Patent Publication Number: US-8126605-B2

Title: Computing platform for multiple intelligent transportation systems in an automotive vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a computing platform for multiple intelligent transportation systems for an automotive vehicle. 
     II. Description of Related Art 
     Modern day automotive vehicles contain multiple intelligent transportation systems which operate in the area of active safety, mobility, commercial applications and the like. For example, such systems include collision avoidance applications, such as emergency brake light application, traffic light signal condition, etc. Furthermore, many of these safety applications rely upon dedicated short range radio communication between the vehicle and near vehicles or near infrastructure. 
     Similarly, modern automotive vehicles also employ intelligent transportation systems for commercial purposes, such as the purchase of goods by the operator of the vehicle and from commercial establishments. 
     Previously, these intelligent transportation systems have each employed their own dedicated electronic computing unit (ECU) which was designed and programmed to serve a specific function. For example, in modern day automotive vehicles, one ECU may monitor the condition of an oncoming traffic light, a separate ECU monitor the condition of the brake pedal for emergency braking collision avoidance systems while still other ECUs are programmed for the other intelligent transportation systems. A primary disadvantage of these previously known systems is that, since each ECU is dedicated not only to its own system, but also the particular sensors utilized by that particular automotive vehicle, it is oftentimes difficult if not impossible to adapt the ECU for a particular intelligent transportation system from one vehicle and to a different vehicle which utilizes different sensors. This, in turn, increases the overall cost of the development of intelligent transportation systems for new vehicles since the individual sensors and their associated ECUs must be reprogrammed and/or redesigned whenever the vehicle and/or sensor design changes. 
     A still further disadvantage of the previously known intelligent transportation systems which utilize dedicated ECUs to control the operation of the transportation system is that the additional cost of the ECUs increases dramatically as the number of different intelligent transportation systems increases within the vehicle. This, in turn, increases the overall cost of the vehicle itself. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a computing platform that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the previously known automotive vehicles. 
     In brief, the present invention provides a computing platform for multiple intelligent transportation systems in an automotive vehicle having a plurality of sensors. Each sensor generates an output signal representative of a vehicle operating parameter. Such operating parameters would include, for example, vehicle speed, throttle position sensor, brake light position, GPS location, etc. 
     A vehicle data center then receives all of the input signals from the vehicle sensors. The vehicle data center is configured to transform the input signals from the sensors into output signals having a predetermined format for each vehicle operating parameter. For example, the vehicle data center receives input from various sensors which correspond to the vehicle speed, and these sensors would vary from one vehicle to the next. However, the vehicle data center is configured to provide a standard format output signal regardless of the type of sensor or sensors used in the automotive vehicle. 
     A central processing unit then receives the output signals from the vehicle data center. Since the vehicle data center has been configured to provide the output signals in the predetermined format for each of the vehicle operating parameters, the vehicle data center effectively abstracts the data provided to the central processor from the sensors themselves. As such, the central processor can be programmed to process the output from the vehicle data center for each of the intelligent transportation systems and generate the appropriate output signals as a result of that processing. Furthermore, since the vehicle data center completely abstracts the sensor output signals from the central processing unit, the programming for the central processing unit may remain constant over different vehicle models and model years for the various intelligent transportation systems. This, in turn, simplifies the development of the new vehicles since the same software for the intelligent transportation systems may be used in different and new vehicles. 
     A message dispatcher communicates by short range radio communication with adjacent vehicles and/or infrastructure adjacent the road. For example, the message dispatcher may control communications from a traffic light indicative of the condition of the traffic light. Similarly, the message dispatcher is able to receive data communications representing an emergency braking of a vehicle as well as transmit radio signals in the event of an emergency braking condition. 
     The message dispatcher also provides output signals in a preset format to the central processor. The central processor then processes the message dispatch processor output signals for at least one, and more typically many, of the intelligent transportation systems and generates appropriate output signals as a result of that processing. Furthermore, the message dispatcher abstracts the radio communication from the central processor so that software dealing with the message dispatcher may also be utilized for different and future vehicles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       A better understanding of the present invention will be bad upon reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the vehicle data center; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating the generation of the message dispatcher. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     With reference first to  FIG. 1 , a computing platform  10  for multiple intelligent transportation systems in an automotive vehicle is there shown diagrammatically. Such intelligent transportation systems include, for example, anti-collision and other safety systems of an automotive vehicle. For example, such intelligent transportation systems may include emergency brake light application, for example, a vehicle forwardly of the current vehicle which engages in a braking action, traffic light communication systems, and other anti-collision systems. 
     The computing platform  10  includes a vehicle data center  14 . The vehicle data center  14  receives inputs from a plurality of engine sensors  16  wherein each sensor is representative of a vehicle operating parameter, such as vehicle speed, direction, acceleration/deceleration, etc. These sensors, furthermore, may vary from one vehicle type and to the next as well as from one model year and subsequent model years. 
     The vehicle data center  14  is configured to transform the input signals from each vehicle sensor  16  to a predetermined format for each of the various vehicle operating parameters. The vehicle data center  14  then provides the transformed signals from the sensors  16  as an input signal to the central processing unit  12 . 
     For example, a wide range of different types of sensors, such as GPS, axle speed sensor, engine speed sensor, etc., may be employed to determine the vehicle speed. The vehicle data center  14 , however, is configured by software to transform these signals into a predetermined format, e.g. 0 to 10 volts corresponding to a vehicle speed of 0 to 100 miles an hour, and provides this output signal to the central processing unit  12 . In doing so, the vehicle data center  14  completely abstracts the sensors  16  from the central processing unit  12 . Consequently, since the vehicle data center  14 , once configured, completely abstracts the type of sensor  16  employed in the vehicle from the central processing unit  12 , once the central processing unit  12  is programmed to execute a particular intelligent transportation system, such software for that intelligent transportation system remains unchanged regardless of the vehicle in which the computing platform  10  is installed. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , the operation of the vehicle data center is there shown diagrammatically. After the vehicle data center  14  has been configured for the particular automobile, the vehicle data center receives the sensor(s) signal at step  100  which corresponds to the vehicle operating parameters for the particular vehicle. Step  100  then proceeds to step  102 . 
     At step  102 , the vehicle data center, under software control, transforms the data from the vehicle sensors received at step  100  into a predetermined format corresponding to a vehicle operating parameter, such as vehicle speed, acceleration/deceleration, etc. This format for a selected parameter will be the same regardless of the type of vehicle. Step  102  then proceeds to step  104 . 
     At step  104  the vehicle data center  14  outputs the now formatted output representative of the desired vehicle operating parameter to the central processing unit  12 . In doing so, the central processing unit  12  utilizes the data representing the vehicle operating parameter without the need to further manipulate the data as a function of the vehicle type or model year. 
     With reference again to  FIG. 1 , the computing platform  10  also includes a message dispatcher  20  which communicates by radio to nearby vehicles and/or infrastructure through a radio module  22 , such as a dedicated short range radio communication module, e.g. at 9.1 GHz. The format for the radio module  22 , however, may vary between different vehicles and/or types of communications. For example, the radio messages transmitted or received by the radio module  22  may comprise messages of fixed length or of variable length, typically including start bits and stop bits. 
     The message dispatcher  20  is then configured to format the radio communications from the radio module  22  into a preset format and this information is provided to the central processing unit  12  for incoming messages. For outgoing messages, the message dispatcher  22  is configured to accept commands from the central processing unit  12  and to configure these messages into the appropriate output signals for the radio module  22 . As such, the message dispatcher  20  abstracts the radio module  22  from the central processing unit  12  in a manner similar to the vehicle data center which abstracts the sensor  16  from the central processor  12 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , an exemplary communication between the central processing unit  12  and the vehicle data center  14  is illustrated. At step  110  the central processing unit  12  sends a request to receive a particular vehicle operating parameter, e.g. speed. Step  110  then proceeds to step  112 . 
     At step  112 , the vehicle data center  14  responds to the request at step  110  by providing data to the central processing unit  12  representative of the requested vehicle operating parameter. Since the response provided by the vehicle data center  14  to the request sent at step  110  is completely abstracted from the type of sensors  16  ( FIG. 1 ) employed by the vehicle, the programming for the step  110  for the central processing unit  12  remains constant regardless of the type of vehicle or model year. The message dispatcher  22  is also employed to transmit data by radio. 
     From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides a computing platform for multiple intelligent transportation systems in an automotive vehicle in which the central processing unit  12  is abstracted from the particular sensor  16  or radio module  22  by the vehicle data center  14  and message dispatcher  20 , respectively. As such, it is only necessary to configure the vehicle data center and message dispatcher  20  in order to adapt the platform  10  to a different vehicle or different model year of the vehicle while the application software executed by the central processing unit for the various intelligent transportation systems remains unchanged. This, in turn, not only enables the intelligent transportation system software executed by the central processing unit  12  to be utilized over different vehicles and model years, but also enables improvement in such software which extends simultaneously across multiple vehicles and multiple vehicle platforms. 
     Having described our invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.