automated vehicle calibration and testing system via telematics
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatus are provided for automatically updating the calibration parameters of a vehicle from a remote location. The apparatus typically comprises an onboard computing platform connected to electronic control units in the vehicle. The computing platform is typically pre-programmed with initial vehicle calibration parameters for downloading to the electronic control units. A remote calibration data system is generally configured to acquire vehicle performance data via a wireless communication link, and to update the vehicle calibration parameters based on statistical analysis of the acquired data. The updated calibration parameters are then typically transmitted by the remote calibration data system to the computing platform via the communication link. The computing platform can then download the updated calibration parameters to the electronic control units. The automatic updating process described herein is generally applicable to a population of appropriately equipped vehicles in communication with a centralized remote calibration data system.
1. A system for automatically updating the calibration parameters in a vehicle, comprising:
a computing platform within the vehicle, the computing platform configured to monitor vehicle performance data and to upload and download the calibration parameters;
a remote calibration data system; and
a telematics communication link between the computing platform and the remote calibration data system;
wherein the remote calibration data system is configured to acquire vehicle operational and performance data from the computing platform via the telematics communication link, and wherein the remote calibration data system is further configured to generate updated vehicle calibration parameters based on an analysis of the acquired vehicle performance data, and wherein the remote calibration data system is further configured to transmit the updated vehicle calibration parameters to the computing platform via the telematics communication link,
wherein the vehicle performance data is generated from sensors within the vehicle, and wherein the sensors detect at least one of visual activity within the vehicle and audible activity within the vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one electronic control unit within the vehicle, the at least one electronic control unit configured to receive the calibration parameters from the computing platform, and the at least one electronic control unit further configured to control a corresponding sub-system in the vehicle in accordance with the received calibration parameters.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote calibration data system comprises a data acquisition system and a storage device.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the telematics communication link is a wireless infrastructure.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors detect mechanical performance characteristics of the vehicle.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors detect electrical performance characteristics of the vehicle.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors detect visual activity within the vehicle.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors detect audible activity within the vehicle.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote calibration data system automatically updates the vehicle calibration parameters in the computing platform on a predetermined basis.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the predetermined basis is a time period.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein the predetermined basis is an aggregate sample of acquired vehicle performance data.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote calibration data system is configured to acquire multi-vehicle performance data via the telematics communication link from a plurality of vehicles having computing platforms, and wherein the remote calibration data system is further configured to generate updated vehicle calibration parameters based on an analysis of the acquired multi-vehicle performance data, and wherein the remote calibration data system is further configured to remotely update the vehicle calibration parameters via the telematics communication link in the plurality of vehicles having computing platforms.
13. A vehicle control system for updating the calibration parameters in a vehicle, comprising:
a computing platform within the vehicle, the computing platform configured to monitor vehicle performance data and to upload and download the calibration parameters; and
at least one electronic control unit within the vehicle, the at least one electronic control unit configured to receive the calibration parameters from the computing platform, and the at least one electronic control unit further configured to control a corresponding sub-system in the vehicle in accordance with the received calibration parameters;
wherein the vehicle performance data is provided by sensors within the vehicle, wherein the sensors detect at least one of visual activity within the vehicle and audible activity within the vehicle,
wherein the computing platform is configured to transmit the monitored vehicle performance data to a remote source via a telematics communication link and to receive updated calibration parameters automatically from the remote source via the telematics communication link, and wherein the computing platform is further configured to automatically update the calibration parameters in the at least one electronic control unit in accordance with the updated received calibration parameters from the remote source.
14. The vehicle control system of claim 13 wherein the computing platform is a microprocessor-based system having a memory for storing the calibration parameters.
15. The vehicle control system of claim 14 wherein the computing platform is configured to execute resident application programs.
16. The vehicle control system of claim 14 wherein the computing platform is configured to execute application programs downloaded from an external source.
17. A calibration data system for analyzing and updating vehicle calibration parameters, comprising:
a data acquisition system; and
a memory associated with the data acquisition system;
wherein the data acquisition system is configured to acquire operational and performance data from one or more vehicles via a telematics communication link and to store the acquired data in the memory of the data acquisition system, and wherein the data acquisition system is further configured to generate updated vehicle calibration parameters based on an analysis of the stored vehicle operational and performance data, and wherein the data acquisition system is further configured to transmit the updated vehicle calibration parameters to the one or more vehicles via the telematics communication link,
wherein the operational and vehicle performance data is generated from sensors within the vehicle, and wherein the sensors detect at least one of visual activity within the vehicle and audible activity within the vehicle.
18. A method of automatically updating the calibration parameters of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
selecting a calibration parameter for updating;
remotely acquiring vehicle performance data related to the selected calibration parameter from sensors detecting at least one of visual activity within the vehicle and audible activity within the vehicle;
analyzing the acquired vehicle performance data to generate an updated calibration parameter; and
remotely communicating the updated calibration parameter to the vehicle.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the analyzing step is based on a statistical average of the acquired vehicle performance data.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the vehicle performance data is remotely acquired from a plurality of vehicles.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein the updated calibration parameter is remotely communicated to a plurality of vehicles.