Method of communicating with a quiescent vehicle

• US 20040203340A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/9
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

The invention provides a method for establishing communications with a quiescent mobile vehicle. A satellite radio system broadcast channel is monitored for a command signal. The command signal is extracted from the broadcast channel. A cell phone in a telematics unit is powered up based on the command signal.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communications with a quiescent mobile vehicle, comprising:

monitoring a satellite radio system broadcast channel for a command signal;

extracting the command signal from the broadcast channel; and

powering up a cell phone in a telematics unit based on the command signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the command signal includes a telematics unit identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the telematics unit identifier is selected from a group consisting of a vehicle identification number, a mobile phone identification number, an electronic serial number, and a satellite radio receiver identification number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the command signal is transmitted from one of a geostationary satellite or a terrestrial radio transmitter of a satellite radio service.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

uplinking command information from a satellite radio uplink facility to a geostationary satellite.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

uplinking command information from a satellite radio uplink facility to a terrestrial radio transmitter.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending command information from a call center to a satellite radio uplink facility in response to a service request.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cell phone is powered up for a predetermined time period before returning to a quiescent state.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating a call from the cell phone to a call center in response to the command signal.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the cell phone operates in one of an analog mode or a digital mode.

11. A computer usable medium including a program for establishing communications with a quiescent mobile vehicle, comprising:

computer program code to monitor a satellite radio system broadcast channel for a command signal;

computer program code to extract the command signal from the broadcast channel; and

computer program code to power up a cell phone in a telematics unit based on the command signal.

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

computer program code to uplink command information from a satellite radio uplink facility to a geostationary satellite.

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

computer program code to uplink command information from a satellite radio uplink facility to a terrestrial radio transmitter.

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

computer program code to send command information from a call center to a satellite radio uplink facility in response to a service request.

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

computer program code to initiate a call from the cell phone to a call center in response to the command signal.

16. A system for establishing communications with a quiescent mobile vehicle, comprising:

means for monitoring a satellite radio system broadcast channel for a command signal;

means for extracting the command signal from the broadcast channel; and

means for powering up a cell phone in a telematics unit based on the command signal.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for uplinking command information from a satellite radio uplink facility to a geostationary satellite.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for uplinking command information from a satellite radio uplink facility to a terrestrial radio transmitter.

19. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for sending command information from a call center to a satellite radio uplink facility in response to a service request.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for initiating a call from the cell phone to a call center in response to the command signal.