EP4378126A1

EP4378126A1 - Apparatuses, methods and computer programs for a vehicle and for a home network node

Info

Publication number: EP4378126A1
Application number: EP21773587.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marc Deharde; Jens Kampermann; Matthias Priebe; Jithin Reju; Constantin Sfirnaciuc
Original assignee: Volkswagen AG
Current assignee: Cariad SE
Priority date: 2021-09-09
Filing date: 2021-09-09
Publication date: 2024-06-05
Also published as: WO2023036412A1

Abstract

Embodiment relate apparatuses, methods, and computer programs for a vehicle and for a home network. The apparatus (10) for a vehicle (100; 100a) is configured to enhance a home network (200) and comprises one or more interfaces (12) configured to communicate with one or more components of the home network (200). The apparatus (10) further comprises a control module (14) configured to control the one or more interfaces (12) and components of the vehicle (100; 100a), wherein the control module (14) is configured to allow access of services of the components of the vehicle (100; 100a) to the home network (200) and to communicate user specific information with the home network (200).

Description

Apparatuses, Methods and Computer Programs for a Vehicle and for a Home Network Node

The present invention relates to apparatuses, methods, and computer programs for a vehicle and for a home network, more particularly but not exclusively, to a concept for integrating vehicular components into a home network and vice versa.

Home networks become more and more accepted and appreciated. With the internet of things (loT) many components or devices become smart, meaning they are enabled to communicate and participate in communication networks, such as home and company networks. A home network may be a secured networks, which is administrated by an owner of a household and which may be used by the members, devices and smart components of the household. Smart components or devices added to households may comprise components dedicated/tailored to home network applications, e.g. media server, NAS (network attached storage), smart TV, surveillance equipment, light equipment, radiator thermostats, etc. The demand for home network features and resources is growing, e.g. loT applications are on the rise.

Document US 9,718,441 B2 discloses a local area security system, which interfaces with one or more vehicles to provide enhanced security. The vehicles have vehicle sensors which may further help determine a presence of potential threat within a vicinity of the local area security system. The multiple vehicles may communicate with each other to expand the vicinity of the local area security system, share equipment, computing resources, and information in the determination of the presence of the potential threat. The battery powered vehicle may employ various methods to conserve battery power while coupled to the local area security system.

With the increasing number of smart devices efforts for configuring and setting up of these devices also increases. Not all users are confident or willing to keep up with the progress of smart devices such that some potential of smart devices remains unused.

There is a demand for an improved concept for configuring smart devices. The demand is addressed according to the appended independent claims.

Embodiments are based on the finding that user specific information that is used in a vehicle can be transferred to the home network. The user can benefit from the transfer of such information, e.g. since media can be continuously played and services used from components of the vehicle can be made available in the home network as well.

Embodiments provide an apparatus for a vehicle. The apparatus being configured to enhance a home network. The apparatus comprises one or more interfaces configured to communicate with one or more components of a home network. The apparatus further comprises a control module, which is configured to control the one or more interfaces and components of the vehicle. The control module is configured to allow access of services of the components of the vehicle to the home network and to communicate user specific information with the home network. User specific information and services of the vehicle’s components can be provided to the home network.

For example, the user specific information comprises information on one or more elements of the group of a recent media channel, a favorite media channel, a temperature setting, a communication preference, a contact, and a status setting. Such information may be used to provide service continuity when changing environments from the vehicle to the home network.

In some embodiments, the control module may be further configured to provide processing, storage or sensing capacities of the components of the vehicle to the home network. That way, information or capacities from the vehicle may be exploited from the home network.

The one or more interfaces may be further configured to communicate with other vehicles and the control module may be further configured to set up a vehicular network with the other vehicles. That way, a home network may benefit from services or capabilities of other vehicles as well.

The control module may be further configured to provide access of services of the components of the other vehicles to the home network. This may contribute to establishing a vehicular cloud extension for home networks.

The control module may be further configured to set up a point-to-point communication link via the vehicular network with the other vehicles. Embodiments may enable a point-to-point data exchange between home networks, e.g. for gaming or social networking purposes.

In further embodiments the one or more interfaces are configured to establish a wired connection to the home network using a charging plug for the vehicle. Embodiments may enable a high capacity or data rate connection via a wired physical connection between the vehicle and the home network.

Embodiments also provide an apparatus for a home network component configured to connect to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises one or more interfaces configured to communicate with one or more components of the vehicle. The apparatus further comprises a control module configured to control the one or more interfaces. The control module is configured to allow access of services of the components of the home network to the vehicle and to communicate user specific information with the vehicle. Embodiments may enable the transfer of user specific information from the home network to the vehicle, e.g. a favorite radio station a user listens to at home can be seamlessly continued when the user leaves home and enters the vehicle.

The one or more interfaces may be further configured to charge the vehicle. The one or more interfaces may hence enable a charging and a communication connection.

In some embodiments the control module may be further configured to provide access to a vehicular network for the home network through the vehicle. Embodiments may enable communication and service utilization of other vehicles as well.

For example, the control module is configured to set up a point-to-point connection to another home network via the vehicle. Such a point-to-point connection may enable gaming and social networking services for user in a home network.

Moreover, at least in some embodiments the control module may be configured to provide internet access for the vehicle through the home network. That way, a fast, potentially wired, internet connection may be provided to the vehicle, which may be used for updating or telemetric purposes.

Embodiments also provide a method for a vehicle and for enhancing a home network. The method comprises communicating with one or more components of a home network and allowing access of services of the components of the vehicle to the home network. The method further comprises communicating user specific information with the home network.

Embodiments also provide a method for a home network component to connect to a vehicle.

The method comprises communicating with one or more components of the vehicle and allowing access of services of the components of the home network to the vehicle. The method further comprises communicating user specific information with the vehicle.

Embodiments further provide a computer program having a program code for performing one or more of the above described methods, when the computer program is executed on a computer, processor, or programmable hardware component. A further embodiment is a computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, processor, or programmable hardware component, cause the computer to implement one of the methods described herein.

Some other features or aspects will be described using the following non-limiting embodiments of apparatuses or methods or computer programs or computer program products by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates block diagrams of an embodiment of an apparatus for a vehicle, an embodiment of a vehicle, an embodiment of an apparatus for a home network and an embodiment of a home network component;

Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a method for a vehicle;

Fig. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a method for a home network; and

Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a home network with integrated vehicle.

Various example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Optional components may be illustrated using broken, dashed or dotted lines.

Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention. Like numbers refer to like or similar elements throughout the description of the figures. As used herein, the term "or" refers to a non-exclusive or, unless otherwise indicated (e.g., “or else” or “or in the alternative”). Furthermore, as used herein, words used to describe a relationship between elements should be broadly construed to include a direct relationship or the presence of intervening elements unless otherwise indicated. For example, when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, the element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Similarly, words such as “between”, “adjacent”, and the like should be interpreted in a like fashion.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagrams of embodiments of an apparatus 10 for a vehicle 100, an embodiment of a vehicle 100, an embodiment of an apparatus 20 for a home network 200 and an embodiment of a home network 200. The apparatus 10 for the vehicle 100 is configured to enhance a home network. The apparatus 10 comprises one or more interfaces 12, which are configured to communicate with one or more components of the home network 200. The apparatus 10 further comprises a control module 14, which is coupled to the one or more interfaces 12. The control module 14 is configured to control the one or more interfaces 12 and components of the vehicle 100. The control module 14 is configured to allow access of services of the components of the vehicle 100 to the home network 200 and to communicate user specific information with the home network 200. Fig.1 also illustrates a vehicle 100, which comprises an embodiment of the apparatus 10. Fig. 1 further shows an embodiment of an apparatus 20 for a home network component 200 configured to connect to a vehicle 100. The apparatus 20 comprises one or more interfaces 22 configured to communicate with one or more components of the vehicle 100. The apparatus further comprises a control module 24, which is coupled to the one or more interfaces 22. The control module 24 is configured to control the one or more interfaces 22. The control module 24 is configured to allow access of services of the components of the home network 200 to the vehicle 100 and to communicate user specific information with the vehicle 100. Fig. 1 also shows an embodiment of a home network or home network component 200, which comprises an embodiment of the apparatus 20.

In embodiments the one or more interfaces 12, 22 may correspond to any means for obtaining, receiving, transmitting or providing analog or digital signals or information, e.g. any connector, contact, pin, register, input port, output port, conductor, lane, etc. which allows providing or obtaining a signal or information. An interface 12, 22 may be wireless or wireline and it may be configured to communicate, i.e. transmit or receive signals, information with further internal or external components. The one or more interfaces 12, 22 may comprise further components to enable according communication in the (mobile) communication system, such components may include transceiver (transmitter and/or receiver) components, such as one or more Low-Noise Amplifiers (LNAs), one or more Power-Amplifiers (PAs), one or more duplexers, one or more diplexers, one or more filters or filter circuitry, one or more converters, one or more mixers, accordingly adapted radio frequency components, etc. The one or more interfaces 12, 22 may be coupled to one or more antennas, which may correspond to any transmit and/or receive antennas, such as horn antennas, dipole antennas, patch antennas, sector antennas etc. In some examples the one or more interfaces 12, 22 may serve the purpose of transmitting or receiving or both, transmitting and receiving, information, such as information, input data, control information, further information messages, etc.

As shown in Fig. 1 the respective one or more interfaces 12, 22 are coupled to the respective control modules 14, 24 at the apparatuses 10, 20. In embodiments the control modules 14, 24 may be implemented using one or more processing units, one or more processing devices, any means for processing, such as a processor, a computer or a programmable hardware component being operable with accordingly adapted software. In other words, the described functions of the control modules 14, 24 may as well be implemented in software, which is then executed on one or more programmable hardware components. Such hardware components may comprise a general-purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a microcontroller, etc.

In embodiments the vehicle may be any vehicle, e.g. a car, a truck, a van, a bus, a motor bike and it may comprise an electric or a combustion engine. The components of a vehicle 100 may comprise sensors, e.g. cameras, temperature sensors, rain sensors, etc., processors, e.g. processors of any control unit, graphical processors, signal processors, etc., memory, e.g. data storage for media, user setting and information, status information etc., communication devices, e.g. modems, receivers, transmitters, and so on. The home network may be a network that is set up or operated at home. A typical scenario would be a wired or wireless local area network (LAN) that is setup in a household. For example, such a network may comprise an access point, e.g. a cable modem or digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, and further network components such as smart devices, smart phone, computers, tablet, laptop, television (TV), storage devices (network attached storage, NAS), gaming equipment, entertainment equipment, smart home equipment, lights, bulbs, thermostats, meters, sensors, etc.

In embodiments a vehicle 100 may provide processing capacity of the vehicle to a home network 200, e.g. storage capacity and hardware capacity (sensors: temperature, humidity , audio , video, etc.). Further components for service provision are: processors, memory, sensors, modem, access to car2car adhoc/multihop network, car-to-car cloud, etc.

Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a method 30 for a vehicle 100. The method 30 for the vehicle 100 and for enhancing a home network 200 comprises communicating 32 with one or more components of the home network 200 and allowing 34 access of services of the components of the vehicle 100 to the home network 200. The method 30 further comprises communicating 36 user specific information with the home network 200.

Fig. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a method 40 for a home network 200. The method 40 enables a home network component to connect to a vehicle 100. The method 40 comprises communicating 42 with one or more components of the vehicle 100 and allowing 44 access of services of the components of the home network 200 to the vehicle 100. The method 40 further comprises communicating 46 user specific information with the vehicle 100.

Home networks 200 are separate secured networks comprising components dedicated/tailored to home network applications, e.g. media servers, NAS, TVs, surveillance equipment, light equipment, radiator thermostats, etc. The demand for home network features and resources is growing, e.g. loT applications are on the rise. Embodiments may enhance a system performance and capacity of a home network in an efficient manner. Vehicular components may be integrated into the network, e.g. additional storage, computers, etc. In embodiments the home network 200 may be used to provide data services to the vehicle 100 and/or the vehicle’s resources are integrated into the home network 200 and used for purposes initiated from the home network 200.

Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a home network 200 with integrated vehicle 100. Fig. 4 shows a home network 200 comprising and embodiment of the apparatus 20 and three vehicles 100a, 100b, 100c, each comprising an embodiment of the apparatus 10. Vehicle 100a is in communication with the home network 200 according to an embodiment, e.g. using wired or wireless technology. For example, the one or more interfaces 12, 22 on both sides, the vehicle 100a and the home network 200, are configured to establish a wired connection to the home network using a charging plug for the vehicle 100a and a wallbox/charging unit linked to the home network 200. The one or more interfaces 22 on the home network side (apparatus 20) may be further configured to charge the vehicle 100.

The vehicle 100a makes its capacity and services available to the home network. For example, processing capacity, storage capacity , and sensor access and the home network 200 provides access for the vehicle. As further shown in Fig. 4 the vehicle 100a may be in communication with other vehicles 100b, 100c and form a vehicular cloud or network, e.g. between cars in a neighborhood or parking lot.

The user specific information, that may be communicated between the home network 200 and the vehicle 100a may comprise information on one or more elements of the group of a recent media channel, a favorite media channel, a temperature setting, a communication preference, a contact, an ongoing phone call, and a status setting. For example, a user drives with his car home from his work and listens to a certain program of a radio station. When arriving at home the user parks the car 100a and gets off the car. Since the car 100a now connects to the home network 200 the information on the radio program can be transferred to the home network and the program can be seamlessly continued when the user enters his home. For example, the information on the radio program , e.g. radio station, is communicated to a home audio system which takes over audio play.

In embodiments the control module 14 of the vehicle apparatus 10 may be further configured to provide processing, storage or sensing capacities of the components of the vehicle to the home network. In the above example, the home network 200 may hence be granted access to the services of the vehicle. Hence, the radio program may still be received by a receiver in the vehicle, but the audio stream may be tunneled to the home network 200, e.g. an audio system, for reply. That way, the home network 200 may use communication services made available by the vehicle 100a. The same mechanism may be applied to ongoing phone calls. For example, a transceiver device or antennas of the vehicle may be used in phone during a drive. As the vehicle gets into the home network 200 and the driver gets off the vehicle, the audio stream, the Bluetooth stream or information from any other protocol layer may be forwarded or tunneled to the user’s mobile device or components of the home network 200. The phone call may be seamlessly continued.

Such a mechanism may be useful particularly when radio communications at higher frequency, e.g. mmWave technology is used, which basically requires line of site radio channels. Such channels may be available for the vehicle parked outside but not for a user device inside a building. The radio protocols on the respective radio access technologies may hence be adapted to allow such tunneling or forwarding. Embodiments may be compliant to or even comprised in certain standard specifications, such as those specified by the 3GPP.

Configuration information may for example be communicated using signaling radio bearers, e.g. by means of Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages, which are, for example, specified in the *.331 series of 3GPP as layer 3 control plane messages. For example, physical layer specification, e.g. by means of DDRs and other physical layer specifications may also be affected by present embodiments, e.g. *.201 , *.211 , *.212, *.213, *.214, *.216 series in the 3GPP specifications.

The one or more interfaces 12 of the vehicle apparatus 10 may be further configured to communicate with other vehicles 100b, 100c and the control module 14 may be further configured to set up a vehicular network with the other vehicles 100b, 100c. This may be established by any communication standard. For example, the above specifications may be affected.

In embodiments, communication, i.e. transmission, reception or both, may take place among mobile transceivers/vehicles 100a, 100b, 100c directly, e.g. forwarding input data or control information to/from a home network 200. Such communication may make use of a mobile communication system. Such communication may be carried out directly, e.g. by means of Device-to-Device (D2D) communication. Such communication may be carried out using the specifications of a mobile communication system. An example of D2D is direct communication between vehicles, also referred to as Vehicle-to-Vehicle communication (V2V), car-to-car, Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC), respectively. Technologies enabling such D2D-communication include 802.11p, 3GPP systems (3^rd Generation Partnership Project, 4G (4^th generation), 5G, NR (new radio) and beyond), etc.

In embodiments, the one or more interfaces 12, 22 can be configured to wirelessly communicate in the mobile communication system, e.g. in an embodiment in which the apparatus 10 is implemented in vehicle 100 and the method 10 is carried out at the vehicle 100. In order to do so radio resources are used, e.g. frequency, time, code, and/or spatial resources, which may be used for wireless communication with a base station transceiver as well as for direct communication. The assignment of the radio resources may be controlled by a base station transceiver, i.e. the determination which resources are used for D2D and which are not. Here and in the following radio resources of the respective components may correspond to any radio resources conceivable on radio carriers and they may use the same or different granularities on the respective carriers. The radio resources may correspond to a Resource Block (RB as in LTE (Long term Evolution)/LTE-A/LTE-unlicensed (LTE-ll)), one or more carriers, sub-carriers, one or more radio frames, radio sub-frames, radio slots, one or more code sequences potentially with a respective spreading factor, one or more spatial resources, such as spatial sub-channels, spatial precoding vectors, any combination thereof, etc. For example, in direct Cellular Vehicle-to-Anything (C-V2X), where V2X includes at least V2V, V2- Infrastructure (V2I), etc., transmission according to 3GPP Release 14 onward can be managed by infrastructure (so-called mode 3) or run in a UE.

That way, a communication chain may be established between vehicles 100a, 100b, 100c. The control module 14 in the apparatus 10 may be further configured to provide access of services of the components of the other vehicles to the home network. Now, components of multiple vehicles may be made available to the home network 200. For example, multiple antennas and modems from different vehicles at different locations may be available. Therewith, reception of radio signals may be enhanced by using and combining different signal copies from the different vehicles (diversity combining). The control module 24 of the apparatus 20 may be further configured to provide access to the vehicular network for the home network through the vehicle 100a.

In further embodiments the control module 14 may be further configured to set up a point-to- point communication link via the vehicular network with the other vehicles 100a, 100b, 100c. Likewise, the control module 24 may be configured to set up a point-to-point connection to another home network via the vehicle 100a. A home network 200 may hence be connected to another home network via the point-to-point link. Such a link or connection may then be used for data exchange between two home networks, e.g. for gaming or social networking purposes.

Furthermore, in some embodiments the control module 24 of the apparatus 20 may be configured to provide internet access for the vehicle 100a, 100b, 100c through the home network 200. That way, a high capacity internet connection may be provided to vehicles, e.g. over night. Such a connection may be used for information exchange, updating or information collection purposes.

Embodiments may enable a car to be used as surveillance camera. For example, camera, radar, LIDAR (light detection and ranging) on cars/vehicles may be used as surveillance. Car/vehicle can be used to access services of a network formed by a plurality of cars. A network of cars can be used as surveillance network (monitor a street or district), as network for socializing, e.g. to play with other participants, for social networking (alternative routes/links to other participants). In further embodiments the cars may be used as blockchain, distributed reliable storage of information, or for verifying information using the additional processing capacity for computer applications; gaming, video processing, 3D rendering etc.

In embodiments a network of cars can also be used to share parking schedules. The cars automatically share parking schedules

Some embodiments may avoid duplicated data sets in a vehicle 100 and at home 200 (e.g. media, personal settings (favorite radio stations, bookmarks, notes etc.) or synchronize car and home network. E.g. a voice note taken during a drive is made available from the car to the home network without having to go through another network.

Connecting home network and vehicles/cars may allow socializing via car-networks (gaming, surveillance, blockchain of cars). Car sensors may extent home security. A car or vehicles may serve as an edge server when plugged in to charge.

In embodiments the sharing of the processor resources can either be controlled by home network or by the car processing unit. For example, a home network 200 requests processing resources from the car and the home network checks whether the car is connected and whether resources on the car are available or whether the processors are busy with other tasks. For example, the car/vehicle reports available resources back to the home network on demand. The home network 200 may then decide what tasks to do/run on the car’s/vehicle’s cpu(s). A network connection between the home network and the car may mimic standard computer network. The car/vehicle 100 may control processing power extension.

For example, the car/vehicle 100 connects to the home network 200 and reports available resources. The home network 200 manages available resource pool (home and car cpu(s)). The car/vehicle 100 reports changes of available resources to home network on a regular interval. Tasks inside the network could be prioritized to be computed primarily on either the home resources or the car resources. High priority task inside the car network should/may always have priority over other tasks.

In some further embodiments idle cars/vehicles may be used as resource pools. A single car/vehicle may offer its resources to a home network 200. Cars/vehicles may connect and build/create a mesh that offers its combined resources to a home network 200. In some embodiments, if an owner/user of a car/vehicle allows the use of the car/vehicle (processing) resources by a third party while the car/vehicle is idle the car/vehicle does connect to the network. The central/home network 200 then manages the tasks based on needed resources versus available resources and distributes tasks accordingly. If more than one car/vehicle owner allows the use of its car/vehicle resources the cars/vehicles will build a mesh and will jointly offer their resources to a central entity of the network that manages tasks vs. available resources and distributes and manages tasks accordingly inside the mesh of connected cars.

A network of cars/vehicles may form a resource in embodiments. This may include its sensor (s), network capabilities, processing power (edge computing), etc. In addition a security aspect of a home network 200 may be enhanced by utilizing the camera of the vehicle to detect a thread.

In embodiments a vehicle's resources can be integrated into the home network 200 and may be used for purposes initiated from the home network 200 (monitor a street or district), as network for socializing, e.g. to play with other participants, for social networking (alternative routes/links to other participants), as blockchain, distributed reliable storage of information, information verification, can be verified, as additional processing capacity for computer applications; gaming, video processing, 3D rendering etc.

Embodiments may further be or relate to a computer program having a program code for performing one or more of the above methods, when the computer program is executed on a computer or processor. Steps, operations or processes of various above-described methods may be performed by programmed computers or processors. Examples may also cover program storage devices such as digital data storage media, which are machine, processor or computer readable and encode machine-executable, processor-executable or computerexecutable programs of instructions. The instructions perform or cause performing some or all of the acts of the above-described methods. The program storage devices may comprise or be, for instance, digital memories, magnetic storage media such as magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable digital data storage media. Further examples may also cover computers, processors or control units programmed to perform the acts of the abovedescribed methods or (field) programmable logic arrays ((F)PLAs) or (field) programmable gate arrays ((F)PGAs), programmed to perform the acts of the above-described methods.

The description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of the disclosure. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for illustrative purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the disclosure and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art. All statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and examples of the disclosure, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.

A functional block denoted as “means for ...” performing a certain function may refer to a circuit that is configured to perform a certain function. Hence, a “means for s.th.” may be implemented as a “means configured to or suited for s.th.”, such as a device or a circuit configured to or suited for the respective task.

Functions of various elements shown in the figures, including any functional blocks labeled as “means”, “means for providing a signal”, “means for generating a signal.”, etc., may be implemented in the form of dedicated hardware, such as “a signal provider”, “a signal processing unit”, “a processor”, “a controller”, etc. as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which or all of which may be shared. However, the term “processor” or “controller” is by far not limited to hardware exclusively capable of executing software, but may include digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), read only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile storage. Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be included.

A block diagram may, for instance, illustrate a high-level circuit diagram implementing the principles of the disclosure. Similarly, a flow chart, a flow diagram, a state transition diagram, a pseudo code, and the like may represent various processes, operations or steps, which may, for instance, be substantially represented in computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown. Methods disclosed in the specification or in the claims may be implemented by a device having means for performing each of the respective acts of these methods.

It is to be understood that the disclosure of multiple acts, processes, operations, steps or functions disclosed in the specification or claims may not be construed as to be within the specific order, unless explicitly or implicitly stated otherwise, for instance for technical reasons. Therefore, the disclosure of multiple acts or functions will not limit these to a particular order unless such acts or functions are not interchangeable for technical reasons. Furthermore, in some examples a single act, function, process, operation or step may include or may be broken into multiple sub-acts, -functions, -processes, -operations or -steps, respectively. Such sub acts may be included and part of the disclosure of this single act unless explicitly excluded.

Furthermore, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, where each claim may stand on its own as a separate example. While each claim may stand on its own as a separate example, it is to be noted that - although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims - other examples may also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent or independent claim. Such combinations are explicitly proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended. Furthermore, it is intended to include also features of a claim to any other independent claim even if this claim is not directly made dependent to the independent claim.

List of reference signs apparatus for vehicle one or more interfaces control module apparatus for home network one or more interfaces control module method for a vehicle and for enhancing a home network communicating with one or more components of a home network allowing access of services of the components of the vehicle to the home network communicating user specific information with the home network method for a home network component to connect to a vehicle communicating with one or more components of the vehicle allowing access of services of the components of the home network to the vehicle communicating user specific information with the vehicle (abc) vehicle home network (component)

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for a vehicle (100; 100a), the apparatus (10) being configured to enhance a home network (200), comprising one or more interfaces (12) configured to communicate with one or more components of the home network (200); and a control module (14) configured to control the one or more interfaces (12) and components of the vehicle (100; 100a), wherein the control module (14) is configured to allow access of services of the components of the vehicle (100; 100a) to the home network (200) and to communicate user specific information with the home network (200).

2. The apparatus (10) of claim 1, wherein the user specific information comprises information on one or more elements of the group of a recent media channel, a favorite media channel, a temperature setting, a communication preference, a contact, and a status setting.

3. The apparatus (10) of one of the claims 1 or 2, wherein the control module (14) is further configured to provide processing, storage or sensing capacities of the components of the vehicle to the home network (200).

4. The apparatus (10) of one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the one or more interfaces (12) are further configured to communicate with other vehicles (100b, 100c) and wherein the control module (14) is further configured to set up a vehicular network with the other vehicles (100b; 100c).

5. The apparatus (10) of claim 4, wherein the control module (14) is further configured to provide access of services of the components of the other vehicles (100b; 100c) to the home network (200).

6. The apparatus (10) of one of the claims 4 or 5, wherein the control module (14) is further configured to set up a point-to-point communication link via the vehicular network with the other vehicles (100b; 100c).

7. The apparatus (10) of one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the one or more interfaces (12) are configured to establish a wired connection to the home network (200) using a charging plug for the vehicle.

8. An apparatus (20) for a home network component (200) configured to connect to a vehicle

(100, 100a), comprising one or more interfaces (22) configured to communicate with one or more components of the vehicle (100; 100a); and a control module (24) configured to control the one or more interfaces (22), wherein the control module (24) is configured to allow access of services of the components of the home network (200) to the vehicle (100; 100a) and to communicate user specific information with the vehicle (100; 100a).

9. The apparatus (20) of claim 8, wherein the one or more interfaces (22) are further configured to charge the vehicle (100; 100a).

10. The apparatus (20) of one of the claims 8 or 9, wherein the control module (24) is further configured to provide access to a vehicular network for the home network (200) through the vehicle (100).

11. The apparatus (20) of one of the claims 8 to 10, wherein the control module (24) is configured to set up a point-to-point connection to another home network via the vehicle (100; 100a).

12. The apparatus (20) of one of the claims 8 to 11 , wherein the control module (24) is configured to provide internet access for the vehicle (100; 100a) through the home network (200).

13. A method (30) for a vehicle (100; 100a) and for enhancing a home network (200), comprising communicating (32) with one or more components of the home network (200); allowing (34) access of services of the components of the vehicle (100; 100a) to the home network (200); and - 18 - communicating (36) user specific information with the home network (200).

14. A method (40) for a home network component (200) to connect to a vehicle (100; 100a), comprising communicating (42) with one or more components of the vehicle (100; 100a); allowing (44) access of services of the components of the home network (200) to the vehicle (100; 100a); and communicating (46) user specific information with the vehicle (100; 100a).

15. A computer program having a program code for performing at least one of the methods (30; 40) of claims 13 or 14, when the computer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component.