METHOD FOR OPERATING A LOCAL NETWORK BY A MOTOR VEHICLE AS A FUNCTION OF A STATE OF CHARGE OF AN ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE UNIT, AND SYSTEM

Abstract

A method for operating a local network for a terminal device by a first communication device of a first motor vehicle is provided. A first mobile network connection is set up between the first motor vehicle and a network external to the motor vehicle Using the first communication device. The local network is created for the terminal device as a function of the first mobile network connection. A current first state of charge of a first electrical energy storage unit of the first motor vehicle is determined by the first communication device and the local network is created as a function of the determined first state of charge that is determined.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A method, comprising: determining, by a first communication device of a first motor vehicle, a current first state of charge of a first electrical energy storage unit of a first motor vehicle; generating a first provisioning forecast for creating a local network by the first communication device by determining a current first energy requirement of the first motor vehicle; storing, in a first storage device of the first communication device, the determined current first energy requirement; and determining, as a function of a plurality of stored first energy requirements that include the determined first energy requirement, an average first energy requirement, wherein the first provisioning forecast is generated as a function of the average first energy requirement; establishing a first mobile network connection between the first communication device and a network external to the motor vehicle; determining, by the first communication device, whether to create a local network with at least one terminal device based on the determined current first state of charge of the first electrical energy storage unit and the first provisioning forecast; and creating, by the first communication device, the local network when it is determined, based on the determined current first state of charge of the first electrical energy storage unit and the first provisioning forecast, to create the local network, wherein the at least one terminal device is connected to the network external to the motor vehicle via the local network, the first communication device, and the first mobile network connection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the local network is created in a parked state of the first motor vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the local network is created as a function of a first connection quality of the first mobile network connection as determined by the first communication device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the local network is created as a function of a first ignition state of the first motor vehicle as determined by the first communication device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the local network is used by a plurality of of terminal devices that include the at least one terminal device.

14. A method, comprising: determining, by a first communication device of a first motor vehicle, a first state of charge of a first electrical energy storage unit of the first motor vehicle; determining, by a second communication device of a second motor vehicle, a second state of charge of a second electrical energy storage unit of the second motor vehicle; determining, based on the determined first and second states of charge, whether the first communication device or the second communication device establishes a local network; establishing a first mobile network connection between the first communication device and a network external to the motor vehicle; establishing a second mobile network connection between the second communication device and the network external to the motor vehicle; and creating, by the determined one first and second communication devices, the local network, wherein the at least one terminal device is connected to the network external to the motor vehicle via the local network, the determined one of the first and communication devices, and a corresponding one of the first and second mobile network connections.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determined one of the first and second communication devices is the first communication device, wherein the second communication device creates the local network when the first state of charge reaches a predetermined state of charge or the first motor vehicle leaves predetermined surroundings for the local network.

16. A system, comprising: a motor vehicle that includes a communication device and an electrical energy storage unit; and at least one terminal device, wherein the communication device is configured to determine a current first state of charge of a first electrical energy storage unit of a first motor vehicle; generate a first provisioning forecast for creating a local network by the first communication device by determining a current first energy requirement of the first motor vehicle; storing, in a first storage device of the first communication device, the determined current first energy requirement; and determining, as a function of a plurality of stored first energy requirements that include the determined first energy requirement, an average first energy requirement, wherein the first provisioning forecast is generated as a function of the average first energy requirement; establish a first mobile network connection between the first communication device and a network external to the motor vehicle; determine whether to create a local network with at least one terminal device based on the determined current first state of charge of the first electrical energy storage unit and the first provisioning forecast; and create the local network when it is determined, based on the determined current first state of charge of the first electrical energy storage unit and the first provisioning forecast, to create the local network, wherein the at least one terminal device is connected to the network external to the motor vehicle via the local network, the first communication device, and the first mobile network connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0030] The figures show:

[0031] FIG. 1 a schematic top view of an embodiment of a system; and

[0032] FIG. 2 a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of a method.

[0033] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements have been given the same reference symbol.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a system 10. The system 10 is configured for creating a local network 12, 14 for a terminal device 16. In the following, a method is described, which is carried out for operating the local network 12. These details apply to the local network 14 similarly. The local network 12 is created by a first motor vehicle 18, and the local network 14 is created by a second motor vehicle 20.

[0035] In the method for creating the local network 12 for the at least one terminal device 16 by means of a first communication device 22 of the first motor vehicle 18, a first mobile network connection 24 is set up between the first motor vehicle 18 and the network external to the motor vehicle 26 by means of the first communication device 22, and the local network 12 is created as a function of the first mobile network connection 24.

[0036] It is provided that, by means of the first communication device 22, a current state of charge of a first electrical energy storage unit 28 of the first motor vehicle 18 is determined and at least the local network 12 is created as a function of the first state of charge that is determined.

[0037] In particular, it may be provided that the local network 12 is created for a plurality of terminal devices 16.

[0038] As mentioned above, the local network 14 can be created similarly by the second motor vehicle 20. For this purpose, the second motor vehicle 20 has, in particular, a second communication device 30. Furthermore, the second motor vehicle 20 has a second electrical energy storage unit 32. In particular, the aforementioned method can then be applied similarly, wherein a second mobile network connection 34 is set up between the second communication device 30 and the network external to the motor vehicle 26.

[0039] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating the local network 12, 14 for the terminal device 16 by means of at least the first communication device 22 of the first motor vehicle 18 or at least the second communication device 30 of the second motor vehicle 20, in which the first mobile network connection 24 is set up between the first motor vehicle 18 and the network external to the motor vehicle 26 by means of the first communication device 22, and the second mobile network connection 34 is set up between the second motor vehicle 20 and the network external to the motor vehicle 26 by means of the second communication device 30, wherein the local network 12, 14 is created by the first communication device 22 or the second communication device 30.

[0040] It is provided that there is communication between the first communication device 22 and the second communication device 30 by means of a local network, and it is decided, as a function of a first state of charge between the first electrical energy storage unit 28 of the first motor vehicle 18 and a second state of charge of the second electrical energy storage unit 32, determined by means of the respective communication devices 22, 30, by means of which communication device 22, 30 the local network 12, 14 is created for the at least one terminal device 16.

[0041] In particular, FIG. 1 shows that the local network 12, 14 is created by the other motor vehicle 18, 20 only when the motor vehicle 18, 20, which created the local network 12, 14 first, has reached a predetermined state of charge of the respective energy storage unit 28, 32 and/or this motor vehicle 18, 20 has left predetermined surroundings for the local network 12, 14.

[0042] In particular, the invention according to FIG. 1 takes advantage of the fact that motor vehicles 18, 20 as a rule have factory-installed communication devices 22, 30, which can set up a connection of the motor vehicles 18, 20 to the network external to the motor vehicle 26 and thus make connection to the Internet possible. It is now proposed to use this available technology to expand the availability of hot spots that correspond to the local networks 12, 14 and make access to the Internet possible. Moreover, in particular, parked motor vehicles 18, 20 are used as hot spots, via which a connection to the Internet is possible for any communication partners. This is also, in particular, very useful for the ever expanding networking of any terminal devices 16 over the Internet. The higher the density of the parked motor vehicles 18, 20, the higher is the coverage with hot spots.

[0043] If, for example, a plurality of motor vehicles 18, 20 have the hot spot function, basic coverage is, for example, also always guaranteed in a residential area in which the motor vehicles 18, 20 are parked for some hours. The motor vehicles 18, 20 with the hot spot function can also communicate with one another over a WLAN connection. It thus becomes possible to achieve a saving of the energy reserves. If, for example, many motor vehicles 18, 20 with a hot spot function are located in a confined space, then the motor vehicle 18, 20 with the smallest energy reserve saves its on-board power supply, for example by not setting up a hot spot function, and only does so if the other motor vehicle 18, 20 must take down its hot spot, because it is leaving the area, or the on-board power supply or the available energy reserve is exhausted. By networking the motor vehicles 18, 20, a smart data network is set up, which makes hot spot provision efficient, with the greatest possible area coverage.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the method. In particular, the method is started in a first step S1. In a second step S2, it is verified whether the respective motor vehicle 18, 20 has a corresponding module, by means of which a local network 12, 14 can be set up. In other words, it is verified whether the motor vehicle 18, 20 meets the basic requirements for providing a hot spot. In a step S3, it is tested whether there is a connection of the communication device 22, 30 to the network external to the motor vehicle 26 or to the Internet. In particular, it is also provided that the local network 12 is created as a function of a first connection quality of the first mobile network connection 24 determined by means of the first communication device 22. In other words, in the third step S3 it is also provided that the connection quality is verified and whether it is adequate. In a fourth step S4 it is then verified whether the motor vehicle 18, 20 is parked and is at rest and in particular the ignition is switched off. In other words, in a fourth step S4 it is provided that the local network 12, 14 is created in a parked state of the first motor vehicle 18, 20. Furthermore, in the fourth step S4 it is provided that the local network 12 is created as a function of a first ignition state of the first motor vehicle 18 determined by means of the first communication device 22. This applies analogously to the second motor vehicle 20.

[0045] In a fifth step S5, a first provisioning forecast is made for the creation of the local network 12 by means of the first communication device 22, as a function of the first state of charge that is determined for the first electrical energy storage unit 28. In particular, in the fifth step S5, a current first energy requirement is determined and is stored in a first storage device of the first communication device 22, and as a function of a plurality of stored first energy requirements, an average first energy requirement is determined, wherein the first provisioning forecast is produced as a function of the average first energy requirement. In other words, in the fifth step S5 it is determined whether, in the motor vehicle 18, 20, the electrical energy reserve currently still available in the electrical energy storage unit 28, 32 is sufficient to set up the local network 12, 14. Based on this information, it is possible to forecast the time interval for which a hot spot function can be offered or maintained. The calculation is carried out based on the average energy requirement needed for maintaining a hot spot.

[0046] In other words, in a sixth step S6 it is verified how long the WLAN hot spot can be set up or maintained by the motor vehicle 18, 20. In a seventh step S7, it is again verified whether the hot spot is active for the aforementioned time interval. In other words, the function for determining the average energy requirement for maintaining the hot spot is always running in the background during the active hot spot function. The value for the average energy requirement is therefore constantly updated and adapted, to ensure a high forecasting quality. If all tests have now been positive and a valid forecast is available for the hot spot time, the motor vehicle 18, 20 will set up and maintain the hot spot in the sixth step S6. Now, any communication partners, in particular the mobile terminal device 16, can connect to the hot spot and then go onto the Internet. If the time that was reported actively by the hot spot has expired, the hot spot is taken down in a seventh step S7. In addition, the current on-board power supply state in the motor vehicle 18, 20 is always verified in parallel. If the on-board power supply state moves into a critical region, the hot spot function is interrupted immediately, to protect the on-board power supply and ensure starting of the motor vehicle 18, 20. In an eighth step S8, once again the method is ended.

[0047] In particular, this description shows that the available technology in the motor vehicles 18, 20 can be used meaningfully and the motor vehicles 18, 20 can also, in particular, be used meaningfully outside of their originally intended application. In particular, the increasing networking of the most varied technical equipment, in particular the terminal devices 16, now offers great opportunities for networking, for example, of the equipment for parking space monitoring, parking meters, or other applications that can set up an Internet connection via the parked motor vehicles 18, 20 in the environment.

[0048] In particular, this greatly increases the availability of Internet access in the public space by using widely available systems that are already built into most motor vehicles 18, 20. Furthermore, an appreciable increase in hot spot and Internet access availability is also possible in country areas or in residential areas or wherever there is a large number of parked motor vehicles 18, 20, because as a rule every household has at least one motor vehicle 18, 20. Lastly, a network of hot spots for loT devices is also set up, which as a rule do not have their own mobile telephony modules.

[0049] Overall, the invention describes usage of the motor vehicles 18, 20 for extending a mobile or variable hot spot network for mobile data processing in the public space.

[0050] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived from these by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that there is a plurality of possible variations. It is also clear that embodiments stated by way of example are only really examples that are not to be seen as limiting the scope, application possibilities or configuration of the invention in any way. In fact, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete manner, wherein, with the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art is able to undertake various changes, for example, with regard to the functioning or arrangement of individual elements stated in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.