DYNAMIC PRL ASSIGNMENT SYSTEM

• US 20080146202A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Krause, Kevin R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A system for selectively providing an updated PRL to a remote wireless device reduces airtime requirements by determining the PRL to be loaded based on a collection of information relating to the wireless device. Depending upon the nature, connectivity and location of the device, the system loads a partial or full PRL, and may in certain circumstances decline to load any PRL, instead flagging the existing PRL as out-of-date.

Claims

1. A method of providing a preferred roaming list to a telematics unit for specifying preferred alternative carrier for use when a primary wireless carrier is not reachable by the telematics unit, the method comprising:

transmitting a request to the telematics unit, wherein the request initiates an information transmission from the telematics unit, the information transmission comprising data relating to the telematics unit;

receiving the information transmission from the telematics unit;

selecting a preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit based on the data related to the telematics unit, wherein the preferred roaming list is selected from among a full preferred roaming list, a partial preferred roaming list, and no preferred roaming list; and

transmitting the selected preferred roaming list to the telematics unit if the selected preferred roaming list is a full preferred roaming list or a partial preferred roaming list.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the telematics unit is associated with a vehicle, and wherein the data relating to the telematics unit contained in the information transmission comprises data indicating a geographic location of the telematics unit, an identity of a network that the telematics unit is currently accessing, a call mode of the telematics unit, and a vehicle ignition status.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the identity of the network that the telematics unit is currently accessing comprises an SID.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the call mode of the telematics unit is selected from the group consisting of analog and digital cellular modes.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle ignition status is selected from the group consisting of an on status and an off status, wherein the vehicle is drivable when the ignition status is the on status, and wherein the vehicle is not drivable when the ignition status is the on status.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein selecting a preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit based on the data related to the telematics unit comprises:

determining whether the SID is associated with the primary wireless carrier; and

identifying a region containing the location of the telematics unit if the SID is not associated with the primary wireless carrier, determining whether the identified region is valid for the primary wireless carrier, and selecting a full carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit if the identified region is not valid for the primary wireless carrier and otherwise selecting a partial carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether the vehicle ignition status is on or off if the SID is associated with the primary wireless carrier; and

if the vehicle ignition status is on, selecting a partial carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit, and if the vehicle ignition status is off;

determining whether the call mode of the telematics unit is analog or digital; and

flagging a current preferred roaming list of the telematics unit as out of date if the call mode of the telematics unit is digital and otherwise selecting a partial carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit.

8. A computer-readable medium for performing a method of providing a preferred roaming list to a telematics unit for specifying preferred alternative carrier for use when a primary wireless carrier is not reachable by the telematics unit, the computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-readable instructions for transmitting a request to the telematics unit, wherein the request initiates an information transmission from the telematics unit, the information transmission comprising data relating to the telematics unit;

computer-readable instructions for receiving the information transmission from the telematics unit;

computer-readable instructions for selecting a preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit based on the data related to the telematics unit, wherein the preferred roaming list is selected from among a full preferred roaming list, a partial preferred roaming list, and no preferred roaming list; and

computer-readable instructions for transmitting the selected preferred roaming list to the telematics unit if the selected preferred roaming list is a full preferred roaming list or a partial preferred roaming list.

9. The computer-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the telematics unit is associated with a vehicle, and wherein the data relating to the telematics unit contained in the information transmission comprises data indicating a geographic location of the telematics unit, an identity of a network that the telematics unit is currently accessing, a call mode of the telematics unit, and a vehicle ignition status.

10. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the identity of the network that the telematics unit is currently accessing comprises an SID.

11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the call mode of the telematics unit is selected from the group consisting of analog and digital cellular modes.

12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle ignition status is selected from the group consisting of an on status and an off status, wherein the vehicle is drivable when the ignition status is the on status, and wherein the vehicle is not drivable when the ignition status is the on status.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein the computer-readable instructions for selecting a preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit based on the data related to the telematics unit comprise:

computer-readable instructions for determining whether the SID is associated with the primary wireless carrier; and

computer-readable instructions for identifying a region containing the location of the telematics unit if the SID is not associated with the primary wireless carrier, determining whether the identified region is valid for the primary wireless carrier, and selecting a full carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit if the identified region is not valid for the primary wireless carrier and otherwise selecting a partial carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, further comprising:

computer-readable instructions for determining whether the vehicle ignition status is on or off if the SID is associated with the primary wireless carrier; and

computer-readable instructions for selecting a partial carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit if the vehicle ignition status is on, and for, if the vehicle ignition status is off;

determining whether the call mode of the telematics unit is analog or digital; and

flagging a current preferred roaming list of the telematics unit as out of date if the call mode of the telematics unit is digital and otherwise selecting a partial carrier preferred roaming list for transmission to the telematics unit.

15. A method of updating a preferred roaming list (PRL) within a telematics device for specifying preferred alternative carrier for use when a primary wireless carrier is not reachable by the telematics device, the method comprising:

receiving a configuration request at the telematics device from a call center requesting information comprising geographic location of the telematics device, an identity of a network that the telematics device is currently accessing, a call mode of the telematics device, and a vehicle ignition status of a vehicle associated with the telematics device;

collecting configuration information specified by the request;

transmitting the requested information from the telematics device to the call center;

receiving a PRL response from the call center at the telematics device specifying an update action; and

updating a PRL at the telematics device in accordance with the PRL response.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein updating the PRL at the telematics device in accordance with the PRL response comprises one of updating an existing PRL and replacing an existing PRL.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein updating the PRL at the telematics device in accordance with the PRL response comprises updating a PRL at the telematics device in accordance with a full preferred roaming list.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein updating the PRL at the telematics device in accordance with the PRL response comprises updating a PRL at the telematics device in accordance with a partial preferred roaming list.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein updating the PRL at the telematics device in accordance with the PRL response comprises flagging an existing PRL as out of date without altering the existing PRL.

20. The method according to claim 20, wherein flagging an existing PRL as out of date without altering the existing PRL occurs only if the telematics device is not roaming, the vehicle ignition is not on, and the device call mode is digital.