Radio signal strength mapping through a telematics system

• US 20040203436A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• 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 7,373,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/20 of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/24 with feedback of measurements to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports

Abstract

The invention provides a method of and system for determining a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle. A signal strength measurement request is received from a call center for a selected radio frequency, a signal strength of the selected radio frequency is measured at the mobile vehicle, and the measured signal strength is sent to the call center.

Claims

1. A method of determining a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle, comprising:

receiving a signal strength measurement request from a call center for a selected radio frequency;

measuring a signal strength of the selected radio frequency at the mobile vehicle; and

sending the measured signal strength to the call center.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal strength measurement request is received using an over-the-air interface function.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency is selected from the group consisting of an AM radio frequency, an FM radio frequency, a satellite radio frequency, a cellular phone radio channel, and a radio broadcast frequency.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the satellite radio frequency is broadcast from one of a geo-stationary satellite or a terrestrial repeater.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring the signal strength comprises sending a signal strength measurement command message through a vehicle communication bus to a radio receiver in the mobile vehicle, and receiving the measured signal strength at an in-vehicle telematics unit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the measured signal strength is sent using an over-the-air interface function.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle; and

sending the set of location coordinates from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a time stamp from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a radio propagation map from the measured signal strengths.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the radio propagation map is generated based on a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

sending the radio propagation map to a wireless service provider.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless service provider is selected from the group consisting of an FM station, an AM station, a satellite radio broadcast service, a cell phone service provider, and a radio broadcast station.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a quality-of-service parameter for the selected radio frequency.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the quality-of-service parameter is selected from the group consisting of a frame error rate, a bit error rate, and a data transmission rate.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing the measured signal strength to a signal strength threshold; and

sending the measured signal strength to the call center based on the signal strength threshold.

16. A computer usable medium containing a program to determine a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle, comprising:

computer program code to receive a signal strength measurement request from a call center for a selected radio frequency;

computer program code to measure a signal strength of the selected radio frequency at the mobile vehicle; and

computer program code to send the measured signal strength to the call center.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 16 further comprising:

computer program code to determine a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle; and

computer program code to send the set of location coordinates from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 16 further comprising:

computer program code to send a time stamp from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 16 further comprising:

computer program code to generate a radio propagation map from the measured signal strengths.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 19 further comprising:

computer program code to send the radio propagation map to a wireless service provider.

21. The computer usable medium of claim 16 further comprising:

computer program code to determine a quality-of-service parameter for the selected radio frequency.

22. The computer usable medium of claim 16 further comprising:

computer program code to compare the measured signal strength to a signal strength threshold; and

computer program code to send the measured signal strength to the call center based on the signal strength threshold.

23. A system for determining a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle, comprising:

means for receiving a signal strength measurement request from a call center for a selected radio frequency;

means for measuring a signal strength of the selected radio frequency at the mobile vehicle; and

means for sending the measured signal strength to the call center.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

means for determining a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle; and

means for sending the set of location coordinates from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

means for sending a time stamp from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

means for generating a radio propagation map from the measured signal strengths.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

means for sending the radio propagation map to a wireless service provider.

28. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

means for determining a quality-of-service parameter for the selected radio frequency.

29. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

means for comparing the measured signal strength to a signal strength threshold; and

means for sending the measured signal strength to the call center based on the signal strength threshold.