GB2630310A

GB2630310A - A method for operating a passenger infotainment device of a motor vehicle carried by a motor vehicle carrier vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2630310A
Application number: GB2307651.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Monaco Christopher
Original assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2023-05-22
Filing date: 2023-05-22
Publication date: 2024-11-27
Also published as: GB202307651D0

Abstract

A method of operating a passenger infotainment device 14 of a motor vehicle 12a carried by a motor vehicle carrier vehicle (e.g. a car ferry) 10 comprises establishing a communication link 16 between a first communication device 18 of the passenger infotainment device and a second communication device 20 of the carrier vehicle, to exchange data and commands between the two devices. A first data signal is transmitted from the first device to the second device and/or a second data signal 24 is transmitted from the second device to the first device. The communication link may be established within a local area network. The second signal may be a navigation information from the carrier vehicle, or it may provide access to a public network. The first signal may be a stop request of a passenger 26 of the carried vehicle, or a locking/unlocking signal for a door of the carried vehicle. Safety demonstration videos may be relayed by the carrier vehicle to the carried vehicle, as well as information about capacity, occupied spots, weight distribution and space between carried vehicles.

Description

Mercedes-Benz Group AG A Method for Operating a Passenger Infotainment Device of a Motor Vehicle Carried by a Motor Vehicle Carrier Vehicle

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automobiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for operating a passenger infotainment device of a motor vehicle carried by a motor vehicle carrier vehicle. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a corresponding computer program product, a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, as well as to a passenger infotainment device.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] A so-called piggyback transportation is a useful form of intermodal transportation. It generally refers to the transport of one or more vehicles that are onboard a carrier vehicle. It exists in many forms today, for example semi-trailers on railroad flatcars, passenger vehicles on marine ships, and even space shuttles on airplanes. Car ferries provide one of the most accessible forms of piggyback transportation for passengers. Car ferries are a special type of so-called roll-on/roll-off marine ships that are designed for passenger vehicles to be driven on and off the ship decks using a series of deployable ramps. Some car ferries allow passengers to remain inside their motor vehicle during the journey.

[0003] However, since the carrier and the carried vehicles are independent, passengers inside the carried vehicle often lose the information and control they have come to expect from their vehicle. For example, road vehicle passengers often use infotainment units for real-time navigation information such as the vehicles location, the progress of its journey, and its estimated time of arrival. This navigation information is also available to airplane passengers on seatback screens. In addition, airplane passengers have access to a button that can request a flight attendant assistance. Furthermore, train and bus passengers have access to a button or cord for stop requests. Unfortunately, since the carrier and the carried vehicles are independent entities, information and control functionalities are not available to passengers of carried vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method to restore passenger information and control functions by enabling for a passenger of the carried motor vehicle.

[0005] This object is solved by a method according to the independent claim. Advantageous forms of embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0006] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a passenger infotainment device of a motor vehicle carried by a motor vehicle carrier vehicle. A communication link between a first communication device of the passenger infotainment system and a second communication device of the motor vehicle carrier vehicle is established. A first data signal is transmitted from the first communication device to the second communication device and/or a second data signal is transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device.

[0007] Therefore, the invention restores passenger information and control functions by enabling the communication link between the motor vehicle carrier vehicle and the carried motor vehicle.

[0008] The motor vehicle carrier vehicle may be for example configured as a train, a boat, in particular a ferry or a railcar.

[0009] In particular, to use these functionalities, the passengers may interact with a display of the infotainment system and control devices that are integrated in the carried vehicle, for example so-called dashboard touchscreens. While road vehicles on car ferries were used as a useful example, this invention may also be applied to any combination of carrier and carried vehicle types.

[0010] The communication link can take advantage of many wired or wireless network protocols. For example, it can utilize a local Wi-Fi network. Alternatively, it can utilize the vehicle-2-everything (V2X) communication protocols. Vehicle-2-everything communication is a broad term that contains vehicle-2-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-2-infrastructure (V21) communication.

[0011] According to an embodiment, that communication link is established with a local area network.

[0012] In another embodiment, as the second signal a navigation information from the motor vehicle carrier vehicle is transmitted.

[0013] In another embodiment, as the first signal a stop request of a passenger of the carried motor vehicle is transmitted.

[0014] According to another embodiment, as the first signal a locking signal and/or an unlocking signal for a door of the carried motor vehicle is transmitted.

[0015] In another embodiment, as the second signal on access to a public network is provided for the carried motor vehicle.

[0016] In particular, the method is a computer-implemented method. Therefore, another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising program code means for performing a method according to the preceding aspect.

[0017] A still further aspect of the invention relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising the computer program product according to the preceding aspect.

[0018] A still further aspect of the invention relates to an assistance system for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one capturing device, and one electronic computing device, wherein the assistance system is configured for performing a method according to the preceding aspect. In particular, the method is performed by the assistance system.

[0019] The electronic computing device/computing unit therefore may comprise electronic means, for example, processors, circuits, in particular integrated circuits, and further electronic means for performing a method. A computing unit may in particular be understood as a data processing device, which comprises processing circuitry. The computing unit can therefore in particular process data to perform computing operations.

This may also include operations to perform indexed accesses to a data structure, for example a look-up table, LUT.

[0020] In particular, the computing unit may include one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and/or one or more integrated circuits, for example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC, one or more field-programmable gate arrays, FPGA, and/or one or more systems on a chip, SoC. The computing unit may also include one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units, CPU, one or more graphics processing units, GPU, and/or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signal processors, DSP. The computing unit may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or other of said units.

[0021] In various embodiments, the computing unit includes one or more hardware and/or software interfaces and/or one or more memory units.

[0022] A memory unit may be implemented as a volatile data memory, for example a dynamic random access memory, DRAM, or a static random access memory, SRAM, or as a non-volatile data memory, for example a read-only memory, ROM, a programmable read-only memory, PROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM, a flash memory or flash EEPROM, a ferroelectric random access memory, FRAM, a magnetoresistive random access memory, MRAM, or a phase-change random access memory, PCRAM.

[0023] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The feature and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the feature and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone may be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitutes a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplarily embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0025] The drawings shows in: [0026] Fig. 1 a schematic side view according to a motor vehicle carrier vehicle with a carried motor vehicle, wherein a method according to the invention is performed.

[0027] Fog. 2 a schematic flowchart according to an embodiment of a method.

[0028] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0030] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0031] The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by "comprises" or "comprise" does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0032] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10, wherein the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 is carrying three motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c. In particular, this is just an example, the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 may carry more than the three shown motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c. Each of the carried motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c comprises a passenger infotainment device 14. The motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 as shown is in particular provided as a ferry.

[0034] The invention is now described in more detail for a first motor vehicle 12a. It is obvious for a person skilled in the art, that the invention is also adaptable for a second motor vehicle 12b as well as a third motor vehicle 12c.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the invention a communication link 16 between a first communication device 18 of the passenger infotainment system 14 and a second communication device 20 of the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 is established. Transmitting a first data signal 22 from the first communication device 18 to the second communication device 20 and/or transmitting a second data signal 24 from the second communication device 20 to the first communication device 18 is performed.

[0036] In particular, the communication link 16 may be established with a local area network. In particular, Fig. 1 shows that, since the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 and the carried motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c are independent entities, information and control functionalities are not available to passengers 26 of the carried vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c. Therefore, this invention aims to restore passenger information and control functions by enabling the communication link 16 between the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 and the carried motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c.

[0037] The enabled functionalities may include, but are not limited to displaying the carrier vehicle's navigation information on the carried motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c, in particular on displays from the infotainment device 14. Furthermore, summoning attendants that are onboard the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 may be provided. Furthermore, stop requests from the passengers 26 to the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 may be transmitted. Locking and unlocking signals from the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 to the motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c may be transmitted, when appropriate to balance passenger safety and freedom. Furthermore, audio and visual communication relayed by the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 to the carried motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c may be provided, for example in the form of safety demonstration videos. Furthermore, establishing audio or video calls between the motor vehicle carrier vehicle attendants and the passengers 26, for example requests for assistance, may be provided. It is also possible to provide an internet or infotainment access to the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10. Furthermore, ordering food for delivery or pick-up may be provided. Furthermore, providing information or sensor data from the carried motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c to the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 may be performed, for example an information about capacity, occupied spots, weight distribution, space between carried vehicles and furthermore.

[0038] To use these functionalities, the passengers 26 may interact with the infotainment device 14 and control devices that are integrated with the carried motor vehicles 12a, 12b, 12c, for example dashboard touchscreens.

[0039] While road vehicles on car ferries were used as a useful example, it is obvious, that this invention may also be applied to any combination of carrier or carried motor vehicle types.

[0040] The communication may take advantage of wired or wireless network protocols. For example, it can utilize a local Wi-Fi network. Alternatively, it can utilize the vehicle-2everything communication protocols. Vehicle-2-everything communication is a broad term that contains vehicle-2-vehicle and vehicle-2-infrastructure communication.

[0041] Fig. 2 shows a schematic flowchart according to an embodiment of the method. In a first step S1 the communication link 16 is established. In a second step S2 the first data signal is transmitted. Alternatively or additionally in a third step S3 the second data signal is transmitted. For example only, as the first signal 22 a stop request of the passenger of the carried motor vehicle 12a -12c may be transmitted. Furthermore, as the first signal 22 a locking signal and/or an unlocking signal for a door of the carried motor vehicle 12a -12c may be transmitted. Furthermore, for example, as the second signal 24 a navigation information from the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 is transmitted.

[0042] For example, the motor vehicle 12a -12c may arrive on board the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10. The communication link 16 between the first communication device 18 and the second communication device 20 may be established via local area network. A request as the first data signal 22 in order to receive a current navigation of the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 may be transmitted from the motor vehicle 12a -12c to the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10. A current navigation from the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 may be transmitted as the second data signal 24 from the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10 to the motor vehicle 12a-12c, in order to be displayed on a display device of the motor vehicle 12a -12c. Therefore, the passenger of the motor vehicle 12a -12c may get current navigation information from the motor vehicle carrier vehicle 10.

List of Reference Signs motor vehicle carrier vehicle 12a-12c carried motor vehicles 14 infotainment device 16 communication link 18 first communication device second communication device 22 first data 24 second data 26 passenger S1 -S3 steps of the method

Claims

Mercedes-Benz Group AGCLAIMS1. A method for operating a passenger infotainment device (14) of a motor vehicle (12a -12c) carried by a motor vehicle carrier vehicle (10), comprising the steps of: - establishing a communication link (16) between a first communication device (18) of the passenger infotainment device (14) and a second communication device (20) of the motor vehicle carrier vehicle (10) to exchange data and commands between the two communication devices (18, 20); - transmitting a first data signal (22) from the first communication device (18) to the second communication device (20); and/or - transmitting a second data signal (24) from the second communication device (20) to the first communication device (18).
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication link (16) is established with a local area network.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that as the second signal (24) a navigation information from the motor vehicle carrier vehicle (10) is transmitted.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that as the first signal (22) a stop request of a passenger (26) of the carried motor vehicle (12a -12c) is transmitted.
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that as the first signal (22) a locking signal and/or an unlocking signal for a door of the carried motor vehicle (12a -12c) is transmitted.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that via the second signal (24) an access to a public network is provided for the carried motor vehicle (12a -12c).
7. A computer program product comprising program code means for performing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least the computer program product according to claim 7.
9. A passenger infotainment device (14) of a motor vehicle (12a -12c), comprising at least a first communication device (18), wherein the passenger infotainment device is configured for performing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.