TELEMATICS SYSTEM WITH PIN-CONTROLLED EXTERNAL SIM TO PREVENT VEHICLE PIRACY
First Claim
1. A telematics system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a cellular telecommunications transceiver, which is embedded in the vehicle;
a first subscriber identity module (SIM), operatively coupled to the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver, the first SIM storing information that identifies the vehicle and that enables the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver to send and receive vehicle-related information to and from a telematics service provider;
a user-accessible SIM connector coupled to the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver, the user-accessible SIM connector being configured to receive a second SIM and couple the second SIM to the cellular telecommunications transceiver;
a user interface, which is configured to receive an identifier from a user of the vehicle; and
a controller operatively coupled to the user interface, the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver and the user-accessible SIM connector, the controller being configured to detect insertion of a second SIM into the user-accessible SIM connector, receive an identifier from the user-interface, and selectively enable and disable the vehicle responsive to validity and invalidity of the identifier received from the user interface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The operation of a conventional cellular telecommunications transceiver that forms part of a vehicle'"'"'s telematics system can be selectively changed in order to provide telephone calls by providing the transceiver with a second and different SIM card. Providing a second SIM card, however, will disable telematics service that can include stolen vehicle tracking. A personal identification number or PIN is thus required in order for the information that is stored in an external, user-provided SIM card to be used by a telematics system transceiver rather than the information stored in a built-in SIM card that is provided by a telematics system operator/provider.
20 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A telematics system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a cellular telecommunications transceiver, which is embedded in the vehicle; a first subscriber identity module (SIM), operatively coupled to the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver, the first SIM storing information that identifies the vehicle and that enables the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver to send and receive vehicle-related information to and from a telematics service provider; a user-accessible SIM connector coupled to the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver, the user-accessible SIM connector being configured to receive a second SIM and couple the second SIM to the cellular telecommunications transceiver; a user interface, which is configured to receive an identifier from a user of the vehicle; and a controller operatively coupled to the user interface, the embedded cellular telecommunications transceiver and the user-accessible SIM connector, the controller being configured to detect insertion of a second SIM into the user-accessible SIM connector, receive an identifier from the user-interface, and selectively enable and disable the vehicle responsive to validity and invalidity of the identifier received from the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a motor vehicle having a cellular telecommunications transceiver configured to send vehicle information to a telematics service provider and a first subscriber identity module (SIM) storing information that identifies the vehicle to a telematics service provider and that enables the cellular telecommunications transceiver to send and receive vehicle-related information to and from said telematics service provider, the vehicle additionally having a user-accessible SIM connector, which is also coupled to the cellular telecommunications transceiver and configured to receive a second SIM, the user-accessible SIM connector electrically coupling the second SIM to the cellular telecommunications transceiver, a method of selectively enabling operation of the vehicle comprising:
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receiving a second SIM in the user-accessible SIM connector; receiving an identifier from a user-interface; determining whether the identifier received from the user-identifies identifies a second SIM that is associated with an individual who is authorized to operate the vehicle; and selectively enabling and disabling the vehicle responsive to the determination of whether the second SIM is associated with an individual authorized to operate the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification