Method for automatically replenishing pre-paid calling units within a telematic unit

• US 20050100148A1
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Watkins, Gary A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/201 automatic recharging with predetermined amount at threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/22 with automatic recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection the account is recharged automatically
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/222 at threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/225 with predetermined amount
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems

Abstract

In a system including a telematics unit and a data center, a method for automatically replenishing pre-paid calling units within the telematics is based on an occurrence of a trigger event as detected by the telematics units. Upon being notified of the trigger event, the data center automatically uploads a replenishment package to the telematics unit or uploads a replenishment package selected by the telematics unit.

Claims

1. In a system including a telematics unit and a data center, a method for automatically replenishing calling units within the telematics unit, the method comprising:

operating the telematics unit to automatically detect an occurrence of a trigger event to the data center; and

operating the data center to communicate a replenishment package to the telematics unit subsequent to the detection of the trigger event, wherein the replenishment package includes a first set of calling units

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of the telematics unit to automatically report the occurrence of a trigger event to the data center includes:

operating the telematics unit to monitor a calendar to thereby facilitate a detection of an end of a current billing cycle; and

operating the telematic unit to communicate the occurrence of the trigger event to the data center upon the detection of the end of the current billing cycle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

operating the data center to identify the replenishment package based on an association of the telematics unit and a customer account in response to the communication of the occurrence of the trigger event by the telematics unit.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

operating the data center to communicate a trigger event reset to the telematics unit subsequent to the telematics unit replenishing itself with the first set of calling units; and

operating the telematics unit to reset the trigger event to the end of the next billing cycle in response to a reception of the trigger event reset.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an operation of the telematics unit to automatically detect and communicate an occurrence of a trigger event to the data center includes:

operating the telematics unit to monitor a consumption of a second set of calling units by the telematics unit to thereby facilitate a detection of a depletion of the second set of calling units; and

operating the telematics unit to communicate the occurrence of the trigger event to the data center upon the detection of the depletion of the second set of calling units.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

operating the data center to identify and deliver at least one replenishment package to the telematics unit in response to the communication of the detected depletion of the second set of calling units;

operating the telematics unit to select the replenishment package from the offered at least one replenishment package, wherein the data center automatically communicates the replenishment package in response to the selection of the replenishment package by the telematics unit.

7. The method of claim 6,

wherein the data center identifies the at least one replenishment package as a function of a consumption rate of calling units by the telematics unit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating the telematics unit to automatically replenish itself with the first set of calling units in response to a reception of the replenishment package.

9. A system, comprising:

a telematics unit operable to automatically detect an occurrence of a trigger event to said data center; and

a data center operable to communicate a replenishment package to said telematics unit subsequent to the occurrence of the trigger event,

wherein the replenishment package includes a first set of calling units, and

wherein said telematics unit is further operable to automatically replenish itself with the first set of calling units in response to a reception of the replenishment package.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said telematics units includes:

means for monitoring a calendar to thereby facilitate a detection of an end of a current billing cycle; and

means for communicating the occurrence of the trigger event to said data center upon the detection of the end of the current billing cycle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said data center includes

means for identifying the replenishment package based on an association of said telematics unit and a customer account.

12. The system of claim 9,

wherein said data center is further operable to communicate a trigger event reset to said telematics unit subsequent to said telematics unit replenishing itself with the first set of calling units;

and

wherein said telematics unit is further operable to reset the trigger event to the end of the next billing cycle in response to a reception of the trigger event reset.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said telematics unit includes:

means for monitoring a consumption of a second set of calling units by said telematics unit to thereby facilitate a detection of a depletion of the second set of calling units; and

means for communicating the occurrence of the trigger event to said data center upon the detection of the depletion of the second set of calling units.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

wherein said data center is further operable to identify and offer at least one replenishment package to said telematics unit in response to the communication of the detected depletion of the second set of calling units;

wherein said telematics unit is further operable to select the replenishment package from the offered at least one replenishment package; and

wherein said data center automatically communicates the replenishment package in response to the selection of the replenishment package by said telematics unit.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said data center identifies the at least one replenishment package as a function of a consumption rate of calling units by said telematics unit.

16. A telematics unit, comprising:

means for automatically detecting and communicating an occurrence of a trigger event to a data center; and

means for automatically replenishing itself with a first set of calling units in response to a reception of a replenishment package from the data center,

wherein the reception of the replenishment package from the data center corresponds to the communicated occurrence of the trigger event.

17. The telematics unit of claim 16,

wherein the occurence of the trigger event is an end of a billing cycle.

18. The telematics unit of claim 16,

wherein the occurrence of the trigger event is a depletion of a second set of calling units by said telematics unit during a current billing cycle.

19. The telematics unit of claim 16,

wherein the replenishment package is associated with a customer account corresponding to said telematics unit.

20. The telematics unit of claim 16,

wherein the replenishment package is based on a consumption rate of calling units by said telematics unit.

21. The telematics unit of claim 16,

wherein said telematics unit selected the replenishment package from among at least one replenishment package offered by the data center.