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Systems and methods for third party satellite radio activation and management

  • US 10,592,974 B2
  • Filed: 10/18/2013
  • Issued: 03/17/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for managing an installed satellite radio in a rental vehicle, the system comprising:

  • a vehicle rental service company fleet comprising a plurality of vehicles available for use by one or more customers of said vehicle service company, at least some of said plurality of vehicles equipped with an installed satellite radio, each installed satellite radio with a unique identification number and configured to operate in an lockable active mode wherein said satellite radio receives signals to unlock and lock access to satellite radio services, respectively;

    a reservation system with one or more servers configured to create vehicle rental reservations in response to customer inquiries, wherein the reservations include a check-out time, a check-in time and a designation of whether satellite radio services are requested;

    a reservation management system including a processor configured to review rental reservations, identify reservations that include a satellite services designation and generate request messages relating to installed satellite radios in vehicles assigned to the identified rental reservations;

    a server associated with the reservation management system, connected via a network connection to a satellite radio service provider, configured to transmit said request messages relating to said installed satellite radios to the satellite radio service provider;

    a server associated with the satellite radio service provider, configured to receive said request messages directly from the reservation management system server independent of said customers via the network connection, identify the satellite radios associated with the request messages, and cause the satellite radio service provider to transmit appropriate signals to each identified satellite radio, thereby enabling rental customers that have requested satellite radio services from the reservation management system in connection with a vehicle rental to receive satellite radio service in the vehicle associated with the reservation during the rental period without said rental customers providing information to the satellite radio service provider, further wherein the transmissions from the satellite radio service provider to said satellite radios are one-way;

    further wherein satellite radio services are provided in the rental vehicles without said rental customers having a satellite radio subscription;

    further wherein said request messages comprise one or more of the following;

    an unlock message to send a signal to unlock the identified satellite radio;

    an extend message to extend the period of time the identified satellite radio is unlocked;

    a rehit message to resend a signal to unlock the identified satellite radio; and

    an exchange message to transfer the unlocked status from the identified satellite radio to a substitute satellite radio;

    further wherein each said installed satellite radio does not transmit or send signals to the satellite radio service provider directly or indirectly to unlock the identified satellite radio to enable rental customers to receive satellite radio service in the vehicle associated with the reservation during the rental period.

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