Satellite provisioning of cell service
First Claim
1. A carrier independent telematics control unit, comprising:
- a telematics processor; and
a cellular modem communicatively connected to the telematics processor and provided in a LTE/HSPA and GPS module, the cellular modem including a first SIM card associated with a first carrier network and a second SIM card associated with a second carrier network;
wherein;
the telematics processor is configured to receive and send first provisioning data to the cellular modem, andthe cellular modem is configured to receive the first provisioning data from the telematics processor and based on the first provisioning data;
select the first SIM card, wherein the first SIM card is a non-active SIM card,program the first SIM card,restart using the non-active first SIM card, andestablish a wireless communication channel via the first carrier network using the first SIM card.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Satellite provisioning of cell service for an in-vehicle telematics control unit (“TCU”) is presented. Thus, a truly carrier independent TCU is facilitated. A TCU may be provided with a cellular modem and two or more SIM cards, each associated with a cellular carrier that has approved the modem and their SIM card. The TCU may also be provided with connectivity to a satellite, such as, for example, via an SDARS antenna and processing module, that can receive and process SDARS audio and data signals. When a user desires to change from one of the cellular carriers to another, provisioning data for the new carrier'"'"'s SIM, now already in the telematics system, may be (i) sent over the satellite, (ii) received at the satellite antenna, and (iii) passed to a telematics processor. The telematics processor, in turn, may (iv) deliver the provisioning data to the cell modem, which may then (v) program the appropriate SIM with the provisioning data, thus allowing cellular communications on the new carrier'"'"'s network. The inventive functionality facilitates easily switching carriers as one crosses a border, or when a new vehicle is imported to a given country, and cellular service then or there available on one of the approved carriers is easily chosen by a user and turned on. The TCU may also include a Wi-Fi module, configured to receive provisioning instructions or data over a Wi-Fi network.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A carrier independent telematics control unit, comprising:
-
a telematics processor; and a cellular modem communicatively connected to the telematics processor and provided in a LTE/HSPA and GPS module, the cellular modem including a first SIM card associated with a first carrier network and a second SIM card associated with a second carrier network; wherein; the telematics processor is configured to receive and send first provisioning data to the cellular modem, and the cellular modem is configured to receive the first provisioning data from the telematics processor and based on the first provisioning data; select the first SIM card, wherein the first SIM card is a non-active SIM card, program the first SIM card, restart using the non-active first SIM card, and establish a wireless communication channel via the first carrier network using the first SIM card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method, comprising:
providing a telematics unit in a vehicle, the unit comprising; a telematics processor; a cellular modem communicatively connected to the telematics processor and provided in a LTE/HSPA and GPS module, the cellular modem including a first SIM card associated with a first carrier network and a second SIM card associated with a second carrier network; and a satellite module, including an antenna, connected to the telematics processor, wherein the satellite module is configured to receive the provisioning data and send the provisioning data to the telematics processor, and wherein the cellular modem is configured to; receive the provisioning data from the telematics processor and based on the provisioning data; select the first SIM card, wherein the first SIM card is a non-currently used SIM card program the first SIM card, and establish a wireless communication channel via the first carrier network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
15. A method, comprising:
-
receiving, by a computing system, information indicative of a change of ownership associated with a vehicle comprising a telematics control unit, wherein the telematics control unit is provisioned with a first carrier network; determining, by the computing system, a second carrier network associated with a new owner of the vehicle; sending, by the computing system and to a satellite, instructions to provide provisioning data and provisioning instructions associated with the second carrier network, to the telematics control unit; and causing the telematics control unit to establish a wireless communication channel via the second carrier network, wherein the telematics control unit comprises; a telematics processor; a cellular modem communicatively connected to the telematics processor and comprising a first SIM card and a second SIM card, wherein the first SIM card is associated with the first carrier network and the second SIM card is associated with the second carrier network; and a satellite module, including an antenna, connected to the telematics processor, wherein the satellite module is configured to receive the provisioning data and the provisioning instructions and send the provisioning data and the provisioning instructions to the telematics processor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A method, comprising:
-
sending, by a computing system and to a telematics control unit, via a Wi-Fi network, first provisioning data for an in-vehicle cellular modem, the telematics control unit including; a telematics processor; a cellular modem communicatively connected to the telematics processor and provided in a LTE/HSPA and GPS module, the cellular modem comprising two or more SIM cards, wherein each of the two or more SIM cards are respectively associated with a different carrier network; a Wi-Fi module and a Wi-Fi antenna, connected to the telematics processor, wherein the Wi-Fi module is configured to receive the first, provisioning data for the cellular modem via the Wi-Fi network and send the first provisioning data to the telematics processor, and wherein the cellular modem is configured to; receive the first provisioning data from the telematics processor and based on the first provisioning data; select a first SIM card of the two or more SIM cards, wherein the first SIM card is a non-active SIM card, program the first SIM card, and establish a wireless communication channel via a first carrier network associated with the first SIM card. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification