In one embodiment, a technique for information sharing among dynamically grouped vehicles is provided that illustratively comprises making, by a first vehicle of a first plurality of vehicles, a determination that the first plurality of vehicles is a convoy of vehicles traveling as a group; sending, by the first vehicle, a group identifier that is indicative of the convoy and of each of the plurality of vehicles to an access point in communication with the first vehicle; authenticating, by the first vehicle, with the access point using the group identifier; and exchanging, by the first vehicle, first vehicular data with the access point using a first connection of a plurality of connections assigned to the group identifier.

A communication controller is provided for controlling a wireless communication device disposed in a vehicle to transport data to a target device. The communication controller includes a searcher, a cost computer, a path determiner, and a communication control section. The searcher detects the current position of the vehicle, determines a travel plan of the vehicle, and searches for one or more transport paths for transporting data to the target device. The cost computer calculates a transport cost for each of the transport paths. The path determiner determines the lowest transport cost, selects the transport path, and determines the transmission conditions. The communication control section transmits the data to the target device when the transmission conditions are satisfied.

An external communication system for a vehicle includes multiple communication devices and a controller. The multiple communication devices are provided in the vehicle. The communication devices transmit and receive communication data between a server device and the vehicle via mutually different communication paths. The controller is control communication by the multiple communication devices. The controller sets at least one of the multiple communication devices as a main communication device that transmits and receives the communication data between the server device and the vehicle. The controller sets at least one of the remaining communication devices as a backup communication device that transmits and receives the communication data between the server device and the vehicle.

In one embodiment, a technique for information sharing among dynamically grouped vehicles is provided that illustratively comprises making, by a first vehicle of a first plurality of vehicles, a determination that the first plurality of vehicles is a convoy of vehicles traveling as a group; sending, by the first vehicle, a group identifier that is indicative of the convoy and of each of the plurality of vehicles to an access point in communication with the first vehicle; authenticating, by the first vehicle, with the access point using the group identifier; and exchanging, by the first vehicle, first vehicular data with the access point using a first connection of a plurality of connections assigned to the group identifier.

A cellular system comprising at least one moving non-stationary base station for enabling cellular communication between at least two mobile stations in a geographic area that lacks adequate cellular coverage by at least one stationary base station.

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a sender node associated with a mesh network, a request to send a message to one or more recipient nodes, the wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of nodes, detecting a triggering condition associated with the wireless mesh network, predicting a routing path from the sender node to each of the one or more recipient nodes via the wireless mesh network through one or more relay nodes of the plurality of nodes based on proximity information and network information associated with the mesh network, and sending the message to the one or more recipient nodes via the one or more relay nodes of the wireless mesh network.

A system includes a processor configured to receive a data transfer request including a data transfer constraint. The processor is also configured to receive a vehicle route. The processor is further configured to determine wireless network availability along the route based on known wireless network locations. Additionally, the processor is configured to determine a route window where wireless network availability indicates that a wireless network is available that meets the data transfer constraint and schedule data transfer to occur during the route window.

In one embodiment, a supervisory service receives a registration message broadcast by a first vehicle and captured by a RSU in the network of RSUs. The supervisory service registers the first vehicle by validating a signature of the registration message without registering a media access control (MAC) address of the first vehicle and without causing to send a registration response to the first vehicle. The supervisory service receives a message broadcast by a second vehicle addressed to the first vehicle and captured by at least one RSU in the network of RSUs. The supervisory service selects one or more RSUs in the network of RSUs to re-broadcast the message. The supervisory service controls the one or more RSUs to re-broadcast the message.

Communication network architectures, systems and methods for supporting a network of mobile nodes. As a non-limiting example, various aspects of this disclosure provide autonomous vehicle network architectures, systems, and methods for supporting a dynamically configurable network of autonomous vehicles comprising a complex array of both static and moving communication nodes.

In vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs), vehicles communicate either with each other via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication or with stationary road side infrastructure or road side units (RSUs) via vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, to exchange information generated by the mobile applications. Vehicular networks require a reliable and efficient one-hop broadcast service. A makeup strategy for vehicular networks, referred to as cooperative relay broadcasting (CRB), is described. Neighboring nodes rebroadcast the packet from a source node to increase the reliability of the broadcast service. The decision to perform CRB is taken proactively and based on the channel conditions between the relaying nodes and the target one-hop neighbors.