Remote sensor data for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282860-A1
Application number	US-201514669993-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for using remote sensor data for a vehicle. The vehicle includes a control system, an interface, and a processor. The interface is configured to automatically obtain one or more remote sensor values via a wireless network from a remote source that is remote from the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the control system and the interface, and is configured to control one or more functions of the control system using the one or more remote sensor values.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method comprising:
automatically obtaining, via an interface onboard a vehicle, one or more remote sensor values via a wireless network from a remote source that is remote from the vehicle; and controlling, via a processor, one or more functions of the vehicle using the one or more remote sensor values.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a front dash having a front dash display, and the step of controlling the one or more functions comprises automatically providing the one or more remote sensor values on the front dash display.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
obtaining one or more vehicle sensor values from one or more sensors onboard the vehicle; wherein the step of controlling the one or more functions comprises conducting a rationality check for the one or more vehicle sensor values using the one or more remote sensor values.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes an engine and an engine control system, and the step of controlling the one or more functions comprises using the one or more remote sensor values in the engine control system for controlling one or more functions of the engine.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more remote sensor values are selected from the group consisting of: one or more temperature values, one or more barometric pressure values, and one or more humidity values from the remote source.

6 . A system comprising:
an interface disposed onboard a vehicle, the interface configured to automatically obtain one or more remote sensor values via a wireless network from a remote source that is remote from the vehicle; and a processor coupled to the interface, the processor configured to control one or more functions of the vehicle using the one or more remote sensor values.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the vehicle includes a front dash having a front dash display; and the processor is configured to automatically provide the one or more remote sensor values on the front dash display.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the interface is configured to obtain one or more vehicle sensor values from one or more sensors onboard the vehicle; and the processor is configured to conduct a rationality check for the one or more vehicle sensor values using the one or more remote sensor values.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the vehicle includes an engine and an engine control system; and the processor is configured to use the one or more remote sensor values in the engine control system for controlling one or more functions of the engine.

10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more remote sensor values are selected from the group consisting of: one or more temperature values, one or more barometric pressure values, and one or more humidity values from the remote source.

11 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the interface is configured to obtain the one or more remote sensor values from a weather station via the wireless network.

12 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the interface is configured to obtain the one or more remote sensor values from one or more additional vehicles via the wireless network.

13 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the interface is configured to obtain the remote sensor values from multiple remote sources that are remote from the vehicle, the multiple remote sources each having a respective distance from the vehicle; and the processor is configured to: generate one or more interpolated values by interpolating the remote sensor values utilizing the respective distances of the multiple remote sources from the vehicle; and controlling the one or more functions of the vehicle using the one or more interpolated values.

14 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the interface is configured to obtain one or more vehicle sensor values from one or more sensors onboard the vehicle; and the processor is configured to use an average value of the remote sensor values and the one or more vehicle sensor values for controlling the one or more functions of the vehicle.

15 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to provide a notification if an error is detected for the one or more sensors onboard the vehicle based on the rationality check.

16 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to mathematically approximate position specific data by applying a non-linear curve fit to existing sensor values from sensors onboard the vehicle.

17 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor utilizes stationary sensor values to evaluate ambient temperature conditions for a vehicle.

18 . A vehicle comprising:
a control system; an interface configured to automatically obtain one or more remote sensor values via a wireless network from a remote source that is remote from the vehicle; and a processor coupled to the control system and the interface, the processor configured to control one or more functions of the control system using the one or more remote sensor values.

19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , further comprising:
a front dash having a front dash display; wherein the processor is configured to automatically provide the one or more remote sensor values on the front dash display.

20 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
the interface is configured to obtain one or more vehicle sensor values from one or more sensors onboard the vehicle; and the processor is configured to conduct a rationality check for the one or more vehicle sensor values using the one or more remote sensor values.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Freese V Charles E

Classifications

• B60W2556/45

  External transmission of data to or from the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R16/02

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• F02D41/266

  the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue · CPC title

• F02D2200/0414

  Air temperature · CPC title

• F02D41/28

  Interface circuits · CPC title