SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REPORTING AN ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERISTIC FROM A MAIN VEHICLE TO A CLOUD SERVER

Abstract

A system for uploading data from a main vehicle to a cloud server is presented. The system includes a first sensor, a second sensor, a communication unit, and an electronic control unit. The first sensor obtains geo localization information of the main vehicle. The second sensor monitors first and second predetermined micro characteristics of the environment of the main vehicle. The communication unit transmits a report to an external cloud server and receives macro environment information indicating a predetermined macro characteristic of a geographic region in which the main vehicle is traveling. The electronic control unit repeatedly generates reports by collecting and buffering the first micro characteristic and transmits the reports in predetermined time intervals. The time intervals may be modified as a function of the second micro characteristic and the macro environment information.

Claims

1. A system for uploading data from a main vehicle to a cloud server, the system being configured to be installed in the main vehicle, the system comprising: a first sensor configured to obtain geo localization information of the main vehicle; a second sensor configured to monitor at least one first predetermined micro characteristic of a current environment of the main vehicle, and configured to monitor at least one second predetermined micro characteristic of at least one of the main vehicle and of the current environment of the main vehicle; a communication unit configured to transmit a report to an external cloud server via a wireless communications network and to receive macro environment information from the external cloud server via the wireless communications network, said macro environment information comprising at least one predetermined macro characteristic of a geographic region in which the main vehicle is traveling; and an electronic control unit configured to: repeatedly generate reports by collecting and buffering the at least one first monitored micro characteristic and transmit the generated reports in predetermined time intervals via the communication unit, and modify the predetermined time intervals as a function of the at least one second predetermined micro characteristic and the received macro environment information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined micro characteristic comprises free parking slots, at which the main vehicle is passing during traveling.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second predetermined micro characteristic of the current environment of the main vehicle comprises at least one of a road type on which the main vehicle is traveling and, a vehicle speed.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined macro characteristic indicates whether the geographic region is urban or not.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to shorten a current time interval until the next report is to be transmitted, in case at least one the following conditions is fulfilled: the first predetermined micro characteristic comprises free parking slots, at which the main vehicle is passing during traveling, the second predetermined micro characteristic of the current environment of the main vehicle indicates a road type of a city street, the second predetermined micro characteristic of the main vehicle indicates that the main vehicle is traveling with less than a predetermined speed, and the at least one predetermined macro characteristic indicates that the geographic region is urban.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to pause the transmission of reports, in case at least one the following conditions, is not fulfilled: the first predetermined micro characteristic comprises free parking slots, at which the main vehicle is passing during traveling, the second predetermined micro characteristic of the current environment of the main vehicle indicates a road type of a city street, the second predetermined micro characteristic of the main vehicle indicates that the main vehicle is traveling with less than the predetermined speed, and the at least one predetermined macro characteristic indicates that the geographic region is urban.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: a data storage for storing at least one of street map data and macro map information at least temporarily, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to: localize the main vehicle on a street map based on the obtained geo localization information, collect the first monitored micro characteristic during passing a predetermined first segment on street map and transmit the report at the end of the segment, and modify the predetermined time intervals as a function of the collected the first monitored micro characteristic.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to: predict the first monitored micro characteristic within a second distant segment in a traveling direction of the main vehicle based on the street map data, and modify the predetermined time intervals in addition as a function of the predicted the first monitored micro characteristic.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is configured to receive network information from the external cloud server via the wireless communications network, said network information comprising at least one locally varying characteristic of the wireless communications network across geographic region, and the electronic control unit is configured to: modify the predetermined time intervals as a function of the received network information.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to: predict a reliability of the wireless communications network in an anticipated traveling direction of the main vehicle as a function of the received network information and the obtained geo localization information, and modify the predetermined time intervals as a function of the predicted reliability.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to modify the predetermined time intervals, in case the received network information fulfills at least one of the following conditions: the at least one locally varying characteristic indicates at least one of a signal quality and a signal strength below a respective predetermined threshold, and the at least one locally varying characteristic indicates at least one of a reduced signal quality and a signal strength at a distance from the main vehicle below a predetermined distance threshold.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a data storage for storing street map data, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to anticipate a traveling direction of the main vehicle based on the street map data.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to segment an anticipated traveling route of the main vehicle into a plurality of route segments, wherein the predetermined time intervals are defined such that at the end of each route segment a report is transmitted.

14. A vehicle comprising a system for uploading data from the vehicle to a cloud server, the system comprising: a first sensor configured to obtain geo localization information of the vehicle; a second sensor configured to monitor at least one first predetermined micro characteristic of a current environment of the vehicle, and configured to monitor at least one second predetermined micro characteristic of at least one of the vehicle and the current environment of the vehicle; a communication unit configured to transmit a report to an external cloud server via a wireless communications network and to receive macro environment information from the external cloud server via a wireless communications network, said macro environment information comprising at least one predetermined macro characteristic of a geographic region in which the vehicle is traveling; and an electronic control unit configured to: repeatedly generate reports by collecting and buffering the at least one first monitored micro characteristic and transmit the generated reports in predetermined time intervals via the communication unit, and modify the predetermined time intervals as a function of the at least one second predetermined micro characteristic and the received macro environment information.

15. A method of uploading data from a main vehicle to a cloud server, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining geo localization information of the main vehicle; monitoring at least one first predetermined micro characteristic of a current environment of the main vehicle, monitoring at least one second predetermined micro characteristic of at least one of the main vehicle and the current environment of the main vehicle; transmitting from the main vehicle a report to an external cloud server via a wireless communications network and receiving macro environment information from the external cloud server via the wireless communications network, said macro environment information comprising at least one predetermined macro characteristic of a geographic region in which the main vehicle is traveling, repeatedly generating reports by collecting and buffering the at least one first monitored micro characteristic and transmitting the generated reports in predetermined time intervals to the external cloud server, and modifying the predetermined time intervals as a function of the at least one second predetermined micro characteristic and the received macro environment information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0090] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0091] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary scenario according to embodiments of the present disclosure in comparison to a default scenario.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0092] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[0093] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system 500 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The system is configured to carry out the method according the present disclosure. In particular, the system may be configured to carry out computer instructions, i.e. for uploading data from a main vehicle 100 to a cloud server 200. The system 500 may comprise the cloud server 200 and/or vehicles 100, 300, etc. Alternatively the system 500 may consist of the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may be a robotic system, or the vehicle 100 may be an at least partially self-driving vehicle.

[0094] The system 500 comprises a first sensor 10 configured to obtain geo localization information (e.g. GPS) of the main vehicle 100. Said first sensor is desirably installed in the vehicle 100 but it may though also be external to the vehicle 100.

[0095] The system 500 further comprises a second sensor 20 configured to monitor at least one predetermined characteristic of the main vehicle and/or of the environment of the main vehicle. Said second sensor is desirably installed in the vehicle 100 but it may though also be external to the vehicle 100.

[0096] The second sensor may comprise e.g. one or several cameras and/or a speed sensor. For example, the system may comprise a plurality of cameras which together obtain a panoramic (e.g. 360°) image of the vehicle environment. The second sensor may be configured to detect e.g. free parking slots at which the vehicle passes during moving (i.e. at least one first predetermined micro characteristic of the current environment of the main vehicle). The second sensor may further be configured to monitor at least one second predetermined micro characteristic of the main vehicle, e.g. the vehicle speed during moving. Moreover the second sensor may be configured to monitor a predetermined micro characteristic of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. the kind of road on which the vehicle is moving (e.g. a high way or a city street), and/or a traffic condition (e.g. traffic jam).

[0097] For example, the data of the first and/or second sensor may be continuously received by an electronic control unit 40 which samples the data.

[0098] The system 500 further comprises a communication unit 30 (e.g. a telematics unit) configured to transmit a report to an external cloud server 200 and configured to receive macro environment information from the external cloud server via a wireless communications network. Said macro environment information comprises at least one predetermined macro characteristic of a geographic region in which the vehicle is traveling. For example said macro characteristic may indicate whether the vehicle is currently in a city (as e.g. Paris) or outside a city. Said macro information may be determined based on geolocalition and geofencing. Said communication unit 30 is desirably installed in the vehicle 100 but it may though also be external to the vehicle 100.

[0099] The system 500 further comprises an electronic control unit 40 configured to repeatedly generate reports by collecting and buffering the at least one first monitored micro characteristic and transmit the reports in predetermined time intervals via the communication unit 30. The time interval may be e.g. 30 sec or 1 min (up to 5 min). If the time interval value is however too high, then the micro information might not be valid anymore

[0100] The electronic control unit 40 modifies the predetermined time intervals as a function of the at least one second predetermined micro characteristic and the received macro environment information.

[0101] For example, if at least one second predetermined micro characteristic and/or the received macro environment information for a given at least one first monitored micro characteristic are invalid (e.g. vehicle outside a city, or vehicle on a downtown highway, or vehicle moving above a predetermined speed threshold), then the reporting frequency may be slowed down or reporting may be paused. Thanks to slowing reporting the costs for network traffic and cloud usage can be reduced.

[0102] Said electronic control unit 40 may be installed in the vehicle 100 but it may though also be external to the vehicle 100, e.g. a part of the cloud server 200.

[0103] For example the electronic control unit 40 may comprise a processor (e.g. at least one CPU) and a memory for storing instructions. The memory may be a non-volatile memory and it may comprise said instructions (or a computer program), e.g. of the method according the present disclosure, which can be executed by the processor for uploading data from the main vehicle to the cloud server in an individualized and anticipating way. It may further store map data, which can be used to determine the geo localization determined by the first sensor on a map.

[0104] The cloud server 200 may be furthermore in wireless connection with other vehicles 300, which are desirably configured like vehicle 100. The further vehicles 300 may also communicate over the same network 600 with the cloud server 200.

[0105] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary scenario according to embodiments of the present disclosure in comparison to a default scenario.

[0106] In the default scenario (shown on top in FIG. 2) the electronic control unit 40 regularly and repeatedly generates reports by collecting and buffering the at least one first monitored micro characteristic (e.g. free parking slot information) and transmit them in predetermined and fixed time intervals via the communication unit 30. Since the time intervals are fixed, it may occur that the report is to be sent at a time point and/or location where the micro environment previously passed by the main vehicle is not suitable to have the at least one first monitored micro characteristic (e.g. on a highway outside a city). Accordingly, said report may be sent without reason, thereby increasing network traffic and cloud usage. On the other hand, in e.g. a dense city area the fixed time interval may be too large, such that a sent report, once sent to the cloud server, comprises information which is not valid any more (i.e. out-dated).

[0107] In contrast, in the exemplary scenario according to embodiments of the present disclosure (shown on bottom of FIG. 2), the electronic control unit 40 determines in this example that the vehicles moves in an area with increased occurrence of the first monitored micro characteristic (here: increased number of parking slots). This determination may be based on at least one of: a determination that the vehicle currently travels in a city, a determination that the vehicle moves with less than a predetermined speed, as e.g. 80 km/h, a determination that the vehicle is on a city street and not on a city highway, a determination that the vehicle is not in a traffic jam, i.e. that the non-moving vehicles on left and/or right side are parked and not part of a traffic jam, and a determination of at least one free parking slot.

[0108] For this purpose the control unit may cut the intended travel route into segments, wherein at the end of each segment a report is sent. When it is determined that passed segments are within in an area with increased occurrence of the first monitored micro characteristic, the segments are made smaller, such that the frequency of sending reports is increased. In contrast, when it is determined that passed segments are within in an area with decreased occurrence of the first monitored micro characteristic, the segments are made larger, such that the frequency of sending reports is decreased.

[0109] The system 500 may anticipate the traveling direction of the main vehicle based on stored street map data, which may indicate areas where the occurrence of the first monitored micro characteristic increases or decreases. Said information may be use, as described above, i.e. to eventually change the frequency of report transmission.

[0110] Additionally or alternatively, the information received from the cloud server may be used. Accordingly, the main vehicle and/or another vehicle may repeatedly measure and report the at least one locally varying first micro characteristic of the wireless communications network to the cloud server during traveling. The cloud server may bence establish and keep updated a geographic map in the at least one locally varying first micro characteristic. Said information may be shared with the vehicle(s) which may use it, as described above, i.e. to eventually pull forward report transmission.

[0111] Throughout the description, including the claims, the term “comprising a” should be understood as being synonymous with “comprising at least one” unless otherwise stated. In addition, any range set forth in the description, including the claims should be understood as including its end value(s) unless otherwise stated. Specific values for described elements should be understood to be within accepted manufacturing or industry tolerances known to one of skill in the art, and any use of the terms “substantially” and/or “approximately” and/or “generally” should be understood to mean falling within such accepted tolerances.

[0112] Although the present disclosure herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present disclosure.

[0113] It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims.