Reliable short messaging service

• US 20060268916A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Sarkar, Susanta P.
• Application Number:
  US11/125,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20060268916A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for communicating messages between a message transmission architecture and a vehicle. The method comprises transmitting a short message service (SMS) message intended for a vehicle-based receiver and monitoring for an acknowledgement (ACK) message generated in response to the SMS message. The ACK message indicating receipt of the SMS message by the vehicle-based receiver. If there is no ACK message received within a timeout period, a circuit switched communication connection is initiated with the vehicle-based receiver.

Claims

1. A method for communicating messages between a message transmission architecture and a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting a short message service (SMS) message intended for a vehicle-based receiver;

monitoring for an acknowledgement (ACK) message generated in response to the SMS message, the ACK message indicating receipt of the SMS message by the vehicle based receiver; and

initiating a circuit switched communication connection with the vehicle-based receiver if no ACK message is received within a timeout period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-transmitting the SMS message over the circuit switched communication connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a SMS message occurs over a message channel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the message channel is established at least in part by a wireless network base station coupled to the vehicle-based receiver.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the SMS message is transmitted from the wireless network base station to the vehicle-based receiver, and an ACK message from the vehicle-based receiver is received by the wireless network base station.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing the circuit switched communication connection over a voice channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the voice channel is established at least in part by a wireless operator connection server coupled to the vehicle-based receiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the SMS message is transmitted from the wireless operator connection server to the vehicle-based receiver, and an ACK message from the vehicle-based receiver is received by the wireless operator connection server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating a circuit switched communication connection comprises establishing a digital modem channel between the message transmission architecture and the vehicle-based receiver.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a NACK if the circuit switched connection fails to connect with the vehicle-based receiver.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising initiating a circuit switched communication connection with the vehicle-based receiver in response to a NACK.

12. A method for providing short message service (SMS) between a message transmission architecture and a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting a SMS message over a message channel, the SMS message being intended for a vehicle-based receiver;

if no acknowledgement (ACK) message identifying receipt of the SMS message by the vehicle-based receiver is received within a timeout period, establishing a voice channel between the message transmission architecture and the vehicle-based receiver; and

re-transmitting the SMS message over the voice channel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the voice channel is a circuit switched communication connection.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the voice channel is established at least in part by a wireless operator connection server coupled to the vehicle-based receiver.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the SMS message is transmitted from the wireless operator connection server to the vehicle-based receiver, and an ACK message from the vehicle-based receiver is received by the wireless operator connection server.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a NACK if the circuit switched connection fails to connect with the vehicle-based receiver.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the message channel is established at least in part by a wireless network base station coupled to the vehicle-based receiver.

18. A communication system for sending messages between a message transmission architecture and a vehicle, the method comprising:

means for transmitting a short message service (SMS) message intended for a vehicle-based receiver;

means for monitoring for an acknowledgement (ACK) message generated in response to the SMS message, the ACK message indicating receipt of the SMS message by the vehicle based receiver; and

means for initiating a circuit switched communication connection with the vehicle-based receiver if no ACK message is received within a timeout period.

19. The communication system of claim 18, further comprising means for re-transmitting the SMS message over the circuit switched communication connection.

20. The communication system of claim 18, said means for initiating comprising a digital modem configured to establish the circuit switched communication connection over a voice channel.