Telematics unit having interactive radio features

• US 20050136902A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Mazzara, William E. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,532,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for implementing interactive radio features within a telematics equipped mobile vehicle. The method includes receiving radio station information, detecting an initiation command received from a user interface, and providing the radio station information to the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command. The radio station information may include a radio station identification, a radio station telephone number, and a radio station message. The method may further include receiving a communication command, and initiating a wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the received communication command. The method may additionally include determining if the initiated wireless communication is connected, initiating wireless voice communication from a user interface when the initiated wireless communication is connected, terminating the wireless communication when the initiated wireless communication is not connected, and reinitializing the terminated wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the received communication command.

Claims

1. A method for operating a telematics unit within a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving radio station information;

detecting an initiation command received from a user interface; and

providing the radio station information to the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving a communication command;

and

initiating a wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the received communication command.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining if the initiated wireless communication is connected;

initiating wireless voice communication from a user interface when the initiated wireless communication is connected;

terminating the wireless communication when the initiated wireless communication is not connected; and

reinitializing the terminated wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the received communication command.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

initiating a wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio station information is selected from the group consisting of:

radio station identification, radio station telephone number, one or more radio station messages, alert data such as traffic hotline reports, government emergency alerts, weather alerts, sports scores and stock quotes;

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio station information is broadcast on a sub-carrier band.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a voice activated user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is manually operable push button user interface.

9. A computer readable medium for operating a telematics unit within a mobile vehicle, comprising:

computer readable code for sensing received radio station information;

computer readable code for detecting an initiation command received from a user interface; and

computer readable code for providing the radio station information to the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

computer readable code for initiating a wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to a received communication command.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

computer readable code for determining if the initiated wireless communication is connected;

computer readable code for initiating wireless voice communication from a user interface when the initiated wireless communication is connected;

computer readable code for terminating the wireless communication when the initiated wireless communication is not connected; and

computer readable code for reinitializing the terminated wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the received communication command.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

computer readable code for initiating a wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the radio station information is selected from the group consisting of:

radio station identification, radio station telephone number, one or more radio station messages, alert data such as traffic hotline reports, government emergency alerts, weather alerts, sports scores and stock quotes;

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the radio station information is broadcast on a sub-carrier band.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the user interface is a voice activated user interface.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the user interface is manually operable push button user interface.

17. A system for operating a telematics unit within a mobile vehicle, the system comprising:

means for receiving radio station information;

means for detecting an initiation command received from a user interface; and

means for providing the radio station information to the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command.