System and method of controlling vehicle communications during emergency conditions

• US 20060194566A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method and a system for controlling communications between a vehicle telematics device and a call center. The method includes determining an emergency condition. A communications priority is determined. Information is selectively communicated between the vehicle telematics device and the call center based on the emergency condition and the communications priority. The system includes means for determining an emergency condition, and means for determining a communications priority. The system further includes means for selectively communicating information between the vehicle telematics device and the call center based on the emergency condition and the communications priority.

Claims

1. A method of controlling vehicle communications, the method comprising:

determining an emergency condition;

determining a communications priority; and

selectively communicating information between a vehicle telematics device and a call center based on the emergency condition and the communications priority.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the emergency condition is determined at the call center.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the emergency condition is determined at a vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively communicating information between a vehicle telematics device and a call center comprises determining a vehicle geographic location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively communicating information between a vehicle telematics device and a call center comprises inhibiting low-priority communications.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating at least one of the determined emergency condition and the determined communications priority, from the call center to the vehicle telematics device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising authenticating the determined emergency condition.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing inhibited communications.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising resuming communications between the vehicle telematics device and a call center.

10. A computer usable medium including a program for controlling vehicle communications, the computer usable medium comprising:

computer readable program code for determining an emergency condition;

computer readable program code for determining a communications priority; and

computer readable program code for selectively communicating information between a vehicle telematics device and a call center based on the emergency condition and the communications priority.

11. The computer usable medium of claim 10 wherein the emergency condition is determined at the call center.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 10 wherein the emergency condition is determined at a vehicle.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 10 wherein selectively communicating information between a vehicle telematics device and a call center comprises determining a vehicle geographic location.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 10 wherein selectively communicating information between a vehicle telematics device and a call center comprises inhibiting low-priority communications.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 10 further comprising communicating at least one of the determined emergency condition and the determined communications priority, from the call center to the vehicle telematics device.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 10 further comprising authenticating the determined emergency condition.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 10 further comprising storing inhibited communications.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 10 further comprising resuming communications between the vehicle telematics device and a call center.

19. A system of controlling vehicle communications, the system comprising:

means for determining an emergency condition;

means for determining a communications priority; and

means for selectively communicating information between a vehicle telematics device and a call center based on the emergency condition and the communications priority.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising means for storing inhibited communications.