WO2016012069A1

WO2016012069A1 - Method for communication between a motor vehicle and a user terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2016012069A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/001263
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian Maihoefer
Original assignee: Daimler Ag
Priority date: 2014-07-24
Filing date: 2015-06-23
Publication date: 2016-01-28
Also published as: DE102014011016A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for communication between a motor vehicle (2) and a user terminal (4), said user terminal (4) and the motor vehicle (2) being designed respectively to produce a communication link via a national network (10). Said user terminal (4) initiates a communication connection with the motor vehicle (2) via the network (10), the communication link of the motor vehicle (2) with the network (10) is analyzed.

Description

Method for communication between a motor vehicle and a

user terminal

The invention relates to a method for communication between a motor vehicle and a user terminal, wherein the user terminal and the motor vehicle are each designed to establish a communication connection via a supraregional network. In this case, the user terminal initiates a via the network

Connection to the motor vehicle.

Methods of the type mentioned are known in the art.

Motor vehicles are today often connected by means of a communication module with a server and provide data for use outside the motor vehicle

Available. Furthermore, they allow the remote control or release of

Functions of the motor vehicle. These functionalities can be made possible, for example, via a motor vehicle-specific website. Such data may also be displayed on a web-enabled mobile device. It is also possible to initiate a control of the motor vehicle via the internet-enabled mobile devices.

DE 10 2012 006 369 A1 discloses a method for event-based modification of functions, applications and / or a graphic display of a website called by a mobile terminal with a virtual representation area of a vehicle provided by an Internet server. The method comprises the steps of: determining by the internet server a distance between the vehicle and the mobile terminal, comparing the determining distance with at least a predetermined threshold, which is preset for modifying at least one of the functions, applications and / or the graphical display and with the virtual representation area of the vehicle is linked and stored on the Internet server, by the Internet server, and, if the distance determined the specified

Threshold, or at one of the thresholds Modification area, activating the at least one function, application and / or changing the graphical display for which the threshold is preset. DE 10 2011 118 706 B4 moreover discloses a method for transmitting data between a mobile terminal and at least one stationary one

Data network. As part of the method, a geodatabase is provided in which values for radio interface parameters are stored for a plurality of locations, from which a transmission bandwidth of the at least one transmission bandwidth is stored

Radio interface at the respective location results.

The problem is that the radio network in many countries today is not completely comprehensive, so that in many regions there are areas in which there is no radio reception and in which either the user terminal or the motor vehicle can not connect to the network.

Connection problems can also be caused by disturbances in the communication module or in the power supply of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, it may also in the presence of other prerequisites errors in the production of a

Give communication connection, for example, because no secured

Communication connection can be made.

The object of the invention is therefore to develop a method of the type mentioned in that the cause of a problem in the connection setup is traceable.

The problem is solved by a method for communication between a

Motor vehicle and a user terminal according to claim 1. Further embodiments of the method according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

An inventive method for communication between a motor vehicle and a user terminal will be described below. The user terminal and the motor vehicle are designed and set up to establish mutual communication via a supraregional network. The supraregional network can be, for example, the Internet or a special communication network, one or more central servers running as servers being integrated in the supraregional network. A corresponding user terminal can, for example, a Internet-enabled mobile phone (often called a smartphone) or another computer, in particular a portable computer with or without a keyboard.

The communication link of the motor vehicle to the supraregional network can be established via a communication module that has one or more

Communication standards can communicate, for example, a common

Mobile radio standard. The user terminal is connected to the supra-regional network and initiates a connection setup to the motor vehicle. Of the

Establishing a connection to the motor vehicle can take place in various ways, one of which is explained by way of example:

Subscribers of a corresponding national network usually have a unique network address, in the case of the Internet as a supraregional network a so-called IP address. Such an address may be fixed, e.g. with a leased line, or can be reassigned each time a connection is established. For example, if a motor vehicle logs on to the network, it will be assigned such an address. The motor vehicle can establish a connection to a central computer and, using a unique assignment for the motor vehicle, can communicate the network address to the central computer. The central computer can store this network address. A user terminal can know the unique identifier of the motor vehicle and request it from the central computer on which the network address of the motor vehicle is stored. Furthermore, similar methods can be used to initiate call setup similar to mobile telephony.

Recurring once or cyclically, an analysis of the communication path from the motor vehicle to the network is performed and evaluated. By analyzing the communication path of the motor vehicle to the network can be determined in what state is a communication link of the motor vehicle with the network. This can be used to determine if the

Communication connection is OK or faulty. The analysis can be carried out in a construction of a connection between user terminal and motor vehicle or during the operation of a connection between user terminal and motor vehicle. Further, the analysis is cyclic, continuous, at the request of a user of

User terminal or situational, for example, in a deterioration of Connection be performed. Depending on the result of the analysis, a connection may possibly be repeated. The inventive method allows further to be able to check why a

Communication connection can not be made with the motor vehicle.

The result of the analysis is displayed on the user terminal. As a result, the user receives feedback about whether the connection between the user terminal and the motor vehicle, as the quality and why this may not be achieved. The result of the analysis becomes situational, for example, at a

Lost connection, on user request or permanently displayed. A user then has the opportunity to react accordingly. For example, if the failure is due to a defect, the user may initiate the defect repair.

In one embodiment of the invention, the result of the analysis on the

Display device of the motor vehicle displayed. This display informs a vehicle user already in the vehicle, for example, about the quality of the communication path from the motor vehicle to the supraregional network. A user can thereby advantageously avoid, for example, parking the vehicle in a radio hole.

According to a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, in case of failure of the connection setup between user terminal and motor vehicle, the analysis is performed and a connection failure and / or its cause identified on the communication path of the motor vehicle and the network. In the case of such a connection failure, the inventive method allows easier identification of the cause of the fault. A user of the

User terminal thus receives targeted technical information about the cause of a fault, preferably the user receives instruction on the user terminal

Remedy the cause.

Furthermore, according to a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, it may be provided that the analysis is based on a faulty SIM card configuration, a non-existent radio link between the

Motor vehicle and the network, an insecure wireless connection between the motor vehicle and the network, a functional communication module of the Motor vehicle and / or a deactivation of the motor vehicle is directed. It has been found that the above aspects are the most common causes of

Represent failure of a connection structure between user terminal and motor vehicle on the motor vehicle side. The analysis enters a time of a last functioning connection, this time is stored in the network, for example on a server and evaluated and displayed as needed to a user on the user terminal or alternatively on a display device in the vehicle. By analyzing these aspects, it is highly likely to identify why a connection did not materialize.

According to a further embodiment, it can be provided that the SIM card configuration is stored on the central computer and the status of the SIM card configuration is queried by the central computer. For example, a missing activation or a course of activation of the SIM card can be registered on the central computer. In addition, for example, exceeding a maximum

Data volume or the like may be stored on the central computer. If a faulty SIM card configuration has been identified as the cause, it is possible to conclude that a physically faulty SIM card or a fault in the electrical SIM card connection or in the SIM card recognition, if the aforementioned causes are excluded.

According to a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the motor vehicle before deactivation of the communication module and / or before deactivating the motor vehicle send a deactivation information via the network to the central computer, wherein the deactivation information is stored on the central computer, wherein in the analysis, the deactivation information of the

Central computer is queried. Due to the fact that the motor vehicle or the

If the communication module logs out of the central computer, the logged-off status can be stored and an error in the connection establishment to the logoff from

Motor vehicle and / or communication module are returned.

The term central computer is to be understood broadly, a central computer can be a single integrated in the network central computer or different, multiple networked computers include. The central computer or several central computers connected to each other for communication are integrated in the supraregional network It is possible to centralize such information on a single central computer, which is responsible for establishing the connection between the user terminal and the motor vehicle, or to distribute it to two or more networked central computers.

In a further possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the motor vehicle can transmit demolition information to the central computer if the radio connection with the network drops below a threshold value of the strength of the radio link. The tear-off information is stored on the central computer or computer, the analysis of the tear-off information being requested by the central computer.

According to a development, not only falling below a threshold value can allow the announcement of a tear of the radio link, but alternatively or additionally, the speed at which the signal strength decreases, can detect a threat of disconnection, even if the corresponding

Threshold not fallen below yet.

With the help of such demolition information can be achieved that an impending connection demolition is reported in time. On the central computer can then be stored that the motor vehicle is currently in a radio hole.

Alternatively, this method can be implemented by the fact that the motor vehicle at certain intervals information about the current signal strength to the

Central computer sends. The central computer can then determine in the case of a disconnection itself on the basis of the last signal strengths, whether this was declining.

According to another possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the motor vehicle can send its location to the central computer, wherein a database on locations of dead spots is kept on the central computer, which is queried in the analysis, whether there is a radio hole at the current location of the motor vehicle.

According to another possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the database can be generated and updated via locations of dead spots from historical data. Such a historical database can provide information in which areas a radio connection can not come about due to a radio hole. With sufficient number of motor vehicles, with the

According to the invention, a very accurate mapping of the network coverage can be achieved in this way. In addition, the database can be updated regularly should the coverage change.

Another aspect of the method according to the invention relates to the transmission of security information from the motor vehicle to the central computer in the presence of an insecure connection to the network. Some networks do not allow secure connections, so unencrypted communication would be required. This may be undesirable for security reasons. If the security information is requested by the central computer in the analysis, this cause can be recognized as a reason for the failure of a connection establishment.

The invention will be explained with reference to an embodiment. Show

schematically:

1 is a representation of the network architecture between user terminal and

Motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a motor vehicle in a region in which radio holes are made, and Fig. 3 is a display of a user terminal.

1 shows a network architecture with a motor vehicle 2 and a user terminal 4. The user terminal 4 is, for example, a mobile phone (smartphone).

Motor vehicle 2 and user terminal 4 are connected via accesses 6, 8 to a network 10. A central computer arranged in the network 10 comprises a first

Central computer 12 and a second central computer 14, which are arranged in the network 10 and interconnected. A connection 16 between motor vehicle 2 and access 8 is designed as a wireless connection. The motor vehicle 2 has a communication module 18 for this purpose. The communication module 18 is equipped with a SIM card 20.

The first central computer 12 is used to manage a SIM card configuration. The state of the SIM card 20, which is installed in the communication module 18 of the motor vehicle 2, is thus stored on the first central computer 12. The state of the SIM card 20 of the motor vehicle 2 may, for example, be functional, non-functional, activated, not activated, malfunction and the like. In some embodiments, the first central computer 12 can check the status of the SIM card 20 at specific time intervals for this purpose.

On the second central computer 14 information related to the motor vehicle 2 is stored, for example, the status of the communication module 16, the status of the motor vehicle 2, the status of the radio link and in some embodiments a map with historical information about radio holes.

According to the method of the invention, a user of the user terminal 4 will attempt to establish a communication link with the motor vehicle 2. For this purpose, the user terminal 4 establishes a connection with the network 10 via the access 6, should such a connection not already exist anyway.

Thereafter, via the second central computer 14, a request for establishing a communication connection with the motor vehicle 2 is made. If the motor vehicle 2 is also connected to the network 10 via the access 8, such a communication link between the motor vehicle 2 and user terminal 4 can be made directly or indirectly. An indirect connection can be made, for example, by means of the second central computer 14.

If a communication connection with the motor vehicle 2 fails, an analysis is initiated according to the method according to the invention, in which the cause for the failure of the communication link with the motor vehicle 2 is examined. For this purpose, various aspects are checked. On the one hand, it can be checked whether the SIM card configuration of the SIM card 20 is correct. For this purpose, a communication connection of the second central computer 14 to the first central computer 12 can be established, in which the second central computer 14 identifies the SIM card 20 of the motor vehicle 2 and asks for its status. The

Feedback can be forwarded to the user terminal 4.

Furthermore, it can be checked whether there is a radio connection between motor vehicle 2 and the network 10. For this purpose, it can be checked whether the motor vehicle is registered at all in the network 10. Such registration may be made via the central computer 14 as previously described. Is the motor vehicle 2 not registered in the network 10, so no registration status on the second

Registered central computer 14, this can be reported back to the user terminal 4 as the cause of the failure to establish a communication connection.

Should a lack of registration of the motor vehicle 2 in the network 10 be the reason for the failure of the structure of a communication link, in a further stage, the reason of Nichtverbundenseins of the motor vehicle 2 can be identified with the network. The reason may be, for example, that the motor vehicle 2 is currently in a radio hole. This can for example be identified as the reason in which the motor vehicle 2 the current status of the radio link, so the signal strength, at regular intervals or falls below a threshold value, but still has a secure radio connection to the second

Central computer 14 sends. Then, in the failure of the construction of a

Communication connection with the motor vehicle 2 are concluded that this is due to a radio hole.

In addition, information about dead spots and knowledge of the actual whereabouts of the card may be available in some configurations

Motor vehicle 2 be concluded that the motor vehicle 2 is currently in a radio hole.

Furthermore, in a basic requirement of a secure radio connection, ie an encrypted communication between user terminal 4 and

Motor vehicle 2, the status of the communication connection between motor vehicle 2 and access 8 and / or the second central computer 14 are checked. Sometimes it is not possible to establish a secure radio connection, so even at

Responsiveness of the motor vehicle no transmission of potentially sensitive data takes place.

Furthermore, it can be checked whether the communication module 18 and / or the motor vehicle 2 are deactivated. In some communication modules 18 or motor vehicles 2, the communication module 18 may be activated in the motor vehicles when the motor vehicle 2 is turned off, in others it may be deactivated. The motor vehicle 2 can transmit by means of the communication module 18 or the communication module 18 itself a deactivation message to the second central computer 14. In the analysis according to the invention, the activity status of communication module 18 or motor vehicle 2 can be queried. If the communication module 18 and / or the motor vehicle 2 is switched off, this can be identified as the cause of a failed structure of a communication connection.

2 shows a map 22.

The motor vehicle 2 has, as described above, the declining radio strength forwarded to the second central computer 14 and / or permanently communicates the signal strength of the radio link to the second central computer 14 and / or the position of the motor vehicle. 2 reported to the second central computer 14.

Additional information may be the speed of the motor vehicle 2 and / or a target of the motor vehicle 2. About this can make predictions when the motor vehicle 2 comes out of the radio hole 24 again.

FIG. 3 shows a display 26 of the user terminal 4.

The display 26 includes some information areas 28 a

Status display area 30, in which the current status of the motor vehicle 2 is displayed including the results of the analysis according to the inventive method. An indication of a status display area 30 is also provided according to FIG. 1 in the motor vehicle 2 on the display device 27. As a result, the result of the analysis of a communication connection between the motor vehicle 2 via the communication module 18 and the supraregional network 10 is accessible to a vehicle user in the vehicle. For example, a user receives information about the quality of or the causes of the connection failure.

Claims

Daimler AG claims

1. A method for communication between a motor vehicle (2) and a

User terminal (4), wherein the user terminal (4) and the motor vehicle (2) are each designed for connection to a supraregional network (0) for mutual communication,

characterized in that

an analysis of the communication path from the motor vehicle (2) to the supraregional network (10) carried out, evaluated and on the

User terminal (4) the result of the analysis is displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the result of the analysis is displayed on a display device (27) of the motor vehicle (2).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized in that

in the event of failure of the connection setup between the user terminal (4) and the motor vehicle (2) carried out the analysis and a connection failure and / or its cause on the communication path of the motor vehicle (2) and the network (10) are identified.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the analysis is directed to a faulty SIM card configuration, a non-existent radio connection between the motor vehicle (2) and the network (10), an insecure radio connection between the motor vehicle (2) and the network (10), a malfunctioning communication module (18) of

Motor vehicle (2) and / or deactivation of the motor vehicle (2).

5. The method according to claim 4,

characterized in that

the SIM card configuration is stored on a central computer (12, 14) integrated in the national network and the status of the SIM card configuration is queried by the central computer (12, 14) during the analysis.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5,

characterized in that

the motor vehicle (2) sends a deactivation information via the network (10) to a central computer (12, 14) before deactivating the communication module (18) and / or before deactivating the motor vehicle (2), wherein the

Disarming information on the central computer (12, 14) is stored, wherein in the analysis, the deactivation information from the central computer (12, 14) is queried.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6,

characterized in that

the motor vehicle (2) transmits demolition information to a central computer (12, 14) below a threshold value when the radio connection with the network (10) is weakening, wherein the demolition information is stored on the central computer (12, 14), wherein in the analysis Demolition information from the

Central computer (12, 14) is queried.

8. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 7,

characterized in that

the motor vehicle (2) sends its location to a central computer (12, 14), wherein on the central computer (12, 14) a database of locations of dead spots is kept, which is queried in the analysis, whether at the current location of the motor vehicle ( 2) a radio hole is present.

9. The method according to claim 8,

characterized in that

the database is generated and updated via locations of dead spots from historical data. Method according to one of claims 4 to 9,

characterized in that

the motor vehicle (2) in the case of an insecure connection to the network (0) sends security information to a central computer (12, 14), wherein the

Security information on the central computer (12, 14) is stored, wherein in the analysis, the security information from the central computer (12, 14) is queried.