Method of activating an in-vehicle wireless communication device

• US 20040023647A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Mazzara, William E. Jr., Austin, Stephen C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,292,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1853 Satellite systems for providing telephony service to a mobile station, i.e. mobile satellite service for selecting H04W

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for activating an in-vehicle wireless communication device. A mobile identification number associated with the wireless communication device is provided. A broadcast signal containing the mobile identification number and a satellite radio subscriber identifier is received at an in-vehicle satellite radio receiver. The mobile identification number is stored in the wireless communication device based on the satellite radio subscriber identifier.

Claims

1. A method of activating an in-vehicle wireless communication device, comprising:

providing a mobile identification number associated with the wireless communication device;

receiving a broadcast signal containing the mobile identification number and a satellite radio subscriber identifier at an in-vehicle satellite radio receiver; and

storing the mobile identification number in the wireless communication device based on the satellite radio subscriber identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile identification number is provided by one of a wireless service provider or a telematics call center based on a number selected from the group consisting of an electronic serial number associated with the wireless communication device, an electronic serial number associated with a telematics unit containing the wireless communication device, or a vehicle identification number associated with the mobile vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast signal is received at the mobile vehicle from one of a geostationary satellite or a terrestrial radio transmitter of a satellite radio service.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending the mobile identification number and the satellite radio subscriber identifier to a satellite radio service provider; and

uplinking the mobile identification number and the satellite radio subscriber identifier to one of a geostationary satellite or a terrestrial radio transmitter of the satellite radio service provider.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a wireless communication parameter; and

storing the wireless communication parameter in the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the wireless communication parameter is selected from the group consisting of a home system identifier, a mobile identification number, a call number, a preferred roaming list, a preferred roaming list flag, a configuration flag, and a configuration parameter.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an activation flag; and

transmitting a wireless communication parameter using one of an over-the-air service protocol or an air interface function based on the activation flag.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing a wireless call to one of a wireless service provider or a call center to verify activation of the wireless communication device.

9. A computer usable medium including a program to activate an in-vehicle wireless communication device, comprising:

computer program code to receive a broadcast signal containing the mobile identification number and a satellite radio subscriber identifier at an in-vehicle satellite radio receiver; and

computer program code to store the mobile identification number in the wireless communication device based on the satellite radio subscriber identifier.

10. The computer usable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code to provide a mobile identification number associated with the wireless communication device.

11. The computer usable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code to send the mobile identification number and the satellite radio subscriber identifier to a satellite radio service provider; and

computer program code to upload the mobile identification number and the satellite radio subscriber identifier to one of a geostationary satellite or a terrestrial radio transmitter of the satellite radio service provider.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code to receive a wireless communication parameter; and

computer program code to store the wireless communication parameter in the wireless communication device.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code to receive an activation flag; and

computer program code to transmit a wireless communication parameter using one of an over-the-air service protocol or an air interface function based on the activation flag.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code to place a wireless call to one of a wireless service provider or a call center to verify activation of the wireless communication device.

15. A system for activating an in-vehicle wireless communication device, comprising:

means for receiving a broadcast signal containing the mobile identification number and a satellite radio subscriber identifier at an in-vehicle satellite radio receiver; and

means for storing the mobile identification number in the wireless communication device based on the satellite radio subscriber identifier.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for providing a mobile identification number associated with the wireless communication device.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for sending the mobile identification number and the satellite radio subscriber identifier to a satellite radio service provider; and

means for uplinking the mobile identification number and the satellite radio subscriber identifier to one of a geostationary satellite or a terrestrial radio transmitter of the satellite radio service provider.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for receiving a wireless communication parameter; and

means for storing the wireless communication parameter in the wireless communication device.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for receiving an activation flag; and

means for transmitting a wireless communication parameter using one of an over-the-air service protocol or an air interface function based on the activation flag.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for placing a wireless call to one of a wireless service provider or a call center to verify activation of the wireless communication device.