Telematics device and method of operation

• US 20040198466A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stavropoulos, Mark, Grivas, Nick J., Walby, James
• Application Number:
  US10/339,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198466A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A method of operating a telematics device includes a control unit (106) communicating an ignition status (139) of a vehicle (103) to a wireless device (104). The wireless device detects the ignition status and determines if a low-power mode (109) is available. If the low-power mode is available, the wireless device can communicate a low-power mode available signal (204) to the control unit. Upon receipt of the low-power mode available signal, the control unit communicates a shutdown time (206) to the wireless device and enters a power-off status (105). The wireless device enters the low-power mode and monitors for a power-on condition (115).

Claims

1. A method of operating a telematics device, comprising:

a control unit communicating an ignition status of a vehicle to a wireless device

the wireless device detecting the ignition status;

the wireless device determining if a low-power mode is available;

if the low-power mode is available, the wireless device communicating a low-power mode available signal to the control unit;

upon receipt of the low-power mode available signal, the control unit communicating a shutdown time to the wireless device;

the control unit entering a power-off status;

the wireless device entering the low-power mode; and

the wireless device monitoring for a power-on condition.

2. The method of claim 1, if the low-power mode is unavailable, the control unit powering-on the wireless device at a periodic interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the power-on condition comprises receiving a request for a control unit resource.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power-on condition comprises the shutdown time expiring.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the power-on condition comprises the low-power mode becoming unavailable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-power mode is available to the wireless device when a digital wireless communication signal is available to the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receipt of the power-on condition, the wireless device communicating a power-on signal to the control unit, and wherein the control unit enters a power-on status.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is an embedded wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a portable wireless device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the control unit receiving a request for a control unit resource, wherein the request for the control unit resource bypasses the wireless device, and wherein the control unit enters a power-on status independent of the wireless device.

11. In a wireless device, a method of operating a telematics device, comprising:

receiving an ignition off status from a control unit;

determining if a low-power mode is available;

if the low-power mode is available, the wireless device communicating a low-power mode available signal to the control unit;

receiving a shutdown time from the control unit;

entering the low-power mode; and

monitoring for a power-on condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the low-power mode is available to the wireless device when a digital wireless communication signal is available to the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising upon receipt of the power-on condition, the wireless device communicating a power-on signal to the control unit.

14. In a control unit, a method of operating a telematics device, comprising:

communicating an ignition off status to a wireless device;

receiving a low-power mode available signal from the wireless device;

communicating a shutdown time to the wireless device;

entering a power-off status; and

entering a power-on status upon receipt of a power-on condition from the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 14, if the low-power mode is unavailable, the control unit powering-on the wireless device at a periodic interval.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a request for a control unit resource, wherein the request for the control unit resource bypasses the wireless device, and wherein the control unit enters the power-on status independent of the wireless device.

17. A method of operating a vehicle, comprising:

a control unit communicating an ignition status of the vehicle to a wireless device

the wireless device detecting the ignition status;

if the ignition status is an ignition off status, the wireless device determining if a low-power mode is available;

if the low-power mode is available, the wireless device communicating a low-power mode available signal to the control unit;

upon receipt of the low-power mode available signal, the control unit communicating a shutdown time to the wireless device;

the control unit entering a power-off status;

the wireless device entering the low-power mode; and

the wireless device monitoring for a power-on condition.

18. The method of claim 17, if the low-power mode is unavailable, the control unit powering-on the wireless device at a periodic interval.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the power-on condition comprises receiving a request for a control unit resource.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the power-on condition comprises the shutdown time expiring.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the power-on condition comprises the low-power mode becoming unavailable.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the low-power mode is available to the wireless device when a digital wireless communication signal is available to the wireless device.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising upon receipt of the power-on condition, the wireless device communicating a power-on signal to the control unit, and wherein the control unit enters a power-on status.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising the control unit receiving a request for a control unit resource, wherein the request for the control unit resource bypasses the wireless device, and wherein the control unit enters a power-on status independent of the wireless device.

25. A telematics device, comprising:

a control unit coupled to communicate an ignition off status of a vehicle; and

a wireless device coupled to receive the ignition off status of the vehicle from the control unit, wherein the wireless device determines if a low-power model is available, wherein the wireless device communicates a low-power mode available signal to the control unit, wherein the wireless device enters the low-power mode, and wherein the wireless device monitors for a power-on condition, and wherein upon receipt of the power-on condition, the wireless device communicates a power-on signal to the control unit.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the power-on condition comprises a request for a control unit resource.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the power-on condition comprises expiration of a shutdown time.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the power-on condition comprises the low-power mode becoming unavailable.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein the low-power mode is available to the wireless device when a digital wireless communication signal is available to the wireless device.

30. The device of claim 25, wherein the wireless device is an embedded wireless device.

31. The device of claim 25, wherein the wireless device is a portable wireless device.

32. A vehicle, comprising:

a control unit coupled to communicate an ignition off status of a vehicle; and

a wireless device coupled to receive the ignition off status of the vehicle from the control unit, wherein the wireless device determines if a low-power mode is available, wherein the wireless device communicates a low-power mode available signal to the control unit, wherein the wireless device enters the low-power mode, and wherein the wireless device monitors for a power-on condition, and wherein upon receipt of the power-on condition, the wireless device communicates a power-on signal to the control unit.

33. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the power-on condition comprises a request for a control unit resource.

34. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the power-on condition comprises expiration of a shutdown time.

35. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the power-on condition comprises the low-power mode becoming unavailable.

36. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the low-power mode is available to the wireless device when a digital wireless communication signal is available to the wireless device.

37. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the wireless device is an embedded wireless device.

38. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the wireless device is a portable wireless device.

39. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions for instructing a processor to perform a method of operating a telematics device, the instructions comprising:

a control unit communicating an ignition status of the vehicle to a wireless device

the wireless device detecting the ignition status;

if the ignition status is an ignition off status, the wireless device determining if a low-power mode is available;

if the low-power mode is available, the wireless device communicating a low-power mode available signal to the control unit;

upon receipt of the low-power mode available signal, the control unit communicating a shutdown time to the wireless device;

the control unit entering a power-off status;

the wireless device entering the low-power mode; and

the wireless device monitoring for a power-on condition.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, if the low-power mode is unavailable, the control unit powering-on the wireless device at a periodic interval.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 39, further comprising upon receipt of the power-on condition, the wireless device communicating a power-on signal to the control unit, and wherein the control unit enters a power-on status.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising the control unit receiving a request for a control unit resource, wherein the request for the control unit resource bypasses the wireless device, and wherein the control unit enters a power-on status independent of the wireless device.

43. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions for instructing a processor to perform in a wireless device, a method of operating a telematics device, the instructions comprising:

receiving an ignition off signal from a control unit;

determining if a low-power mode is available;

if the low-power mode is available, the wireless device communicating a low-power mode available signal to the control unit;

receiving a shutdown time from the control unit;

entering the low-power mode; and

monitoring for a power-on condition.

44. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions for instructing a processor to perform in a control unit, a method of operating a telematics device, the instructions comprising:

communicating an ignition off status to a wireless device;

receiving a low-power mode available signal from the wireless device;

communicating a shutdown time to the wireless device;

entering a power-off status; and

entering a power-on status upon receipt of a power-on condition from the wireless device.