Telematics unit and method for operating

• US 20050075892A1
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Burt, Wylie R., Oesterling, Christopher L., Watkins, Gary A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A method of operating a telematics unit comprising the steps of: first operating the telematics unit in a logistical support mode containing a first set of operations assisting tracking of at least one of (a) the telematics unit and (b) a vehicle containing the telematics unit through storage and travel; and second operating the telematics unit in a customer service mode containing a second set of operations supporting a customer associated with the vehicle, wherein the first set of operations contains at least one operation unique from the second set of operations.

Claims

1. A method of operating a telematics unit comprising the steps of:

first operating the telematics unit in a logistical support mode containing a first set of operations assisting remote tracking of at least one of (a) the telematics unit and (b) a vehicle containing the telematics unit through storage and travel; and

second operating the telematics unit in a customer service mode containing a second set of operations supporting a customer associated with the vehicle, wherein the first set of operations contains at least one operation unique from the second set of operations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of first operating tracks shipment and delivery prior to sale of the vehicle to the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, also comprising the step of activating a customer account, wherein the activating the customer account triggers change from the logistical support mode to the customer service mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, during the first operating in the logistical support mode, the telematics unit reports data containing at least vehicle position to one of (a) a telematics service provider, and (b) a dedicated logistical support service center.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the logistical support mode is maintained while the vehicle is transported to and maintained at a point of sale location.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

changing from the logistical support mode to the customer service mode upon sale of the telematics unit equipped vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

collecting warranty data, wherein warranty data comprises vehicle module diagnostic codes, battery voltage, vehicle bus signals, vehicle security system status, and analog and digital signals from vehicle devices.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

reporting collected data periodically to at least one of a telematics service provider and a logistical support center.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of:

during the logistical mode, reporting at least vehicle position based on at least one of

time event triggers generated within the telematics unit, and

location events triggers sensed by the telematics unit, and

vehicle event triggers sensed by the telematics unit.

10. The method of claim 1, also comprising:

during the logistical support mode, initiating a timer based retry strategy in response to a failure of the telematics unit to acquire a predetermined set of data.

11. A telematics unit including a computer usable medium storing a computer program comprising:

first computer readable code for first operating the telematics unit in a logistical support mode containing a first set of operations assisting remote tracking of at least one of (a) the telematics unit and (b) a vehicle containing the telematics unit through storage and travel; and

second computer readable code for second operating the telematics unit in a customer service mode containing a second set of operations supporting a customer associated with the vehicle, wherein the first set of operations contains at least one operation unique from the second set of operations.