SATELLITE RADIO FILE BROADCAST METHOD

• US 20080146219A1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Habermas, Stephen, Crocker, Dwayne, Dorfstatter, Walter A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/428
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and system for distributing files to remote receiving units such as passenger vehicles. The method includes the steps of (a) creating a file broadcast schedule that identifies a plurality of files and that includes scheduling information indicating when the files will be transmitted, (b) sending the file broadcast schedule to a number of remote receiving units via wireless transmission, (c) analyzing the file broadcast schedule at one or more of the remote receiving units by identifying at least one specific file intended for receipt and storage at that receiving unit and by determining from the scheduling information a scheduled time at which the specific file is intended to be received, (d) monitoring a digital satellite transmission channel at the scheduled time for the specific file, and (e) upon receiving the specific file, storing it at the remote receiving unit.

Claims

1. A method of distributing files to remote receiving units, comprising the steps of:

creating a file broadcast schedule that identifies a plurality of files and that includes scheduling information indicating when the files will be transmitted;

sending the file broadcast schedule to a number of remote receiving units via wireless transmission;

analyzing the file broadcast schedule at one or more of the remote receiving units by identifying at least one specific file intended for receipt and storage at that receiving unit and by determining from the scheduling information a scheduled time at which the specific file is intended to be received;

monitoring a digital satellite transmission channel at the scheduled time for the specific file; and

upon receiving the specific file, storing it at the remote receiving unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file broadcast schedule includes, for each file, a file identifier and a station identifier, and wherein said analyzing step further comprises identifying the one or more specific files at least in part by comparing the station identifier to a station ID assigned to that remote receiving unit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said file identifier comprises either a unique file ID or a unique filename.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more of the station identifiers each identifies a range of station IDs intended to receive the file associated with that station identifier.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said monitoring step further comprises receiving a digital satellite transmission via a satellite radio receiver.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the file broadcast schedule includes, for each file, a wakeup time that is earlier than the scheduled time, and wherein the satellite radio receiver is operable in both an active mode, in which the receiver is processing the digital satellite transmission, and a sleep mode, in which the receiver is at least in part powered, but is not processing the digital satellite transmission;

and

wherein said monitoring step further comprises switching the satellite radio receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode at the wakeup time and thereafter monitoring the digital satellite transmission channel at the scheduled time for the specific file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending step further comprises periodically broadcasting the file broadcast schedule to the remote receiving units via a satellite transmission, and wherein the method further comprises the step of receiving the specific file via a second satellite transmission.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending step further comprises sending the file broadcast schedule to the remote receiving units via a cellular wireless telecommunications network, and wherein the method further comprises the step of receiving the specific file via a satellite transmission.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of acknowledging receipt of the specific file by sending an acknowledgement message from the remote receivers to a central facility via a cellular wireless communication network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating a file broadcast schedule further comprises creating a schedule that includes the following parameters:

(a) a station identifier that identifies one or more of the remote receiving units;

(b) the scheduled time at which the specific file will be broadcast;

(c) a file identifier that uniquely identifies the specific file; and

(d) an expiration;

wherein the remote receiving units are configured to use the station identifier in determining whether they are to store the specific file and, for those remote receiving units identified by the station identifier, the remote receiving units attempt to receive the specific file beginning at the scheduled time and for a period of time thereafter that is determined using the expiration.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending step further comprises periodically broadcasting the file broadcast schedule on the same digital satellite transmission channel that is used to broadcast the specific file.

12. A method of distributing files to mobile vehicles that are configured for wireless communication with a central facility, comprising the steps of:

sending to one or more vehicles a file broadcast schedule that identifies a plurality of files and that includes scheduling information indicating when the files will be transmitted;

analyzing the file broadcast schedule at one or more of the vehicles by identifying at least one specific file intended for receipt and storage at that vehicle and by determining from the scheduling information a scheduled time at which the specific file is intended to be received;

monitoring a digital satellite transmission channel at the scheduled time for the specific file; and

upon receiving the specific file, storing it in the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting a plurality of specific files via the digital satellite transmission channel, and wherein the sending step further comprises periodically broadcasting the file broadcast schedule on the digital satellite transmission channel by interleaving the file broadcast schedule between different specific files.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of monitoring the digital satellite transmission channel for the file broadcast schedule each time the vehicle ignition is switched on.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of acknowledging receipt of the specific file by sending an acknowledgement message from the remote receivers to a central facility via a packetized data transmission.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the file broadcast schedule includes a header and a plurality of individual file entries, and wherein each file entry includes:

(a) a station identifier that identifies one or more of the vehicles;

(b) the scheduled time at which the specific file will be broadcast;

(c) a file identifier that uniquely identifies the specific file; and

(d) an expiration;

wherein the vehicles are configured to use the station identifier in determining whether they are to store the specific file and, for those vehicles identified by the station identifier, the vehicle attempts to receive the specific file beginning at the scheduled time and for a period of time thereafter that is determined using the expiration.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each file entry further includes a wakeup time and wherein, for the one or more vehicles identified by the station identifier, the method further includes the step of switching from a sleep mode to an active mode at the wakeup time and thereafter remaining in the active mode until the scheduled time.

18. A method of distributing files to mobile vehicles each of which can be identified using a station ID and each of which are configured for two-way wireless communication with a central facility, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a plurality of files and transmitting the files to a satellite broadcasting facility;

(b) creating a file broadcast schedule that;

(b1) identifies each of the files;

(b2) identifies a plurality of selected vehicles using a station identifier that corresponds to one or more station IDs; and

(b3) includes scheduling information indicating when the files will be transmitted;

(c) sending the file broadcast schedule to the vehicles via wireless transmission;

(d) analyzing the file broadcast schedule at each selected vehicle using a process that includes the steps of;

(d1) identifying at least one specific file intended for receipt and storage at that vehicle by comparison of the station identifier and station ID;

(d2) determining from the scheduling information a scheduled time at which the specific file is intended to be received;

(e) transmitting the plurality of files via satellite transmission over a digital satellite transmission channel;

(f) monitoring the digital satellite transmission channel at the scheduled time for the specific file;

(g) receiving the specific file from the satellite transmission;

(h) storing the specific file in the vehicle; and

(i) sending an acknowledgement message from the vehicle to the central facility via a packetized data transmission.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein steps (c) and (e) together comprise sending the file broadcast schedule and plurality of files as a single data stream over the digital satellite transmission channel.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein step (i) further comprises sending the acknowledgement message via a wireless cellular communications network.