VEHICLE MESSAGE ADDRESSING

• US 20080287092A1
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: XM Satellite Radio Incorporated (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: MARKO, PAUL, RINDSBERG, MARK
• Granted Patent: US 8,803,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/344
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/223 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 Selective call receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/025 Selective call decoders

Abstract

A vehicle messaging method (600) and system (100) can include any number of data sources (101-103), an interface (104) that formats messages and addresses from the data sources, and a corresponding number of messaging servers (111-113) that receive targeted messages intended for a predetermined subset of subscribers associated with a vehicle identification number (VIN). Each messaging server can include a corresponding controller (121-123) programmed to assign (604) targeted messages to a predetermined channel and encode (606) the addresses of the targeted messages to the predetermined subset of subscribers using a VIN or portion thereof. The controller can be further programmed to transfer (608) the targeted messages and addresses to a satellite uplink (107) and satellite (110) via a messaging uplink interface (106) for retransmission and reception by a plurality of selective call receivers 109 addressable individually using a predetermined VIN or portion thereof.

Claims

1. A vehicle messaging device, comprising:

a selective call receiver;

a decoder coupled to the selective call receiver, wherein the decoder is programmed to;

determine if a received address is based on a vehicle identification number;

decode a targeted message to a specific vehicle identification number if the received address matches a stored address containing the specific vehicle identification number; and

decode a group targeted message to a range of vehicle identification numbers if the received address matches a stored address containing portions of the vehicle identification number.

2. The vehicle messaging device of claim 1, wherein the selective call receiver is a satellite digital audio radio, a terrestrial frequency modulated radio, or a cellular radio receiver.

3. The vehicle messaging device of claim 1, wherein the decoder is further programmed to decode a broadcast message to all vehicles if the received address has wildcard data that matches a stored address.

4. The vehicle messaging device of claim 1, wherein the stored address is obtained over a vehicle'"'"'s communication bus.

5. The vehicle messaging device of claim 1, wherein the decoder is further programmed to determine if the received address is based on a subscriber identifier, a hardware identifier, or a group identifier.

6. The vehicle messaging device of claim 1, wherein the decoder is further programmed to determine if the received address is based on a subscriber identifier, a hardware identifier, a group identifier, the vehicle identification number or any combination thereof.

7. The vehicle messaging device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle messaging device can be addressed with a message to a single vehicle identification number, to multiple vehicle identification numbers using wildcards, or a plurality of vehicle identification numbers using a range of vehicle identification numbers.

8. The vehicle messaging device of claim 1, wherein the targeted message or group targeted message is a command and control message, a service message, a service authorization message, a software or firmware update, a file download, a text message, an audio message, an image, or a video.

9. A vehicle messaging system, comprising:

a messaging server receiving targeted messages intended for a predetermined subset of subscribers associated with a vehicle having a vehicle identification number; and

a controller coupled to the messaging server, wherein the controller is programmed to;

assign targeted messages from a predetermined manufacturer to a predetermined channel; and

encode the addresses of the targeted messages to the predetermined subset of subscribers using a vehicle identification number or a portion of the vehicle identification number.

10. The vehicle messaging system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further programmed to transfer the targeted messages and encoded addresses to a satellite uplink for transmission of the targeted messages and encoded addresses to one or more satellites for retransmission to a predetermined satellite coverage area.

11. The vehicle messaging system of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of selective call receivers addressable individually using a predetermined vehicle identification number or in predetermined groups using a portion of a vehicle identification number.

12. The vehicle messaging system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of selective call receivers each comprise a decoder coupled to a selective call receiver, wherein the decoder is programmed to:

determine if a received address is based on the vehicle identification number;

decode a targeted message to a specific vehicle identification number if the received address matches a stored address containing the specific vehicle identification number; and

decode a group targeted message to a range of vehicle identification numbers if the received address matches a stored address containing portions of the vehicle identification number.

13. The vehicle messaging system of claim 12, wherein the selective call receiver is a satellite digital audio radio, a terrestrial digital frequency modulated radio, or a digital cellular radio receiver.

14. A method of vehicle message addressing, comprising the steps of:

receiving targeted messages intended for a predetermined subset of subscribers associated with a vehicle having a vehicle identification number;

assigning targeted messages from a predetermined manufacturer to a predetermined channel;

encoding the addresses of the targeted messages to the predetermined subset of subscribers using a vehicle identification number or a portion of the vehicle identification number.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the step of transferring the targeted messages and encoded addresses to a satellite uplink and transmitting the targeted messages and encoded addresses to one or more satellites for retransmission to a predetermined satellite coverage area.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the targeted messages and encoded addresses to a plurality of selective call receivers associated with vehicle identification numbers;

determining if a received address is based on a vehicle identification number;

decoding a targeted message to a specific vehicle identification number if the received address matches a stored address containing the specific vehicle identification number; and

decoding a group targeted message to a range of vehicle identification numbers if the received address matches a stored address containing portions of the vehicle identification number.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of decoding a broadcast message to all vehicles if the received address has wildcard data that matches a stored address.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of determining if the received address is based on a subscriber identifier, a hardware identifier, or a group identifier.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of determining if the received address is based on a subscriber identifier, a hardware identifier, a group identifier, the vehicle identification number or another combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of encoding is done by addressing a message to a single vehicle identification number, to multiple vehicle identification numbers using wildcards, or to a plurality of vehicle identification numbers using a range of vehicle identification numbers.