Data collection via a wireless communication system

• US 6,564,127 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Dudek, Kenneth Paul, Bauerle, Paul Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/695,271
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33, 701/24, 701/117, 340/991, 340/993, 340/825.72, 455/456, 455/66, 455/414, 455/425
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A vehicle control system method and apparatus including a mobile application service provider communicating over a wireless communication network, a mobile station communicating with the mobile application service provider over the wireless communications network, and a vehicle controller communicating with the mobile station via an automotive communications network, and where the mobile application service provider accesses vehicle data and transfers the vehicle data to the mobile application service provider to be utilized by the mobile application service provider or another information provider.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system comprising:

a mobile application service provider communicating over a wireless communication network;

a mobile station communicating with said mobile application service provider via said wireless communications network;

a vehicle controller communicating with said mobile station via an automotive communications network;

wherein said mobile application service provider accesses vehicle data on said vehicle controller and transfers said vehicle data to a computer system; and

wherein said mobile application service provider determines the excess capacity of a cell in a cellular site in said wireless communications network and uses said excess capacity to transfer the vehicle data to a third party information provider.

2. The vehicle control system of claim 1 wherein said third party information provider is a weather service providing weather information to consumers.

3. The vehicle control system of claim 1 wherein said third party information provider is a provider of traffic information to consumers.

4. A vehicle control system comprising:

a mobile application service provider communicating over a wireless communication network;

a mobile station communicating with said mobile application service provider via said wireless communications network;

a vehicle controller communicating with said mobile station via an automotive communications network;

wherein said mobile application service provider accesses vehicle data on said vehicle controller and transfers said vehicle data to a computer system;

wherein said vehicle data comprises vehicle speed; and

wherein said mobile application service provider correlates said vehicle speed to a digital map including speed limits to generate traffic flow data.

5. A vehicle control system comprising:

a mobile application service provider communicating over a wireless communication network;

a mobile station communicating with said mobile application service provider via said wireless communications network;

a vehicle controller communicating with said mobile station via an automotive communications network;

wherein said mobile application service provider accesses vehicle data on said vehicle controller and transfers said vehicle data to a computer system; and

wherein said vehicle data is sold to a third party information provider.