WO2016024264A1

WO2016024264A1 - Device for reading vehicular data

Info

Publication number: WO2016024264A1
Application number: PCT/IL2015/050681
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shay Bakfan; Saar LIVNEH; Gabriel MELTZER; Amichay SOLDAR
Original assignee: Orpak Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2014-08-14
Filing date: 2015-07-01
Publication date: 2016-02-18
Also published as: IL234130A; TR201702091T1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and system for reading information from a vehicle bus and in particular, to such a device and system in which the vehicular data is obtained by passive coupling to the vehicle bus.

Description

DEVICE FOR READING VEHICULAR DATA

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device and system for reading information from a vehicle bus and in particular, to such a device and system in which the vehicular data from a vehicle bus is obtained by passive coupling to the vehicle bus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicles such as cars and trucks, SUVs have an onboard computer and/or at least one or more engine control module (ECM) that are utilized to control and monitor the vehicle's operation. The controller provides for monitoring various operational features and functions related to the vehicle for example communicating with sensors to obtain data, identifying faults, facilitating identifying repair .

The vehicle controller communicates vehicular data available primarily for the vehicle service industry to facilitate detection, identification and repair of vehicle faults. Vehicular data is communicated by at least one or more Engine Control Units (ECU) to the vehicle's central controller and/or processor and/or computer in the form of a message over a Vehicle Data Bus ('VB').

Generally sensors information and the like vehicular operational data is communicated over a standardized communications system between the on-board engine controller and an off-board tool or monitoring device, using various defined protocols including but not limited to J1979; ISO-15031; Controller Area Network (CAN); OBD II; J1939;; ISO 9141 (old K-line), ISO 14230-4 (K-line); or the like vehicular protocol.

There is pertinent information that is communicated over the vehicle bus (VB) that is valuable not only to vehicle manufacturers but also to industries that are associated with the automotive industry or satellite industries of the automotive industries. For example the vehicular data is particularly important for fleet management.

Access to the VB data is best obtained by physically connecting to the VB. However, vehicle manufactures are currently limiting third party access to the VB information. Specifically vehicle manufacturers are refusing warranty claims and/or responsibility if equipment of a third party includes an intimate connection, wired and/or non-passive coupling, to the VB.

Vehicle manufacturers refuse warranty if non-manufacturer equipment is connected on their VB line, particularly if they modify the topology and the electric characteristics of the network.

One solution to this problem is taught by US Patent 8,548, 099 to Berenger et al., where capacitive coupling clip is utilized to access the data from the VB. This solution however is limited in that it requires a user to physically access the VB lines and to associate them so as to allow for capacitive coupling between the clip and the VB. Furthermore such is a solution is cumbersome in term of its installation where it must be performed by an expert so as to ensure that the proper wires are accessed.

Other available solutions, based on inductive coupling, also suffer from the same downfall as direct access to the VB line wires is required to obtain a good signal from the VB.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes these deficiencies of the background by providing a device capable of passively connecting to a VB without requiring to physically access and couple the device directly onto the VB line wires.

The present invention provides a device for passively recovering data communicated on the VB by utilizing a vehicle's built in bus port, for example the OBD-II port. In embodiments of the present invention preferably a VB port that is built into the vehicle, preferably and OBD-II port, is utilized to gain access to the VB line, while the device is configured to allow only passive coupling with the data bus signals, without affecting the topology and the electric characteristics or the physical integrity of the network associated with the VB, such that the device is galvanically isolated from the VB line.

Within the context of this application the term passive connection and/or coupling to a non-wired connection between two circuits and in particular to a data bus where the connection is not a physical connection between two electronic circuits. Most preferably the passive connection includes an isolating layer to provide for galvanic isolation between passively coupled and/or connected electronic circuits.

Within the context of this application the term passive transmission and/or passive communication is signal communication and/or data transfer that is provided by way of passive coupling between a data source and a data Embodiments of the present invention provide a device in the form of a vehicle bus plug for passively reading vehicular data communicated over a Vehicle Data Bus ('VB') through a vehicle bus port, the plug provided to passively couple with the VB so as to recover signals exchanged over the VB and to process and communicated the passively attained signals, the plug comprising:

a plug housing intended to couple with the vehicle's bus port using at least one conducting data pin;

the at least one data pin is passively associated with electronic circuitry module provided for passively attaining and processing the vehicular data, the electronic circuitry module including an electronically isolated layer forming a passive coupling interface provided to passively couple and attain the vehicular data signals ; the passive coupling interface provided in the form of an integrated circuit layer that functions to passively coupled with an end of the least one data pin and wherein the layer is a galvanically isolated layer within circuitry module ; and wherein an end of the at least one data pin are galvanically isolated from the circuitry module and the passive coupling interface layer by an intermediating bi-layered integrated circuit board having a first conducting layer provided to receive data form the at least two data pins and a second isolating layer provided to galvanically isolate the conducting layer from the coupling interface layer ; wherein the data pins have a pin body configured to associate with the sockets of vehicle's bus port ; and wherein the location of the conducting pins correspond to the data socket location of VB port .

Optionally the passive coupling interface may comprise an integrated circuit layer that provides for passive coupling in the form of capacitive coupling with the end of the at least one data pin.

Optionally the pins include at least two data pins.

Optionally the circuitry module comprises a processing module, memory module and a communication module provided to process the passively attained signal, the memory module provided to store the signals, and the communication module provided to communicate the signals to an external processor.

Optionally the device may further comprise at least two power pins having a pin body provided to associate with the vehicle's bus port wherein the location of the power pins correspond to the location of the vehicle's internal power supply line provided as part of the port.

Optionally the power pins may be configured to power the circuitry module by connecting to power supply module.

Optionally the circuitry module may comprise a power module provided in the form of an internal power supply.

Optionally the internal power supply may be provided in the form of a chargeable battery.

Optionally the internal power supply module may be powered by induction from the power pins.

Optionally the circuitry module may provide for processing the passively attained signals by way amplification, filtering and signal shaping.

Optionally the housing is provided in the form of an OBD-II plug. Optionally and preferably the device housing is configured according to the vehicle's bus port.

Optionally the isolating layer is provided from an isolating material FR4 having a thickness of about 0.4mm.

An optional embodiment of the present invention provides a system for passively obtaining vehicular data from the VB via a VB plug, the system including the device according to the present invention in wireless communication with an external processing unit.

Optionally the device communicates data processed with a processing module disposed in the device, wherein the processed data is communicated to the external processing unit.

Optionally the device communicates passive raw signals attained from the VB for further processing with the external processing unit.

Optionally the external processing unit is a fleet management system. Optionally the external processing unit is a communication gateway forming part of a fleet management system.

Optionally the communication gateway is installed at a refueling station as part of a fuel authorization system.

Optionally the device communicates data in response to a control signal received from the fuel authorization system.

Optionally the device communicates data in response to a control signal received from the communication gateway.

Optionally the vehicular data obtained includes at least one of odometer reading, RPM readings, and fuel levels.

Optionally the external processing unit is a vehicular diagnostic device.

Unless otherwise defined the various embodiment of the present invention may be provided to an end user in a plurality of formats, platforms, and may be outputted to at least one of a computer readable memory, a computer display device, a printout, a computer on a network or a user.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The materials, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Implementation of the method and system of the present invention involves performing or completing certain selected tasks or steps manually, automatically, or a combination thereof. Moreover, according to actual instrumentation and equipment of preferred embodiments of the method and system of the present invention, several selected steps could be implemented by hardware or by software on any operating system of any firmware or a combination thereof. For example, as hardware, selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a chip or a circuit. As software, selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a plurality of software instructions being executed by a computer using any suitable operating system. In any case, selected steps of the method and system of the invention could be described as being performed by a data processor, such as a computing platform for executing a plurality of instructions.

Although the present invention is described with regard to a

"computer" on a "computer network", it should be noted that optionally any device featuring a data processor and/or the ability to execute one or more instructions may be described as a computer, including but not limited to a PC (personal computer), a server, a minicomputer, a cellular telephone, a smart phone, a PDA (personal data assistant), a pager. Any two or more of such devices in communication with each other, and/or any computer in communication with any other computer, may optionally comprise a "computer network". BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in order to provide what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary device and system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a schematic illustration of an exemplary device according to optional embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a schematic illustration of the passive connecting interface according to optional embodiments of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The principles and operation of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.

The following figure reference labels are used throughout the description to refer to similarly functioning components are used throughout the specification hereinbelow.

10 External Processing Device;

15 vehicle bus (VB) 20 Vehicle Data Bus Port;

50 system;

100 VB device plug;

102 plug housing;

102a-c housing portions;

104 pins;

104d data pins;

104p power pins;

105 data pins conducting PCB layer;

106 isolating layer;

110 electronic circuitry module;

112 passive coupling layer;

114 memory module;

116 communication module;

118 processing module;

120 power module;

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a device 100 and system 50 according to the present invention for a device 100 that is capable of passively connecting to a Vehicle Data Bus ('VBD') 15 without requiring to physically access and couple the device directly onto the VB line wires 15.

The present invention provides a device 100 configured to passively recover data communicated on the VB by utilizing a vehicle's built in bus port 20, for example a vehicle's OBD-II port as shown in FIG. 1, while allowing access to the data communicated over the VB line 15 by way of passive coupling without affecting the topology and the electric characteristics or the physical integrity of the vehicle network associated with the VB 15, provided by galvanically isolating device 100 from the VB line 15 and port 20. Device 100 comprises a housing 102, conducting pins 104, an isolating layer 106 and electronic circuitry module 110. Preferably device housing 102 is provided in configuration and shape that facilitates secure coupling with a vehicles data port 20. For example, device housing 102 may be provided in the form of an OBD-II plug , for example as shown in FIG. 2, so as to allow secure coupling with a vehicle fit with an OBD-II port. Preferably housing 102 may be shaped and/or configured so as to allow coupling with to any VB port known in the art, for example including but not limited to OBD-II, ISO- 15031; Controller Area Network (CAN); OBD II; J1939 truck standard; ISO 9041 (K-line), ISO 14230-4, or the like.

Optionally housing 102 may be provided from a plurality of housing portions 102a-c, for example as shown in FIG. 2, that may be fit with one another to form the overall configuration and/or shape of device housing 102.

Preferably device 100 is fit with at least two or more conducting pins

104, and more preferably with a plurality of conducting pins 104. Preferably pins 104 are provided to couple and provide sufficient electrical contact with port sockets 24 disposed on VB port 20. Preferably device 100 comprises at least one or more data pins 104d, positioned to correspond to the data socket portion of port 20. Optionally device 100 may comprise at least two or more data pins (104d, for example a shown in FIG. 3. Optionally device 100 may further comprise power pins 104p, FIG. 3, positioned to correspond to the data power supply sockets of port 20 that transmit power from the vehicle's internal power supply.

Preferably data pins 104d provide for conducting VB data from vehicle bus 15 through the appropriate data sockets 24 at port 20 to a passive coupling interface 112 that provides for passive coupling between VB 15 via pins 104,104d and circuitry 110 so as to enable passive communication and/or passive signal transfer from data source VB 15 to circuitry 110. Preferably pins 104 comprise at least one or more data pins 104d. Optionally and preferably pins 104 comprise at least two or more data pins 104d.

Pins 104 and in particular data pins 104d are galvanically isolated from circuitry 110 and coupling interface 112 with an isolating layer 106. Preferably isolating layer 106 may be provided from optional isolating materials as is known in the art for example including but not limited to FR4, or the like materials. Optionally the isolating layer is provided with a thickness of at least 0.4mm. Optionally the isolating layer thickness is selected according to the isolating materials used and its isolating properties.

Vehicular data is passively communicated from VB 15 to device 100 in the following manner. Data is transmitted on VB 15 through data sockets 24 in VB port 20 and onto pins 104, the data is then transmitted to data pins (104,104d) conducting PCB layerl05 which are then passively coupled with passive coupling interface layer 112 wherein isolating layer 106 provides to galvanically isolate and therein safeguard the electrical integrity of VB 15 and its associated networks.

Passive coupling interface layer 112, as best seen in FIG. 3, is a part of circuity module 110, is an integrated circuit layer that provides for passively attaining and/or picking up data transmitted on vehicle bus 15 through pins 104. Preferably once interface layer 112 has captured the vehicular data, components of circuitry module 110 are provided to process, store and communicate the data.

Optionally and most preferably passive coupling interface layer 112 may be configured to provide passive coupling by including capacitive coupling having corresponding capacitive coupling circuitry.

Circuitry module 110 preferably comprises a passive coupling interface layer 112, memory module 114, communication module 116, processing module 118 and power module 120.

Preferably circuitry module 110 includes a central processing unit 118 in the form of a microprocessor that provides for controlling and processing all data received from VB 15 through interface layer 112. Processor module 118 provides for applying signal processing and/or any algorithms required to abstract data from the raw vehicular data obtained with passive interface layer 112.

Preferably once data is processed it may be stored with memory module 114. Optionally memory module 114 may be provided form memory of any form as is known in the art for example including but not limited to flash memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, any combination thereof or the like.

Preferably data stored with module 114 may be communicated to an external processing device 10 with communication module 116. Preferably communication module 116 provides for communicating any data associated with and/or stored by device 100 according to communication protocols that are known in the art. Optionally communication module 116 provides for any form of communication as is known in the art for example including but not limited to wired, wireless, contactless, radio frequency communication, optical communication, infrared communication, acoustic communication, any combination thereof or the like.

Preferably circuitry module 110 is powered with a power module 120. Optionally power module 120 may be provided in optional forms for example including an on board power supply in the form of a rechargeable battery, super capacitor, capacitor or the like internal means for powering circuitry module 110. Optionally and more preferably power module 120 may be powered with the vehicles internal power supply via power pins 104p that correspond to power socket 24 of VB port 20.

An optional embodiment of the present invention provides for utilizing device 100 within a system 50 for communicating the vehicular data processed by device 100 to external processing devices and/or servers 10. Optionally external processing devices 10 may be realized in optional forms for example including but not limited to fleet management systems and servers, re-fuel authorization systems, vehicular diagnostic devices, or the like devices and/or computers the comprise processing and communication capabilities.

FIG. 2 shows and exploded view of an optional embodiment of the present invention where device 100 is realized as an OBD-II plug device. Device 100 shown in FIG.2 is characterized in that housing 102 is an OBD-II configuration having a main housing 102a, a front cover 102b and a back cover 102c. Preferably front cover 102b provides for selecting the correct data and power pin location. Preferably housing portion 102a comprises a recess provided for receiving circuitry module 110, shown in an exploded view, while back cover 102c is provided to contain module 110 within housing portion 102a.

As shown pins 104 are passively coupled with circuitry module 110 via isolating layer 106 and passive coupling interfacing layer 112 shown in the form of capacitive coupling layer. Interfacing layer 112 is configured to associate with module 110 via processor 118.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the capacitive coupling setup according to the present invention revealing a first conducting layer 105 provided to couple with a portion of pins 104, and the conducting layer 105 is passively coupled with interface layer 112 by way of isolating layer 106 that is sandwiched therebetween. Most preferably layer 106 ensures the galvanic isolation and the electric integrity of the vehicle network that is associated with pins 104, and vehicle bus 15 as it is galvanically isolated so as to prevent any direct electronic interfacing between vehicle bus 15 and device 100.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiment, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not described to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Having described a specific preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to that precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Further modifications of the invention will also occur to persons skilled in the art and all such are deemed to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiment, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not described to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the invention.

Section headings are used herein to ease understanding of the specification and should not be construed as necessarily limiting.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1) A device in the form of a vehicle bus plug (100) for passively reading vehicular data communicated over a Vehicle Data Bus ('VB') through a vehicle bus port (20), the plug provided to passively couple with said VB so as to recover signals exchanged over the VB and to process and communicated the passively attained signals, the plug comprising:

a) a plug housing (102) intended to couple with the vehicle's bus port (20) using at least one conducting data pin (104, 104d);

b) said at least one data pin (104,104d) is passively associated with electronic circuitry module (110) provided for passively attaining and processing said vehicular data, said electronic circuitry module (110) including an electronically isolated layer forming a passive coupling interface (112) provided to passively couple and attain said vehicular data signals (50); said passive coupling interface (112) provided in the form of an integrated circuit layer that functions to passively coupled with an end of said least one data pin (104, 104d) and wherein said layer (112) is a galvanically isolated layer within circuitry module (110); and wherein an end of said at least one data pin (104,104d) are galvanically isolated from said circuitry module (110) and said passive coupling interface layer (112) by an intermediating bi-layered integrated circuit board having a first conducting layer (105) provided to receive data form said at least two data pins (104d) and a second isolating layer (106) provided to galvanically isolate said conducting layer (105) from said coupling interface layer (112);

c) wherein said data pins (104,104d) have a pin body configured to associate with the sockets (24) of vehicle's bus port (20); and wherein the location of said conducting pins (104) correspond to the data socket location of VB port (20). 2) The device of claim 1 wherein said passive coupling interface (112) comprises an integrated circuit layer that provides for passive coupling in the form of capacitive coupling with the end of said at least one data pin (104,104d).

3) The device of claim 1 wherein said pins (104) include at least two data pins (104d).

4) The device of claim 1 wherein said circuitry module (110) comprises a processing module (118), memory module (114) and a communication module (116) provided to process said passively attained signal, said memory module provided to store said signals, and said communication module provided to communicate said signals to an external processor (50).

5) The device of claim 1 further comprising two power pins (104,104p) having a pin body provided to associate with the vehicle's bus port (20) wherein the location of said power pins (104, 104p) correspond to the location of the vehicle's internal power supply line provided as part of the port (20).

6) The device of claim 3 wherein said power pins (104,104p) are configured to power said circuitry module (110) by connecting to power supply module (120).

7) The device of claim 1 wherein said circuitry module (110) comprise a power module (120) provided in the form of an internal power supply.

8) The device of claim 1 wherein said internal power supply is provided in the form of a chargeable battery.

9) The device of claim 1 wherein said internal power supply module (120) is powered by induction from said power pins (104,104p).

10) The device of claim 1 wherein said circuitry module (110) provides for processing said passively attained signals by way amplification, filtering and signal shaping.

1 l)The device of claim 1 wherein said housing (102) is provided in the form of an OBD-II plug. 12) The device of claim 1 wherein said housing (102) according to the vehicle bus port (20),

13) A system for passively obtaining vehicular data from the VB via a VB plug, the system including the device of any of claims 1 -10 in wireless communication with an external processing unit (150).

14) The system of claim 13 wherein said device communicates data processed with a processing module (118) disposed in said device, wherein the processed data is communicated to said external processing unit (150).

15) The system of claim 13 wherein said device communicates passive raw signals attained from the VB for further processing with said external processing unit (150).

16) The system of claim 13 wherein said external processing unit (150) is a fleet management system.

17) The system of claim 13 wherein said external processing unit (150) is a communication gateway forming part of a fleet management system.

18) The system of claim 17 wherein said communication gateway is installed at a refueling station as part of a fuel authorization system.

19) The system of claim 17 wherein said device communicates data in response to a control signal received from said fuel authorization system.

20) The system of claim 19 wherein said device communicates data in response to a control signal received from said communication gateway.

21) The device of any of claims 1-12 wherein the vehicular data obtained includes at least one of odometer reading, RPM readings, and fuel levels.

22) The system of claim 13 wherein said external processing unit is a vehicular diagnostic device.

23) The device of claim 1 wherein said isolating layer (106) is provided from an isolating material FR4 having a thickness of about 0.4mm.