Method and system for communications between a telematics call center and a telematics unit

• US 20050261035A1
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Gault, Thomas A., Groskreutz, Bruce A., Nicolini, Daniele
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit. A service communication is initiated from a telematics unit to a telematics call center responsive to user input. A text-based acknowledgment is received at the telematics unit from the call center in response to the initiation. A communication mode is established based on communication preference data in response to the acknowledgement. The method and system further comprises providing the communication preference data to the call center. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit, the method comprising:

initiating a service communication from a telematics unit to a telematics call center responsive to user input;

receiving a text-based acknowledgment at the telematics unit from the call center in response to the initiation; and

establishing a communication mode based on communication preference data in response to the acknowledgement.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the communication preference data to the call center.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forwarding the received text based acknowledgement to a visual communication interface.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein providing the communication preference data further comprises:

including the communication preference data in a saved user profile.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein providing the communication preference data further comprises:

including the communication preference data with initiating the communication from the telematics unit to the telematics call center.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein providing the communication preference data further comprises:

sending the communication preference data in response to the text-based acknowledgement.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication preference is selected from the group consisting of a text/text communication, a text/voice communication, a voice/text communication, and a voice/voice communication.

8. A system for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit, the system comprising:

means for initiating a service communication from a telematics unit to a telematics call center responsive to user input;

means for receiving a text-based acknowledgment at the telematics unit from the call center in response to the initiation; and

means for establishing a communication mode based on communication preference data in response to the acknowledgement.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

means for providing the communication preference data to the call center.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

means for forwarding the received text-based acknowledgement to a visual communication interface.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein means for providing the communication preference data further comprises:

means for providing the communication preference data included in a saved user profile.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein means for providing the communication preference data further comprises:

means for including the communication preference data with initiating the communication from the telematics unit to the telematics call center.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein means for providing the communication preference data further comprises:

means for sending the communication preference data in response to the text-based acknowledgement.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the visual communication interface is selected from the group consisting of a radio display, a heads-up display, a driver information center, a TTY/TDD display, and an instrument panel.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein the communication preference is selected from the group consisting of a text/text communication, a text/voice communication, a voice/text communication, and a voice/voice communication.

16. A computer usable medium storing a computer program including computer program code for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit comprising:

computer program code for initiating a service communication from a telematics unit to a telematics call center responsive to user input;

computer program code for receiving a text-based acknowledgment at the telematics unit from the call center in response to the initiation; and

computer program code for establishing a communication mode based on communication preference data in response to the acknowledgement.

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

computer program code for providing the communication preference data to the call center.

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

computer program code for forwarding the received text-based acknowledgement to a visual communication interface.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 17 wherein computer program code for providing the communication preference data further comprises:

computer program code for providing the communication preference data included in a saved user profile.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 17 wherein computer program code for providing the communication preference data further comprises:

computer program code for including the communication preference data with initiating the communication from the telematics unit to the telematics call center.

21. The computer usable medium of claim 17 wherein computer program code for providing the communication preference data further comprises:

computer program code for sending the communication preference data in response to the text-based acknowledgement.