Granted Patent B2

US 8,165,057 · App. 12/880,773 · Granted Apr 24, 2012

Abstract

Claims (80)

1. A secure method for logging and reporting vehicle and engine sensor data through a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

operating multiple processors in a multiprocessor system, wherein at least one processor in the multiprocessor system is configured to at least one of:

a. monitor for wireless signals from a new device not currently coupled to the multiprocessor system and moved into a vehicle, wherein the new device runs a first software application that processes a first type of data,

b. wirelessly connect the new device to the multiprocessor system,

c. identify data codes in the wireless signals from the new device and use the data codes to identify the first type of data processed by the first software application running on the new device,

d. responsive to identifying the data codes from the new device, select a second software application from among multiple different software applications contained within memory in the multiprocessor system, wherein the second software application is configured to process the first type of data processed by the new device,

e. download a copy of the second software application selected from the memory to a first one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system, wherein the second software application is not currently loaded in the first one of the multiple processors,

f. reconfigure the first one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system to run the second software application downloaded from the memory and take over control and operation of the new device with the second software application now running on the first one of the multiple processors, and

g. process data received from the new device with the second software application operating in and controlled by the first one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system in the vehicle;

operating a logging manager in at least one of the multiprocessors configured to at least one of:

a. monitor data from the processors,

b. identify certain data for logging from the processors, wherein the certain data is logged from an engine monitor processor, and wherein the monitored data is from different sensors in the car engine,

c. store the certain data in a data memory, wherein the data memory comprises at least one of nonvolatile flash memory and high volume hard disk memory and wherein the certain data is stored based on a pre-determined condition, and

d. respond to an outgoing message from one of multiple vehicle applications for sending out over a communications link to another processor, wherein the logging manager sends at least a portion of the logged certain data retrieved from the data memory based on the pre-determined condition; and

operating a security manager configured to at least one of:

a. provide security for the vehicle applications transmitting messages,

b. read an incoming message received by one of the vehicle applications over the communications link from another processor,

c. determine a security value associated with the incoming message,

d. determine authority to access the logged certain data, and

e. responsive to determining the authority to access the logged certain data, securely transmit the logged certain data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the new device is a cellular phone connected to a wireless telecommunications network, and wherein the wireless telecommunications network is configured for at least one of data communication and voice communication.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the cellular phone is configured to dial a number in response to the outgoing message.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the new device includes an integrated display screen.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising a display in the vehicle and communicating at least a portion of content displayed on the integrated display screen of the new device to the display in the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the logged certain data is a least one of vehicle data and engine data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the outgoing message contains specific sets of the logged certain data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the specific sets of the logged certain data comprise at least one of:

a system failure identifier,

a possible system failure identifier,

a specific elapsed time,

a specific elapsed mileage, and

engine data logged from the engine monitor processor.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the engine monitor processor is configured to at least one of monitor data from engine sensor processors and log data from the sensors in the car engine.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensors comprise a sensing device including at least one of:

a. a water temperature sensing device,

b. an oil temperature sensing device,

c. a fuel consumption sensing device, and

d. a car speed sensing device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensing device is used by the engine monitor processor to generate at least one of engine efficiency data and vehicle efficiency data.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the engine efficiency data includes vehicle emission data, wherein the vehicle emission data includes information associated with combustion by-products.

13. A secure method for logging and reporting vehicle and emissions data through a wireless telecommunications network, including:

operating multiple processors in a multiprocessor system, wherein at least one processor in the multiprocessor system is configured to at least one of:

a. monitor for wireless signals from a new device not currently coupled to the multiprocessor system and moved into a vehicle, wherein the new device runs a first software application that processes a first type of data,

b. wirelessly connect the new device to the multiprocessor system,

c. identify data codes in the wireless signals from the new device and use the data codes to identify the first type of data processed by the first software application running on the new device,

d. responsive to identifying the data codes from the new device, select a second software application from among multiple different software applications contained within memory in the multiprocessor system, wherein the second software application is configured to process the first type of data processed by the new device,

e. download a copy of the second software application selected from the memory to a first one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system, wherein the second software application is not currently loaded in the first one of the multiple processors,

f. reconfigure the first one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system to run the second software application downloaded from the memory and take over control and operation of the new device with the second software application now running on the first one of the multiple processors, and

g. processing data received from the new device with the second software application operating in and controlled by the first one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system in the vehicle;

operating a logging manager in at least one of the multiprocessors configured to at least one of:

a. monitor data from the processors,

b. identify certain data for logging from the processors,

c. store the certain data in a data memory, wherein the data memory comprises at least one of nonvolatile flash memory and high volume hard disk memory and wherein the certain data is stored based on a pre-determined condition, and

d. respond to requests for logged data, including:

i. receive an incoming message over a telecommunications link, and

ii. responsive to the receipt of the incoming message requesting the logged certain data retrieve from the data memory at least a portion of the logged certain data requested to send out over the telecommunications link to a requesting processor; and

operating a security manager configured to at least one of:

a. provide security for the incoming message,

b. read the incoming message received over the telecommunications link,

c. determine a security value associated with the incoming message,

d. determine authority to access the logged certain data, and

e. responsive to determining the authority to access the logged certain data, securely transmit the logged certain data over the telecommunications link.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the telecommunications link is established through one of Bluetooth or 802.11 signals to the new device.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the new device is a cellular phone connected to a wireless telecommunications network, and wherein the wireless telecommunications network is configured for at least one of data communication and voice communication.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the logged certain data is at least one of vehicle data and engine data.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the incoming message contains a request for specific sets of the logged certain data.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the specific sets of the logged certain data comprise at least one of:

a system failure identifier,

a system possible failure identifier,

a specific elapsed time,

a specific elapsed mileage, and

engine data logged from an engine monitor processor.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the engine monitor processor is configured to at least one of monitor data from engine sensors and log data from the engine sensors.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the engine sensors comprise a sensing device including at least one of:

a. a water temperature sensing device,

b. an oil temperature sensing device,

c. a fuel consumption sensing device, and

d. a car speed sensing device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the fuel consumption sensing device and the car speed sensing device are used by the engine monitor processor to generate at least one of engine efficiency data and vehicle efficiency data.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the engine efficiency data includes vehicle emission data, wherein the vehicle emission data includes combustion by-products information.

Assignments (10)