System and method for data offloading and uploading to exchange data between nodes of a vehicle traffic infrastructure system

A vehicle comprising:

• a sensor configured to sense a location along a route;
• a processor;
• a communication device;
• and
• a computer readable medium having programming instructions that, when executed, will cause the processor to:
• receive a data payload for a smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• during a run of the vehicle, determine when the vehicle is or will be within communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• determine a length of time that the vehicle will be in a communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• assemble a first communication package with at least a portion of the data payload,
• while the vehicle has an ad hoc communication link with the smart traffic control infrastructure node, cause the communication device to transmit the first communication package to the smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• detect that a peer data carrier device is within the communication range of the vehicle,
• determine a second length of time that the peer data carrier device will be in communication with the vehicle,
• assemble a second communication package with at least a second portion of the data payload that can be transmitted to the peer data carrier device during the determined second length of time, and
• cause the communication device of the vehicle to engage in a peer-to-peer communication session with the peer data carrier device and transfer the second communication package to the peer data carrier device during the session.

A method of transferring data between an autonomous vehicle and a vehicle traffic control infrastructure system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a communication device of a vehicle, a data payload for a smart traffic control infrastructure node;
• by a computing device of the vehicle:
• determining that the vehicle is or will be within a communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• determining a length of time that the vehicle will be in the communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node, and
• assembling a first communication package with at least a portion of the data payload that can be transferred in the determined length of time;
• and
• by a communication device of the vehicle when the vehicle has an ad hoc communication link with the smart traffic control infrastructure node, transmitting the first communication package to the smart traffic control infrastructure node;
• by the smart traffic control infrastructure node:
• receiving, by a communication device of the smart traffic control infrastructure node, the first communication package,
• updating, by a processor of the smart traffic control infrastructure node, memory or software of the smart node with the received portion of the data payload in the first communication package, and
• tracking, by the processor of the smart traffic control infrastructure node, an identifier associated with the received portion of the data payload;
• wherein:
• the vehicle travels a route,
• the route includes repeating a route portion of the route along which the smart traffic control infrastructure node is located, and
• the method further comprises:
• by the computing device of the vehicle, while the vehicle is repeating the route portion of the route:
• detecting that the vehicle is within the communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node;
• determining that the data payload includes a second portion that was not transmitted to the smart traffic control infrastructure node in the assembled communication package;
• and
• assembling a second communication package with the second portion of the data payload for transmission, and
• by the communication device of the vehicle, transmitting the second communication package with the second portion to the smart traffic control infrastructure node while the vehicle is repeating the route portion and within the communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node.

A vehicle comprising:

• a sensor configured to sense a location along a route;
• a processor;
• a communication device;
• and
• a computer readable medium having programming instructions that, when executed, will cause the processor to:
• receive a data payload for a smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• during a run of the vehicle, determine when the vehicle is or will be within communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• determine a length of time that the vehicle will be in a communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• assemble a first communication package with at least a portion of the data payload,
• while the vehicle has an ad hoc communication link with the smart traffic control infrastructure node, cause the communication device to transmit the first communication package to the smart traffic control infrastructure node,
• track an amount of data of the data payload transferred to the smart traffic control infrastructure node, and
• while the vehicle is repeating a portion of the route that is within communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node:
• detect that the vehicle is again within the communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node;
• determine that the data payload includes a second portion that was not transmitted to the smart traffic control infrastructure node in the assembled communication package;
• assemble a second communication package with the second portion of the data payload for transmission;
• and
• cause the communication device to transmit the second communication package with the second portion of the data payload to the smart traffic control infrastructure node while the vehicle is repeating the portion of the route that is within the communication range of the smart traffic control infrastructure node.