SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING ROUTING PROTOCOLS AND SELECTING NETWORK INTERFACES IN MESH NETWORKS - Patent application

Abstract

To provide an improved mesh network.SOLUTION: A mesh network system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to calculate a plurality of radio measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in a mesh network as a function of a radio measurement value in the current operating state of the first vehicle. The radio measurement value indicates the performance of the plurality of network interfaces under the current operating condition of the first vehicle. The electronic control unit is further configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired radio measurement score indicating the desired performance under the current operating condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to vehicle-to-vehicle mesh networks, and more particularly, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for network interface device selection for communications between nodes of a mesh network. [Background technology]

[0002] Communication capabilities between vehicles, the Internet, and other data sources are an ever-growing requirement for vehicles. Communication capabilities allow vehicles to share information, such as sensor information, and receive and transmit system updates, navigation information, and the like. For example, when a vehicle requests an update, it connects to the Internet to receive the update from an Internet-based data source, such as a server. Additionally, vehicles can be configured to establish peer-to-peer networks, commonly referred to as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications. These networks can be established based on the vehicles' proximity to one another and / or signal strength. However, network connections can be transient as the vehicles change speed or change direction of travel. Without the ability to establish less transient network connections, the effectiveness of operations such as edge computing or sharing of updates between vehicles, which may consist of vast amounts of files, can be underutilized as connections change periodically.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for more efficient, reliable or improved mesh networks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one embodiment, a mesh network system includes an electronic control unit configured to calculate a plurality of radio measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in the mesh network as a function of radio measurement values ​​at a current operating state of the first vehicle, the radio measurements being indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces at the current operating state of the first vehicle, and the electronic control unit further configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired radio measurement score indicative of a desired performance at the current operating state.

[0005] In another embodiment, the mesh network system includes a processor configured to calculate a plurality of radio measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of the mesh network as a function of the radio measurements at a current operating state of the first vehicle, the radio measurements indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces at the current operating state of the first vehicle, and the processor configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired radio measurement score indicative of a desired performance at the current operating state.

[0006] In another embodiment, the method includes calculating, by a computing device, a plurality of radio measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of the mesh network as a function of radio measurements at a current operating state of the first vehicle, the radio measurements indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces at the current operating state of the first vehicle, and the method further includes selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired radio measurement score indicative of a desired performance at the current operating state.

[0007] These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] The embodiments described in the drawings are exemplary in nature and are not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the example embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like structure is designated with like reference numerals and in which:

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an example embodiment of a mesh network system including a vehicle and a mesh network according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein.

[0010] [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates components of a vehicle according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein.

[0011] [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates an example embodiment of a system for selecting a desired network interface for a mesh network system according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein.

[0012] [Figure 4] 1 illustrates a flowchart of an example method for selecting a desired network interface and route for communication for a mesh network system according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for selecting a network interface for communication between vehicle nodes of a mesh network. The mesh network can facilitate information sharing, edge computing, access to wide area networks, and the like, between vehicles in the mesh network. The embodiments described herein are directed to an abstraction layer within a dual carrier module of a vehicle communication unit. As described herein, the abstraction layer can be configured to utilize a Wi-Fi network interface as an equally weighted network interface to other network interfaces (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE), x Next Generation Cellular Technologies (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.), Dedicated Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), Vehicle-to-Vehicle / Infrastructure (V2X), Cellular Vehicle-to-Vehicle / Infrastructure (V2X), etc.) when resolving node connections for use in communicating within the mesh network.

[0014] In some conventional systems, a mesh network may employ an IEEE 802.11 routing protocol that biases communications to a Wi-Fi network interface as the interface for use in the mesh network. The Wi-Fi network interface may not provide optimal radio measurements for communications within the mesh network, in part due to node movement, changes in speed, distance to other nodes, interference, etc. Thus, embodiments may solve or improve network interface selection through an abstraction layer that can select a target network interface from available network interfaces, where the abstraction layer selects a desired network interface based on radio measurements that uniformly weight the wireless network interfaces such that the selection is not biased toward the Wi-Fi network interface.

[0015] Turning now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 , where like numbers refer to like structure, an example embodiment of a mesh network system 100 is shown including nodes comprising vehicles, such as a first vehicle 102, a second vehicle 104, and a third vehicle 106, traveling in the same direction along a road. In an embodiment, multiple vehicles determined to be traveling with similar speeds, paths, proximity, destinations, etc. can be identified and grouped in the mesh network system 100 via their communication units. The communication units can include one or more network interfaces, telematics units (combined telephone and computer units), etc. For example, the communication units can include network interfaces for communicating via different access protocols, different duplexing schemes, in different frequency bands, etc. Such network interfaces may include Wi-Fi, next generation cellular technologies (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), and the like.

[0016] It is noted that the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 may generally travel in any suitable configuration, such as a linear formation within a predetermined distance of each other, or other formation, etc. In some embodiments, the vehicles of the mesh network system 100 may be separated from other vehicles on a roadway or may be separated by a predetermined distance, but still travel with similar speeds, paths, proximity, destinations, etc. It is further noted that different numbers and types of vehicles may be utilized by or comprised in the mesh network system 100.

[0017] The first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 can be communicatively linked to form a mesh network system 100. The mesh network system 100 can include a routing table that includes vehicle IDs (e.g., communication unit ID numbers, IP addresses, or other information regarding the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106). One or more processors (e.g., electronic control units, etc.) of the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106, or a remote processor can store the routing table in its memory (e.g., non-transitory computer readable memory). In addition, the processor can further determine member vehicles to be included in the mesh network system 100 based on the vehicles' distance from each other, destination, speed, travel path, etc. These parameters can depend on the speed and route information, or can be independent of each other.

[0018] The mesh network system 100 can operate in an edge computing environment, where the electronic control units of the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 that have available resources can perform tasks such as navigation, autonomous environment detection and analysis, etc. For example, the first vehicle 102 can have an electronic control unit with more advanced computing power than the second vehicle 104 and the third vehicle 106, thereby subjecting the first vehicle 102 to operations that require more advanced computing resources. The second vehicle 104 can include sensor packages that are more advantageous or better positioned with respect to their driving context. Thus, those sensor packages are available in the mesh network system 100 over the sensor packages of the first vehicle 102 and the third vehicle 106. As another example, the third vehicle 106 can have data or system updates required by the first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104 in the mesh network system 100. Thus, instead of each of the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 establishing a cellular connection, which may be slow and costly, to perform tasks independently, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 in the mesh network system 100 can send data to and receive data from each other over a network interface, such as WiFi, etc. This can reduce download times and improve delivery of system updates, as the vehicles can act as additional sources of up-to-date information, as opposed to a central server connected over a wide area network.

[0019] In the embodiments described herein, a vehicle of the mesh network system 100 can be identified as a master node vehicle by the vehicle's processing unit or a remote processing unit. The vehicle can receive the designation of a master node vehicle based on the vehicle's capabilities, such as processing or computing resources, advanced telematics systems, etc. The vehicle can also receive the designation based on information the vehicle may have and other vehicles may need. The master node vehicle can act as an access point to which other vehicles connect to access a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet. For example, some vehicles may only be equipped with a short-range communication interface, such as Bluetooth or WiFi. These vehicles can access WAN destinations by transmitting through a master node vehicle equipped with a communication unit having a long-range interface system (e.g., 4G LTE, 5G, etc.).

[0020] 2, an example diagram of a portion of a first vehicle 102 including sensor resources and a computing device is shown. It is noted that other vehicles in the mesh network system 100 can be equipped with the same, similar, or different sets of sensor resources, telematics resources, etc. In at least some embodiments, the first vehicle 102 can include an electronic control unit 130 including a processor 132 and non-transitory computer readable memory 134, a navigation unit 140 (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS), compass, etc.), 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 can be communicatively coupled to one another via a communication bus 120.

[0021] The communication bus 120 can be formed of any medium capable of transmitting signals, such as, for example, conductor wires, conductor traces, optical waveguides, etc. The communication bus 120 can also refer to electromagnetic radiation and the space through which their corresponding electromagnetic waves pass. Furthermore, the communication bus 120 can be formed of a combination of media capable of transmitting signals. In one embodiment, the communication bus 120 comprises a combination of conductor traces, conductor wires, connectors, and buses that cooperate to allow transmission of electrical data signals to components such as processors, memories, sensors, input devices, output devices, and communication devices. Additionally, it is noted that the term "signal" refers to a waveform (e.g., electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical, or electromagnetic) that can propagate through a medium, such as DC, AC, sine wave, triangular wave, square wave, vibration, etc. As used herein, the term "communicatively coupled" means that the coupled components can exchange signals, such as, for example, electrical signals through a conductor medium, electromagnetic signals through air, optical signals through optical waveguides, etc.

[0022] The electronic control unit 130 can be any device or combination of components that includes a processor 132 and a non-transitory computer-readable memory 134. The processor 132 can be any device capable of executing machine-readable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory 134. Thus, the processor 132 can be an electric controller, an integrated circuit, a microchip, a computer, or any other computing device. The processor 132 is communicatively coupled to other components of the vehicle 102 by a communication bus 120. Thus, the communication bus 120 can communicatively couple any number of the processors 132 to each other, allowing the components coupled to the communication bus 120 to operate in a distributed computing environment. In particular, each of the components can operate as a node that can send and / or receive data. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 includes a single processor 132, other embodiments can include two or more processors 132.

[0023] The non-transitory computer readable memory 134 may comprise RAM, ROM, flash memory, a hard drive, or any non-transitory memory device capable of storing machine readable instructions such that the machine readable instructions can be accessed by and executed by the processor 132. The machine readable instruction set may comprise logic or algorithms written in any programming language of any generation (e.g., 1GL, 2GL, 3GL, 4GL, or 5GL) that can be compiled or assembled into machine readable instructions and stored in the non-transitory computer readable memory 134, such as, for example, a machine language that can be directly executed by the processor 132, or an assembly language, object oriented programming (OOP), scripting language, microcode, etc. Alternatively, the machine readable instruction set may be written in a hardware description language (HDL), such as logic implemented via a field programmable gate array (FPGA) configuration, or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any of their equivalents. Thus, the functionality described herein may be implemented as pre-programmed hardware elements in any conventional computer programming language, or as a combination of hardware and software components. Although the embodiment shown in Figure 2 includes a single non-transitory computer readable memory 134, other embodiments may include two or more memory modules.

[0024] The non-transitory computer readable memory 134 can include or be in communication with the abstraction layer 172. The abstraction layer 172 can include computer readable instructions (e.g., abstraction layer logic) that, when executed by the processor 132, cause the processor 132 to provide the functionality of the abstraction layer 172 described herein. The abstraction layer 172 can be configured to select a network interface having a preferred or lowest calculated radio measurement score for communication between nodes of the mesh network system 100. For example, the abstraction layer 172 can equally weight Wi-Fi, LTE, 5G, DSRS, C-V2X, etc., and select a network interface based solely on radio measurements such that no criteria are biased. It is further noted that the abstraction layer 172 can be located within or included in one or more devices (e.g., one or more electronic control units), remote devices (e.g., servers, remote computing devices). Although an embodiment may refer to a vehicle as comprising abstraction layer 172, it is noted that a server, a remote computing device, etc. may comprise abstraction layer 172.

[0025] In an example, the radio measurements can comprise airtime measurements. The airtime measurements can include the time it takes for a packet transmission over a wireless network to be sent and received. For example, the abstraction layer 172 can select the network interfaces utilized by each node and the routing paths between the nodes based on on-demand routing using Radio Metric On-Demand Distance Vector (RM-AODV), pre-routing, tree-based routing, or other suitable routing techniques or combinations thereof. The determined paths and network interfaces can be recorded in a routing table by the non-transitory computer-readable media memory 134 or other memory, including memory communicatively coupled through the network 180.

[0026] According to an embodiment, a node such as the first vehicle 102 can send radio measurements in exchange with each connected to the sending node. The radio measurements, such as airtime, can measure the quality of the network interface connection. The first vehicle 102 can then send a request packet to each node in the mesh network system 100 via the communication unit 170. Each relay node or relay electronic control unit (e.g., the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106, the electronic control unit 130B, the electronic control unit 130C, etc.) can add the value of the radio measurement for the upcoming radio link to the existing value of the radio measurement in the request packet via its abstraction layer 172 so that a cumulative radio measurement can be determined. In an example, each relay node can select the network interface of the available network interface of the communication unit 170 that has the lowest radio measurement, such as the shortest airtime. The relay node can then transmit the request packet to the next relay node via the communication unit 170. This can be repeated until the destination node receives the request packet. The destination node can then determine the path and network interface type for the communication via its own abstraction layer 172. The destination node can then send a response packet to each intermediate node informing them of the selected path and the selected network interface. Thus, as identified herein, abstraction layer 172 can select the network interface between the nodes that has the lowest wireless measurement for the communication between the nodes without biasing any network interface.

[0027] In some embodiments, the abstraction layer 172 can be configured to selectively utilize environmental factors for network interface selection. It is noted that the utilization of environmental factors can be determined based on a user setting (e.g., a user's selection of whether to utilize environmental factors) and can be configured to be utilized or not utilized. For example, the mesh network system 100 includes mobile nodes (e.g., a first vehicle 102, a second vehicle 104, and a third vehicle 106) that vary in environmental factors such as distance between each other, location, and signal stability / strength, which may change the radio measurements for each type of network interface device (e.g., Wi-Fi, LTE, 5G, C-V2X) between each node. That is, some network interface devices will perform better than others depending on the node's location, distance to other nodes, environmental factors (e.g., weather), interference from other wireless signals, antenna type (directional antenna, omnidirectional antenna), vehicle operation, etc. As an example, LTE and / or DSRC generally provide more reliable communications during operation than WiFi due to their robustness against Doppler effects, etc.

[0028] According to at least some embodiments, abstraction layer 172 can select a network interface for communications within mesh network system 100 in response to a triggering event. Triggering events can include the passage of time (e.g., intervals, periodic, etc.), changes in vehicle operation (e.g., starting, stopping, speed change, etc.), removal or addition of a node, changes to environmental factors, etc. It is further noted that abstraction layer 172 can change the interval length based on vehicle operation, environmental factors, removal or addition of a node, etc.

[0029] For example, if the vehicle sensor 150 (as described in more detail herein) determines that the first vehicle 102 is stopped or traveling below a threshold speed, the abstraction layer 172 can utilize a stationary time interval that can be an extended time interval (e.g., one minute or more) as compared to the time interval when the first vehicle 102 is traveling and / or traveling at or above the threshold speed. In another example, when the first vehicle 102 is traveling and / or traveling at or above the threshold speed, the abstraction layer 172 can apply a non-stationary time interval that is a relatively short interval (e.g., 10 seconds, 20 seconds, etc.). It is noted that other intervals and thresholds can be utilized. Additionally, the abstraction layer 172 can adjust the interval based on the proximity or distance between the vehicles in the mesh network system 100, such as in response to a transmission that exceeds a threshold amount of time (e.g., a timeout).

[0030] The electronic control unit 130 may determine speed, direction of travel or course, location, future or projected location, final destination, proximity or distance between vehicles (e.g., 1 mile, 3 / 4 mile, 1 / 2 mile, 1 / 4 mile, 5,000 feet, 4,000 feet, 910 feet, 10 ... A driving parameter, such as 3,000 feet, 2,000 feet, 1,500 feet, 1,000 feet, 500 feet, or 250 feet, may be determined based on one or more signals received from vehicle sensors 150 and / or navigation unit 140. In some embodiments, electronic control unit 130 selects vehicles to be included in the mesh network based on the driving parameters derived or received from one or more signals from vehicle sensors 150 and / or navigation unit 140. For example, the electronic control unit 130 (e.g., via the network routing selection component 172) and / or the processor 192 (see FIG. 3) (via the electronic control unit or an abstraction layer) may identify vehicles to include and / or generate a mesh network including one or more vehicles based on (i) a comparison of the vehicle speeds and (ii) a comparison of the vehicle paths. As one example, the processor 192 and / or the electronic control unit 130 may identify one or more vehicles of a plurality of vehicles traveling at or below a predefined speed threshold of each other and having paths that are below a predefined path threshold of each other. The predetermined speed threshold may be about ±16 km / h (about 10 miles per hour), about ±14 km / h (about 9 miles per hour), about ±13 km / h (about 8 miles per hour), about ±11 km / h (about 7 miles per hour), about ±10 km / h (about 6 miles per hour), about ±8.0 km / h (about 5 miles per hour), about ±6.4 km / h (about 4 miles per hour), about ±4.8 km / h (about 3 miles per hour), about ±3.2 km / h (about 2 miles per hour), about ±1.6 km / h (about 1 mile per hour), or about ±0.8 km / h (about 0.5 miles per hour).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 degree, ±0.5 degrees, or ±0.25 degrees.

[0031] Thus, the abstraction layer 172 can select a time interval for calculating a radio measurement score for each of a plurality of network interfaces for the vehicle, where the time interval is based, at least in part, on the vehicle's operating state. The abstraction layer 172 can iterate, at least during the time interval, the following: calculating a radio measurement score for each of a 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 measurement score; 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, via the communication unit 170, a final route and a network interface type for the communication. It is further noted that each electronic control unit 130B, 130C (see FIG. 3) can receive the request packet and iterate calculating the radio measurement score and sending the request packet to another intermediate node or destination node.

[0032] 2, a navigation unit 140, such as a GPS device, an electronic compass, or the like, can be coupled to the communication bus 120 and communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit 130 of the vehicle 102. The navigation unit 140 can generate position information and / or heading information indicative of the location of the vehicle 102 by receiving one or more GPS signals from one or more GPS satellites. The navigation unit 140 can be configured to generate the heading information based on an electronic compass, for example. The GPS signals communicated to the electronic control unit 130 via the communication bus 120 can include location information comprising National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) messages, latitude and longitude data sets, street addresses, names of known locations based on a location database, and the like. Additionally, the navigation unit 140 can be replaced with any other system capable of generating an output indicative of a location. For example, a local positioning system that provides a location based on cellular signals, and a radio tower or radio signal detection device that can triangulate a location with radio signals received from one or more radio signal antennas.

[0033] The vehicle 102 may also include vehicle sensors 150 coupled to the communication bus 120 and communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit 130. The vehicle sensors 150 may be any sensor or system of sensors for generating a signal indicative of the vehicle's speed, motion, proximity to other vehicles, and the like. For example, without limitation, the vehicle sensors 150 may be a tachometer that may generate a signal indicative of the rotational speed of an engine shaft or drive shaft of the vehicle 102. The signal generated by the vehicle sensors 150 may be communicated to the electronic control unit 130 and converted to a vehicle speed value. The vehicle speed value is indicative of the speed of the vehicle 102. In some embodiments, the vehicle sensors 150 include optical isolator fitted disk sensors, Hall effect sensors, Doppler radar, and the like. In some embodiments, the vehicle sensors 150 may include data from a GPS to determine the speed of the vehicle 102. Vehicle sensors 150 can be provided to enable electronic control unit 130 to determine when vehicle 102 is accelerating, maintaining a steady speed, slowing down, or stopping. For example, vehicle sensors 150 can provide signals to electronic control unit 130 indicating that vehicle 102 has slowed down due to a change in traffic conditions or before the vehicle is changing direction. It is noted that vehicle sensors 150 can determine the state of the vehicle, such as the operating state of the vehicle (e.g., whether the vehicle is moving or not moving), based on one or more factors including the state of ignition (e.g., on / off), gear (e.g., idle, driving gear), speed, traffic status and position, cruise control on / off, following another vehicle, the status of the vehicle being followed, etc.

[0034] 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 coupled to the communication bus 120 and communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit 130. The communication unit 170 may be any device capable of transmitting and / or receiving data to and from the network 180 or directly to and from other vehicles (e.g., the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106) equipped with the communication unit 170. Thus, the communication unit 170 may include a communication transceiver for sending and / or receiving any wired or wireless communication according to a network interface or protocol. For example, the communication unit 170 may include an antenna, a modem, a LAN port, a Wi-Fi card, a WiMax card, cellular communication hardware, short-range communication hardware, satellite communication hardware, and / or any wired or wireless hardware for communicating with other networks and / or devices. In one embodiment, communications unit 170 may include hardware configured to operate according to the Bluetooth wireless communications protocol. In other embodiments, communications unit 170 may include a Bluetooth send / receive module for sending Bluetooth communications to and receiving Bluetooth communications from network 180 and / or other devices.

[0035] 1 and 2, and now referring to FIG. 3, an example embodiment of a system 300 for communicating with vehicles in a mesh network system 100 is shown. In some embodiments, communication between the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 106 can be direct with each other. That is, the first vehicle 102 can communicate directly with the second vehicle 104 and / or the third vehicle 106, the second vehicle 104 can communicate directly with the first vehicle 102 and / or the third vehicle 106, and the third vehicle 106 can 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 can communicate with each other through the network 180. Further, in some embodiments, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and / or the third vehicle 106 can communicate with one or more computing devices 192 and / or servers 193.

[0036] Network 180 may include one or more computer networks (e.g., personal area networks, local area networks, or wide area networks), cellular networks, satellite networks, and / or global positioning systems, and combinations thereof. Thus, vehicles 102, 104, and 106 and processing unit 192 and / or server 193 may be communicatively coupled to one another through network 180 via wired or wireless technologies, via wide area networks, via local area networks, via personal area networks, via cellular networks, via satellite networks, etc. Suitable local area networks may include wired Ethernet and / or wireless technologies, such as, for example, Wi-Fi. Suitable personal area networks may include wireless technologies, such as, for example, IrDA, Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and / or other short-range communication protocols. Suitable personal area networks may also include wired computer buses, such as, for example, USB and FireWire. Suitable cellular networks include, but are not limited to, technologies such as LTE, WiMAX, UMTS, CDMA, C-2X, and GSM.

[0037] 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 106 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, can share their speed, course, location, destination information, etc. with each other when within range of each other, or can share a computing device 192.

[0038] The computing device 192 can include a display 192a, a processing unit 192b, and an input device 192c, which can be communicatively coupled together. The processing unit 192b can include a processor, input / output hardware, network interface hardware, data storage, and memory components. The server 193 can have a similar configuration as the computing device 192, but is configured to operate more strictly as a data storage and application support device.

[0039] The processor may include any processing component configured to receive and execute instructions (such as from a data storage component and / or a memory component). The instructions may be in the form of a machine-readable set of instructions stored in the data storage component and / or the memory component. The input / output hardware may include a monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, camera, microphone, speaker, and / or other devices for receiving, sending, and / or presenting data. The network interface hardware may include any wired or wireless networking hardware, such as a modem, LAN port, Wi-Fi card, WiMax card, cellular communication hardware, and / or other hardware for communicating with other networks and / or devices.

[0040] It should be understood that the data storage components may reside locally on the processing unit 192 and / or may be remote from the processing unit 192 and may be configured to store one or more of the data, such as routing tables, updated information for vehicle systems, etc., for access by the processing unit 192 and / or other components. It will be understood that the server 193 may also be configured to store one or more of the data, such as routing tables, updated information for vehicle systems, etc., for access by the processing unit 192 and / or the vehicle via the network 180. It is noted that the processing unit 192 and / or the server 193 may comprise an electronic controller.

[0041] The processing unit 192 and / or electronic control unit 130 can then use the speed, course, location, and / or destination information, also referred to herein as driving parameters, to determine relationships between vehicles and identify vehicles that can form a mesh network based on the driving parameters of the vehicles. Once the mesh network has been established by the processing unit 192 or electronic control unit 130, the master node vehicle (e.g., vehicle 102) can be identified and utilized as an access point for other vehicles (e.g., vehicle 104) in the mesh network system 100 to communicate with the processing unit 192, server 193, or other devices over the WAN (e.g., network 180).

[0042] As described herein, the mesh network system 100 may include a first vehicle 102, a second vehicle 104, a third vehicle 106, and / or other vehicles, each of which functions as a node. Additionally, each communication unit 170A, 170B, 170C of each vehicle may include a network interface for a number of different networks, protocols, and the like. For example, each communication unit 170A, 170B, 170C may include one or more antennas (e.g., multiple-input / multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, etc.) that may enable communication via a Wi-Fi network, IrDA, Bluetooth, wireless USB, Z-Wave, ZigBee, near field communication (NFC), LTE, WiMAX, UMTS, CDMA, C-V2X, GSM interfaces may include Wi-Fi, x next generation cellular technologies (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.), WCDMA, LTE Advanced, and the like. The electronic control units 130A, 130B, 130C and / or the processor 192, or the server 193, can be configured to calculate radio measurements for communication between vehicles or between communication units 170A, 170B, 170C over multiple network interfaces. In an example, the abstraction layer 172 can send a request packet to each node in the mesh network system 100 via the communication unit 170, where the request packet includes the airtime radio measurements. Each receiving vehicle or relay vehicle (e.g., the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 106, etc.) can add the airtime radio measurements for future radio links to the current values ​​of the airtime radio measurements in the request packet via its own abstraction layer 172 so that a cumulative radio measurement can be determined. In an example, each abstraction layer 172 can select the network interface with the smallest airtime radio measurement. The nodes / vehicles in the mesh network system 100 can repeat receiving the request and calculating the radio measurements until the destination or final node receives the request. The destination node can then calculate the final route and network interface type for communication between each node.The destination node can then send a response packet informing each intermediate node of the selected path and the selected network interface. As identified herein, the abstraction layer 172 can thus select the network interface between the nodes with the smallest radio measurement value for communication between the nodes without biasing any network interface. It is noted that the network interface can be an ideal network interface for communication between two different nodes, or it may not be an ideal network interface. For example, communication between the first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104 can utilize a first radio measurement value having a first airtime radio measurement score, while communication between the first vehicle 102 and the third vehicle 106 can utilize a second radio measurement value having a second airtime radio measurement score.

[0043] In particular, Figure 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 106 having an electronic control unit 130C and a communication unit 170C. In the embodiments described herein, the electronic control units can function as an initiating electronic control unit (e.g., an initiating node) that sends an initial request, an intermediate electronic control unit (e.g., an intermediate node) that receives the request and transmits it to another intermediate or destination node, or a destination electronic control unit (e.g., a destination node) that is the destination of the 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, can share their speed, course, location, destination information, etc. with each other when within range of each other, or can share a processing unit 192.

[0044] The computing device 192 can include a display 192a, a processing unit 192b, and an input device 192c, each of which can be communicatively coupled together. The processing unit 192b can include a processor, input / output hardware, network interface hardware, data storage, and memory.

[0045] In view of the subject matter described herein, methodologies that may be associated with various embodiments may be better understood with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 4. Although the methodologies are illustrated and described as a series of blocks, it is noted that the associated methodologies or processes are not limited to the order of the blocks. It is further noted that operations corresponding to some blocks may occur in a different order than other blocks or may occur simultaneously with other blocks. Furthermore, different blocks or operations may be utilized to implement the methods described hereinafter. Various operations may be completed by the mesh network system, or components thereof, such as the processor 192 and / or the electronic control unit 130 (e.g., FIGS. 2-3).

[0046] Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart 400 of an example method for selecting a desired network interface and route for communications in a mesh network system. The flowchart 400 illustrated in Figure 4 is a representation of a set of machine-readable instructions stored in non-transitory computer-readable memory 134 and executed by processor 132 of electronic control unit 130 or processing unit 192b of processing unit 192. The process of flowchart 400 in Figure 4 can be executed at various times and can be repeated intermittently (e.g., every minute, every five minutes, etc.) to verify that a vehicle belongs to the mesh network.

[0047] At block 402, the method can establish a mesh network. In an embodiment, the mesh network system (e.g., via the processor 192 and / or the electronic control unit 130) can establish a mesh network among a plurality of vehicles. Each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles includes a communication unit with a plurality of network interfaces. The mesh network system can identify vehicles to be included in the mesh network based on vehicle driving characteristics, such as location information (e.g., current location of the vehicle, target or expected future location or destination of the vehicle, vehicle speed, vehicle path, vehicle proximity, etc.). In an example, the mesh network system can receive data from a plurality of vehicles based on vehicle sensors. According to some embodiments, the mesh network system can receive the vehicle driving characteristics from a remote processor, GPS system, etc. In some embodiments, the mesh network system identifies and / or creates a mesh network including one or more vehicles based on a comparison of (i) the current location of the vehicle and (ii) the future location of the vehicle. For example, vehicles having similar current locations and similar future locations can be selected for the mesh network. Vehicles that have a similar current location and a similar future location may be vehicles that are within a predetermined range of each other, have similar paths and speeds, and so on.

[0048] At block 404, the method can calculate a plurality of radio measurement scores. In an example, the mesh network system can calculate a radio measurement score for each of a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles. Calculating the plurality of radio measurement scores can include calculating a radio measurement score for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of the mesh network as a function of radio measurements at a current operating state of the first vehicle, where the radio measurements are indicative of performance of the plurality of radio network interfaces at the current operating state of the first vehicle. In an embodiment, the radio measurements can include airtime measurements. The airtime measurements can include the time it takes for a packet transmission over a wireless network to be sent and received. For example, the mesh network system can determine the airtime for each wireless network interface by identifying the vehicle as a master node vehicle (e.g., a control node vehicle, a requesting node vehicle, etc.). The airtime radio measurements can be a cumulative measurement reflecting the total time required to transmit a unit test packet from one node to another node over a given network interface.

[0049] At block 406, the method can select a desired network interface. For example, the mesh network system can select a desired network interface from a plurality of network interfaces having a radio measurement score having a desired radio measurement score indicative of a desired performance in a current operating state. Additionally, the mesh network system can transmit a request packet from a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, where the request packet includes a requested radio measurement score. The requested radio measurement score can include a cumulative radio measurement score from each previous node. This can include a cumulative radio measurement score from the master node and any relay nodes (e.g., intervening nodes, intermediate nodes, etc.). In at least some embodiments, the requested radio measurement score can include a cumulative score for a plurality of network interfaces. For example, the requested radio measurement score can include a Wi-Fi radio measurement score, an LTE radio measurement score, a DSRC radio measurement score, a C-V2X radio measurement score, etc. In other examples, the requested radio measurement score can include a radio measurement score for only one radio measurement. For example, the mesh network system can transmit a different request packet for each wireless network, where each request packet includes a radio measurement score for a selected network interface.

[0050] In some embodiments, the mesh network system can iteratively receive request packets by a plurality of vehicles, select a selected network interface of a plurality of network interfaces having desired radio measurements, calculate an updated radio measurement score as a function of the requested radio measurement score of the selected network interface and the radio measurement score, and transmit the request packet with the updated radio measurement score. The mesh network system can trigger the iteration in response to a triggering event. The triggering event can comprise at least one of a change in an environmental factor, an elapse of a time interval, or a change to the plurality of vehicles. For example, the mesh network can select the time interval based on an operating state of the plurality of vehicles, which can be determined based on signals from a vehicle sensor (e.g., vehicle sensor 150, FIGS. 2-3). The vehicle sensor can be configured to generate a sensor signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle, an operation of the vehicle, a proximity of the vehicle to other vehicles, or a combination thereof. The current operating state can be selected from a plurality of predefined operating states, such as at least one of a stationary operating state, a non-stationary operating state, an operating state based on a range of speeds, a driving pattern operating state, or an operating state in proximity to other vehicles. According to at least some embodiments, the operating state can be identified for a set of vehicles having similar operating states. In other aspects, the operating state can be determined based on artificial intelligence, statistical models, or other processes and / or algorithms for determining or adjusting the operating state classification (e.g., determining patterns, adjusting speed thresholds, etc.). In some embodiments, the operating state can be determined or calculated based on vehicle driving characteristics, such as location information, etc. In at least some embodiments, the mesh network system can determine the current operating state based on vehicle sensor signals received from vehicle sensors (e.g., vehicle sensor 150, FIGS. 2-3). The vehicle sensors can be configured to generate sensor signals indicative of the speed of the vehicle, the motion of the vehicle, the proximity of the vehicle to other vehicles, or a combination thereof.The current motion state can be selected from a number of predefined motion states, such as at least one of a stationary motion state, a non-stationary motion state, a motion state based on a speed range, a driving pattern motion state, or a proximity to other vehicles motion state. According to at least some embodiments, the motion state can be identified for a set of vehicles having similar motion states. In other aspects, the motion state can be determined based on artificial intelligence, statistical models, or other processes and / or algorithms that determine or adjust the motion state classification (e.g., determine patterns, adjust speed thresholds, etc.).

[0051] Additionally or alternatively, the mesh network system can receive a request packet by a destination vehicle of the plurality of vehicles. The request packet can include a latest radio measurement score. In an example, the radio measurement score for the destination node can be added to the latest radio measurement score. As described herein, the destination node can receive the radio measurement scores for the plurality of network interfaces.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the mesh network system can determine a final route and network interface for communication between each of the multiple vehicles. It is noted that the destination vehicle (e.g., via an electronic control unit), a computing device, a master node vehicle (e.g., via an electronic control unit), etc. can determine the final route. In an example, the destination vehicle can return or transmit a response packet that can inform each relay node of the selected route and the selected network interface. As identified herein, the network interfaces between the nodes can be selected without weighting or biasing such that the network interface having the smallest radio measurement for communication between the nodes is selected. In some examples, a single network interface can be selected. In other examples, multiple network interfaces can be selected and different sets of nodes can communicate through different network interfaces.

[0053] The functional blocks and / or flow chart elements described herein can be converted into machine-readable instructions. As non-limiting examples, the machine-readable instructions can be written using any programming protocol, such as (i) a parsed script (e.g., Hypermarkup Language, Extensible Markup Language, etc.), (ii) assembly language, (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) source code written using a syntax from 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 can be written in a hardware description language (HDL), such as logic implemented via a field programmable gate array (FPGA) configuration or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or equivalent. Thus, the functions described herein can be implemented as pre-programmed hardware elements in any conventional computer programming language, or as a combination of hardware and software components.

[0054] Accordingly, the described embodiments provide a system and method for selecting a network interface based on a desired performance of a mesh network. In particular, the mesh network system includes an electronic control unit and / or a computing device. The electronic control unit is configured to calculate a plurality of radio measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of the mesh network as a function of radio measurement values ​​at a current operating state of the first vehicle. The radio measurements are indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces at the current operating state of the first vehicle. The electronic control unit is further configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired radio measurement score indicative of the desired performance at the current operating state.

[0055] While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the claimed subject matter. The invention disclosed in this specification includes the following aspects. [Aspect 1] 1. A mesh network system comprising an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit comprising: calculating, for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in the mesh network, a plurality of radio measurement scores indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces in a current operating state of the first vehicle as a function of the radio measurement values ​​in the current operating state of the first vehicle; 11. A mesh network system configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired wireless measurement score indicative of desired performance under the current operating conditions. [Aspect 2] The mesh network system of aspect 1, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to iteratively calculate the plurality of radio measurement scores for each of the plurality of network interfaces for the first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, and select the desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces based on the plurality of radio measurement scores in response to a triggering event. [Aspect 3] The mesh network system of aspect 2, wherein the triggering event is the passage of a period of time. Aspect 4 The mesh network system of aspect 3, wherein the electronic control unit determines the time period based on at least one of vehicle operating conditions, environmental factors, or a proximity of the first vehicle to at least one other vehicle of the plurality of vehicles. Aspect 5 The mesh network system of aspect 2, wherein the triggering event is a change in the operating state of the vehicle. Aspect 6 a vehicle sensor communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit; 6. The mesh network system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle sensor comprises at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, a motion sensor, or a proximity sensor. Aspect 7 2. The mesh network system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network interfaces comprises a Wi-Fi network interface, a cellular network interface, or a vehicle-to-vehicle network interface. Aspect 8 The mesh network system of embodiment 7, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to select the desired network interface based on an equally weighted scale for the plurality of network interfaces such that the selection is not biased towards a single network interface of the plurality of network interfaces. Aspect 9 2. The mesh network system of aspect 1, wherein the plurality of wireless measurement scores comprises an airtime wireless measurement score. Aspect 10 The electronic control unit is configured as at least one of an initiating electronic control unit, an intermediate electronic control unit, or a target electronic control unit; In response to the electronic control unit being configured as the initiator electronic control unit, the electronic control unit is further configured to send a request packet to a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles; In response to the electronic control unit being configured as the relay electronic control unit, the electronic control unit is further configured to receive the request packet, calculate relay node radio measurement scores for the plurality of network interfaces, and transmit the request packet to the second vehicle; The mesh network system of aspect 1, characterized in that in response to the electronic control unit being configured as the target electronic control unit, the electronic control unit is further configured to receive the request packet and calculate a final route. Aspect 11 1. A mesh network system, comprising: The processing device includes: calculating, for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in the mesh network, a plurality of radio measurement scores indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces in a current operating state of the first vehicle as a function of the radio measurement values ​​in the current operating state of the first vehicle; 11. A mesh network system configured to select a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired wireless measurement score indicative of desired performance under the current operating conditions. Aspect 12 The mesh network system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further configured to select a time interval for calculating the plurality of radio measurement scores for the plurality of network interfaces, the time interval being based at least in part on the current operating state. Aspect 13 The mesh network system of aspect 12, wherein the processing unit is further configured to select a stationary time interval as the time interval when the current motion state is identified as stationary or below a threshold speed. Aspect 14 The mesh network system of claim 13, wherein the processing unit is further configured to select a non-stationary time interval as the time interval when the current motion state is identified as exceeding the threshold speed. Aspect 15 15. The mesh network system of claim 14, wherein the quiet time interval is longer than the non-quiet time interval. Aspect 16 The mesh network system of aspect 13, wherein the quiet time interval is one minute or more. Aspect 17 1. A method comprising: calculating, by a computing device, a plurality of wireless measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles in the mesh network, indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces at a current operating state of the first vehicle as a function of the wireless measurement values ​​at the current operating state of the first vehicle; selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired wireless measurement score indicative of desired performance under the current operating conditions. Aspect 18 18. The method of embodiment 17, further comprising triggering the computing of the plurality of radio measurement scores in response to a triggering event. Aspect 19 20. The method of embodiment 18, wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of a change in an environmental factor, a passage of a time interval, or a change in the plurality of vehicles. Aspect 20 20. The method of embodiment 19, further comprising selecting the time interval based on an operating condition of the plurality of vehicles.

Claims

1. 1. A mesh network system comprising an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit comprising: Calculating a plurality of wireless measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles of the mesh network, the plurality of wireless measurement scores being indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces in a current operating state of the first vehicle as a function of the wireless measurement scores for the first vehicle in the current operating state; selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired wireless measurement score indicative of a desired performance under the current operating conditions; and repeating calculating the plurality of wireless measurement scores for each of the plurality of network interfaces for the first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles and selecting the desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces based on the plurality of wireless measurement scores in response to a triggering event, the triggering event being the passage of a time period; determining the time period based on at least one of a current vehicle operating condition, an environmental factor, or a proximity of the first vehicle to at least one other vehicle of the plurality of vehicles; Mesh network system.

2. a vehicle sensor communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit; The mesh network system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle sensor comprises at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, a motion sensor, or a proximity sensor.

3. The mesh network system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of network interfaces comprises a Wi-Fi network interface, a cellular network interface, or a vehicle-to-vehicle network interface.

4. 4. The mesh network system of claim 3, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to select the desired network interface based on the radio measurements weighting the plurality of network interfaces uniformly such that selection is not biased towards a single network interface of the plurality of network interfaces.

5. The mesh network system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of radio measurement scores comprises airtime radio measurement scores.

6. The electronic control unit is configured as at least one of an initiating electronic control unit, an intermediate electronic control unit, or a target electronic control unit; In response to the electronic control unit being configured as the initiator electronic control unit, the electronic control unit is further configured to transmit a request packet to a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles; In response to the electronic control unit being configured as the relay electronic control unit, the electronic control unit is further configured to receive the request packet, calculate relay node radio measurement scores for the plurality of network interfaces, and transmit the request packet to the second vehicle; In response to the electronic control unit being configured as the destination electronic control unit, the electronic control unit is further configured to receive the request packet and calculate a final route. The mesh network system of claim 1 .

7. 1. A mesh network system, comprising: The processing device includes: Calculating a plurality of wireless measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles of the mesh network, the plurality of wireless measurement scores being indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces in a current operating state of the first vehicle as a function of the wireless measurement scores for the first vehicle in the current operating state; selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired wireless measurement score indicative of a desired performance under the current operating conditions; selecting a time interval for calculating the plurality of radio measurement scores for the plurality of network interfaces, the time interval being based at least in part on the current operating conditions; if the current motion state is identified as stationary or below a threshold speed, selecting a stationary time interval as the time interval; A mesh network system configured as follows:

8. The mesh network system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to select a non-stationary time interval as the time interval when the current motion state is identified as exceeding the threshold speed.

9. The mesh network system of claim 8 , wherein the quiet time interval is longer than the non-quiet time interval.

10. The mesh network system of claim 7 , wherein the quiet time interval is greater than or equal to one minute.

11. 1. A method comprising: calculating, by a computing device, a plurality of wireless measurement scores for a plurality of network interfaces for a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles of the mesh network, the plurality of wireless measurement scores being indicative of performance of the plurality of network interfaces at a current operating state of the first vehicle as a function of the wireless measurement values ​​at the current operating state of the first vehicle; selecting a desired network interface from the plurality of network interfaces having a desired wireless measurement score indicative of a desired performance under the current operating conditions; selecting a time interval for calculating the plurality of radio measurement scores for the plurality of network interfaces, the time interval being based at least in part on the current operating conditions; if the current motion state is identified as stationary or below a threshold speed, selecting a stationary time interval as the time interval; The method comprising:

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