Handheld Wireless Device for Vehicle Data Transmission Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of transmitting vehicle operating data via vehicle telematics units, which can be significant when spread across multiple vehicles, necessitates a more cost-effective method for collecting and sending this information.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a handheld wireless device to communicatively link with a vehicle telematics unit, receive data, store it, and then transmit it to a central facility using the device's wireless capabilities, often triggered by the device's presence or absence in the vehicle or connection to a short-range wireless network, thereby leveraging cheaper communication channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If vehicle telematics unit is used to transmit vehicle data wirelessly, then vehicle operating information can be collected and sent to central facility, but transmission cost becomes significant
Solution Approach 1:
A handheld wireless device serves as an intermediary between the vehicle telematics unit and the central facility. The telematics unit transfers data to the handheld device via short-range wireless communication (Bluetooth), which then transmits the data to the central facility using its own wireless capabilities, thereby avoiding direct expensive telematics transmissions
Solution Approach 2:
The handheld wireless device creates a copy of the vehicle operating information received from the telematics unit. Instead of the original data traveling through the expensive telematics transmission channel to the central facility, the data is copied onto the handheld device and transmitted through a cheaper channel
2Reliability
If vehicle telematics unit continuously transmits data, then real-time monitoring is improved, but transmission cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous transmission, the system uses periodic triggering mechanisms. The handheld device transmits data to the central facility based on periodic conditions such as device removal from vehicle, connection to wireless networks, or accumulation of data over time periods, reducing transmission frequency and cost while maintaining monitoring reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The handheld wireless device autonomously determines when to transmit data based on its own state (presence/absence detection, network connectivity status) without requiring continuous commands from the vehicle telematics unit, enabling cost-effective periodic transmission while maintaining reliable data collection
3Loss of energy
If handheld wireless device is used to transmit data, then transmission cost is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handheld wireless device performs multiple functions: it acts as a data receiver from the telematics unit, a data storage device, a transmission gateway to the central facility, and a detection device for triggering transmissions. This multi-functionality consolidates complexity into a single universal device rather than requiring separate specialized components
Data Source
AI summary
A method of collecting vehicle operating information using a wireless device includes the steps of communicatively linking a wireless device located within a vehicle to a vehicle telematics unit; receiving vehicle data at the wireless device from the vehicle telematics unit using the link; recording the received vehicle data at the wireless device; detecting that the wireless device is no longer present in the vehicle; and wirelessly transmitting the recorded vehicle data to a central facility using the wireless capabilities of the wireless device based on the detection.