Remotely controlling vehicle functions

• US 20050085221A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Sumcad, Anthony J.
• Application Number:
  US10/690,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085221A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

The current invention provides a system and method for remotely controlling vehicle functions. A call signal is received at a telematics unit from a remote communication device, the call signal including an automatic number identification. A determination is made whether the automatic number identification corresponds to a services authorized number. A services selection message is sent based on the determination. A user response signal to the services selection message is monitored for and a vehicle function command signal is sent based on the user response signal. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for remotely controlling vehicle functions.

Claims

1. A method for remotely controlling vehicle functions, the method comprising:

receiving a call signal at a telematics unit from a remote communication device, the call signal including an automatic number identification;

determining whether the automatic number identification corresponds to a services authorized number;

sending a services selection message based on the determination;

monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message; and

sending a vehicle function command signal based on the user response signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the automatic identification corresponds to a services authorized number comprises:

reading the automatic number identification of the received call signal;

reading an automatic number identification table, the table comprising one or more services authorized numbers; and

comparing the automatic number identification of the received call signal to the service authorized numbers in the automatic number identification table.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein comparing the automatic number identification of the received call signal to the service authorized numbers in the automatic number identification table comprises:

determining if the automatic number identification of the received call signal matches at least one services authorized number in the automatic number identification table; and

connecting the call signal based on the determination.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the services selection message comprises:

sending an electronic message, the electronic message comprising a selection list, the selection list comprising one or more vehicle functions for control.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message comprises:

receiving an electronic signal corresponding to a selected vehicle function.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message comprises:

receiving a user utterance corresponding to a selected vehicle function.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein sending a vehicle function command comprises:

determining a selected vehicle function based on a received user response signal;

determining a vehicle function command corresponding to the selected vehicle function; and

routing the vehicle function command to a control entity for the selected vehicle function.

8. A computer usable medium including-computer program code for remotely controlling vehicle functions, the computer usable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a call signal at a telematics unit from a remote communication device, the call signal including an automatic number identification;

computer program code for determining whether the automatic number identification corresponds to a services authorized number;

computer program code for sending a services selection message based on the determination;

computer program code for monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message; and

computer program code for sending a vehicle function command signal based on the user response signal.

9. The computer usable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer program code for determining whether the automatic identification corresponds to a services authorized number comprises:

computer program code for reading the automatic number identification of the received call signal;

computer program code for reading an automatic number identification table, the table comprising one or more services authorized numbers; and

computer program code for comparing the automatic number identification of the received call signal to the service authorized numbers in the automatic number identification table.

10. The computer usable medium of claim 9 wherein the computer program code for comparing the automatic number identification of the received call signal to the service authorized numbers in the automatic number identification table comprises:

computer program code for determining if the automatic number identification of the received call signal matches at least one services authorized number in the automatic number identification table; and

computer program code for connecting the call signal based on the determination.

11. The computer usable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer program code for sending the services selection message comprises:

computer program code for sending an electronic message, the electronic message comprising a selection list, the selection list comprising one or more vehicle functions for control.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer program code for monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message comprises:

computer program code for receiving an electronic signal corresponding to a selected vehicle function.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer program code for monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message comprises:

computer program code for receiving a user utterance corresponding to a selected vehicle function.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer program code for sending a vehicle function command comprises:

computer program code for determining a selected vehicle function based on a received user response signal;

computer program code for determining a vehicle function command corresponding to the selected vehicle function; and

computer program code for routing the vehicle function command to a control entity for the selected vehicle function.

15. A system for remotely controlling vehicle functions, the system comprising:

means for receiving a call signal at a telematics unit from a remote communication device, the call signal including an automatic number identification;

means for determining whether the automatic number identification corresponds to a services authorized number;

means for sending a services selection message based on the determination;

means for monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message; and

means for sending a vehicle function command signal based on the user response signal.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein means for determining whether the automatic identification corresponds to a services authorized number comprises:

means for reading the automatic number identification of the received call signal;

means for reading an automatic number identification table, the table comprising one or more services authorized numbers; and

means for comparing the automatic number identification of the received call signal to the service authorized numbers in the automatic number identification table.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein means for comparing the automatic number identification of the received call signal to the service authorized numbers in the automatic number identification table comprises:

means for determining if the automatic number identification of the received call signal matches at least one services authorized number in the automatic number identification table; and

means for connecting the call signal based on the determination.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein means for monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message comprises:

means for receiving an electronic signal corresponding to a selected vehicle function.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein means for monitoring for a user response signal to the services selection message comprises:

means for receiving a user utterance corresponding to a selected vehicle function.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein means for sending a vehicle function command comprises:

means for determining a selected vehicle function based on a received user response signal;

means for determining a vehicle function command corresponding to the selected vehicle function; and

means for routing the vehicle function command to a control entity for the selected vehicle function.