IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,154,393
Granted Patent B2
US 10,154,393 · App. 15/575,543 · Granted Dec 11, 2018

Method, motor vehicle, and system for determining a transmission path

Inventor: Felix Friedmann (Gaimersheim, DE)
Assignee: AUDI AG
H04W4/46G08G1/0965G08G1/0967H04L67/12H04W40/18H04W84/18H04H20/62
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,154,393
App. No.
15/575,543
Granted
Dec 11, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining a communication network for collecting information in the surroundings of a motor vehicle, in which a request message is transmitted, and the request message is received by a first outside vehicle, and a first response message is transmitted by the outside vehicle to the motor vehicle, wherein the request message of each first outside vehicle is transmitted to at least one respective second outside vehicle, wherein a second response message is transmitted by means of the respective second outside vehicle to the first outside vehicle and from there is transmitted to the motor vehicle, wherein a current position of the respective outside vehicle is transmitted with the response messages, and wherein, depending on the response messages, a network plan of the communication network is determined by the motor vehicle, and on the basis of the network plan, a unique transmission path to one of the outside vehicles is established for another request message of the motor vehicle for collecting information from one of the outside vehicles.

Claims (44)

1. A method for determining a network property of a unique transmission path of a communication network for collecting information in surroundings of a motor vehicle, comprising:

transmitting a request message by a communication unit of the motor vehicle, the communication unit of the motor vehicle including a first computer device;

receiving the request message by a communication unit of a first outside vehicle, the communication unit of the first outside vehicle including a second computer device;

transmitting the request message by the communication unit of the first outside vehicle to a communication unit of a second outside vehicle, the communication unit of the second outside vehicle including a third computer device;

transmitting a first response message to the communication unit of the motor vehicle by the communication unit of the first outside vehicle;

transmitting a second response message to the communication unit of the first outside vehicle by the communication unit of the second outside vehicle;

transmitting the second response message from a transmitting outside vehicle to the communication unit of the motor vehicle, wherein the transmitting outside vehicle is the first outside vehicle, the second outside vehicle, or an additional outside vehicle, wherein a current position of the transmitting outside vehicle is transmitted from the transmitting outside vehicle with the second response message;

determining, depending on the first and second response messages, a network plan of the communication network by the motor vehicle;

establishing, based on the network plan, the unique transmission path to the first outside vehicle, the second outside vehicle, or the additional outside vehicle, for an additional request message of the motor vehicle for collecting the information from one of the first outside vehicle, the second outside vehicle, or the additional outside vehicle;

determining, based on the unique transmission path, the network property of the unique transmission path of the communication network for evaluation of the communication network by the motor vehicle;

estimating, based on the network property of the unique transmission path of the communication network, a probability that the additional request message will be forwarded to the second outside vehicle via the first outside vehicle for carrying out a specific task by the motor vehicle; and

establishing, based on the network property of the unique transmission path, the communication network.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting the request message further to a plurality of additional outside vehicles as a function of a restriction criterion, wherein the restriction criterion is described with respect to a distance between the motor vehicle and one of the plurality of additional outside vehicles, a location, a transmission quality, or a maximum number of the plurality of additional outside vehicles to be connected.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

waiting, by the communication unit of the first outside vehicle, for reception of the second response message from the second outside vehicle before transmitting the first response message, and

transmitting the second response message with the first response message.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

adapting, by the motor vehicle, the network plan of the communication network, based on the response messages, in predetermined intervals of time.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information includes at least trip information or sensor information of the first outside vehicle, the second outside vehicle, or the additional outside vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting the network plan to the first outside vehicle, the second outside vehicle, or the additional outside vehicle, or to an external server separate from the first outside vehicle, the second outside vehicle, and the additional outside vehicle.

7. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a communication unit, the communication unit including a computer device, wherein the communication unit is configured to:

send request messages to one or more outside vehicles;

receive response messages from the one or more outside vehicles;

determine, as a function of the response messages from the one or more outside vehicles, a network plan of a communication network;

determine, based on the network plan, a unique transmission path for one or more additional request messages of the motor vehicle for collecting information;

determine, based on the unique transmission path of the communication network, a network property of the unique transmission path of the communication network for evaluation of the communication network;

estimate, based on the network property of the unique transmission path of the communication network, a probability that the one or more additional request messages will be forwarded to a second outside vehicle via a first outside vehicle for carrying out a specific task by the motor vehicle; and

establish, based on the network property of the unique transmission path, the communication network.

8. A system, comprising:

a motor vehicle; and

one or more outside vehicles, each with a respective communication unit, each respective communication unit including a respective computer device, configured to:

send request messages to the one or more outside vehicles;

receive response messages from the one or more outside vehicles;

determine, as a function of the response messages from the one or more outside vehicles, a network plan of a communication network;

determine, based on the network plan, a unique transmission path for one or more additional request messages of the motor vehicle for collecting information;

determine, based on the unique transmission path, a network property of the unique transmission path of the communication network for evaluation of the communication network;

estimate, based on the network property of the unique transmission path of the communication network, a probability that the one or more additional request messages will be forwarded to a second outside vehicle via a first outside vehicle for carrying out a specific task by the motor vehicle; and

establish, based on the network property of the unique transmission path, the communication network.

9. The system according to claim 8 , further comprising:

an external server, which is separate from the motor vehicle, the one or more outside vehicles, the first outside vehicle, and the second outside vehicle, the external server configured to:

provide the network plan transmitted by the motor vehicle for the one or more outside vehicles, the first outside vehicle, and the second outside vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2018
From: FRIEDMANN, FELIX
To: AUDI AG
Reel/Frame 046617/0643 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2015 006 674 · May 22, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180132083A1 · May 10, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,567,328