KR100946486B1 - Network gateway for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle network gateway that enables a mobile terminal supporting a wireless LAN to use the Internet by using a telematics module of a vehicle and to share content (video) between display units provided in the vehicle.

To this end, the present invention provides an interface connection unit connected to at least one display unit for receiving a user command and displaying a processing result of the user command, when sharing of content from a specific display unit is instructed through the interface connection unit. And a control unit for transmitting content from the specific display to another display unit to share the content.

Description

Automotive network gateway {NETWORK GATEWAY FOR A VEHICLE}

The present invention relates to a network gateway for a vehicle, and more particularly, to enable a mobile terminal supporting a wireless LAN to use the Internet by using a telematics module of a vehicle, and to share content (video) between display units provided in the vehicle. The present invention relates to a vehicle network gateway.

As vehicles become more advanced, vehicles equipped with telematics modules are increasing in order to improve driving convenience and vehicle stability.

The telematics module includes a mobile communication connection module (for example, a code division multiple access (CDMA) module, etc.) for connecting to a mobile communication network so as to connect to the wireless Internet (hereinafter referred to as "Internet") through the mobile communication network. By using the telematics module, the driver may access an internet in a vehicle, send and receive e-mails, or search for various information. In addition, the telematics module remotely diagnoses the vehicle through a wireless network, notifies the driver when a vehicle is detected abnormally, and guides the user to follow-up measures, and provides various information such as traffic and living information and emergency rescue through the Internet. It is available.

Meanwhile, in a current vehicle, when a mobile terminal (eg, a laptop or a portable multimedia player, etc.) supporting a fixed location wireless LAN is connected to the Internet while the vehicle is moving, a specific protocol having mobility or a direct mobile communication network are installed. A mobile communication connection module for communicating with a base station of the mobile terminal must be separately provided and used.

However, in the case of a mobile terminal that supports a wireless LAN corresponding to a protocol that does not support mobility, it is practically difficult to additionally mount the wireless LAN protocol and have a mobile communication access module. Economic problems arise, such as the need to pay a separate fee.

On the other hand, when the vehicle is provided with a plurality of displays, especially when the display is provided in the front seats and the display unit in the plurality of rear seats, the display unit of the front seat corresponding to the source of the content and the display unit of all the rear seats are not physically connected. As a result, the content output through the front seats could not be shared by the rear seats. Therefore, the passenger's request to share the content through all the display units in the vehicle could not be satisfied.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a network gateway that allows a mobile terminal supporting a wireless LAN to access the Internet through a telematics module of a vehicle.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a network gateway for sharing content between all display devices connected by wire / wireless in a vehicle.

An on-vehicle network gateway according to the present invention has an interface connection unit connected to at least one display unit for receiving a user command and displaying a processing result of the user command, and sharing of content from a specific display unit is possible through the interface connection unit. The control unit may include a control unit which, when instructed, transmits the content from the specific display to another display unit to share the content.

Preferably, the present invention further comprises a wireless LAN access unit connected to a mobile terminal having a wireless LAN, wherein the control unit transmits from the mobile terminal when sharing of contents from the mobile terminal is instructed through the wireless LAN access unit. The encoded and compressed data corresponding to the content may be transmitted from the mobile terminal to a designated display unit to share the content.

Preferably, in the present invention, when the sharing of the content with the mobile terminal is commanded from the specific display through the interface connection unit, the control unit encodes and compresses data corresponding to the content transmitted from the display unit requesting the sharing of the content. The content may be shared by transmitting to the mobile terminal.

Preferably, in the present invention, the printed circuit board on which the interface connection unit and the control unit are designed may be installed inside the user interface.

Preferably, in the present invention, the printed circuit board on which the interface connector, the controller, and the WLAN connector are designed may be installed inside the user interface.

As described above, the vehicular network gateway according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has the effect of sharing contents between all display units connected by wire / wireless in the vehicle.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a telematics system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a telematics system of a vehicle to which a vehicle network gateway according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied includes a head unit 2, a telematics module 4, a rear seat display unit 6R and 6L, and a network. The gateway 10 is provided.

The head unit 2 is a user interface for receiving a command from a user and displaying a result of performing the received command. The head unit 2 corresponds to a front seat display unit, and is preferably provided with a menu or a button for inputting a command such as content sharing or an internet connection of the mobile terminal.

The telematics module 4 is equipped with a mobile communication network access module (not shown) and connected to a mobile communication network (eg, CDMA, Global System for Mobile Telecommunication, or 3G, etc.) to use the Internet. To perform normal telematics services.

The rear seat display units 6R and 6L are installed at the rear left and right seats of the vehicle and perform a function of displaying predetermined contents to the left and right rear seat passengers. In the present invention, the content output to the rear seat display units 6R and 6L may be content output on the head unit 2 or content output on the mobile terminal 8. In the present invention, the content means all content including music, video, schedule management, address book, and the like. Meanwhile, in the embodiment of the present invention, the rear seat display units 6R and 6L are installed at the rear of the left and right front seats of the vehicle to describe only a function of displaying predetermined contents. Can be used as an interface for receiving input. In addition, in another embodiment, the rear seat display units 6R and 6L are not configured in the form of the rear left and right seats of the vehicle, and the installation positions thereof are not physically limited, such as being installed in the center console or the vehicle roof.

The network gateway 10 may be connected to the mobile terminal 8 via a wireless LAN (eg, a wireless Internet platform for interoperability (WIPI)), and may include a head unit 2, a telematics module 4, a rear seat display 6R, 6L) and a wired connection to provide a content sharing function between the in-vehicle terminal (head unit 2, rear seat display units 6R, 6L, mobile terminal 8) and the mobile terminal 8 is a telematics module (4). ) To make the Internet available.

The mobile terminal applicable to the present invention includes a laptop, a laptop, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a portable game machine, a portable music player (IPod), and the like.

In the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1, the head unit 2 and the rear seat display units 6R and 6L have been described separately, but in another embodiment, the user interface receives a user command and displays a processing result for the user command. It may be described collectively. In another embodiment, the user interface may include a display unit for reproducing and outputting predetermined content in response to the user command.

2 is a detailed block diagram of the network gateway 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the network gateway 10 includes a head unit connection unit 12, a telematics module connection unit 13, a wireless LAN connection unit 14, a rear seat display unit connection unit 15, and a control unit 11. do.

The head unit connection part (seat display part connection part) 12 is connected to the head unit 2 which is a seat display part by wire, and the command signal transmitted from the head unit 2 by the Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) method. The video signal is received and transmitted to the controller 11, and under the control of the controller 11, the content transmitted from the head unit 2 is transmitted to the WLAN connection unit 14 or the rear display unit connection unit 15. Output to the mobile terminal 8 or the rear display units 6R and 6L. The head unit connection unit 12 also includes a communication line for transmitting the encoded image data transmitted from the WLAN connection unit 14 to the head unit 2.

The telematics module connection unit 13 is connected to the telematics module 4 by a USB line and communicates with a USB signal method (eg, USB 2.0), and requests the Internet connection to the telematics module 4 under the control of the control unit 11, and then telematics. It performs a function of providing Internet data transmitted from the module 4 to the WLAN connection unit 14.

The WLAN access unit 14 is connected to the mobile terminal 8 through a wireless LAN (eg, WiFi 802.11b protocol) so that the mobile terminal 8 can access the Internet or perform a content sharing function under the control of the controller 11. It performs the function that makes it possible. The antenna for performing the WLAN may be embedded in a printed circuit board (PCB).

The rear seat display unit connection unit 15 is connected to the rear seat display units 6R and 6L by wires (eg, Gigabit Ethernet, etc.), respectively, and is transmitted through the head unit connection unit 12 under the control of the control unit 11. Transmits the content output on the rear seat display units 6R and 6L, and displays the content output on the mobile terminal 8 transmitted through the wireless LAN connection unit 14 under the control of the control unit 11. It performs the function of transmitting to the sections 6R and 6L, respectively. In another embodiment, if the rear seat display 6R, 6L operates as an interface for user command input, the rear seat display connection 15 is a communication line for receiving a command from the user from the rear seat display 6R, 6L. It is preferable to have a communication line for transmitting and receiving a video signal.

The control unit 11 controls the head unit connecting unit 12, the telematics module connecting unit 13, the wireless LAN connecting unit 14, and the rear seat display unit based on commands input from the head unit connecting unit 12 or the wireless LAN connecting unit 14. The access unit 15 is controlled to provide a content sharing function and a function of providing Internet access of the mobile terminal 8.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the printed circuit board (PCB) in which the head unit connection unit 12, the telematics module connection unit 13, the wireless LAN connection unit 14, the rear display unit connection unit 15, and the control unit 11 is designed is a head. It may be installed in the interior space of the unit 2 or in the interior space of the rear seat display portions 6R, 6L, and may be made integrally with the head unit 2 or integrally with the rear seat display portions 6R, 6L. In another embodiment, a printed circuit board (PCB) in which the head unit connection unit 12, the telematics module connection unit 13, the wireless LAN connection unit 14, the rear seat display unit connection unit 15, and the control unit 11 is designed is a telematics module. It can be manufactured integrally with (4).

Next, the operation of the vehicular network gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

3 is a flowchart for explaining a wireless Internet access function for the mobile terminal 8 of the vehicular network gateway according to the embodiment of the present invention.

When a wireless LAN connection is requested from the mobile terminal 8 (S2), the control unit 11 allocates a wireless channel to the mobile terminal 14 through the wireless LAN connection unit 14 to connect the mobile terminal 8 to the wireless LAN. (S4).

If the mobile terminal 8 is requested to access the Internet through the wireless LAN connection unit 14 or the head unit connection unit 12 in a state where the wireless LAN is connected through steps S2 and S4 (Yes in S6), the controller 11 The internet connection request control data is transmitted to the telematics module 4 through the telematics module connection unit 13 (S8). The internet connection request of the mobile terminal 8 may be generated from the mobile terminal 8 or from the head unit 2.

On the other hand, when the telematics module 4 receives the Internet connection request control data from the telematics module connection unit 13 of the network gateway 10, the telematics module 4 transmits the Internet connection request message to a mobile communication network (not shown). In response to the Internet access request message, a wireless channel is allocated from the mobile communication network and an internet access approval message is transmitted so that the telematics module 4 succeeds in accessing the Internet (YES in S10). The telematics module 4 connects to the telematics module access unit. Through 13, the control unit 11 of the network gateway 10 notifies completion of the Internet connection.

Accordingly, the controller 11 controls the WLAN connection unit 14 and the telematics module connection unit 13 so that data communication between the telematics module connection unit 13 and the WLAN connection unit 14 is performed. As a result, the mobile terminal 8 can access the Internet provided by the mobile communication network through the telematics module 4, so that the mobile terminal 8 can freely use the Internet (S12).

Subsequently, the controller 11 determines whether an Internet termination command is input from the WLAN connection unit 14 or the head unit connection unit 12 (S14), and when the Internet termination command is input (Yes in S14), the control unit 11 The internet termination request control data is transmitted to the telematics module 4 through the telematics module connection unit 13.

The telematics module 4 having received the Internet termination request control data transmits an Internet termination request message to the mobile communication network, thereby terminating the Internet connection through the mobile communication network (S16).

4 is a flowchart illustrating a content sharing method using a vehicular network gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, when a command according to content sharing is input from the head unit 2 through the head unit connecting unit 12 (S20), the network gateway 10 transfers the content to be designated to the terminal designated through the head unit 2. It transmits (S22).

For example, when a command to share the content output on the head unit 2 via the head unit connection unit 12 to the rear seat display units 6R and 6L is ordered, the head unit 2 is outputted on the head unit 2 at the same time. ) And the content transmitted in the form of LVDS signal to the head unit connection unit 12 is transmitted to the rear display unit connection unit 15 so that the contents are reproduced and output through the rear display units 6L and 6R. Content output on the head unit 2 may be transmitted to the mobile terminal 8 according to a user's selection, and content sharing may be performed. In this case, the wireless LAN access unit 14 receives the reception under the control of the controller 11. After encoding the received video signal, it is preferable to transmit the compressed video signal to the mobile terminal 8.

On the contrary, when it is ordered to share the content output on the mobile terminal 8 connected to the wireless LAN through the head unit connection unit 12 to the head unit 2 or the rear seat display units 6R and 6L, the mobile terminal ( 8) the content data output from the mobile terminal 8 and received by the wireless LAN connection unit 14 is transmitted to the head unit connection unit 12 or the rear display unit connection unit 15, and then the head unit 2 or the like. The content corresponding to the content data is reproduced and output through the rear seat display units 6L and 6R. Preferably, when the content data is video data, the encoded data is transmitted from the mobile terminal 8 to the head unit 2 or the rear seat display units 6L and 6R that are transmitted in a compressed state and are compressed. The image data corresponding to the image data is displayed by decoding the image data.

Through the above-described process, content sharing is performed between the head unit 2, the rear seat display unit 6L. 6R, and the mobile terminal 8 (S24).

Through the above-described content sharing process, music, video, schedule management, address book, and the like corresponding to user data managed through the head unit 2 or the mobile terminal 8 are transferred to the rear seat display unit 6R through the network gateway 10. 6L), the content sharing of the vehicle occupants becomes possible.

1 is a block diagram of a telematics system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the network gateway shown in FIG.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a wireless Internet access function for a mobile terminal of a vehicular network gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a content sharing method using a vehicular network gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (5)

A plurality of display unit connection units respectively connected to a plurality of display units which receive a user command and display processing results of the user command; And a controller configured to share the content by transmitting the content from the specific display to another display unit when the sharing of the content from a specific display unit is commanded through any one of the display unit connection units. Automotive network gateway. The method according to claim 1, Further comprising a wireless LAN connection unit connected to the mobile terminal having a wireless LAN, The control unit shares the content by transmitting encoded and compressed data corresponding to the content transmitted from the mobile terminal from the mobile terminal to a designated display unit when sharing of the content from the mobile terminal is instructed through the wireless LAN access unit. Letting Automotive network gateway.  The method of claim 2, wherein the control unit When a command for sharing content with the mobile terminal is ordered from a specific display unit through the display unit connection unit, data corresponding to the content transmitted from the display unit requesting the content sharing is encoded, compressed and transmitted to the mobile terminal to transmit the content. Sharing Automotive network gateway. The method according to claim 1, The printed circuit board on which the display unit connections and the control unit are designed is installed inside the user interface. Automotive network gateway. The method according to claim 2, The printed circuit board designed for the display unit connection unit, the control unit, and the wireless LAN connection unit may be installed inside a user interface. Automotive network gateway.

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