COMMUNICATING WITH RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL DEVICES VIA A VEHICLE TELEMATICS UNIT

• US 20140266635A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Pebbles, Paul H., Roth, Rebecca C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless

Abstract

A method of communicating with residential electrical devices using a vehicle telematics unit includes receiving information identifying a residential electrical device to control; displaying in a vehicle one or more controlled features of the identified residential electrical device; receiving from a vehicle occupant a selection of the displayed controlled features of the residential electrical device; sending an instruction from the vehicle telematics unit to the residential electrical device via a wireless carrier system in response to the received selection; and controlling the residential electrical device using the sent instruction.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with residential electrical devices using a vehicle telematics unit, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information identifying a residential electrical device to control;

(b) displaying in a vehicle one or more controlled features of the identified residential electrical device;

(c) receiving from a vehicle occupant a selection of the displayed controlled features of the residential electrical device;

(d) sending an instruction or command from the vehicle telematics unit to the residential electrical device in response to the received selection; and

(e) controlling the residential electrical device using the sent instruction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving at the vehicle the information identifying the residential electrical device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the residential electrical device further comprises a make or a model of the residential electrical device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the residential electrical device further comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address assigned to the residential electrical device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the residential electrical device is received via a webpage.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the one or more controlled features in the vehicle in response to detecting a geographical boundary.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sending the instruction from the vehicle telematics unit to a residential electrical device server; and

sending a command from the residential electrical device server to the residential electrical device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sending the instruction from the vehicle telematics unit to a computer;

sending the instruction from the computer to a residential electrical device server; and

sending a command from the residential electrical device server to the residential electrical device.

9. A method of communicating with residential electrical devices using a vehicle telematics unit, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information identifying a residential electrical device to control;

(b) linking the identified residential electrical device to a boundary distance measured from a residence;

(c) determining that the vehicle telematics unit has moved within or beyond the boundary distance from the residence; and

(d) sending a command from the vehicle telematics unit to the residential electrical device in response to the determination in step (c).

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of receiving at the vehicle the information identifying the residential electrical device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the residential electrical device further comprises a make or a model of the residential electrical device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the residential electrical device further comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address assigned to the residential electrical device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

sending the command from the vehicle telematics unit to a residential electrical device server;

determining if the command is in a format compatible with the residential electrical device; and

sending the command from the residential electrical device server to the residential electrical device.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

sending the command from the vehicle telematics unit to a computer;

sending the command from the computer to a residential electrical device server; and

sending the command from the residential electrical device server to the residential electrical device.

15. A method of communicating with residential electrical devices using a vehicle telematics unit, comprising the steps of:

(a) linking the vehicle telematics unit with a residential electrical device controlled by a vehicle owner;

(b) monitoring for messages at the vehicle telematics unit sent from the residential electrical device in response to activity at a residence; and

(c) receiving a residence status message in response to activity at the residence while the vehicle is located away from the residence.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of identifying the vehicle telematics unit using a vehicle identifier.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the linking step further comprises receiving at the vehicle telematics unit information identifying the residential electrical device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of receiving the residence status message from a residential electrical device server.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the residence status message that has been sent via a computer and a residential electrical device server.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of generating the residence status message using a personal computer (PC) located at the residence.