Method and system for geographic boundary time triggering of communication with a mobile vehicle

• US 20060217848A1
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ampunan, Nathan D., Oesterling, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,983,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A method for establishing communication with a mobile vehicle includes determining whether the mobile vehicle is within a predetermined geographic region and initiating a time trigger based on the determination. The method further includes initiating communication between the mobile vehicle and a central node via a wireless connection based on the time trigger.

Claims

1. A method for establishing communication with a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

determining whether the mobile vehicle is within a predetermined geographic region;

initiating a time trigger based on the determination; and

initiating communication between the mobile vehicle and a central node via a wireless connection based on the time trigger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined geographic region is selected from the group consisting of a dealership, service facility, maintenance facility, retail establishment, parking lot, rental car lot, residential driveway, and a point of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the time trigger is initiated when the mobile vehicle enters the predetermined geographic region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the time trigger is initiated when the mobile vehicle exits the predetermined geographic region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating communication between the mobile vehicle and a central node via a wireless connection based on the time trigger comprises determining a span of time elapsed since initiating the time trigger, and initiating communication when the span of time equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a time trigger based on the determination comprises a time of day determination.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the time of day determination determines if the current time is outside of a predetermined time.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless connection is selected from the group consisting of an FCC Part 15 connection and a cellular connection.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising completing the communication in response to an elapsed trigger.

10. A computer usable medium including computer readable code for establishing communication with a vehicle, the code comprising:

computer readable code for determining whether the mobile vehicle is within a predetermined geographic region;

computer readable code for initiating a time trigger based on the determination; and

computer readable code for initiating communication between the mobile vehicle and a central node via a wireless connection based on the time trigger.

11. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein the predetermined geographic region is selected from the group consisting of a dealership, service facility, maintenance facility, retail establishment, parking lot, rental car lot, residential driveway, and a point of interest.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 11, wherein the time trigger is initiated when the mobile vehicle enters the predetermined geographic region.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein the time trigger is initiated when the mobile vehicle exits the predetermined geographic region.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer readable code for initiating communication between the mobile vehicle and a central node via a wireless connection based on the time trigger comprises computer readable code for determining a span of time elapsed since initiating the time trigger, and computer readable code for initiating communication when the span of time equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein computer readable code for initiating a time trigger based on the determination comprises computer readable code for a time of day determination.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 15 wherein the time of day determination determines if the current time is outside of a predetermined time.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 10, wherein the wireless connection is selected from the group consisting of an FCC Part 15 connection and a cellular connection.

18. The medium of claim 10 further comprising computer readable code for completing the communication in response to an elapsed trigger.

19. A system for establishing communication with a vehicle, the system comprising:

means for determining whether the mobile vehicle is within a predetermined geographic region;

means for initiating a time trigger based on the determination; and

means for initiating communication between the mobile vehicle and a central node via a wireless connection based on the time trigger.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the time trigger is an inverse time trigger.