AUTOMATIC COMMUNICATION OF PERSONALIZED MESSAGES TO A TELEMATICS EQUIPPED VEHICLE

• US 20070299565A1
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• 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 7,616,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method of automatically communicating personalized messages to a telematics-equipped vehicle includes the following steps: (a) creating a personalized message; (b) defining playback instructions for playing the personalized message; (c) generating a trigger based on the defined playback instructions; (d) setting the trigger; (e) monitoring for the occurrence of one or more conditions that satisfy the trigger; and (f) determining that the one or more conditions have occurred and, if so, then; (g) accessing the personalized message associated with the trigger; and (h) playing the personalized message.

Claims

1. A method of automatically communicating personalized messages to a telematics-equipped vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a personalized message;

(b) defining playback instructions for playing the personalized message;

(c) generating a trigger based on the defined playback instructions;

(d) setting the trigger;

(e) monitoring for occurrence of one or more conditions that satisfy the trigger; and

(f) determining whether the one or more conditions have occurred and, if so, then;

(g) accessing the personalized message associated with the trigger; and

(h) playing the personalized message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of entering an authentication key associated with a telematics service subscription.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the authentication key includes at least one of a personal identification number or a vehicle identification number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step comprises using at least one of an Internet web site, a telephone, or a vehicle telematics unit to create the personalized message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of charging a fee.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the charging step comprises charging a per use fee whenever a message is retrieved for, sent to, or played in, one of the subscriber'"'"'s vehicles.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the charging step comprises charging an airtime fee whenever a message is sent to one of the subscriber'"'"'s vehicles from a call center.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the charging step comprises charging a message sender a per use fee to create the personalized message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the playback instructions include instructions based on a telematics services user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the monitoring step includes recognizing at least one of a key fob associated with, or a voice of, the telematics services user.

11. A method of automatically communicating personalized messages to a telematics-equipped vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) charging a fee;

(b) entering an authentication key associated with a telematics service subscription;

(c) creating a personalized message;

(d) defining playback instructions for playing the personalized message;

(e) generating a trigger based on the defined playback instructions;

(f) downloading the trigger and the personalized message to the vehicle from the call center;

(g) setting the trigger in the vehicle;

(h) monitoring for occurrence of one or more conditions that satisfy the trigger; and

(i) determining whether the one or more conditions have occurred and, if so, then;

(j) playing the personalized message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the charging step comprises charging a per use fee whenever a message is retrieved for, sent to, or played in, one of the subscriber'"'"'s vehicles.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the charging step comprises charging an airtime fee whenever a message is sent to one of the subscriber'"'"'s vehicles from a call center.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the charging step comprises charging a message sender a per use fee to create the personalized message.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the authentication key includes at least one of a personal identification number or a vehicle identification number.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the playback instructions include instructions based on a telematics services user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the monitoring step includes recognizing at least one of a key fob associated with, or a voice of, the telematics services user.

18. A method of automatically communicating personalized messages to a telematics-equipped vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) entering an authentication key associated with a telematics service subscription, wherein the authentication key includes at least one of a personal identification number or a vehicle identification number;

(b) creating a personalized message using at least one of an Internet web site, a telephone, or a vehicle telematics unit;

(c) generating a trigger based on the defined playback instructions;

(d) defining playback instructions for playing the personalized message;

(e) storing the personalized message in a call center;

(f) downloading the trigger and to the vehicle from the call center;

(g) setting the trigger in the vehicle;

(h) monitoring for occurrence of one or more conditions that satisfy the trigger; and

(i) determining whether the one or more conditions have occurred and, if so, then;

(j) uploading data associated with the trigger from the vehicle to the call center in response to the determining step;

(k) accessing the personalized message associated with the trigger from memory in the call center;

(l) downloading the personalized message from the call center to the vehicle; and

(m) playing the personalized message in the vehicle.