Communication with motor vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11520623-B2
Application number	US-202016781006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Vehicle data are collected in a method in which one or more motor vehicles suitable for road traffic are assigned tasks, wherein the method involves: transmitting first information from a first of these motor vehicles to a backend that can communicate with multiple instances of these motor vehicles; and the backend taking this first information as a basis for assigning a first of these tasks to the first motor vehicle; wherein performing the first task includes transmitting second information; and wherein the first information is transmitted from the first motor vehicle to the backend via a mobile radio link, and/or the first task is assigned via a mobile radio link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for allocating tasks to one or more motor vehicles suitable for road traffic, the method comprising:
transmitting a first item of information from a first motor vehicle of the motor vehicles to a backend which communicates with a plurality of the motor vehicles; and
based on the first item of information, allocating a task to the first motor vehicle by way of the backend; wherein
allocating the task is based on:
comparing the first motor vehicle with a set of details comprising one or more of:
technical equipment of the first motor vehicle;
position and direction of travel of the first motor vehicle;
data processing capacity of the first motor vehicle; and/or
tasks already allocated to the first motor vehicle; and

whether other motor vehicles are better suited to the task based on comparing one or more other motor vehicles with the set of details;

performance of the task comprises transmitting a second item of information; and
the first item of information is transmitted from the first motor vehicle to the backend via a mobile radio path and/or
the task is allocated via a mobile radio path.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting the second item of information via a mobile radio path.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the performance of the task comprises:
transmitting the second item of information to the backend or
to a unit coordinate to the backend.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the first motor vehicle is configured to:
transmit the first item of information to the backend,
receive an allocation of the task from the backend, and
transmit the second item of information, while the first motor vehicle is in road traffic.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the second item of information has data relating to the first motor vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein
the data is a state of the first motor vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein
the second item of information has data relating to an environment of the first motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein
the second item of information has data relating to an environment of the first motor vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the backend allocates the task to the first motor vehicle only when the backend expects, based on the first item of information, that the first motor vehicle can perform the task.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein
the backend expects that the first motor vehicle can perform the task if the backend determines, on the basis of the first item of information, that the first motor vehicle satisfies technical prerequisites needed to perform the task; and
the backend expects that the first motor vehicle can perform the task if the backend determines, on the basis of the first item of information, that the first motor vehicle is in or close to a geographical area or approaches the geographical area in which it must be situated in order to be able to perform the task.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the backend is informed of utilization of the first motor vehicle by the first item of information.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the backend compares the first item of information with a corresponding item of information transmitted by a second of these motor vehicles to the backend and
decides, based on the comparison, which of the motor vehicles the task is allocated to.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the first motor vehicle takes into account a data protection setting applicable to the first motor vehicle when transmitting the first item of information.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the first and/or second item of information respectively has first and second portions, wherein
the first portion is personal or personalized and the second portion is not personal and is not personalized, and

the first and second portions are separated from one another, and
the second portion is used further and the first portion is not used further.

15. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a mobile radio device configured to:
transmit a first item of information to a backend via a mobile radio path;
receive a task from the backend via a mobile radio path, wherein the task is allocated based on:
a comparison of the motor vehicle with a set of details comprising one or more of:
technical equipment of the motor vehicle, position and direction of travel of the motor vehicle, data processing capacity of the motor vehicle, and/or tasks already allocated to the motor vehicle; and
whether other motor vehicles are better suited to the task based on a comparison of one or more other motor vehicles with the set of details; and
perform the task, wherein the performance of the task comprises transmitting a second item of information.

16. A backend which is equipped to allocate tasks to one or more motor vehicles suitable for road traffic, wherein the backend comprises:
a data processor configured to:
receive a first item of information from a first motor vehicle with which the backend can communicate;
allocate, based on the first item of information, a task of to the first motor vehicle, wherein
performance of the task by the first motor vehicle comprises transmitting a second item of information by the first motor vehicle, wherein the task is allocated based on:
a comparison of the first motor vehicle with a set of details comprising one or more of:
technical equipment of the first motor vehicle, position and direction of travel of the first motor vehicle, data processing capacity of the first motor vehicle, and/or tasks already allocated to the first motor vehicle; and
whether other motor vehicles are better suited to the task based on a comparison of one or more other motor vehicles with the set of details;
and
the first item of information is transmitted from the first motor vehicle to the backend via a mobile radio path and/or the task is allocated via a mobile radio path.

17. A system comprising:
at least one motor vehicle;
at least one backend; wherein
the motor vehicle comprises:
a mobile radio device configured to:
transmit a first item of information to the backend via a mobile radio path;
receive a task from the backend via a mobile radio path; and
perform the task, wherein the performance of the task comprises transmitting a second item of information, wherein
the backend comprises:
a data processor configured to:
receive the first item of information from the motor vehicle with which the backend can communicate; and
allocate, based on the first item of information, the task to the motor vehicle, wherein
the task is allocated based on:
a comparison of the motor vehicle with a set of details comprising one or more of:
technical equipment of the motor vehicle, position and direction of travel of the motor vehicle, data processing capacity of the motor vehicle, and/or tasks already allocated to the motor vehicle; and
whether other motor vehicles are better suited to the task based on a comparison of one or more other motor vehicles with the set of details.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Bross Marco
• Maier Georg
• Reis Thoralf
• Thasler Henry

Classifications

• G08G1/0112

  from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD] · CPC title

• H04L67/52

  specially adapted for the location of the user terminal · CPC title

• H04W4/38

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title

• G07C5/0841

  Registering performance data (recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B) · CPC title

• H04L67/125 Primary

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title