Automated electronic module configuration within a vehicle

• US 6,965,326 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Allison, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUGG, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US10/623,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426.1, 717168-173, 3404255-490, 340/99, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/999
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/046 involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle, e.g. via telemetry, satellite, Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for automated configuration of an electronic module within a vehicle. A first vehicle identification number stored in the electronic module is determined and a second vehicle identification number stored in the vehicle is determined. The first vehicle identification number from the electronic module and the second vehicle identification number from the vehicle are compared and the electronic module is configured based on the comparison. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed to configure an electronic module within a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a electronic module within a vehicle comprising:

determining a first vehicle identification number stored in the electronic module;

determining a second vehicle identification number stored in the vehicle;

comparing the first vehicle identification number from the electronic module and the second vehicle identification number from the vehicle; and

configuring the electronic module based on a mismatch detected between the first vehicle identification number and the second vehicle identification number.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the electronic module comprises:

initiating a predefined configuration process;

modifying an electronic module parameter; and

storing the second vehicle identification number determined from the vehicle to the memory of the electronic module thereby replacing the first vehicle identification number with the second vehicle identification number in the electronic module.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the electronic module comprises:

reading a stored configuration table;

determining an electronic module parameter contained in the stored configuration table; and

modifying the electronic module parameter based on the parameter in the stored configuration table.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the first vehicle identification number stored in the electronic module is initiated upon power-up of the electronic module.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory of the electronic module is a non-volatile random access memory.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring an electronic module comprises placing a call to a telematics call center and receiving the electronic module parameter from the call center.

14. The method of claim 3 wherein the stored configuration table is stored in a telematics unit.

15. The method of claim 3 wherein a plurality of configuration tables are available to the electronic module.

6. A computer usable medium including a program for configuring an electronic module within a vehicle comprising:

computer program code for determining a first vehicle identification number stored in the electronic module;

computer program code for determining a second vehicle identification number stored in the vehicle;

computer program code for comparing the first vehicle identification number from the electronic module and the second vehicle identification number from the vehicle; and

computer program code for configuring the electronic module based on a mismatch detected between the first vehicle identification number and the second vehicle identification number.

7. The computer usable medium of claim 6 wherein the computer program code for configuring the electronic module comprises:

computer program code for initiating a predefined configuration process;

computer program code for modifying an electronic module parameter; and

computer program code for writing the second vehicle identification number determined from the vehicle to the memory of the electronic module thereby replacing the first vehicle identification number with the second vehicle identification number in the electronic module.

8. The computer usable medium of claim 6 wherein, the computer program code for configuring the electronic module comprises:

computer program code for reading a stored configuration table;

computer program code for determining an electronic module parameter contained in the stored configuration table; and

computer program code for modifying the electronic module parameter based on the parameter in the stored configuration table.

9. The computer usable medium of claim 6 wherein the computer program code for determining the first vehicle identification number stored in an electronic module is initiated upon power-up of the electronic module.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 6 wherein computer program code for configuring an electronic module comprises computer program code for placing a call to a telematics call center and computer program code for receiving the electronic module parameter from the call center.

10. A system for configuring an electronic module within a vehicle comprising:

means for determining a first vehicle identification number stored in the electronic module;

means for determining a second vehicle identification number stored in the vehicle;

means for comparing the first vehicle identification number from the electronic module and the second vehicle identification number from the vehicle; and

means for configuring the electronic module based on a mismatch detected between the first vehicle identification number and the second vehicle identification number.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein means for configuring the electronic module comprises:

means for initiating a predefined configuration process;

means for modifying an electronic module parameter; and

means for writing the second vehicle identification number determined from the vehicle to the memory of the electronic module thereby replacing the first vehicle identification number with the second vehicle identification number in the electronic module.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein means for configuring the electronic module comprises:

means for reading a stored configuration table;

means for determining an electronic module parameter contained in the stored configuration table; and

means for modifying the electronic module parameter based on the parameter in the stored configuration table.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein means for configuring an electronic module comprises means for placing a call to a telematics call center;

and means for receiving the electronic module parameter from the call center.