Speedy delivery of communication to a vehicle

• US 20030158946A1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Arunkumar, Uma
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and a computer program on a computer readable medium are provided for speedy delivery of a communication for a customer from a server to a client vehicle communication unit (VCU) installed in a vehicle of the customer, by establishing a connection between the server and the client VCU, and acquiring an ignition status from the client VCU as an indication of whether the customer is available in the vehicle for receiving the communication. The communication may be delivered immediately upon acquiring an IGNITION ON status. The message is stored if an IGNITION OFF status is acquired, and available for immediate delivery when the ignition is next turned on.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a communication for a customer from a server to a client vehicle communication unit (VCU) installed in a vehicle of the customer, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between the server and the client VCU; and

acquiring an ignition status from the client VCU as an indication of whether the customer is available in the vehicle for receiving the communication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is one of the group consisting of a voicemail message, a facsimile (FAX), an E-mail message, and a transfer of data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein delivering the communication further comprises annunciating the type of communication available for delivery.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering the communication to the client VCU upon acquiring an IGNITION ON status.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein delivering the communication further comprises:

the client VCU annunciating delivery of the communication prior to actual delivery of the communication; and

delaying actual delivery of the communication until the customer initiates delivery of the communication at the client VCU.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein annunciating the communication includes broadcasting an audible message to the customer inside the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the customer initiates delivery with a verbal command.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising delaying delivery of the communication to the client VCU upon acquiring an IGNITION OFF status.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising storing the communication at the server upon acquiring an IGNITION OFF status.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising periodically attempting to establish a connection for updating the ignition status with the client VCU when an undelivered communication is stored at the server.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising storing an indication at the client VCU of a communication awaiting delivery from the server.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising annunciating in the vehicle the indication of a communication awaiting delivery at the server, upon the client VCU acquiring an IGNITION ON status.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the communication at the client VCU upon acquiring an IGNITION OFF status.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising also storing the communication at the server.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising delivering the communication to the customer upon the client VCU acquiring an IGNITION ON status.

16. An apparatus for delivering a communication for a customer from a server to a client vehicle communication unit (VCU) installed in a vehicle of the customer, the apparatus comprising:

means for establishing a connection between the server and the client VCU; and

means for acquiring an ignition status from the client VCU as an indication of whether the customer is available in the vehicle for receiving the communication.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means for delivering the communication to the customer upon acquiring an IGNITION ON status.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means for storing the communication until an IGNITION ON status is acquired.

19. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for delivering a communication for a customer from a server to a client vehicle communication unit (VCU) installed in a vehicle of the customer, the computer program comprising:

computer readable code for establishing a connection between the server and the client VCU; and

computer readable code for acquiring an ignition status from the client VCU as an indication of whether the customer is available in the vehicle for receiving the communication.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer program further comprises computer readable code for delivering the communication to the customer upon acquiring an IGNITION ON status.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer program further comprises computer readable code for storing the communication until an IGNITION ON status is acquired.