Automatic Wireless Device Data Maintenance

• US 20140136622A1
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wilkerson, Brian Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,558,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes downloading data elements from a wireless device. The method includes determining whether a user account exists in storage and determining whether the user account currently has stored data elements of the same type as the downloaded data elements associated therewith. The method further includes comparing the downloaded data elements to the stored data elements. This method also includes storing any downloaded data elements not currently existing in the data elements associated with the user account and not in conflict with data elements associated with the user account. The method further includes resolving conflicts between downloaded data elements and currently existing data elements, to establish which of the conflicting elements is representative of a proper version of the element. Finally, the method includes storing the proper version of the element resulting from each conflict resolution.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for replacing an invalid data element, comprising:

determining, via a vehicle computing system (VCS) that a data element is invalid;

accessing one or more social networking sites, through the VCS, associated with a user account corresponding to a wireless device containing the invalid data element;

for each social networking site accessed through the VCS, determining whether or not a data type corresponding to the invalid data element is available for a party corresponding to the invalid data element;

if the data type is available, comparing a data element stored on the social networking site under the data type with the invalid data element;

if the data element stored on the social networking site differs from the invalid data element, replacing the invalid data element stored on at least one of a local storage or the wireless device with the data element stored on the social networking site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data element is a phone number, and the determining that a data element is invalid further comprises receiving an invalid number response from an attempt to dial the phone number from the VCS.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising ceasing the accessing after it is determined that the data element stored on the social networking site differs from the invalid data element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that a data element is invalid includes querying a user as to the validity of a data element and receiving a response that the element is invalid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data element is an email address and the determining that a data element is invalid includes sending an email to the email address and receiving a response that the email could not be delivered.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sending an email includes sending an email from an account associated with a vehicle in which the VCS is included.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the sending an email includes accessing an email account corresponding to the user account and sending an email from the accessed email account.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, via a vehicle computing system (VCS) that a stored contact number is is not usable to reach a corresponding contact;

determining that the stored contact number has an email address associated therewith;

sending an email, including a contact number update request, to the email address;

receiving a response, including a valid new contact number, to the email; and

replacing the stored contact number with the new contact number.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the stored contact number is stored on a wireless device in communication with the VCS, and wherein the replacing includes uploading the new contact number to the wireless device to replace the stored contact number.

10. The method of claim 8, further including:

if the response to the email request indicates that the email request was undeliverable, accessing one or more social networking sites, through the VCS, associated with a user account corresponding to a wireless device containing the invalid data element;

for each social networking site accessed through the VCS, determining whether or not an online contact number available for a party corresponding to the stored contact number;

if the online contact number is available, comparing the online contact number with the stored contact number; and

if the online contact number differs from the stored contact number, replacing the stored contact number with the online contact number.

11. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine, via a vehicle computing system (VCS) that a data element is invalid;

access one or more social networking sites, through the VCS, associated with a user account corresponding to a wireless device containing the invalid data element;

for each social networking site accessed through the VCS, determine whether or not a data type corresponding to the invalid data element is available for a party corresponding to the invalid data element;

if the data type is available, compare a data element stored on the social networking site under the data type with the invalid data element;

if the data element stored on the social networking site differs from the invalid data element, replace the invalid data element stored on at least one of a local storage or the wireless device with the data element stored on the social networking site.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data element is a phone number, and the processor is further configured to receive an invalid number response from an attempt to dial the phone number from the VCS.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to cease the accessing after it is determined that the data element stored on the social networking site differs from the invalid data element.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to query a user as to the validity of a data element and receiving a response that the element is invalid.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the data element is an email address and the processor is further configured to send an email to the email address and receiving a response that the email could not be delivered.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to send an email from an account associated with a vehicle in which the VCS is included.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to access an email account corresponding to the user account and send an email from the accessed email account.