KR102605751B1 - Installation of communication profiles on the vehicle's board - Google Patents

Abstract

Within the vehicle with the communication unit, an ID is stored that identifies a communication profile for the communication network. The method includes determining whether a vehicle is within a predetermined geographic area; and if the vehicle is within the predetermined geographical area, downloading from the remote computer system a communication profile identified by the ID and comprising, for example, an eSIM-profile; and installing a communication profile within the communication network for communication of the communication unit.

Description

Installation of communication profiles on the vehicle's board

The present invention relates to installing a communication profile on a vehicle board. In particular, the present invention relates to installation taking into account local conditions.

The automobile includes a communication unit capable of communicating with a remote location via a wireless communication network. This makes it possible, for example, to make an automatic emergency call, use Internet services on board the vehicle, or improve control of the car by means of cloud services. Communication networks typically include mobile wireless communication networks, and in order to use this network, a fee typically must be paid to the network provider. The unique subscriber ID is on a SIM-card, which can be installed in the communication unit according to the traditional method. The subscriber ID may be provided by the provider of the mobile wireless network and enables communication within the provider's subnetwork and possibly within another subnetwork with which the provider has agreed to exchange data (“roaming”). In cases where different and mutually independent mobile wireless providers must be used, multiple subscriber IDs can be stored in the car and a suitable ID can be selected for each. However, costs may also be incurred for unused subscriber IDs, which may make such a solution uneconomical as the number of subscriber IDs increases. On the other hand, if the vehicle is individualized for the intended regional market by using appropriate communication profiles at the time of production, this situation can increase the complexity of the vehicle during manufacture and make the vehicle fully usable in multiple regions. can make it difficult.

The problem underlying the present invention is to provide an improved technique for installing communication profiles on the board of a vehicle. The present invention solves this problem by taking advantage of the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims reproduce preferred embodiments.

Within the vehicle with the communication unit, an ID is stored that identifies a communication profile for the communication network. According to a first aspect of the invention, a method includes determining whether a vehicle is within a predetermined geographic area; and if the vehicle is within the predetermined geographic area, downloading the communication profile identified by the ID from the remote computer system; and installing a communication profile within the communication network for communication of the communication unit.

Communication profiles are typically assigned to communication providers that enable communication only within a designated area. By installing communication profiles later, vehicles can be manufactured that are provided without regional usage restrictions.

The ID itself may not be available for communication, but may enable downloading of a communication profile. Assignment between an ID and a communication profile may be made at any time prior to utilizing the communication network, for example, before or during vehicle production, after production, during delivery to the customer, or upon transfer to the customer. As a result, the location of use of the vehicle may be selected only after the vehicle has been manufactured. This may facilitate capacity planning in vehicle manufacturing. Vehicles can be equipped with improved versions of the same components for use in different regions.

In one embodiment, it is determined that the vehicle is located within a scheduled geographic area if the intended communications provider has a communications network available. In other words, before the vehicle attempts to communicate, it can check whether the intended communication provider is reachable. In this case, the communication profile assigned to the communication provider can be installed and activated in the manner described. Availability checking allows a communication profile to be activated where it is available. This test is simple and reliable. Immediate response can be made to changes in the geographic area supported by the telecommunications provider.

In another embodiment, a location detection unit of the vehicle is used to determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined geographic area. For this purpose, the position detection unit may output a signal to the communication unit indicating whether the vehicle is within a predetermined geographical area. The position detection unit may indicate the vehicle's residence within one of a plurality of areas that overlap each other. This allows the appropriate ID to be found quickly and simply. The processing load of the communication device can be kept low.

One or more further communication profiles may be installed within the vehicle for use by the communication unit. This alternative communication profile can preferably be used in cases where the vehicle is not located in an area where another communication profile must be used. For example, another communications profile may be assigned to a communications provider that provides communications globally in multiple areas. If there are countries in which the telecommunication provider is not active, and there also in the long term corresponding data exchange ("roaming") cannot be carried out, the ID may be stored for communication within this country, and only by the telecommunication provider in this country. It can be connected to the communication profile assigned to. Examples of such countries may include, for example, Brazil or Turkey.

For downloading of a scheduled communication profile, another communication profile installed for the communication unit can be used. Downloading may occur over a wireless communications network. In this way, the communication profile can be downloaded even when unauthorized use of the communication network to download the communication profile is not possible.

The downloaded communication profile may be selectively, permanently, additionally and/or exclusively activated and/or used for communication. In practice, all possible combinations of a communication profile and another communication profile may be supported.

The communication unit may be designed to support transmission of data and/or voice communication. The communication profile preferably includes an eSIM-profile. eSIM stands for embeddedSIM and refers to a communication profile that is not connected to a physical data carrier such as a SIM-card, but rather can be exchanged electronically. SIM stands for “subscriber identity module” (eg subscriber identity module) and records information necessary for use of the mobile wireless network on the end user side.

According to another aspect of the invention, a vehicle includes a communication unit and an interface to a wireless communication network. In this case, an ID that identifies a communication profile for the communication network is stored within the vehicle, and the communication unit sends the communication profile determined by the ID to a remote computer system to check whether the vehicle is within a predetermined geographical area. It is designed to be downloaded from and installed within a communications network for communication by communications units.

The communication unit may be a fixed or integrated part of the vehicle. Vehicles may particularly include automobiles, for example motorcycles or passenger cars.

A communication unit may be designed to implement, in whole or in part, the methods described herein. For this purpose, the communication unit may comprise a programmable microcomputer or microcontroller, and the method may be in the form of a computer program product with program code means. The computer program product may also be stored on a computer-readable data carrier. The features or advantages of this method can be applied to the communication unit and vice versa.

According to another aspect of the invention, a system for dynamically assigning and installing predetermined communication profiles for communication units includes a vehicle as described herein; and remote computer systems. In this case, the remote computer system is designed to have a number of predetermined communication profiles and to provide one or more assigned communication profiles in response to a received ID.

The invention will now be described more precisely with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 shows the system, and
Figure 2 shows a flow chart of the method.

1 shows a system 100 including a vehicle 105 and a remote location 110. The vehicle 105 is exemplarily designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger vehicle, and includes a communication unit 115 which is preferably permanently installed on board the vehicle 105 . The communication unit 115 preferably includes a processing unit 120, a data memory 125, a storage space 130 for accommodating the communication profile 135 and, in particular, an optional interface that can be connected with the position detection unit 145. 140) and a wireless interface 150 for connection to a communication network 155. The remote location 110 preferably includes a processing unit 160 and a data memory 165, and is more preferably connected to a communications network 155 by a wired or wireless interface 170.

Communication unit 115 is designed to enable communication through communication network 155. A device to be communicated with or a service for the board of the vehicle 105 may be connected through the interface 140, for example. A communication partner may include any device directly or indirectly connected to the communication network 155, such as a server, a service within a cloud, an infrastructure device, or another vehicle 105.

The telecommunications network 155 is typically operated by multiple telecommunication providers (also: supplier, provider, operator) and is subdivided into various regions which may have administrative, politically or technologically driven restrictions. One supplier may be assigned one or multiple regions. If an end user, such as vehicle 105, wishes to use communications network 155, he must use communications profile 135, which can typically be obtained from one of the providers. Communication profile 135 may be used, for example, for accurate data transmission to or from a mobile end-user, or may be used for payment for requested services on communication network 155.

In order to use the communication profile 135, the communication profile must typically be loaded into the storage space 130 and activated. Communication profile 135 may initially be used only with the issuing provider, resulting in the end user's communications being limited to the area allocated to the issuing provider. However, a provider can agree to exchange data with another provider, resulting in the end user being able to communicate as a guest in areas assigned to his or her issuing provider and other providers.

For example, for technical, economic or political reasons, communication by an end user using the intended communication profile 135 of the intended provider may not be possible within the intended area or may not be possible in the long term. In this case, in order to enable communication, another communication profile 135 assigned to a provider capable of operating within that area must be activated.

For this purpose, it is proposed to store the ID 175 for example in the data memory 125 of the communication unit 115 . Once it is confirmed that a vehicle is within an area that requires the scheduled communication profile 135 indicated by ID 175, the communication profile 135 assigned to ID 175 will be downloaded from the remote location 110 into the vehicle 105. You can. Different communication profiles 135 may be used for communication with remote locations 110. A determination of whether vehicle 105 is within a predetermined area may be made based on the availability of a predetermined telecommunication provider or based on the specific geographic location of vehicle 105 relative to the geographic boundary of this area. . The availability of a telecommunications provider may be determined by receiving a radio signal from a transmitting flagpole carrying the predetermined ID of the telecommunications provider.

Within data memory 165 at remote location 110, there may be a plurality of different communication profiles 135. The communication profile 135 is preferably obtained from the provider at an earlier point in time, and more preferably is active, i.e., can be used directly. One of these communication profiles 135 may already be assigned to ID 175. In one embodiment, assignment of an ID 175 to a communication profile 135 occurs only when a request is received for the vehicle 105 to download the communication profile 135 at a remote location 110. In this case, a communication profile 135 that corresponds as much as possible to the requirements description of the vehicle 105 may be selected. The requirements description may include, among other things, a description of the identity of the provider, region, or intended service, for example, a description of the exchange of data, language, or both.

The assigned communication profile 135 can be back-transmitted to vehicle 105, where it is stored in storage space 130 and activated. Vehicle 105 can then communicate by communication unit 115 over communication network 155 using the downloaded communication profile 135.

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of a method 200 that may be practiced, particularly in combination with the system 100 shown in Figure 1. For improved illustration, the method 200 shown in the figures begins at one point in the production of vehicle 105.

At step “205,” vehicle 105 may be manufactured or completed. At step “210”, before or after the communication unit 115 is mounted within the vehicle 105 at step “215”, an ID 175 is determined and loaded into the data memory 125 of the communication unit 115. It can be. At this point, ID 175 may already be assigned a communication profile 135, which may be provided by a communication provider for this purpose. Communication profile 135 may be stored within data memory 165 at remote location 110 until requested. In another embodiment, ID 175 generally indicates a communication profile 135 of remote location 110, but no specific selection of communication profile 135 has yet been made, It's still unspecified. Vehicle 105 may be completed without installing or configuring any part to secure vehicle 105 in the area in which it is to be used. For example, vehicle 105 could be produced as one of many in the North American continent while also being provided for use within Asia.

In step “220” the vehicle may be sent to its destination, for example by ship. Since the vehicle 105 is not fixed to one area of the globe, at least with regard to its communication capabilities, the destination may only be determined at a later date or may change from Asia to South America, for example. At step “230”, vehicle 105 may be delivered or operated.

At step “230”, the communication unit 115 may optionally determine whether it is within a predefined area where another already activated communication profile 135 is unavailable or permanently unavailable. For this purpose, the position of the vehicle 105 can be determined by the position detection unit 145 and compared with the boundaries of the predetermined area. The comparison can be made either on the position detection unit 145 side or on the processing device 120 side. Alternatively, the identity of the communication provider may be determined within a wireless signal that may be received by wireless interface 150.

If the comparison results are negative, i.e. the vehicle 105 is not within the predetermined area, a general communication profile 135 that may already be loaded in the storage space 130 may be used. Otherwise, in other words, if it is determined that vehicle 105 is within the predetermined area, an appropriate communication profile 135 may be downloaded from remote location 110 at step “240”. For this purpose, ID 175 may be retrieved from data memory 125 and added to the request for download. The request may be transmitted to a remote location 110, for example, via communications network 155. In cases where the communication network does not allow anonymous transmission of requests, communication may be made based on another communication profile 135. Remote location 110 may respond by providing the requested communication profile 135. As is generally the case, communications for requesting or downloading the communication profile 135 may be secured by encryption methods.

In step “245”, the downloaded communication profile 135 can be loaded into the storage space 130 and activated. Communication with the communication network 155 can then be accomplished using the downloaded communication profile 135.

100: System
105: vehicle
110: remote location
115: communication unit
120: processing device
125: data memory
130: storage space
135: Communication profile
140: interface
145: Position detection unit
150: wireless interface
155: communication network
160: processing device
165: data memory
170: interface
175:ID
200: method
205: Manufacturing vehicles
210: Provide ID
215: Install communication unit
220: Transporting vehicles by ship
225: Delivering vehicle
230: Current area = planned area?
235: Use general communication profile
240: Download scheduled communication profile
245: Use scheduled communication profile

Claims (10)

A method (200) for dynamically assigning and installing a predetermined communication profile (135) for a communication unit (115) of a vehicle (105), comprising:
- In the vehicle 105, an ID 175 is stored, which identifies the intended communication profile 135 for the communication network 155, which ID 175 is stored in the vehicle 105 at the time of production. stored in vehicle 105,
- determining (230) whether the vehicle (105) is within a predetermined geographical area; and
- if the vehicle (105) is within a predetermined geographical area, downloading (240) from a remote computer system (110) a predetermined communication profile (135) identified by an ID (175) from a plurality of different communication profiles; and installing a communication profile in the communication network 155 for communication of the communication unit 115 (245).
Method 200, including. 2. The method (200) of claim 1, comprising determining (230) that a vehicle (105) is within a predetermined geographic area if a predetermined communications provider for the communications network (155) is available. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, comprising determining (230) whether the vehicle (105) is within a predetermined geographical area, using a position detection unit (145) of the vehicle (105), The method (200) wherein the location detection unit (145) outputs a signal to the communication unit (115) indicating that the vehicle (105) is within a predetermined geographic area. The method (200) of claim 1, wherein one or more further communication profiles (135) are installed in the vehicle (105) for use by the communication unit (115). 5. The method of claim 4, wherein for the downloading of the intended communication profile (135), another communication profile (135) installed for the communication unit (115) is used and/or the downloading takes place via a wireless communication network (155). Method (200). The method (200) of claim 1, wherein the downloaded communication profile (135) is optionally, permanently, additionally or exclusively used for activation or communication. The method (200) of claim 1, wherein the communication unit (115) is designed to support transmission of data and/or voice communication. The method (200) of claim 1, wherein the communication profile (135) comprises an eSIM-profile. A vehicle (105) having a communication unit (115) and an interface to a wireless communication network (155), comprising:
- In the vehicle 105, an ID 175 is stored, which identifies the intended communication profile 135 for the communication network 155, which ID 175 is stored in the vehicle 105 at the time of production. stored in vehicle 105,
- the communication unit 115 to check whether the vehicle 105 is within a predetermined geographical area,
- and if the vehicle 105 is within a predetermined geographical area, to download from the remote computer system 110 the predetermined communication profile 135 determined by the ID 175 out of a plurality of different communication profiles, and the communication unit 115 A vehicle (105) designed to install a communication profile within a communication network (155) for communication. A system (100) for dynamically assigning and installing a scheduled communication profile (135) for a communication unit (115), comprising:
- vehicles (105) according to paragraph 9; and
- A remote computer system (110) designed to have a plurality of scheduled communication profiles (135) and to provide one or more assigned communication profiles (135) in response to a received ID (175).
System 100, including.