Mobile Application DRx Synchronization with Embedded Vehicle Hardware

• US 20120243528A1
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: ., General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Frye, Mark S., Cepuran, Lawrence D., Schwinke, Steven P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

The described method and system provide for synchronizing a mobile application on a mobile device with a DRx (discontinuous receive) schedule of a vehicle. When the vehicle ignition is turned off, a telecommunications unit on the vehicle sends a synchronization message to the mobile device, which allows the mobile application to synchronize with the DRx schedule of the vehicle. The DRx schedule includes a standby mode, a cyclic mode, and a powered down mode for the vehicle, and user requests inputted into the mobile application will be processed according to the mobile application'"'"'s determination of vehicle availability during those modes. The mobile application is thus able to inform the user of the vehicle status at any point during the vehicle'"'"'s DRx schedule without requiring any further information from the vehicle after the synchronization message.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a mobile application on a mobile device with a DRx (discontinuous receive) schedule of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile device, a synchronization message from the vehicle;

receiving, at the mobile device, a request for a vehicle service from a user; and

processing the request based on the previously received synchronization message from the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the request further comprises:

determining whether the vehicle is in one of a standby mode, a cyclic mode, and a powered down mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the request further comprises:

determining whether the vehicle is available for receiving requests; and

if the vehicle is available, sending the request to the vehicle over a network, and if the vehicle is not available, notifying the user that the vehicle is not available.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the user when the vehicle enters a powered down mode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the user of a next time at which the vehicle will become available for receiving requests during a part of a cyclic mode where the vehicle is unavailable for receiving requests.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization message includes a reference to an external source of time information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the external source of time information is one of GPS (global positioning system) time and GPRS (general packet radio service) time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization message includes an amount of time that has elapsed since the vehicle ignition was turned off determined by a DRx timer on the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization message includes information regarding the vehicle'"'"'s DRx schedule.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization message includes information regarding the vehicle'"'"'s DRx schedule.

10. A method for synchronizing a mobile application on a mobile device with a DRx (discontinuous receive) schedule of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, at a telecommunications unit, an indication that the vehicle ignition has turned off;

determining whether a cellular service is available; and

if cellular service is available, sending a synchronization message to the mobile device, and if cellular service is unavailable, searching for cellular service.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

if cellular service is unavailable when the vehicle ignition has turned off, sending a message to the mobile device regarding the unavailability of cellular service over a short range wireless technology.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

discontinuing the search for cellular service when the vehicle enters a powered down mode.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

if cellular service is found as a result of the searching for cellular service, sending a synchronization message to the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the synchronization message sent to the mobile device after cellular service is found further comprises information regarding the current status of the vehicle DRx schedule.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the synchronization message includes a reference to an external source of time information.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the synchronization message includes an amount of time that has elapsed since the vehicle ignition was turned off determined by a DRx timer on the vehicle.

18. A mobile device capable of communicating with a vehicle telecommunications unit, the mobile device including a processor and a tangible, non-transient computer-readable medium having thereon computer-executable instructions for synchronizing a mobile application with a DRx (discontinuous receive) schedule of a vehicle, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

instructions for processing a synchronization message received from the vehicle such that the mobile application is capable of determining when the vehicle changes between operational modes, wherein the operational modes include a standby mode, a cyclic mode, and a powered down mode and determining when the vehicle is available for receiving communications based on the synchronization message;

instructions for sending a user request to the vehicle over a network when the vehicle is available; and

instructions for notifying a user that the vehicle is not available when the vehicle is not available.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the synchronization message includes a reference to an external source of time information.

20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the synchronization message includes an amount of time that has elapsed since the vehicle ignition was turned off determined by a DRx timer on the vehicle.