Vehicle Connectivity Relay Using BLE During Ignition-Off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle connectivity systems face challenges in extending connectivity during ignition off periods, which can lead to battery drain and reduced vehicle functionality.
Innovation Solution
A method that disables the recipient vehicle's cellular network access device and connects to a low power communications source, such as a Bluetooth low energy device, allowing the vehicle to communicate with a donor vehicle that can relay connectivity to a centralized location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the recipient vehicle's cellular network access device is continuously enabled to maintain connectivity, then connectivity availability is improved, but battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic wake-up cycles where the cellular NAD enters low-power states and periodically checks for incoming communications or data needs. This allows the vehicle to maintain the capability for connectivity while consuming minimal battery power during idle periods, resolving the contradiction between continuous availability and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gateway device (such as a smartphone or portable hotspot) as an intermediary between the vehicle's cellular NAD and the network. The gateway maintains an active connection and relays communications to the vehicle when needed, allowing the vehicle's NAD to remain in low-power mode while still providing connectivity services through the intermediary.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the cellular network access device is disabled to conserve battery, then energy consumption is reduced, but connectivity capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing connections with gateway devices before the vehicle needs network access. The gateway maintains the network connection in advance, and the vehicle's NAD is pre-configured with gateway identifiers and connection parameters, enabling rapid reactivation without full power consumption when connectivity is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's telematics system automatically manages the transition between powered-off and powered-on states of the cellular NAD based on detected connectivity needs. When a gateway is available and the vehicle requires network access, the system self-activates the NAD without requiring full system power, enabling selective self-service connectivity that conserves battery while maintaining capability.
3Reliability
If the vehicle uses its own cellular NAD for all communications, then communication reliability is improved, but telematic energy budget is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the vehicle's cellular NAD with external gateway resources to create a hybrid communication system. The gateway's cellular connection and the vehicle's NAD work together, with the gateway handling bulk data transmission and the vehicle's NAD handling critical communications, thereby sharing the energy burden and maintaining communication reliability without exceeding the vehicle's telematic energy budget.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of extending connectivity of a recipient vehicle may be executed by a non-transitory computer-readable medium. During an ignition off state of the recipient vehicle, the method includes disabling a recipient cellular network access device (NAD) of the recipient vehicle and connecting to a low power communications source. The method includes communicating with a centralized location over the low power communications source. The low power communications source may be a recipient Bluetooth® low energy (BLE) within the recipient vehicle. The method may include connecting to a donor vehicle proximate the recipient vehicle. The donor vehicle includes a donor NAD and a donor BLE, such that the donor NAD of the donor vehicle communicates with the centralized location on behalf of the recipient vehicle.