ITRM20110132A1 - "MULTI-PROTOCOL TELEMATIC DEVICE AND MULTI SERVER FOR SUPPLY OF VEHICLE SERVICES AND DUAL-MODE FUNCTIONALITY WITH INSTITUTIONAL CENTRAL AND CENTRAL COMMERCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS" - Google Patents

Description

Description of the industrial invention entitled: MULTI-PROTOCOL TELEMATIC DEVICE AND MULTI SERVER FOR THE SUPPLY OF SERVICES FOR VEHICLES AND DUAL-MODE FUNCTIONALITY WITH INSTITUTIONAL CENTRALS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICE PROVIDER CENTRALS;

S OCC.

DESCRIPTION

Field of invention

The present invention relates to a terminal device using satellite technologies (GPS, Galileo, etc.) to be used on industrial vehicles or cars capable of communicating on several GSM, GPRS, UMTS, TETRA and / or dedicated radio frequency service channels with Service Centers and Institutional Centers.

The invention refers in more detail to a device to be installed on motor vehicles and industrial and commercial vehicles, powered at low voltage (8-32V), and connected via GPRS / UMTS channels to its Service Center and at the same time to an Institutional Center for any security activities of national and international strategic importance (for example: Civil Protection, Fire Brigade; Forestry Corps; Road Safety, 118, 112, eCall, bCall, SosCall, Medical Aid; Transport of radioactive material, Transport of hazardous and non-hazardous waste, Secretive activities, Investigative activities, Sensitive data in the field of insurance fraud, etc ..).

With the Service Center, the device constantly communicates its GPS position, the measurements of the sensors present on the vehicle, the technological data (CAN-BUS FMS) of the vehicle such as tank status, engine rpm, brakes, fuel consumption, etc. In this way, the Service Center is able to provide services to the Fleet Managers, such as: vehicle position, fuel consumption, trip report, messages to and from the driver, storage of tachograph data, tracking of goods, timing delivery, safety alarms for the vehicle or driver.

According to a peculiar characteristic of the invention, in addition to the logistic and security services described above, the device:

a) It is able to generate and receive voice communications through an integrated device equipped with speakerphone and buttons (SosConsole). Voice communications may involve medical or mechanical alarms, automatic accident reports or requests for traffic information. Voice communications are sent to the Service Center or to Centers dedicated to medical assistance (eg 118) or mechanical assistance; and at the same time said device b) is also available for access by an Institutional Central, via data access on the Gsm / Voice channel, for any police investigation actions. In this mode, the device, according to specifications agreed with the institutional bodies and the Police Forces, is completely subject to the requests of the Institutional Headquarters, which can verify, for example, the position of the vehicle with respect to a declared mission plan.

Purpose of the Invention

The main purpose of the present invention is to bring together in a single satellite device the possibility of providing services to the customer who owns the vehicle with the possibility for the Police to be able to simultaneously connect to the device for inspection actions. Advantageously, both communications are active and independent without the institutional one having delays on the availability of the vehicle.

This invention therefore prevents the vehicle owner from being forced to mount a satellite device dedicated to value-added services on his vehicle where he has already been obliged by law to mount a device intended for verification by the Police Forces on the routes taken by his own. vehicle.

Another primary purpose of the device object of the present invention is to allow the Police Station to operate with a privileged and direct connection with the device itself, thus fully exploiting the IT tools of its own Central (for example a cartography of the much richer and more detailed metropolitan area).

In fact, it is known that today, in the search for a stolen vehicle, the Service Center acts as a guide for Police activities, interfacing by telephone between the Device on board the vehicle and the Police Station. And the latter has not yet had the opportunity to fully exploit its organizational capacity precisely because the telephone contact is only with an operator of the Service Center. Therefore the Police Station can only receive information by voice and must in turn lead the patrol always with information exchanged by voice.

Summary of the Invention

The aforementioned purposes have been achieved considering that today many vehicles used to transport dangerous (explosives) or polluting goods have the obligation to mount satellite devices on board whose purpose is solely to allow the police to verify the route. planned with the one actually carried out. And it is legitimate to foresee that more and more categories of transport and vehicles will find themselves in this condition, therefore having on board a device, installed by law, possibly bearing the related purchase and installation costs, without being able to enjoy the advantages deriving from the services of logistics and anti-theft that normally a satellite device involves.

With the use of the device object of the present invention, the vehicle owner will be able to avoid the purchase of a second satellite device, simply by signing a contract for value added services from Commercial Providers, which can be carried out by the same device used for institutional purposes. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become evident from the detailed description that follows, with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate, by way of non-limiting example only, a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows the general architecture in which the invention is inserted;

fig. 2 shows the block composition of the main components of the device;

fig. 3 shows the architecture of the system with the connection to the Bridge-Box, through a Can-Bus protocol owned by the same Applicant, for further expansions to the dedicated electronics on the vehicle, such as digital tachograph, printers, load, radio frequency peripherals;

fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the device not connected on any GSM channel that receives a data / voice call; fig. 5 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the device that receives a voice / data call while it is connected to the Service Center on the GPRS channel;

fig. 6 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the device that receives a voice / data call while it is connected to the Service Center on the UMTS channel;

fig. 7 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the device that receives a data call while it is connected to the Service Center over the voice channel.

Fig. 8 schematically shows the role of the smart card in the encryption and decryption of the data of the Institutional Central.

Detailed description of the invention

With reference to the attached drawings (fig. 2), the device indicated as a whole with 10 is contained in a box containing the following main components:

- a process unit (CPU) 12 with four serial ports and CAN-BUS ports, which is connected to:

- a smart card reader device 14 for encrypting the data transmitted to the exchanges; - a GPS 16 module with its internal GPS antenna; - a GSM GPRS / UMTS 18 modem equipped with double SIM, or with SIM integrated in the module itself â € œinSIMâ € and connected to its internal GSM antenna 20;

- an internal backup battery 22;

- one or more memories 24 suitable for storing the data coming from the CPU; and

- an accelerometer 26, for the anti-theft functions (for detecting vehicle lifting), for recognizing accidents (and their reconstruction), for detecting the driver's driving style (braking, sudden acceleration, sudden curves).

The device 10 is able to generate and receive voice communications through an integrated device in the form of a console 30 equipped with hands-free and emergency buttons. Voice communications, which may relate to medical alarms. mechanics, or even requests for traffic information, are sent both to the CS Service Center and to Centers dedicated to medical or mechanical rescue.

The task of the Smart Card reader device 14 is to guarantee the absolute secrecy of the data exchanged with the Institutional Centers, CI. In fact, with this device 14 it is possible to insert smart cards provided by institutional customers which allows the CPU to execute the encoded commands coming from the Central Institutional CI and to encrypt the data transmitted following the requests received, in such a way that decryption is impossible. also for the manufacturer of the device. For this purpose, an asymmetric RSA or symmetric AES encryption system is used. The key, however, is contained in the Smart Card and is unknown to the application Sw on board the device. Furthermore, the smart card carries out the data encryption action which can only be decrypted by a specific procedure in the control unit that has the same key and uses the same algorithm. The encrypted data can therefore be sent directly to the Institutional Central which will be able to decrypt it in absolute autonomy, regardless of who carried out the encryption.

Due to its commercial service functions, device 10 is almost constantly connected on the GPRS or UMTS channel to the CS Service Center.

When a call arrives on the GSM / Voice channel (be it an operator call or a data call), the terminal receives a notification from its telephone module.

The possibilities are as follows:

1) If device 10 is not connected on any channel (GPRS, UMTS, Voice / Data), it will immediately accept the call (Case 1). More specifically, according to the flow chart of fig.

4:

the GSM modem 18 receives a warning from the GSM network and activates a Ring signal towards the CPU 12 which, having received the signal, requests the calling number from the GSM modem 18;

CPU 12 accepts the call only if it identifies the calling number as one of the authorized exchanges and will operate differently depending on whether it is a data call or a voice call:

in the event of a data call, the CPU 12, by means of the smart card inserted in the reader 14, executes the coded commands coming from the institutional exchange and sends the consequent encrypted responses;

in the event of a Voice call, the CPU 12 accepts the call and turns on the hands-free device, putting the driver in communication with his own Service Center;

at the end of the call from the Control unit, device 10 is ready for a new voice / data call.

2) In the case of a voice / data call that reaches the device while a GPRS transmission is in progress, the GPRS context is automatically suspended and the voice or data call is received in real time, without any waiting (Case 2). In fact, as illustrated in the flow diagram of fig. 5:

the GSM modem receives an alert from the GSM network and activates a Ring signal to the CPU, automatically suspending the GPRS context;

the CPU received the Ring signal requests the calling number from the GSM Modem. All information in the Service Center is stored on the modem until the voice channel is closed;

CPU 12 identifies the calling number as one of the authorized exchanges and accepts the call;

If it is a data call, the CPU 12 executes, as in the previous case, the coded commands coming from the Central Institutional CI and sends the consequent replies after having encrypted them via the smart card;

In the presence of a voice call, the CPU 12 accepts the call and turns on the hands-free device, putting the driver in communication with the CS Service Center.

When the call from the Central C ends, the device is ready for a new voice / data call and automatically resumes the GPRS connection to the CS Service Center, disposing of the accumulated information.

3) In the case of UMTS transmission, the connection with the CS Service Center is not suspended and the voice or data call is accepted in real time, without any waiting. In fact, as illustrated by the flow diagram of fig. 6:

when the GSM modem receives an alert from the GSM network, it activates a Ring signal to the CPU;

the CPU, having received the Ring signal, requests the calling number from the GSM modem, but all the information destined for the Service Center continues to be communicated;

the CPU identifies the calling number as one of the authorized exchanges and accepts the call; in the case of a data call, the CPU executes the coded commands coming from the Central Institutional CI after having decrypted them using the smart card provided by the Institutional Body, and sends the consequent replies once encrypted;

in the case of a voice call, the CPU accepts the call and turns on the hands-free device, putting the driver in communication with the CS Service Center;

at the end of the call from the Control unit, device 10 is ready for a new voice / data call.

4) In the case of a voice conversation in progress with the CS Service Center (see fig. 7), a data call from the Institutional Center finds the number occupied in another conversation. In this case, however, the GSM Provider forwards a service message which is received by the telephone module of the device. The service message notifies you that a certain telephone number is waiting to be served. In this case the device CPU will perform the following actions:

Recognizes the incoming number, such as the telephone number of the Institutional Headquarters, authorized to carry out investigative actions;

Suspend or end the conversation in progress;

Accept the new incoming call;

Executes the requests encoded by the Institutional Headquarters, and sends the consequent responses after having encrypted them thanks to the smart card provided by the Institutional body to which the connected Headquarters belongs;

At the end of the call from the Institutionalized Center, the device is ready for a new voice / data call and automatically resumes the GPRS connection to the Service Center.

Given the evolution of GSM technologies, it is expected that GSM modules with double SIM (or SIM integrated in the GSM module â € œinSimâ €) will soon be available. With these modules two connections will be possible at the same time to your telephone provider.

In this case the device will be able to support a double connection completely in parallel both in data and in voice / data.

Can-Bus FMS reading from vehicle

Connection to Bridge-Box 32 (see figs. 1 and 3) for further expansions to the dedicated electronics on the vehicle (eg digital tachograph, printers, load cells, radio frequency peripherals, etc.). Viasat Patent Reference N.

1353470 (see dedicated paragraph)

Device Extensions with the use of the Bridge-Box

The device object of the patent is able to derive particular benefits from the external integration with the Bridge-Box 32 (Viasat patent n.

1353470), through a proprietary Can-Bus protocol (VST-CAN). The number of connectable Bridge-Boxes is virtually infinite. The resulting architecture is illustrated in fig.3.

The practical applications are numerous. We quote by way of example:

Reading of data from Digital Chronotachograph, for filing, according to law, in the Service Center;

Transport document printing;

Reading of goods badges and barcodes;

Vehicle Can-Bus data reading

Connections via RF with vehicle sensors (Fuel Cap, Tailgate, Trailer, Temperature Sensors, etc.)

Economic advantages deriving from the patent

The illustrated solution makes it possible to offer parallel functionalities with different protocols, to different communication partners, without losing performance in relation to the Institutional Central.

In this way, the proposed device and architecture guarantee Viasat a privileged position towards the market consisting of the transport of goods subject to possible controls by the police, being able to provide at the same time the value-added services that are typical of Viasat . All without requiring the customer to install additional satellite devices.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS 1) Multi-protocol and multi-server telematic device to be installed on industrial / commercial vehicles and / or cars characterized by the fact that it is equipped with: - means for connecting via GPRS / UMTS channels to a Service Center to which it constantly communicates both its position detected by its GPS means and measurements detected by sensors present on the same vehicle, and / or the technological data (CAN-BUS FMS) of the vehicle such as tank status, engine rpm, brakes, fuel consumption, and the like, so that said Service Center can provide the Fleet Manager to which said vehicle belongs logistic data such as those relating to the location of the vehicle, fuel consumption, travel reports, messages from and towards the driver, safety alarms for the vehicle and / or the driver, etc .; - means for generating and receiving voice communications via an integrated device equipped with speakerphone and buttons (SosConsole) to the Service Center or to Centers dedicated to medical or mechanical assistance; - means to make the access / data transmission on GSM / voice channel available by an Institutional Center for possible police investigation actions. 2) Telematic device as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that it comprises a box (10) inside which are arranged: - a CPU processing unit (12) with four serial ports and CAN-BUS ports, which is connected to: - a smart card reader device (14) to encrypt the data transmitted to the institutional exchanges and decrypt the incoming data from the same institutional exchanges; - a GPS module (16) with its internal GPS antenna; - a GSM GPRS / UMTS modem (18) equipped with double SIM, or with SIM integrated in the module itself â € œinSIMâ € and connected to its internal GSM antenna (20) - an internal backup battery (22); - one or more memories (24) suitable for storing the data coming from the CPU; and - an accelerometer (26), for the anti-theft functions (for detecting vehicle lifting), for recognizing accidents (and their reconstruction), for detecting the driver's driving style (braking, sudden acceleration, sudden bends) and - a resident software that instructs the CPU in managing communications with the service center and the institutional center; said box (10) being connected to a console (30) equipped with emergency buttons and hands-free to receive and generate voice communications to the Service Center or to Centers dedicated to medical or mechanical rescue. 3) Telematic device as per claim 2 characterized by the fact that said box (10) is further equipped with means for connection with dedicated terminals through proprietary protocols. 4) Telematic device as per claim 2 characterized by the fact that upon arrival of a call on the GSM / Voice channel (be it an operator call or a data call), if the device (10) is not connected on any channel ( GPRS, UMTS, Voice / Data), provides the following operating modes: the GSM modem (18) receives an alert from the GSM network and activates a Ring signal towards the CPU (12) which, having received the signal, requests the calling number from the GSM modem (18); the CPU (12) accepts the call only if it identifies the calling number as one of the authorized control units and will operate differently depending on whether it is a data call or a voice call: in the event of a data call, the CPU 12 executes the coded commands from the control unit institutional and sends the consequent responses after having encrypted them thanks to the Smart Card provided by the same Central; in the event of a Voice call, the CPU 12 accepts the call and turns on the hands-free device, putting the driver in communication with his own Service Center; at the end of the call from the Control unit, device 10 is ready for a new voice / data call. 5) Telematic device as per claim 2 characterized by the fact that in the case of a voice / data call that reaches the device while a GPRS transmission is in progress, it provides for the following operating modes: - the GSM modem receives a warning from the GSM network and activates a Ring signal to the CPU, automatically suspending the GPRS context; - the CPU received the Ring signal requests the calling number from the GSM Modem, while all the information from the Service Center is stored on the modem until the voice channel is closed; - if the CPU identifies the calling number as one of the authorized exchanges, it accepts the call; - if it is a data call, the CPU executes the coded commands coming from the Institutional Central and sends the consequent responses after having encrypted them via smart card, while in the presence of a voice call, the CPU accepts the call and turns on the hands-free device by putting the driver in communication with the Institutional Center, and at the end of the conversation with the Center, the device is ready for a new voice / data call and automatically resumes the GPRS connection to the Service Center. 6) Telematic device as per claim 2 characterized by the fact that in the case of UMTS transmission, the connection with the Service Center is not suspended and the voice or data call is accepted in real time, without any waiting, as the following operating modes are provided: - when the GSM modem receives an alert from the GSM network, it activates a Ring signal to the CPU; - the CPU, having received the Ring signal, requests the calling number from the GSM modem, but all the information destined for the Service Center continues to be communicated; - the CPU identifies the calling number as one of the authorized exchanges and accepts the call; - in the case of a data call, the CPU executes the coded commands coming from the Institutional Headquarters after having decrypted them using the smart card provided by the Institutional Body, and sends the consequent replies; - in the case of a voice call, the CPU accepts the call and turns on the hands-free device, putting the driver in communication with the Service Center; at the end of the call from the Control unit, the device (10) is ready for a new voice / data call. 7) Telematic device as per claim 2 characterized by the fact that, in the event of a voice conversation in progress with the Service Center, if a data call from the Institutional Center finds the number occupied in another conversation, it provides the following operating modes: - the GSM Provider forwards a service message which is received by the telephone module of the device (10), and which notifies that a certain telephone number is waiting to be served, in such circumstances the CPU (12) is expected to perform the following actions: - recognizes the incoming number, such as the telephone number of the Institutional Headquarters, authorized to carry out investigative actions; - suspend or close the conversation in progress; - accept the new incoming call; - executes the coded requests by the Institutional Central, and sends the consequent responses after having encrypted them thanks to the smart card provided by the Institutional body to which the connected Central belongs; at the end of the call from the Institutionalized Center, the device is ready for a new voice / data call and automatically resumes the GPRS connection to the Service Center.