prepare or influence a radio metric towards selecting a wireless network interface based on a vehicle state of motion, environmental factors, or the like. In one example, if a vehicle has a state of motion that is stationary, is below a threshold speed (e.g., at high traffic volume), or the like, a radio metric value may be pre-imposed towards selecting a Wi-Fi network interface for routing communication within the mesh network. If the vehicle has a state of motion that is not stationary and / or is at or above a threshold speed, the radio metric value may be unpredicted or pre-accepted over another network (e.g., long-term evolution (LTE), x-generation cellular technology (e.g., long-term evolution (LTE), x-th generation cellular technology (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.), dedicated short range communication (DSRC), vehicle to everything (V2X), Cellular V2X (C-V2X) or the like) as in a stationary motion state (e.g., Wi-Fi), below a threshold speed (e.g., at high traffic volume), or the like.In some conventional systems, mesh networks may use IEEE 802.11 routing protocols that interface communication to a Wi-Fi network interface for use in a mesh network. Wi-Fi network interfaces may not always be the most reliable or desired network interface for communication within the mesh network, due in part to movement of nodes, changes in speeds, location, distance to another node, interference, or the like. Accordingly, embodiments may resolve or improve network interface selection by a network interface selection component that may select a target network interface from available network interfaces, wherein the network interface selection component selects a desired network interface based on a radio metric that weights network interfaces equally so that the selection is not biased towards a Wi-Fi network interface.Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like structures, and more particularly to FIG. 1, an illustrative embodiment of a mesh network system 100 having nodes including vehicles, such as a first vehicle 102, a second vehicle 104, and a third vehicle 106, traveling in the same direction along a roadway. In embodiments, a plurality of vehicles determined to be travelling at similar speeds, directions, distances, destinations, or the like may be identified and grouped via their communication units in a mesh network system 100. A communication unit (e.g., communication unit 170 in FIG. 2 ) may be comprised of one or more network interface devices, telematics units, or the like. A communication unit may include, for example, network interfaces for communication over different access protocols, different duplex methods, in different frequency bands, etc. Such network interfaces may include Wi-Fi, xth generation cellular technology (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.), WCDMA, LTE, LTE Advanced, ZigBee, Bluetooth, WiMAX, UMTS, code division multiple access (CDMA), C-V2X, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), or the like.It should be appreciated that the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 may travel in a suitable configuration, such as a line formation or other formation in which the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 are generally within a certain distance of each other. In some embodiments, the vehicles of a mesh network system 100 may be separated by other vehicles on the road or have a predefined distance from each other, but still travel at similar speeds, directions, distances, targets, and / or the like. It is further noted that different numbers and types of vehicles may be used by or included in mesh network system 100.The first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 may be communicatively connected to form the mesh network system 100. The mesh network system 100 may include a routing table that includes a vehicle identification (e.g., identification numbers of communication units, IP addresses, or other information regarding the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106). A computing device (e.g., an electronic control unit, etc.) of one or more of the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106, or a remote computing device, may store the routing table in its memory (e.g., in a non-transitory computer readable memory). Moreover, the computing device may determine the member vehicles to be included in a mesh network system 100 based on their distance from each other, destination, speed, travel path, or the like. These parameters may be dependent on or independent of speed and heading information.The mesh network system 100 may operate in an edge computing environment in which tasks such as navigation, autonomous environment detection and analysis, and the like may be performed by the electronic control units of the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 having available resources. For example, the first vehicle 102 may have an electronic control unit with higher computing power than the second vehicle 104 and the third vehicle 106, such that the first vehicle 102 may be entrusted with tasks requiring higher computing power. The second vehicle 104 may include sensor packages that are superior or better positioned with respect to their driving relationships. Therefore, these sensor packages may be used in place of those of the first vehicle 102 and the third vehicle 106 in the mesh network system 100. As another example, the third vehicle 106 may have data or system updates that the first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104 need in the mesh network system 100. Rather than the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 each establishing a cellular connection and performing tasks independently of each other, which may be slow and costly, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 may transmit and receive data with each other in the mesh network system 100 via a network interface such as Wi-Fi. This, unlike connecting to a central server over a wide area network, can shorten download times and improve distribution of a system update because the vehicles can act as additional sources of the update.In the embodiments described herein, a vehicle of a mesh network system 100 may be identified as a master node vehicle by a computing device of a vehicle or a remote computing device. This host vehicle may obtain the label of the host vehicle based on the capabilities of the vehicle, such as processing or computing resources, advanced telematics systems, or the like. The vehicle may also obtain this designation based on information it owns and other vehicles need. A headquarters vehicle may function as an access point for other vehicles through which they may access a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet. For example, some vehicles may be equipped only with near field communication interfaces such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. These vehicles may be able to access WAN targets by sending them over a host node vehicle equipped with a communication unit having a long range interface system (e.g., 4G LTE, 5G, etc.).The first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106, or other vehicles within the mesh network system 100 may each include a plurality of network interfaces configured to route communication to and from each of the vehicles. The network interfaces may be selected for communication based on a radio metric value. In embodiments, a radio metric value may be pre-imposed on one or more sets of network interfaces based on a state of motion of the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106, or other vehicles within the mesh network system 100. A motion state may include a stationary motion state, a non-stationary motion state, a speed motion state, a motion state for a speed range, a motion state based on a threshold speed, driving patterns (e.g., stopand go, highway driving, etc.), proximity to other vehicles, or the like. It should be appreciated that a motion state, such as a stationary motion state or a non-stationary motion state, may include driving or vehicle information, such as whether the vehicle is moving or not, based on one or more factors including the state of ignition (e.g., on / off), gear (e.g., idle, drive), speed, traffic status and position, cruise control on / off, tracking of another vehicle, status of the tracked vehicle, current position, target position, or expected future position or target, vehicle speeds, vehicle directions, vehicle proximity to each other, or the like. As described herein, motion states may be determined by one or more vehicle sensors, position data, traffic information received from various computing devices (e.g., map or traffic services), or the like.As described herein, motion states may be determined by one or more vehicle sensors, position data, traffic information received from individual computing devices (e.g., map or traffic services), or the like. For example, Wi-Fi may be preferable when a vehicle is stationary, and quality may deteriorate when the vehicle is moving. Thus, when a vehicle is stationary, the radio metric value may be directed to a first group of network interfaces (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.). When a vehicle is not stationary, the radio metric value may be directed to a second group of network interfaces (e.g., LTE, xthgeneration cellular, DSRC, V2X, C-V2X, or the like).As another example, if a vehicle is stationary or is travelling at a speed below a threshold (e.g., below 10 miles per hour [miles per hour=mp / h; 1 mp / h=1.60934 km / h]), the wireless metric value may be directed to a first group of network interfaces (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.). When a vehicle is not stationary or is travelling at or above a threshold speed, the radio metric value may be directed to a second group of network interfaces (e.g., LTE, xth generation cellular, DSRC, V2X, C-V2X, or the like). It should be appreciated that other groups of network interfaces and / or other vehicle motion states may be used. For example, embodiments may include i sets of network interfaces and j motion states (where i and j are numbers). Each state of motion may be associated with a set of radio network interfaces. Additionally, radio network interfaces may be included in one or more sets. When a vehicle is in a state of motion, the radio metric values may be pre-imposed on the network interfaces in a set associated with the state of motion.Referring now to FIG. 2, a schematic example of a portion of the first vehicle 102 including sensor resources and a computing device is shown. It should be appreciated that other vehicles within the mesh network system 100 may be equipped with the same, similar, or different sets of sensor resources, telematics resources, or the like. At least in some embodiments, the first vehicle 102 may include an electronic control unit 130 having a processor 132 and a non-transitory computer readable memory 134, a navigation unit 140 (e.g., global positioning system (GPS), compass, etc.), one or more vehicle sensors 150 (e.g., vehicle speed sensors, motion sensors, proximity sensors, etc.), and a communication unit 170. These and other components of the first vehicle 102 may be communicatively coupled to one another via a communication bus 120.The communication bus 120 may be formed of any medium capable of transmitting a signal, such as conductive wires, conductive traces, optical fibers, or the like. The communication bus 120 may also refer to the area in which electromagnetic radiation and the corresponding electromagnetic waves travel. Moreover, the communication bus 120 may be formed of a combination of media capable of transmitting signals. In one embodiment, communication bus 120 is a combination of conductive traces, conductive wires, plugs, and buses that cooperate to enable the transmission of electrical data signals to components such as processors, memories, sensors, input devices, output devices, and communication devices. Moreover, it should be noted that the term "signal" refers to a waveform (e.g., electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical, or electromagnetic) such as direct current, alternating current, sine waves, triangular waves, square waves, vibrations, and the like, which may propagate through a medium. As used herein, the term "communicatively coupled" means that the coupled components are capable of exchanging signals with each other, e.g., electrical signals via a conductive medium, electromagnetic signals via air, optical signals via optical fibers, and the like.The electronic control unit 130 may be any device or combination of components including a processor 132 and a non-transitory computer readable memory 134. The processor 132 may be any device capable of executing the machine readable instruction set stored in the non-transitory computer readable memory 134. Accordingly, the processor 132 may be an electrical controller, an integrated circuit, a microchip, a computer, or other computing device. The processor 132 is communicatively coupled to the other components of the vehicle 102 via the communication bus 120. Accordingly, the communication bus 120 may communicatively couple any number of processors 132 to each other and allow the components coupled to the communication bus 120 to operate in a distributed computing environment. In particular, each of the components may operate as a node that may transmit and / or receive data. It is further noted that processor 132 may be comprised of a single processor, multiple processors, or a system of processors.The non-transitory computer readable storage 134 may include RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard drives, or any non-transitory storage device capable of storing machine readable instructions such that the processor 132 can access and execute the machine readable instructions. The machine readable instruction set may include logic or algorithms written in any generation programming language (e.g., 1GL, 2GL, 3GL, 4GL, or 5GL), such as machine language that may be executed directly by the processor 132, or assembly language, object oriented programming (OOP), scripting languages, microcode, etc., that may be compiled or assembled into machine readable instructions and stored in the non-transitory computer readable memory 134. Alternatively, the machine readable instruction set may be written in a hardware description language (HDL), such as logic implemented via either a field programmable gate array (FPGA) configuration or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or their equivalents. Accordingly, the functionality described herein may be implemented in any conventional computer programming language, as preprogrammed hardware elements, or as a combination of hardware and software components. It should be appreciated that the non-transitory computer readable memory 134 may include one or more devices, memory modules, or the like.The non-transitory computer readable storage 134 may include or be in communication with a network interface selection component 172. The network interface selection component 172 may include computer readable instructions (e.g., network interface selection component logic) that, when executed by the processor 132, cause the processor 132 to provide the functions described herein to the network interface selection component 172. The network interface selection component 172 may be configured to select network interfaces having a preferred or lowest calculated wireless metric connection for communication between nodes of the mesh network system 100. For example, the network interface selection component 172 may apply a weight of radio metric values for Wi-Fi, LTE, 5G, DSRC, C-V2X, or the like, based on a motion state of a vehicle, such that multiple network interfaces or sets of network interfaces receive larger weights depending on a particular motion state. It is further noted that the network interface selection component 172 may be disposed in or consist of one or more devices (e.g., one or more electronic control units), remote devices (e.g., servers, remote computing devices), or the like. While embodiments may relate to a vehicle including the network interface selection component 172, it is understood that servers, remote computing devices, or the like may include the network interface selection component 172.In one example, a radio metric value C may be a function of a weighting factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B t", a data rate "r" (e.g., Mbit / sec), and a frame error rate "ef". The weighting factor O may include an overhead of a network interface that may be weighted according to a motion state. The weighting factor O can thus be calculated dynamically or determined on the basis of a state of motion. In another aspect, the bit size for a frame B t may be a static value (e.g., the same for each network interface), such as 8192. The data rate r and the frame error rate ef may be dynamic (e.g., variable depending on the wireless network interface, chipset / firmware, or other components of a communication unit 170, environmental factors, or the like). That is, some network interface devices function better than others depending on the location of the node, distance to another node, environmental factors (e.g., weather), interference from other wireless signals, an antenna type (e.g., directional antenna, omni-directional antenna, etc.), vehicle motion, or the like. For example, LTE and / or DSRC generally provide more reliable communication during motion than WiFi due to robustness to the Doppler effect, etc. For example, the following Equation 1 may be used to determine weighted metrics of radio for network interfaces:The network interface selection component 172 may calculate radio metric values according to Equation 1 for each available network interface and select a network interface having a desired radio metric value (e.g., best, optimal, lowest, etc.) for communication between the first vehicle 102 and other vehicles within the mesh network system 100. The network interface selection component 172 may select weighting factors O for each radio network based on a state of motion, as described herein and elsewhere. For example, if it is determined that the first vehicle 102 has a state of motion that is stopped or is not moving, the weighting factor O for a first network interface or set of network interfaces (e.g., Wi-Fi metric value for a Wi-Fi network interface) may be set to a small value with respect to the values of a second network interface or set of network interfaces (e.g., DSRC metric value for a DSRC network interface, cellular metric value for a cellular network interface, etc.). The selection of a low weighting factor O results in the radio metric value presetting the first network interface or the first set of network interfaces for the routing. In another aspect, the network interface selection component 172 may select a higher weighting factor O for the second network interface or a second set of network interfaces, which may also bias the selection to the first network interface or the first set of network interfaces for which the routing.For example, the weighting factor O for a first network interface (e.g., Wi-Fi) in a stationary motion state may be between 1,000 and 700, or the like. In one embodiment, the weighting factor O may be 800. In a moving, non-stationary state of motion or driving at a speed that is above a threshold, the weighting factor O may be between 1,000 and 3,000, such as 2,000. The weighting factor O for other networks such as DSRC, LTE, or the like may be between 1,000 and 700, such as 800, when in a stationary motion state, a non-stationary motion state, or another motion state. It is noted that the weighting factor O may include other values for network interfaces, may be weighted based on other motion states, or the like.In at least some embodiments, network interface selection component 172 may repeat the calculation of radio metric values and selection of a desired network interface in response to a triggering event while applying an adjusted weight for network interfaces based on changes in a state of motion. A triggering event may be, for example, the expiration of time (e.g., intervals, periodic, etc.), the change in the state of motion of the vehicle (e.g., starting, stopping, changing speed, etc.), the removal or addition of a node, the change in an environmental factor, or the like. It is further noted that the network interface selection component 172 may change the interval length based on vehicle motion, environmental factors, removal or addition of a node, or the like. For example, if a vehicle sensor(s) 150 (as described in more detail herein) determines that the first vehicle 102 is in a steady state and then begins to move at a particular speed or acceleration, the network interface selection component 172 may iteratively perform the calculation of radio metric values and the selection of a network interface. It should be noted that the iterations may apply different weights for network interfaces.In one example, the network interface selection component 172 may repeat the calculation of radio metric values and the selection of a network interface after a time interval has elapsed. For example, the network interface selection component 172 may select every t units of time (e.g., 30 seconds, five minutes, etc.) Calculate radio metric values and select a network interface. In some embodiments, different intervals may be selected based on a state of motion of a vehicle. For example, the network interface selection component 172 may use a steady-state time interval that may be an extended time interval (e.g., 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.) as compared to a time interval in which the first vehicle 102 is in motion and / or is moving at a speed that corresponds to or exceeds a threshold speed. In another example, the network interface selection component 172 may apply a non-stationary time interval that is a relatively shorter interval (e.g., 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute, etc.) when the first vehicle 102 is moving and / or traveling at a speed that reaches or exceeds a threshold speed. In another example, if the vehicles within mesh network system 100 are moving in a relatively constant configuration (e.g., remaining within a certain distance from each other, moving at similar speeds, etc.), network interface selection component 172 may use a time interval that is greater than vehicles moving rapidly and / or in a non-constant configuration. It should be appreciated that the network interface selection component 172 may select time intervals and / or calculate time intervals based on environmental factors, motion states, interference, or the like. In addition, the network interface selection component 172 may apply a weighted algorithm to determine the time intervals. It is noted that other intervals and thresholds may also be used. Moreover, the network interface selection component 172 may adjust the intervals based on changes in proximity or distance between the vehicles within the mesh network system 100, in response to a transmission exceeding a time threshold (e.g., time out), or the like.Accordingly, the network interface selection component 172 may select a time interval for calculating radio metric values for each of a plurality of network interfaces for the vehicles, the time interval based at least in part on a state of motion of a vehicle. The network interface selection component 172 may repeat the steps of, at least in the time interval: calculating the radio metric values for each of the plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces based on the radio metric values, instructing the communication unit 170 to transmit a request packet from the first vehicle 102 to the second vehicle 104 or the third vehicle 106, and receiving a final route and a network interface type for communication via the communication unit 170. It is further noted that each electronic control unit 130B, 130C (see FIG. 3 ) may receive the request packets and repeat the calculation of radio metric values and the transmission of the request packet to other relay nodes or a target node.In embodiments, the network interface selection component 172 may use artificial intelligence, statistical models, or other processes and / or algorithms to determine time intervals, weights for motion states, adjust motion state classifications (e.g., determine patterns, adjust speed thresholds, etc.). For example, motion states may be mapped to a radio metric vector and a probability that the motion state and the radio metric vector belong to a class. An input attribute vector x=(x1, x2, x3, x4, xn) may be mapped to f(x)=Wahrscheinlichkeit(Klasse). Such classification may use probabilistic and / or statistical analysis (e.g., considering environmental factors, motion states of the first vehicle 102 or other vehicles, or the like) to derive an action or network interface to be selected. In various embodiments, systems and methods may use other directed and non-directed model classification approaches, e.g., naive Bayes, Bayes' networks, decision trees, neural networks, fuzzy logic models, and probabilistic classification models that provide different independence patterns. Classification may also include statistical regression used to develop priority models for network interface selection.According to one embodiment, the network interface selection component 172 may determine communication paths (e.g., node orders, etc.) and / or network interfaces for communication between nodes. A node, such as the first vehicle 102, may transmit a radio metric exchange with each node connected to the transmitting node (e.g., source node, requesting node, etc.). The radio metric, e.g., the transmission time, quantitates the quality of a network interface connection. The first vehicle 102 may then send a request packet to each node within the mesh network system 100 via the communication unit 170. Each relay node or electronic relay control unit (e.g., the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106, the electronic control unit 130B, the electronic control unit 130C, etc.) may add the value of the radio metric for the upcoming wireless connection to the present value of the radio metric in the request packet via its own network interface selection component 172, such that an accumulated radio metric value may be determined. In examples, each relay node may select a network interface from the available network interfaces of the communication unit 170 that has the lowest radio metric value, e.g., the lowest transmission time. The relay node may then transmit the request packet to the next relay node via the communication unit 170. This may repeat until a destination node receives the request packet. The destination node may then determine a route and network interface type for communication via its own network interface selection component 172. The destination node may then send a response packet informing each relay node of the selected route and network interface. As described herein, the network interface selection component 172 may thus select a network interface between nodes having the lowest wireless metric value for communication between nodes.In some embodiments, the network interface selection component 172 may be configured to selectively use environmental factors for selection of a network interface. It should be appreciated that use of environmental factors may be determined based on a user setting (e.g., user selection of whether to use environmental factors), may be configured to be used, or may be configured not to be used. For example, because the mesh network system 100 includes moving nodes (e.g., first vehicle 102, second vehicle 104, and third vehicle 106), changes in environmental factors such as distance, location, and signal stability / strength may change the radio metric for each type of network interface device (e.g., Wi-Fi, LTE, 5G, C-V2X) between each node.As shown in FIG. 2, a navigation unit 140, such as a GPS device, an electronic compass, or the like, may be communicatively connected to the communication bus 120 and to the electronic control unit 130 of the first vehicle 102. The navigation unit 140 is capable of generating location information and / or heading information indicative of a location of the first vehicle 102 by receiving one or more GPS signals from one or more GPS satellites. The navigation unit 140 may be configured to generate heading information, for example, based on an electronic compass. The GPS signal transmitted to the electronic control unit 130 via the communication bus 120 may include location information including a National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) message, a latitude and longitude record, a street address, a known location name based on a location database, or the like. Moreover, the navigation unit 140 may be exchanged with any other system capable of generating an output indicating a location. For example, a local positioning system that provides a location based on cellular signals and transmitter towers, or a radio signal detection device capable of triangulating a location based on radio signals received from one or more radio signal antennas.The first vehicle 102 may also include one or more vehicle sensors 150 connected to the communication bus 120 and communicating with the electronic control unit 130. The vehicle sensor(s) 150 may be any sensor or system of sensors for generating a signal indicative of vehicle speed, motion, proximity to other vehicles, etc. For example, one or more vehicle sensors 150 may be a tachometer capable of generating a signal indicative of the speed of a shaft of the engine of the vehicle 102 or a driveshaft. The signals generated by the vehicle sensor(s) 150 may be transmitted to the electronic control unit 130 and converted to a vehicle speed value. The vehicle speed value is an indicator of the speed of the first vehicle 102. In some embodiments, the vehicle sensor(s) 150 includes(s) an opto-isolator slit-plate sensor, a Hall-effect sensor, a Doppler radar, or the like. In some embodiments, the vehicle sensor(s) 150 may include data from a GPS to determine the speed of a vehicle 102. The vehicle sensor(s) 150 may / may be provided to allow the electronic control unit 130 to determine when the vehicle 102 is accelerating, maintaining a constant speed, slowing, or stopping. For example, one or more vehicle sensors 150 may provide signals to the electronic control unit 130 indicating that the vehicle 102 decelerates due to a change in traffic conditions or prior to performing a turn maneuver. It is further noted that the vehicle sensor(s) 150 may / may determine a state of a vehicle, such as a state of motion of a vehicle (e.g., whether the vehicle is moving or not), based on one or more factors including the state of ignition (e.g., on / off), gear (e.g., neutral, drive), speed, traffic state and position, cruise control on / off, tracking of another vehicle, status of a tracked vehicle, or the like.The electronic control unit 130 may determine driving parameters such as a speed, a driving direction or heading, a position, a future or projected position, an end destination, a proximity or distance between vehicles (e.g., 1 mile, 3⁄4 mile, 1⁄2 mile, 1⁄4 mile, 5000 foot, 4000 foot, 3000 foot, 2000 foot, 1500 foot, 1000 foot, 500 foot or 250 foot [1 mile=1.609 kilometers; 1 foot=0.3048 meters]) or the like based on one or more signals received from vehicle sensors 150 and / or the navigation unit 140. In some embodiments, based on the driving parameters derived or received from the one or more signals of the vehicle sensor(s) 150 and / or the navigation unit 140, the electronic control unit 130 selects vehicles to be included in the mesh network. For example, the electronic control unit 130 (e.g., via the network interface selection component 172) and / or the computing device 192 (see FIG. 3 ) identifies vehicles for and / or creates a mesh network that includes one or more vehicles based on: (i) a comparison of the speed of the vehicles and (ii) a comparison of the direction of the vehicles. As an example, the computing device 192 and / or the electronic control unit 130 identifies one or more vehicles of the plurality of vehicles traveling at a speed less than or equal to a predetermined speed threshold and having a heading less than or equal to a predetermined heading threshold. The predetermined speed threshold may be about + / - 10 miles per hour, about + / - 9 miles per hour, about + / - 8 miles per hour, about + / - 7 miles per hour, about + / - 6 miles per hour, about + / - 5 miles per hour, about + / - 4 miles per hour, about + / - 3 miles per hour, about + / - 2 miles per hour, about + / - 1 miles per hour, or about + / - 0.5 miles per hour [miles per hour = mp / h; 1 mp / h = 1.60934 km / h]. The predetermined course threshold may be + / - 10 degrees, + / - 9 degrees, + / - 8 degrees, + / - 7 degrees, + / - 6 degrees, + / - 5 degrees, + / - 4 degrees, + / - 3 degrees, + / - 2 degrees, + / - 1 degrees, + / - 0.5 degrees, or + / - 0.25 degrees.As further shown in FIG. 2, the communication unit 170 may include a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device for communicating with other vehicles (e.g., the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106, etc.). The communication unit 170 may be communicatively coupled to the communication bus 120 and to the electronic control unit 130. The communication unit 170 may be any device capable of transmitting and / or receiving data with a network 180 or directly with another vehicle (e.g., the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle) equipped with a communication unit 170. Accordingly, the communication unit 170 may include a communication transceiver for transmitting and / or receiving wired or wireless communication according to a network interface or protocol. The communication unit 170 may include, for example, an antenna, a modem, a LAN port, a Wi-Fi card, a WiMax card, hardware for mobile communication, hardware for near field communication, hardware for satellite communication, and / or any wired or wireless hardware for communication with other networks and / or devices. In one embodiment, a communication unit 170 may include hardware configured to operate in accordance with the Bluetooth wireless communication protocol. In another embodiment, a communication unit 170 may include a Bluetooth transmit / receive module for transmitting and receiving Bluetooth communication to / from a network 180 and / or another vehicle.Referring to FIG. 3 and FIGS. 1 and 2, an illustrative embodiment of a system 300 for communicating with vehicles within the mesh network system 100 will be described. In some embodiments, communication between the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 may be direct among each other. That is, the first vehicle 102 may communicate directly with the second vehicle 104 and / or the third vehicle 106, the second vehicle 104 may communicate directly with the first vehicle 102 and / or the third vehicle 106, and the third vehicle 106 may communicate directly with the first vehicle 102 and / or the second vehicle 104. In some embodiments, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and / or the third vehicle 106 may communicate with each other via a network 180. In further embodiments, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and / or the third vehicle 106 may communicate with one or more computing devices 192 and / or servers 193.The network 180 may include one or more computer networks (e.g., a personal area network, a local area network, or a wide area network), cellular networks, satellite networks, and / or a global positioning system, and combinations thereof. Accordingly, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106, as well as the computing device 192 and / or the server 193 may communicate with each other via the network 180 via wired or wireless technologies, via a wide area network, via a local area network, via a personal area network, via a cellular network, via a satellite network, or the like. Suitable local area networks may include wired Ethernet and / or wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi. Suitable personal area networks may include wireless technologies such as IrDA, Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and / or other near field communication protocols. Suitable personal networks may also include wired computer buses such as USB and FireWire. Suitable cellular networks include, but are not limited to, technologies such as LTE, WiMAX, UMTS, CDMA, C-V2X, and GSM.In particular, FIG. 3 shows a first vehicle 102 having an electronic control unit 130A and a communication unit 170A, a second vehicle 104 having an electronic control unit 130B and a communication unit 170B, and a third vehicle having an electronic control unit 130C and a communication unit 170C. As described in more detail herein, each of the vehicles, e.g., the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106, when within range of each other, may exchange their speed, heading, position, destination information, or the like, with each other or with the computing device 192.The computing device 192 may include a display 192 a, a processing unit 192 b, and an input device 192 c, each of which may be communicatively connected to one another. The processing unit 192 bmay include a processor, input / output hardware, network interface hardware, a data storage, and a storage component. The server 193 may have a similar configuration to the computing device 192, but may be configured to operate rather as a data storage and application support device.The processor may include one or more processing components configured to receive and execute instructions (e.g., from the data storage component and / or the storage component). The instructions may be in the form of a machine readable instruction set stored in the data storage component and / or the storage component. The input / output hardware may include a monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, camera, microphone, speaker, and / or other device for receiving, transmitting, and / or presenting data. The network interface hardware may include any wired or wireless network hardware, such as a modem, a LAN port, a Wi-Fi card, a WiMax card, mobile communication hardware, and / or other hardware for communicating with other networks and / or devices.It should be appreciated that the data storage component may be located at and / or remote from the computing device 192 and may be configured to store one or more data, such as a routing table, updates for vehicle systems, or the like, that may be accessed by the computing device 192 and / or other components. It should be appreciated that the server 193 may also be configured to store one or more data such as a routing table, updates for vehicle systems, or the like, for access by the computing device 192 and / or vehicles via the network 180. It should be appreciated that the computing device 192 and / or the server 193 may include electronic control devices.A computing device 192 and / or an electronic control unit 130 may then use the speed, heading, position, and / or destination information, also referred to herein as driving parameters, to determine relationships between the vehicles and identify vehicles that may form a mesh network based on their driving parameters. Once a mesh network is established by the computing device 192 or the electronic control unit 130, a master node vehicle (e.g., first vehicle 102) may be identified and used as an access point for other vehicles (e.g., second vehicle 104) in the mesh network system 100 to communicate with the computing device 192, the server 193, or other devices via the WAN (e.g., the network 180).As described herein, mesh network system 100 may include first vehicle 102, second vehicle 104, third vehicle 106, and / or other vehicles, each vehicle acting as a node. Moreover, each communication unit 170A, 170B, 170C of the respective vehicles may include network interfaces for a plurality of different networks, protocols, or the like. For example, each communication unit 170A, 170B, 170C may include one or more antennas (e.g., many in / many out (MIMO) antennas, etc.) that enable communication over Wi-Fi networks, IrDA, Bluetooth, wireless USB, Z-wave, ZigBee, near field communication (NFC), LTE, WiMAX, UMTS, CDMA, C-V2X, GSM interfaces with Wi-Fi, xthgeneration cellular technology (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.), WCDMA, LTE Advanced, or the like. The electronic control units 130A, 130B, 130C and / or the computing device 192 or the servers 193 may be configured to calculate radio metrics for communication between the vehicles or the communication unit 170A, 170B, 170C via the plurality of network interfaces. In examples, a network interface selection component 172 may transmit a request packet to each node within the mesh network system 100 via the communication unit 170, the request packet including a transmission time radio metric. Each receiving vehicle or relay node (e.g., the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106, etc.) may add a transmission time radio metric for the upcoming wireless connection to the existing value of the transmission time radio metric in the request packet via its own network interface selection component 172, such that an accumulated radio metric value may be determined. In examples, each network interface selection component 172 may select a network interface with the lowest transmit time radio metric. The nodes / vehicles within the mesh network system 100 may repeat the receipt of a request and the calculation of a radio metric until a destination or end node receives the request. The destination node may then calculate a final route and network interface type for communication between the individual nodes. The destination node may then transmit a response packet informing each relay node of the selected route and network interface. As described herein, the network interface selection component 172 may thus select a network interface between nodes having the lowest wireless metric value for communication between nodes without favoring a particular network interface. It is noted that a network interface may or may not be an ideal network interface for communication between two different nodes. For example, communication between the first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104 may use a first radio metric having a first transmission time radio metric, while communication between the first vehicle 102 and the third vehicle 106 may use a second radio metric having a second transmission time radio metric.In particular, FIG. 3 shows a first vehicle 102 having an electronic control unit 130A and a communication unit 170A, a second vehicle 104 having an electronic control unit 130B and a communication unit 170B, and a third vehicle having an electronic control unit 130C and a communication unit 170C. In the embodiments described herein, an electronic control unit may function as an originating electronic control unit (e.g., originating node) that sends an initial request, a relay electronic control unit (e.g., relay node) that receives and sends a request to another relay node or a destination node, or a destination electronic control unit (e.g., destination node) that is a destination for a request. As described in more detail herein, each of the vehicles, e.g., the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106, when within range of each other, may share the speed, heading, position, destination information, or the like with each other or with the computing device 192.The computing device 192 may include a display 192 a, a processing unit 192 b, and an input device 192 c, each of which may be communicatively coupled to one another. The processing unit 192 bmay include a processor, input / output hardware, network interface hardware, a data storage, and a memory.In view of the subject matter described herein, methods that may relate to various embodiments may be better understood with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4. While the method is illustrated and described as a series of blocks, it is understood that related methods or processes are not limited by the order of the blocks. It is further noted that some blocks and corresponding actions may occur in different orders or concurrently with other blocks. In addition, various blocks or acts may be used to implement the methods described below. Various actions may be performed by a mesh network system or its components, such as computing device 192 and / or electronic control unit 130 (e.g., FIGS. 2, 3 ), or the like.FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram 400 of an example method for selecting a desired network interface for a mesh network system. The flowchart 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 is a representation of a machine readable instruction set stored in the non-transitory computer readable memory 134 and executed by the processor 132 of an electronic control unit 130 or a processing unit 192 bof a computing device 192. The process of the flowchart 400 in FIG. 4 may be executed at various times and repeated intermittently (e.g., every minute, every five minutes, etc.) to confirm membership of vehicles in a mesh network.At block 402, the method may establish a mesh network. For example, a mesh network system (see FIGS. 1-3 ) (e.g., via a computing device 192 and / or an electronic control unit 130) may establish a mesh network between a plurality of vehicles. Each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles includes a communication unit having a plurality of network interfaces. The mesh network system may identify vehicles to be included in the mesh network based on driving characteristics of the vehicles, such as position information (e.g., a current position of vehicles, a destination or prospective future position or destination of vehicles, vehicle speeds, vehicle directions, vehicle proximity, or the like). In examples, the mesh network system may receive data from the plurality of vehicles based on vehicle sensors. In some embodiments, the mesh network system may receive driving characteristics from remote computing devices, GPS systems, or the like. In some embodiments, the mesh network identifies and / or creates a mesh network with one or more vehicles based on: (i) a comparison of the current positions of the vehicles; and (ii) a comparison of the future positions of the vehicles. For example, vehicles having similar current locations and similar future locations may be selected for a mesh network. Similar current positions and similar future positions may be vehicles that are within a predetermined range of each other and / or have a similar heading and speed, or the like.At block 404, the method may determine a current state of motion of a plurality of vehicles. In embodiments, the mesh network system may determine a current state of motion of the plurality of vehicles. The current moving state of the plurality of vehicles may be determined or calculated based on driving characteristics of the vehicles such as position information or the like. In at least some embodiments, mesh network system may determine the current motion state based on a vehicle sensor signal received from a vehicle sensor (e.g., vehicle sensor(s) 150, FIGS. 2, 3 ). The vehicle sensor may be configured to generate a sensor signal indicative of a vehicle speed, a vehicle motion, a vehicle proximity to other vehicles, or a combination thereof. The current motion state may be selected from a plurality of predefined motion states, such as at least one of a stationary motion state, a non-stationary motion state, a speed-dependent motion state, a driving pattern motion state, or a motion state in the vicinity of other vehicles. According to at least some embodiments, motion states may be identified for a group of vehicles having similar motion states. In another aspect, motion states may be determined based on artificial intelligence, statistical models, or other processes and / or algorithms to determine or adjust classifications of motion states (e.g., determine patterns, adjust speed thresholds, etc.).At block 406, the method may calculate weighting factors for a plurality of network interfaces. In examples, the mesh network system may calculate weighting factors (e.g., the weighting factor "C" for each of the plurality of network interfaces based at least in part on the current state of motion). In at least some embodiments, the network interface weighting factor "C" may be predetermined based on a current state of motion. For example, if the current motion state is a stationary motion state, a stop-and-go motion state, or a low speed motion state, the weighting factor O for a first network interface (e.g., the Wi-Fi network interface) may be biased or adjusted to approximately weight Wi-Fi more so that a radio metric value for the Wi-Fi network interface is more likely to have a desired or preferred value compared to radio metric values for other network interfaces. In one example, the weighting factor O for Wi-Fi in a stationary motion state may be between 1,000 and 700 or the like. In one embodiment, the weighting factor O may be 800. In a moving, non-stationary state of motion or at a speed that is above a threshold, the weighting factor O for a Wi-Fi network interface may be biased away from the Wi-Fi network interface. In one example, the weighting factor O may be between 1,000 and 3,000, e.g., about 2,000. The weighting factor O for other networks such as DSRC, LTE, or the like may be between 1,000 and 700, e.g., about 800 when it is a stationary motion state, a non-stationary motion state, or another motion state. It is noted that the weighting factor O may include other values for network interfaces, may be weighted based on other motion states, or the like. It is noted that the weighting factor O may comprise other values depending on the weighted algorithm or function used to influence the selection of the network interfaces.At block 408, the method may select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces. According to embodiments, the mesh network system may calculate radio metric values for each of the plurality of network interfaces as a function of at least the weighting factors for each of the plurality of network interfaces. In at least some embodiments, the radio metric value C may be a function of a weighting factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B t", a data rate "r" (e.g., Mbit / sec), and a frame error rate "ef". For example, Equation 1 described herein may be used to determine weighted metrics for network interfaces:The mesh network system may select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for communication between the plurality of vehicles based on the radio metric values. Selection of the desired network interface may include selection of a network interface having a wireless metric value that indicates that the desired network interface has improved or preferred characteristics over other network interfaces, such as greater reliability, improved latency, or the like. Depending on the weighting algorithm used, the radio metric value may be the lowest, highest or another radio metric value. It should be appreciated that the mesh network system may repeat the calculation of the weighting factors, the calculation of the radio metric values, and the selection of the desired network interface in response to a triggering event. The triggering event may include at least one of a change in an environmental factor, the elapse of a time interval, or a change in the plurality of vehicles.The functional blocks and / or flowchart elements described herein may be translated into machine readable instructions. As non-limiting examples, the machine readable instructions may be written using any programming protocol, such as: text to be rendered (e.g., hypertext markup language, extensible markup language, etc.), (ii) assembler language, (iii) object code generated from the source code by a compiler, (iv) source code written using the syntax of any suitable programming language for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. Alternatively, the machine readable instructions may be written in a hardware description language (HDL), e.g., as logic, which is implemented either via a field programmable gate array configuration (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or their equivalents. Accordingly, the functionality described herein may be implemented in any conventional computer programming language, as preprogrammed hardware elements, or as a combination of hardware and software components.It is understood that the terms "substantially" and "about" may be used herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also used herein to represent the degree to which a quantitative representation may deviate from a given reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter in question.Accordingly, the embodiments describe a mesh network system. The mesh network system includes an electronic control unit and / or a computing device configured to select a network interface for communication within a mesh network. In particular, the electronic control unit can determine a current movement state of a plurality of vehicles of a mesh network. The electronic control unit may calculate radio metric values for each of a plurality of network interfaces. The radio metric values are weighted based on the current motion state such that a first radio metric value of a first network interface is weighted more heavily when in the current motion state. For example, in a stationary motion state, a radio metric value of a Wi-Fi network interface may be weighted more heavily. In embodiments, the electronic control unit selects a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for communication between the plurality of vehicles based on the radio metric values.

Claims

A mesh network system comprising: an electronic control unit configured to: wirelessly communicate with a plurality of vehicles over a mesh network; determine a current state of motion of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles communicating over the mesh network; calculate a plurality of radio metric values for a plurality of network interfaces of the vehicle, wherein each radio metric value "C" of the plurality of radio metric values is calculated as a function of a weighting factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B t", a data rate "r", and a frame error rate "ef", wherein the radio metric values are weighted based on the current state of motion such that a first radio metric value of a first network interface of the vehicle is weighted more heavily when in the current state of motion; and selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for wirelessly communicating the vehicle over the mesh network based on the plurality of radio metric values, the function comprising: C=(o+B t r (1-e f)). The mesh network system of claim 1, wherein the current state of motion is a stationary state of motion, and wherein the first network interface is a Wi-Fi network interface.The mesh network system of claim 2, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to: iteratively determine the current motion state of the vehicle; in response to the current motion state changing from the stationary motion state, calculate a plurality of adjusted weights for the plurality of network interfaces such that the Wi-Fi network interface is less weighted; and calculate the plurality of radio metric values for the plurality of network interfaces based at least in part on the plurality of adjusted weights for the plurality of network interfaces.The mesh network system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit selects the weighting factor O for each of the plurality of network interfaces based on the current state of motion.The mesh network system according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit, in response to the current motion state having a stationary motion state, selects the weighting factor O for a Wi-Fi network interface to have a smaller value than the weighting factor O for the Wi-Fi network interface when the current motion state is not the stationary motion state.The mesh network system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle sensor communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit, the vehicle sensor configured to identify the current state of motion.The mesh network system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle sensor comprises at least one of a speed sensor, a motion sensor, or a proximity sensor.The mesh network system of claim 6, wherein the current motion state is selected from at least one of a stationary motion state, a non-stationary motion state, a velocity range-based motion state, or a driving pattern motion state.The mesh network system of claim 1, wherein the current state of motion is a non-stationary state of motion, and wherein the first network interface is at least one of a cellular network interface or a dedicated short range communication network interface.The mesh network system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to: iteratively determine the current motion state of the vehicle; and in response to the change in the current motion state, change a weight applied to calculate the plurality of radio metric values for the plurality of network interfaces.A mesh network system comprising: a computing device operatively in communication with a plurality of vehicles of a mesh network, the computing device configured to: determine a current state of motion for a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles; calculate a plurality of radio metric values for a plurality of network interfaces of the vehicle, wherein each radio metric value "C" of the plurality of radio metric values is calculated as a function of a weight factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B f", a data rate "r", and a frame error rate "ef"; selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for wirelessly communicating the vehicle over the mesh network based on the plurality of radio metric values, the function comprising: C = (o + B t r (1 - e f )). The mesh network system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of network interfaces comprise a Wi-Fi network interface and a dedicated short-range communication network interface.The mesh network system of claim 12, wherein the computing device is further configured to, in response to the current motion state having a stationary motion state, calculate a Wi-Fi weighting factor to affect the computing device to select the Wi-Fi network interface as the desired network interface; and the computing device is further configured to, in response to the current motion state having a non-stationary motion state, calculate the Wi-Fi weighting factor to affect the computing device to select the dedicated short-range communication network interface as the desired network interface.A method comprising: determining, by a computing device, a current state of motion of a vehicle of a plurality of vehicles wirelessly communicating over a mesh network; calculating a plurality of radio metric values for a plurality of network interfaces of the vehicle, each radio metric value "C" of the plurality of radio metric values being calculated as a function of a weighting factor "O", a bit size for a frame "B t ", a data rate "r", and a frame error rate "ef"; and selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces for wirelessly communicating the vehicle over the mesh network based on the plurality of radio metric values, the function comprising: C = (o + B t r (1-e f)). The method of claim 14, further comprising iteratively calculating the plurality of radio metric values and selecting the desired network interface in response to a trigger event.The method of claim 15, wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of a change in an environmental factor, a lapse of a time interval, or a change in the plurality of vehicles.The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting the time interval based on a state of motion of the vehicle.

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